My Very First Cruise ( My Photo Review aboard the Carnival Fantasy) Oct 1-6, 2013

[shoppingfever]

Finally!!!!

 

This is where you left off.....with all of us in suspense!

 

Up next...Last fun day at sea.....Am I really gonna eat that??........Heaven Cakes....andddd...Shyhova saves the BEST...for Last....stay tunedddddd....

 

Now stop holding back! :D

[Shyhova]

Finally!!!!

 

This is where you left off.....with all of us in suspense!

 

 

 

Now stop holding back! :D

 

LoL!!...too funny. I'm working on homework at the same time but I'm at:D

[omgletmeon]

Thanks so much for the review. I just got off Paradise today on cruise number 8 but Fantasy holds a special place since she was my first cruise...and my second and third wayyyyy back when she was in Florida.

[Hockey Addict]

Loving your review! We leave tomorrow (different ship though) and you are helping my "hurry up and wait" anxiety!! :D

 

It's awesome that you posted the senior frogs menu. We've been to Nassau and Freeport so many times we don't get off of the ship anymore but have been thinking of going there in Freeport!

 

Can't wait to read more!

[Shyhova]

 

You see this face??....If you are reading this review...on this site...then yea, chances are you have seen this face. It may be older....it may be younger...a bit more feminine...a bit more masculine( Though I SERIOUSLY doubt that...more masculine than me? Are you serious?:cool:)....It may be Caucasian or Hispanic, Asian or indian or any of the wonderful races in between but if you are reading this sentence....You have either MADE or WILL MAKE....this face. It's the face of hopelessness...the face of melancholy....the face of COMPLETE AND UTTER TOTAL WORLD ENDING TOTAL DESPAIR!!!!!...*unless you've scheduled a B2B, than it's the " Ha..look at all these fools...they are actually LEAVING....bwahahahahaha!!!!..I got 7 more days to go baby!!!!* It's the last morning of my cruise face....NOOooOOOOooOO!!!!!!!!

 

You may look at the remnants of Carnival grits on that plate^ and go.." Hmph, must not have been TOO sad to lose your appetite buddy cause you sure MURDERED those grits"....

 

I would say to you...." You are right kind sir/ma'am" LoL...I'm from the south so I can apprecieate( theres that damn word again, and I'm sure I butchered it this time) a good bowl of grits. Hot, creamy, buttery bowls of deliciousness.....My grandmother is 77 and born and raised in Wilmington, NC as well as most of my family so I know southern cooking....And Carnival got some good @ss grits...I ate them just about everyday...I ate them hot, I ate them cold...I complained that they were cold yet proceeded to smash them anyway....Carnival got some GOOD...@SS....GRITS....lol...Ok grit rant over....

 

But yea, the morning of the last sea day sucked. Everything is going perfect and they have to go and slide those dang debarkation slips under the door...." Umm...excuse me room steward??....Yes, what are these?? Information about getting off?? Umm...excuse me but I have NO PLANS to get off at this point....No, I did not pay for a B2B...and NO I don't need your little debarkation papers cause I am not leaving...Thx"

 

But alas...who needs to wear the Last day before leaving face when there is still one more fun day togo!?!?

 

I managed to get myself together and we decided to give the MDR ONE MORE chance to best Lido deck for best breakfast. After all...everyone says that the breakfast is SOO much better there and just because e haven't had any luck the past few days maybe we are due....

 

 

Hey...How can a breakfast be bad with a view like THAT!?..Huh??...Huh?!?...Am I right???....

 

 

As we sat and looked at the un-bussed table next to us I began to wonder...Is anyone going to come and serve us? The MDR was basically empty and I was getting hungry and grumpy. I was trying to scrub off my Last day of cruise face but this is NOT helping...UgH

 

Finally our order was taken and I resolved myself to get over it and enjoy our last day but then I realized something again...I asked the GF..." Are we in the no basket of bread section?...I mean..if we are, I'd like to sit where I am allowed to have a basket of delicious treats"...I am a delicious treats guy....I see others with delicious treats....HeyyY..THEY have delicious treats!!!!...The couple that sat beside us at the table that's obviously going to stay unbussed the rest of the day left a WHOLE basket of uneaten delicious treats!!!!...I WANT DELICIOUS TREATS!!!!!...I asked the GF " Would you still go steady with me if I ate messed over lemon bread from that unbussed table beside us?".....She hit me with the " what the hell you think" face....so I left that alone....

 

Finally, the grown up at the table( The GF) asked the next waiter who walked by " Can we have a basket of bread please?...We never got ours"...He apologized and was back in 30 seconds with our bread....

 

 

 

Look at the GF's plate above the bread basket....That's right...remnants of MORE FRUIT....By this last day she had started to look like a Papaya in the face to me...:rolleyes:

[Shyhova]

After all of that hissy fit over a basket of bread do you know that I BARELY touched it? It just wasn't that good. It looked awesome, but it was kind of cold and the things that looked like it was amazing, like the croissant and the lemon loaf lacked a lot of flavor.

 

The GF does not eat pork or beef so she likes to eat breakfast in the dining room because that is where they serve turkey bacon. They do not serve it anywhere but the dining room so if you are like her that is where you need to go. All morning she kept saying " We have to eat in the dining room because I want some turkey bacon".." Boy, some turkey bacon and a nice cup of coffee would REALLY do me some good right now"...." Man, wish they hurry up with that turkey bacon....this coffee is SOOOOO good....and the FRUIT IS SO TASTY....Cant wait to have some baaaacooonnnn" *does lil bacon dance in chair*

 

Then...this happened...

 

 

There's one thing I have learned in my 33 years is that you don't laugh at your woman lol. Now...if SHE thought it was funny..then you good to go...laugh it up bro. But if your woman is wearing the " Oh helllllll no" face...you BETTER NOT laugh. Lord knows I wanted to laugh at that bacon....It was the saddest bacon I had EVER seen. It looked like they shaved some bark off a tree...sizzled it in a pan and went " here u go ma'am" ta-daaaaa...LMBO. She didn't touch the bacon.

 

I felt really bad when this came out...

 

 

Lemme tell you something....If that wasn't the best damn omelet I ever tasted. I mean...this omelet...It was like....Jesus..had personally cracked each egg, and folded over every ingredient ever so heavenly...and didn't even bother putting it on a plate...He just let me eat it out of his holy hands...

 

So here's my dilemma..I am sitting across from my lady eating a jesus omelet...and she is sitting arms folded with a plate of bark in front of her staring at me hitting me with the " you better not rub it in" face....So she goes..." Hows the omelet?"......And I go..." Ehh...its O-K"....Lmao.

 

Halfway through the omelet my pancakes come out....

 

 

Don't be fooled by how amazing they look....they were ice cold and after the omelet I just couldn't see myself eating them after I took a few bites...Besides...SHE is sitting staring at me the whole time sipping coffee and seething about her bark bacon so I finished the omelet and said " Cmon, lets go back up to lido and get you something to eat"

 

One the way up at the atrium, I took these...

 

 

From inside the glass elevator...

 

Looking down from inside the glass elevator..

 

 

FYI...Guess services is in the atrium deck 7. You can get there from any deck above seven using the glass elevators...well...from 7 to 10. Deck 11 and 12 have to be reached from stairs on lido or the forward elevators on deck 10.

[Shyhova]

It was a beautiful day outside as we made it up to lido deck....

 

 

 

 

 

 

Me and my friends are big on giving people nicknames. Idk, it's just something we do..And I don't have a great picture of him but there goes Harry Potter in the middle of the above pic LoL. He looked just like Harry Potter and he was EVERYWHERE on the ship all trip having a great time. He even entered the hairy chest contest even though he looked 13, and had no visible hair anywhere on his body lol.

 

[Shyhova]

Ok, at this point I had to put my coffee down because I almost lost it...lol

Thanks for the review...LOVE IT!!

 

LoL...Thanks!! They said that it was only mid 80's but it felt much hotter. I was so ready to get to the beach!!!

[Shyhova]

I'm sure you're going to be a terrific accountant, but please don't ever

stop writing!

 

Why thank you!! That's nice of you to say. I have always been a writer but I have never really shared anything I wrote with many people. Maybe I should!

 

Oh my soul, I have enjoyed reading this review. I was about to call it a night, but I just needed a little cruise fix to help me sleep. LOL. I picked yours because I liked your name. Little did I know I would have such fun. I, too, have laughed out loud several times reading this !

 

I'm looking forward to the rest of it. Welcome to the addiction. Our first cruise was in 2009 and we have been on five so far.

 

So excited to see that your girlfriend is a Delta Soror. Tell her, hello from a Delta Dear from Dover, DE Alumnae Chapter. I've been a Delta for 52 years. Yup. one of those little old ladies, but my DST spirit keeps me young. LOL

 

Congratulations on being so close to earning your degree. Celebrate by going on another cruise !

 

Thank you delta dear!!! I will surely tell her. I'm sure she will be happy to hear from her soror. It is her favorite bag and I was upset that happened. Hopefully we can get it fixed. Thanks for reading!!!

[Shyhova]

Thanks for posting your review. This has to one of the best, SO FUNNY.

I learned a good lesson not to drink anything while reading your reviews. LOL!!!

 

 

LoL...especially if its something fruity. You spit that out and its YOU...and ME...LoL

 

 

 

And finally...THIS

 

 

Let me just get this out the way before the trolls come out. I know I am a 6'3" black dude and everything but I just don't like beer. I can fruity drink with the best of them though...don't judge me!!! LoLoL

 

Besides...them Carnival drinks got a knockout blow that you just don't see coming till its too late. One minute you sucking them down and chasing them with wine from the room and next thing you know you doing the cupid shuffle with a group of grandmas from Boise....*shrug*

 

I have NO CLUE how I ended up on the Carnival forum. Must have been fate that led me to read your review. Awesome job so far!!! Can't wait to read more ;)

 

Thank You!!!...Well. I'm glad youre here!!! LoL

[Shyhova]

HILARIOUS review, B! I was judging you extra hard on the fruity drinks until you called out your gf as Po' Lil' Tink Tink :p. I can't hit those balls on that windy deck either :o.

 

There you go blaming the windy deck LoL. Tiger "Hoods" (me) never had any trouble LoL...

 

We have a family group going on Fantasy Nov 2 and your review is getting me pumped. First cruise? Seriously? You sound like a pro cruiser already. Love your writing style and humor. Thanks for taking the time to do this! Your pictures and your info are very helpful. I'm enjoying the trip with you.

Best of luck with school...never stop learning. God Bless. Barb

 

Thank you Barb. I appreciate that!! I'm enjoying the trip all over too. That was unexpected when I first started writing this, but it really does help me reminisce.

[Shyhova]

Great review! This past April my wife and I did the seven day on the Fantasy it was our first cruise.. Really loved that ship, we are going again next year and this just hyped me up even more!

 

Thanks!!! I wanna go with!!! LoL

Sent from my SGH-S959G using Tapatalk 2

 

Okay hands down you missed your calling.. The fruit drink was funny, dr Seuss fruit plate had me giggling the cheese plate made me laugh out loud but the caution pants? Had me pee in my pants!! Caution is right!!

 

They so caution-y aint they?? I mean they just ooze sexiness LoL. See if you had on caution pants that pee would blend right in lol.:p

[Shyhova]

Shyhova - I actually watched the Kevin Hart (gym guy) video clip and almost fell outta my chair at work laughing. So I can now picture why you got upset when the guy you saw didn't do anything. Kevin Hart was too funny and I almost got myself in trouble for laughing so loud!!! BTW, great review...keep the pictures coming.

 

LoL...man If I didn't see it with my own eyes I wouldn't believe it. Best show ever...with no ending LoL

[Shyhova]

ahahahah

 

laughing harder than i probably should be about not getting Natalie Hollowayed. I'm from NC too, and wont be hopping in any cabs so I can vanish. Spent too much money on this cruise to get snatched up half way through. :D

 

I know right...I'm so inappropriate lol. But it was only thing I was thinking!! lol. I aint trying to get snatched up LoL

[Shyhova]

lol I think several of us could go track him down, tape him to a chair, and force him to finish this for us!

 

LoL!! I'm Back!! Put the TAPE...DOWNNNN:p

 

Shyhova - Please come back and finish your review. I need closure here. Don't make me send henchmen over to Cameron Hall to track you down.

 

NooO!! LoL. That is too funny Anna. When I read that I was like...oh snap..I better finish LoL

[Shyhova]

Your first balcony can also be reasonable..... Try a Cove balcony. I love them. They are the cheapest balcony on the ship, but I prefer them to the higher up and more expensive ones. I have been on the "Dream" and the "Breeze" Cove balconies and they are fantastic. You will certainly love them and be hooked on Balconies as well as you are now hooked on cruising..... Love your review so far. Love your style.

 

Thanks!!...I will keep that in mind for sure.

 

OMG... I am loving your review!!! I have been on the Fantasy a few times (she was my first too) and she will always be my favorite ship. Can't wait for the rest!!!

 

By the way, I am a grandma, but I am from Memphis and I do the Tennessee shuffle! haha!!

 

Thank You!!!We have got to get on a boat so you can teach me that!!! I need any excuse to get back on a boat LoL

[Shyhova]

Is a great review. Funny and fair. I got married on The Fantasy back in 2002. Now 13 cruises later I/we are still hooked. Your style loaded with humor and facts of your trip is so on point. From Bro to Bro Good job!

 

Man bro....I appreciate that for real. You are exactly who I hoped would read it. From our POV. Thanks!

[Shyhova]

Loving your review! We leave tomorrow (different ship though) and you are helping my "hurry up and wait" anxiety!! :D

 

It's awesome that you posted the senior frogs menu. We've been to Nassau and Freeport so many times we don't get off of the ship anymore but have been thinking of going there in Freeport!

 

Can't wait to read more!

 

Man I enjoyed Senor Frogs...I wanted to try every drink lol.

 

Thanks so much for the review. I just got off Paradise today on cruise number 8 but Fantasy holds a special place since she was my first cruise...and my second and third wayyyyy back when she was in Florida.

 

You're welcome. She will forever be special to me...introduced me to a new passion.

[RAVI360]

After people watching for a little while and having lunch on lido it was almost time for muster. We went back to the rooms to check on the bags and we had all of ours except for one but the BeF and wife did not have ANY of theirs:(. Also, to make matters worse someone had broken BOTH side zippers on DGF's FAVORITE bag, her Delta Sigma Theta travel duffel. Why they unzipped both sides so violently to break both zippers is beyond me, so now the side compartments of the bag are useless since you can not close them. Not a good start to things but I give her credit...she got over it very quickly and did not let her day be ruined because of it.

 

After muster we went back to the rooms where BeF's bags were all there and DGF's othr bag had showed up as well. We all got ready for dinner early because we had anytime dining and we did not know what the wait would be like. Also, there were some things we wanted to hit up after dinner.

 

Before that we headed up to Promenade deck(9) right by the entrance to Casino21 and atrium where they had the Taste bar set up. On this day it was the Blue Cantina I think...my mind is slipping at the moment, maybe someone can help me with that.

 

Yea I got another one...judger!! lol

 

Actually this drink was like $5 over by the taste bar becauseeveryday they have a drink special at the taste bar to pair with the hor d'oevueres. So basically, the drink is around $9 bucks on lido and everywhere else, but over by the taste bar its $5.

 

After that, we headed over to the free liquor tasting...and if you thought the Mongolian grill was bad...check this out...

 

There was more behind us..Thankfully, that guy in the middle of the pic was walking the line pouring shots of something that tasted like spiked hot chocolate...not bad but I forget the name.

 

While standing there..the guy in front of me with the hat on is already LIT..talking about how he left his girlfriend at home and he cant wait to sell somebody on the ship some of his....lets say.."services". I told my GF what he said and she looked at him with the stink eye and goes " Eww...anyone who gets PAID to touch him surely has a problem" LoL

 

Next Up...First Dinner...

hahahhahhahahahahahhahahahhahahahhahh

[mackatty]

I can fruity drink with the best of them though...don't judge me!!! LoLoL

 

Besides...them Carnival drinks got a knockout blow that you just don't see coming till its too late. One minute you sucking them down and chasing them with wine from the room and next thing you know you doing the cupid shuffle with a group of grandmas from Boise....*shrug*

 

LOL LOVE it :D Great pix - you really got the hang of this photo review thing!

[Shyhova]

We met up with the BeF and wife and sat and chatted and people watched for a while. A cruise is like the best people watching ever man because you see the same people throughout ship and you kind of get to know them lol. You can kind of guess what they are going to have on their plate, or how many drinks they gonna get in in a 8 hour period etc. You can kind of make a game of it!!!

 

Since the GF had not really eaten, and I only had an omelet, after a little while we went through the buffet..........:rolleyes:

 

 

Ok...OK...Who am I kidding..When you on a cruise you do cruise s@#$ like eat to chase the food you just ate....so it probably didn't matter if we had just ate or not lol....

 

 

At this point I had yet to have a hot dog all trip, so even though I had already put a burger and fries on my plate I told myself not to leave the ship without trying one....shame huh??...Ughh...

 

And you cant have 11 am burger and fries without this right??...

 

 

The rest of the day we kind of zoned out for the most part before the last dinner. I believe we went back to the room and napped when we were supposed to go to Hasbro Family game night and a few other things. Oh well...who says you cant spend time relaxing in cabin on a cruise? We decided to have a fairly early dinner so we could have time to unwind and get ready for debark in the AM:(...

 

We did manage to make it for some event I can't remember before dinner and our stewardess had already turned our room down for the last time.

 

This gal was laying on the bed when I walked in and since it was the last night, I let her sleep with us...

 

[Shyhova]

We got dressed, met the BeF and wife out in the hall way and headed up to Celebration for dinner....

 

 

 

When you take 1000 pictures I guess some just have a tendency to get lost. I know I took pictures of everyone's entrees but it is like they vanished. However, we all started with the culinary star of the WHOLE TRIP....

 

 

 

Heaven Cakes....You may know them as crab cakes but let me tell you something right now...There is more than just crab and filling and spices in these Carnival crab cakes....there is salvation.....deliverance.....EDIBLE WORLD PEACE!!!!....Me and the BeF had like 3 of them LoL.

 

He kept asking his wife " Would it be wrong if I asked him for ONE MORE??...just ONE MORE"...She was like " Hell No...its the last night...order as much as you want baby".....I hit my GF with the "I really don't care to ask you because I'm ordering more cakes...so get ready to ROLL me up out this joint" face............she left it alone LoL.

 

But seriously...try them..they are good. And I have had crab cakes from Georgia Brown's in downtown Washington,DC...so I KNOW CRAB CAKES.

 

 

So we all sat there popping crab cakes in our mouth like Orville Reddenbachers when it was time for entrees to come out. Now I am an adventurous guy somewhat, but I have never had frog legs...I know frog legs aren't really adventurous to some people, since they are pretty much at any of your local supermarkets but for me....this was out on a limb...

 

 

 

Who eats the leg of a frog?....I mean really?? I'm holding it up to my GF and she is like...." Nuh uhh...don't sit that thing over here"..I'm like " Cmon, babe...try it with me"...........HERES the thing....if a man says " Cmon babe..try it with me"....a women is allowed togo..." oh nooo...nah uhhh...who me???....Nahhh uhhh nope"........But if a woman says " Cmon babe...try it with me".....and the man says no.......ALL hell breaks loose...But I guess since we on a cruise......doing cruise s@#% .....She tried it:eek:

 

 

" Hey, that wasn't too bad...I guess it does kinda taste like chicken"

 

I agreed. My first frog leg was actually pretty gud. It was a great dinner on a great last night. We made our way up to Promenade afterwards to participate in the 90's music trivia contest. We didn't make it to the end because he played some pretty obscure songs....and when it came time to reveal he literally played almost the WHOLE SONG. We were not about to sit there and listen to 20 songs just to see who wins so we made our way back to the room for the night...

[Aldeya]

We stopped at the Mongolian Grill which you would have thought they were slipping little gold pebbles in the bowl or something cause the line was bananas. [/url]

 

 

Besides...them Carnival drinks got a knockout blow that you just don't see coming till its too late. One minute you sucking them down and chasing them with wine from the room and next thing you know you doing the cupid shuffle with a group of grandmas from Boise....*shrug*

 

You owe me a keyboard!!! LMAO!

 

Great review!!

[dollybaby74]

Love it!!! Best review EVER!!!! You're getting me even more excited for my cruise next week!

 

Sent from my SGH-I747M using Forums mobile app

[Shyhova]

Last but definitely not least we met up with our room stewardess in the hallway. The lovely, beautiful Anak. This woman....I mean, what can I say. She left such an impression on us throughout the whole trip. I really felt like I was leaving a friend. Whenever we would come down the hall she would literally scream down the hall " Heyyyy Mr.B!!!!" " How are yall doing??? What did you all do today??" She felt like family. And I don't have to tell you about the work ethic...I mean...she had to make our bed no less than 86 times...always with a smile on her face:). We talked about her time on the ship and time away from her family and the long tours they have on board....These stewards work sooo hard...everyday....and the spirit she has just blows me away. EVERYONE...all the workers on board work so hard, keep the boat so clean and provide so much hospitality...for a first time cruiser you will no doubt walk away from a Carnival cruise with a respect of the crew maybe you didn't expect. The heaven cakes, and fruity drinks, great food and hijinks I expect to experience again...all ships have them. It's the people that you meet on the journey like Anak who stake a place in your memory reserved just for them.

 

Me and Anak

 

I'm tall, but she makes me look like a giant LoL

 

We sat down in the room and decided on how much a extra tip to give her so we both put that amount in the envelope. I had an extra few dollars in my pocket so I put that in there too and my GF goes " Ohhhh Nooo...you not gonna give Anak more than me!!"....( as if she would know since its all in one envelope lol) So she goes in her purse and matches my extra lol.

 

After saying our goodbyes we turned in to finish packing and lay it down for the night.