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Consciously Parenting Conference 2011
on board the Carnival Inspiration

Frequently Asked Questions

Recording of Q & A Call from April 19

Click here for Carnival's
Information for First-Time Cruisers

How much will the cruise cost?

There are four categories of state room that are available to us. They are listed below, along with price per person, which is dependent on the number of people staying in your cabin. Please note that type 4B and 4C are interior rooms and type 6B and 6C are ocean view rooms.

Prices are all-inclusive. All taxes, gratuities, food 24 hours a day, and coffee/tea/milk/water to drink are included in the price.

Prices listed are per person sharing a room:

Will my family need passports?

Passports are not required, however it is highly recommended that you have a passport for each member of your family. A passport is not required for U.S. Citizens taking cruises that begin and end at the same port, however, having passports will expedite your disembarkation when we return to Tampa.

If you do not have passports, each member of your family will need one of the following documents:
Original or suitable quality copy of a birth certificate
Certificate of Naturalization
Passport Card
Enhanced Driver’s License (EDL)
Trusted Traveler Membership Card

In addition to your passport, or other suitable forms of identification, every member of your family over 16 years old will require a photo ID.

For more information from Carnival regarding travel documentation, please visit http://www.carnival.com/cms/faqs/new_passport_requirements.aspx

Please note that neither Carnival, nor Consciously Parenting assumes responsibility for advising guests of proper cruise documentation.

I’ve never been on a cruise before. What can I expect?

First and foremost, relax! Cruises are among the most un-fussy vacations available! Once you’re on the boat, you can let yourself be transported to an entirely different world, where nothing but fun and family time is important. You can expect tons of fun, tons of food, and lots of relaxation!

What are my choices now that I’m on the ship?

The Carnival Inspiration has something for everyone! From family fun at the Water Works splash park, to the Serenity Adult-only area. And, don’t forget that this is a Consciously Parenting retreat! We’re going to have a variety of seminars and workshops, along with opportunities for some one on one time with some of our fabulous Collaborators and Contributors. We’re also planning some community building time together, starting with dinner together the first night. Keep in mind that nothing is compulsory, but we do hope that you’ll take advantage of anything you think will be beneficial to your family.

Are food/drinks included?

Our prices are all-inclusive, meaning that all food, plus tea, coffee, milk and water are included, as well as all port fees, taxes and gratuities! One thing there is no shortage of on a cruise is food! It’s available 24 hours a day!

Can special diets be accommodated?

Guests with special diet requirements can be accommodated on Carnival Cruise Lines. Carnival does not have dieticians onboard; therefore, they can only offer assistance with simple requests such as the method of preparation of menu items. Special diet requirements need to be arranged with the guest's headwaiter on the first night of the cruise. Every menu (in the dining room) has Spa Carnival Cuisine Fare. These items are lower in calories, sodium, cholesterol and fat. Salads are prepared with diet dressing. Desserts are prepared with Sweet'N Low or NutraSweet instead of sugar. In addition, each menu has one vegetarian entree. Low-cholesterol egg substitute is available upon request as well as diet jellies at breakfast.

The following special dietary meals can be prepared onboard:

• Vegetarian
• Low-cholesterol
• Low-fat
• Low-carbohydrates
• Low-sugar
• Gluten-free
• Kosher (limited selections and quantities available - call Reservations two weeks prior to sailing to request Kosher meals)

Baby food and formula are not available - guests will need to provide sufficent quanties as needed for the voyage.

Distilled Water may be purchased on board from the Housekeeping Department.

The following milk is available on board:

• 2%
• Skim Milk
• Chocolate Milk
• Plain Soy Milk

The following sweeteners are available on board in addition to sugar:

• Splenda (yellow)
• Sweet n’ Low (pink)
• Equal (blue)

Can I buy my tickets directly from Carnival?

Tickets purchased through Carnival do not include all taxes, port fees and gratuities. Also, in order to be included in our database of guests, it is necessary that you reserve your room through The Consciously Parenting Project.

Please click here to send in your questions!

If you are interested in getting more information about the Cruise Retreat, please fill out your information in the box below.