Sensation review, 8/13-8/17

[Newsdude]

This was our first cruise, and we're hooked. We had a blast. Here are highlights, particularly on issues I've seen discussed on these boards.

 

The cruise: I took my 16-year-old daughter and her best friend on a four-night trip from Port Canaveral to the Bahamas. They had a separate room. Mom stayed home in Ohio. She doesn't like hot weather.

 

Packing: No surprise: We brought too much stuff. Each of the girls had seven dresses and 20 pounds of primping gear: gels, flattening irons, rollers, and so forth. They like to change clothes a lot. We ended up paying the airline a penalty because our suitcases were too fat.

 

Embarkation: A breeze. We got there about 12:30 p.m. and sailed through with hardly a line. Our rooms were ready early, so we dumped our carry-ons and split up to explore the ship. Most people, it seemed, herded straight to the buffet, like they hadn't eaten in days. A few of them might have been snorting, but I'm not sure. I got out of there fast. I was more interested in figuring out how to get around the ship.

Dining: We had a 6:15 p.m. dinner seating. This was great for the girls, because it left the rest of their nights free. Carnival seated us with a pleasant family with two other teenagers. Our waiter was tremendous. We told him our names once, and he had it down for the rest of the trip. The food was good but not spectacular, about what I expected. I understand the difficulty of trying to feed a crowd this size. The lobster was lousy on formal night, kind of rubbery. Other meals, we just grabbed on lido deck. The pizza was pretty good. We never ordered room service. It seemed a waste of time to sit in the cabin eating.

 

Weight gain: I didn't gain any, partly because I walked everywhere until my back was killing me. I also was in the gym every morning at 6 a.m., watching the sun come up from the elliptical machine. The facilities were nicer than a lot of health clubs, with new-looking treadmills, bikes, ellipticals, free weights, and strength machines. I rarely saw more than one other person there - except the morning when a gang of unruly teenagers wandered in to abuse the equipment. Who knew teens could get up so early? They left before long.

 

Drinking water: People have said the ship water is fine to drink. I didn't think so. It tasted dirty and upset my stomach. After one day, I bought bottled water.

Cabins: We were happy in R183 and R185, both with outside views. For the first few days, there was no odor in the cabin, bathroom, or hall. After that, I noticed a slight odor in the bathroom, but I kept the door closed and it was no big deal. The girls said they never smelled anything in their room. A few other passengers told me they had it worse. They were in inside rooms on the same deck, farther aft.

 

Ship condition: I didn't see anything to complain about. Everything seemed clean and well-maintained. Workers were constantly scouring, painting, and repairing. They were extremely friendly and obviously had been schooled to greet every passenger they encountered. I must have heard a dozen "good mornings" between my room and the coffee machine, every day.

 

Activities: There was way more to do than I could get to. I'm sure I missed a lot. The production shows were exceptional, much better than I expected. I also was impressed with the bands and DJs in the various lounges. Most of the crowd seemed into things like karaoke, game shows, hairy chest contest, etc. I could have done without those, but I don't begrudge the people who liked them. In fact, I came away thinking the cruise offered plenty to do for all types - whether it was a party, an art auction, or watching the stars in a quiet spot. Two regrets: I wish I hadn't forgotten about the captain's cocktail party. And I wish my daughter had tried out the spa. I offered several times, but she was too busy elsewhere.

 

Expenses: The girls brought their own cash for shopping on shore. We each had a sail and sign card onboard. I let the girls spend $100 each on their cards. I bought several drinks, but I mixed several of my own, too. (It's easy to sneak in vodka in a water bottle. I mixed it with OJ or punch from the buffet.) I know nothing about gambling, but I did put $3 in the slot machines. I won $38 and left the casino. In the end, our total sail and sign tab was $500, including the mandatory tips.

Pictures: This seems to be a big preoccupation onboard - and a big moneymaker for Carnival. People like my daughter go from spot to spot getting portraits shot. (This is in addition to the pictures the crew takes every time you leave the ship. I left twice one morning, and they tried to take my picture both times.) New proofs are posted every day so you can decide whether to buy an 8x10 for 20 bucks. The thing is, the photos are pretty good. My daughter and her friend spent about $40 each on photos.

 

Shore excursions: We booked two independently. We did a dolphin swim in Freeport, which was tons more fun than the dolphin encounter most people scheduled through Carnival. We did a snorkeling trip in Nassau and then shopped. The girls disappeared into the Straw Market and emerged with their arms full, including two knock-off purses each. We were docked in Nassau overnight, so I had the purser restrict the girls from leaving the ship after dark. When the crew scanned their sail and sign cards, it would set off an alarm.

 

Communications: My daughter was careful to check in with me regularly, but it was disconcerting that I couldn't call her cell phone. I declined to bring walkie-talkies because some people on these boards complained they could be disturbing. Next time I will bring them. After watching kids rampage through the halls and cram into the hot tubs, I doubt I would have disturbed anyone by talking into a radio. I also bought an Internet package and emailed pictures home each day from my laptop. The connection worked flawlessly.

Debarkation: Not as smooth as getting on, but we made a bad decision. You could either leave your luggage in the hall the night before or carry it off the ship yourself. We decided to carry it because you could get off earlier. Also, I had heard that ship-handled luggage would be piled in the terminal. That wasn't true. The luggage was organized neatly by deck and would have been easy to retrieve. And we would have avoided the sweaty mass of people trying to lug their own bags through two doors.

Conclusion: We had a great time. It was a total escape and seems like a fantasy now. I didn't find much to complain about. The girls want to know whether I've started to look into our next cruise. The only question now is, should we stick with Carnival or try another cruise line? I'd hate to try a different line and see the girls have less fun.

[jbcruiselover]

I love Carnival. We have cruised with Norwegian, Royal Carribbean and Carnival. I like Carnival's food the best and their cabins.

[bighairydude]

We will be sailing on the Sensation on 9-17-06 and I have a question about how and where you booked your shore excursions. Did you book online or call them directly? Can you recommend anything to do in Nassau besides shop? This is our first cruise and any info will be appreciated.

[silentbob007]

I wouldn't be too afraid to try other lines. Personally, I try not to get too caught up being loyal to a certain line. I choose my cruises based on itinerary and price ... and thus far, Carnival has won my business. :)

[letscruisegd]

Thanks for the review. I'll be on the Sensation on 9/7 and I'm looking forward to it. I enjoy sitting outside and listening to the lido band. How were they on your cruise?

[Breucklin]

thanks so much for sharing ....we will be going on the sensation 10/01...first time on this boat.....cant wait to get me some "replica" handbags....lol

[lowerowe]

Thanks alot for the review I will be traveling on the sensation 9/24 with my mom and husband for our first cruise. Can't wait.

[CARIBBEANRIA]

Thanks alot for the review I will be traveling on the sensation 9/24 with my mom and husband for our first cruise. Can't wait.[/quote

 

 

We were just on this ship in May and had the best time, it's a beautiful ship, have fun !!

[pacerzfan]

Thanks for the review and info, Newsdude.

[Newsdude]

We will be sailing on the Sensation on 9-17-06 and I have a question about how and where you booked your shore excursions. Did you book online or call them directly? Can you recommend anything to do in Nassau besides shop? This is our first cruise and any info will be appreciated.

We scheduled our dolphin swim in Nassau through http://www.unexso.com/. They confirmed with email. It was a little pricey, but it was a great experience.

 

In Nassau, we were scheduled for a day trip to Rose Island through http://www.seaislandadventures.com/. They did not require payment upfront, which was good because my daughter overslept and we missed the pickup.

 

Instead, we walked over to the beach behind the Hilton, where Blue Hole Water Sports has a short snorkeling trip. They take you to an offshore reef, and you spend about 30 minutes in the water. It was $35 per person.

[GoinCruisin]

So glad you enjoyed the Sensation!!! She's my favorite, been on her twice and can't wait to go again!!!!!