Last Minute Fantasy Facts???

[teacher2cruiser]

We leave Saturday on the Fantasy, and I'd love to hear any last minute recommendations or things not to miss! Any shows that were especially good? What's your favorite bar or place just to hang out? Has anyone done the "anytime dining" lately on this ship?

Thanks for any info you want to share!

[BarbaraSails]

I love the Fantasy...three cruises aboard her. Older ship, but it was always kept very clean and in good repair!

 

Note, there are no refridgerators in regular cabins. You may want to bring a small cooler if you keep soft drinks or water in your cabin.

 

Not to miss:

• Love the nightly sushi offering
  
• Cats Lounge is fun with the feline-inspired decor
  
• Don't forget to get your nightly dose of karaoke
  
• Fun to go get pizza after a night of partying at the Electricity disco!
  
• If Big Tex is still the Cruise Director, I thought he was funny! Corny yes, but funny!:D
  

Enjoy the Fantasy! :)

[arlettecruiser]

Anytime dining works great on Fantasy. Did it in Sept of this year! Just walked up and got a seat!

 

See the show on the last night. It's a tribute to the Beatles. Saw it twice (different trips). It was so great, I would still like to see it again.

 

Serenity deck at rear of ship is great, especially if you go back there on a port day. You can have the whole place to yourself!

 

Fantasy is a great ship to just RELAX on!

 

Enjoy your trip!

[chasinraynbowz]

If you do a search on my name, I posted a review a couple of months ago. This was my 3rd cruise on her also. I love her. We will be going on her again now that she is in Mobile!!!

 

Big Tex is no longer the CD on the Fantasy. Risa Barns is, I think. Some people like her... some don't. I didn't mind one way or another.

 

Have a wonderful cruise!!

 

PS - Go to the front of the ship on the Verandah deck. Once you pass the suites, there is a door directly ahead of you. Go thru it. It will take you to an outside deck at the front of the ship. We would go there each morning and evening.

[Jabee]

Just off the Fantasy....first cruise from Mobile

 

1) Arrive Early...it seems no one told the embarkation staff they had a larger ship in port....it took us two hours (and we are platinum) to board.

I wanted to scream everytime someone said..."we have a thousand more passengers then we are used to."

 

2) Antoinette in Karaoke is a hoot...and great. Risa has been on vacation but will be boarding with you on Saturday...she is very personable and great at resolving problems...Also..you will see a lot of a guy named "Hennie"...he is great and hard working

 

3) On five day..you have two great shows....Night Club show is a lot of fun and the Beatles Tribute is great...also...do not miss the night when the comic and the singer (Yolanda Barnes) are in...they are awesome.

 

4) Dont get confused by the fact they have a piano bar singer in the piano bar and another piano bar singer in the Empress Deck lobby...you can stand on the balcony and listen to them both at the same time!!!

 

5) I think all the people who used anytime dining were pleased, but the rest of us using regular service were not. They have rearranged the dining areas pushing in extra tables and servers have more tables.

 

6) The rear of the lido deck is the Pizza and Sandwich line...and it is well done, and the ice cream is also near by.

 

The ship is still looking great after the refurb, and the weather was nice enough that the day after leaving port people were playing in the water.

 

We had a wonderful cruise on our fourth Fantasy cruise.

[WayTooCool]

Fantasy was our first and second cruise -- we liked our first trip and stateroom so much we booked her a second time, same week - same stateroom. We just loved everything about her . . . and the chocolate melting cake will make your knees go weak . . . no kidding . . . . :D

[bp traveler]

Jabee- thank you for your review!

 

We are getting the Fantasy (for the second time) for Thanksgiving!

 

I sure hope they have embarkation figured out by then! Yuck!

 

What time should we arrive?

 

How was the piano player in the piano bar?

 

Also - any idea for a 4 day when our formal night will happen, since we get on for Thansgiving?

 

thanks!!!

[ohio cowgirl]

We are going as a family on 12/14. 13yr old DS is in a wheelchair. Anything I should look out for?

 

We have been counting down as a family for over a year. Getting SOOOOO excited!

[cruise_pirate]

Love the Fantasy too!:) When I was on in Sept the CD was Kevin Noonan not the best CD in my opinion but hey it beats being at work...

 

Try out the new Water works it was alot of fun!

[Cruzman]

Jabee- thank you for your review!

 

We are getting the Fantasy (for the second time) for Thanksgiving!

 

I sure hope they have embarkation figured out by then! Yuck!

 

What time should we arrive?

 

How was the piano player in the piano bar?

 

Also - any idea for a 4 day when our formal night will happen, since we get on for Thansgiving?

 

thanks!!!

 

We were also on the first sailing from Mobile. We arrived at the terminal at 10:20 AM before the ship docked; had to park under the interstate and wait about 30 minutes before being allowed into the terminal. We checked in and were on board at 11:40, but understand we are Platinum guests and that does expedite the process. Formal night for a Thursday sailing will be Friday night.

[rdemn]

no basketball court new water park took it away

[pe4all]

Waterworks is a lot of fun. Serenity area is lovely - it is so nice to sit on those nice padded lounges and watch the wake!

[Jabee]

Jabee- thank you for your review!

 

We are getting the Fantasy (for the second time) for Thanksgiving!

 

I sure hope they have embarkation figured out by then! Yuck!

 

What time should we arrive?

 

How was the piano player in the piano bar?

 

Also - any idea for a 4 day when our formal night will happen, since we get on for Thansgiving?

 

thanks!!!

 

I do suspect they will improve on the embarkation situation. The late arrival did create a bottleneck and slow lines...however in the Platinum area, we only had two people working and the computers were not working. They actually did paperwork on some people by hand!!

 

The Piano Bar had a guy who was pretty good....he had a sheet with over 200 songs to request, and also did some not on it. The strange thing, is they also had a guy singing with piano in the Empress Lobby Bar...and having two piano players/singers at the same time was really strange.

 

Karaoke was fantastic and Antoinette really peps up the crowd and works hard to get people to get up and sing. She also is great at learning names.

 

If you follow this link...you can see some pics from our trip...

 

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2028652&id=1162361894&page=6#/album.php?aid=2028652&id=1162361894

[tommy2tone_1999]

We leave Saturday on the Fantasy,

 

 

Check out the Roll Call Post for Fantasy on 11-21-09

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=852087&page=6

[paulsang]

We were VIP.....Check-in was a nighmare. Someone posted about the 'we have a 1000 more people than we are used to'....it was like a chineese firedrill. We gave up, and went regular check-in. There were people still in VIP line when we were boarding the ship.

 

The whole scenario with the weather issues, tardiness, and disorganization was unfortunate, but it was a nice cruise, the 1st out of Mobile. (now there's a city that needs a cash infusion)

 

The ship was nice. I am not old at all, but I found the music EVERYWHEREto be too loud!

 

You could tell that Big Tex was there at one point. The activities are the same as previous Carnival cruises - might even be a standard. Same red/white/blue teams thing.

 

We were in Jubilee dining late seating. We felt rushed most nights. they were already doing the silly dance stuff by 9pm...we weren't even eating entree's yet! The dancing interrupted service.

 

Disembarkation was markedly better...by a mile....just play by the rules. we had friends that are rushy-type people that insisted that self-assist is faster. It took them 1.5 hours to get off from the time they were called. We were group 9, (gave my VIP taggs to an older couple we met) and when we were called, were were through customs in less than 30 mins! I watched one lady in self-assist with three suitcases. She was struggling. she was mad that there was no one to take her luggage off the ship. They told her that there would be no one, but they would be glad to help her to the gangway after that last passenger was checked off. She started throwing a tizzy-fit...at that point, I was done at the customer service desk, and missed the outcome.

 

I sail the RCCL OASIS on Dec 1....and CANNOT WAIT!!

[memphiscruiser68]

We have been on the FANTASY twice and loved every minute of it!!!!

The ship is AWESOME! She is very well maintained. Her crew is TOP NOTCH! They are proud of their ship and will go above and beyond to serve you! The anytime dining is a pretty neat deal too. We experienced it on the Miracle last spring. It is just like going out at home. You go and if they have a table they seat you.....no table available??..they give you a pager. It works great! The longest we waited was 20 minutes tops and that was only on a night that asked for a private table. If you are willing to sit with others at a larger table there is little to no wait. Anytime dining is an excellent new option and gives you a chance to sit with different people each night. I hope y'all have the best time on the Fantasy! We hope to make another trip on her soon.