Working really just seems to get in the way of...well LIFE! Things would be so much easier to be independently weathly and to be able to just cruise each month.

A'ndrea-did you say that you stayed at the Queen Mary the night before you left on the Pride? If so, what did you think? I am debateing whether to do that or stay with my brother down in Santa Ana.

Diana - OMG kindergarten ...wow you really need those 2 cruises!!! My 3 yr. old on his own is enough to drive me crazy - I can't imagine a whole room full. I have always thought it truly takes someone special to become a teacher. Of course I wonder about that theory when I have to deal with some of the wackos my 12 yr. old has had this year. Makes me nervous! One teacher keeps giving him poor grades and then says "whoops, wrong child" after I flipped my lid. Does the guy have so many kids he can't keep them straight? Yikes!

Well I better get looking for my next cruise. I haven't googled Mexico at all today. I think I'm slippin!

LOL Yes there are "some" teachers out there that you make you wonder what is going on. Trust me I see it! You are so funny! I sit in front of my computer and google so much that I don't even know what to google anymore I have just developed this obsession! Anyways, I was just at the Queen Mary last month it is next door to the Carnival Terminal. The bow of the ship faces the Pride. It was so exciting to see the ship we will be on in 88 days. Anyways, where are you coming from? I think it might be exciting to stay the night there in anticipation for the following day!

Staying on the Queen Mary would be really cool. It's just so darn expensive. I start thinking....WOW that's my dolphin excursion! Kyle is addicted to all those ghost shows and when he was a cubscout we stayed on both the USS Pampinito Submarine and the USS Hornet. Lots of great ghost stories told there!

We are coming down from the Bay Area - Bethel Island...We live near the delta (Antioch/Brentwood/Concord area. I love living on the water. It is so peaceful to see the water everyday. We just don't seem to take advantage of it like we used to. Again...that LIFE thing just getting in the way.

My brother lives in Santa Ana. So I believe that's not too far from were we need to leave. I will have to "invite" ourselves for the night since we will be driving down the day before. And then hopefully we can just leave our car at his place so we don't have to pay the $12 a day they are charging at the pier (and YES I have googled the darn pier information already!!!)

Diana....you better check your ticker girl....you only have 87 DAYS!!!!

You weren't at the Queen Mary for a certain radio show wedding were you?????

Wow 87! We live about 50 min from Long Beach. The Queen Mary has various tours. We did the Haunted Tour. We just got up one morning and decided to visit a ship. We didn't know that the Pride was just next door. We were so excited. I even took a picture of my boys in front of it while on the Queen mary and saved it on my phone as a wall paper.

It sounds beautiful up there. I want to take the scenic route up the coast to San Francisco. There is so much to do and see and not enough time or money!

Santa Ana is about 40 min or less away. I teach about 25 min from there in Corona. I would suggest that you leave your car at your brother's. I plan on having my parents drive us out to avoid the fee and to have someone to wave to as we sail away!

Hwy 1 is truly an amazing drive. Especially if you keep going up towards the Redwoods up north. Our family used to drive up Hwy 1 every few years when I was growing up. Still can't wait to get back up there and show my kids the Redwood tree you can drive through. Amazing I still remember it!

San Francisco is fun to visit. My girlfriends and I would take the BART over there on the weekends and mess around. ALOT to do there. And just like LA your just about to see anything and everything.

There are ALOT of FREAKS in this world! (and I am sure they are very nice people...no harm intended)

Hi Michele and Diana. From what we heard from other passengers staying on the Q.M., she is in disrepair and in need of some T.L.C. There were holes in the cabin walls, it was dirty, etc. It is on the expensive side to stay on her. There is a convenience factor in that she's a stone's throw from Pride (literally). The hotels in Long Beach were all beautiful.(Several Carnival personnel recommended the Hyatt to us as their personal favorite. There was an outdoor shopping promenade there with very nice stores/shops, as well.

Diana, my sister has a friend Mary, in Corona. When I speak with her I will ask her whereabouts she lives and her last name. Although, I believe her girls are older. But hey, you never know. It's a small world. A'ndrea

Hi Andrea, I was recently on the Queen Mary and didn't realize how many people stay on it. First of all, it does need repair. Second, after doing the haunted encounters tour, no one will get me to stay on the ship.
Let me know where Mary lives. I teach at Orange Elementary in South Corona.

Hi Diana,
I spoke with my sister. Mary lives in Corona off of McKinley Avenue. I will e-mail you privately with her other information. A'ndrea

Hi we too are sailing sept 30 on the Pride

And we have a 6 yr old boy with us

Hi Terry M - Welcome to Cruise-Chat! You will find ALOT of information here about the Pride and what a wonderful cruise we have in store for us. Teachabc123 will be going on the Pride in July and we are sure to get alot of feedback from her when she returns. My sons are 13 and 3...and they both are VERY excited. A'ndrea assures me that Camp Carnival is the best and that the kids will have a wonderful time. Have you thought about your shore excursions you and your family will be taking - if any. There is so much to do on the ship...some just decide not to leave
I have changed "our" minds so many times...my family has given up on me! And DH just wants a chair in the sun and a VERY cold drink. He'll be happy with that!
Michele

This is our first real vacation since our son was born.Disneyland 2 yrs ago was okay but not a sit and have a cold one type of vacation.We have been to mexico alot and the west coast snorkling is not great.We are probably going to do mostly beach days in Cabo and Mazatlan (stone island is a great spot) Puerto vallarta we are not sure as of yet but we may look up some of our favorite bartenders.

Hi to all of you, do ya suppose there is room for one more excited cruiser in here?

We are booked on the Pride for Sept 2... Sis, me, hubby and sis's husband, and then there is the bachelor baby brother who is the guest of honor on this trip. Celebrating his 50th.

Imagine doing your 50th with your two older sisters. lol, hope we don't cramp his style.

I have sort of been designated the family cruise director as I am the one doing all the research, etc. sis is paying, so I am earning my way this way and using my funds for fun and drink.

We have been to Mexico several times but never cruised, so this will be a new experience for all of us.

I hope the Pride is everything everyone says it is, since I really want this group to have a good time so they will want to go year after year.

We will on upper deck, port side, mid ship near the atrium in three side by side balcony cabins. We were assured that booking this late (like yesterday) that this was a very good location, but little brother down by the Atruim so he have the best access to finding nice ladies to talk to.

I hope you don't mind my joining in on your conversation and anticipation.

brenda

Brenda,
Anyone interested in talking about Pride and the Mexican Riviera is always welcome on this thread.

After you've cruised on Pride, you will find it's hard to measure up while cruising on an older Carnival ship.

The decor on Pride is opulent and classy, without being gawdy and loud. Everything on the ship was well thought out. You will love her.

Warm Chocolate Melting Cake for dessert is a MUST.

A'ndrea

thanks for the welcome, Andrea... I know we will love it.

I am pitiful though, I have already set up one of my guest rooms (and the closet there) as the "cruise room". With work the way it is for me right now, if I start now, I may be packed by Sept 2.

And I am trying to get myself ready for the heat. Wish we could have picked another time, but alas, this is the only time we can go.

But, a trade off for the heat is that most kids will be in school by then, I hope.

I used to have more patience with them, but then they used to be better behaved.

I am counting the days, guess I better get me one of those tickers, huh?

Brenda

Brenda,
I don't believe the tickers are working anymore, unfortunately.

And, yes, be prepared. The weather will still be extremely hot in Mexico come early September. I'll take heat over cold weather any day.

A'ndrea

Brenda Welcome! I will be cruising on the Pride in 14 days. I will make sure to post a review. I am getting so excited!

thank you all, and I will look forward to that review.

I am getting my "sauna" gear together, although I bet it will not very different than here in deep East Texas during July and August. Over 100 and humid... like I said, "sauna".

The men will sweat and us ladies will "glow"... sounds like the best excursion for me may be to find an air-conditioned BAR ! ! Please tell me that some of bars in these ports are air conditioned... !!!