We just got back from our cruise on the Destiny (09-03-2006 to 09-10-2006). This was our fourth Carnival cruise. This time it was just my husband and I cruising (left the kids at home) and we booked our first balcony cabin. We found we used it much more than we thought we would. It's going to be hard to go back to an interior cabin after this!

AIR: I booked the air on my own. While we live in NH and the Manchester, NH airport is close to our house. I ended up booking a flight out of Logan in Boston. American Airlines had a great deal when I booked back in March 2006. I booked roundtrip air on a non-stop flight for $283.00/pp. I would encourage anyone who has several airports within driving distance to them to check flight information and price at each airport. As we booked our own air we did fly into San Juan a day early to avoid any potential problems with airline delays, especially since we were traveling during hurricane season.

HOTEL: I booked the San Juan Beach Hotel for $100 per night through Hotwire. While it was fine for one night, I wasn't impressed. When I booked it was rated as a 3 star. In reality it was more of like a 2 star. While it was clean, there were holes in the bedspreads, the carpet was stained and the bathroom had chipped tiles and a cracked sink. There were plenty of restaurants within walking distance and it was right on the beach, so, for the price it wasn't too bad. If you're planning on staying in San Juan for more than one night, I would look at a different hotel. Read more