it was pretty good by
Cassaundra S from indianapolis
Sailing date: Oct 2009 Pros:
the views
Cons:
the food was not as good as i had heard
the ship was pretty nice, the food was a little disappointing and the pools were somewhat small. however we werent really there to swim we also won 2 different nights of bingo for a total of 750 bucks. that was pretty great. The staff was also very friendly and went out of there way to accomadate us any way that they could. Im not sure that i would recommend that ship for children though, it had a lot of partying going on
Ship Quality
Dining/Food
Stateroom Quality
Ship Staff Quality
Entertainment & Activities great shows, and plenty to do
0 out of 0 people found this review helpful.
Did you find this review helpful?
The time of our lives by
jerry p from nc
Sailing date: Sep 2009 Pros:
Great crew Great food Great fun
Cons:
they was nothing that we did not like
The ship is very clean the stateroom was a good size very comfortable bed lots to keep you busy
Ship Quality
Dining/Food the foodwas to die for Dennis was the best he made every dinner the best
Stateroom Quality great beds
Ship Staff Quality they never forget your name always great you they are top of the line
Entertainment & Activities the shows are great different every night
Children's Programs there were 600 children on board the camp carnavial was greatthey kept them very busy
0 out of 0 people found this review helpful.
Did you find this review helpful?
Great Vacation! by
Carrie Chatterton from Aurora CO
Sailing date: Sep 2009 Pros:
the staff was wonderful and very attentive!
It was a bit of an older ship and not as big as others I've been on but there were always fun things to do and everyone treated us well. We went with friends and had an absolute blast! I would definitely cruise with Carnival again!
Ship Quality
Dining/Food
Stateroom Quality
Ship Staff Quality
Entertainment & Activities
0 out of 0 people found this review helpful.
Did you find this review helpful?
Fabulous vacation! by
Greg L. from Easley, SC
Sailing date: Aug 2009 Pros:
The Fascination staff were wonderful, and the ship is beautiful.
Cons:
Additional charges that you might not expect, such as drinks and parking. Just remember that although food is included in your price, alcoholic drinks are not, and they are very expensive. Also, you will be charged $15 per day to leave your vehicle at the cruise terminal.
The Fascination is a beautiful ship. Very clean. There is ample room up top to explore, and of course many things to do below.
Ship Quality Everything about the ship lets you know that it is well appointed, well taken care of and well maintained!
Dining/Food The food could not have been better! In fact, it's almost too good and too available, as there is a real tendency to overeat!
Stateroom Quality Our stateroom was plenty big with a great view. The pillows on the king-sized bed were among the most comfortable that I've ever slept on! Staff would clean the room and make up your bed faster than you could say "jack-rabbit," and at night they turn down your covers, leave chocolates on the bed, and also make some great animals out of towels! It was always a treat to return to the room and see what surprises they had left you!
Ship Staff Quality The staff, from the stewards to the dining room staff to the enthusiastic cruise director, were fantastic. They do their job with a smile, and it seems they are genuinely interested in you having a good time.
Entertainment & Activities Variety of activities and entertainment are amazing. If you can't find something that you like on board this ship, then you are likely an introvert, in which case you should save your money and stay at home! One of the very few downsides was a "shopping" seminar the day before the first port that was advertised as "must attend." Turned out to be a long advertisement for the recommended shops once in port, and most of these were expensive jewelry stores! There was very little information offered about shopping in other places.
Collapse List of Ports
Key West, Florida This is a beautiful place, and not to be missed. There are many shops to find gifts for loved ones back home, but also lots of museums and places like the Hemingway House that are fascinating. Sloppy Joe's, which was one of Hemingway's hangouts, is a great place to have a reasonably priced meal, to listen to some good live music, and just kick back with a cool one!
Don't Miss: Hemingway House and Sloppy Joe's
Nassau, Bahamas Nassau is a beautiful place, but this might be a good place to take an excursion, and maybe hang out on the beach. It seemed to be advertised as a good place for a bargain, but prices didn't really seem to be that much different than the States, except the "3 for $10" T-shirts, which are probably shirts that you really don't want. The straw market is a really neat place to visit, but it is heart-rending to see how many poor people there are who depend on cruise ships and other tourists for their livelihood.
0 out of 0 people found this review helpful.
Did you find this review helpful?
Do Your Homework by
First Time Canadian Cruiser from Ontario, Canada
Sailing date: Aug 2009 Pros:
dinners, cleanliness
Cons:
the pools
From discussions with others on the boat there are better options available.
The Fascination is a smaller boat and we booked based on price point and dates available. We were on the Main Deck with a great window view. We thought the room was a perfect size and really not cramped at all. If you're not into shopping then take a look at excursions. We didn't and regret that now. The timing of our ports wasn't great. 7am - 3pm at Key West doesn't leave the best time to enjoy the bars or much else. And noon to 10pm sounds great in nassau except the shops close at 5 pm and the water taxis to Paradise Island stop at 6 pm.
On the ship everything was very clean and organized.
We are both in our early 40s and left the kids at home. We fit into a very small group as there were over 800 kids on board. With the main Lido pool looking like it was about 40 feet by 10 feet and crowded with hordes of kids we missed out on a lot of the activities as we hid out at the back of the boat. That pool was maybe 12 foot diameter, filled with salt water and had to be close to 90 degrees. Not very refreshing but at least had space available if you wanted to hop in.
Dinners were very good and the buffets filled the void. We didn't go crazy on booze but you can expect $5.75 a beer for your trip.
We enjoyed the cruise but was not wowed but will do our homework next time and find the right ship that will wow us.
Ship Quality
Dining/Food
Stateroom Quality
Ship Staff Quality
Entertainment & Activities
Collapse List of Ports
Key West, Florida We visited a bunch of stores and the most southern tip then grabbed a drink at a seaside bar. Couldn't find a beach and wasn't that interested in spending $12 on a tour of Hemmingway's house
Nassau, Bahamas Paradise Island is amazing. I'm sure Atlantis is amazing too but I' not paying the money they want to walk around a hotel.
Took a while to find a public beach & it was outstanding. Should have stayed longer but we feared missing the last water taxi at 6 & it was a long walk back.
However a taxi offered to take us all the way back to the cruise for $10 for the 2 of us. Wish we knew that before & we would have stayed longer. Shops close at 5 - 5:30 pm and the straw market is intimidating and repetitive.
Didn't know what to do from 5:30 - 10 pm so we went back on the ship. Would have loved to know options from the cruise as all they offer is shopping tips
0 out of 0 people found this review helpful.
Did you find this review helpful?
Carnival- "SELF PROCLAIMED" Funship by
Gary B from Balitmore, MD
Sailing date: May 2009 Cons:
Food, slow service, small portions, low energy, meager smiles
With the exception of one show, the entertainment was dull and rather low quality. Not even the fact that the female performers were wearing lingerie could have made it interesting for a lonely old man.
The food was never hot, only warm and sometimes cold. Portions were tiny. Taste was very mediocre.
Don't cruise Carnival. Save your money and go with Royal Caribbean or someone else.
Ship Quality
Dining/Food
Stateroom Quality
Ship Staff Quality
Entertainment & Activities
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
Did you find this review helpful?
The Cruise was excellent by
Bobirino W from Charlotte NC
Sailing date: May 2009 Pros:
The Price and the service
Cons:
boarding
There is nothing like it, everyone should experience it for themselves. Love it!!!
Ship Quality
Dining/Food All types of food for everybody and every taste bud
Stateroom Quality room was keep in excellent conditions
Ship Staff Quality The crew works so hard to keep you satified
Entertainment & Activities For all ages
Children's Programs they keep the children active and happy
Collapse List of Ports
Key West, Florida Beautiful water, different tour prices,
Don't Miss: snorkeling
Nassau, Bahamas Paradise Island, everything was good, Alantis, local food
Don't Miss: Parasailing
0 out of 0 people found this review helpful.
Did you find this review helpful?
Best vacation ever! by
Lyndsey S from ky
Sailing date: Apr 2009 Pros:
The crew, the ship, the view, the atmosphere!
Cons:
Downtown Nassau Bahamas
The ship was wonderful with tons of great people working there!! They were super clean, they cleaned our room two times a day!! Our floor steward was exceptional!! There was always food to eat, the meals were superb! It was the greatest vacation!! The cruiselines private island, Half Moon Cay, was like a beach you would see in a commercial! It was clean, the water was clear, it was perfect!!
Ship Quality One of the cleaness places I've ever stayed! Layout is a little tricky, but you catch on.
Dining/Food The food in the dining rooms was exceptional! The buffet's and pizzeria were good as well.
Stateroom Quality Our stateroom was bigger than we assumed it would be. The crew did everything they could to make our stateroom feel comfortable, from making sure we had everything we needed to making animals out of towels to make us laugh.
Ship Staff Quality Every employee we met on the ship was extremely friendly and outgoing!! We did not meet an employee that was not nice. Our floor steward learned our names on the first day and called us by name there after!
Entertainment & Activities There were many shows to entertain, there was a casino, and there were many late night activities for people who chose to stay up past 10. They had funny comedians, and it was an all over good time!
Collapse List of Ports
Half Moon Cay, Bahamas (Private Island) This was the best beach I've ever seen!! It was clean and the sand was like velvet under your feet. They had different activities you could participate in and there was tons of stuff to just walk around and look at! We did not want to leave!!
Don't Miss: All of it!
Nassau, Bahamas Nassau wasn't what we expected. When we first departed the ship there were people trying to sell you stuff, they were begging for money and it was kind of ghetto. Just was not the best place. We did travel to the island next to it, Paradise Island, which was not bad, just seemed more "spring break" like.
Don't Miss: Maybe try Atlantis
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
Did you find this review helpful?
Fantastic Carnival Fascination! by
Jonancy F. from Savannah, Georgia
Sailing date: Feb 2009 Pros:
Boarding and disembarking ran very very smooth & fast. The staff was fantastic!
Cons:
That you cannot pay for anything with money you have to use a card ( they give a card that is tied to your own credit card) to pay then at the end of the trip you get a statement. I like to see what I am spending.
We were first timers and didn't know what to expect, but I have to say it was more then I could have anticipated.
Ship Quality
Dining/Food Presentation of the food was great, as were all the waiters...
Stateroom Quality
Ship Staff Quality They all know your name and address you by it on the very first day and get it right too.
Entertainment & Activities The shows were very good.
Collapse List of Ports
Freeport, Grand Bahama Island You really need to do an excursion in Freeport because it's not a lot of time that you spend there, and if you are on your know by the time you figure what to do your time is up.
Nassau, Bahamas There is so much to see and do here. It is all fun and good. We rented a scooter and drove the whole Island. The locals are very freindly...
0 out of 0 people found this review helpful.
Did you find this review helpful?
It was okay... by
Tamara D from Atlanta
Sailing date: Sep 2008 Pros:
The Camp for the Kids
Cons:
The Pools
The Ship was old to me. Staff really should concentrate on SERVICE. They were concentrating on their job as such a job. Not as friendly as other cruises that i have been on. If you have a camp for kids on the ship why tease them with a huge waterslide that they can not even get on. They should have the waterworks for all ages; big or small and the kiddie pool never had water in it the entire trip.
You get what you pay for that is for sure. Dont get me wrong it was an OK trip but not the best.
Ship Quality
Dining/Food Dinner was always the best!!! ALWAYS
Stateroom Quality
Ship Staff Quality
Entertainment & Activities
Children's Programs The best thing about the ship!!! Great staff and plenty for the kids to do.
Collapse List of Ports
Cozumel, Mexico Mr. Sanchos BEACH! Kids loved it. The shopping as soon as you got off the ship...the colors and excitement.
Don't Miss: Mr. Sanchos BEACH!---clean and shopping
Key West, Florida Not really kid friendly. They were pretty bored..beaches were full of bums.
3 out of 3 people found this review helpful.
Did you find this review helpful?
