Carnival Imagination, April 30 sailing to Key West and Cozumel review (with pictures)

I got back from my first cruise about a month ago, and absolutely loved it! I think I'm now hooked on cruising. The ship was really nice, the fellow passengers were pleasant, and the ports were a lot of fun. And now, on with the review.

Day 0: Pre-cruise hotel

I arrived to Miami a day earlier; didn't want to risk missing the ship because my airline decided to delay or cancel its flight. I stayed at LaQuinta MIA North. The hotel was pretty basic, but comfortable. The neighborhood was safe but not very exciting, pretty much a stereotypical south Florida suburb. The fact that it rained didn't help, although I did manage to walk around the area a little bit, and look at the canals, the palm trees, the wide roads, and the architecture. I also watched the Simpsons episode "A Totally Fun Thing That Bart Will Never Do Again", which takes place on a cruise ship. Great way to set the tone for the rest of the trip.

My room at the hotel. Not fancy, but pretty good for a one-night stay.

The hotel pool. No one swam there, because it was raining.

This is just a start. More to come.

Day 1: Embarkation

Got on a shuttle bus in the morning, to head to the Port of Miami. Even with the rain, it was still a fun ride. The shuttle picked up people at different hotels, then dropped them off at different ships. Carnival Destiny and Norwegian Sky were in port that day, as well as Carnival Imagination. Finally, saw the ship for the first time. Went through the usual steps of checking in and getting my Sail & Sign card, and finally, boarding the ship! Wandered around until they opened the cabins, then dropped off my bags, and had lunch. Got my luggage pretty quickly. Then went to the sailaway party, which was moved from the Lido deck to the Promenade deck, because of rain. Everybody was clearly having fun. Later went to dinner in the Spirit MDR, late seating. No food pictures from dinner, but I know I had a flat iron steak, medium rare. After dinner, it was time for the Welcome Aboard show. And after the show, looked at the ocean at night and checked out the ship's bars.

First glimpse of the ship.

The atrium, viewed from the Lido deck.

Seeing my cabin for the first time.

My first meal on the Imagination, and my first meal ever on a cruise ship.

Sail-away party.

Welcome Aboard show.

That's all for today; it's getting late. Key West, Cozumel, and the rest of the pictures will be added later.

Good Review thus far......can't wait to see more pictures

Great start for your review! Glad you enjoyed your cruise and welcome to our world of "cruise addiction.":)

Thanks for sharing....looking forward to reading more.:D

Day 1: Embarkation, more pictures.

The weather wasn't the best that day. It was raining since morning, as I was heading to port. It didn't let up until late afternoon, and even then, it was very windy, the sea was pretty rough, and the waves were big enough to have whitecaps on them. When I stood at the forwardmost part of the Sports deck and spread my arms out, it really did feel like I was flying. (I guess DiCaprio was right :).) During dinner in the Spirit MDR (located aft), I felt the motion a little bit, and if you looked closely at water in the glasses, you could see it move slightly with the ship. They later closed all decks above Lido because of that. Luckily, I never get motion sickness. I still felt the motion in my cabin after I went to bed, but it was actually pretty nice; it rocked me to sleep within minutes, which is pretty rare for me. Here are more pictures.

Miami skyline in the rain, as seen from the ship.

Lido pool shortly after embarkation. Best part? No chair hogs.

View through one of the portholes in the cabin.

A snack to tide me over until dinner. Really liked it.

Lido pool late at night. Not many people were outside.

That's the end of Day 1. Day 2 and onward to come.

Loving your review, so much fun to be on your first cruise :)

Imagination is such a great ship, you picked a winner

I loved the Simpson cruise show info...I googled it and watched it on Hulu

last night...soooo funny LOL

thanks

Loving your review, so much fun to be on your first cruise :)

Imagination is such a great ship, you picked a winner

 

I loved the Simpson cruise show info...I googled it and watched it on Hulu

last night...soooo funny LOL

 

thanks

I thought so too. I went on my first cruise looking for a vacation where work can't reach me and hoping to like it just enough not regret having tried it. Instead, I ended up enjoying every minute of it (except debarkation, although you'd have to do what Bart did in the episode in order to avoid it). A fellow passenger said that I'd get hooked on cruising, and that came true.

Glad you liked the Simpsons episode. I thought it was really funny that they happened to show it the night before my scheduled sailing.

Great Review, so far, love the pictures. Yes, now you are "hooked" on cruising! It is a good feeling:D

Super review! And yes, many of us have become "hooked" on cruising following our first cruise...my wife and I sure did!

Thanks for the review to tide me over to our next cruise!

Day 2: Key West, in port.

I was jarred awake by the sound of the bow thrusters pulling the ship into port (or maybe it was the anchor winch), and the sensation of the ship bobbing up and down. There was a light rain when I got onto shore, so I had to wear the Carnival poncho I bought. I got on a shuttle from Outer Mole to downtown, and wandered around the streets, looking for the Hemingway Home and the Sloppy Joe's bar. A worker at a boat rental place was nice enough to give me a marked-up with where to go, and I was all set from there.

I walked along Duval Street, which was fun to explore, until I found the Hemingway Home. By then, the rain stopped and the sun came out. I spent over an hour walking around the museum. I loved it: everything was preserved in good condition, the architecture looked really nice, and of course, the six-toed cats. While some were friendly, a lot seemed to have a "take or leave it" attitude when it came to being petted, but with all the visitors they get, I'm sure they get desensitized. After the museum, I started walking back, and that's when the rain really started to pour. I took cover inside Sloppy Joe's, where I had a beer and listened to the band. Waiting out the rain was out of the question, because then I'd miss the ship. So I ran back to the shuttle in the rain; the poncho sure came in handy. And now, the pictures.

Duval Street, facing north toward the ocean.

Chicken in the street; there's a lot of them in Key West.

The entryway as it looks when first go inside the Hemingway Home.

Now, go to File -> Print. (just kidding :))

Taking cover inside Sloppy Joe's on the way back to the shuttle.

And that ends the the port stay in Key West. Next, back on the ship.

Day 2: Key West, back on the ship.

Got back on the ship in early afternoon. That's the only thing I'd change about this itinerary; Key West isn't much of a morning place. But at least I got to try the chocolate-covered key lime pie on a stick, and saw the places I wanted to see, so it's all good. Spent the rest of the day participating in onboard activities and exploring more of the ship. Weather seemed to improve as the ship sailed farther and farther south; the clouds weren't as ark as earlier that day. Watched the evening show, then got ready for dinner.

Tonight was elegant night. I got dressed and went to my assigned table. They served lobster that night. It was a little rubbery, but hey, if the lobster texture is the only thing that bothers you on a cruise, consider it a success. Like the night before, the waiters did a dance performance for everybody, with a few passengers joining in. After dinner, I went to my cabin to change clothes, then spent pretty much the rest of the night at the Latin music party by the Dream bar, dancing merengue and just relaxing. Also checked out Shangri La and Illusions, but the Latin party was more fun. OK, picture time.

Dressed up for dinner. Many other people wore suits or even tuxedos.

Lobster entree. Good stuff. I ate two of them.

Waiters dancing in the MDR.

Latin dance party by the Dream bar.

And that completes Day 2. Cozumel is next.

Day 3: Cozumel, afternoon in Chankanaab Park

Slept in a little that day. By the time I went to the Lido for a late breakfast/early lunch, the ship was near Cozumel. It was sunny and hot, and the ocean was a deep blue color. Such a mood elevator. The water was much calmer, too. I just stood by the railings on the forward part of the Sports deck, watching the ship arrive and enjoying the weather. Disney Fantasy was already docked at another Cozumel port. Soon after, land was clearly in sight, and the ship docked in Puerta Maya. I picked up my things, and went into port, to walk around a little bit before joining my excursion group.

My excursion was for the Royal Dolphin Swim at Chankanaab Park. Transportation and ticketing were amazingly quick and efficient. The park had a locker room, showers, and clean restrooms. I met with my swim group, where the trainer taught us the hand signals. Then, into the water with the dolphins. Wow! What an incredible experience! The dolphins were both powerful and gentle at the same time. I got to do the hug, kiss, hand/flipper shake, hand touch, foot push, and dorsal tow. Then the trainer gave everybody a bonus: swimming with manatees for a little bit. I liked that too, but I found the dolphins to be more friendly. Afterwards, I swam in the snorkel area, until it was time to head back to the ship.

Watching the wakes from the Serenity deck while waiting to pull into Cozumel. Sure is peaceful.

Ready to dock at Puerta Maya.

Entrance area at Chankanaab Park.

Kitch (right) and Foxy (left) at the dolphin swim.

Foxy doing a hug.

Then, back to the ship, but only for a little bit. Evening in port next.

Day 3: Cozumel, evening in Puerta Maya

Went back on the ship to change clothes, clean up, hang my swimsuit to dry, and have a snack. Then back into port for an evening of dancing. Found Fat Tuesday's right by the pier and went inside. There were already people from the ship, and they were getting the party started. Did the conga line, the limbo, the cha cha slide (it's the one going "criss cross, criss cross, cha-cha real smooth"), the cupid shuffle, merengue, salsa, swing, and many more. Had one of their giant drinks, and danced the whole evening away, yet still managed to speak decent Spanish to the workers and not confuse ship time with local time. Ended up missing dinner that night, but oh well. Made it back to the ship, but was cutting it close. Stayed up late dancing at the party on the Lido deck, watching the crew break dance on stage, and enjoying the night sky.

Imagination viewed from the Puerta Maya pier.

"My soul's on fire, feelin' hot hot hot". What a fun conga line.

Now, this is what I call a vacation.

Made it back to the ship with five minutes to spare. (didn't end up pier running, so it's all good)

Back on the ship. The crew is performing at the dance party on the Lido deck.

That's all for Day 3. It's getting late, so Fun Day at Sea and Everglades will be uploaded later.

Good review. The Imagination was my first cruise ship and the reason for my addiction.

Day 4: Fun Day at Sea

This was a day to really explore the ship, making sure to take advantage of everything it has to offer and not "miss a spot". I slept kind of late that morning, then had a nice leisurely breakfast in the Pride MDR. Had eggs benedict, juice, and coffee, which tasted very good and filled me up well. Then swam in the pool a little bit and went down the Waterworks slide. As expected, chair hogs took up most of the chairs on the Lido deck, but I found a chair on the Veranda deck with no problems. Laid in the sun and enjoyed the nice weather.

In the afternoon, went to the Pride MDR again for lunch. Had king clip nicoise, which is a fish with a vegetable-based sauce. After lunch, walked all over the ship, exploring every nook and cranny. There was a show called "Imagination Dancers", where they taught merengue moves on stage, and I joined in. There was a "Newlywed and Not-so-newlywed Game" afterwards in the same room, so I simply watched that. Then spent most of the afternoon enjoying what the ship had to offer, or just watching the ocean. I could even see Cuba from the starboard side. Towards the evening, went to the Fun Farewell party, where a musician played and they were served free drinks; you tipped the waitstaff.

Then came dinner time. Since I missed dinner the day before, my tablemates filled me in on yesterday's menu and conversation topics. Had a seafood pasta dish that I really liked, and ended up staying at the table until the room was almost empty. We all parted ways to our respective evening plans, and I went to the Punchliner Comedy Show. It liked it, but didn't love it; just not really my style of humor. Still laughed at the jokes about the dolphin swim excursions, though. By then, it was close to midnight. People already started putting out the luggage in the hallways. I went to the Serenity deck for one last time, and took a quick walk through the casino. Gambling isn't my thing, but I wanted to check it out anyway.

Giant chess set on the Venanda deck. I was too relaxed to play.

Musician at the Fun Farewell party.

Last night's dinner: pasta with creamy tomato sauce.

Almost time to get back to real life :(. But not just yet.

And that concludes Day 4. Tomorrow, off the ship.

Debarkation

I was jarred awake by the sound of the bow thrusters pulling the ship into port (or maybe it was the anchor winch), and the sensation of the ship bobbing up and down. Like on the second day, but this time, I was leaving the ship. A crew member knocked on my door; it was room service I ordered last night. Had breakfast, finished packing my bags, then went to the Mirage Bar to wait with my debarkation group. I was self-assisting, since I prefer to have my luggage on me. When our number was called, it was off the ship until the next cruise.

Room service breakfast: croissant with cream cheese and salmon, muffin, juice, and coffee.

One of the Lido bars: clear sign that the cruise has ended.

Almost back in Port of Miami.

And so, the cruise, like all good things, must come to an end. It's off to the tour bus to head to the Everglades next.

Everglades

I had a late-afternoon flight, so I booked a post-debarkation excursion to the Everglades Safari park. The weather was partly cloudy and warm that day. When the excursion group arrived the park, the ranger met the group at the entrance, and led everybody to the airboats. There were already alligators swimming in the basin where the airboats were docked. We took a ride through what looked like a marsh (waterlogged meadow). But as he explained, it was technically not a marsh, but an extremely wide, slow-moving river. The sights on the boat ride were very beautiful, even with the noise of the engine and the wind in the face. Some parts of Everglades were much deeper than others, almost as if a channel was dug there, and others were just inches deep.

After the boat ride, we all went to a show, where the park ranger performed in a cage with alligators. He explained the safety precautions he takes and the methods he uses to control the alligators. But it still didn't look safe. Then I walked around a reptile zoo, with alligators and crocodiles from around the world. (The ranger explained the differences between these animals during the show.) There was also a really nice walking path that goes on a raised wooden walkway through a dense forest. I was pleasantly surprised by a nearly complete lack of mosquitoes in a place that I expected to be filled with them. At the end, I stopped at the snack bar for some fried alligator, and then the bus took everybody to the Miami Airport.

Airboats docked in a basin where alligators swim.

One of the sights you see from the airboat.

Alligator inside the performance area (picture taken through the chain link fence).

Park ranger performing with that alligator. Very informative and fun to watch.

Fried alligator nuggets: taste like chicken with a hint of catfish.

Then back to the airport. I really liked the park. It was a great way to extend the cruise, even though I was on a boat and not a ship. Besides, Imagination would have one heck of a time getting through Everglades.

And here's a way to make the time pass quicker until you're due to board the ship for your next cruise: just think of real life as a really long shore excursion.

After the cruise

I must have had debarkation vertigo from being on the ship, since the waters were pretty choppy for the first two days, and even in calmer waters, I could still feel the rocking. Never got sick from it, though. After getting off the ship, I felt the room rock slightly for the rest the day and most of the weekend after. I didn't mind; it was a nice reminder of having been on a cruise. Still, nothing can replace the real thing.

On that note, which cruise would you recommend next? I'll quite likely stick with Carnival, but I haven't picked out the ship and the itinerary yet. I'm thinking a Conquest class ship to the Eastern Caribbean or a Fantasy class ship to the Bahamas, wherever I can get a better deal, but that's about as much as I narrowed it down. I'd like something with at least one sea day and a port in the evening. Any suggestions?

great job

Great review and wonderful pictures, thanks for posting. Glad you had a great cruise.

Hi,

Thanks so much for posting your review. I am doing my first solo cruise later this summer with the same itinerary, so your posts were quite helpful!!

Caro

Welcome to the club. I loved the Imagination so much, I will be sailing on her again for the 7th time this October. You picked a great ship to begin with and it gets better from there. Great pics and commentary. Getting excited as I count down the days till I see her again:D

do you happen to have a copy of the fun times?

Love the review. Its always great to read someone's review of their FIRST cruise. After you've had many cruises, they'll all kind of fade into your memory, but you'll ALWAYS REMEMBER YOUR FIRST CRUISE. :D

Since you're landlocked and probably have to fly anyway and since you asked. I would recommend the SPLENDOR for your next cruise. I've cruised her 3 times and just loved her. She's much larger than the IMAGINATION, but you'll also enjoy that as well, I'm sure. She's leaving LA and coming to NYC the first of the year. Pics on my WEBSHOTS below. You could combine a visit to NYC with a cruise on the SPLENDOR. Wish you the best cruising no matter what you decide.:)

However, if you "need" to cruise sooner, you could also go to NYC and cruise the MIRACLE, which will be trading homeports with the SPLENDOR and coming to LA at the same time, so you'll have to hurry.:rolleyes:

Thanks again for the great review.