Fascination Spring Break Review

[CrystalBelle]

This is my first review so I hope I'm doing this right.

 

I've cruised once before, with my husband out of Mobile, Al on a ship that is now "retired" so I don't have much to compare this ship to other then that one small ship.

 

I decided last minute to book a cruise out of Jacksonville, FL because it is driving distance and the dates matched up exactly to my children's spring break for school.

 

The first thing I want to say is the parking/terminal at Jaxport could be better. I had to drag my 4 bags and 3 kids across a parking lot into the terminal. It was raining/pouring/thundering so by the time we got into the check in line we were soaked from head to toe. The lady who took my money for parking said there were golf carts running from the parking area to the terminal, which was true but as I stood there and watched there was only ONE cart running and a lot full of people so I just decided to run for it... It wasn't pleasant and actually pretty dang crappy because now I had to stand in line soaking wet, dripping, with 3 soaking wet kids blah.... anyways, I wasn't going to let that upset me off we went onto the ship.

 

Luckily the room was ready when we boarded however our bags were not in the room so we had to sit in our soaking wet clothing from about noon-5ish pm no fun. Again wasn't going to let that stop me and off we went to the buffet for some lunch.

 

After we ate and returned to the room our bags still have not arrived and we went to the emergency roll call thingy still wet.

 

After this returned to the room to find our bags and we all unpacked and changed! yes! DRY!

 

Checked out the information for the kids club. I will say I think the kids club is an excellent idea. I'm thankful my children went on the first day because after that they really just did their own things. One thing I would like to comment on is that they kept moving my 9-11 YO room and on the first day it was hidden really well in a conference room, which looked like the entrance to the bathroom. Several times I had to ask someone where the room was, they all kept saying, oh up the stairs to the left. I couldn't find it and finally had someone SHOW me, no worries. but dang that room was hard to find.

 

Day 1 ended with dinner and then we passed out around 10pm, so boring I know! More to come!

[LUVMYGSDOG]

Goodie a Fascination review!

 

Sorry you got soaked. I know yiu were miserable!

 

Look forward to the remainder of your review!

 

 

Kim

[CrystalBelle]

I made a video

 

http://youtu.be/brgxV4tcQc4

 

so enjoy that while I finish the review!

[CrystalBelle]

Day 2: Sea Day

 

We slept in, which for us being used to central time, that meant we woke up about 830 (930am our time) and went for brunch. It was great my son had the tomato soup and some pasta dish while I had a salmon bagel. YUM!

 

We then braved the water slides!

 

 

The kids LOVED this!

 

 

 

we then ate some more food. haha and basically did nothing much all day but relax, nap, swim, eat, nap.... etc until dinner and then bed.

 

[CrystalBelle]

DAY 3 Nassau

 

We did not do any planned excursions I was worried about the cooler water temps so we just left the boat and walked. I didn't really much care for Nassau, The people were nice but still in your face about you want this, come and buy this, etc.... not my cup of tea. So we took a ferry boat over to the other side by Atlantis and it was MUCH cleaner and calm, no in your face sales. We walked quiet a ways to a public beach and found a spot just to sit and relax. My daughter played in the sand because I really wouldn't let her get in the water, it was a pretty steep drop off where it went from knee height to over my head in one step! yikes but it was beautiful and playing on the outskirts was just find and dandy.

 

 

 

 

 

This is my stepdad and mom. and my daughter

 

[CrystalBelle]

Day 4: Little Stirrup Cay

 

I've never done a tender before so I created a video that shows what it is.

 

The process is a bit confusing, but you have to stand in line to get a number, then wait for the ship to call your number and then go to the theater. Once in the theater they will then call your number again so you can go down to the boat to tender to the island. It was my first time doing this so it was a smudge frustrating only because I had no clue what was going on, I just thought you walked down and got on the ship to go over.... but after I figured it out I see why they did it that way to stay organized and not have 300 people just standing at the bottom waiting for a boat. It was fast, I'd say from start of first line until we were on the ship it was about 30 minutes.

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EFFj8JgOyn0

 

This was my all time favorite day! If you pass getting off the ship in Nassau, which if I go again I will probably just stay on the ship in Nassau.... take advantage of their private island. If you have a choice between a cruise that doesn't go to their island bump it up to ones that do.

 

It was wonderful! The water was shallow for the kids to play, there was no people trying to sell you braids for your hair or anything like that, just pure enjoyment and relaxation. I wish this was the long day and then Nassau was the short day because 3pm was too soon to get back on the boat!

 

 

Now I went on spring break, the ship was FULL probably overfull with families in each cabin of 4+ but I had no problem finding a row of 4 chairs to set my family. I also went over later, around 11am...

 

 

 

 

On the Island they do a BBQ of sorts with Hamburgers, Hotdogs, salad, chips, salsa, and we had Jerk Chicken, rice, fruit, pasta and potato salads.... It was nice and included. haha

 

[Jaco5NC]

Love your review and pictures! We sail on her in May...can't wait!

[reerun25]

Great start! Enjoying the review so far!

[makingplans4cruise]

We leave on Fascination for our spring break cruise in 19 days! Same itinerary as you. Please include any tips you learned for cruising with children. (We'll be traveling with my DS4 and DD5.) Thank you for the review and photos!

[CrystalBelle]

We leave on Fascination for our spring break cruise in 19 days! Same itinerary as you. Please include any tips you learned for cruising with children. (We'll be traveling with my DS4 and DD5.) Thank you for the review and photos!

 

they will have a blast!

 

The thing I think I would do differently is not even leave the ship in Nassau. OR make sure I booked a carnival sponsored excursion. I'm from a pretty safe area back home so I don't handle people in my face trying to sell me stuff easily I'm sort of afraid too. I was not comfortable at all. If you don't want to book an excursion after the straw market, walk a little way and there is a ferry boat for $4 you can go one way across the ferry over to the Atlantis side. It was much cleaner and safer, IMO. We walked a bit and came to a private beach area where people were trying to sell stuff but once we said no thank you they left right away, right off the ship they were way more in your face, let me braid your hair, ride this horse buggy, etc. The beach over there is nice but the drop off is really really steep so I wouldn't let me 6 YO go past the sand.... It was ok we were not that hot that day so getting a few steps in was fine. Again, next time I'm going to skip getting off the boat at all in nassau. Maybe I missed something but it was not enjoyable at all. Or maybe I'm just a grump.

 

....and I LOVE LOVE LOVE new orleans and have stayed on bourbon street so crowds/loud music/street peddlers really don't bug me, maybe it was just because I was not familiar with my surroundings, who knows?

 

The one thing I will say is i LOVED the little stirrup cay and wish I would have known how the boarding process works before I wasted all morning waiting for the crowds to die down... because it really wouldn't have mattered.... wake up and send your husband to get tender tickets asap and then grab some breakfast fast and get over there! It is wonderful! The water is calm and the kids can actually go out in it without fear of death! hehe

 

They feed you lunch from like 1130-2 I think, but we had to be back on the ship at 3, the day was too short. I did get snorkeling gear that was my all time favorite part of the cruise. They even sell snorkeling as an excursion on the boat but its the same price as if you buy it at the island so maybe wait? and see....

 

My biggest suggestion is have them do the kids club meet and greet the first night. They will meet friends and it helps for the next days when you want to put them in the kids club that they will most likely know someone in there....

 

Another thing is the rooms are tiny, I'm not sure what kind of room you have but we had a standard ocean view room. My over the door shoe rack saved so much space!!

 

 

also there is ONE plug in the room. ONE. so if you have iPads or cell phones or anything bring a 3 plug extension cord. it also saved my life, I went with my 3 kids alone and they all had their iPads and computers for down time, and with one plug it wouldn't have been pretty....

 

 

I know it looks a mess but it really wasn't that bad at all.

 

Also debarkation. just let them take your bags and go eat breakfast while everyone else files out. I let them take my bags the night before and it was so simple they called our number the next day and we walked right off the ship, into the terminal our bags were right there and out thru customs. easy as pie.

[makingplans4cruise]

Thanks so much for the great advice... I just ordered an over-the-door shoe holder and will put it to good use!

[mousey]

Nice review, love the pics of your family!:D