Carnival Fantasy 7.24.14 - 5 day to Freeport & Nassau

[cruzeluver]

Really enjoying your review and especially your pics! You have gotten some places on the ship I had not seen before. Looking forward to the rest!

[Scrapenthusiast]

I'm really enjoying your review! Can't wait to sail the Fantasy this winter!

[Cricket551]

Loving your review, thank you. So excited only two months till our trip on the Fantasy! !!!

[funinthesun1964]

Loving your review! We'll be going on the Fantasy for the first time in a few days, so the pictures are absolutely wonderful!

 

Thank you for taking the time to do this!

 

Enjoy your time on the Fantasy!

 

Really enjoying your review and especially your pics! You have gotten some places on the ship I had not seen before. Looking forward to the rest!

 

Thanks! Wish I was back there again...

[funinthesun1964]

I'm really enjoying your review! Can't wait to sail the Fantasy this winter!

 

Great, hope you have a fantabulous cruise!

 

Loving your review, thank you. So excited only two months till our trip on the Fantasy! !!!

 

yay! enjoy! :D

[funinthesun1964]

We wake and DH says he's going to the gym. I don't have quite as much energy. I "make" him go to the Lido and bring me a cup of coffee. I didn't want any food right then, just some coffee. He complains, but brings it back to me and then is about 15 minutes ahead of me in the gym.

 

We come back, shower and once again head to Lido for breakfast. Omelets again, because they were so good yesterday. DH had his bacon, along with a plate full of other food. Sorry that I did not get any pictures of food.

 

Well, I believe this was our 4th trip to Nassau. We have been to Paradise Island and Atlantis, British Colonial Hilton, and Junkanoo Beach and shopping in the city and straw market. We did not make any definite plans, remember we only booked this cruise one week in advance.

 

We just left at our leisure, with our swimsuits and towels with us, just in case we wanted to go to a beach.

 

Also in port that day was Majesty of the Seas, Oasis, Carnival Sunshine

 

 

 

 

Atlantis through the haze

[funinthesun1964]

Majesty

 

 

 

 

 

[funinthesun1964]

The port building was being renovated, and we warned in advance of this through a notification left in our room the night before. It said that we would be re-routed and everything would be color coded to point us where to go. I didn't see any color coded arrows or any directions at all, we just followed everyone else and remembered the area from our previous trips to Nassau.

 

Festival place, under renovations. You can't really tell from this picture though. Just a lack of people.

 

 

Busy city streets, horse and carriage rides. You could really smell the waste products from the horses!

 

 

Walking along the sidewalk. We had decided at this point that we were going to visit John Watlings Distillery. (rum factory)

 

 

 

[funinthesun1964]

To get to the John Watlings place, we walked as if we were going to Junkanoo and followed the signs. It was quite hot and humid, and we had to talk up a hill, which was tiring, but I could use the exercise. I took a picture of the hill we had just walked

 

It doesn't look that bad here:

 

 

and to another side road

 

 

and to the gate in front. There was a friendly security guard to the left.

 

 

I thought it was beautiful. The area on the right is where you can enjoy a drink outside, if you wish.

 

 

We entered as instructed to the main door and are greeted by a young man named Brian, who said he would be our tour guide. Some other folks came in a few minutes after us, and said, "can we just look around" and they just walked through. Brian was nice and showed us around, and also gave us some of the history of the area, and the place. It was no charge but he appreciated the tip $ we gave him.

 

 

Outdoor seating area

 

[funinthesun1964]

 

 

 

 

Brian took this picture of us:

 

[funinthesun1964]

We went into the rear building which seemed like a packaging facility. No pictures allowed there so I just got this picture at the entrance.

 

We were permitted to smell in the barrels of rum (smelled good!). We were told about three different types of rum they have. Also we were told that sale of the rum outside of the Bahamas was just permitted sometime in the last year. Didn't know that. We also were give a very very very (lol) small sample of the rum.

 

 

Then we exited this building, back into the rear entrance of the main building. It was a shopping area where you could purchase their rum. It was rather price, seemed to me that it was going for around $30 a bottle. We did not purchase any since we had purchased 2 bottles of liquor on the ship. I was good though. Maybe next time I will get a bottle. In this area we were also given a thimble full of pina colada - very good but barely a taste, lol.

 

Then we went into a tavern area, you could purchase food and/or drinks and sit inside or out. We purchased drinks, it was like 2 for 19 or 3 for 20, of course we got the three. We both had a pina colada. OMG, so very tasty. I think I'm going back here just for that. When we were finished, the employee brought me my bahama mama, which I had also ordered for the 3rd drink. Nothing beats that pina colada though.

 

Where you order the drinks!

 

 

Inside seating area.

 

 

Now my mouth is watering

 

 

We had the place to ourselves

[funinthesun1964]

I'm enjoying a Pina Colada before 11 am, lol

 

 

 

 

 

[funinthesun1964]

Well, since we had a swim wear on, we decided to go to Junkanoo beach. We took a different route and it wasn't too far. It was really getting HOT out there, so we took a dip in the ocean.

 

Junkanoo beach does have glass on the beach, you either have to wear water shoes or be very careful. People weren't staying all too long on this day because it was so hot.

 

 

 

 

Edited August 4, 2014 by funinthesun1964

[funinthesun1964]

LOL, forgot to add in this picture of me in the ocean. I'm sure you couldn't live without that one.

 

[funinthesun1964]

After an hour or so, we had enough of the beach. We used the public restrooms (I had heard that they were clean, but I didn't think so), and the outdoor shower to get the sand off of us. We were thinking of getting some beer or a drink at the tiki bar, but we didn't. Wish we would have.

 

We headed on our way back to the ship and stopped in at Sharkee's. Last time. Drinks were higher than what was advertised and in general just a ripoff. Drinks are a better deal on the ship. Two strikes and you're out with me. They weren't all that busy either so I think word is spreading. We had one drink each, DH had a mudslide, I had dirty monkey. Small size cups, total bill was $20.

 

We then headed back on the ship. Time for lunch, so we ordered room service. We had our favorite chicken fajita wrap, DH ordered potato salad, I wanted chips, he ordered the chocolate cake, I ordered a veggie plate.

 

 

 

 

 

We were tired, so we had a nap.

[funinthesun1964]

We were scheduled to leave port at 5. We saw some pier runners, but not for our ship.

 

Amazing how people just dilly dally along and the ship is waiting on them to return

 

 

 

Bye Nassau! See ya next time!

 

 

Only Majesty left now (she left right after us)

 

 

The same lighthouse picture I get every time I visit here

 

 

[funinthesun1964]

Pilot boat leaving us

 

 

 

Well we went to relax. We decided on a seating area that was one above Lido, to see everything that was going on. It was just the usual.

 

 

Later, we decided to go to the Majestic bar. This is where we met Trayana, who was a very nice bartender and we chatted with her quite a bit. I did the martini tasting, and hubby had a pina colada. He's hooked now! BTW, he said it was not as good as John Watling's, but still good.

 

 

 

While we were there, we had an odd encounter. A man came up, ordered a drink and starting hitting on Trayana. Creepily smiled at her and tried to talk to her, and creepily stared at her when she walked away. When he was done with his drink, he asked for another, but she promptly gave him a glass of water, and said, I'm giving you water for now, I think you've had enough. He was angry, and said he was going to have to go to another bar. He finally left and Trayana got on the phone to her supervisor and alerted them to the fact that this person had enough to drink. She explained to us that it is up to her discretion to refuse someone, but if that person would hurt themselves or someone else, they could look on the S&S card and find out the last person who served them and then she would be responsible. I don't blame her at all.

 

Dinner time. I forgot to explain one thing here that was different from any other ship in MDR. The waiter took orders for drinks. Not a bar waiter, the head waiter. He took the order and then a bar waiter delivered it and had you sign the receipt. Another strange thing happened. I don't think it was this night but an earlier night. DH ordered a bud light. A few minutes later, a BL was delivered to the table behind us. I watched as the guy signed the receipt. The head waiter came and asked him, Sir, did you order a Bud light?" He said, just now I did. Well another minute later, DH receives his BL. Signed a receipt. Then bar waiter goes to the other table where the guy had the other BL, and has him signs again. This is the problem with this setup. A different person takes orders than delivers. I saw head waiter and bar waiter communicating after that. I checked my S&S statement to make sure we were not charged for two that night.

 

Anyway, after dinner that night was different games, karaoke, etc, which we did not attend but we did go up to deck for the deck party. I should say for the pre-party. We did not stay too late. We were trying to stay up for the 11:30 adult comedy show, but just didn't make it. We went to bed around 11. I am getting old. No, I already am old. :o

 

On our beds, besides the towel animal and fun times, was the invitation for the next day's VIFP party. It was the usual "Don't wait up, we're having a ball with the other gold, platinum diamond members". LOL, I have to laugh at this because why say "don't wait up" if the party is from 5:00 - 5:45?

Edited August 4, 2014 by funinthesun1964

[funinthesun1964]

Fun times attached for our last sea day. Oh, it went by so fast.

:(

5.1.pdf

5.2.pdf

5.3.pdf

[funinthesun1964]

....and the rest of the fun times.

5.4.pdf

5.5.pdf

5.6.pdf

[ryanpatricksmom]

Thanks so much for the Fun Times! We're doing our first B2B on the Fantasy in October-November....82 days away. I'm also taking your advice and trying the distillery tour. We've been to Nassau so many times now and had run out of new experiences that we wanted to try....I can get very excited about a good pina colada, lol!

[funinthesun1964]

Thanks so much for the Fun Times! We're doing our first B2B on the Fantasy in October-November....82 days away. I'm also taking your advice and trying the distillery tour. We've been to Nassau so many times now and had run out of new experiences that we wanted to try....I can get very excited about a good pina colada, lol!

 

Have fun on your B2B! There isn't all that much to see on the distillery tour, but those pina coladas are soooo good. I want one right now.:o:)

Edited August 6, 2014 by funinthesun1964

[funinthesun1964]

Our last sea day, already. We got up and went to the gym, then showered and went to the sea day brunch. We took our free drink coupons. I ordered a long island, and DH ordered a mocha chocolate getaway.

 

Seemed like on the Fantasy there were more tables for 2, than having big groups. Every time we went to the dining room, we were given a table for 2, and we were never asked either. Seems like folks kept to themselves on this cruise too. We met several nice people and talked with them, but many were with families/groups and they stayed within their circles.

 

 

Smile Scott

 

 

We were in no hurry to get to the serenity deck because we had all day and we knew it would get so hot, so we dilly dallied around and looked at the photos for a while. I am horribly un-photogenic. I try to find my photos and put them in the recycle bin! Ugh!

 

We did make our way to serenity then.

 

 

 

Another clear day. Beautiful and hot.

 

 

You can always check out towels here if you didn't get them in your room, or didn't bring them with you. You just need your S&S card to check them out. You need to return them to the same place when you are done with them to make sure you don't get charged for them.

 

[missdebi]

John Watlings is the reason we love Nassau it is beautiful and the walk to it holds hidden gems for photo ops. Beautiful old architecture - churches-gutted buildings-and you pass Graycliffs a beautiful hotel with an old 40's motif, just walk in the front door they encourage you to walk the grounds. And save room to take a bottle home it is really good. A little pricey but it is a small distillery with a good product.

[funinthesun1964]

We had a nice place to sit. We enjoyed a couple buckets of beer on this afternoon, and when we wanted some lunch, DH made a run for some pizza.

 

 

 

 

It was so HOT after a while. We talked to a couple from Charlotte in the hot tub. Then we moved back to the shade. There are some seats in the back of the serenity deck in the shade.

 

We left serenity after a while, and went back to the cabin. We took a nap. I didn't sleep as usual, so I should say DH had a nap and I had a rest.

 

We hit the casino later that afternoon. I put in another $10 and won back $28, so I wasn't down so much. DH also got back a small amount, so we got our money off the cards.

[funinthesun1964]

We arrived at the VIFP party, held in the Forum Lounge, around 5 minutes early. They were already allowing people in.

 

I had noticed on this cruise (not that I intentionally looked, I just noticed) that many people had red or blue S&S cards. Didn't think there were that many G, P, D on the cruise. That was confirmed when we arrived in the Forum Lounge, it is just a small lounge and there was room to spare. Quite different from some cruises where it is held in the front main theater and the place is packed.

 

Dat Band was playing when we sat down. We were immediately being served drinks. We were also offered many appetizers, but I couldn't eat anything. I had eaten way too much food already on this day!

 

 

Lots of waiters out and serving

 

 

Of course the "important people" were introduced

 

 

Pete, the CD, had a pleasant personality.

 

We spoke with a nice couple from Columbia at the end of the party. Interesting conversation about their cruises and where they've been. I think they had been on about every cruise line that ever existed!

 

It seemed that the party did not last until 5:45. More like 5:30 or so. I thought, wow, that was quick.