Fascination Fun - Long Cruise Review 12/25-12/29

This was my fifth Carnival cruise, but first one since I found CC. I felt like I was armed with so much more information! I hope I help future Fascination cruisers with this review.

On this cruise were my DH and me, with another couple. We are all low 40's -- we're from Long Island, NY; they are from Northern NJ. We arrived in Florida a couple of days before our cruise to visit relatives (and leave the kids there - it was our first cruise without them). We used Larry's Limo to get to the port. Larry was very professional and his driver was pleasant and on-time (in both directions). I would use them again. http://www.larryslimo.com/

Embarkation

We had VIP check-in as we had a Cat 11 cabin. We got to the port early (about 10:45 am). Even though there was hardly any line, we were whisked into a beautiful office to fill out a couple of forms (already had Fun Passes), then we were on our way up to get our S&S cards and keys (separate on this ship). We had to wait till about 11:30 or 11:40 to board -- no big deal. Once we were on-board, we walked around to check out the ship (cabins not ready yet) and I, of course, took some pictures. Then, went to Lido Deck for lunch. Once we were done with that, our cabin was ready (around 1:30).

Our Cabin

We were on the Verandah Deck (V15). The cabin, as the rest of the ship, was in excellent condition. It was basically the same as a standard balcony cabin on the larger ships (that we are used to) except for the following:

- Flat screen tv (which was nice to have, plus it seemed to allow for extra room around the bed)

- Balcony was smaller! Had to re-arrange the chairs to get comfortable out there, even just to read

- Bathroom had nicer sink, but it took away from shelf space

I should mention a few things -- there was no hair dryer in the cabin (I brought my own, so I didn't even ask the cabin steward for one), there was one general outlet in the cabin and one (just for shavers?) in the bathroom. That's it. Big deal - I couldn't heat my hot iron while I dried my hair. Not a disaster. I always bring a travel clock -- not a surprise to people who have cruised before but something to be aware of for first-timers who expect the same amenities as in a hotel room.

Here's where I will put in kudos for our cabin steward Iwona ("Yvonne") from Poland. She was so nice and took great care of our room. Kept our ice bucket filled morning and night. (We tipped her extra at the end, not at the beginning of the cruise.)

While DH thinks I spend too much time on CC, he was thrilled to learn that he could bring soda on-board (carried on in his backpack with no problem at all). He prefers Dr. Pepper and Diet Pepsi to Mr. Pibb and Diet Coke. He didn't buy a soda card this time and was happy to have the soda in the cabin when he wanted some. (No cost to Carnival as I made up for this in the various bars!)

Entertainment

As anyone knows who sees my posts, we are way into the piano bar! It was on the floor below the main promenade (unfortunately not attracting a lot of traffic), but James, the piano player, works hard to get the place going (with varying results). I wrote a lot more about this on the Piano Bar Player thread (http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=362780&page=29 -- post #563).

The best entertainment, by far, on this ship is the rock band, Music Asia. They play in the Passage to India lounge and are absolutely amazing if you like 70's rock and roll. Stones, Zepellin, Bob Seger, etc. Their Free Bird was just unbelievable. We danced there every night (except the night they were on the Lido Deck-- where they started off playing such slow music that we couldn't stay). They will be on the ship until July 1.

We only went to one show -- the 80's show (by recommendation of previous Fascination cruisers on CC). It was pretty good. I'm glad we had late seating and went before dinner. I wouldn't have wanted the show to interfere with my Music Asia time!

Our tablemates went to the late-night comedy one night (Wed night?); they left after a half-hour. Said he wasn't so funny. Used lots of profanity and that didn't make it funny either. I was glad I didn't make it a point to go there.

The Cruise Director was Danny Blake. We didn't see him much, as we didn't go to any of the shows till the last night. Our last cruise was with John Heald, and the two seem to have opposite personalities. It was no big deal to us at all. Similarly, John's asst. CD on Liberty last year was Butch (or Bruce?) -- very outgoing, fun personality. The asst CD on Fascination -- don't know his name -- was not as outgoing (at least on the day he led Battle of the Sexes), but maybe he was just having a bad day.

Dining Room

We were in the late seating (8:30 pm) in the Sensation dining room. Had requested a table for 4, but we were assigned to a table with 2 other couples (table 123). I told my DH that I could ask for a change, but he said not to bother. I was happy to meet other people and they turned out great. We had a lot of fun with them at dinner.

Our head waiter, Vishnu, was excellent. He provided quality service, without being intrusive. Always bringing second dinners, another appetizer, extra vegetables. Nothing was a big deal for him. We loved the way he said "please" every time he put a new plate of food in front of us. Our bar waitress at dinner, Nikki, was also great. (How convenient that she was also the bar waitress in the piano bar!). I got to know her throughout the four days, and she provided excellent service.

The food on this cruise was much better than I remember it being on Liberty last February. Some of the highlights:

Main dishes -- lobster tails (order 2 for sure), seafood newburg, penne with seafood-- all were excellent. Others liked the veal chops and prime ribs (I'm not into red meat)

Appetizers -- shrimp cocktail available every night! don't miss the stuffed mushrooms

Dessert -- warm melting chocolate also available every night! it is sinful! I had it twice (when is my weight watchers meeting??)

Other Food Comments

We didn't go to the dining room at all for breakfast or lunch. I still love the omelet station at the buffet for breakfast and the pizza for lunch. My friends loved, loved, loved the deli. The ice cream/yogurt station is in a different place on this ship (in the back, not on the sides like on the bigger ships) so it took me a couple of days to find it (good thing). My friends (the first time cruisers) were overall very impressed with the food.

Ports

Our first stop was Key West. I awoke at 7:30 am and we were already docked. I saw some people getting off the ship, but it was way too early! We had breakfast and got off around 9 or so. Decided on the Conch Train Tour to start, so we could see the island and get some history (and we were way too tired to walk or bike!). This turned out to be a good idea. The guide was a little corny (so we got some laughs), but we did get to see what KW has to offer and learn about everything. I think you could have taken this tour as a Carnival excursion for $29; our tickets were $25. There was no wait for tickets, so probably no real advantage booking it ahead of time. We took a 9:40 train and were done by 11:15. This left time to shop on Duval St and make our stop at Margaritaville, where we had exceptional margaritas and tried the Key Lime Pie (yum!). The Bull had an Elvis impersonator singing as early as 12 noon (and they have open sides so you can hang out and watch from the sidewalk). We had to be back on the ship by 1:30-- we almost had enough time there. I could have used another hour to shop (or maybe have a 3rd margarita). Anyway, it was a really fun day and we crashed when we got back to the ship.

The next day, we got to Cozumel. This was my 3rd time there and first time I had to tender. The weather was great (sat out on the deck on the ship in the morning) and we got to Coz by about 12:30. They started tendering the Carnival excursion people at about 12:45... and that took an hour! Since we got #9, our number wasn't called till about 2:30. We were at Paradise Beach (CC recommendation) by 3:15 pm. It was pretty crowded but we easily found lounge chairs and an umbrella near the bar. (Margaritas there were pretty good, too!) If our kids were there, they would have liked the water trampoline, banana boats and climbing wall in the water. But, since they weren't there, no need to buy the recreation pass! It was only a $12 taxi ride to this beach (plus tip) and no entrance fee. What a deal! (For first time cruisers -- when getting a price from a cab driver, it's a good idea to confirm ahead of time if that's per person or for the whole car. In Coz, there is a sign in the port that tells you the cost to every beach, but it's still a good idea to double-check. We've had cab drivers in other places in the Caribbean try to rip us off; but since we're assertive NYers with NYC cab experience, we do whatever we can to make sure this does not happen.)

Back to Cozumel... after a couple of hours at Paradise Beach, we went back to Puerta Maya to shop. The plaza seems to be coming back to life, but the hurricane damage is still apparent. I can't believe how the storm ripped away the pier! Not surprisingly, Ron Jon looks untouched (I'm sure they had the money to rebuild the quickest). The souvenir shops are back in full force, but they are still working on things. After the drinks on the beach, I didn't want to chance having more in the port. Figured I'd wait till dinner, at least!

Tendering to get back on the ship was about the only time all week when I saw crowds. At first there was a very long line that snaked around the plaza, but when the tender arrived, the line disappeared and everyone just pushed forward. Definitely not a Disney organized line. It wasn't a big deal to me, but if my kids were with me, I might have been a little concerned.

When I booked this cruise and saw that we'd be in Cozumel from 1-8 pm, I though it would be plenty of time. But, we got off the tender at about 3 pm and had to be back at the port by 7 pm -- that's really too short. I love Cozumel and could stay at the beach all day. It was a little rushed and disappointing. We'll be in Cozumel for the entire day during our February cruise and it looks like we'll be docking (yay). If I were doing the half-day thing again, I might consider a ship excursion (like the ATV on the beach, which one of our tablemates did); this way you can off the ship first and get on with your activity.

Sea Day

I was ready to relax for a day at sea (in the sun) before getting back to the kids and relatives. The weather was perfect (and I got a lounge chair fairly easily on the deck above the pool around 9:30), till the clouds came around 10:30 am. We stayed outside another 30-45 minutes... then it got too windy, cool, cloudy, and even a little rainy on and off. I read on my balcony for a while and got involved with Battle of the Sexes (I know a lot of random sports facts, so I love this -- I always get some answers that the men are surprised I know!).

One chair hog story from the morning -- even though I got my chair easily, there was a teenager who was looking for chairs for her family. I noticed that the lounge chairs next to me had been empty (except for Carnival beach towels) for about 45 minutes so I told her she should just take them (fold the towels and leave them there). She took a couple of the chairs over to where she was and her family joined her. I was reading my book but, about 1/2 hour later, I heard the people come back and wonder -- "who would do such a thing." I'm sure it would have been a bigger deal if the weather was nicer. But saving chairs is really a huge dilemma. There are signs, but absolutely no one enforcing them. Most people think that this is a perfectly acceptable thing to do to make sure you get the lounge chairs you need for you or your family. If Carnival wants to stop this, they have to make more of an effort. Otherwise, the chair hogs win and the polite people have no chairs. (My next cruise is on RCCL; will be curious as to how they handle it.)

Disembarking

When we awoke on Friday, we were already docked in Miami. I heard them call for self-disembark starting at 6:45 am. We took our time getting up and having breakfast (none of us were heading for the airport). At about 8:40 am, they announced that all passengers could leave the ship. We left when we were done with breakfast (around 9:10 am) and it was the easiest disembark ever. We got down to the luggage area and our suitcases were sitting there, by themselves, all lonely. We just grabbed them and headed for customs, which was also quick. Larry's Limo was there to get us at 9:30 am.

A few thoughts on the ship...

I can totally understand how some people are more comfortable on the smaller ships. There were less crowds (much less crowds) and a lot less walking (especially from where our cabin was). Personally, my DH and I like the bigger ships better. More shops, more lounges, more people.

I was expecting a bit of a party ship, as this was a 4 day cruise, but it really wasn't. Wondering if that's because it left on Christmas Day. Since I was cruising without my kids for the first time, I was always looking for a party (and had to make my own!).

The refurbishment -- everything was clean and beautiful, including the fitness center, mini-golf, dining room, hallways, lounges. I don't know what a worn ship looks like, but this ship was in great condition.

Kids on the ship -- I thought there would be so many that I would miss my own. Nope. Only one night we ran into a bunch of kids playing a wild game on the lido deck at night (just being kids). Other than that, it didn't seem like there were a lot of kids at all. (We didn't go to the Christmas show the first night -- not our holiday -- but I'm sure they were all there.)

Would I do this cruise again? This cruise was perfect for what we wanted: a quick short cruise from a southern Florida port during Christmas week. And, it was a good first experience for our friends (who definitely want to cruise with us again -- either just the couples, during a non-holiday week, or with the kids next year Christmas week). But, we will stick to the larger ships -- Conquest, Valor, Liberty -- when we cruise on Carnival again. Our next cruise is on RCCL as we want to try something different (we loved how it felt walking onto a cruise ship for the first time!) with different activities and different decor, etc.

Photos are still to come. I will post a link here when it they are up on-line. I also kept the Capers in case anyone wants them. I can scan and post (or email).

I want to extend a big THANK YOU to CJW and RACEGRRL for all the information they have posted on CC about Fascination.

If anyone has any other questions, ask away!

Thank you TennisLover!! The Fascination will always hold a special place in my heart as it was DH's first cruise and the ship that allowed him a special seat in the cruiseaholics meetings, lol!! So far we have 2 booked for next year and are looking at an August or September addition--all at his request :)

I really enjoyed your review!

What a great review! Felt like I was back on board again . . . . mmmmmm. Though it's 50 degrees here, it's still always warmer in Key West!

After we have had time to reflect, we also decided we liked the bigger ship (Glory) just a bit better, if only for all the variety on it. We also feel that for our folks' first cruise, the smaller ship was better. Not overwhelming, which cruising can be. Thank goodness we found CC before our first cruise. It has made a world of difference to our experiences - very helpful!

Also wished we had more time in Coz. since you are tendering. Really takes time away from port time. But it's still better than nothing!

Glad you had such a wonderful time! Looking forward to the pictures! :D

We sail on the Fascination on 3/12 and our ports are Key West and Calica, does anyone know whether they change week to week from Coz to Calica or have they just dropped Coz from the Fascination for 2007. Also, what is the gambling like on the Fascination, do they have "Let it Ride" and "Three Card Poker"? Also, thank you for taking the time to write a GREAT review on this ship.

I believe they switch between Calica and Cozumel.

I don't know about the casino - didn't go in. DH went in one night and won at BlackJack. Will have to ask him about the other games. Will get back to you.

I think I saw a Let it Ride table, and Alex watched many hands of Three Card poker - he couldn't ever get a seat!

Thanks for the great review! We sail her again on 1/12 and are really looking forward to it.

Stacey

GREAT REVIEW!!!

 

The best entertainment, by far, on this ship is the rock band, Music Asia. They play in the Passage to India lounge and are absolutely amazing if you like 70's rock and roll. Stones, Zepellin, Bob Seger, etc. Their Free Bird was just unbelievable. We danced there every night.

TennisLover!

Sounds like you had a good cruise!

What a really good and well written review - thank you!

Now, whenever you have time, and recover (take your time)...

Can you please post your review of all things V15 on this thread? (click on the link below)

Fantasy Class Category 11 Cabins

Any info, amenities, reviews, pictures, etc. on the Category 11 and everything will help future cruisers...:D

Would love to hear about the Flat Screen, what kind of couch did you have (I know that currently there are two different kinds in this category), how was the location, etc., etc.

Anyway, again, glad that you had a good time, and thanks for getting back with a review!:)

CJW

GREAT REVIEW!!!

When did they start playing each night and when did they stop?

According to the Capers, they started at 9:30 pm. We had an 8:30 dinner seating so we were never there at the beginning; usually arrived around 10-10:15. They played till about 1 am, or a little after.

I just can't vouch for the night they played on the Lido Deck. They started with about 4 songs from the band America (remember them? I'd prefer to forget them!), so I just couldn't stay! I heard they did pick it up later, and did the typical deck party songs/dances (and saw it on the cruise video on tv), but we weren't around for that.

It's the nights in Passage to India that you don't want to miss.

TennisLover!

Sounds like you had a good cruise!

What a really good and well written review - thank you!

Now, whenever you have time, and recover (take your time)...

Can you please post your review of all things V15 on this thread? (click on the link below)

Fantasy Class Category 11 Cabins

Any info, amenities, reviews, pictures, etc. on the Category 11 and everything will help future cruisers...:D

Would love to hear about the Flat Screen, what kind of couch did you have (I know that currently there are two different kinds in this category), how was the location, etc., etc.

Anyway, again, glad that you had a good time, and thanks for getting back with a review!:)

CJW

I will certainly get to that for you, CJW. Give me a few days as I've got new work projects starting today (and have to put in tons of time so I can enjoy my family cruise next month - first time I have two cruises planned in one winter!).

Have my photos on webshots; now I just have to figure out which link to give you all. Stay tuned!

Ok - I think I've got it.

Ship and port photos located at this URL:

http://good-times.webshots.com/album/556815558ngJSUy

If anyone likes another photo-sharing web site better, let me know and I will use that next time. This seemed pretty easy.

Great review...and pics. Thank you for taking the time to tell us about your cruise.

Cool pics! Thanks for sharing!! We loved Paradise Beach - went there the last time we were in Coz, pre-hurricane. It was terrific! Brought back good memories, thanks!! :D

I will certainly get to that for you, CJW. Give me a few days as I've got new work projects starting today (and have to put in tons of time so I can enjoy my family cruise next month - first time I have two cruises planned in one winter!).

 

Have my photos on webshots; now I just have to figure out which link to give you all. Stay tuned!

Thanks TennisLover. We sail in less than 54 days and can't wait. We need a cruise to recover from our Christmas cruise with family :D.

DH and I are :eek: mid-40s and love that 80's rock and roll (Seger in Boston in two weeks!) so I loved hearing about Music Asia.

Can you tell me about the muster drill? Did you all gather on the Lido deck or are you assigned by cabin location?

Love the pics.

DH and I are :eek: mid-40s and love that 80's rock and roll (Seger in Boston in two weeks!) so I loved hearing about Music Asia.

 

Can you tell me about the muster drill? Did you all gather on the Lido deck or are you assigned by cabin location?

 

Not everyone was assigned to the Lido Deck for muster drill.... our cabin was though (V15). This was the first time I was ever assigned there. It was MUCH more comfortable than what we are used to -- lined up in rows 5 or 8 deep on the side of the ship. (Last Feb, on Liberty, someone actually passed out during the muster drill.)

You will absolutely LOVE LOVE LOVE Music Asia. I want to hear your report when you get back. I promise, I am not steering you wrong. (I will be in Boston over MLK weekend ... is that when you're seeing Bob Seger?)

Also -- we cruise with our family every February -- we take two days at a hotel before the cruise (with our kids) to de-stress from work and real life before we get on the ship. Then, we are better equipped to deal with everyone! Plus, these are BIG ships!

Hi there,

We're just back from the Jan. 1st Fascination cruise. We all had a great time!! From all the reviews I've read, I wasn't so sure about this ship!! But everything was just fine. The only negatives in my opinion were the food (we thought it was pretty bad---and we're not picky!!!) and the muster drill. It took forever---by far the longest we've ever experienced! But with that being said, we still had a fantastic cruise!! Our last 2 cruises were on big ships, and we really enjoyed this small ship!

At first we were really dissapointed about going to Calica, but we ended up loving it! We took a taxi over to Playa Del Carmen, and went to the beach and shopping on 5th Avenue! We loved it!!

For the poster who asked about the casino, we spent much time there. It was never really busy. They do have 3 card and Let It Ride.

For those sailing on the Fascination in the future, have fun and remember to make the best of it!! I would even sail on this ship again...maybe!:D

You will absolutely LOVE LOVE LOVE Music Asia. I want to hear your report when you get back. I promise, I am not steering you wrong. (I will be in Boston over MLK weekend ... is that when you're seeing Bob Seger?)

 

Also -- we cruise with our family every February -- we take two days at a hotel before the cruise (with our kids) to de-stress from work and real life before we get on the ship. Then, we are better equipped to deal with everyone! Plus, these are BIG ships!

Actually I am pushing that date :( Seger is on Jan. 27th. Will you be in Boston or a 'burb? I grew up outside Boston and live in a tiny NH town now.

We just booked Larry's Limo tonight to get us from Ft. Lauderdale airport to a hotel in Miami the night before. What hotel do you like?

Oh, and how was the sushi? I loved it on the Fantasy last year.

And is there a formal night? and....I'm sure I will have more ??

Thanks.

Actually I am pushing that date :( Seger is on Jan. 27th. Will you be in Boston or a 'burb? I grew up outside Boston and live in a tiny NH town now.

 

We just booked Larry's Limo tonight to get us from Ft. Lauderdale airport to a hotel in Miami the night before. What hotel do you like?

 

Oh, and how was the sushi? I loved it on the Fantasy last year.

 

And is there a formal night? and....I'm sure I will have more ??

 

Thanks.

So many questions. One at a time....

We'll be in Newton and Welllesley, and I think my daughter will visit her camp friends in either Waltham or Worcester. That's a lot of towns. You probably grew up near one of them.

Hotel in Miami... we either stay with my parents (near Palm Beach) or we stay in Fort Lauderdale (Marriott Harbor Beach or Pellican Beach). Once, we spent a couple of days in Key Largo before our cruise. That was the best.

Formal night -- yes, it was Tuesday night, after spending the morning in Key West. We were back on the ship at 1:30, so plenty of time to have a good afternoon then get ready.

Sushi -- we are BIG sushi fans. It's not NY sushi (or even sushi from our favorite local Japanese restaurant) but it did hit the spot (we had 8:30 dinner). There was always a vegetarian option (my DH is a vegetarian). Strangely, they added cream cheese to a couple of rolls -- it was different and really not necessary.

Hi there! Loved the pics- it really makes me count the days down! LOL

Quick question- I'm used to quiet relaxing beaches (Isla Mujeres back in the day) Is Paradise Beach really loud? It looked like A LOT of people! Is it as commercial as it looked? Myabe I am just used to palm trees as opposed to umbreallas and chairs.....is it a relaxing place, or more of a party atmosphere? Quiet is good but party is fine too- just want to prepare.

Would love any info. :)

Sail March 5th, and I can not wait!!

Also, I don't remember if you said ( I wish you could see the post you are replying to) Did you fly into FLL or Miami? Thanks!!

Sondra

Hey Sondra! DH and I will be there the 5th also! I posted a response on the roll call you started the other day. i hope we get some more activity over there!

We are doing Paradise Beach. There's only 4 ships in port that day so hopefully it won't be too busy.

Hi everyone!

New to the board, relatively speaking anyway and I just want to say thanks to Tennislover for her review of the Fascination. It's been over 20 years since my last cruise with CC and I needed some reassurance about our upcoming weekend Bahama cruise. We leave Jan 19 and I have booked stateroom E2. It will be be my hubby's 1st cruise and we are so excited, even if it is only a weekend away. Thanks again!

Sue

Hi Sue,

You will have a wonderful time on the Fascination. DH and I were on it a few months ago and sailing again on Friday. I've really enjoyed the recent reviews since the refurbishment. It seems that everyone who has posted on this thread, and similiar Fascination threads, have enjoyed themselves. I will also post a review when I get back.

Happy cruising everybody!

Stacey

Thanks TennisLover for the great review! DH and I leave on the 29th - it will be our first time on the Fascination and we can't wait.

You mentioned Larry's Limo and it just so happens that I am trying to decide on transportation. Would you mind telling me the approximate cost? I just tried to email the company but got a bounce back....

TIA!

Rose

Hi there!

EmilyRose- Hi! Dh, (Randy) told me someone replied to roll call, and I was SO excited!! Nice to "meet" you! I responded back with a few ?'s on the roll call thread :)

Stacey- make sure to post a review- I would love to read it! Everyone else too please- it helps me get a little "fix" and get me by, LOL!

Tennislover- So if mini golf is up on top deck, was there no "topless" deck- or F deck? Hubby will be so disappointed, LOL. I saw that you went in ealry and stayed with relatives so it didn't apply for this trip, but we are flying in the day before- would you recommend staying the night in FLL, or going to Miami, and staying the night there?