Back from Ecstacy - 4/23-4/28/05 - long

[Miss Kitty]

We got back from our trip a few days ago and had a GREAT time. I thought I would post some observations/suggestions etc.

 

We got to Galveston that morning about 11 am and drove around for a bit. There is an Eckerds Drugs on the beach side which was helpful for last minute chapstick etc. We parked at EZ Cruise Parking ($35 for 5 days w/internet coupon) and they were SO helpful and quick. We parked and were on the bus w/in 2 minutes and off to the ship. We arrived right after noon and the check in was VERY quick. Tip - have your paperwork handy - it speeds the process along very quickly. We were onboard the ship by about 12:45 (after the customary "welcome aboard" photo shoot) and went straight to our room to drop our bags off.

 

I was nicely surprised w/our room after hearing other posters complain about the smell, wear and tear etc. It was clean, in used but good condition and our bed was VERY comfortable. Thankfully the temprature was consistant the whole cruise so we didn't have a problem w/that. We enjoyed the larger window - even though we didn't stay in our room alot we enjoyed opening the curtins in the mornings and looking out while we got ready. The room was small but big enough w/plenty of room for our clothes. It would have been nice to have something in the shower to hang wet bathing suits etc. on but otherwise it was ok.

 

We had lunch in the Lido restaurant - it was buffet and was ok - it seemed like an upscale dorm dining room but it had plenty of tables and a great view. I enjoyed mixing my tea w/the lemonaid for a refreshing treat - note - the tea often ran out - check the other machine - there was usually some in there. We did enjoy the deli at the back of the dining room - the roast beef (a bit on the rare side for some but perfect for us!) and the ruben sandwiches - I miss them! They will also toast any of the sandwiches if you ask and the pickled carrots were an intresting side dish. If you are wanting a nice place to sit to eat your lunch or play cards - go out the back by the deli (either left or right) and there is a little area w/about 6-8 tables at the very back of the ship - it is shaded, no very windy and usually had couples who were friendly and not loud like near the pool. We enjoyed playing cards there in the afternoon.

 

Not being a fashion plate myself it still surprised me how sloppy many people were that first day - torn and stained tee shirts, cut offs etc. like they were dressed for a day at Six Flags instead of the first day of a cruise. I am not talking casual (which would have been appropriate) but just really sloppy dress. My favorites however were the older ladies in their "cruise wear" - from the shoes to the purse to the hat they were there for a cruise and dressed for the part! There was one lady I really enjoyed looking for each day - she was having a great time, had a hat for each day and was dressed in bright colors - it might have been a bit tacky to some but to me it was perfect for her and she was enjoying herself. It reminded me of the poem "when I am older I will wear purple."

 

They sell playing card sets in the gift shop however if you go to the casino they will sell you dealer cards for $1. The pursers office stated they did not have any. We enjoyed these for the slow times of the day and the day we got off the ship (we waited about an hour and a half after leaving our cabin.)

 

It surprised me how many people were purchasing the drink specials for $6.50 and leaving their cups on the table. They were paying an extra $2 for the cup they left (per the drink menu.) One thing I have to say if you want a drink you don't have to wait long for a waiter to come by - they are by often to take your drink order.

 

We went up to the front of the ship through the "secret door" (thanks to those who posted about that!) If you go throught he saphire lounge to either side of the stage there is an unmarked door - go through that then another door and you are on the deck over the bridge. If you stand in the middle you can see both sides. It was a great place to stand while leaving (and arriving in) ports.

 

Dinner was GREAT in the dining room. Our waiters were wonderful and helpful and the food was great. Nerver did I recieve a cold entree or tough meat or seafood. There were a couple of sauces I wasn't crazy about but otherwise my meals were enjoyable. You can get hot chocolate, capichino (sp?), coffee or tea after dinner - read the bottom of the menu on the first night - it states the offerings - I dont' remember seeing it on the other nights. I enjoyed the cheese tray in addition to the dessert - it was nice to share and had fruit as well as a selection of cheeses. Don't forget - you can order more than one thing on the menu and we often got a soup and an appitizer instead of a salad or both ordered steak and ordered a fish to share.

 

The night clubs were fun - we would have enjoyed the sing along bar but it was too smoky for our taste, we enjoyed the music on the lido deck and we enjoyed the shows (if a bit campy). Each time we got in the elevators for the lido deck I would start singing "Lido - oh, oh, oh, oh" like the Boz Scaggs song - drove my DH crazy but I couldn't help myself. :)

 

One thing we enjoyed was the massage chair - went there every morning and had a two minute massage for $1 - money well spent. The view was nice and it was a great way to work out the kinks.

 

The formal night was nice - I forgot my dress pants and my DH forgot his dress shirt but we made due (thankfully he had a light blue short sleeved oxford to wear under his jacket and I had a nice pant outfit to wear.) Thankfully there were people there from beaded gowns to blue jeans and we were not out of place. We got the best picture together that we have gotten in years - I would recommend taking your picture when offered - it worked out great for us and we didnt' have to purchase the other 1000's we didn't like :) I was thankful that even w/our mistakes out outfits coordinated and the photographer was good at posing us.

 

Tip - take two bottles of sunscreen! We took only one bottle and ran out. The bottles in the gift shop were $12.50 and on shore they were $15-20 for a $6-8 bottle you can get at Walmart.

 

Second tip - USE THE SUNSCREEN!!! I can't tell you how many people went out in the sun w/o it and were horribly burned. There was this one completly bald man who had horrible burns on the top of his head. I was surprised to see several people w/burn wrappings on their forearms (a sensitive area and I guess one that we forget to put sunscreen on. We used sunscreen every day but still got a little burn on our faces because we didn't reapply after swimming. I would also recommend a floppy hat that covers your ears and face. My DH is balding and he got a "do-rag" that he wore in the water which saved his head - It isn't a great look but is better than a peeling scalp.

 

Third tip - Bonine, bonine, bonine! I didn't get sick once on the ship (even though I get car sick easily) because I took Bonine each day. Thanks to those who gave me a heads up on that one. I got mine from the Target Pharmacy for about $3 for an 8 tablet box - Walmart has a large bottle for about $8 but it had much more that I will use or need.

 

You might also appreciate one of those cords that holds your glasses - I was worried that I would lose my glasses while looking overboard.

 

We took two "travelers" of alcohol - Seagrams and Bacardi (never knew there was such a thing until I asked at the liquor store.) They are flat flasks (5ths) that are plastic and fit in our suitcase perfectly. We brought them in our locked suitcase and kept them in the top drawer - never had a problem - mixed them w/coke in our room and had a drink while getting ready. I think if you are discreet (and kind to your cabin steward) there will not be a problem.

 

For a nice place to sit in the sun that doesn't have as much noise as the pool area - go up the stairs from the pool - to all the way to the front of the ship and there is another sunning area. It was a lovely place to sit next to the rails and look out onto the "deep blue."

 

We took the Dune Buggy trip that included snorkeling and a drive around the island - it was a nice 4 hours and was a fun way to get around. This is where the burn happened - I think it may have been a combo of sun and windburn on my face (not bad - just some rough patches but no peeling.) We went to Xtret (sp?) in Playa de Carma which was nice. My DH's fishing hat came in real handy while walking around. There was a beautiful overlook of the rocks and beach w/chairs and umbrellas that I recommend looking for - it was by the hammacks.

 

Shoes - take walking shoes even if you don't plan on hiking or walking far! I twisted my ankle on the cobbles at Cozemel and the paths were uneven at Xtret and my "walking sandles" kept twisting on the paths. I would have done much better w/a nice pair of walking shoes or even some keds.

 

Speaking of Cozemel - If you plan on shopping before an excursion I would recommend getting off early and walking on the left side of the duty free shops to get directly to the shopping "village." Go to the left and back of the "village" - there is an outlet that was selling tee shirts 2 for $9 (others were going for over twice that much) as well as the little wooden toy snakes for $4 (being sold for $10 at other shops.) You can then work your way back towards the ship w/o the rush of the crowds. If you even think you might want an underwater camera get one before you leave for about $7-8. They are $12.50 on the ship and $16 on shore.

 

Playa de Carma's port is an industrial port - not much to look at so unless you are already up there is no need to rush to see the boat dock - not worth it. It is beautiful at the near by beaches however and is worth getting off to see.

 

Be prepared to tip almost EVERYONE you come in contact w/. From the driver from the parking lot to the guys who help you w/your bags, the excursion guides, van drivers etc. I knew there would be tipping but we were surprised by how often it was expected - thankfully we always had small bills w/us.

 

We enjoyed eating almost all of our meals in the dining room - it was nice to visit w/other guests (breakfast and lunch were w/whoever came in at the same time as you - dinner you had reserved seating.) Another tip that I got from a poster - no need to line up between 15-30 minutes before your seating time - your table is reserved ahead of time (and marked on your sail and sign card) so sit down and have a drink, listen to music or check out your photos until about 8:03 - you will get in immediatly w/o having to stand in line (especially after the first night when everyone knows where their table is.)

 

We had a great time, kept a great attitude when things went wrong (which didn't happen much) and it never spoiled our day or our trip. The staff was extremly helpful - it surprised me how cheerful they were on a daily basis. I have cruised on a much more formal ship so I kept my expectations low but was pleasantly surprised w/the service and the upkeep of ths ship. The only annoying part of the decorations was the lido restaurant that had blue lights - it was a bit freaky at night :)

 

If you are planning on going then I hope you have a great time like we did!

We are already planning next years trip.

 

Happy Sailing!

[corina27]

Yeah! What an Awesome Review.I am soo looking forward to going cruiseing on her even though ive still got awhile to waite.And ill have to remember get extra sunscreen..:)

[hwcruisers]

Thanks for such a great review. We sail on Saturday. Can't wait.

[cynt]

Thanks for the review. I sail her in July. I'm always looking for current Ecstacy reviews. Thanks again for your post.

[Rmayen]

Thanks for your review. We cruise on Sept 24th. What can you tell us about the midnight buffet?

[Miss Kitty]

Honestly we skipped the midnight buffet. We had 8:30 seating and often we got out between 10-10:30 and didn't want to eat another bite! People love it but we missed it - which is surprising since we love to eat.

[sawtheirhornsoff]

Awesome.... We are sailing the Ecstasy on July 2nd, and after reading your review, I'm even more excited!

[Beth]

When you say do not shop in the village in Cozumel what do you mean? Please explain abain how to get to the better shopping area. Thanks. I have been to Cozumel, but cannot figure out what you mean. Everyone always says tho I have no sense of direction

[Miss Kitty]

"Speaking of Cozemel - If you plan on shopping before an excursion I would recommend getting off early and walking on the left side of the duty free shops to get directly to the shopping "village." Go to the left and back of the "village" - there is an outlet that was selling tee shirts 2 for $9 (others were going for over twice that much) as well as the little wooden toy snakes for $4 (being sold for $10 at other shops.) You can then work your way back towards the ship w/o the rush of the crowds."

 

What I was trying to say was if you want to shop and not be stuck w/the crowds - don't go into the duty free shop that is on the pier FIRST thing - do that on your way back. Most people go there first - if you walk around it (on the left there is a wide walkway) and to to the back of the shopping village you will find better bargins and less crowds. Then you can work your way back towards the ship w/your bags in hand instead of being herded along by the other shoppers the opposite direction. In a nutshell - the best way I can explain is get off of the ship - go to the left of the duty free shop on the pier - go straight down the path by the fountain and go to the back of the shopping center. Take a left and go to the back corner - THEN work your way back towards the ship. (IMHO)

 

We were thankful we didn't purchase our tee shirts and toys at the big "gift shop" and waited to find the outlet (if facing the village from the ship it is on the back row to your left) - we ended up saving at least 1/2 off. We did find a little shop that had crosses and little boxes and wall hangings - they were $10 and they would put whatever name you wanted on it for free - it was a nice First Communion gift for a friend. They did have a drug store that carried prescription drugs (in the US) that they sold over the counter - they had my birth control for 1/2 off but I decided that wasn't something I would risk :) However at the same store we paid $4 for chapstick for my DH. All in all we were not that impressed w/the prices for what we were wanting - keep in mind that these shopping centers are there for cruise ships specifically and are handy but no really bargins.

 

Hope this answeres your question.