Hi Sassy,
I see you've haven't gotten a lot of response to your post. Just a hint here: Next time try narrowing your question a bit. Being new, I'm sure you don't realize that it could take a book to answer everything you asked in that one little post, and that is probably why you didn't get very much in the way of answers. I know I passed on this thread yesterday, because I just didn't have the time to answer so much. But I have a little time this morning so I'll give it a shot.
First off, your ship: I think you've made an excellent choice for your first cruise. The Liberty is somewhat new, launched in 2005, and weighs in at 110,000 tons. That's a very large ship, but not the largest out there. I like this size of ship, it’ll have plenty to do, and plenty of space but not so big that you forget you’re on a ship. Also at two years old, you probably got a better price than trying to book one of the newest ships. The first year or two in service usually cost more, but the experience is nearly the same. And Carnival gives an excellent first cruising experience. BTW: We thought it was pretty darn good for a fifteen cruise too.)
Like I said there will be lots to do on the ship, pretty much the same as on any ship. Here are just a few things to occupy your time on board. You could easily list this a separate question, as I’m sure I forget things:
Swim in the pool
Listen to the Calypso music poolside
Try the slide
Soak in the hot tubs
Play some bingo
Take golf lessons, or just use the golf simulator
Shop in the gift shops
Attend a wine or liquor tasting
Attend an art auction
Take a dance class, line dancing or ballroom
Play some bingo
Listen to the piano guy in the bar, and sing along
Attend and participate in a game show , like Millionaire, Survivor, Sea quest, Newlywed show. ( FYI, these are hilarious, don’t miss them.)
Have a massage, or facial, get a seaweed wrap or get your teeth whitened, or one of a dozen other spa treatments.
Dance in the lounge or in the disco
Try your hand at the slot machines, black jack, poker, roulette etc
Attend the big production shows in the evening
How about some bingo
Or see a comedian, or magician perform
Relax in the Jazz bar
Watch an ice carving demo
Attend a lecture
Watch the hairy legs contest at the pool
Join the basketball tournament
Join in the morning trivia contest
Or the slot pull contest or Blackjack tournament
More dance classes, try salsa or swing
How about a Pilates class or a spinning class
Are you any good at Karaoke
How about an adventure or travel talk
How about a round of mini golf (not sure if the Liberty has this) lots of Carnival ships do
Attend the Captain’s formal cocktail party reception
How about some bingo
Get yourself a temporary tattoo
Visit the library
Play cards in the card room
Renew your wedding vows
Use the internet to send an e-mail home to make all your friends jealous
Did I mention bingo ? :lol (Once you’re on the ship, you will understand about the bingo)
And, Oh my goodness, I forgot to mention eating. (See I told you I’d forget some things :grin) How could I forget eating? You can eat in the Buffet, or at the Island Grill, or at the Pizzeria, or the Deli. Not to mention the dining room and specialty restaurant, and don’t forget room service, and the snacks they serve at the cocktail receptions, and the poolside Caribbean buffet on Caribbean night, and there’s usually a midnight buffet somewhere in there.
Trust me, you won’t be board.
But you haven’t gotten off the ship yet, and you specifically asked about the ports.
In Key west there’s not ton’s to do, mostly because the cruise lines usually make this a short stay (I don’t know why). So we’ve mostly just spent our days there doing the trolley Tour, and walking the town, shopping and stopping in a few of the many , many pubs. The Butterfly Conservatory and aquarium are supposed to be nice. So is a visit to the Hemingway House, the pirate museum. You can also do a Catamaran sail and snorkel, or dive, or parasail. If these activities interest you, you should ask in a separate thread if people who did them here, thought they were good excursions. We’ve always done our water oriented tours in the more southern ports.
In Grand Cayman, there are tons of activities to choose from: several sail and snorkel choices, kayaking, Atlantis submarine trip, beginner or experienced scuba, simple tours, Seven Mile beach, etc, etc,. But the one absolutely must do excursion in Grand Cayman is Swimming/snorkeling with the stingrays. This is an experience that you will never forget and never regret doing.
[In most cases, I would never recommend a newbie try booking an excursion on their own, separate from the cruise line, BUT Captain Marvin has been used successfully by many of this boards members. I wouldn’t hesitate to use them. They are totally used to dealing with cruise ship passengers and will be conscientious about getting you back on time.
Still, anytime you are on the island you are responsible for getting back to the ship. If you are booked through the cruise line, and the tour is delayed, the ship will either wait for you, or take responsibility for catching you up to the ship. If you book on your own, then that’s the way it is: You will be on your own. The ship doesn’t not wait if you are late. Just be aware of the chance you take.
Also, if you book with the independent dealer, you have to worry about making the connection with that tour operator in the morning. You don’t really have control over when you can get off the ship, so timing that can be difficult. The reason people choose the independent operators, like Marvin, is that they can be significantly cheaper. I like to think of that extra cost of the ship tour as insurance.]
As for Jamaica, now this is one port where I absolutely encourage anyone to stick with the ship’s tour. I really don’t much like Jamaica, and tend to avoid it when choosing a cruise. It’s a shame really, and the island itself it gorgeous and lushly tropical. But it’s not very safe. You should be very careful if on the island. Avoid going anywhere alone, and I would hesitate to get in a taxi there. If you walk to town (assuming you will be in Ocho Rios) be prepared for some of the pushiest venders you’ve ever encountered. I’ve never been to Montego Bay , so can’t say if it’s better there. You should ask on the board.
Well , then, what should you do in Jamaica? That answer is easy. Take one of the several ship tours to Dunn’s River Falls. Climbing Dunn’s River Falls is nearly as much of a not-to-be-missed excursion as the StingRays. It’s a challenge, but not too difficult. (take water shoes, or Tevas, or some old tennis shoes you won’t mind getting wet.)
I’ve also heard good things about the Martha Brae river rafting, a much less strenuous excursion. There are dozens of other activities, (jeeps, snorkeling, beach clubs, river tubing, One time when we were cruising with our sons and daughter-in-law, they went on the Mountain to Sea bike and snorkel trip and just loved it. They got a chance to see the inside of the island which is quite beautiful, and didn’t not experience the pushy venders there. But that was before we were as familiar with the not so safe reputation of this island.
As for general cruising information, I have to take this opportunity to encourage you to read through the Cruise Addict’s Cruise and Travel Tips page. The link to it is at the bottom of my signature on this post. You can also find the link on the Cruise Addict’s home page. (look to the left side of the page)
Happy Cruising.
