Eagle Rock Dance + Blossom & Grow Group Cruise

U.S. citizens (adults)

• Best: a valid passport book. If you miss the ship in Ensenada or have an emergency in Mexico, you'll need one to fly home.
• Also accepted: an original or certified birth certificate plus a government-issued photo ID, such as a driver's license.
• Your name must match your booking exactly. Fix any typo in the HUB app or with Carnival well before sailing.

Minors and non-U.S. citizens

• Children under 16 can use a birth certificate alone.
• A minor traveling without both parents should carry a signed consent letter from the parent who isn't sailing.
• Non-U.S. citizens need a passport, plus a green card or valid visa as applicable.

CHEERS! (alcohol package)

• If one adult (21+) in a cabin buys CHEERS!, every adult 21+ in that cabin must buy it too.
• It's priced per day and must cover all 3 days of the cruise. You can't buy it for only one day.
• Limit of 15 alcoholic drinks per day. Sodas, specialty coffees and bottled water are included.
• Buy it pre-cruise in the HUB app. It is usually cheaper than on board.
• Do the math. If you'll average fewer than 5–6 drinks a day, paying per drink is usually cheaper. Remember you'll be ashore much of Tuesday and Wednesday.

Non-alcohol options and what you can bring

• Bottomless Bubbles covers fountain soda and is popular with kids and non-drinkers.
• Each guest 21+ may carry on one 750 ml bottle of wine or champagne on embarkation day. A corkage fee applies if you drink it in a bar or dining room.
• Each guest may bring up to 12 sealed cans or cartons (12 oz or smaller) of non-alcoholic drinks in carry-on luggage.
• No liquor or beer in your bags. Bottles bought in Ensenada are held by the ship and returned the last night.

Ship Wi-Fi

• Carnival sells tiered plans, from a social-media-only plan up to full streaming. Plans are priced per device.
• Buy pre-cruise in the HUB app for a discount over onboard pricing.
• The HUB app's ship map, daily schedule and onboard chat work over ship Wi-Fi without buying a plan.

Avoid a surprise phone bill

• Near the coast and in Catalina you'll have normal U.S. cell service. Out at sea your phone may connect to the ship's maritime network, which charges steep roaming rates.
• In Ensenada you're on Mexican networks. Many U.S. plans include Mexico, but check yours before you go.
• Once you leave port, turn on airplane mode and then turn Wi-Fi back on.
• Turn off automatic photo backups unless you've bought a Wi-Fi plan that can handle them.

Getting to the terminal

• Address: Long Beach Cruise Terminal, 231 Windsor Way, Long Beach, CA 90802.
• Parking: there's a paid lot at the terminal. Check the current daily rate before you go.
• Flying in: Long Beach Airport (LGB) is about 15 minutes away. LAX is 30–60 minutes depending on traffic.
• Arrive at your assigned check-in time, not earlier. Lines move fastest that way.
• Give porters your bags at the curb and tip a couple of dollars per bag.

Rough schedule (times to be confirmed)

The ship is cashless

Your Sail & Sign card is your room key and your wallet. Link a credit or debit card during online check-in and every purchase is charged to your onboard account. Review it in the HUB app before you leave.

Gratuities

Carnival automatically adds a daily crew gratuity per guest, usually in the high teens of dollars per person per night (so roughly $50–$60 per person for 3 nights), a little more for suites. You can prepay it before the cruise. Bar and specialty dining charges include an 18% service charge.