Carnival Sensation, April 14 sailing to Freeport and Nassau review (with pictures)

[LandlockedCruiser01]

The deep-fried hard-boiled egg was alright. The flavor was good, but I thought it was too dry; it'd be better if they left the yolk slightly runny, the way some people eat their fried eggs. The way it was, I'd say it works better as something to eat at a carnival (the kind with unsafe rides and rigged games :)) than as a breakfast food.

[tattoos]

Very nice review, thanks so much for taking the time to post it. I never do a cruise review because I don't know how to post photos and everyone wants to read a review with lots of photos.

 

I don't have a husband or "siginificant other" or life partner or family available to cruise with me whenever I want. I have booked a solo cruise in November on the Sensation and have no qualms about sailing alone. I love the Sensation for short cruises, it's an hour drive from my house to Port Canaveral and I am counting down the days. If someone is contemplating sailing solo, throw your concerns out the window and book that cruise. If you wait around for other people, you'll never go anywhere. I have sailed on Carnival 26 times...most of the times with friends or family and there were times I wish I had been alone, ha!

 

Even when I am sailing with family or friends, I always meet some great people on the ship that I have enjoyed hanging out with. Being alone doesn't mean you're weird or don't have any friends, sometimes it's a choice. I don't have to answer to anyone, can sleep as late as I want, eat when and where I want, drink as much as I want, stay up as late as I want and be in complete control of my situation. I have never relied on other people to make me happy. Cruising to me is about getting away from the responsibilities of life and just relaxing away from my humdrum routine. It certainly is nice having someone to share the expenses and experiences but also nice to be totally alone.

 

Capcutie2002...you will have a great time, write a review when you get back.

 

Thanks again, LandlockedCruiser01 for posting a great review.

[PathfinderEss]

Thanks for the review and your great pictures.

[beachclubgirl]

Thank you so much for the review! It looks like you had a great time. I am sailing on the Sensation next month --it's my first cruise! Any must-dos?

[Captain Carnival]

Thanks for the review!

What porthole cabin were you in?

[LandlockedCruiser01]

@beachclubgirl:

Congratulations on your first cruise. You picked a great ship. Just fair warning: the decor is very purple. Some of the "can't miss" things are: Kalik beer, Bahamian food (especially conch), historic city tours, watching wakes behind the ship, dinner in the main dining room on elegant night, and the deck party.

 

@ShotoJuku:

I was in cabin R12. The motion was pretty strong, but like I mentioned in another thread, I found it soothing like you wouldn't believe.

[Eeyoregon]

Glad to hear the cruise review helped. It's pretty amazing how accepting cruisers are of solos. Couples and groups of friends treated me as an equal. By day two or so, people generally pick up on who's traveling with who, but no one thought less of me for being solo. This doesn't seem to be true for other types of vacations, like all-inclusives, ski resorts, lake houses, etc; you practically must have a travel partner to go to those. The only people who gave me any trouble were Customs; they pretty much tore me a new one when I told them I was by myself (only in Port Canaveral; Port of Miami agents were surly but otherwise OK). Customs hassles aside, you're going to love cruising solo. Just remember that you gotta get out there and meet new people to make the most out of your solo cruise. No need to be the life of the party, but oftentimes, it's the people you meet that can make or break your cruise.

 

Which ship are you planning to go on for your first solo cruise?

 

Haven't decided where or when or which ship yet. Need to get thru my upcoming one and then recalculate how much vacation time and money I have left ;).

 

I will probably base my solo cruise on a ship and itinerary where I can really enjoy some much needed R&R on the ship which could mean staying on board in port. We'll see. My youngest child graduates high school in 2014 and then my nest is officially empty = time for some solo cruising!!! :D

 

Gina

[Powriv]

Great review.

 

I am about to embark :D on my first solo cruise next Jan on NCL Epic in one of their studio cabins. Much cheaper than the single supplements on other ships

 

I enjoyed reading about your cruise as a solo cruiser...took me till day 3 to actually realize you were a solo as you were having so much fun and you never really had down moments(at least not in your review)

 

NCL Epic and Breakaway have solo cabins for now. Heard RCL Quantum of the Seas will have solo balconies

 

If things go well on this solo adventure, my next cruise will be on Carnival, where I don't know

[SnowshoeCat]

Thanks for the review. You look so happy and relaxed! I just booked a 4-day single for January. The fare was just too good to pass up. I haven't been on Carnival in years but I just know that a few days away from winter and having nothing important to do will be just right.

[Can'tWait2SetSail]

Thank you so much for the great review! We are sailing on the Sensation in August and can't wait.

[msucooper]

I really enjoyed your review. It's nothing wrong with cruising solo. I wish I had enough guts to do it.

[Maraprince]

I take it that the Pirate's Museum in Nassau was not part of a ship's tour. If so, what was the admission price for it? Looks interesting. We have not decided on what to do in Nassau on our sailing in December on the Splendor.

 

MARAPRINCE

[LandlockedCruiser01]

I take it that the Pirate's Museum in Nassau was not part of a ship's tour. If so, what was the admission price for it? Looks interesting. We have not decided on what to do in Nassau on our sailing in December on the Splendor.

The Pirates of Nassau museum was a part of the ship's tour. There were actually two tours: one for just the forts, and one for the forts plus the pirate museum. The forts portion was done with the two groups together on one bus. Then the groups split up: some people went back to the ship, and the others continued on to the museum. I was with the latter group. (The wristbands for each tour are different colors.)

 

I'm not sure what museum admission price is (it was bundled with the tour for me), but I'd say it's about $5. That was the price difference between the shorter tour and the longer tour. One caveat: after the museum, you gotta walk back to the ship on your own. It's about 15 minutes away, and most of the walk is through the busy streets of downtown. The Nassau police patrol the area pretty heavily.

[silvercrikhix]

Thank you for your cruise review.

It was very enjoyable reading.

You seem like a very nice person!

I have never cruised solo, and probably never will, but I like the idea----

no negotiations whatsoever---

do what you want, when, and where you want!

Nothing wrong with that idea!

[Maraprince]

The Pirates of Nassau museum was a part of the ship's tour. There were actually two tours: one for just the forts, and one for the forts plus the pirate museum. The forts portion was done with the two groups together on one bus. Then the groups split up: some people went back to the ship, and the others continued on to the museum. I was with the latter group. (The wristbands for each tour are different colors.)

 

I'm not sure what museum admission price is (it was bundled with the tour for me), but I'd say it's about $5. That was the price difference between the shorter tour and the longer tour. One caveat: after the museum, you gotta walk back to the ship on your own. It's about 15 minutes away, and most of the walk is through the busy streets of downtown. The Nassau police patrol the area pretty heavily.

 

 

No return to the ship after the Museum tour...if you wanted to get a taxi back to the ship, are any available? I know my cousin would want to see the Museum but not sure about having to walk 15 minutes through the town to get back to the ship.

 

MARAPRINCE

[LandlockedCruiser01]

No return to the ship after the Museum tour...if you wanted to get a taxi back to the ship, are any available? I know my cousin would want to see the Museum but not sure about having to walk 15 minutes through the town to get back to the ship.

They have plenty of taxis, but you'll be doing the walk on busy streets in board daylight. It's no more dangerous than most American downtowns. There are cops everywhere. If you still need a taxi, stand on the corner and flag one down, or ask a worker in the gift shop to call one for you.

[phatbachelor]

Enjoyed reading your review man!:D

I don't see what the BFD is about cruising solo. You do what you want, when you want, with who you want (if that's what you want:D) I'd much rather do that than travel with folks who don't share my enthusiasm for cruising. I am sailing on the Sensation on 10/3, my second time on her, with my parents and younger brother, and none of them really share my cruising style or enthusiasm. I know I'll still have a blast, but most of my future cruises will be solo.