With the second EMS Cruise fast approaching many are starting to ask themselves, "are we ready?" The honest answer may be, "not quite yet." While some cruisers are now veterans, having sailed two years ago with the Wisconsin EMS Association, others are first time cruisers. You may be a bit apprehensive or at least a little bit unsure of what will take place. Once you are on the ship, and until you depart for the airport on the last day, should be pretty easy. We certainly hope that our series of the Cruiser’s Newsletter have helped prepare you. You might want to go back and review them before the trip, or check out all of the editions on-line at www.WisconsinEMS.com/cruise.

What we’ll do here is walk you through from the time you head for the airport until you pick up your luggage after the trip is completed.

Many of the cruise passengers have already booked a hotel room at the Four Points for either Friday or Saturday night before the cruise. With a double occupancy rate of $65, including a week’s worth of parking, you simply can’t go wrong. If haven’t taken advantage of this package yet, call the Four Points Sheraton at 800-558-3862 right away.

Those of you staying at the Four Points will take the hotel shuttle to the airport, with your luggage, no less than one hour before your flight is scheduled to leave. Everyone else should arrive at the airport about 75 minutes before your flight so you have time to park your car before check in.

With all of the security warnings and airport changes, you might think that getting through the gates will be a huge ordeal. Actually, it will more than likely go much smoother than you think. Have your luggage tags from the cruise line filled out and on your luggage before you arrive at the airport. Be sure you only have one carry on and one personal bag. Everything else must be checked. Don’t take any prohibited items. Have a photo I.D. for boarding the plane and have your birth certificate or passport for later.

Most passengers will fly to Miami although some may be assigned a flight into another area airport. After you land, pick up your luggage at the airport and look for cruise line representative holding signs for the Carnival Victory or for Carnival going to the Port of Miami. They will help you board the shuttle that will take you to the ship.

If you have booked the Saturday night Miami package, you will have a voucher for a shuttle to your hotel. Locate one of the Carnival representatives and they will direct you to the correct shuttle. After spending the night in Miami, you will awaken the next morning to see the ship already in port. At about 11:00 AM you will take the shuttle from your hotel to the dock where you will board the ship.

At the ship’s dock, your luggage will be taken for loading onto the ship and delivered to your cabin later in the day. As you enter the walkway for boarding the ship, be sure you have your carry on bags as well as your photo I.D. and birth certificate or passport. If you packed them in your luggage, you’ll have a problem. During check in they will take your credit card information, give you your cabin keys and of course take a photo as you board.

Even though the ship will be docked for several hours after you board, most everything on the ship, other than the casino, will be operating. You’ll be able to eat lunch, use the pool, exercise rooms, and nearly everything else. Late in the afternoon, the ship will host an informational talk to give you details on the shore excursions and other events taking place during the cruise. The next item to take place will be the mandatory life boat drill.

Our first complimentary cocktail party, exclusively for Wisconsin EMS Cruise passengers, will take place at 6:30 PM Sunday night after the ship leaves port. This will be a great opportunity to meet the rest of the group. Come and join us and say hello.

Every evening, a Carnival Capers newsletter will be sent to your cabin. It will contain a schedule and information for the next day’s events, including any information for our group. We suggest you spend at least a minute or two looking it over and keeping informed.

Monday, our first day at sea, will be time for the group photo. We will meet at 12:00 noon on the Veranda Deck aft (near the smoke stacks) Everyone, whether you are an EMT or not, is invited and encouraged to be in the picture. Photos will be available for purchase during the cruise.

Katie from Magic Carpet Travel will be available several days during the cruise to answer your questions. Her schedule will be provided when you board the ship.

During the cruise you will have plenty of time to meet other people from our group as well as people from around the world! There are nearly 400 people traveling on the second EMS Cruise. Do you think you’ll be able to say hello to all of them? We hope you’ll give it your best shot!

We’ll start to wrap up the cruise with a final cocktail party only for Wisconsin EMS Cruiser’s at 5:30 PM on Saturday Night. Also on Saturday, you will be given Customs declaration forms and information on clearing customs. It is a simple procedure, but again, have one person from your group attend the informational talk to get all of the information if you’ve never done this before. Your luggage will be collected in the evening and you’ll be back to using your carry on bags.

On Sunday morning, the ship will disembark all passengers. Your luggage will be placed in long lines in the customs area where you’ll retrieve it and carry it to the shuttle bus which will take you back to the airport. Depending on your flight time, you may be at the airport from an hour or less to four hours or more. Once you return to Wisconsin, you’ll again retrieve your luggage and if parked at the Four Points, take the shuttle back to the hotel to retrieve your car.

We’re sure that the second EMS Cruise will be just as good, or perhaps even better than the first! We are thrilled to have so many people going along again. So, make your last minute plans and get ready for EMS Cruise number two!

Our last port of call on the Wisconsin EMS Cruise is St. Thomas, called by some, the busiest cruise-ship harbor in the West Indies.

As the capital, bustling Charlotte Amalie is at the heart of the island and remains the shopping hub of the Caribbean. Its seaside promenade is called Waterfront Highway, or simply, the Waterfront. From here, you can take any of the streets or alleyways into town to Main Street or Dronningens Gade.

Main Street is home to all of the major shops. The western end (near the intersection with Strand Gade) is known as Market Square, once the site of the biggest slave market auctions in the Caribbean Basin. Today, it’s an open-air cluster of stalls where native farmers and gardeners gather daily to peddle their produce. Go right away in the morning to see the market at its best.

Running parallel to and north of Main Street is Back Street or Vimmelskaft Gade, which is also lined with many stores, including some of the less expensive ones.

While it is most famous for shopping, the town is also filled with historic sights, like Fort Christian, an intriguing 17th-century building constructed by the Danes. The town’s architecture reflects the island’s culturally diverse past. You’ll pass Dutch doors, Danish red-tile roofs, French iron grillwork, and Spanish-style patios.

The beaches on this island are renowned for their white sand and calm, turquoise waters, including the very best of them all, Magens Bay. The waters make for some wonderful shore excursions including awesome snorkeling and swimming.

Getting around is a snap as St. Thomas has the best public transportation of any island in the U.S. chain. Buses, called Vitrans, leave from street-side stops in the center of Charlotte Amalie, fanning out east and west along all the most important highways. They’ll run throughout our stay and you rarely have to wait more than 30 minutes to catch one. A ride within Charlotte Amalie is 75¢. Anywhere else is only $1. The service is safe, efficient, and comfortable.

In terms of safety, the same basic rules apply including staying in groups and in the main areas, although during the day, there really is nothing to be concerned about in just about any location you chose to roam. Nighttime is a different story although since our ship sails at 6:00 PM it won’t become an issue.

Don’t let these items become overly-concerning as most will find their trip to St. Thomas to be enjoyable and worth their time. It may also be a good reason to consider taking part in one of the over 20 shore excursions available from Carnival rather than going it on your own. It may also lead you to consider the optional day trips to St. John which is only five miles away from St. Thomas.

Tiny, pristine St. John is the most unspoiled of the U.S. Virgin Islands. Here you’ll find an incredible array of wildlife above and below the water—and the coral has to be seen to be believed. Hiking, diving, bird watching, and other daylight activities are the most exciting things to do on St. John.

This will be the last time you walk on land until we disembark three days later in Miami. A few minutes of thought along with a little bit of planning will make for a fun day during our last port of call. Enjoy!

Pre-Cruise Stay in Miami

More than half of the cruisers on the second Wisconsin EMS Cruise are flying to Miami a day early to take part in the Saturday pre-cruise stay. If you are one of them, you are in for a great time, not to mention the wonderful convenience of a hassle-free start to your vacation.

Planes will begin arriving in the early afternoon on Saturday. From the airport, cruisers will be taken by shuttle bus to their hotel. The Intercontinental and the Best Western are both located near the entrance to the Port of Miami. You will likely see several ships in port as passengers board for Saturday departures.

There are many things to see and do in Miami. If you’d like to spend a lazy day at the hotel and not venture out, there will be plenty to do. However, if you’d like to see the sites, there is plenty to do in Miami as well. During the day, there will be several attractions within walking distance of your hotel. We suggest you stay in groups and not walk alone. As night falls it is best to either stay in the hotel or use taxis and stay in groups. Miami is famous for its night life and if you desire you can certainly find something to do.

Miami Beech and world-famous South Beech is a short trip away by taxi. Both areas are very tourist friendly with dozens of restaurants and bars to walk to. Both are also considered by many to be safer areas than downtown Miami. Taking a group over to Miami Beech or South Beech can provide you with an evening of fun, setting the theme for the rest of your vacation.

On Sunday, you can sleep in. As you awaken, the Carnival Victory will be in port awaiting your arrival. Shuttle busses will have you at the dock somewhere around 11:00 or 11:30 AM in plenty of time to be among the first to board the ship. While other cruisers will still be on planes or in the airport, you’ll already be on board taking it easy and saying, "I’m glad we booked the pre-cruise package!"

Finding Your Friends and Fellow Cruisers on the Carnival Victory

With up to 2,750 passengers on-board, the Carnival Victory will have more people than some towns in Wisconsin! Of course half the fun of cruising is meeting new people. However, it could get a little bit difficult to find other people who are part of our group. To make things easier we have chosen several locations for meeting during the cruise.

On Sunday evening we’ll start the cruise off with our own cocktail party in our own lounge closed to the general public. The party is tentatively scheduled to be held in the Adriatic Lounge which is on the Promenade Deck. The lounge is located at the very back of the ship right above our dinning room.

The majority of cruisers are scheduled for 8:00 PM seating in the Pacific Dinning Room which is also located at the very aft of the ship. The dinning room spans two levels, most of which will be filled by our group. Prior to dinner, many EMS Cruise passengers will meet for a cocktail (or two) in the Ionian Room lounge which is located outside of the entrance to the dinning room on the Atlantic Deck.

During the day, the main pool on the Panorama Deck will become home base for Wisconsin’s EMS cruisers although with so many things to do aboard ship, you’re likely to find an EMS cruiser just about anywhere.

After dinner, most passengers will not want to miss the shows in the Caribbean Lounge. Carnival is known for their entertainment and are actually considered by many to have the best shows at sea. There are several Las Vegas style production shows scheduled which are not to be missed. You’re sure to enjoy the other shows as well.

Night life on the Victory will offer many options from late-night comics to high-energy dancing in Club Arctic. Those who sailed on the first EMS Cruise will find a stark contrast in late night entertainment. They don’t call them the Fun Ships for nothing! Many of the bars and lounges are found on the Promenade Deck with Club Arctic, the Adriatic Lounge, Black & Red Seas and Irish Sea Bars being your best bet of locating other Wisconsin EMS cruisers. Fortunately, all of these bars and lounges are located close together on the same deck.

Since the whole group will be together at the cocktail party the first night, you’ll have the opportunity to make plans for the rest of the cruise. Any last minute changes or additions to the schedule can be announced then.

The Carnival Victory is a big ship, but you will find that you’ve learned the layout in no time and with a little bit of planning you’ll be able to meet friends both old and new as we sail away on the Second Wisconsin EMS Cruise.