Carnival Cruise Tips

When you book your cruise with Carnival, you may be offered the chance to book both your plane ticket and cruise ticket together. Though this may be tempting, most likely you are not going to save as much money as if you were to book your own flight directly through the airline or one of the many discount travel sites available online. Not only can you save money by not booking through the cruise line, but you avoid an itinerary with multiple transfers and no guarantee of your desired seating.

When choosing your meal seating time, go for the second seating that usually starts around 8 p.m. This allows you more time in the port, and gives you more time to shower and get ready for dinner without feeling rushed.

Most carnival cruise line rooms only have a single outlet. This can be hard for the cruise traveler with multiple appliances such as irons, alarm clocks, cell phone chargers, media player charges and more. Bring a small power strip so that you can plug everything in at once without having your MP3 player going dead before going to port.

Bill mistakes can happen during your cruise. Your bill will normally be slipped underneath your cabin door the night before you leave your cruise. Look over your bill thoroughly to make sure that you were not charged for anything that you didn't order. Checking your bill the night before allows you to go to the main desk and get it corrected before the morning rush. If you wait till morning to correct your bill, expect to be waiting in a long line.

Tipping is not included with your carnival cruise line ticket. You should plan on about $3 per day per person staff member that you need to tip. This is typically limited to your dinner waiter and your cabin attendant. Just in case, always have a supply of one dollar bills available to tip other people on your cruise such as your child's cruise counselor, a bus driver or a tour guide.

Look at a map of the ship before choosing where you want to book your cabin. Look for cabins that are higher rather than lower. Also look for cabins that are away from housekeeping, medical services and the kitchen as these are all areas of the ship that run 24 hours a day. You will also want to book a room as far away from the service elevator as you can. Usually the more you pay for your room, the better location you can choose.

Depending on your itinerary you may need both a passport and a certified copy of your birth certificate. Of course you will also need a photo ID. International itineraries may require other documentations such as proof of immunizations. If there are additional requirements, Carnival will let you know upon booking your cruise.