Booze Cruise!! [not really]

guess who's going on a cruise!!! i'm extremely excited to be sailing on the high seas for the first time evaaaaa. i never realized just how complicated i can make things  it can be getting onto a cruise ship! good thing is, +Carnival  is excellent with logistics, especially with their shuttle service readly available to transport you from the airport to you docking area. without this (and some other tips below), i would have surely arrived to my ship late and/or gotten lost on the way. destination?  let's just say....this B island ain't fo yo mamas! 

T-Tips:

• set-up your account and complete initial check-in on Carnival's website at least 2 weeks before your departure. 
• You automatically do this when booking directly with +Carnival, but i used +Expedia for a better deal on excursions
• make sure when booking to pre-pay for gratuity if you can 
• at the end of the cruise, you will be asked to pay an additional gratuity/tip for the maid services, staff, etc. that amount can vary a lot BUT pre-paying gets you out of that [i decided on $30 for 3 nights]
• if you are sailing solo [like i did] be sure to have your bed converted to a king size, unless you like switching beds [no judgement]. to do this: you can either call or check the box online 
• print everything! boarding pass, luggage "tags" [actually just slips of paper] and anything else you may need a ticket/pass to get into, since there's no guarantee of cellular reception, internet access and/or printer access
• the luggage tags are crucial to getting your luggage on board safely and to your cabin. 
• if you are flying in, check-in at the airport ground-transportation area. this ten minute stop will save you an hour or more instead of checking in at port.
• this is also where you take the reserved shuttle to port. +Carnival recommends reserving a spot on the shuttle at least 3 days in advance in case shuttle fills up, but i waited until i got there haha. [$16 one-way and i believe $30 for round-trip]
• this is also where you take your first photo [not the glamour shots above] for identification purposes by all of the cruise staff, so freshen up in the restrooms! 
• when you arrive at port, your luggage will be loaded onto the ship separately [just like airport baggage check] so take a photo of your luggage tags, and make sure they are secured! 
• if you completed your initial check-in online: you get to zip on through the express security lane! 
• there is a priority express as well for those who purchased preferred tickets, but they both lines went by pretty fast. 
• this is also where you will receive your room key. room key = your life. 
• after passing through security, check for any missing loose items on the belt. i sadly did not do this, and was without my trusty water bottle for my entire trip.
• if you are still in bedroom-chic/airplane attire, you might want to change in the restroom before moving forward. pre-cruise photos [above] will be taken here
• if you did not complete the initial check-in, you will go through the general boarding area. 
• this section was beyond crowded. think of TSA delays at an airport, times 10
• after security comes check-in. again, this area was extremely crowded, more so than the security check point. there were 32 lanes but the projected wait time from entry was still an hour. 
• once you are on the ship, ask someone where to find your room and relax! any of your over-sized luggage that was checked-in will be sitting outside of your room roughly an hour before departure.

• do not lose your room key!! not only is it expensive to replace, but it is also the one thing that will get you on/off the ship and proves your identity. Carnival security does a good job of reminding everyone of this, but be responsible
• your key is also how you access and pay for anything extra on the ship [souvenirs, alcoholic beverages, etc.]
• T A K E    A    N A P!