Jump to content
Cruise Critic Community

First Time for Everything, a Newbie's Review of Carnival Ecstasy 02/05/11

shockcrazey

By shockcrazey,
in Carnival Cruise Lines

Recommended Posts

shockcrazey

shockcrazey

Posted
Posted

As with any great vacation, the journey does not start the first day. The journey begins many, many months prior with all of the preparations that go into making the vacation as enjoyable as can be. For me, the inevitable preparation came in the form of my first meet-up of the Cruise Critic members known as the Crazies, about...wow, was it really 3 years ago? I was then only a tag-along, a willing one at that, accompanying my parents, sixgun8 & chevellet, to the bash before getting myself moved into my college dorm.

 

After meeting the OKC crew, I was hooked on these crazy fun people and I began to stalk the boards with great regularity, sometimes sacrificing my school time for the enthusiastic chatter of my newfound friends and family. Oops. As time went by, talk of a group cruise began to take place and though I was unable to cruise with them, I listened to stories that my parents brought back and that the other members gladly told. Anxious, I checked deals, but I knew I could not yet afford to cruise. Fast forward to the beginning of January 2011. One of the members booked on the Crazies Plus Too cruise on the Ecstasy had to cancel due to an accident involving a coworker that prevented her from being out of the office at the same time. That left an open spot on the ship....Shockey? Are you interested in cruising?

 

Oh boy, was I. Now in a job where I work full time and can afford to scrape up the money necessary to go on said cruise, I began to get all jiggly with excitement. As soon as I was back into work (as the idea was proposed to me on my day off), I put in the request and eagerly awaited my supervisor's approval. After a few days of discussion, during which the possibility became more and more likely, she consented. OMG! I was going on my first cruise!!!

 

As the weeks rolled past, I found myself pouncing into the flurry of posts on the boards which I had too long been absent from. I rekindled friendships with my Crazies friends and shared the giddy excitement that was building to a breaking point. I had my suitcase packed two weeks before sailing date, all except for those few toiletries which I needed up until the moment I hopped into the car to begin the long, arduous journey to Galveston. Oh yeah, did I mention that this was not only my first cruise but my first time to see the OCEAN?! Yes, I was undeniably exploding with joy!

 

I emailed all my teachers and got my makeup work, so my last week was spent laboring under mountains of homework so I would be worry free during the cruise. Better to be ahead than to come back and have to play catch up when all I wanted to do was languish in the afterglow of my cruise! Finally it came to be time to go and I nervously waited for my dad to get home from work so we could leave. Finally, just shy of five, he pulls in and I'm going as crazy as the dogs at his arrival! Within just a few scant minutes we are in the car and headed for Oklahoma City to meet up with two other caravaners Galveston-bound. The journey to OKC was largely uneventful, up until we actually entered the blizzard-stricken area. Wow, talk about a nervewracking sight! No one wants to see that much snow right before a big trip, as icy roads are disastrous and did in fact nearly prevent the Crazies from arriving safely in our Cruise Ship Homeland.

 

The morning broke and the OKC Crazies were awake and on the road by approximately seven a.m., a daunting wake-up for some of us (okay, maybe just me), but the excitement and anxiety was such that sleep was almost impossible. As we left the snowy city, flakes began to pour from the skies, which did not bode well at all for our journey. For about three hours we drove through blizzard-like conditions, blustering winds and large flakes of snow, leaving our car tense and doubting. But though I am usually the type to take Murphy's Law as the one true law, I managed to stay positive. NO ONE CAN STOP THE CRAZIE TRAIN and I'll be blasted if we let some inanimate snow be the thing to stop us now!

SAM_0070.jpg

SAM_0059.jpg

SAM_0074.jpg

During our journey, we faced blizzards and ice and sunshine and all kinds of road conditions. Dallas was particularly bad, which was a bit surprising considering that Super Bowl was just around the corner. But it was south of Dallas where things really started to get hairy. At one point traffic had slowed to a crawl and we were very nearly stalled out on a slippery incline, but my mom's patient driving soon had our wheels finding purchase on dry pavement. And now to speak some more on my mom's driving...thank the lord for her! Just north of Fairfield the roads were looking far more clear and we were able to increase our speed. Well, our poor car was so bottomed out by our hefty luggage that we were skimming the icy median in each lane. One such skim brought us spinning a 180 on the highway going at about 60mph onto the shoulder of the road. Thankfully my mom was able to control the car and we drove against traffic on the shoulder until we could pull back onto the highway and turn around. After that, we all had to get out for a break at Burger King and once our nerves were soothed, we were back on the road.

 

We pulled into Galveston well past dark, so I did not get the full experience of going across the causeway, but I can assure you that from Houston on, I was a Chatty Cathy because I was just so darned excited! And then walking into that conference room and being greeted by so many faces, some familiar, some merely friends I hadn't met yet, was overwhelming. It was then that I first met Mary & Al, Walter & Ginnie, Ward, the Other Thomas (as we are also Thomases), Julie & Mike, Leslie, so many people that I cannot even begin to remember every last person who was new to me and reconnected with Floatie, Janie, Sheri, and others I had met prior to this cruise at the OKC Bashes. And then...our Fearless Leaders, Mach & Stitch. An honor and a pleasure that I will always remember and that I must now take the time to thank for all the wonderfully hard work that went into planning the activities for this cruise. Only people with such positive outlooks and such patience are able to herd a bunch of Crazies (which I'm sure is a lot like herding cats sometimes) and you guys did a great job at it! After meeting all of these people, it was time for a quick jot down to the beach despite the frigid temperatures where I got my first sight, scent, and sound of the ocean. Even though I was told many times that it wasn't the REAL ocean, just the Gulf, it sure was real enough to me.

SAM_0137.jpg

I think this concludes part one and I haven't even gotten to waking to watch the sunrise from Casa Del Mar and then high-tailing it to HH to watch our beautiful lady coming in to take us away for 5 fun-filled days! But hopefully I can get the next part up tomorrow between classes.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
nanuak

nanuak

Posted
Posted

GGreat start on your review. I knew it was bad here in the DFW area, but since I was housebound, I didn't realize how bad it looked on the roads :eek:

 

I don't mean to be rude, but it is a little hard to read that color of font.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Meyer2

Meyer2

Posted
Posted

Yay!! I'm so glad you decided to write a review. Great start so far, I am really enjoying it all! I love the 1st cruise excitement!!! I plan to have that feeling each cruise, it's a wonderful feeling isn't it??? :D I look forward to reading more.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
shockcrazey

shockcrazey

Posted
  • Author
Posted
You are the reason I cried over there reading Host Mach's review. I have the same excitement as you had. It spills over daily and I want to cruise so bad...Oct will not come fast enough.

 

Great start, can't wait for more.

It was a very emotional time for me when I did get on board, as I will definitely explain when I get my next installment posted. It is definitely an experience I want to relive over and over again!

 

Yay!! I'm so glad you decided to write a review. Great start so far, I am really enjoying it all! I love the 1st cruise excitement!!! I plan to have that feeling each cruise, it's a wonderful feeling isn't it??? :D I look forward to reading more.

Thank you! It was certainly a great feeling and I can't wait to do it again. One of the Crazies has already began the countdown...37 weeks! EEEE!

Link to comment
Share on other sites
shockcrazey

shockcrazey

Posted
  • Author
Posted

Sailing Day dawned bright and early for this Crazie and First Time Cruiser. We awoke at about 6am, give or take a few minutes, and hurriedly dressed so that we could meet the Ecstasy from our watching place. Upon walking towards the beach for a quick stroll, we saw a ship in the distance. BEHOLD! The Ecstasy! Frantically we went back to the car and away we went. The sun was just beginning to come up over the water and we arrived a few minutes before the Ecstasy made her turn, just enough time to make a few sandwiches for breakfast and scarf them down. Despite the cold, I was standing there on the patio waiting with my camera at the ready for the Carnival Ecstasy to make her first appearance.

SAM_0177.jpg

The sight of the sunlight glinting off the Ecstasy was truly a breathtaking sight and I couldn't believe my luck at getting to watch! Surrounded by my fellow Crazies, all of them were murmuring their excitement and playfully yelling at the incoming passengers to get off our ship! Though I had been told how big the ship was, she was still beautiful in her enormity and I was filled with wonder as I stared up at her. Watching her turn and show us her lovely Aft was another amazing moment and again I was thanking my lucky stars. Finally the excitement of watching her began to trickle down and we left for a last-minute run to Walmart. While loading up, we met a gentleman due to board the ship as well and a conversation was struck up. Unfortunately for me, I heard a tale of a granddaughter who was not allowed to board because her birth certificate was not sealed, leaving me in a fluttery panic. What if I had come all the way down here only to be denied boarding at the last moment? I of course sought to stay positive and hid this fear under a veneer of nervous excitement and smiles.

SAM_0210.jpg

We left Walmart and it was time to park. We used EZ Cruise, which was quite nice though the shuttle bus was a bit crowded. No big deal, though. What's a little discomfort before 5 days of relaxation and luxury! And then we got to the terminal and waited for our turn in line. That time came rather quickly and the line moved with efficient speed. I was really surprised at how little we actually had to wait! I fumbled through security, removing my laptop from my carryon and getting all of my electronics safely through the scanner, hands trembling with excitement. And then it came time to show that all important proof of citizenship. Nervously I stepped up to the counter, fumbling to pull my birth certificate out of the plastic sleeve I'd put in a notebook for keepsakes, holding my breath the whole time. IT WAS ACCEPTED! OMG! I could have fainted right then. I put my cash deposit on my S&S account and received my card and a pocket deck-plan, which I ended up using maybe once. And then I was off to wait some more, my roomie right beside me and my parents just ahead of us. I was going to get on a ship today.

 

The wait was not long at all and we were some of the earliest arrivals, so it seemed to maybe be 5-10 after we saw the parade of VIPs that we were allowed to board. Now, I'm pretty afraid of heights, so boarding alone was quite a daunting experience for me. Look straight ahead, stay in the middle, do NOT look to the side or down. Before I knew it, I was in the atrium, giggling my fool head off. And then, as I found myself surrounded by fellow Crazies, the tears began to well in my eyes. I enjoyed a short phone conversation with my grandmother while I was so choked up by emotion that I could barely speak. The relief of being on the ship was indescribable. Finances have not been very good lately for my family and there has been a lot of stress in my life since leaving for college. This was the vacation that I'd been looking forward to for years. I was on board a cruise ship with my parents and dozens of Crazies friends who might as well have been family too. After all the nervous waiting and the panic about my birth certificate (since I didn't have time to get my passport in that month), I could not help but cry happy tears.

 

After a very emotional few moments in the Atrium, we elected to go to the Lido for some lunch since the room stewards were still tidying up from the last bunch of cruisers. The food was delicious, of course, and I was only slightly lamenting the break in a diet I'd been successful with. From what I understood, I'd be walking several miles a day just exploring the ship, so what was a few (hundred) extra calories a meal? Several times we tried to sneak down to our cabins, but crew members stood guard over the elevators as was their duty. Well, darn. :p We ended up resting for a bit in the Library right beside a beautiful model ship and then...the time came. Away to our quarters!

SAM_0239.jpg

I arrived in my cabin before my roommate did and our luggage had yet to be delivered, but it was early still, so I did not fear. I explored the room quickly. It was a bit small, but I didn't plan on spending much time in the cabin. I was off again, exploring the ship and being encouraged to get used to the open-air staircases while we were stationary, and then I returned to find my roomie in our cabin and our luggage delivered. She had graciously requested that the room steward move my bed against the forward wall in the corner so that we had more open floor space. Off to Muster and then to the deck for Sail Away! We were slightly belated in getting there, much to my dismay, and I felt the stirring of the boat as we pulled away. But never fear, we made it up to the Verandah and I dared to lean against the railing. Given my general joy, I actually found it to be quite nice and I stayed against that railing long after my comrades had retired to their cabins. Though it was chilly and my hands beginning to numb, I dutifully stood until we had passed the very point of the break-wall and then it was down to my cabin.

 

I cannot fully remember all the little details of what I did when due to my head spinning like a top, but I am sure that I did some more exploring before it was dinner time. Oh! We of course attended the Welcome Aboard show, during which there was perhaps a bit too much Crazie fun. We sure got some attention from Steve and the comedians regarding the group's enthusiasm and good mood, though some of the others in the Blue Sapphire lounge were urging some of our crew to hush. Oh well. Then! Dinner time. We were seated at a table for eight and I was luckily seated beside my roommate and my parents, along with tweetrp and her crew. I ordered the Duck Breast as an appetizer and was amazed by it's tenderness and flavor! WOW! For my main course, a wonderfully juicy pork chop. And then dessert was like heaven on earth. A beautiful slice of cheesecake accompanied by a cup of warm strawberry topping and a dollop of cream. I believe my head was exploding with joy! Oh I do love food and unfortunately my body shows that love quite clearly, but I regret nothing that I ate on the ship! NOTHING!

SAM_0266.jpg

SAM_0270.jpg

It was eventually time to retire to bed and so I did, encountering our room steward, Puja, on my way. He was truly a sweetheart with his soft voice. It still amazes me that he knew me by name and by face, as well as my roommate, Di, and I'm sure, all the other passengers in his area. Oh, while I'm on the subject, I have to say that another amazing thing about being on a cruise for me is listening to all the different accents. I love listening to people from different regions speak and being on a cruise ship, you hear people from all over. Africa, Asia, Europe, England, Canada, South America, everywhere! That alone was very neat, even though a few times I found myself straining to understand their words through some very thick accents.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Raven Days

Raven Days

Posted
Posted
Sailing Day dawned bright and early for this Crazie and First Time Cruiser. We awoke at about 6am, give or take a few minutes, and hurriedly dressed so that we could meet the Ecstasy from our watching place. Upon walking towards the beach for a quick stroll, we saw a ship in the distance. BEHOLD! The Ecstasy! Frantically we went back to the car and away we went. The sun was just beginning to come up over the water and we arrived a few minutes before the Ecstasy made her turn, just enough time to make a few sandwiches for breakfast and scarf them down. Despite the cold, I was standing there on the patio waiting with my camera at the ready for the Carnival Ecstasy to make her first appearance.

SAM_0177.jpg

The sight of the sunlight glinting off the Ecstasy was truly a breathtaking sight and I couldn't believe my luck at getting to watch! Surrounded by my fellow Crazies, all of them were murmuring their excitement and playfully yelling at the incoming passengers to get off our ship! Though I had been told how big the ship was, she was still beautiful in her enormity and I was filled with wonder as I stared up at her. Watching her turn and show us her lovely Aft was another amazing moment and again I was thanking my lucky stars. Finally the excitement of watching her began to trickle down and we left for a last-minute run to Walmart. While loading up, we met a gentleman due to board the ship as well and a conversation was struck up. Unfortunately for me, I heard a tale of a granddaughter who was not allowed to board because her birth certificate was not sealed, leaving me in a fluttery panic. What if I had come all the way down here only to be denied boarding at the last moment? I of course sought to stay positive and hid this fear under a veneer of nervous excitement and smiles.

SAM_0210.jpg

We left Walmart and it was time to park. We used EZ Cruise, which was quite nice though the shuttle bus was a bit crowded. No big deal, though. What's a little discomfort before 5 days of relaxation and luxury! And then we got to the terminal and waited for our turn in line. That time came rather quickly and the line moved with efficient speed. I was really surprised at how little we actually had to wait! I fumbled through security, removing my laptop from my carryon and getting all of my electronics safely through the scanner, hands trembling with excitement. And then it came time to show that all important proof of citizenship. Nervously I stepped up to the counter, fumbling to pull my birth certificate out of the plastic sleeve I'd put in a notebook for keepsakes, holding my breath the whole time. IT WAS ACCEPTED! OMG! I could have fainted right then. I put my cash deposit on my S&S account and received my card and a pocket deck-plan, which I ended up using maybe once. And then I was off to wait some more, my roomie right beside me and my parents just ahead of us. I was going to get on a ship today.

 

The wait was not long at all and we were some of the earliest arrivals, so it seemed to maybe be 5-10 after we saw the parade of VIPs that we were allowed to board. Now, I'm pretty afraid of heights, so boarding alone was quite a daunting experience for me. Look straight ahead, stay in the middle, do NOT look to the side or down. Before I knew it, I was in the atrium, giggling my fool head off. And then, as I found myself surrounded by fellow Crazies, the tears began to well in my eyes. I enjoyed a short phone conversation with my grandmother while I was so choked up by emotion that I could barely speak. The relief of being on the ship was indescribable. Finances have not been very good lately for my family and there has been a lot of stress in my life since leaving for college. This was the vacation that I'd been looking forward to for years. I was on board a cruise ship with my parents and dozens of Crazies friends who might as well have been family too. After all the nervous waiting and the panic about my birth certificate (since I didn't have time to get my passport in that month), I could not help but cry happy tears.

 

After a very emotional few moments in the Atrium, we elected to go to the Lido for some lunch since the room stewards were still tidying up from the last bunch of cruisers. The food was delicious, of course, and I was only slightly lamenting the break in a diet I'd been successful with. From what I understood, I'd be walking several miles a day just exploring the ship, so what was a few (hundred) extra calories a meal? Several times we tried to sneak down to our cabins, but crew members stood guard over the elevators as was their duty. Well, darn. :p We ended up resting for a bit in the Library right beside a beautiful model ship and then...the time came. Away to our quarters!

SAM_0239.jpg

I arrived in my cabin before my roommate did and our luggage had yet to be delivered, but it was early still, so I did not fear. I explored the room quickly. It was a bit small, but I didn't plan on spending much time in the cabin. I was off again, exploring the ship and being encouraged to get used to the open-air staircases while we were stationary, and then I returned to find my roomie in our cabin and our luggage delivered. She had graciously requested that the room steward move my bed against the forward wall in the corner so that we had more open floor space. Off to Muster and then to the deck for Sail Away! We were slightly belated in getting there, much to my dismay, and I felt the stirring of the boat as we pulled away. But never fear, we made it up to the Verandah and I dared to lean against the railing. Given my general joy, I actually found it to be quite nice and I stayed against that railing long after my comrades had retired to their cabins. Though it was chilly and my hands beginning to numb, I dutifully stood until we had passed the very point of the break-wall and then it was down to my cabin.

 

I cannot fully remember all the little details of what I did when due to my head spinning like a top, but I am sure that I did some more exploring before it was dinner time. Oh! We of course attended the Welcome Aboard show, during which there was perhaps a bit too much Crazie fun. We sure got some attention from Steve and the comedians regarding the group's enthusiasm and good mood, though some of the others in the Blue Sapphire lounge were urging some of our crew to hush. Oh well. Then! Dinner time. We were seated at a table for eight and I was luckily seated beside my roommate and my parents, along with tweetrp and her crew. I ordered the Duck Breast as an appetizer and was amazed by it's tenderness and flavor! WOW! For my main course, a wonderfully juicy pork chop. And then dessert was like heaven on earth. A beautiful slice of cheesecake accompanied by a cup of warm strawberry topping and a dollop of cream. I believe my head was exploding with joy! Oh I do love food and unfortunately my body shows that love quite clearly, but I regret nothing that I ate on the ship! NOTHING!

SAM_0266.jpg

SAM_0270.jpg

It was eventually time to retire to bed and so I did, encountering our room steward, Puja, on my way. He was truly a sweetheart with his soft voice. It still amazes me that he knew me by name and by face, as well as my roommate, Di, and I'm sure, all the other passengers in his area. Oh, while I'm on the subject, I have to say that another amazing thing about being on a cruise for me is listening to all the different accents. I love listening to people from different regions speak and being on a cruise ship, you hear people from all over. Africa, Asia, Europe, England, Canada, South America, everywhere! That alone was very neat, even though a few times I found myself straining to understand their words through some very thick accents.

 

Where were you standing to get such an awesome photo of the ship? I will be arriving into Galveston on Friday and would love to get a shot like that.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
shockcrazey

shockcrazey

Posted
  • Author
Posted
I'm in OKC. How can I become a Crazie?!? I love to cruise!!! And since many of my friends can't afford it as much as they'd (or I) would like, I could squeeze in more than they can... But singles are so expensive....

 

Well, there's no official process really. We all kind of gather in our Official Group Cruise threads such as http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=700873 . We're a chatty bunch, but don't think that you have to read all 20k+ pages! Basically we just gather on the boards and we've been planning a few cruises as a group. Our next one is the end of October and is available for a $25 deposit until March 2nd! The group rates are available on the first page of that thread, I believe, if you'd like to join us! If October doesn't work for you, we are trying to get a Spring 2012 cruise together probably in late April. Not every Crazie gets to make every cruise, but we accept anyone who's willing to associate themselves with such a rowdy bunch. :p

Link to comment
Share on other sites
shockcrazey

shockcrazey

Posted
  • Author
Posted
Where were you standing to get such an awesome photo of the ship? I will be arriving into Galveston on Friday and would love to get a shot like that.

 

We were at the patio area in front of the Harbor House Hotel......:D

 

Yup, out on the patio. There is (used to be?) a webcam that looks out onto the patio that we like to wave at. Our Crazies flag carries the slogan "Who's minding the webcams?" for our love of watching the Galveston.com cams. The ship comes in right in front of the patio so you get a wonderful unobstructed view of the ships as they come in.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Raven Days

Raven Days

Posted
Posted
Yup, out on the patio. There is (used to be?) a webcam that looks out onto the patio that we like to wave at. Our Crazies flag carries the slogan "Who's minding the webcams?" for our love of watching the Galveston.com cams. The ship comes in right in front of the patio so you get a wonderful unobstructed view of the ships as they come in.

 

What time do you think the ships usually go past? I was going to stay at the HH but then I canceled thinking that I wasnt going on the cruise but then I booked anyways and the rate went up so I fell back on my managers rate at Hilton.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
sixgun8

sixgun8

Posted
Posted
Where were you standing to get such an awesome photo of the ship? I will be arriving into Galveston on Friday and would love to get a shot like that.

 

What time do you think the ships usually go past? I was going to stay at the HH but then I canceled thinking that I wasnt going on the cruise but then I booked anyways and the rate went up so I fell back on my managers rate at Hilton.

 

 

If you have ever looked at the webcams on galveston.com, then you will see on the harbor view camera the oil rig museum, If you are wanting to watch the ship come in, go park by that museum and walk out onto the concrete patio behind the harbor house. You will have about half a football fields worth of real estate to watch from. The Conquest is usually rolling in at about 615-630 and the ecstasy used to always come in around 730, but lately she has been running at about 630-645 ish. Check your weather reports and look for FOG, that can always make the ships run very late and we are coming into that season within the next month or so.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

Go to topic listing
  • Forum Jump
    • Categories
      • Welcome to Cruise Critic
      • New Cruisers
      • Cruise Lines “A – O”
      • Cruise Lines “P – Z”
      • River Cruising
      • ROLL CALLS
      • Cruise Critic News & Features
      • Digital Photography & Cruise Technology
      • Special Interest Cruising
      • Cruise Discussion Topics
      • UK Cruising
      • Australia & New Zealand Cruisers
      • Canadian Cruisers
      • North American Homeports
      • Ports of Call
      • Cruise Conversations
×
×
  • Create New...