HI
LET ME TRY THIS AGAIN--I WROTE YOU A LONG LETTER AND AOL DECIDED TO SEND IT TO LA LA LAND.FIRST WE ARE LONG TIME CRUISERS AND LOVED EVERY MINUTE OF THEM.YOU PICKED A GREAT SHIP FOR YOUR FIRST CRUISE.WE HAVE BEEN ON HER TWICE OUT OF TAMPA---OUT OF 13 CRUISES WE LIKED HER THE BEST.THE SHIP IS NOT TO BIG AND VERY EASY TO GET AROUND.CARNIVAL WAS ALWAYS ONE WE NEVER THOUGHT GOING ON.THATS BECAUSE WE HEARD THAT THEY HAD SOME PROBLEMS WITH THE TEENS ON BOARD.OUR FIFTH ON THE LEGEND IS COMING UP AND WE COULDNT BE HAPPYER WITH CARNIVAL.HOLAND AMERICA IS FOR THE OLD FOLKS AND RCL IS EXPENSIVE.( BUT GOOD). THERE ARE PROGRAMS FOR KIDS AND THAT BIG WET SLIDE IS LOTS OF FUN.IT DOES NOT END IN A SWIMMING POOL AND SEEMS SAFE.BEING A KID AT HEART MYSELF I THINK THE KIDS WILL LIKE THE MAIN DINING ROOM.ITS GOT LOTS OF LIGHTS THAT LOOK LIKE GRAPES.SOME DONT LIKE IT BUT I DID.FOOD WAS GOOD AND I KNOW THEY HAVE A KIDS MENU, BECAUSE WE HAD TWO SMALL ONES SITTING NEXT TO US AND THEY WERE BROUGHT THERE SPECIAL DISH EACH NIGHT.FIRST TIME CRUISERS SOMETIME ARE OVERWELMED BY THE FOOD.ORDER WHAT YOU WANT, AND AS MUSH AS YOU WANT.ORDER 4 SALADS IF YOU LIKE OR TWO LOBSTERS.THEY WILL BRING IT.THEY REALLY TRY TO PLEASE YOU.DRINKS ARE EXTRA EVEN COKES(DRINK CARDS FOR KIDS ARE GOOD I HEAR)THEY ALWAYS HAVE TEA AND COFFEE AND JUICE FOR FREE.CAREFUL NOT TO MELT YOUR DENTAL WORK WITH THE COFFEE---ITS ALWAYS STRONG---SO WATER IT DOWN IN THE LIDO WITH THE HOT WATER NEXT TO THE COFFEE FILL.THEN THERE IS THE SPECIAL COFFEE. BARS---THERE ARE TWO AND THEY ARE WORTH THE EXTRA CHARGE.A FEW TIPS---WATCH THAT NURO VIRUS THAT GREDA TALKS ABOUT ON FOX NEWS EVERY NIGHT.WE HAVE BEEN ON THESE CRUISES WITH NO PROBLEMS.MAYBE A STOMACK ACHE FROM OVER EATING.A NOTE ABOUT THAT---YOU CAN EAT AS HEALTHY AS YOU WANT.THE KIDS WILL LIKE ALL THE DESERTS.SO DO I.LOTS OF FRUIT AND HEALTHY FOOD AVALIBLE.BACK TO THE VIRUS---BUY AND TAKE LOTS OF THAT HAND CLEANER.WASH YOUR HANDS ALOT AND JUST BE CAREFULL.SOME SAY IF NATURE CALLS GO BACK TO YOUR CABLE AND US IT.DONT GET ME WRONG THE SHIPS ARE VERY CLEAN.SOME AND WE DO TAKE STUFF AND CLEAN THE CABIN BEFORE WE USE IT---NOTHING SPECIAL---JUST WIPE IT DOWN.NO US IN SPENDING THE CRUISE IN THE CABIN SICK.IT HAPPENED TO MY FRIEND.TAKE A SMALL NIGHT LIGHT.ITS BETTER THEN LEAVING THE BATHROOM LIGHT ON AT NIGHT SO YOU DONT GET HURT GETTING UP AT NIGHT---THE ROOM LIGHTS ARE BRIGHT.THERE IS ONE OUTLET IN THE CABIN--AND ONE IN THE BATHROOM--YOU GET A HAIR DRYER.THERE IS A SAFE IN THE ROOM.REFRIG TOO.TV IS OK BUT LIMITED--ID BRING A DVD PLAYER AND SOME MOVIES FOR THE KIDS.IT PLUGS INTO THE TV.ALSO ON THE TV YOU CAN WATCH YOUR CHARGES--DO THAT CAUSE ITS EASY TO RUN THEM UP.YOU GET A CARD WHEN YOU BOARD AND ITS USED TO BUY EVERYTHING AND FOR THE ROOM KEY---GET ONE OF THOSE LANYARD CARD HOLDERS TO HANG ON YOUR NECK--SOLD ON BOARD.NOW---THE FIRST DAY--EVERYONE IS TIRED AND HUNGRY AND TRYING TO BOARD ASAP--SO--WHEN YOU GET ON IF ITS NOT AT LEAST NOON YOU AND 2000 OTHERS ARE GOING TO BE DIRECTED TO THE LIDO TO EAT.ITS OK,BUT DONT THINK THIS IS HOW THE REST OF THE CRUISE WILL BE.IF ITS ONE OCLOCK WE GO TO OUR ROOM AND ORDER ROOM SERVICE.BETTER THEN FIGHTING THE CROWDS.TIP THOSE GUYS AND GALES ABOUT TWO BUCKS FOR BRINGING THE FOOD.YOU WILL FIND THAT THEY WORK THERE BUTTS OFF TO MAKE YOU HAPPY.ROOM SERVICE IS 24 HOURS.SO IS PIZZA ON THE LIDO.FIRST TIME CRUISERS USUALLY GO TO THE THEATRE EVERYNIGHT---THEY HAVE TWO REALLY NEAT SHOWS-THE REST ARE OK AND GOOD FOR THE KIDS.TWO FORMAL NIGHTS,GO TO CHURCH CLOTHES ARE FINE.YOU WILL SEE SOME TUXS.ITS FUN TO PLAY DRESS UP.IF YOU WANT A SPECIAL TABLE,AFTER YOU BOARD GO SEE WERE YOU HAVE BEEN ASSIGNED.IF THEY GAVE YOU A TABLE FOR 100 (KIDDING) AND DONT WANT THAT-THE MATRE D IS AT AN ASSIGNED PLACE TO CHANGE THINGS IF THEY CAN.THEY HAVE NEVER FAILED US.DO IT FAST THOUGH.TIP THE BAG GUYS AT THE PIER--ITS SAFER--WE NEVER HAD A LOST BAG.THEY USUSLLY SHOW UP AT THE CABIN BEFORE THE WONDERFULL LIFE BOAT DRILL.ITS THE ONLY BAD THING ABOUT A CRUISE.BUT REALLY NOT ALL THAT BAD.AGAIN 2000 PEOPLE AT AROUND 4PM WILL BE ASKED TO SHOW UP WITH LIFE VESTS AT THER MUSTER STATIONS.TAKES ABOUT HALF AN HOUR.WHEN THAT DONE ITS ALL GREAT STUFF.THEY DO HAVE SMALLER VESTS FOR KIDS.THIS IS A FEDERAL THING AND YOU HAVE TO DO IT.DO THIS TOO---DO NOT LEAVE ANY MEDS ETC AT HOME.CARNIVAL GIVES YOU ALOT OF NEEDED STUFF IN YOU CABIN---BUT NOT EVERYTHING.A VISIT TO THE SHIP DOCTOR TO GET SOMEMORE PILLS YOU THOUGHT YOU HAD ENOUGH OF WILL SHOW UP ON YOUR BILL AT ABOUT $110.I DID IT.SHAVING CREAM IN THE SHIP STORE IS ABOUT $5.I DID IT.YOU DONT NEED SHAMPOO---ITS IN THE SHOWER AND BODY SOAP--ITS GOOD.PLENTY OF HOT WATER.OH YEAH GATHER THE KIDS AROUND THE TOILET AND FLUSH---ITS GOOD FOR A FIRST TIME LAUGH.THEY WORK ON AIR AND ARE A BIT STRANGE AT FIRST.
DO BRING SOME OF THOSE WIRE HANGERS--THERE ARE NEVER ENOUGH.PAY LAUNDRY ON BOARD TOO--ITS GOOD BUT THEY ARE ALITTLE ROUGH ON DELICATES.ABOUT $5 FOR A LOAD.MY FIRST CRUISE WAS ON THE OLD WESTERDAM.MY WIFE HAD TO DRAG ME ON--BUT IN A SHORT TIME I THOUGHT I WAS IN HEAVEN.CRUISES ARE GREAT. WE WERE ON THE TAIL END OF HURRACANE RITA AND IN 30 FOOT SEAS.BOTH MY WIFE AND I GET MOTION SICKNESS---BUT EVEN IN THE STORM WE WERE OK.IF YOU ARE SUPER SENSITIVE GO TO THE PURSERS DESK AND GET FREE MEDS.SOME PEOPLE WEAR THE PATCHES.MOST OF THE TIME IF YOU SIT IN THE CENTER OF THE SHIP YOU DONT EVEN KNOW YOU ARE AT SEA.THE SHIPS HAVE STABLEIZERS AND ITS SMOOTH.YOU HAVE TO BE CAREFULL BUT THESE PEOPLE THAT FIND THEMSELF IN THE OCEAN WHEN THERE NOT SUPPOSED TO BE THERE ARE EITHER SUPER DRUNK OR JUST PLAN STUIPID.YOULL FIND FOR THE KIDS THAT THE RAILS ARE HEAD HIGH TO THEM.IF YOU HAVE A BALCONY DONT LET THEM SIT ON THE RAILS.BALCONYS ARE COOL BUT YOU DONT NEED THEM.IN JUNE TURN YOUR ROOM AIR UP WHEN YOU GET THERE.WATCH FOR THE COOL TOWEL ANIMALS WHEN YOU RETURN TO THE CABIN IN THE EVENING--THE KIDS WILL LOVE THEM---THEY SHOW UP THE SECOND NIGHT.ALSO THE BEDS WILL BE TURNED DOWN WITH CANDY ON THE PILLOWS.THE NEW BEDS THEY ARE GREAT.TAKE NOTE IF YOU DONT WANT YOUR PICTURE TAKEN ALL THE TIME--JUST TELL THEM.ITS GETS OLD...THEY MAKE ALOT OF MONEY ON PHOTOS.YOU ONLY PAY FOR WHAT YOU WANT THOUGH.THE REST GO IN THE TRASH.WHEN YOU BOARD BE READY FOR THE FIRST PHOTO AT THE GANGWAY.THE NICK AND NORAS RESTURANT IS REALLY GOOD--WATCH THE DRINKS THOUGH---IT WILL BRING THE BILL UP.WAIT TILL THE KIDS SEE THE CARNIVAL FUNNEL---IS SOOOO BIG THE FIRST TIME YOU SEE IT.IT LOOKS LIKE WINGS.CASINO IS COOL--KIDS NOT ALLOWED---LOTS OF SMOKE AT NIGHT.FIRST TIME CRUISERS FIND IT STRANGE THAT THE STORES AND CASINO ARE CLOSED EXCEPT WHEN THE SHIP IS AT SEA.ITS UP TO YOU BUT THE EXCURSIONS IN MY OPIION ARENT WORTH IT.THEY ARE COSTLY AND SUBSTANARD SOMETIME.WE HAVE BEEN ON THEM BUT DONT ANYMORE.FOR THE WIFE THE ISLANDS AND MEXICO OFFER A DISNEYWORLD OF JEWERY STORES.PRETTY GOOD DEALS AND TAX FREE.MEXICO HAS ALOT OF SILVER.WE HAVE BEEN IN PORTS WITH FIVE OR MORE SHIPS--THATS ALOT OF PEOPLE.HAVE THE KIDS WATCH FOR THE DISNEY SHIPS---THEY SEEM TO ALWAYS BE THERE.IF YOU SEE ALITTLE BOAT FOLLOWING THE SHIP WHEN YOU LEAVE OR ENTER A PORT,ITS A PILOT BOAT.CAPTAIN DOESNT DRIVE THE BOAT IN PORT.LOTS MORE TO SAY ,BUT YOU WILL BE VETERANS IN NO TIME.IF YOU DONT WANT TO HEAR PEOPLE LIKE ME BRAG ABOUT HOW MANY CRUISES THEY HAVE BEEN ON DONT TELL THEM YOU ARE NEW.IT GETS OLD SOMETIME.I WAS ON ONE CRUISE WITH A GUY THAT WAS ON 200.YOU AND THE KIDS WILL LOVE IT AND ILL BET YOU GO ON MORE-ONE MORE THING---IF YOU CAN SOMETIME GO ONE THE BOAT IN THE FALL-IT COST ALOT LESS.SUMMER IS HIGH---DONT GO ON SPRING BREAK.
HAVE LOTS OF FUN!!!HEY DOWNLOAD ONE OF THESE COUNTDOWN TIMERS.MINE SAYS 18 DAYS 16 HOURS 3 MINUTES.ALSO GO TO EITHER CRUISECLUES OR WEBSHOTS AND SEE MILLIONS OF PICTURES OF THE MIRACLE.YOU CAN SEE MENUES AND THE CAPER(DAILY NEWS PAPER)TOO.HAPPY SAILING-RICH AND JOAN ATLANTA
