Ecstasy from Charleston, just back

I wrote up review, but thought I would post this info here too:

disenchanted by cruising

We (parents, 3 children ages 6, 9, and 11) have done several all inclusive resorts in the Caribbean in the past (and Disney World once a year too --just so you have our background experience), but I couldn't find an all inclusive that would work for us in Bahamas...and none in Bermuda. Since Carnival cruises to both places, I thought we should try it.

My favorite place in all the world is Eleuthera. We visited there often when I was a child (at Club Med which is no longer there), so I was thrilled to find Carnival's Half Moon Cay is only 24miles from Eleuthera. I was not as excited about Nassau but thought we would make the best of it and focus on the beautiful sand and water.

The ship is *not* in pristine condition. We were aware it was an older ship, but after so many visits to impeccably kept All Inclusive resorts (Grand Palladium, Sandos Caracol, Riu Mayan Riviera, ect), our expectations were high. The interior of the ship (atrium area) looks like Boogie Nights. The stairwells have atrocious carpet paired with hideous wallpaper. We were baffled that anyone in their right mind thought that combination was a good idea. The neon lights and mirrors and brass --it was all pretty tacky. The only area of the ship that we were in that was not strip-club remnicient was Wind Star dining room. We wished the whole ship could have been decorated more similarly to that restaurant -much more tasteful and classier. Hopefully their reno Jan 2017 will tone down the gaudiness in décor!?

We arrived at parking area just about 11am (we had FTTF and carnival.com indicated we should arrived between 11am and noon). We waited over an hour to get parked and shuttled to the ship. We got into the shorter line at check in (because of FTTF), thank heavens! We boarded the ship around 1pm and went straight to our cabin to leave some things there before lunch.

We had lunch always on Lido. The lunches were similar to Golden Coral (we do not like Golden Coral...at all).

The pool was a cruise ship pool I suppose (it seemed really pitiful to the expansive pools at AI resorts). I hadn't realized how important sprawling pools were to me/us until this cruise. The "hot tubs" were uninviting -we didn't get in once, even though we normally enjoy hot tubs. Our children did enjoy the waterwork waterslides. The deck around the waterslides stayed pretty crowded and windy.

Our children did not like the kids club at all. We forced them to go for the fancy night dinner, because the dinners lasted so long, it was exhausting to entertain hungry children (in a calm way) while sitting in the restaurant each night for 2-3 hours. Then they would habitually bring the childrens food before ours...and wait to bring our food until after the children finished eating theirs. So, then the kids were done eating, had already been sitting 2+ hours and we needed them to sit and wait for us to eat. Wind Star (your time dining) was the best food we had, but the service was lacking. The chocolate melting cake was delicious, as was the steak and eggs at Seaday Brunch (warning: any eggs that are not fried are nasty powdered eggs). Our water glasses stayed empty for hours...the coffee I ordered to try to have with dessert each night was not delivered before dessert was finished, every night.

Nassau: we took a $4pp ferry to Paradise Island and wandered aimlessly until finally paid another $4pp to cab back to Junkanoo beach. I wish I had booked an excursion for the Nassau day (I had wanted to do Atlantis but was worried about how expensive it was and not knowing what weather would be and if we would be seasick by the time we got to port ect). We got a couple plates of chicken at Tiki Bikini Hut and our kids enjoyed the limbo and hula games at Tiki Bikini Hut. The activities at Tiki Bikini Hut were the "kids activities" that my children liked best on the whole trip.

Half Moon Cay: this beach was the absolute BEST part of the entire trip. The beach is the most beautiful I have ever seen...well, until it filled cram packed w/ all the cruisers, around the water sports area. We walked away from the tender station to get a bit of space and solitude and it was heavenly. We had brought floats and air pump from home and were very glad we did (they are rented on HMC for $15each). The lunch carnival serves on HMC was subpar. I ate mostly cookies and fruit. Our schedule showed we were to be at HMC 8am-4pm, but that day, the announcement was that the last tender left HMC at 3pm, so we go in line for the tender at 2:30. we hated leaving HMC so early. We said over and over again: we need to stick to vacations where we can access Caribbean beach the entire vacation in the future.

We went to 2 PG comedy shows that were funny. The second one, I think titled "childish" was a black man comic: he was hilarious! We loved the night shows at Blue Sapphire ("the Brits" and "Motor City").

Biggest Cons: The ship's tacky décor and crowds of people everywhere. The people...the other cruisers were not like the other guests we have encountered at AI resorts or Disney World. So many of these people had us cringing in embarrassment that the native at ports of call would think this group was representative of "Americans" ( rather trashy! )

DH said over and over "this is my first and last cruise!" Our children liked it better than we did. I missed trees and grass and winding pathways through mangroves/rain forests and enormous pools and countless restaurants and more upscale fellow vacationers and excellent service and delicious food (all that we have experienced at AI resorts), but I would be willing to try a different cruise line, maybe Royal Caribbean, specifically in order to get to Bermuda...but for the money we spent, we could have had a spectacular vacation at an AI in Jamaica, Dominican Republic, or Mayan Riviera.

Seasickness:

We heard from a few other people on the ship with experience cruising that this trip was "very smooth." Right now (24 hours after debarkation), DH and I are still feeling wobbly, woozy, a bit dizzy. DD and I took one Bonine each night. we had brought scop patches, Dramamine, ginger ect just in case, but didn't feel nauseous on the ship. I feel worse right now than I did the entire time on the cruise.

Cabin: We knew cabin would be small, and it was what we expected. We specifically selected Riviera (lower) deck and an interior cabin to minimize seasickness. I brought power strip and extension cord, air fresheners, over the door hanging storage, suction hooks (for the shower), flashlights to use as nightlights to get to bathroom. We had king (2 twins pushed together), two Pullman bunks, and one cot a few inches off the ground. We called it our "fort." We decorated the door with tropical poster cut outs to make finding our cabin easier.

Sounds like cruising is not your "cup of tea". Sorry you had a sub par experience. You might try cruising on a newer, larger ship, with more inviting ports before you give it up.

Looking forward to the rest of your review. In the interim, just some comments:

Cruising is definitely not for you.

Joe Farcus' gaudy interiors served their purpose for many years, but are getting long in the tooth today. Remember, you were on a ship built in the 1980s and, as with all of Carnival, built for the mass market. It's not Celebrity or Princess or Cunard, etc.

Sounds like cruising is not your "cup of tea". Sorry you had a sub par experience. You might try cruising on a newer, larger ship, with more inviting ports before you give it up.

Yes, I think you may be right (about "not our cup of tea") but I really wanted us to love it because it's so easy out of the MidAtlantic. I would consider trying a different ship/ports (might not convince DH to join me;)

I see you have been on Ecstasy and several others --have you found other cruises to be significantly more elegant/classier than Ecstasy?

We were aware it was an older ship, but after so many visits to impeccably kept All Inclusive resorts (Grand Palladium, Sandos Caracol, Riu Mayan Riviera, ect), our expectations were high. .

You sound like an experienced traveler - I'm not sure why you would book a cruise on a ship you knew was aging, on a cruise line with the reputation of being a "budget" line and expect it to be as good or better than the fancy resorts you're used to?

Doesn't seem quite fair.

If DH and I want "upscale" we book another line with a reputation for that and pay the additional $$ that entails.

I wouldn't give up on cruising quite yet. If I had cruised on the Ecstasy for my first cruise I might have felt the same way. Although I love cruising, I am not a fan of that small and old of a ship. Also, we always get balconies and suites now and, for us, it makes a world of difference.

I am curious to know what your favorite all inclusive resorts have been and how they compared to the cruise.

Yes, I think you may be right (about "not our cup of tea") but I really wanted us to love it because it's so easy out of the MidAtlantic. I would consider trying a different ship/ports (might not convince DH to join me;)

 

I see you have been on Ecstasy and several others --have you found other cruises to be significantly more elegant/classier than Ecstasy?

Have done the Ecstasy yet. We will be on it in Oct 2016. We have done several ships and yes the newer ships have more to offer. The dream was the newest we were on recently. It was very nice.

My wife and I are easy to please, so my opinion might not help. We like the smaller ships rather than the larger. We do not mind the age of the ship. We loved the Fantasy, Carnival's oldest ship.

The decor is not a factor for us. We just enjoy cruising. We have never had a bad cruise, even when we returned in a hurricane. The ports are more important to us. We are running our of ports we have not visited. We are starting to do more land trips to see parts of the country we have not been to.

My advice to you, do what you enjoy and try to make the best out of any time you can be with your family. It's important to enjoy spending quality time with your family as much as you can. Soon your children will be grown and gone. Just my two cents.

You sound like an experienced traveler - I'm not sure why you would book a cruise on a ship you knew was aging, on a cruise line with the reputation of being a "budget" line and expect it to be as good or better than the fancy resorts you're used to?

Doesn't seem quite fair.

If DH and I want "upscale" we book another line with a reputation for that and pay the additional $$ that entails.

This cruise vacation cost us about the same as our AI resort trips including flights (A bit less than Disney World, but we usually do a 10-12day Disney trip and this was only a 5night cruise. Broken down into a nightly rate though, I suppose about the same as we spend on Disney trips as well). Actually, had we bought the drink packages for the cruise, the cruise trip would have been far pricier than the AI resort trips (keep in mind AI resorts include all drinks)

I don't necessarily think cruising is not for the OP, but that perhaps next time out they should do a bit more homework on the ship they book.

We sailed on Fantasy (nearly identical to Ecstasy and one year older) when she stilled sailed from Charleston and we knew what we were in for: the oldest ship in the fleet with fewer amenities, décor that is beyond tacky (it was built in 1990 for goodness sake) and not the best itinerary in the world. We were willing on that trip to make those concessions because it was dirt cheap and left 20 minutes fro our home. Now when we are paying more premium prices we expect a much different experience.

OP : If "sprawling pools" are a deal breaker, you may be in trouble. Fact is pools take up a lot of real estate on a ship. Even son hips that have multiple pools, they tend to be on the small side. 2-3 hours for dinner is unusual. We tend to book late seating and will linger over coffee but still be out in 2 hours tops. The shorter cruises tend to attract the crowd it sounds like you would hope to avoid. Book seven nights or longer.

 

My advice to you, do what you enjoy and try to make the best out of any time you can be with your family. It's important to enjoy spending quality time with your family as much as you can. Soon your children will be grown and gone. Just my two cents.

This is EXCELLENT advice! Thanks for sharing!!:)

We had a good time together on this trip, and I am glad we tried it.

It is hard not to compare it to the vacations we are more familiar with (And I was thinking there may be other ppl on cruise critic that are considering a cruise with vacation backgrounds similar to ours).

***I should point out, the cruise was definitely better than WDW or AI in that

-we did not have to fly (and going through customs and security at the port was far easier than airports)

-we had no concerns about potable water (like in Caribbean AI resorts)

-everyone spoke English

-hand sanitizer stations everywhere

-HMC is the most gorgeous beach I have ever seen

"Nassau: we took a $4pp ferry to Paradise Island and wandered aimlessly until finally paid another $4pp to cab back to Junkanoo beach"

LOL..been there done that...never take the ferry unless you want to take a hike, live and learn. I walk to Junkanoo now, much nicer than Paradise IMO.

I agree with others. I think you should try a larger newer ship. Just to give it another try before going back to AI's

Appreciate the feedback, and I would not let one experience stop you from cruising.

I wouldn't give up on cruising quite yet. If I had cruised on the Ecstasy for my first cruise I might have felt the same way. Although I love cruising, I am not a fan of that small and old of a ship. Also, we always get balconies and suites now and, for us, it makes a world of difference.

 

I am curious to know what your favorite all inclusive resorts have been and how they compared to the cruise.

That's good to know (that you like cruising but didn't love Ecstasy) --that gives me hope that we should try another/different cruise;)

Our fav Caribbean AI is Grand Palladium Colonial in Mayan Riviera (Though Sandos Caracol has added some larger water slides since we last visited, so we would like to go back there). *At the right time of year with the right flights, these are definitely not more expensive than the Ecstasy cruise*

Our fav resort at Disney World is Port Orleans Riverside (we get Disney Dining Plan and book the whole trip as a "package" so it seems all-inclusive). We typically go during "value season" and love Epcot's Food and Wine festival.

When I was growing up, we traveled primarily to Club Meds. We loved the Club Med in Bermuda and Eleuthera best --both have since closed unfortunately. Club Med Punta Cana would probably be our fav that is still open. We visited Club Med Sandpiper often for long weekends since it was easiest to get to, but I wouldn't choose to go there now as an adult since it is not on a beach.

 

I am curious to know what your favorite all inclusive resorts have been and how they compared to the cruise.

cruiseonthebrain: I can't find anywhere to send you an email or PM, but I am happy to share more info with you on our other experiences (I think it may not be appropriate for me to post too much about them on cruise critic since they aren't cruises?).

Anyone know how/where I can send info privately to cruiseonthebrain?

Sorry you didn't have a great first cruise experience. I have never had a great all-inclusive experience. My most recent was in the Dominican Republic and I will probably never go back there or even the island. I have not been the one to pick my trip either time, so it may have just been the resorts. The last one didn't even include bottle beer, just draft. I am tempted never try an AI again but I love cruising. I have children but they are grown, so the pool size is not an issue for me. I agree the landscaping and pools are something you do miss on a cruise until you get to a port. I also think the entertainment is far superior on a cruise ship compared to an AI.

Thanks for sharing your cruise experience with us.

PS - I love Disney World too but not a very relaxing vacation.

I was on the same cruise.... I had a great time, sure there were things that could have been better , that can be on any cruise.

I have been on the Fantasy class several times , so knew what to expect.

Yes the powdered eggs are bad, stuck with the omelets.

Yes , the embarkation and disembarkation was long, but we were directed in wrong

line, but since we are platinum, found someone and we were quickly checked in and

onboard. As far as leaving , it took about 45 minutes, it has always varied from port to port

for me.

I thought the boat was very smooth, we had great weather.

We had anytime dining and yes some nights took longer than others. The food was good,I

have not experienced the new menu, so had many of my favorites.

In Nassau, we went to the Hilton, it was a fun relaxing day.

Half Moon Cay was beautiful as ever.

I have been to all inclusive too, which were very nice, but cruising for me is usually a better bargain.

Wish I was still cruising instead of here at work.

We had a good time together on this trip, and I am glad we tried it.

 

It is hard not to compare it to the vacations we are more familiar with (And I was thinking there may be other ppl on cruise critic that are considering a cruise with vacation backgrounds similar to ours).

Something you may want to consider ... later this spring we're sailing out of Charleston on the larger and more newly fitted out Carnival Sunshine. Within the year she was scheduled for around 5 cruises out of Charleston plus a few out of Norfolk VA. :)

Maybe cruising isn't for you, and that is ok. If you do try it again Disney might be the cruiseline for you.

Thanks for your review.

Keith

I was on the same cruise as you and would suggest if you ever give cruising a try consider a newer ship.

I thought the ship was in great shape considering the age. I expected the passengers to represent NC & SC considering the home port, therefore I wasn't surprised by the southern feel. [emoji846]

This being our 16th cruise we were very aware of the pros and cons of cruising on the oldest ship in the fleet. The convenience of being 3.5 hours to port was our draw and overall our expectations were exceeded.

I do agree that the port of Charleston has a lot of work to do. They basically have no waiting lounge so they hold passengers in their vehicles then funnel them through the checkin process. We were however very impressed with the debarkation as we were off the ship by 7:15 and in Charlotte by 10:45.

We did see someone being taken off the ship in hand cuffs and according to another passenger they had an outstanding warrant. [emoji52]

We had YTD as well and was seated at 545 daily and the latest we left was 7. We always requested the same wait team daily which was accustomed to our group which I think helps.

We would certainly sail on the Ecstasy again if timing was right

I wish Carnival could user newer ships for shorter cruises to really give the first time cruiser a different impression.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Thanks for taking the time to post your review.

Don't completely give up on cruising -- try a different cruise line. :)

I live in Charleston and would NEVER sail any ship that they have here permanately. Why? I need a slightly larger and newer ship with more amenities. I have been to a few all inclusives and I honestly do my best not to compare the two. I understand this is hard to do, but you should try. I agree with the others that you probably can find most of what you miss in u'r AI on a larger ship, but you will not find everything. I cruise because I get to see more Island during the course of a week. When I want to just stay put on one Island, then I choose and AI.

You should stick to the AI, sounds like cruising is not for you.

I for one do not like when they tone down decor, I like the brights, neon, lights, I don't want to feel like I'm floating around in a sterile hospital room.

Sorry it was not to your standards.

Regal Empress was our first cruise -Fall Foliage out of NY, north. It was the most beautiful ship ~ old world style... Beautiful and lavish midnight buffet with gorgeous ice sculptures and great food, wonderful teak wood everywhere! And we prefer smaller ships. Wish there were more like the Regal Empress. We will be going on Carnival Ecstasy in Sept. first Carnival, probably last, from reading reviews. We liked Holland America to Alaska (class), Celebrity Century to Bermuda(was nice ship many years ago), Princess to Panama Canal, RCCL to Caribbean and Norwegian to W. Carib. which we DID NOT LIKE. But cruising is great and now that we are retired we hope to get to go on many more.