All Things Fantasy

[NCTribeFan]

Oh, I do so love Charleston! The Hawthorne Suites is OK. HUGE room (I booked the King w/ spa tub as I'm on my own; going to relax in that tub later with a glass of wine or two). Carpet could stand to be replaced. Desk girl SO nice.

 

About a 20 min drive over to the waterfront park area. DELICIOUS shrimp & grits at Fleet Landing (and excellent organic ale). It's such a beautiful historic area.

 

We won't be taking the usual hotel shuttle van. We're going to be on a bus at 11:30 in the morning. There are a bunch of us.

 

Intermittent (heavy) rain coming down I-95 this morning. And showers just when I arrived at the hotel. But after lunch (it was about 4 when I finished), the sun was out. Hot and breezy. Lots of people sailing in the harbor.

 

I love it here. For those of you who don't know Charleston, I highly recommend sailing from here and spending some time pre & post cruise.

[scchasgal]

Oh, I do so love Charleston! The Hawthorne Suites is OK. HUGE room (I booked the King w/ spa tub as I'm on my own; going to relax in that tub later with a glass of wine or two). Carpet could stand to be replaced. Desk girl SO nice.

 

About a 20 min drive over to the waterfront park area. DELICIOUS shrimp & grits at Fleet Landing (and excellent organic ale). It's such a beautiful historic area.

 

We won't be taking the usual hotel shuttle van. We're going to be on a bus at 11:30 in the morning. There are a bunch of us.

 

Intermittent (heavy) rain coming down I-95 this morning. And showers just when I arrived at the hotel. But after lunch (it was about 4 when I finished), the sun was out. Hot and breezy. Lots of people sailing in the harbor.

 

I love it here. For those of you who don't know Charleston, I highly recommend sailing from here and spending some time pre & post cruise.

 

Have a great time tomorrow meeting up with everyone and sailaway and your whole cruise.

 

Which Hawthorne are you staying at? I am assuming North Charleston since you said it was a little yucky

[Cruise Envy]

Got a few questions perhaps best answered by recent Fantasy cruisers -- all help appreciated.

 

1. Do they have unsweetened iced tea?
   
2. How many hangars per stateroom?
   
3. How often (& what days) do they offer the $15 laundry bag special?
   
4. Anyone have a picture of the soda cup with a lid?
   
5. Has anyone bought a scrapbooking kit from the onboard gift shop? How much?
   

[proudpatriot07]

Got a few questions perhaps best answered by recent Fantasy cruisers -- all help appreciated.

 

1. Do they have unsweetened iced tea?
   
2. How many hangars per stateroom?
   
3. How often (& what days) do they offer the $15 laundry bag special?
   
4. Anyone have a picture of the soda cup with a lid?
   
5. Has anyone bought a scrapbooking kit from the onboard gift shop? How much?
   

 

I haven't sailed on the Fantasy yet (but I'll answer your questions when I return, I leave for my cruise in a week). I did buy a scrapbooking kit on the Destiny last year... it came with the scrapbook and three packages of materials. I think it was $34.95, if I remember correctly.

 

Oh, and I've only done like 6 pages in that scrapbook, and going on another cruise next week. Such a scrapbooking slacker I am...

[Cruise Envy]

I did buy a scrapbooking kit on the Destiny last year... it came with the scrapbook and three packages of materials. I think it was $34.95, if I remember correctly.

 

Oh, and I've only done like 6 pages in that scrapbook, and going on another cruise next week. Such a scrapbooking slacker I am...

 

Cool - thank you! I knew this was probably the only spot to get Carnival logo stuff. Eek... two kids, two kits.. EEK...

[scchasgal]

Got a few questions perhaps best answered by recent Fantasy cruisers -- all help appreciated.

 

1. Do they have unsweetened iced tea? Yes
   
2. How many hangars per stateroom? Plenty but if you need more the cabin steward will get them for you
   
3. How often (& what days) do they offer the $15 laundry bag special?
   
4. Anyone have a picture of the soda cup with a lid?
   
5. Has anyone bought a scrapbooking kit from the onboard gift shop? How much?
   

....

[momof4boys]

Anyone back recently? How is embarkation? I have been very spoiled by Galveston and New Orleans so I am hoping things go smoothly here!

 

We are staying at the Hawthorn Suites, too. They supposedly have a shuttle. How early does it go out?

 

There are 11 of us all wanting to go early. We have always been on board, with our luggage dropped off in our rooms, and eating on the LIDO deck by 11:30. Any chance of that happening?

[proudpatriot07]

Cool - thank you! I knew this was probably the only spot to get Carnival logo stuff. Eek... two kids, two kits.. EEK...

 

Honestly, I won't buy the kit on this cruise and wouldn't buy it if I had scrapbooking stuff (I bought it thinking "Oh, I'll do a cruise scrapbook!", having never done any scrapbooking before).

 

It has a few Carnival logo things, but not nearly enough to justify the price of it, IMHO. It came with 3 packs that had paper, stickers, etc, each only had a few logo items in them and you didn't get to choose the packs (so one of my packs is casino, where none of us spent any time much less took any pics, lol).

 

I find super-cute scrapbooking stuff in the $1 area of Target which is where I go now :). In fact, I've gone through tons of Target stuff and still have the Carnival stuff left over. Think when I'm done I'm just gonna give some of it to my friend who also scrapbooks and is cruising in June...

[adamt]

Are there pay to use laundry facilities on The Fantasy?

 

My wife and I really don't want to overpack and would just prefer to do a quick load in the middle of the week.

 

Thanks!

[Chief Cruiser]

I do imagine that will all change once they relocate to a new/different terminal.

 

But, yes, from what I've read, everyone waits for the shuttles and everyone waits to get through security. THEN, if you have VIP status, you go to a separate check-in line/desk.

 

Would love for someone to confirm that.

 

If that is the case, it would be the first cruise port I've encountered like that. Every port I've been to has had a separate VIP entrance, security check point, and check in lounge. Now having said that, I know Charleston does not have a "cruise port" terminal proper. I hope it isn't like that and hopefully, after a couple of cruises out of there, some CC'ers will be able to tell us more on the set up, including the parking, shuttle, and check in process.

[Chief Cruiser]

Are there pay to use laundry facilities on The Fantasy?

 

My wife and I really don't want to overpack and would just prefer to do a quick load in the middle of the week.

 

Thanks!

 

Yes! $3 to wash and $3 to dry with detergent and fabric softner for $1 each if I remember correctly.

 

Laundry facilities are on all Carnival ships. Additionally, they offer a wash and fold service and once or twice a week, depending on the length of the cruise I think, they offer a $15 bag service where they will wash and fold everything you can stuff in the bag for one price. My advice? Stick with the laundry. You can wash more and dry more than you can stuff in that bag for about half the price. But, if you prefer not to do laundry on your vacation, then let them do it.

 

My wife and I do the same as you're thinking. We pack for about 4 days and wash mid-cruise. It's not that big a deal and it beats lugging several suitcases around on embarkation and debarkation day!!!

 

If you are VIP cruisers with Carnival, you get the wash and fold service free, so the options are many......:)

[mtchg]

Yes! $3 to wash and $3 to dry with detergent and fabric softner for $1 each if I remember correctly.

 

Laundry facilities are on all Carnival ships. Additionally, they offer a wash and fold service and once or twice a week, depending on the length of the cruise I think, they offer a $15 bag service where they will wash and fold everything you can stuff in the bag for one price. My advice? Stick with the laundry. You can wash more and dry more than you can stuff in that bag for about half the price. But, if you prefer not to do laundry on your vacation, then let them do it.

 

My wife and I do the same as you're thinking. We pack for about 4 days and wash mid-cruise. It's not that big a deal and it beats lugging several suitcases around on embarkation and debarkation day!!!

 

If you are VIP cruisers with Carnival, you get the wash and fold service free, so the options are many......:)

 

 

We are Platinum and yes, the free laundry is one of the best perks in the industry, we always take advantage of it. However, though you would save money by doing your own wash; for just a few more dollars; Carnival will take care of this with their special; why waste precious vacation time in a laundry room?

 

 

Mitch

[All4fun&fun4all]

Isn't that where they moved Camp Carnival or are the owner's suites on deck 12?

 

I would never pay for either of those cabins, matter of fact they don't even advertise them you have to know about them and ask. I did say in my post OS and GS not owners suite.

The Owner's suite are the one's on deck 12 that have the roundy windows overlooking the pool. Pretty sweet but definitely not worth the money. I know you said OS and GS but I thought it would be nifty to let some folks know that those suites are there. I didnt know they existed until I came across them on a thread. Now I know where to look and wave when I am on the lido deck. :)

[jc4me]

I just found this thread…

 

We are sailing Fantasy from Charleston January 12, 2011. This will be our (hubby and I) first cruise and I have been lucking around CC for about a month and this is my first post. :)

 

My only concern is… did we pick the wrong time of year to cruise? We picked January because the price was right and kids should be back in school.

 

We booked a Grand Suite and looking at the pictures I think we choose the right room for us. We really are not touristy people and just like to hang out and enjoy each other. No we are not newlyweds; we have been married for 6 years, but our vacations have always been quiet. So we are branching out with trying a cruise.

 

I can’t wait for some of your reviews to come back, especially the ones leaving from Charleston. We live in North Carolina, so the drive for us is only 4 hours. We are planning to drive down the night before and staying at the Hampton Inn, Hubby is not a early riser, if we were going to drive down the day of the cruise we would have to leave about 6:00 am and hubby was like “no way”:(

 

Anyway…thanks to everyone for all the great advice and we are looking forward to this adventure.:cool:

 

Too bad you aren't going on the 9-11-10 cruise...I'm from Clayton too and it would be neat to sail with someone so close to home! If you are like me you will find that any day on a cruise is better than a day at home ;) I have sailed in February and it was fine, but it can be a little chilly leaving.

 

Hope that you enjoy your cruise. Think you will find it very relaxing and addicting!

[bluecruisin]

Small world, we're from Garner and sailing the Fantsay in July for our DD's wedding! (she lives in Clayton)

[40somethingClaytonNC]

Too bad you aren't going on the 9-11-10 cruise...I'm from Clayton too and it would be neat to sail with someone so close to home! If you are like me you will find that any day on a cruise is better than a day at home ;) I have sailed in February and it was fine, but it can be a little chilly leaving.

 

Hope that you enjoy your cruise. Think you will find it very relaxing and addicting!

 

 

Glad to see someone from Clayton will be sailing also. This will be our first cruise and getting excited as very day goes by.

Question...Are you going to drive on the day of your cruise or are you going to Charleston the day before. Hubby would like to drive the day before and we are still debating the idea. If you are going to day before were are you going to stay?

[Camdenscott4]

We have a group of 25 going on Fantasy out of Charleston on July 2nd. We are all HUGE Nascar fans. And we were wondering if the TVs in the staterooms would carry the Turner stations that carry that race (TNT I think)? Does anyone know? Do they give you a list or something?

 

PS - dont bother with the whole "you're on a cruise ship and you're going to watch cars go around in circles???" comments. We are on vacation from work...but not from life. Nascar is our life baby!!!! :D

[crewsnews]

If its not in your room, one of the bars will probably have it playing. I don't think they carry TNT or TBS in the rooms, but I'm not positive. The bar TV's are bigger anyway and then there is the liquor of course. Mmmmmmmmmmm liquor.

[minerva78]

NCTribefan, I hope you are having a wonderful time on your cruise!

 

I can't wait to hear from you when you get back. When you do, I'd love to hear about how the Hawthorn Suites were. I booked an almost identical package with the Radisson in North Charleston, but when I looked up the Hawthorn Suites (which I didn't know about until reading this thread) I saw it was a bit cheaper, so of course now I'm being indecisive. :o DH wants me to just stick with the Radisson, because he's just glad I made up my mind about something, LOL. I still think I might stick with the Radisson, but I do have time to consider my options. TIA!

[MsBrownize]

I got an email from the Charleston port today, and it linked to embarkation and debarkation procedures at Charleston if anyone is interested:

 

http://www.scspa.com/cruises/documents/CARNIVAL_FANTASY_Embark_Debark.pdf

 

Nothing about VIP though so we'll have to wait til someone returns to get the lowdown.

[jc4me]

Glad to see someone from Clayton will be sailing also. This will be our first cruise and getting excited as very day goes by.

Question...Are you going to drive on the day of your cruise or are you going to Charleston the day before. Hubby would like to drive the day before and we are still debating the idea. If you are going to day before were are you going to stay?

 

We have not decided yet. Our cruise leaves on Saturday, which would mean that DH would have to take an extra vacation day. I'd love to drive down early, especially since it would be our anniversary. BUT, it might be less anxiety to drive down on cruise day because you wouldn't be at the hotel chomping at the bit to get down to the port at 6:00 AM :eek:

 

If we do go early, we will likely stay at a place that offers the parking package. When you factor in the cost of parking for a week, it makes the price of a room pretty reasonable.

 

Think we'll see the reviews about parking and embarkation before making any decisions.

[jc4me]

We have not decided if we will be driving down on cruise day, or a day early. I'd like to know if this scenario is possible....

 

If we drive down a day early, I think I read that you are able to drop your luggage fairly early, maybe 8 AM?? If we could leave our car at the hotel and take a shuttle/cab and drop our luggage by maybe 9AM, then walk around the market area for several hours prior to embarkation....or even take a tour, then be back at the pier around noon for embarkation.

 

I would like to take some sodas onboard. I have heard of people putting luggage tags on them and just dropping them with their luggage. Has anyone tried that? If so, did it work? I figure that since we are driving to the port that this would be the cruise to try it.

 

We sailed out of Charleston once on Norwegian Majesty and I remember the long wait in the car to get to luggage drop off, then to parking. Seems like it would be easier if we could make the luggage drop before a long line started.

 

Can't wait to see reviews of how some of the first cruises go!

[paulekrause]

So how is it different after June 26?

 

 

 

 

I got an email from the Charleston port today, and it linked to embarkation and debarkation procedures at Charleston if anyone is interested:

 

http://www.scspa.com/cruises/documents/CARNIVAL_FANTASY_Embark_Debark.pdf

 

Nothing about VIP though so we'll have to wait til someone returns to get the lowdown.

[dmix315]

Does anyone know if when you dock at Freeport and Nassau, do you pull up to the dock or do you take tenders?

[NavarreCruiser]

Does anyone know if when you dock at Freeport and Nassau, do you pull up to the dock or do you take tenders?

You pull up to the docks in both places. Lynda