Trying Carnival for a change of pace

[tropicaledrink]

I haven't sailed the Inspiration, but have sailed a couple of sister ships.

 

We generally cruise to relax, so I am quite happy to sit in a deck chair on Serenity (Fantasy class have the BEST serenity decks) with my kindle and watch the ocean go by.However, I do enjoy some of the trivia games, some of the comedians, and some of the shows. I'm not sure what shows the Inspirations has at the moment, but some are better than others. They are all a little cheesy (it's part of the fun!), but we haven't walked out of one yet!

 

I am so thrilled that the Fantasy class are beginning to get the Alchemy bars! By far, my favorite cruise activity - and if you enjoy cocktails and mixology, you will definitely enjoy this!

 

Carnival often has some pretty good duos playing throughout the evening, so be sure to check out the live music offerings. Go, have fun, don't be afrad to jump in, and you might just find yourself having a terrific trip! Enjoy!

[cruzeluver]

Booking chef's table was a great move. Unbelievably good food and the service is spectacular! Serenity is a great area for adults to just relax and enjoy the ocean going by. Casino smoke can be an issue but of course it will depend on how many smokers on in there with you.

[Hobbsey]

Inspiration was my first cruise, but out of Tampa. I think it will be even better with the new upgrades (Guy's Burgers etc.). It is a small ship, which you seem to not have a problem with. It is very easy to find your way around.

 

I loved the Serenity area. It was very relaxing watching the aft wake. It is a smaller area so there may be a little problem waiting for a lounger there. It has an area with seating under cover back against the wall. This is shaded and is also nice if it is a windier day as it blocks the wind.

 

If the buffet line seems crowded the first day walk aft and the pizza and deli are there. You may not notice this at first. Also, there are some tables outside aft of the lido area. This is a nice place to eat or enjoy a drink. This is right near the lido restaurant bar.

 

Carnival is known for its Warm Chocolate Melting Cake. You need to try it. Lots love it, some don't but it is part of the Carnival Experience.

 

I am more into relaxing so I didn't participate in a lot of the daytime activities. I can't help with the shows as that has all changed since I cruised with Carnval last

 

Have a great time!

 

Hi

 

Since the OP typically cruises Windstar and Seabourn then this fantasy class ship will not seem small to her at all; but it may feel crowded.

[SUSIEK]

Totally insane to compare Carnival to Seabourn apart from the fact they are both ships.

As long as you know the differences and prices are drastically different you will be fine. Go with an open mind to have fun and you will!

 

A more fair comparison would be NCL or Royal. And I would compare the smaller olders ships on both to Inspiration. I find a big part of our cruise experience comes from the fellow passengers. Carnival gets all types and most like to have a good time and are pretty laid back.

 

We enjoy the food on Carnival and the service is perfect for our liking. We don't like to be fussed over. Our cabin is always cleaned and serviced even though we don't always meet our steward. Bartenders are plenty and their service is always with a smile. Normally everyone you pass in the hallway has a hello and smile.

 

We don't always catch a show. I will say I enjoyed the big Las Vegas shows they had years back better than what they are producing now. Live music can be found at various venues during the night. DJ spins later. Deck parties.....always something to do. Trivia is pretty good too.

 

Have fun!!!

[loubetti]

Well, at least the OP is keeping business in the family. Does not Carnival own Seabourn and Windstar? :D

 

The reality is: You cannot compare Carnival to Seabourn and Windstar, and you cannot compare Seabourn and Windstar to Carnival.

 

I think the OP will have a great time!:)

[sarahlfiles]

How sweet of you to do something so nice for a friend :)

We enjoy cruising and have only sailed CCL. If it's inferior to the rest, I wouldn't know.

I can tell you we've never had a bad time. The shows are typical, Vegas style and, though some are better than others, they all make us smile. The comedy club is something we really enjoy and playing trivia after having a couple of drinks in always entertaining!

I'm not a casino goer so I can't speak to that, but it's never hard for us to find something entertaining to do.

I know you'll have a great time! I'll be waiting to hear about your trip when you get home. :)

[meatloafsfan]

If you're looking for the FUN, I would embrace the differences and not look for your usual.

 

Instead of looking for a quiet place on deck, why not sit front and centre of the main pool - laugh out loud at the hairy chest contest, try a waterslide, get up and do the cupid shuffle or the cha cha slide. Go to the comedy club, participate in some less serious trivia and try for a solid gold plastic ship on a stick. Go to the deck parties, be casual, have pizza or ice cream at 2 or 3am.

 

Look for what Carnival does differently than your regular cruise lines and enjoy it.

[BeachChik]

Just going by what you not only posted once, but made it crystal clear at the end.

 

I Ann just trying to be honest with you. Why do I cruiser carnival when I don't like a lot of it. They have anytime dinning now. They are in my home port twenty minutes from my house year round with several lengths of cruises. They take me relatively cheaply to the places I like to dive. Prices used to be unbelievable. I like the food.

 

Now tell Me again why you are lowering yourself to a product you clearly think in inferior?

 

 

Because, I am going to be straight up with you, it is.

 

 

Sent from my SM-N910V using Tapatalk

 

Always such a ray of sunshine with your posts. :rolleyes:

 

Anyway, to the op I have taken a 1k vacation and a 15k vacation. Of course paying such a significant difference I had different expectations for each. Does that mean all weren't fun? Of course not.

 

No doubt carnival will be a much different experience then the higher end lines. But you should have a good time regardless. Don't let Debbie downer make it seem like you are going to have a terrible time.

[Florings]

It will be a totally different experience to that which you are familiar. A bit noisier, a bit smokier, probably a bit younger crowd.

 

Still enjoy the difference. The piano bar in the evening is a nice place to spend an hour, enjoying a cocktail or two. The comedy shows are usually pretty funny, both family friendly and adult shows. The casino is quite smoky generally, but go early and you might be able to play for awhile.

 

During the day, bingo and trivia, someone wins - though not always fairly at the trivia. Maybe a spa treatment or get your nails done.

 

The soothing sun and sound of the sea will make your friend feel better and having you there to cheer her up will be a great experience. Go and enjoy!

[crusinpsychRN]

Try the Steakhouse/Steakhouse supper club and the rest of the "premium" restaurants. You might like the food and ambience better than in the main dining room. Do you have a balcony? Nothing beats drinking wine and grabbing snacks/cheese from the lido deck, and hanging out on the balcony to avoid crowds. I don't think smoking is allowed anywhere on board including the casino.

Hope this helps.

 

Inspiration doesn't have a Steakhouse. Smoking is on Lido and at a bar by casino.

[tree.critter]

A dear friend recently has been dealing with her Mother passing away and I suggested we do a short, cheap and cheerful girl's trip to take her mind somewhere else.

 

A short, cheap and cheerful cruise is your goal? I suspect you will be very pleasantly surprised by your Carnival cruise. I agree with others, the Chef's table is a great choice and might have you wondering which cruise line you are on....can this really be Carnival, you bet it is! I've not been on the Inspiration but would bet good money that the crew will always greet you with a smile and willingness to help with anything possible to help you make your cruise what you want it to be.

 

I would suggest learning the deck plans and learn where the different venues are, your MDR and the different lounges, this will help a lot. When you first arrive your cabin will have the current copy of the Fun Times with all the ship's activities posted, take a good look at them and pick a few that are of most interest for you and your friend. It's all going to be different from your past experience and that in itself is going to be a lot of fun. Each night the next day's activities will be posted on the Fun Times and left in your cabin. If you lose or forget your copy don't worry though, additional copies can be picked up in a few locations throughout the ship.

 

One "event" that still remains one of my favorites but I haven't seen mentioned yet is a scavenger hunt.....it can have you running around the ship having crazy good fun. It's up to the CD though to plan the schedule and I either miss them or haven't seen them on all my Carnival cruises.

 

Your attitude going into this cruise seems quite delightful to me, open minded and for this reason I suspect you will have a great time......and it may not be your last Carnival cruise.

[SadieN]

A word of warning about Long Beach--

 

Embarkation can either be very smooth or a complete mess, never anything in between. Early Check in starts at 9:30 outside the Dome. Waiting is outside. If it rains, well, us natives don't do so well in the rain. Doors open around 11:30. We usually arrive around 11:30.

 

Are you arriving the day before? Many of the Long Beach hotels and tourist areas are on the free Passport bus route. The Aquarium of the Pacific is very good.

[chefchick]

A word of warning about Long Beach--

 

Embarkation can either be very smooth or a complete mess, never anything in between. Early Check in starts at 9:30 outside the Dome. Waiting is outside. If it rains, well, us natives don't do so well in the rain. Doors open around 11:30. We usually arrive around 11:30.

 

Are you arriving the day before? Many of the Long Beach hotels and tourist areas are on the free Passport bus route. The Aquarium of the Pacific is very good.

 

This is the one area that "concerns" me a little. We booked a very early morning flight, day of (on the off chance of flight delays as there are several morning flights to LAX). Our plan, if all goes well is to Uber to the port and should arrive around 10:30. I've been reading threads regarding Carnivals embarkation policies and I'm not a total noob to cruising, so if worse comes to worse, we will have to stand in line longer than I'd like...I guess that will make my first vacation cocktail taste all that much better :D

 

Again, you all have been very kind for the suggestions.

[Shih-tzu]

Haven't been on this ship but just recently cruised with Carnival.

 

As others have mentioned, one of the 1st things I did was check the Fun Times for activities that may have interested me. I didn't go to Bingo (as there was a fee) but there were a couple of events I went and watched just for the fun of it. I did find some times around the main pool it was loud but not always. I also enjoyed the Serenity area.

 

I enjoyed listening to some of the duos/trio musical acts and went to the piano bar for a bit one evening and to one of the musical shows in the theatre. Not sure if your ship has it, but we really liked sitting in the lounge chairs at night watching the movies with our blankets and popcorn. Sometimes just people-watching is fun anywhere on the ship.

 

We thought the food was great with lots of choices depending on our mood (sometimes the MDR, sometimes just a burger).

 

I have heard that there is more hard partying/drinking on the shorter cruises than 7 day cruises or longer but of course as with any cruise the particular mix of passengers will be different. Just keep in mind that your shorter cruise may not be representative of a longer one on the same cruise line.

 

I hope you have a wonderful cruise - I find that with any trip/vacation/cruise that I look for the positives and always have an enjoyable time.