Carnival Fascination Review 12/17-12/22/2012

[gracie65]

Just back yesterday from The Carnival Fascination. For the most part we had a great week. I will try to get my comments and observations added over the next few days. I am ashamed to say I did not take many pictures. I am even a photographer but I had a group of 27 I organized for this sailing and there were just so many of us to keep up with I totally neglected my camera duties so I'm sorry for being slack in that department.

 

Pre-Cruise Stay

My entire group stayed at The Springhill Suites Airport and did the cruise, park fly rate. I had originally booked all with parksleepfly but made changes about 4 weeks before sailing to book straight with the hotel as their rates had come down. Karen at the front desk was amazing at coordinating our group to get over in shuttles. It's a very smooth process and made it very easy to arrange there and back.

 

The night before we used the hotels free shuttle to go back and forth to dinner. Based on great tripadvisor reviews I choose The Millhouse Restaurant. The $1.99 drink prices were a hit with the group but the food to all of us was just ok. I had read about the prime rib and it came out a bit overcooked and was pretty tough. My mother-in-law and hubby got the same theirs was cooked perfectly but also tough and not much flavor so I didn't bother to send my back. A few others in the group sent back steaks too and the biggest complaint was they were tough, so I don't know if we had an off night or what. There is a Longhorn Steakhouse and Ruby Tuesday close by so next time will probably opt for one of those.

Embarkation

I had 9 of us on the first shuttle for my group because we were all either platinum or in a suite so we got priority boarding. We were in the van by 10:45 to the ship shortly after 11:00am, in the VIP Check in 5 minutes later and being escorted on the ship by 11:15. This had to be the smoothest and fastest boarding I have ever encountered on Carnival. This was my 7th sailing since becoming platinum and was just blown away by how fast we were on the ship.

We had friends with us in a Grand Suite. They were 2 adults and 3 children. Their first Carnival Cruise so we spent a little time giving them the layout of the ship. We all went up to Lido and started with our first drinks and got the kids soda cards. About 1:00 I went to see if I could sneak in the cabin. They have not started allowing Priority boarders instant access to the cabins on this ship yet so I didn't want to try going to check it out too early. We had balcony cabins on Upper 210 and 214. When I went to check them out the rooms were opposite how they should have been. I saw the cabin steward and he said easiest way to fix was to go down to Customer Service and swap the people. Which we had to do anyway as both hubby and I are platinum and our son and MIL are not. Even though we paid for both cabins and had a minor son with his grandma we had to put me in one cabin and DH in the other so we could all board priority. I think in hindsight it would have also been just as easy to linked both of them to our shipboard account and then took MIL's credit card to have her on her own account. Either way we made it work and was a 2 minute fix at guest services.

Time to take a break, having to wash clothes and prepare meals again sure takes some getting used to so all this typing tires you out!!LOL will add more later.

[iron9er]

Just back yesterday from The Carnival Fascination. For the most part we had a great week. I will try to get my comments and observations added over the next few days. I am ashamed to say I did not take many pictures. I am even a photographer but I had a group of 27 I organized for this sailing and there were just so many of us to keep up with I totally neglected my camera duties so I'm sorry for being slack in that department.

 

Pre-Cruise Stay

My entire group stayed at The Springhill Suites Airport and did the cruise, park fly rate. I had originally booked all with parksleepfly but made changes about 4 weeks before sailing to book straight with the hotel as their rates had come down. Karen at the front desk was amazing at coordinating our group to get over in shuttles. It's a very smooth process and made it very easy to arrange there and back.

 

The night before we used the hotels free shuttle to go back and forth to dinner. Based on great tripadvisor reviews I choose The Millhouse Restaurant. The $1.99 drink prices were a hit with the group but the food to all of us was just ok. I had read about the prime rib and it came out a bit overcooked and was pretty tough. My mother-in-law and hubby got the same theirs was cooked perfectly but also tough and not much flavor so I didn't bother to send my back. A few others in the group sent back steaks too and the biggest complaint was they were tough, so I don't know if we had an off night or what. There is a Longhorn Steakhouse and Ruby Tuesday close by so next time will probably opt for one of those.

 

Embarkation

I had 9 of us on the first shuttle for my group because we were all either platinum or in a suite so we got priority boarding. We were in the van by 10:45 to the ship shortly after 11:00am, in the VIP Check in 5 minutes later and being escorted on the ship by 11:15. This had to be the smoothest and fastest boarding I have ever encountered on Carnival. This was my 7th sailing since becoming platinum and was just blown away by how fast we were on the ship.

We had friends with us in a Grand Suite. They were 2 adults and 3 children. Their first Carnival Cruise so we spent a little time giving them the layout of the ship. We all went up to Lido and started with our first drinks and got the kids soda cards. About 1:00 I went to see if I could sneak in the cabin. They have not started allowing Priority boarders instant access to the cabins on this ship yet so I didn't want to try going to check it out too early. We had balcony cabins on Upper 210 and 214. When I went to check them out the rooms were opposite how they should have been. I saw the cabin steward and he said easiest way to fix was to go down to Customer Service and swap the people. Which we had to do anyway as both hubby and I are platinum and our son and MIL are not. Even though we paid for both cabins and had a minor son with his grandma we had to put me in one cabin and DH in the other so we could all board priority. I think in hindsight it would have also been just as easy to linked both of them to our shipboard account and then took MIL's credit card to have her on her own account. Either way we made it work and was a 2 minute fix at guest services.

Time to take a break, having to wash clothes and prepare meals again sure takes some getting used to so all this typing tires you out!!LOL will add more later.

 

Nice, we are going on this cruise in a few days and staying at the same hotel. Thank you for the review, looking forward to hearing more!

[KirkNC]

Thanks for the review!

[swcjlc]

We live about 4 miles from the airport. We have found that the Millhouse is hit or miss. And tends to be quite loud at times

 

Longhorn usually does not have enough servers on duty, so their service has been poor.

 

Ruby Tuesday had been the best. Out of the three

 

Market center is right across I-95. There are many restaurants there and a Walmart

[gracie65]

Day 1 Continued:

Luggage arrived before safety drill so we unpacked some before and finished up afterward. We had 11 kids with our group and got them all set up with Camp Carnival at 5pm registration. On past sailings they have been later so this was a big improvement to get it out of the way early rather then in the middle of dinner times.

Most of our kids were in the 12-14 camp so they went off on their own while most of the adults went to the MDR for dinner. I had selected Anytime for our group because I knew everyone would like the flexibility. we prefer the dining room but some of the others would rather do the other options so I basically would tell everyone wanting the MDR each night meet about 7pm at the casino bar and then one person could go make the reservation once we had a head count. I went down most nights and did this because I knew all the cabin #'s and names in the cabins. We were in The Sensation Dining room and the same hostess would help me with this each night and I am sorry to say I didn't get her name. She had a space between her teeth like Madonna so if you get her you know you will be in good hands. Dinner night 1 was really good service and food. We did have to wait about 30 minutes on a table but we had 13 that night so everyone was fine with that. Many at our table got the lasagne and said it was the best meal of the week. The warm chocolate melting cake was amazing as usual and it fast became the favorite of our group.

 

After dinner some went to the casino others the bar and most of us ended up in the disco. The DJ was ok, there was a lot of music he didn't have which we all thought a DJ should easily have on hand but we had an awesome time and danced till about 1:30am before parting ways and going to cabins.

 

Beds on Carnival are still the best of any line I have been on and we slept like babies!!

[gracie65]

Day 2 was a sea day which I always enjoy when it's warm and I was not disappointed. Several of us grabbed chairs and stayed while a few others went to eat then traded when they got back. I waited until 12 to eat as I wanted the Mongolian Grill. It was amazing as usual and got to the line just before it got too long.

Most of us laid by the pool and watched the pool games while some were making a donation to the casino!!

Late afternoon we all headed back to cabins to start getting ready for Elegant Night. I have always enjoyed getting dressed up but so many past cruises everyone seems to be getting less fancy so all the women opted for cocktail length dresses. I think I saw 3-4 long gowns total the entire night. Our son brought dress pants, nice shirt and tie so we went and tried to get a few pictures of the three of us. I really should have gone to more then two places because I wasn't too happy with the photos. I usually have us go to several of them but after dinner our son disappeared with the other kids and it just didn't happen. I bought 1 picture of the three of us. I just finished with my busy season so deep down I think I was just exhausted from picture taking and posing too!!LOL

Captains Dinner was just ok. Nothing wowed me. I got 2 entrees to have prime rib and lobster. Almost everyone at my table had to send their lobster back because it was undercooked. Mine was ok. The Prime Rib that used to be about an inch thick was 1/4 inch at the most. It honestly was the thickness of a breakfast steak. Very disappointed in this meal overall. I knew I had read Carnival had made cut backs but didn't realize how much just since we sailed on The Fantasy in late 2010. The food on that sailing was amazing.

 

After dinner we again either went to the casino or disco. I had not intended to be out late that night because Key West was a early day the next day but again found ourselves out till about 1:30. I made sure to order BLT's to help absorb some of the alcohol!!

[gracie65]

Day 3 Key West: I made it up with the help of an excedrin for the caffeine since I don't drink coffee. We had about 15 of our group meeting to tour around the city with someone in our group that used to live there. We have been to Key West an few times before and DH really thought his friend was going to show us things we had never seen before, lets just say he had his expectations set a little high or a lot high while mine were extremely realistic. I had a feeling this friend was a bit more talk then show!! We got on The City View train which was fine. My MIL was with us and she is 70 and has some hip problems so I knew this was the best way for her to see the highlights. We enjoyed it but our friend kept trying to over-talk the driver which I found to be rude. We all got off at Hemingway House and we were able to break apart form him and do our own thing. We love Margaritaville so we headed there for lunch. Kenny Chesney was actually going to be playing there that night for free but we had a ship to catch!!!

We just walked Duval St. and I realized MIL had wanted Key Lime Pie. We have had before at Fogarty's and been some of the best I have had but by the time we thought about it we were almost to the ship and had a slice at Hogs Breath, I know it's a bar and should have known exceptional Key Lime Pie was not what they were famous for but oh well, we got it and it was eatable I have had better and had worse. Next time in Key West I will go back to planning my own day instead of being roped into someone else's!! Live and Learn!!

 

After reboarding the ship hubby and I went to the cabin and ended up taking a 3 hour nap. We got up got ready to meet for dinner. I think this is the night I got the jerked pork loin. It was good. A little tough from how I recall on past cruises.

After dinner I was still tired so I headed on back to the cabin and ended up watching Katie Couric's special and falling asleep.

[gracie65]

Day 4 Nassau: We were here from 12-7:30pm. Several in my group had decided to go to The Sheratan at Cable Beach for the daypasses. I knew it was 30.00 for adults and half price for kids but I think I missed the part where it's kids 4-12 that are half price. I had really wanted to go to Blue Lagoon Island that day but the times the ferry ran just didn't make it worth the price since it's getting dark so early. If I had to do over after being to Nassau so many times and having these same hours in port I would have stayed on the ship. We have pretty much done everything there you can do. It seems like by the time we got the jitny and made it to Cable Beach it was time to leave again. We maybe had 2 hours there and just don't think the time justifies the price. The water was cold so most of the kids ended up at the basketball court and they had that on the ship so it really wasn't anyplace special for kids in my opinion.

On the way back we had decided to stop at The Fish Fry area. I have been wanting to go there since reading about it on the port of call threads. We went to Twin Brothers. Worst experience of the entire week. It may have been our server but after sitting for over an hour we still had no food. She finally brought out appetizers. We got Conch Fritters they were just ok. We had to ask her 3 more times where our entrees were. Not once did she come back to fill up our water. The adults had each gotten a beer the kids sodas. so we weren't just drinking water because it was free we had other things. Finally we got up went inside and told the person that we just wanted our check that we had waited and been told 3 times over the last 30 minutes our entrees would be right out. We paid for what we had been served and left. Please don't take my review as the norm because I have always ready great things about this place. It was kinda weird though because when we went inside it was pretty well full. We had been sitting outside for well over an hour and a half and only saw a few people go in and out, so maybe service was just really slow that night but it was getting dark and we didn't want to be there past dark.

 

We took a cab back to the port. Normally would have walked but again had MIL and knew she wouldn't be able to make it that far.

 

We were all hungry the kids hadn't eaten so they went on their own and the adults went to the dining room. I am having brain fog if this was the night I got the jerk pork or the night before and forgetting what the other one was oh now I recall it was Chateaubriand with Bearnaise Sauce. Most everyone at the table got the same thing. We have sailed with Carnival enough to automatically say rare if we want medium rare. Ours came out right and a few others had to send back. The Bearnaise Sauce was literally a 1/4 of a teaspoon in this brown gravy. I scooted the gravy to the side and we asked for more Bearnaise, by the time it got there it was not even warm nor the meat. If you like Bearnaise you may want to ask for no gravy and extra Bearnaise when you place your order.

I think again we all had warm chocolate melting cake which was awesome everytime.

[gracie65]

I forgot to mention the night before was also the deck party. The Mexican Buffet was probably the best food of the week and I am saying this after the last few sailings the Mexican Buffet has been nothing special.

We again went to the disco since the next day was a sea day. One of the evenings in the Disco was a 70's and 80's hour which I am a child of the 80's so I love that kind of music. It was really a Michael Jackson Hour, which I liked him too but we requested several disco songs that he didn't have. Then we requested Brickhouse and a no go on it too.

 

Back to the last day our sea day. I don't know what happened with the temps between the midnight buffet the night before and 9am but wow was it freezing!! Thankfully I packed warmer clothes. We basically had a sleeping and shopping day and yes some making another donation in the casino.

We did hit the designer watch sale and bracelets. I usually love looking at the designer rings but they had them filled in two baskets with all sizes lumped together. Everyone was getting so aggravated trying to find the right size for the style that they just weren't buying any because it was so much trouble.

 

At 7pm we all meet as usual for dinner. Worst meal of the week. I ended up getting the meatloaf, it was ok very dry. The beefsteak tomatoes with mozzarella and onion soup were thankfully good.

I learned a long time ago not to order fish on a cruise ship and tried to tell everyone else in the group. Many didn't listen to me and got anyways and guess what?? They told me I was right.

This was my 16th Carnival Cruise. I never had the Maitre'd come over a single time and welcome me back. I know this could not have had anything to do with the Anytime Dining because when you check in with the hostess she gets everyone's cabin #'s and names of guests from each cabin. The hostess got the tip money at the end of the week I would have normally given the Maitre'd.

 

 

After dinner hubby and I went back and finsihed packing then went to the adult comedy show. Cee-Jay Jones I think was his name. He was really good. We had ran into him one night in the disco and he gave us a card he comes to our area and preforms so we will have to watch for him.

[gracie65]

Debarkation: was just as fast as getting one. We gathered up all our things and headed toward the Palace Theatre which is where the #1 luggage tags were to meet. At the elevators a rep sent us down with self assisted by mistake. We had to wait in the terminal about 10 minutes to where the luggage was held. Found a porter gathered everything breezed thru customs and to the vans Springhill Suites used to return. We were in our vehicle by 9:30am.

 

Camp Carnival: This was our sons 5th cruise but first time in the 12-14 age group. They get to come and go as they please. Since we had so many kids in same age group I felt very safe allowing them to come and go as they pleased. They had a great time and did some of the camp activities and other things on their own. One of the boys in our group won a ship on a stick for the corn hole tournament. I was like I want that I have been on all these sailings and never won one and you get it on your first!!LOL He was smiling so big!! The kids all had a great time and I still think Carnival is the best ship for kids.

 

The Adults: In summary I will say the MDR food has really gone downhill. I have always bragged to everyone I know that Carnivals MDR food is better then Princess and Royal Caribbean. I am really questioning that after this sailing. Several other frequent Carnival sailors within my group said the same thing. I don't know if it was just an off week or cuts Carnival has made since 2010. I love the size of The Fantasy Class Ships but think in the future we will stick with the ships that have The Supper Clubs in them. We have always enjoyed the Carnival Supper Clubs. I know it's a surcharge but if what we experienced this past week in the MDR is fleetwide it is well worth the surcharge.

Overall everyone had a great sailing except for the quality of the MDR food. Waitstaff was still wonderful they couldn't help the food.

Our cabin steward was Sushi he did a good job. I did have to keep telling him to keep my ice bucket filled for wine I brought on but other then that he did as he was supposed to.

 

Please feel free to ask any questions I may have missed.

[kingoftheicedragons]

Great review.

 

What night was the past guest party? I didn't see anything about that, or did I just miss it?

[StephD]

How was The Springhill Suites? We are thinking of staying there when we cruise next year. We will be there for most of the day before we cruise and want to have things to do. Overall I'm glad ya'll had a good cruise!:D

[javamom]

 

 

This was my 16th Carnival Cruise. I never had the Maitre'd come over a single time and welcome me back. I know this could not have had anything to do with the Anytime Dining because when you check in with the hostess she gets everyone's cabin #'s and names of guests from each cabin. The hostess got the tip money at the end of the week I would have normally given the Maitre'd.

Who was the Maitre'd?

[gracie65]

Great review.

 

What night was the past guest party? I didn't see anything about that, or did I just miss it?

 

Ours was the night we were in key west we usually don't miss them but after starting to drink early there I just couldn't keep it going till 5pm.

[gracie65]

How was The Springhill Suites? We are thinking of staying there when we cruise next year. We will be there for most of the day before we cruise and want to have things to do. Overall I'm glad ya'll had a good cruise!:D

 

Wonderful !! Would stay there again in a heartbeat.

[gracie65]

[/size]

Who was the Maitre'd?[/size]

 

I don't even know will look to see if its in anything I brought home. I don't think we have never not had them come buy the table Atleast once during our sailing even in early cruises.

[kingoftheicedragons]

Ours was the night we were in key west we usually don't miss them but after starting to drink early there I just couldn't keep it going till 5pm.

 

Thanks. Looking forward to our Key West and Nassau cruise in a month. I got a little nervous after hearing some reports of people not being told when the past guest party was.

[gracie65]

Thanks. Looking forward to our Key West and Nassau cruise in a month. I got a little nervous after hearing some reports of people not being told when the past guest party was.

 

We didn't get one for the past guest party. This one was for Platinum and Diamond cruisers, sorry just realized that. We never got anything for the past guest party and nobody else in my group that were past guests did either. There also were no free drinks at Captains Reception. It was $1.00 off drinks on Promenade Deck. I guess this is one area where Carnival is making cuts.

 

I'd like to know if anyone else has had prime rib lately on a Carnival ship and how thick the cut was. Ours was literally a 1/4 of an inch.

[gracie65]

Thanks. Looking forward to our Key West and Nassau cruise in a month. I got a little nervous after hearing some reports of people not being told when the past guest party was.

 

PS just saw your European sailing for next year. Can't wait to hear how it is, try to remember to do a review!!

[Gulf coast]

In order to get pass cruiser discount, I booked myself in my son's cabin, and my son booked in my husband's cabin. We have two cabins a grandsuite and a window cabin. I paid for the tickets. Do you think that the two families will be allowed to do priority boarding together? Also, I plan on letting our two grandchildren "sleep over" in our grand suite a couple of nights. Do you think that will be allowed?

 

Thanks

[gracie65]

In order to get pass cruiser discount, I booked myself in my son's cabin, and my son booked in my husband's cabin. We have two cabins a grandsuite and a window cabin. I paid for the tickets. Do you think that the two families will be allowed to do priority boarding together? Also, I plan on letting our two grandchildren "sleep over" in our grand suite a couple of nights. Do you think that will be allowed?

 

Thanks

 

 

Sometimes they will let then slide thru but the key to getting them to board with you is to use your credit card for their sail and sign account.

As far as your grands coming to your cabin, they aren't going to know so no big deal on that.

You can also go to customer service after you have boarded and move your husband back in with you so he has a key if that's a issue.

[gelo7]

Nice review.

[JP4GA]

Thanks for the review. We will be sailing this ship in May. They changed from Key West to a private island, so that will be interesting.