I see from the website that it is a lot more expensive to
be in a cabin by yourself (rather than being in one with 2,
3 or 4 people). I would like to go on the cruise, but none
of my friends want to go with me. Do I need to get a cabin
by myself?
No way! We will gladly match you up with a roommate or roommates
if you prefer to be in a triple or quad cabin. Infact, many
people register that way, so this is really a good opportunity
to make a friend right from the start. Infact, with permission,
we give roommates contact info for each other so that you
can get acquainted before the cruise.
When I get on the cruise, will it be easy for me to meet people?
We try very hard to have a balance between spiritual events
and social events, and all of our meetings are designed in
such a way to encourage people to get a chance to know one
another. Mealtime is also a great time for fellowship. We
all eat in a certain area of the dining room, and rather than
having assigned seating (which is customary on cruises), we
have "table tents" set up on the tables that have
been allocated for our group.
You are free to sit at any of our tables, and our goal in
doing it this way is for you to have an opportunity to fellowship
with different people. If you make a special friend or two,
you may want to make plans to dine together at your next meal,
but there will always be somebody for you to chat with at
mealtime.
What are the ages of the passengers and how about the male/female ratio?
Our singles cruise have varied in attendance from about 70 - 170 people ranging from their 20's to 60's. Last November we had 173 singles travel with us on the 4 day Western Caribbean sailing. The male/female ratio varies depending on the cruise, but in general, it is about 1/3 men to 2/3 women. We have found that singles seem to gavitate to those that were of similar age and interests, but as a whole, our groups seem to bond really nicely.
Will
everybody on the ship be a Christian single?
We have a block of space on board the ship for our group.
We have private meeting space for our events, and we eat together
as a group, but there will be others on the ship with us.
I have tried so many different ways to meet my mate. Do you
think this will be
my answer?
It is possible that God may choose the cruise as the perfect
setting for you to meet your mate, but that is certainly not
a guarantee. Infact, if you go on the cruise with that expectation,
you may even be disappointed.
This is a great opportunity to meet other Christians from
different denominations, backgrounds, cultures, and geographical
locations (we even had some people from overseas last year
sail with us). We all come together as a body of Christ to
learn, grow and have fun together!
The ministry sounds so interesting, but the ports sound great
too...will I be torn between hearing a great speaker and visiting
the sites that I have gone on the cruise to see?
Almost all of our ministry, music and special social gatherings
for the group will take place while we are at sea. We want
this to be a spiritual journey for you and a time to meet
new friends, but at the same time, we want you to be able
to experience the sites that are available at each port. Afterall,
this is your vacation!
Are three meals a day included? How about soft drinks, coffee,
tea, etc?
Five meals a day are actually included in a cruise....early
morning danish and coffee, a full breakfast, lunch, dinner
and a midnight buffet are all available as well as snacks
and 24 hour room service. Soft drinks cost about one dollar
but coffee, tea, juice, milk - even chocolate milk are available
at no extra charge.
The prices that I see listed seem reasonable...are there hidden
charges that are not mentioned?
We include taxes, port charges and admittance to the full
conference made available on each sailing to those that have
registered as part of our group. The taxes and port charges
vary in price depending on the length of the sailing but they
range from about $140 - $275...that is all included in the
price quoted. Gratuities are not included, so that is something
that you would want to budget for when planning. The gratuities
that are recommended for a 4 day sailing are $39, for a 6
day sailing, they are $58 and for a 7 day sailing, they are
$68.
This covers all the tips for people such as cabin steward,
waiter, bus boy, etc. so you don't have to worry about tipping
while you sail. These gratuities can be prepaid at the time
of final payment or you can pay while on board the ship. As
mentioned above, all meals and snacks are included, but there
is a charge for soft drinks.
What kind of fees are associated with the entertainment on
board the ship or activities when we get to the ports?
There are no fees for the entertainment on board the ship
or the ministry that we have planned for you. There is a spa
on all of the ships, which is terrific. You can exercise on
state of the art equipment, take an aerobics class, soak in
the hot tub or relax in the sauna and steam room for no charge.
If you want to indulge in a massage or a manicure for example,
there are fees that are associated with such treatments. While
we are at the various ports, you may want to purchase shore
excursions from Carnival and these are activities that are
organized by the cruiseline with trained guides. They vary
in price and are completely optional. Some people like to
go to relax at the beach or do some shopping at nearby stores
on their own. There are no fees involved in that - except
for your purchases! It is truly possible to go on the cruise
and not pay one extra penny while on board the ship and have
a great time.
What about alcohol? This is a Christian cruise so is alcohol
served?
We do not serve alcohol at any of our events, however, alcohol
is available on the ship for purchase.
I have heard that there is a formal night on cruises - what
should I wear for such an event?
Formal night is a time where you can wear that special dress
that you bought for a Christmas party years ago and have not
had an opportunity to wear it since that time or for the guys,
if you own a tux, feel free to bring it with you.
But, if you don't have a very very fancy outfit or if you
don't like to get real dressed up, no pressure - you don't
have to do it! Many ladies will wear a nice dress or pants
outfit and gentleman will wear slacks and a sports jacket.
I have never been on a cruise before.
I will be flying to Miami from my home city. How will I get
from the airport to the pier?
You can purchase airport transfers from the cruiseline for
about $10 each way. This can be paid for prior to the cruise
or when you are at the airport. If you purchase your transfers
in advance, they will come in the mail in the form of a voucher
with your cruise documents. You will be greeted by reps from
the cruiseline who will direct you to the area in which you
can pick up the shuttle bus. This shuttle will take you directly
to the pier and at that point, you will give your luggage
to the cruiseline reps who will take your bags to your room.
On the return, the shuttle will take you from the pier to
the airport.
Can you help me with airline reservations or should I do that
on my own?
You can purchase your airline tickets through Carnival, and
we can quote you a rate from your home city. That can be paid
for at the time of final payment and the tickets will come
to you with your cruise documents. When you purchase your
air through the cruiseline, airport transfers are included
as well.
We do caution you that the rate charged by the cruiseline
is generally quite a bit higher than that which you will find
on your own. But, it is a convenience that many people prefer.
We also have a full service travel online travel agency that
we can direct you to for purchase of your airline ticket and
that is www.jabeztravel.net.
Do you recommend flying in the night before or is it OK to
come the day of the cruise?
If you like to play it safe, you may want to consider coming
in the night before the cruise. That takes the pressure off
you as far as flight delays causing you to miss the cruise.
If you are late, the cruiseline typically does not wait for
you. As a convenience, we reserve hotel space for our groups
at the departure city for those that are interested. If you
choose to come in the day of the cruise (which many people
do), we recommend taking an early flight.
You can usually start boarding the ship at about 12:30 - 1:00
(the time varies just a bit depending on how quickly those
on the previous cruise were able to disembark). If you get
to the pier early, you can be close to the front of the line
and get on board quicker. When you do get on board, a lovely
lunch will await you.
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