Going on Carnival Paradise?

OK My husband and I are going on the Carnival Paradise in Oct. has anyone been on this ship before? How is it? What can we expect? We are getting an inside cabin. Are those ok? I know they are small with no windows but other then that are they ok? I just didnt see a point of paying high prices for a room where we are just going to shower and sleep. We are going to want to be out doing things. So how does everything work? We have already done all the pre boarding stuff. So how will it be on the ship? What is there to do on the Paradise? Is it a good ship? Opinons? Experiences?

Also one other thing I am kinda confused about.

I know there is a sail and sign card. Ok so do you have to like put how much money you want on the card and then they swipe it and deduct what you spend or do they swipe it for everything and then at the end it gets totaled up and then you pay? If so can you pay your final bill in cash or can you use you debit/credit card? How exactly does the card work? Can you tip as you go or do they put a preset decided amount of tip automatically

Alos while in the ports (catalina Island/Ensenada can you use your debit/credit card for any spending/shopping or does it have to be cash?

Sorry for asking so many dumb questions. This is our first cruise and I like to pre plan ahead as much as possible so there are no surprises.

Thank you so much in advance for all the info you can give me.






Answer :
The Paradise is a nice, although a bit older, ship. It was VERY nice, when it was a non-smoking ship.

An inside room is just fine. Be sure you take some type of clock because otherwise you won't know what time it is while you're in your cabin. The cabins are very small, so don't be surprised. I tend to be claustrophobic and I'm just fine in an inside room.

You will get a sail and sign card that functions as your ID, your room key and your "charge card" for your cruise. You put in the credit card info for your card when you do your on-line pre-boarding check-in. You can use cash, but you need to arrange this with the Purser's desk, I think.

Tips will be automatically charged to your account, although the amount can be adjusted [hopefully, up, not down]. Drinks you buy on the ship have a 15% service charge added to the cost of the drink.

You can use your credit card in most any of the ports.

Not sure there's going to be a lot to do in Ensenada. It's a pretty "sketchy" port from what I've read, but the ship is required to stop in a foreign country, so.... Go to CruiseCritic.com, click on "Boards", then go to "Ports of Call" and find your ports for great info from experienced cruisers.

Have a great cruise!






Answer :
The classic interior design of the Carnival Paradise honors famous ocean liners of the past. The two-deck Normandie Showroom is done in an art-deco style, with stained-glass chandeliers and cherry wood trim. In the America Bar, a Venetian glass mural in red, white and blue creates a waving American flag. Meet newly made friends in the Rotterdam Bar or go dancing in the Queen Mary Lounge. In the six-story atrium, glass elevators silently glide up and down as passengers relax at the circular bar below. Passengers seeking a casual alternative to the two main restaurants can opt for the casual Paris Restaurant or offerings from the snack bars and pizzeria. This ship also features an adults-only "Serenity" area that offers bar service, ocean vistas, and whirlpools for relaxation