Fascination December 5-10, 2011

[GAMOM4]

We arrived at the VIP parking in Jacksonville about 12:20 Monday...this is an absolutely great place to park...they were so quick to help us unload our car and get the bags loaded on the van. The van was really nice and so was the driver. I wouldn't ever hestitate to use them or recommend them. When we got to the cruise terminal there was a line...but it wasn't nearly as long as we have been in some of the lines before...and one good thing was it wasn't 100 degrees like it has been before when we cruised. Just guessing I would say it took 35-40 minutes to get through the entire check in process. When we got on the ship we were able to go straight to our room and drop off our bags.

 

This isn't going to be a review of complaints...because basically I have none. This was our 3rd time cruising on the Fascination...we were just as happy this year as we were the past 2 times...I will say one thing cruising in December is 100% different than cruising the summer months like we always have before. The number one thing was I saw very few children or teenagers on the ship...there were no lines at any time when we were getting something to eat (other than maybe 4 or 5 people). We never had trouble finding somewhere to sit.

 

We went up to the Lido deck to get something to eat...I will say upfront that I am not a "foodie" .... I don't eat alot at home and I didn't eat alot on the cruise so I'm not able to give opinions on whether the food was really good or not...I had no complaints with anything that I ate. This is the first year out of 6 cruises that I have had a hamburger from the Lido deck - it was good. Someone sitting beside me in the dining room had the hamburger one night in there and said it was "excellent".

 

People were dressed in all kinds of things on the cruise..the first night in the dining room they did say not to wear ball hats or flip flops or cut off shorts or bathing suits. We only went to the dining room two nights - the first night and the 2nd night which was elegant night.

 

The ship was decorated for Christmas and was absolutely beautiful. I have alot of pictures...but I will have to post them to Photobucket or something like that so that I can import them to this board because I don't think I can enter them right from my computer.

 

We only went to one show and it was the welcome aboard show...we did go listen to them sing karaoke a couple of times..now they have it where they sing with a live band. We went to the past guest party and also to the farewell party. Both of these things had a large turnout...the drinks were flowing pretty freely at both of them. They had screwdrivers, melonballs, wine, champagne, beer, whiskey sours and rum and punch..those were the ones I could remember. They had appetizers at the past guest party but we didn't eat any of them..they offered several times though.

 

The staff was constantly cleaning the ship - just like they have on every single cruise we have been on. One thing that did make me mad was we were sitting on the Lido deck one afternoon and the man that was 2 tables from us was going on and on about how he had went down and had his tips removed and it had saved him over $50.00 a person. I just don't understand this...but then again..I guess everyone has their opinions on it..I think that the staff work extra hard for the money that they make..and that is my only comment on that one.

 

Our first day was a sea day, the 2nd we were in Key West...I love Key West...it is by far my most favorite port...and I'm sure that no matter how many places we were to cruise to I would feel the same way. We didn't do an excursion..we walked (and it was hot!) we went to the Southern Most Point...Mallory Square had changed alot since we were there in 2007...things have really built up alot around that part of the port (at least it seemed that way to me). The 2nd day we were in Nassau (not my favorite port at all....I did stay off the ship there a little longer this year than last year) we walked around the town..they were getting ready for a big parade that they had large stadium seating beside the streets (they kept informing us that we would have to pay to sit there) for a parade that they were having called Junkanoo ... I had never heard of it but they said it was a big deal....they said we were very lucky to be in port and be there at the time of the parade...everyone was closing their booths at the straw market (which for now is lines of tents up and down the street)....I actually liked that better than walking through that huge tent that was always so hot during the summer and so crowded. I think everything had to be closed before the start of the parade. We were back on the ship before then though. I will tell you that we stopped at a Italian Cafe called Via Cafe (I think) that was SUPER nice - it was right there on the main street. It was spotless inside...with the nicest people working there..we just stopped for a drink. There were lots of people on their laptops...there were also 3 other ships in port that day.

The last day was a sea day.

 

We always carry on so much stuff..I don't think we will ever be able to do self debarkation....one thing I will say about today when we got off the ship there were hardly any porters there..they usually are about fussing over who will help you with your bags..not today....we never did get anyone to help us with ours...but anyway we made it out by ourselves lugging all those bags;) and the VIP people were waiting exactly where they said they would be. They loaded our bags in the back and when we arrived back at their business our car was sitting there waiting on us..they had already pulled the car from around back (which was super helpful!).

 

Please post any questions..and I will be glad to answer any of the things I can. I wouldn't hesitate to go back on the Fascination again next year - in fact we bought a future cruise certificate..it seemed like alot of people were doing this.

[SE NC]

Great review! We have cruised all the larger Carnival ships except thr Dream. However, we cruise the Fascination last June and liked it so much (and HMC:D!) that we are cruising her again Feb 4. Although I like the bigger ships because the balconies (bigger ships have more of them) are more affordable, I'm just fine with an OV room on this fine ship!:p

[GAMOM4]

After having a couple of days back and reading the review that I posted...I realized that I probably left out lots of details. Please ask if you have any questions. Also, should I copy and post the review in the cruise review section of cruise critic?

[ATL2LAS]

I sailed on the Fascination for the first time in September. I used VIP Parking as well and they are quite the bargain. Might have to try the route with HMC next go round. Did you find the Fascination a little dark? It wasan't as bright as other Carnival ships I've been on.

[GAMOM4]

This was our 3rd time on the Fascination so I guess we were kind of use to the lighting situation...but now that you mention it the inside is kind of dark...the other ships that I have been on, the Inspiration, Celebration and Jubilee were all about the same. We do hope to go on a bigger ship one day...but we just love cruising and I honestly think that we could just cruise on the Fascination over and over...it helps that it is only about a 3 1/2 hour drive from our house, so we save alot of money on transportation.

 

The only port that I can honestly say that I enjoy is Key West..I also liked Half Moon Cay last year and I thought it was absolutely beautiful. It would be fine with me if every cruise we went on would just go to those two places or if we could go on a cruise to nowhere for 5 nights:) (I know alot of people don't agree with this at all).

 

I have been reading some of the reviews of the Fascination that other passengers have been posting over the past several months...and I can see how some people would be afraid of cruising on this ship by reading their reviews....but everyone likes and enjoys different things...and I highly recommend cruising on this ship if you aren't looking for a huge ship that is new and goes to different ports.

[Waterloomarc]

We haven't been on the newer Dream class ships but have been on the others. We really enjoyed the Fascination when we were in her in October. I was initially afraid of an "older" ship but it was a short last minute cruise so I figured what the heck. The dining room service was by far the best we've had to date. I'm no longer afraid of Fantasy class ships... Just wish I'd realized that before the Elation left Mobile...

 

 

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[ImmortalxKiss]

We have always cruised on the Fascination around December 12th, so when we went November 26th, we were bummed to not see the decorations. They have always been so lovely!

[GAMOM4]

The Christmas decorations were beautiful....I think that they were putting them up all week .... I have got to figure out how to put some pictures on here. We noticed some of the decorations the time we got on the ship...but by Saturday morning everywhere was decorated. The snow falling in the atrium was a nice surprise...but in the pictures that I took of the snow didn't show up.

[ImmortalxKiss]

They did the snow on our ship, as well. I didn't see it in pictures but was able to take video, as well.