I have been on over 25 Cruises, and been a member of many Sailing Groups for lots of Cruises. I have also been an Administrator several times. Listed below are some of the most frequently asked questions that I have come across over the years, as well as some that are repeated on a regular basis.
1. “What Terminal do we go to/at what terminal will our ship be docked?”
I see this question more than any other. The answer? It doesn’t matter. If you are driving yourself, you only need to put in the Port Address. (FIND THE PORT ADDRESSES HERE). When you arrive at the Port, there are large Digital Signs telling you what terminal to go to. If you are taking a Cab to the Port, or a Rideshare – just tell them to take you to the Port and the name of the ship – they will know where to go. If you are looking for Parking Garages, there will be signs for that, too. There are also workers at the Port that can help you. In all of my Cruises, I have never once even thought about which Terminal my Ship was in until we pulled into the Port.
2. “Can I bring Bottled Water on Board?”
No – you are not allowed to bring any beverages in plastic or glass (Except for your Bottle of Wine), Water can be brought on in Cans or Cartons – the same rules apply for water as soda – you can bring a 12 Pack, Maximum per person. The cans or cartons must be 12 oz. or less. CLICK HERE FOR CRUISE EMBARKATION RULES.
3. “What nights are the theme nights?”
With Carnival, you really can’t tell what nights the theme nights will be prior to your Cruise. Sometimes your Cruise Director will give an update on their Social Media Page before the Cruise, but this doesn’t happen very often. CLICK HERE TO SEE THE UPDATED LIST OF CRUISE DIRECTORS WITH LINKS TO THEIR SOCIAL MEDIA.
4. “What night is Elegant Night?”
Number of Elegant Nights Depends on the length of the Cruise. 1-5 Day Cruises have 1 Formal Night. 6-10 Day Cruises have 2 Formal Nights. 11 Day Cruises or Longer have 3 Formal Nights. Which Nights? 3/4/5 Day Cruises – Usually on Night 2. 6 Night Cruises – Usually on Nights 2 and 5. 7 Night Cruises – Usually on Nights 2 and 6. 8 Days or more – Formal Nights vary by ship and Sailing. CLICK HERE TO FIND OUT ALL THE INFORMATION ABOUT FORMAL/ELEGANT NIGHTS.
5. “Can I bring an Iron or Clothes Steamer”
Absolutely not. You are not allowed to bring anything with a heating element (except for hair appliances like curling irons and hairdryers) Wrinkle Release Spray is a great option. All ships have Ironing Rooms. TO SEE ALL PROHIBITED ITEMS, CLICK HERE.
6. “Is the Drink Package Worth It?
That all depends on each individual and how much they plan to drink. They say the Break-Even Point is 6 Drinks per day – if you drink more than that, it’s worth it – plus you get free Bottled Water, Soda and Coffee (Which do not count against your 15 Drinks per day Maximum). CLICK HERE IF YOU NEED MORE HELP DECIDING.
7. “Do I need my Passport or Birth Certificate/ID to get off the ship at the Ports?”
Unless you are traveling to Bermuda, Greenland, Panama or Colombia (which require Passports) you never need to take out your Passport or Birth Certificate after Embarkation. Store them away in a safe place in your room or your Room Safe. If something happens and you are left at a port, the Crew will retrieve your Passport. The only thing you need to get on and off the ship at Ports is your Sail and Sign Card. I always carry my ID with me, but have not had to show it in at least my past 15 Cruises.
8. “Are we able to bring Energy Drinks Onboard?”
Yes – the same rule applies to energy drinks as soda – 12 oz. max in Cans or Cartons, and a maximum of 12. CLICK HERE FOR LUGGAGE EMBARKATION DAY RULES.
9. “Can I put my wine/soda in my Suitcase when boarding the ship?”
No. All wine and soda must be in your Carry On or Carried On. (You can carry your 12 pack without putting it in a bag.) CLICK HERE FOR LUGGAGE EMBARKATION DAY RULES.
10. “Do I need to exchange my money to Foreign Currency in the Ports?”
No. Shops, Restaurants, Bars and Excursions all take American Money, Credit or Debit Cards. If using a Credit or Debit Card, make sure to let your Company know that you will be traveling Internationally.
11. “There are two of us, and we each have a bottles of wine. Can I put both bottles in the same Carryon, or do they have to be separate?”
You can put both bottles in the same Carryon Bag, as long as you Board together. Same goes for Soda, and also applies to more than just two people. Example – if you have 4 people Boarding together, and everyone has a case of Soda – you can combine them into 1 bag.
12. “When you carry on sodas, do they have to be in the box or can they be loose?”
Either way. There are no rules that say you have to keep them in the original box. You can also mix and max. CLICK HERE FOR LUGGAGE EMBARKATION DAY RULES.
13. “Can I see the schedule of events, shows, etc. before my Cruise?”
No – you cannot. Every Cruise is different, and every Cruise Director does each Cruise differently. You can message your Cruise Director before the time, and they might be able to give you some insight. CLICK HERE FOR THE 2025 CRUISE DIRECTOR SCHEDULE. You can also see what the theme nights are ahead of time, but not which night they will be taking place. CLICK HERE FOR 2025 THEME NIGHTS. Once onboard, you will be able to access the Daily Schedules through the Carnival Hub App., or on the Fun Times that are delivered to you cabin daily. You can always Google Fun Times, and see examples from previous Cruises, but as stated above, they change every Cruise.
14. “Do we need to make reservations for shows, events on Carnival?”
No – Carnival does not take reservations for their shows or events. All shows and events are First Come/First Served.
15. “Does the Cheers package include sodas and water, and do they count against your 15 Drink Limit?”
Yes, you can get unlimited sodas, waters, milkshakes, coffees and juices with the Cheers Package. They do not count against the 15 Drink Limit.
16. “Are there hairdryers in the rooms?”
Yes, there are hairdryers in every cabin. They are typically located in the desk drawer. However, they are not the best quality – if you have thick hair, I would suggest bringing your own.
17. “Can we bring snacks on board?”
Yes. You can bring snacks as long as they are unopened and in the original packaging. They can either be in your carry-on or checked luggage. CLICK HERE FOR CRUISE EMBARKATION RULES.
18. “How can we make sure that everyone in our party sits at the same table for dinner, even if we aren’t in the same cabin?”
Log in to your Carnival Account (on the website, not the APP). Click on BOOKING AND ORDER DETAILS. On the right side of the page, there is a link – MANAGE ANOTHER BOOKING – CLICK ON THIS LINK AND FOLLOW THE INSTRUCTIONS.
