Cruise Review: Carnival Inspiration-- Grand Cayman and Cozumel

When people take cruises, they expect a hassle free and relaxing trip. That is what my family was looking forward to as we headed to Tampa to embark on Carnival's Inspiration. It was a five day cruise headed to Grand Cayman and to Cozumel. We all hoped for five days of fun and sun. Nothing is ever perfect, but we were hoping for the best case scenario, and for the most part we found it.

The journey began with our flight from Detroit to Tampa. Once we arrived at the airport, we had discussed taking a shuttle. However, with a group of four, it was cheaper to just take a cab. It is $20 for the ride to the terminal before tip. Shuttles can run $10-15 per person before tip. The cab was a cheaper choice.

When we arrived at the terminal in Tampa, things went rather smoothly. Your luggage is taken from you at the terminal. You should have received tags for your luggage from the Carnival before you arrive. Your luggage will be delivered to your room. Please make sure you hold on to your carry ons! This will be the only things you have until you luggage arrives. In the rush, they grabbed my dad's carry on. It had all his medication in it AND it was not tagged. Our cabin steward was able to help us find the bag once all of the tagged bags had been delivered, but we were very nervous! With this in mind, be aware of this when you pack your carry ons! If there are items you need, make sure they are in that bag. We packed our swim suits and a change of clothes just in case our luggage did not make to us in time. Yes toiletries can not be in your carry for your flight, but you can move them to your carry on once you claim your luggage at the airport.

We had VIP check in, so we were able to avoid the long lines. We did hit a snag with my father's customs paperwork, but the staff were able to help us get everything in order. BONUS POINT ONE: The staff went above and beyond to help us out. They issued us our Sign and Sail Cards and we were on our way.

Your Sign and Sail cards are your on board credit cards. You can put cash on the cards or connect them with a credit or debit card. Anything you buy on the ship will be charged to that card. Also, the card is your ticket on and off the ship and your room key. You need to have this card with you at all times!

When we checked in a staff member noticed that my we had checked that my father would need special medial accommodations on the ship. ( He needs printed items in big print and a sharps container (he's diabetic) for his syringes.) The employee let us know that we needed to check in with someone once we boarded the ship.

We made our way to our room, and we were greeted by our cabin steward. Be very kind to these people. This person and his assistants will be cleaning up after you for the duration of your stay. We asked him which desk we need to visit to make sure we had Dad's medical accommodations, and he took care of it for us.

The room itself was plenty big for four people. We had one of the penthouse suites with the balcony. It was nicely furnished, and the balcony was a big plus. It was nice to be able to enjoy the ocean with out having to be on one of the main decks. There was a good sized walk in closet that my sister and I turned into a changing room. Not all rooms are this big. Many of them are much smaller. Be sure to find out the dimensions of the cabin before you book.

The first day you leave Tampa around 4:00. We went and grabbed lunch on board and did some exploring around the ship. This is a good idea! Get your bearings. We went with a "small" ship because of my father's somewhat limited mobility. Still, the ship was plenty big! We found where the lunch buffet was located, how to find the pool, where the dining room was, things like that. We also took the time to get settled in our room and unpack a bit. We looked into excursions (things you can do at the ports of call), but none of them really seemed to work for us.

When you booked your cruise you had to pick the time you wanted to eat dinner. Your dining room, seating time and table are printed on your Sail and Sign Card. Make sure you arrive on time for your seating. When you get to your table, you will probably have seat mates. These people will be your new found friends for the duration of the cruise. We were lucky. Two of our stablemates were girls about the age of my sister and I. We made friends with them and then had people to hang out with on the cruise. The other two were nice gentlemen, but a little on the creepy side. You will have a head waiter, and he will have an assistant. Konstantine was our waiter, and Jeni was his assistant. Both of them did excellent jobs of taking care of us. When you are choosing your meal, listen to the suggestions from your waiter. They are usually right on. Also do not be afraid to try something new. If you don't like it, you can simply order something else.

Day two is a day at sea. This was the day we went to lay out on the deck. We spent time relaxing in the sun. It was good day to check out the shops on board and enjoy the on ship activities.

Day three was in Grand Cayman. The ship can not go up to the pier, because of the coral reefs. The ship drops anchor off shore and you need to take these things called tender boats to the pier. These smaller locally run boats run about ever 5-15 minutes. Boarding these tiny boats can be scary, but there are people there to help you. This was hard for us because my father does have some limited mobility. The staff did their best and we did not run into an issue. The main thing to do in Grand Cayman is shop and enjoy the scenery. There are many excursions you can do through the ship as well.

You are not in Grand Cayman for long. Be sure you make it back to the ship on time! By early evening you are headed to your next port: Cozumel. You will reach Cozumel by the next morning. This time the ship can pull up to the pier and it makes getting ashore much easier. I like Cozumel more. Stay on the main drag or you will quickly find yourself in poverty situations. If you take a cab to the beach, only take one from one of the taxi stands on the main drag. The shopping was little scary at times, but we found some good deals. We also found great margaritas at a place called Viva Mexico Café.

My sister and I went to a place called Senor Frogs for a little fun. The bar is located right off the pier. We had heard about this place, but thought it was exaggerated. No, it was correct. It is great place to kick back, relax and enjoy a little tequila...or a lot of tequila...it is up to you. The wait staff is insane, but it is entertaining. Actually after a while, you become part of the entertainment. There is dancing and tequila being shot out of a "proton pack." It was good time had by all. However, it is NOT KID FRIENDLY!! Do not take your children unless you want to have to explain a few things later.

Day five is another relaxing day at sea. Enjoy it while you can. The next morning you will be back in Tampa bright and early. Make sure at least one person from your party goes to the "how to get off the ship easily" talk that morning. Also make sure you fill out all your customs forms and evaluations before you go to bed. You will also need to start packing. You will need to put your bags outside you room before midnight for pick up. You can keep your carry on, and remember if you keep you toiletries you can always move them to another bag before you head to the airport.

In the morning you are in Tampa. Listen to the announcements and leave the ship in an orderly fashion. Once you make it to the terminal building, you will need to gather your luggage and get in line to go through customs.