Do You Have Any ?'s About Fascination

We'll be leaving on Fascination in 6 days on the southern itinerary out of San Juan. If you have any questions about the ship or ports you would like answered let me know before Friday evening and I'll keep my eyes open for the answers that I'll include in my review.

We'll be leaving on Fascination in 6 days on the southern itinerary out of San Juan. If you have any questions about the ship or ports you would like answered let me know before Friday evening and I'll keep my eyes open for the answers that I'll include in my review.

Hi sparks1093 one question to check are there beach towels in the cabin. I leave in 30 days and need to know if i have to pack my own beach towel

THANKS

Our friends are looking at an Aft balcony. If they're on Empress, can people looking down from Atlantic see into their space?

Which ports may be best for beach days - easy access, don't require an expensive excursion and don't leave you missing out on something else exciting?

One in our party has some "mobility" issues for lack of a better term (bad knees). He can walk for miles, but probably wouldn't do something like ziplining. Probably a boat ride, maybe not snorkeling. Any ports where pretty much all options are super active or where that might be a bigger issue?

I'm curious to see what you do in the ports, and where you stay in San Juan.

Pros/Cons of the ship itself being older, smaller, with less updates?

Hi sparks1093 one question to check are there beach towels in the cabin. I leave in 30 days and need to know if i have to pack my own beach towel

 

THANKS

They were in our cabin on Pride but I'll verify they are available on Fascination also.

Our friends are looking at an Aft balcony. If they're on Empress, can people looking down from Atlantic see into their space?

 

Which ports may be best for beach days - easy access, don't require an expensive excursion and don't leave you missing out on something else exciting?

One in our party has some "mobility" issues for lack of a better term (bad knees). He can walk for miles, but probably wouldn't do something like ziplining. Probably a boat ride, maybe not snorkeling. Any ports where pretty much all options are super active or where that might be a bigger issue?

 

I'm curious to see what you do in the ports, and where you stay in San Juan.

Pros/Cons of the ship itself being older, smaller, with less updates?

I will find out all that I can for you. We are doing St Thomas on our own (walking around and taking the tram ride if we're next to it), Barbados is Harrisons Cave tour, St Kitts Dolphin Swim, St Lucia Whale Watch Tour and St Maarten the Butterfly farm. All excursions were booked through CCL. I read on the Barbados forum that there is a beach 20 minutes brisk walk from the port. Oh, we're staying at the Howard Johnson Pre and Post cruise.

Yes to the beach towels in the room. Also towels at Serenity.

Was there in May and going back the week after Thanksgiving.

Yes to the beach towels in the room. Also towels at Serenity.

 

Was there in May and going back the week after Thanksgiving.

You're making my homework easy:D.

Yes to the beach towels in the room. Also towels at Serenity.

 

 

Was there in May and going back the week after Thanksgiving.

Thanks Kelib that is one less thing to pack

we also did this cruise 2014 and going back in 30 days

I will find out all that I can for you. We are doing St Thomas on our own (walking around and taking the tram ride if we're next to it), Barbados is Harrisons Cave tour, St Kitts Dolphin Swim, St Lucia Whale Watch Tour and St Maarten the Butterfly farm. All excursions were booked through CCL. I read on the Barbados forum that there is a beach 20 minutes brisk walk from the port. Oh, we're staying at the Howard Johnson Pre and Post cruise.

1. I can confirm the beach towels having been on the Fascination this past August.

2. The Harrison Caves are spectacular. Look for a private excursion and do the price match. I wish I remembered the name of the operator, but a google search should find them. We got an OBC of $35.18 ($15.99 + $1.60) times 2.

On St. Thomas there is a butterfly farm that is a walkable distance from the ship and is much cheaper than the one in St. Maarten. Also on St. Thomas, the sky ride is actually cheaper by about a dollar if you book the Carnival tour than if you buy it at the ride. It is also a very walkable distance from the ship. I assume for that excursion, Carnival just gives you the ticket for the ride.

1. I can confirm the beach towels having been on the Fascination this past August.

 

2. The Harrison Caves are spectacular. Look for a private excursion and do the price match. I wish I remembered the name of the operator, but a google search should find them. We got an OBC of $35.18 ($15.99 + $1.60) times 2.

 

On St. Thomas there is a butterfly farm that is a walkable distance from the ship and is much cheaper than the one in St. Maarten. Also on St. Thomas, the sky ride is actually cheaper by about a dollar if you book the Carnival tour than if you buy it at the ride. It is also a very walkable distance from the ship. I assume for that excursion, Carnival just gives you the ticket for the ride.

I think I just remembered the name of the private excursion operator. Try http://www.getyourguide.com Or it might be http://www.getmyguide.com

It was cheaper by $15.99. I showed in my above post what it saved and the calculation to get to that number.

1. I can confirm the beach towels having been on the Fascination this past August.

 

2. The Harrison Caves are spectacular. Look for a private excursion and do the price match. I wish I remembered the name of the operator, but a google search should find them. We got an OBC of $35.18 ($15.99 + $1.60) times 2.

 

On St. Thomas there is a butterfly farm that is a walkable distance from the ship and is much cheaper than the one in St. Maarten. Also on St. Thomas, the sky ride is actually cheaper by about a dollar if you book the Carnival tour than if you buy it at the ride. It is also a very walkable distance from the ship. I assume for that excursion, Carnival just gives you the ticket for the ride.

Great info, thanks!

Find out if the welcome aboard drinks are still free :D;).

1. I can confirm the beach towels having been on the Fascination this past August.

 

2. The Harrison Caves are spectacular. Look for a private excursion and do the price match. I wish I remembered the name of the operator, but a google search should find them. We got an OBC of $35.18 ($15.99 + $1.60) times 2.

 

On St. Thomas there is a butterfly farm that is a walkable distance from the ship and is much cheaper than the one in St. Maarten. Also on St. Thomas, the sky ride is actually cheaper by about a dollar if you book the Carnival tour than if you buy it at the ride. It is also a very walkable distance from the ship. I assume for that excursion, Carnival just gives you the ticket for the ride.

Found the same tour so I'll submit the claim onboard since I am closer than 7 days to sailing.

Find out if the welcome aboard drinks are still free :D;).

When was the last time that was in effect?:eek:

Great info, thanks!

You're welcome.

IIRC, both the sky ride and and the butterfly farm in St. Thomas are on the same street, the one that you get off on when you disembark. In fact the sky ride is practically right there when you get off the ship.

The sky ride had a place to drop off tickets bought through Carnival, and as I said before that was cheaper than they charge

I will find out all that I can for you. We are doing St Thomas on our own (walking around and taking the tram ride if we're next to it), Barbados is Harrisons Cave tour, St Kitts Dolphin Swim, St Lucia Whale Watch Tour and St Maarten the Butterfly farm. All excursions were booked through CCL. I read on the Barbados forum that there is a beach 20 minutes brisk walk from the port. Oh, we're staying at the Howard Johnson Pre and Post cruise.

I read on the Barbados forum that there is a beach 20 minutes brisk walk from the port

I think the beach you are referring to is THE BOATYARD we plan on doing this excursion on our November cruise

We'll be leaving on Fascination in 6 days on the southern itinerary out of San Juan. If you have any questions about the ship or ports you would like answered let me know before Friday evening and I'll keep my eyes open for the answers that I'll include in my review.

We did the Fascination when she was put in to replace the Tropicale. Had always wanted to do that itinerary, but not on a "older" ship. SO I jumped at the chance with the swap, a staggering $1599 for an outside room PP, with airfare.

Within a year, the fares had dropped to $599. Who knew?

Our friends are looking at an Aft balcony. If they're on Empress, can people looking down from Atlantic see into their space?

 

Which ports may be best for beach days - easy access, don't require an expensive excursion and don't leave you missing out on something else exciting?

One in our party has some "mobility" issues for lack of a better term (bad knees). He can walk for miles, but probably wouldn't do something like ziplining. Probably a boat ride, maybe not snorkeling. Any ports where pretty much all options are super active or where that might be a bigger issue?

 

I'm curious to see what you do in the ports, and where you stay in San Juan.

Pros/Cons of the ship itself being older, smaller, with less updates?

I looked at the aft balconies as we walked by on the pier and it looked like the upper balconies cannot see into the lower ones. We found the ship well maintained and easy to navigate.

I know you have just finished your cruise, but do you recall if they had the collectible parrot cups like the one in my avatar? I still need to get a yellow one, and was planning on getting one on my Fascination cruise in a couple weeks. But then it occurred to me that they might not have them since it's an older ship w/o the 2.0 upgrades. Not sure if the older ships have them.

I know you have just finished your cruise, but do you recall if they had the collectible parrot cups like the one in my avatar? I still need to get a yellow one, and was planning on getting one on my Fascination cruise in a couple weeks. But then it occurred to me that they might not have them since it's an older ship w/o the 2.0 upgrades. Not sure if the older ships have them.

We did not see one because we would have have bought them. They had some new fish cups, the blowfish, diso ball and monkey coconut head that I saw.

I looked at the aft balconies as we walked by on the pier and it looked like the upper balconies cannot see into the lower ones. We found the ship well maintained and easy to navigate.

Thanks for the update!! They went ahead and booked the aft so they'll be glad to hear it.

Thanks for the update!! They went ahead and booked the aft so they'll be glad to hear it.

You are more than welcome. Fascination doesn't have bells and whistles of other ship but still delivers an acceptable product. We had a great time onboard.:)

We did not see one because we would have have bought them. They had some new fish cups, the blowfish, diso ball and monkey coconut head that I saw.

Bummer. But thanks!

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Does the Fascination have self-service laundry? I can't locate it on the deck plans.

My question would be whether it's still floating.... but I guess you already answered that :D

Wonder how much long they will keep this thing around. A few more years and maybe it'll be sold to another South Florida Bahamas cruise like Grand Celebration.