Returned from the newly refurbished Carnival Ecstasy on 10-31-09

[Luluwa]

-We returned from the newly refurbished Carnival Ecstasy on 10-31-09
-She is truly lovely and we enjoyed the cruise VERY much.
-We had one of the new 8E aft cabins.
-We DID have to go get our lifejackets and trudge up the stairs, I was hoping that the new policies they are rolling out would have made their way down to the Ecstasy.
-Unlike some of her sister ships, there were lots of ships on a stick given
-The Captain's Cocktail party was "The Captains Celebration" held out in the open of the Promenade Deck and drinks were $1 off.

[firefly333]

Glad to hear it. I wouldnt get to be on her until January. Maybe by then they will have the muster drills without those jackets. thanks

[forwardcabin]

Thanks for the update. We will be on Ecstasy again in Dec. Our whole family (10 in all) is excited about seeing all the upgrades. Last Dec, our muster included going up on deck just about the time the ship departed. Then, in August, we sat in the main lounge holding the life jackets--didn't put them on--just watched a demo. We could see thru the window that the ship was leaving port. Then, suddenly, they said the drill was over. We didn't go up on deck that time. We've read that others have not done a drill at all. You know, drill or no drill, it is still the best type of vacation to take. Bon Voyage!

[txmomto1]

Thanks for posting. We leave for our 3rd time on her February 1st. Looking forward to all of the changes. If you get a chance, post pictures.

[karenh1127]

Thanks for input! We leave in 12 days! It will be our 3rd time on the Ecstasty and we are so psyched to see the changes. I was really hoping we didnt have to take life vests to muster drill. I dont mind going to muster drill, just dont want to lug the darn jackets. Oh well, what will be will be. Cant wait!

[Luluwa]

-The Adult only Serenity area is lovely and no children were seen. It was pretty crowded on sea days especially but hardly at all during port times.
-There's new carpet almost everywhere and on our sailing which was the 3rd one since dry dock, it was still "pilling" and rolling up in little balls even in our cabin. I like new carpet!
-The've added a nice little wall shelf right next to the dresser that has the TV secured to it. Very handy for little things.
-When we first arrived I faintly smelled glue, new carpet and paint but it quickly faded away or I got used to it.
-The dining rooms have new carpet and lighting and new chairs.
-The Blue Grill on the Lido deck aft is beautiful! They have new glass tiles everywhere, new lighting, new upholstery and got rid of the blue plastic seats that you stuck to when sitting. It doesn't look like the same place!
-The Blue Sapphire Lounge has new carpet and newly upholstered seating.
-When we were docked side-by-side with the Fantasy in Progreso and Cozumel, you could really notice the difference in the two ships now that the balconies have been added.
-They've added the Indian Cuisine in the dining room on the last night which use to only be offered on the 7 nights - yummy!
-The Mongolian Grill is outside on the opposite side of the burger grill. We didn't get around to eating there but it smelled good, looked good and seemed to be popular.
-The new mattresses were nice but did seem a bit firm, probably because they're new.
-I didn't notice any difference in the bathroom.
-The aft Starlight Lounge has new upholstered seating and rope lights and is very lovely.
-Sorry but the only pics we took were of the people we were cruising with and would most likely bore you - LOL!

[firefly333]

thanks. We had a firm mattress last time too, and I wondered if they are no longer using those mattesses they sell online. Others on the Ecstasy have also commenting on it in the past, making me think they changed the kind of mattress they are using.

Im getting excited to see Ecstasy ... and we still have a B2B on Triumph first.. that I shouldnt be wishing myself past!!!

[MacysMimi]

Originally Posted by txmomto1

Thanks for posting. We leave for our 3rd time on her February 1st. Looking forward to all of the changes. If you get a chance, post pictures.

Hey, I'm not the OP, but I am in the process of uploading photo's right now (222 of them...lol)....As soon as I get them uploaded, I'll send you a link if you'd like to look at them....I will warn you, there are lots of food porn pics (lol) and lots of Merida, which is the town we went to from Progresso....

Sharon

[Coconut Monkey]

Originally Posted by MacysMimi

Hey, I'm not the OP, but I am in the process of uploading photo's right now (222 of them...lol)....As soon as I get them uploaded, I'll send you a link if you'd like to look at them....I will warn you, there are lots of food porn pics (lol) and lots of Merida, which is the town we went to from Progresso....

Sharon

I would love to see your pictures. We are thinking about going to Merida, so that would be great.

Thanks,
CM

[Luluwa]

This is a 3.26 minute video of the group cruise we just returned from on 10-31-09. There are lots of ship pics if anyone wants to view it.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xXhgjpvsGEE

[Nuttycruisegirl]

Thanks so much! I can't wait to see your video...I loved Ecstasy before...dated as she was....I am sure she is fantastic now!

[MrOCT31]

Wow from the video it looks a lot better than when we were on it just last April, figures we miss the upgraded ship! But some areas needed it! Don't get me wrong we had a great time but the art deco look of the Lido buffet really needed that update! Would have liked to have had the waterpark as well but...there's always a next cruise to be had! Are the palm trees on deck permanent? They look like a nice touch to what I felt was a sparse deck.

[MacysMimi]

Originally Posted by Coconut Monkey

I would love to see your pictures. We are thinking about going to Merida, so that would be great.

Thanks,
CM

Hope this link works! LOL

http://halloween09ecstasycruise.shutterfly.com

Sharon

[kew1031]

We got on the ship the day you(OP)got off, were on the Riviera deck, and our mattresses seemed rather old and out of shape. They weren't awful, but I always felt like I was in a dip.
We had MDR tablemates who were down the hall from us and who have sailed on the Ecstasy numerous times and they said the mattresses were terrible.
They actually travel with a king-size memory foam mattress topper stowed in a large hanging luggage bag, because the husband has a bad back and they know what the beds are like!
I guess comfort, like beauty, is in the eye of the beholder. Or else, they only replaced some of the mattresses, not all of them.

This was my first cruise ever, so I don't know what the Ecstasy was like before the refurb.
The stateroom carpet did seem new, as did the hallway carpet, but not the elevator lobbies.
The window curtain in our room did not look new, and the framed artwork attached to the wall over the bed looked pretty shabby. The frame was chipped and scratched and the lithogragraph under the glass looked a bit warped, like moisture had gotten to it.
The bed linens were very nice, but the little bedskirt that attached to the bedframe with velcro looked like the window curtain, not all that fresh and new.
The Blue Grill was very nice, both of the main dining rooms were lovely. The whole Lido deck was very nice and I LOVED the Serenity deck. Didn't spend nearly enough time there!
The Starlight Lounge did look nice, but I had never seen it before. The Sapphire Lounge furnishings were nice, but I don't know if that was updated. (eta: I missed the part about the new carpet and upholstery in the Sapphire.) If you were close to the stage, it was obvious that the wood surfaces had NOT been painted.
One month in drydock couldn't possibly be enough time to re-do EVERYTHING, so I think they did a pretty good job of sprucing it up.

[kew1031]

Originally Posted by MacysMimi

Hope this link works! LOL

http://halloween09ecstasycruise.shutterfly.com

Sharon

Great pictures, Sharon! (with the possible exception of the fat chick in the white pants and pink shirt at the Meet and Greet) I have no idea who that might be!!!!

eta: also, loved the video, Luluwa. Very nice editing and great pics!

[MacysMimi]

Originally Posted by kew1031

Great pictures, Sharon! (with the possible exception of the fat chick in the white pants and pink shirt at the Meet and Greet) I have no idea who that might be!!!!

eta: also, loved the video, Luluwa. Very nice editing and great pics!

LOL....she was hilarious!

[brendacarr]

What deck are the muster drills on? We're booked on the Empress Deck.

[kew1031]

Originally Posted by brendacarr

What deck are the muster drills on? We're booked on the Empress Deck.

depends on where your cabin is. there are at least 6 different muster stations, A-F, and they are in different areas of the ship. Sapphire Lounge, Stripes disco(that was ours -muster station D- we were R-Aft Port) Starlight Lounge; I'm not sure the exact location of the others.
It's posted on your cabin door, all the life vests have the station marked on them, and they will announce it on the PA system. Cabin steward will make sure you know where to go.

[Luluwa]

Originally Posted by MrOCT31

Wow from the video it looks a lot better than when we were on it just last April, figures we miss the upgraded ship! But some areas needed it! Don't get me wrong we had a great time but the art deco look of the Lido buffet really needed that update! Would have liked to have had the waterpark as well but...there's always a next cruise to be had! Are the palm trees on deck permanent? They look like a nice touch to what I felt was a sparse deck.

YES the lovely palm trees are permanent and if you didn't know you were on a ship, you'd think you were in a resort!

[ccNVcpl]

We were on the 10/31 sailing with many of you, and would agree it was a great cruise. No one mentioned the Halloween activities - and while Sue and I didn't dress up, we loved wandering the Promenade watching and admiring all the novel and fun outfits. The CD and staff selected 31 people as finalists, and then in the Blue Sapphire showroom, the audience selected the winner - A Bride (of sorts) from some Horror movie (I suspect). Personally I liked the Pee Wee Herman look-a-like.

Others have mentioned the Serenity area, and we'd agree it was very nice. The only annoyance was people up on the aft Lido wings gawking and talking loudly. We weren't sure about the smoking policy there, but when we "eyed" a couple smoking in the hot tub - we got a ugly look back. The towel attendant was kinda bored looking, but pleasant.

The new Water Works was awesome! The afternoon in Cozumel was a quiet day for us, so we lounged in Serenity and I played little boy and climbed the stairs up to the "tube". I'm not a adventitious guy at 61, but this was beyond fun! I think the young boys who made hundreds of runs thought I was some weird old man! I couldn't climb the stairs as fast, but tough, I was having a ball too.

I guess we'll quit going to the past cruisers party, as the worn out video and lack of any real personal interaction by CD and staff kinda left us flat. The drinks were free, but with the timing being right after early seating dinner, the appetizers were a waste. They should schedule this during a afternoon sea day - more like "tea time".

Funny how you have to fill-out and deposit your "comment cards" before you experience the potentially worst part of any cruise - Disembarkation! As VIPs we thought maybe things would improve - but it was NOT SO. After they announced self-disembark, all bets and hope was off. Finally our group of some 20 VIPs were befriended by a CD staffer and escorted down and into the line - then it was the same cattle herd as we've always experienced.

The ship is in great shape for being nearly 20 years in service. While the Fantasy Class isn't as our favorite, we're booked again for next Halloween. A Fun Ship is still the best vacation buy out there.

See you next year.
Ken & Barbie Sue