Fascinated - February 22-27, 2014 - A Pictorial Review

jmak315 · March 1, 2014

This was a trip planned at the last minute for myself (32) and DH (39). We have two children but reserved this time for us as we have another cruise planned for October that will include the entire family. We drove to Jacksonville from Greenville, SC on Saturday morning with great excitement and anticipation.

First, a little background. My husband and I took our first cruise back in 2003 with Royal Caribbean and loved it. When we decided on a family cruise in 2013, we again went with Royal Caribbean. My parents have only ever sailed with Carnival before then and, well let's just say, they were far from impressed with the experience offered by Royal Caribbean. While we aren't what you would call an "experienced cruiser" with only three cruises under our belt at the time of this review, we know what we like and what we don't. We aren't hard to please but we work hard so when we drop hard earned money on a vacation, we do want to be wowed.

We used JetWay Park N Ride for $3.99 a day with free shuttle to the port via a bus. They dropped us off right at the front door - quick, painless and economical - our kind of deal.

Since I forgot to take a picture of the parking place, I snagged this from Google Street View for you fine folks:

Park by jmakcruiser, on Flickr

Boarding was quick and easy. *Quick tip time! Save yourself some frustration here: get your photo ID out and keep it out until you step onto the ship. We were asked four or five times to present it from the time we dropped off the luggage to the time we actually stepped on the ship, but at no time past the first check were we told to keep it out. When you are carrying on a lot of stuff, digging it out over and over can be a pain. This pain can quickly be forgotten (or numbed) by the numerous delicious drink offers coming your way. Prices are comparable to those offered on land and served ice cold.

DSC_1773 by jmakcruiser, on Flickr

To our pleasant surprise, we were told upon check in that our room was ready. We headed straight there to unload our carry on bags and get to the part a lot of us look forward to most: the food!

DSC_2016 by jmakcruiser, on Flickr

On day one the buffet was open, as was The Grill and Mongolian Wok bar. *Quick tip time! If you plan to dull your hunger at either of the latter options, get on early and get there first. Our first trip around was quick. When my DH decided he wanted to give the wok bar a try, he waited somewhere between 20-25 minutes - the line grows quickly. The burgers are freshly made - they are not swimming in a saran wrapped pan in their own juice on a buffet line like we experienced on our previous cruise. They are coming straight off of the grill and placed on a freshly toasted bun, topped with crisp lettuce and cold tomato. Here you will also find chicken tenders, burger toppings and sides like potato salad, coleslaw and fries. It’s also worth mentioning that you can request a grilled chicken breast sandwich here if burgers aren’t your thing.

DSC_1742a by jmakcruiser, on Flickr

DSC_2468 by jmakcruiser, on Flickr

jmak315 · March 1, 2014

DSC_2436 by jmakcruiser, on Flickr

DSC_2432 by jmakcruiser, on Flickr

DSC_2441 by jmakcruiser, on Flickr

DSC_2471 by jmakcruiser, on Flickr

jmak315 · March 1, 2014

DSC_2470 by jmakcruiser, on Flickr

DSC_2474 by jmakcruiser, on Flickr

DSC_2476 by jmakcruiser, on Flickr

jmak315 · March 1, 2014

Out here you will also find a drink station with the common juices available as well as tea and drinking water. Now I use the term “drinking water” very loosely because it is seriously some of the worst water I have ever tasted. I am not sure I would water plants with this stuff. For reasons unknown to myself, the water they bring in the MDR is great but I stay far away from the drinking station water. The hot chocolate offered at this station is delicious and worth a try. I couldn't help but award another point to Carnival here. RCCL puts these drinks out with ice sitting in them which means by the time you get to it, it's sweaty and watered down. The drinks here are always fresh because, well, you are making it when you're ready for it.

DSC_2000 by jmakcruiser, on Flickr

And coffee as well:

DSC_2002a by jmakcruiser, on Flickr

After lunch, we explored and tried to gain an understanding of how to navigate this ship. It is a lot smaller than the Freedom Of The Seas but, Freedom had the Royal Promenade making it easy to get from one side to the other rather quickly. For us, this ship takes some getting used to. The bathrooms are also a little tricky to find as well but once I located one, I found it to be very clean and nicely decorated. This ship simply does not show her age in most places. The Atrium was as gorgeous as other's pictures have shown and was usually quite busy.

DSC_1813 by jmakcruiser, on Flickr

DSC_1812 by jmakcruiser, on Flickr

DSC_2023 by jmakcruiser, on Flickr

jmak315 · March 1, 2014

And because I think this part of the ship is stunning -

DSC_2025 by jmakcruiser, on Flickr

DSC_2811 by jmakcruiser, on Flickr

DSC_2822 by jmakcruiser, on Flickr

DSC_2808 by jmakcruiser, on Flickr

jmak315 · March 1, 2014

Here we also found the kiosk to check on our account daily and you can even print out an itemized receipt showing the charges that have been placed on your account. Sail away was delayed by about 15-20 minutes for reason(s) unknown to me but I didn't care...Angry Orchard in my hand and music in my ears was all I needed to know vacation had officially started. This is also a fine time to mention that buckets of beer will be offered throughout the cruise for $2.00 than you would pay if purchased them separately. I actually preferred to do it this way because you can order before a show and keep it on ice until the show starts. I found that you had to get your seat early to get a really good one and this was a perfect opportunity to get the beer so the show was uninterrupted. The receipt we received in The Punchliner was valid for a $5.00 match play at the casino as well.

DSC_2030 by jmakcruiser, on Flickr

DSC_1758 by jmakcruiser, on Flickr

DSC_1828 by jmakcruiser, on Flickr

DSC_1736 by jmakcruiser, on Flickr

jmak315 · March 1, 2014

Sail away marked another exciting time in our cruising must do items - liquor that we can't purchase in the US goes on sale shortly after we set sail! Our absolute favorite is the Sheridan’s Coffee Liquor and the "special" is 2/$42. If you like Bailey's and have not taken advantage of the free tasting when they are sampling this, I encourage you to try it. You can thank me later :) *Quick Tip Time: if you plan on purchasing alcoholic products that will be delivered to your room the final night of the cruise, I suggest you bring a roll of packaging tape. I actually recommend you bring this anyway since the reason we had it was to tape our tag for disembarkation onto our bag. My mom was on this same cruise a couple of weeks before us and warned of the tags they give you to place on your bag falling off and being hard to keep on. We ended up self-debarking but used the tape to secure the box that our liquor was delivered in and I am glad we did. Another man that lacked either the forethought to tape his box or the tape didn’t tape his shut and it popped open and both bottles hit the ground; one broke and one was ok but the one that broke can’t be purchased in the US (apparently) and he was quite disappointed. BRING TAPE!

DSC_1793 by jmakcruiser, on Flickr

DSC_1766 by jmakcruiser, on Flickr

DSC_1805 by jmakcruiser, on Flickr

DSC_1816a by jmakcruiser, on Flickr

jmak315 · March 1, 2014

Let's talk staff for a minute: these are some of the friendliest people I have come across in the service industry. The crew is eager to please and seems happy about doing their job and making your vacation the best it can be. We determined this within hours of being on board. I have to say, this is the exact opposite of what we experienced in October on our Freedom cruise with RCCL. So far, the pendulum is swinging heavily in Carnival's favor. This trip has confirmed that our upcoming cruise (booked before this one actually) for our yearly family vacation on Liberty was a decision well made; we are very much looking forward to it. Back to the Fascination - we signed up for Anytime Dining and, again, another decision well made. So many times we are not ready to eat at 5:30 but 8:30 is too late. For this reason, Anytime Dining is great. The wait time is no longer (if any at all) than waiting at a restaurant on land. We waiting only twice – the first night and the last night, and the wait was only five minutes or so. The other night, there was no wait at all.

Service was wonderful and the basket of bread is soft and tender (again much different than what we experienced on RCCL). I had the Grilled Chicken Breast and DH opted for the Flat Iron Steak and both were simply amazing.

DSC_1990a by jmakcruiser, on Flickr

DSC_2704a by jmakcruiser, on Flickr

Chicken in Thai Spices appetizer

DSC_2701a by jmakcruiser, on Flickr

jmak315 · March 1, 2014

And when we thought it couldn't get any better, a dessert menu arrived. I think you know what's coming - after reading so much about the Warm Chocolate Melting Cake it was a no brainer. Imagine the best thing you've ever eaten...yep it's even better than that. I simply can't describe the deliciousness that oozes from that little ramekin topped with a light dusting of powdered sugar. Seriously, this dessert deserves its own little place in the cruising hall of fame. It did not disappoint. I’d like to meet the creator of this dessert and let them know how famous they are in my own mind – a culinary genius! And, if the little bowl of ice cream that comes with it isn’t enough for you, order double ice cream. Why now? Haven’t you been told that calories at sea do not count? ;)

DSC_2705a by jmakcruiser, on Flickr

After dinner we went to the Welcome Aboard show which evolved into the Mo Town show and was pretty good. I had heard entertainment lacked with Carnival but I am not getting that vibe at all. So far, so good.

*Quick Tip Time! This is a fine time to mention (because I have not read this mentioned before so I was surprised to find this) that you can access the Carnival website free of charge on your tablet or other wireless device while on board. What this gives you access to is the FunHub linked to the ship you are on. In our case, the Fascination. When I logged on, I was able to download the daily Fun Times as well as seeing an hour by hour time line of the shows and things that are happening that day.

It will look like this:

Screenshots_2014-02-28-20-20-29 by jmakcruiser, on Flickr

I have them all - if you want them posted, just ask :)

jmak315 · March 1, 2014

Morning two brought us to a day at sea and the weather notably warmer than Florida but the night before, not so much. Here I will mention something else that might have been obvious to others but since it was not something I thought an iota about but should have, here goes: THERE IS NO HEAT IN THE CABIN. You have two options – A/C on and A/C off. This is in the ceiling:

DSC_1883 by jmakcruiser, on Flickr

Again, this might not be a big deal to a lot of people but I was sure glad I packed my warm slippers and a long sleeved shirt because it was really chilly in there until we reached the warmer climate. There’s your PSA for the day – bring some warm clothes; after the sun set on the first day, it was COLD. I am sure it gets warm at some point in Florida but February isn’t that time.

*Quick Tip Time! While I am on PSA’s – let me throw this out there if you are interested in booking a balcony cabin. Maybe you are looking at the forward balconies and thinking to yourself, “this would be nice…waking to a view of the ocean in the morning.” Wrong! This is a view of the balcony on Empress Deck 7 from the deck above it – it’s what I would call an obstructed balcony view but Carnival’s website does not indicate any difference between this balcony and the balconies on the aft of the ship. While you sit on your balcony, people walking by and above you can see you – not like the balcony we had on the Aft of the ship:

DSC_2411 by jmakcruiser, on Flickr

DSC_2410 by jmakcruiser, on Flickr

And just for comparisons sake, our view:

DSC_1899 by jmakcruiser, on Flickr

Baylor99 · March 1, 2014

Warm Chocolate Melting Cake, Yummy!!

jmak315 · March 1, 2014

The Sea Day Brunch is NOT to be missed. I had the Hen Alla Diavola and DH had the Huevous Rancheros which was phenomenal.

DSC_2749a by jmakcruiser, on Flickr

The Honey Nut Cheerio French Toast

DSC_2751a by jmakcruiser, on Flickr

Steak and Eggs

DSC_2750a by jmakcruiser, on Flickr

The dish I got tasted amazing but - *Quick tip time - the hen is a WHOLE hen, bones, skin and all. It was difficult to eat if, you know, picking meat off of bones in the dining room isn't your thing. It reminded me of eating chicken wings while watching football. It just didn't fit. This is a shame since the sauce on the hen was so amazing. It would be great on a grilled chicken breast since that could easily be consumed using a fork and knife - no fingers required. Maybe you deduced this when you read the menu but this detail escaped me so I thought I would point it out here. I wish I had a picture of this but I didn't take my camera and obviously didn't order it again. There is also a little basket of assorted breads and pastries they put on the table that contain a muffin that tasted like coffee that was very tasty as well as a danish that is reminiscent of a Krispy Kreme donut. It also contained banana nut bread, a chocolate muffin, lemon pound cake and croissants. Again, it's worth checking out. I just realized I also do not have a picture of this. I must do better! If the brunch isn't your thing, they had the usual breakfast fare on the buffet and at the grill, i.e.: French toast, eggs, omelets, bacon, etc.

Edited March 1, 2014 by jmak315
.

jmak315 · March 1, 2014

More breakfast on the outside bar:

DSC_2348 by jmakcruiser, on Flickr

DSC_2347 by jmakcruiser, on Flickr

DSC_2351 by jmakcruiser, on Flickr

Fruit on the inside bar:

DSC_2012 by jmakcruiser, on Flickr

jmak315 · March 1, 2014

Pasta Salad in Coconut Grill:

DSC_2007 by jmakcruiser, on Flickr

Pizza Pirate:

DSC_2010a by jmakcruiser, on Flickr

DSC_2011 by jmakcruiser, on Flickr

Salad Bar:

DSC_2005 by jmakcruiser, on Flickr

jmak315 · March 1, 2014

Desserts:

DSC_2006 by jmakcruiser, on Flickr

And a personal favorite of our entire family...The ice cream and frozen yogurt station:

DSC_2008 by jmakcruiser, on Flickr

Tonight was formal night and the usual offering of lobster and prime rib were on the menu for your dining pleasure. We started with the Spicy Alligator Fritters and Stuffed White Mushrooms. Both were tasty but I was personally more impressed with the mushrooms than the fritters. The lobster was quite good, which surprised me since, until now, I have never been a fan of it. DH enjoyed the prime rib and Bitter and Blanc for dessert. I, of course, ended the meal with the Warm Chocolate Melting Cake.

DSC_1989a by jmakcruiser, on Flickr

DSC_1991a by jmakcruiser, on Flickr

DSC_1994a by jmakcruiser, on Flickr

jmak315 · March 1, 2014

The alligator fritters:

DSC_1982a by jmakcruiser, on Flickr

And the mushrooms:

CSC_1988a by jmakcruiser, on Flickr

The entertainment for tonight included a comedian and the show, "Divas". Both good shows and a nice cap to the evening.

Monday morning we find Key West outside our balcony upon awakening - what a beautiful start to the day.

DSC_2054a by jmakcruiser, on Flickr

DSC_2052 by jmakcruiser, on Flickr

jmak315 · March 1, 2014

This passed by as we were getting ready:

DSC_2065 by jmakcruiser, on Flickr

Just so everyone is aware (because I heard a lot of people asking at the pier), if you dock at the Navy pier, the trolley to the Downtown Pier is free. This is approximately a six minute ride and very scenic. This is where it brings you:

DSC_2189 by jmakcruiser, on Flickr

Some views around Key West:

DSC_2188 by jmakcruiser, on Flickr

DSC_2163 by jmakcruiser, on Flickr

DSC_2169 by jmakcruiser, on Flickr

jmak315 · March 1, 2014

*Quick Tip Time! The last trolley back to the ship runs at 2:00 and you can't walk back to the ship (as we seen many people trying to do). The Naval police will stop you at the entrance and make you wait for a trolley so save yourself the steps. We rented a little electric car from Sunshine Scooters and dealt exclusively with a lady named Sherry. She was wonderful and made sure everything was as planned. We called after arriving via trolley into downtown Key West and she sent a driver by the name of Tommy Lee to pick us up. This gentleman was so friendly and provided coupons to several bars downtown so we sipped our way down Duvall Street one Buy-One-Get-One-Free deal at a time. I can't recommended Sunshine Scooters enough. $79.00 for four hours (they aren't strict so 4.5 or a little more is ok) and a damage waiver of $20.00 is offered when you sign the car out which covers up to $1,500.00 in damage regardless of fault.

DSC_2103 by jmakcruiser, on Flickr

Our first stop is The Southernmost Point. *Quick Tip Time! If you want your photo taken by this lovely structure, you better make it your first stop, too. The line grows considerably as the day wears on so get there early!

DSC_2101 by jmakcruiser, on Flickr

For you craft beer aficionados, you will be thrilled to know there is a World of Beer here in Key West offering more beer than you will have time to sample. If you're looking for a Bud Light or Corona, this is not your place.

DSC_2140 by jmakcruiser, on Flickr

DSC_2124 by jmakcruiser, on Flickr

jmak315 · March 1, 2014

We also snagged a piece of authentic Key Lime Pie from the award winning Kermit’s Key Lime Pie Kitchen. Simply put: amazing. Perfectly sweet, perfectly tart, creamy and delicious. Get one of these when in Key West!

DSC_2174 by jmakcruiser, on Flickr

DSC_2167 by jmakcruiser, on Flickr

So cute!

DSC_2090 by jmakcruiser, on Flickr

DSC_2083 by jmakcruiser, on Flickr

DSC_2185 by jmakcruiser, on Flickr

jmak315 · March 1, 2014

The next morning we found ourselves sailing towards Nassau - only have been here once before about 10 years ago and I have to say, it's been a least favorite port of ours. Debarking was quick because we let the first crowd get off and waited until then to eat (which turned out to be an excellent idea because prior to that, there wasn't a table to be had). *Quick Tip Time! Taxi services will be in abundance here at the end of the pier and the taxi to Atlantis and Cable Beach is $4.00 per person. They do take people in groups so be prepared to wait five (or so minutes) or find a group waiting for the last few people and join them for immediate departure.

DSC_2392 by jmakcruiser, on Flickr

DSC_2386 by jmakcruiser, on Flickr

DSC_2394 by jmakcruiser, on Flickr

DSC_2401 by jmakcruiser, on Flickr

DSC_2422 by jmakcruiser, on Flickr

gelo7 · March 1, 2014

Beautiful pictures, what camera did you shoot with?

jmak315 · March 1, 2014

This was our taxi:

DSC_2566 by jmakcruiser, on Flickr

I mean, $4.00!!

Here you will also be able to find “Certified Hair Braiders” because, let’s be honest here, when having your hair braided, you don’t want to mess with anyone “uncertified”:

DSC_2565 by jmakcruiser, on Flickr

Today we discovered Junkaroo beach which was actually pretty nice. It's about a ten minute walk and it's free to access and enjoy but is a little crowded. *Quick Tip Time! To find Junkanoo, walk towards Senior Frogs, take a left and follow the side walk the rest of the way around. Don't cross the street or anything - just follow the sidewalk and you will run right into it. The first little "hut" that you come to offers three beers and three shots for $9.99. I can't speak to what type of beer or shot is offered as we did not purchase this but a lot of people seemed to be enjoying it. There is a wonderful photo opportunity here as well as they have a concrete wall that extends out into the ocean which permits an unobstructed view of all the ships in port. This also allows a wonderful photo opportunity, if you’re into that kind of thing  As you can see, we packed Nassau out today with six ships in port. (Majesty Of The Seas, Ruby Princess, Carnival Fascination, Carnival Splendor, Carnival Sensation, Serenade Of The Seas)

DSC_2507 by jmakcruiser, on Flickr

DSC_2515 by jmakcruiser, on Flickr

And we've arrived:

DSC_2527 by jmakcruiser, on Flickr