Going on our first cruise!!!

As per usual, JG, and Yank have hit it pretty well on the head.

I will touch again on a few things:

Travel Insurance:

This not only protects your travels, but ALSO acts as your medical Insurance on the cruise. Ive seen people break bones, have allergic reactions, ive seen myself drink myself into diabetic ketoacidosis. All of which is covered. Without Travel insurance, it is VERY pricy.

Tipping:

Cash is King. If you have prepaid gratuities, it is still a good idea to drop a few bills on your Room Steward, Waiter, and Waiter Assistant. Bartenders usually will give better service after a few dollars slid their way as well. When tipping a bartender through your room account, that individual bartender then splits that "$1" with every other bartended on the ship. If you tip in cash, it goes in his/her pocket.

And the porters...$5/bag is a great idea, so your luggage doesnt end up in the harbor, "Sleeping with the fishes"

Excursions:

IMO, it is not worth the risk of booking excursions outside of the cruiseline. It could just be my Paranoia, however, on an excursion booked through the cruiseline, if your group is late returning, they will either hold the ship, or make arrangements for you to reconnect with the ship.

Enjoy!

Please! thats how I did some of my finest work......if the wind was right....heheheheheh

Actually years ago, the other concerns were the hibachi and fishing pole.

And the curry pot.....

Leave the rice cooker at home.

sorry, that’s an inside joke only some will understand

I agree with everything already posted by my comrades. Read through it a couple times to let it all sink in.

I would add that it would be very beneficial to download the Carnival Hub App as soon as possible and learn to navigate it prior to boarding. You will find it indispensable in planning your days and checking on what is happening at any given time. It's also used for reservations.

One more thing....don't know if you plan on taking tours or not, DON'T wait to book onboard, with at least 1,300 of your newest friends looking over your shoulder....they don't know squat either...do it from home, use the lines website, READ reviews from people who have actually taken it...like many things, they look great...the actual experience, sometimes not so much..plus, if you book thru the cruise line, they HAVE TO WAIT FOR YOU TO RETURN TO THE SHIP...bad weather, buses break down...stuff happens....you book "elsewhere", usually because its cheaper, and you somehow arrive too late for the Captains patience, you can watch your ship on the horizon getting smaller, while you stand around in your shorts....

Congratulations! good advice from JG...guaranteed your first one will get your head cornfuzzled...all kinds of new experiences and ways to do things. don't let THAT lead you to believe that there's problems yada yada...don't know if your SO is an experienced cruiser or not..don't think that because that "gratuity" is baked in (whether he prepaid it or not) that THAT covers everything...If you're carrying luggage on, thats one thing, but be sure to tip the porter at the pier if you're not.......we do $5/piece...Your cabin steward is usually worth a couple of 20's at least, one when you meet him/her on the first day, another midcruise...thats what we do, and believe me it goes a long way and its appreciated. If you're spending any time at all at one (or more) of the 2,345 bars onboard, a couple of bux on the bar works...They usually work steady shifts,,,saying hello and giving them your name and being friendly can do amazing things. Dining room wait staff is included in that list too...but you only need to tip if you feel its worth it, especially if you're coming back there, to the same table... All I can say is my experience after all these cruises is that its appreciated waaaay more than tipping here in the good ol USA..no Americans work 7 days a week and spend 6-7 months away from their families....we make a trip to the atm/bank prior to every cruise,,get a whole bunch of greenbacks...1,5,10,20...its coin of the realm EVERYWHERE, including especially on board.... some gets stuffed in my shirt (or wherever) every day...depending on the length of the cruise, you can budget for it...maybe $100 or so...anyway, thinking back to our first, I was lucky to figure out bow from stern...it became quite addictive......GOOD LUCK!!!!!!!! LET US KNOW HOW IT WENT!!!!

Congrats on joining the Cruisers.....

Get luggage Geo tags.....

As far as packing clothes, you will always take more than you need.

Be selective when picking out pictures, ( they can be expensive)

Enjoy the food and the service.

Get travel insurance, for the price, it's usually worth the peace of mind.

Enjoy the cruise.