This is a text copy of the Zydeco Cruise FAQs that you have received, or will receive, with your ticket package. 10/08/08 Welcome Zydeco & Cajun Cruisers - PLEASE READ THIS LETTER (TODAY !) VERY IMPORTANT!! CHECK YOUR NAME BADGE FOR CORRECT SPELLING! You must bring your name badge and wear it to all Zydeco Group "Private Party" Events - required for all dances & all classes. If something is incorrect on your name badge, email Carol at zydecocruise@aol.com. If you can't email, please call me at 206-295-5839 and leave a very detailed message so we can get your badge corrected prior to sailing. We do the best we can with this, but each year there are still a few errors - please help us by checking them right now. Keep badges with your tickets - don't forget to bring them! This letter is designed to answer some of the FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions). We will update the web site continuously, adding updates right before the cruise. This is the only method we will have to provide everyone with last minute updates and changes, so check the site at www.zydecocruise.com, especially RIGHT before you leave for Houston. Things change and we do not have control over some of it. After this letter, the only way to get up-to-the minute updates is our website. Please email Carol at zydecocruise@aol.com rather than calling the Travel Machine if you've not gotten your Zydeco events or activities schedule. Call the Travel Machine at 1-800-683-9882 or email Kermit@travelmachine.net if you have a question about your bill, your cabin, your travel arrangements, or insurance. We will be posting the complete daily schedule VERY soon on the website. BEFORE THE CRUISE: Check www.zydecocruise.com — look in "Latest News & Announcements". If you do not have a computer, we really recommend that you hook up with someone who does, or take a trip to your local library where they can help you access our website. We do understand that not everyone has a computer, and we are sorry if this is inconvenient for you. 1. WE ARE SAILING FROM HOUSTON, NOT GALVESTON!- Your tickets say Galveston, which is not correct - do not worry) Houston port info, shuttles and transportation, Rock 'n' Bowl Festival: Please see the website - we have lots of info posted. We'll post more as we get closer. See www.portofhouston.com We will depart from the BAYPORT TERMINAL. For airport shuttle info, see www.excruiseconnection.com or call 877-316-5165. You must make reservations in advance! Boarding the ship can start between 11:30 am and 2 pm, but usually around 12:30pm and stops at 3:30pm. Start time varies, so be patient - but please don't miss the boat! 2. Pre-Register NOW- The Department of Homeland Security requires that you pre register now for this cruise online at www.carnival.com/mycruise with your passport and credit card in hand. See middle of page, click on blue box: FunPass Quick Check-In. Type in your booking number (see your invoice receipt), last names, ship name is Conquest, date is 11/2/2008. While on the Carnival web page you can save time later at the terminal by doing this from home: go to My Documents, Click on electronic documents or tickets, Print them now, or click on NO I prefer paper tickets 2 weeks before we cruise. Shore Excursions may be booked online (Carnival website) now until 7 days prior to sailing. You can also sign up for them on the ship. The coolest excursions can sell out, so planning ahead is good. 3. Email- Ask me, the organizer of this event (Carol Schreitmueller, zydecocruise@aol.com) if you have questions not addressed here. Please read ALL of your documents completely when you receive them. Most of the problems you might have when you arrive at the ship can be prevented if you take the time to read everything in advance. (We know this is no fun, but please try!) 4. Acceptable ID- READ the requirements in the cruise literature. You may be denied boarding or entering some ports if your ID isn't correct. CALL THE TRAVEL MACHINE IF YOU ARE NOT SURE ABOUT YOUR ID. Security at all Ports is VERY TIGHT and they won't make an exception if your ID is incorrect If using a birth certificate you must also bring a valid driver's license. We strongly advise to only use a valid passport! CHECK YOUR EXPIRATION DATES ON ALL ID - ALL FORMS OF ID MUST BE CURRENT AND VALID! 5. Packing- Please read your cruise literature for tips. There are 2 optional "formal" nights - Monday & Thursday. How about earplugs, swim goggles, sunscreen, rain poncho (naah!)? Sun hat/visor? Alcohol must be packed in carry on bags. There is now a 1 bottle limit. Wine only, no hard liquor. You must be 21. They will take away bottles you sneak into your luggage as they're x-rayed. Tip: Bring a backpack to use on the port days. Email Carol if you have specific packing questions- its OK. Laundry - You can send things out for laundry, pressing or dry cleaning on the ship (costs extra like at a hotel).There are self-serve laundry facilities on board The cruise line does not allow irons in rooms due to the fire hazard, Shampoo, soap, hairdryers are in cabins. 6. Money- There is a purser's office on board but don't count on being able to cash a huge personal check. *Read about "Gratuities" and bring some extra cash along with you. The ATM's aren't always in operation and the transaction fees can be very high - plan ahead! 7. Daily Schedule- Every day on the cruise, you will be given a COMPLETE listing of ALL the ship's daily activities. For the proposed daily dance schedule, check our website closer to the sailing date. We will have printed copies of the Zydeco/Cajun music/dance schedules available for you on the ship. PLEASE check the announcement board on the ship (Atrium, Lido Deck) a few times a day. 8. CRUISE T-SHIRTS- T-shirt sales were by prepaid advance order only. Deadline to order your shirts has now passed, and we are sorry if we missed anyone. We are not allowed to sell them on the ship, or we would. Every single person in our group was sent an order form in the mail in September. Contact Card if you have questions. We will post pickup time/place in the schedule.] 9. Seasickness Prevention- One thing to know: This is a VERY BIG SHIP. Some people get seasick very easily and some don't but if you are worried, definitely don't take a chance on ruining your fun. PLEASE TALK TO YOUR DOCTOR, BEFORE THE CRUISE. This is your vacation, and we want you to feel great - every day! ON THE CRUISE: 10. Info/Schedules- WHEN YOU EMBARK, PICK UP YOUR COMPLETE ZYDECO / CAJUN EVENTS SCHEDULE ON BOARD AT OUR HOSPITALITY DESK: Location of our desk will be on Lido Deck near the glass elevators in the Atrium area. 11. ITINERARY AND SCHEDULE CHANGES- As always, we ask you to BE FLEXIBLE - if there are any additional schedule changes, they will be posted on a board at our Hospitality Desk daily, so you'll need to walk by there regularly. Watch for the events schedule to be posted online VERY soon. Feel free to email Carol if you have specific questions in the meantime. There are no dance or crafts classes scheduled on Port Days, only on our At Sea days. YES! We will have a Mardi Gras Costume Contest the last night of the cruise! You can bring one or make a crafty mask on the ship - many chances to WIN! 12. Cabins- No, they're NOT as big as hotel rooms! They have twin beds that push together in most cabins. You'll be fine - how much time will you be spending in there, anyhow? See Carnival's online deck plans for your specific location and other cabin features. Check your tickets and make sure the cabin you are assigned to is exactly what you thought you were getting! Switching cabins once you arrive will be impossible to do as the ship will be completely sold out again. Call the Travel Machine NOW if you have any questions about your cabin. 13. Dinner seating procedures- 8pm every night! Carnival's usual dining policy is every person has an assigned seat they stay in the whole week. We are working on trying to get permission to have an open seating area with "Zydeco Tables" where we all can sit together. This is highly unusual for any cruise ship to be this flexible for dinner seating and this is not confirmed yet. If they agree, there will be a few rules! NO SAVING SEATS - please assemble your group together at the dining room entrance just before 8pm so you're ready to go in all together. They need everyone to sit and eat at the same time or it messes them up badly. We will post the status of dinner seating online. 14. Bands' Shows- Bands play on alternate days. Afternoon dance times vary depending on when we get back from port. The proposed schedule is for full shows every night and shorter ones like the "Sail Aways" from ports. We already know there is a schedule conflict with the big Carnival Deck Party on Tuesday night so there might be some changes just for that one night only - please be flexible -- we're working on it! The 2000+ guests that are NOT part of our group want some space, too (geez!). CHECK THE ZYDECO BOARD on the ship! 15. Our Group- We will be around 400 people. We can't provide you with a list of who's going, because many people have requested we not publish their names due to privacy issues. This year and on the last 10 cruises, our group has been very well balanced male/female. BUT - not every single person attends every class or dance, especially as the week goes on and people get their fill. Many of the moves being taught are not partnered moves. Ladies, it's sort of up to us to get the guys away from the bar or casino and out onto the dance floor. DO YOUR PART! You'll have classes for all dance levels with several different instructors. All classes are on "At Sea" days. We have some non-dance classes as well, like Washboard University and fun MARDI GRAS ART CLASSES. Watch the web site for details. Printed copies of the schedules will be available when you get onto the ship, and posted at our Zydeco Cruise Hospitality Deck 16. Dance floors- We will be dancing on wood decking most afternoons/evenings, maybe some marble tile, VERY short-pile carpet, maybe some metal flooring as well. It's the variety pack. Be flexible, have some fun! We will be dancing around a tables at times (they're bolted down to the floor in some spaces), next to some hot tubs, and maybe on some varying deck levels. It's different, but we've had plenty of fun 6 other times on Carnival including 3 times on this same exact ship. Every ship's deck plan is different, and it's always going to be our job to work around whatever's there. Evening dances are usually going to be outdoors on the decks. Be flexible if it rains, please - we can't dance on wet decks for safety reasons. BRING COMFY SHOES THAT YOU ABSOLUTELY KNOW ARE GOOD! Remember that feet tend to swell a bit in hotter climates and bring several pairs of broken in shoes. Save new shoes and boots for LATER. 17. NEXT YEAR- As of today, Zydeco Cruise is taking a year off in 2009. We're working on offering you a totally different kind of cruise event for 2009 that we think will appeal to a lot of you (...maybe not everyone!}. We hope to have it finalized by the time we sail on 11/2. You'll get first shot at the best cabins during our pre-sale SPECIAL deal on the ship. PLAN AHEAD! Louisiana Sue is working on a very cool 2009 plan for a different ship and a different itinerary (Wow! Bahamas!) which will allow us return to New Orleans - stay tuned! 18. SHORE EXCURSIONS- You can sign up in advance online RIGHT NOW if it's still before the cutoff which is 7 days before we sail. You will be FINE signing up once you get on the ship as long as you don't wait too long! See www.zydecocruise.com for details. There is a Shore Excursion desk on board and they can help you and answer all your questions. You can sign up on your TV in your cabin. 19. OTHER STUFF YOU HAVE ASKED US ABOUT- The Internet cafe is excellent on this ship. We are not REALLY allowed to sell any merchandise this year on board and we are truly sorry about that!. Yes, they have a very fantastic spa and also an exercise room to counteract the killer desserts. There is a small supper club called The Point and there is info available on the ship. All other food is free. 20. AFTER THE CRUISE- We will have shuttle and luggage transfer info available for you on the ship. You can get off of the ship or Sunday 11/9 FASTER in an earlier "Walk-Offs group if you can pack lightly and you are able to carry on and carry off all your luggage. Did I miss anything? Feel free to write to me (Zydecocruise@aol.com) with questions. THANKS for your continued support, from all of us who have worked pretty darn hard for 11 years in a row to bring you the ORIGINAL Zydeco Cruise. *** DON'T FORGET TO VOTE VIA ABSENTEE BALLOT! *** See you on the ship! Remember - Don't MISS THE BOAT - Plan ahead! Carol Schreitmueller, Executive Producer: Zydeco Cruises 1998 through 2008 Seattle, Washington October 8, 2008