We flew in from Indy on Friday the 16th and stayed at the Best Western (I booked through Priceline.com for $50.00 a night); the transfer to the hotel was free. We purchased the port transfer, which was a little frustrating on the way back (I'll explain at the end). The hotel was good for the money, but I have already decided that I would rather fly in the day of a cruise and take an extra day at sea, which is what we will do in the future.

Day 1: Embarkation went really smooth (we had VIP status due to a last minute upgrade) and we in Jax Port and on the ship within 15 minutes of arrival. Port authority and Carnival customer service were great.

Our cabin was on the Verandah deck at was real close to Camp Carnival and the Buffet area. We had lunch on the Lido which was okay, but not great. Got into our room at 1:00 pm and were really impressed with the size and decor of the room. If you can get the upgrade or afford to purchase the suite I highly recommend it; we had a 4 year old with us and it made the trip a lot more enjoyable. Read more