ohnonotbunny

Just returned from our 5 night sailing over our spring break onboard Carnival Sensation. We departed on March 13th, traveling to Grand Turk, Half Moon Cay and Nassau. It was hard to find many reviews on the smaller ships prior to our trip so hopefully this will be helpful for others.

Before I get into the day by day, a little info on my traveling group. We had 5 people in total, my DH, DS age 13, DH, age 11 and my mom. This was my 6th cruise, 2nd time on Sensation and previous sailings on Carnival Conquest, Magic and Breeze along with NCL Epic. For all others in my family, it was their first time on Sensation and a smaller ship.

 

We took advantage of the ship sailing out on Monday and flew into West Palm Beach on Friday, arriving mid-afternoon. We rented a car for the duration of our trip and drove down to Islamorada in the mid Florida Keys. Traffic almost the entire time was an absolute nightmare finally improving shortly before Key Largo when the speed limit changes to a whopping 45mph! Enjoyed the next day with a much more leisurely drive to Key West for a day of sightseeing. Booked tickets in advance on Groupon for one of the hop on/off trolleys and had a great day seeing all the sights. We were hoping to stick around to watch the sunset at Mallory Square but due to it being a Saturday during spring break, Key West was in full on party mode and by 430p wasn't exactly as family friendly as it was earlier in the day with overly inebriated people passed out in public. So headed back to our hotel in Islamorada.

 

Sunday we headed north to Miami for a one night stay at the Holiday Inn Port of Miami. Great location for a single night pre-cruise stay. Longer duration stays I would most likely return to staying in the South Beach area as there is so much more to see and do. We did enjoy strolling around Bayside but it was mainly normal stores and restaurants that we have here at home and on vacation we try to eat at places we don't have. The highlight of the Holiday Inn for me was "ship spotting" from the window and getting excited for our cruise to begin!

 

 

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First of all, I have to say I absolutely love your break down that you did in this blog. I wish more people would break it down like you have. I have put together a surprise cruise for my parents. Something they have been trying to get together for 8 plus years. They have wanted to take all of their children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren on a cruise together and it has never been able to workout. So I am making it happen. I went through all of your posts and have been unable to save the pictures that you took of the actual ship and your funtimes. Is it possible that you can email me the full images or I can add you to a Dropbox that I have made for the Carnival Sensation and you can share them there?

I would be using the pictures as part of my reveal presentation that I am making.

Your help is greatly appreciated!

Ocy Delgado

813-334-0937

Ocy.delgado@gmail.com

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I am not sailing till November 2018. I am curious, why does it matter if there is metal doors or not?

Thanks in advance for your comments.

We leave in 14 days on the Sensation, and I am considering doing the Chef's Table. It seems a bit expensive, but it will also seems that it will be a nice evening-long event.

Also, my husband doesn't eat seafood. Does anyone know the current menu? How much of the courses involves seafood that he wouldn't be partaking in?

 

Anybody done it on the Sensation recently and can weigh in how it was?

How do I find out about the chef's table dinner? I am going on a sensation Cruise in 2018 and would like some info.

Which sensation Cruise are you taking? I am going on the 5 day Western Caribbean.

I am looking for sensation FunTimes for the Western Caribbean. If you have good copies of them and can post them in a PDF, I would greatly appreciate it.

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I love this! I can’t wait to see what happens. Sorry I didn’t have a suggestion.

 

 

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Thank you! I will keep this thread posted as I come up with more ideas.

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Have a big Carnival whale tail cake made professionally and bring it out to the table right after dinner. Have the date of the cruise on it with "family cruise" written (or whatever), watch their faces as they read the cake writing in complete confusion since it is Thanksgiving and the cake is not a turkey....good luck!!!

Drazil65. Thank you for your input. But the only bad thing about that is my parents don't care for cake. Even when it comes time for birthday parties they eat the smallest piece possible and we end up throwing it all the way.

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Okay here's what's going on. My parents have been trying to get their children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren together on a cruise for almost nine years. It has not been able to happen due to the fact somebody was either in school, or they couldn't take off of work, or didn't have the money, Exedra Exedra exedra. Will this year my parents and I went on a cruise in April. When I returnes from the cruise I told everybody in my family that I was going to book a cruise for all of us to go on. That they would have more than a year's notice so there's no excuse as to why they could not go. So June this year I booked a cruise at that time with 7 cabins on the Carnival Sensation ship November 19th, 2018 through November 24th, 2018. Both my sisters and their children and their children are all going. I am going with my daughter. And my parents adopted son and his wife are joining. I have added on another cabin, which is good friends of mine. But still more people to have fun and you want to take part in the celebration.

As of now in total I have 20 people in a cabins all on the same deck all on the same side of the ship. We are all mixed between balcony, Ocean View and interior. I am paying for six of the eight rooms. I was contemplating giving this as a Christmas present to my parents but Thanksgiving this year everybody who was going on the cruise will be at my parents house for dinner so now I want to tell them at Thanksgiving. Now this is where I need all of your help. I do not want to wrap the gift up in a little box and say here we're going. I want to make it a huge ordeal.

I have already bought lanyards and room key zipper pouches for everybody. I have bought Carnival vifp visors for my parents. I have bought bingo markers from Carnival ship since my parents enjoy playing bingo on the ship. LOL I have bought a shirt for my mother that says Carnival with the sensation ship and fireworks over it. But this isn't enough for me. I thought of doing a mini scavenger hunt within the house. But I was told by my older sister my mother would get annoyed with that so I can't do it. So I'm trying to figure out what I can do within the same room to make it a huge ordeal. I have been able to communicate with somebody who works on the Carnival ship as an Entertainer and he is going to help me and put together a little video so that I can give to my parents with him announcing all that's going on. But I want more. Can I have some of your ideas of what kind of surprise Cruise reveals you have done?

Thanks in advance for your help! I look forward to hearing all of your suggestions.

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Thank you very much!!!!

I am trying to find the Cruise Stops from Celebrity Zenith Ship Departing 04/02/2001 from a Florida Port. It was a 11 night Ultimate Caribbean Cruise. I do know it went out either Miami or Fort Lauderdale. If you know where I can find the ports this cruise stopped at, or if you have them. I would greatly appreciate getting those stops please.

Thanks in advance!!!! :cool::cool::cool::cool: