Just off Imagination, May 8-13, loved it review to come

[sharecruises]

Wow...just back and already missing the Imagination! What's for lunch?? Ouch, need to make it myself LOL

 

Loved the ship, the crew, my waiter, his assistant, room steward, loved loved Jamaica, G. Cayman ok, much like Florida JMO, the ship is just great, so perfect and clean, like new

 

More to come, no chair hogs, no real problems,getting onboard was a snap, self embark sort of slower than I hoped

 

OH> The 'booze" question....all the booze people bought onboard, etc, was delivered in nifty cardboard carry cases around noontime of the last sea day (yesterday) We did NOT have the "go pick it up and wait in line" problem that some people have had to deal with lately.

 

PERFECT weather, nicest people,so many smiles, smooth seas, no one seasick, never felt it moving ...much more to come

 

Yea MON>>> Loved the Imagination...wish I could have just stayed on board, where is my new towel animal tonite??

Carnival exceeded my expectations, feel free to ask questions I will answer as I can, and work my "offical review" and more <grin>

[MN PATRIOT]

I will be cruising on the Imagination on 5 June. This will be my first cruise and everything that I have read pertaining to the Imagination has been very positive to this point. I do have a question for you though since you are offering. I have a flight to catch in Orlando at 4:10 PM on the day we disembark. How long did it take you to get off the ship?

 

Floridians looking in.....How long will it take me to get from Miami to Orlando on a Saturday?

 

Thanks in advance.

[popcorngal]

So glad to hear you enjoyed the Imagination. My best friends just sailed on her today, well yesterday now, on their very first cruise. We had their cabin decorated, so I hope that came to happen! They were so excited, and I watched them sail away on the Miami cam. I tried to fill them in on as many things as possible, but for cruise newbies, it can all be pretty overwhelming! I'm sure that they will be as hooked on cruising as we are...:D

[Choco-cat]

I'm so happy you had such a good time! We are cruising the Imagination in September and I was worried that the ship would show it's age, but it doesn't sound like it has at all!

 

What excursions did you do in Ocho Rios and Grand Cayman? Did you go with the ship, or book your own? Also what shows did you see onboard? And the menu? How was that?

 

Sorry for the 20 questions. I'm just really excited, and it's been wayyyyyy too long since our last cruise!

[sharecruises]

Mn Patriot, I was off at 9:04, could have been sooner, I probably should have gotten out in the atrium earlier, it was a bit confusing as they told us to stay by our rooms for the announcement, but people got in there pretty quick, LOL

 

As a floridian, saturday is great for the drive, get out quickly, get your rental, and get on 95 north from miami, hop on turnpike and keep going, it takes me 3 and half to 4 hours from ft laud, add half hour or 40 min from miami, but the rental car timing will cut that short too...you should be able to make it if you keep booking with few "pit stops"....try to get off the boat earliest JMO, they did start a little after 8

 

~~~~~~~Popcorn...I wish I was back on the ship, I bet your friends are delighted...everyone I met just loved the Imagination. It just won the #2 spot yet again in customer service reviews, there is really very little to complain about on this ship! I saw cabins decorated for anniversary, wedding, birthday....we had 3 weddings on sailing day, a wedding in cayman, a wedding in Jamaica, lots of "harpy burfday new shoes" singing, and fun in the dining room...they really "celebrate" occassions on board, your friends are having a ball right now LOL

 

~~~~~~~~~~~Choco....the ship looks brand new..it is simply incrediable!

Everything sparkles...the carpets are perfect, the elevators, the brass, and there is tons of brass...it is very "over the top" decor, lots of fun, no I would not like a living room decorated this way haha...but so much fun, it makes you feel you are at a resort

 

some of the ship seems a bit..."miami vice" decor, neon, but fun...and it looks brand new....I mean the horizon buffet, the talbles, the chairs, the upolstery...unreal...

 

There are these faniciful gold "sphinxes" everywhere..with column thingys...they do not have a scrach on them...the hallway carpets look new, they have clever scratchproof panels showing ship pictures up and down the halls, so no scuffs, they have carpet strips at the bottom, no scuffs, the stateroom, and mine was cheap, inside, is simply perfect, like brand new, very "sturdy" decor I think ...simply amazing

 

the Shangri La lounge is simply beautiful, sort of "concentric circles" theme, inlaid woods, curved sofas, curved chairs, oval tables of inlaid wood, the band there is super, Music in Motion, they cover everything from Jimmy Hendrix Purple Haze to Aretha Franklin, they are wonderful, they are from the Phillipines and they can sound like any band they pick LOL

Shangri La is just beautiful

 

the whole promenade is great....little upolstered window seats in a lovely teal shade....plenty of places to sit! Other ships may have dirty windows, but not imagination, these windows are clean! They serve sushi, 4 types, handmade, changes every day, there in the promenade. Over by the dream bar...check it out...by the last day of the ship more people "found it" and it does get a line, it is hand made, as much as you want, no extra charge!

 

The crew is simply outstanding, so friendly, from the uniformed officers to the deck hands....everyone greets you and smiles! They are cleaning 24/7 ...constantly.

 

Another tip: you can order room service, you just tip the waiter, I ordered for breakfast, esp on the port days, I loved the bagel, creme cheese and smoked salmon with coffee, and sliced melon! Excellent! The salmon is wonderful!

I also enjoyed french toast at the horizon grill, didn't try the eggs, I am not a big breakfast person, others liked the omelets, they make them right there for you.

 

Lunch is great....I liked the "taste of nations" side, there are 2 sides, different menus, see which you like, the outside one serves the burgers, hot dogs, yummy fries, some salads

 

there is also a huge and super salad bar in the horizon grill....

 

I liked the Indian food day...yummy, the light bread, curry, rice, excellent, I saw many of the Indian Officers lined up there for that too haha

 

Hurry up there when the ship leaves Jamaica....wonderful Jerk chicken, carribean food, but get there quick, closes at 4 so not much time

 

last day was yummy....a ham carving station, a honey mustard sauce for the ham, excellent torolinni in a walnut creme sauce, and out of this world blue cheese garlic rolls! OH MY!

 

I will cover dinners in another post, and my real review...but really so many things to love about the ship....

 

only food to "avoid"??? The stuffing, both at the horizon court and at the last night "tom turkey dinner" gets thumbs down from many, I tried a bit of it at lunch and did not like it,also some of the salads on the line are just too fancy, they have such odd ingredients that the taste is overwhelming, ie, too many capers in a pasta salad, and a spinach salad that was "overwhelmed" by odd combos of sweet potatos, goat cheese etc

 

Oh...the pizza is out of this world

 

I just can not say enough good things about the Imaginatiion and/or Carnival...I loved it!

[mason62883]

My g/f and I was also on the Imagination on this sailing. This cruise was great and when I recover from feeling "shippy" and being so tired I will post a review.

[popcorngal]

I'm glad everyone had such a great time, and it sounds like the ship is in great shape. I'm sure my friends are in hog-heaven right now and having a ball! I know they booked Stingray City with Capt. Marvin on my recommendation, but not sure what they have planned for Ocho Rios. I just told them to be aware of people selling stuff that's not exactly legal!:eek: Their daughter and son in law booked it for them, and they and the grandchild I'm sure are enjoying Mother's Day onboard. Thanks for all the good reviews!

[lyttleone1977]

I am sailing on the Imagination on July 31 and cant wait. Thank you soo o much for what you have already wrote and what you plan on writing. I cant wait for my trip.

[Choco-cat]

the Shangri La lounge is simply beautiful, sort of "concentric circles" theme, inlaid woods, curved sofas, curved chairs, oval tables of inlaid wood, the band there is super, Music in Motion, they cover everything from Jimmy Hendrix Purple Haze to Aretha Franklin, they are wonderful, they are from the Phillipines and they can sound like any band they pick LOL

Shangri La is just beautiful

 

I'm so happy to hear this! :p As silly as it sounds, we had such a good time on our last cruise on the Sensation because of these guys (or a band just like them)!!! They could sing Beatles, Aerosmith, whatever you wanted to hear, and it sounds like the real thing!

 

Thanks for your review! I'm so excited to get cruising. Only 121 more days left! :)