Fantasy Only Questions ...

[jetskier]

Is there no Club C on the Fantasy now??? Oh please tell me there is. We have prepared him for that age group. :eek:

 

Hi Leah,

Camp Carnival does have that age group, it just does not have a seperate special area for them to hang out. That is being done as the ships are refurbished. There will be different activities for them to do throughout the cruise. They will have their own Carnival Capers so you can see what they might like to do.

 

Dave

[floatingaway2525]

Dave, I AM looking at that group just today!!! I have just booked the Destiny b2b (my first one and first solo :D ) and of course our group going on the 2009 Bloggers...so I am counting the pennies to see if I can squeeze in that May 08 if they'll have me......hoping I can do it, I want to so bad! October is FOREVER away and MAY sounds so much better:cool: !

[jetskier]

Dave, I AM looking at that group just today!!! I have just booked the Destiny b2b (my first one and first solo :D ) and of course our group going on the 2009 Bloggers...so I am counting the pennies to see if I can squeeze in that May 08 if they'll have me......hoping I can do it, I want to so bad! October is FOREVER away and MAY sounds so much better:cool: !

 

I would have liked to go on the May cruise but my busy season starts up mid-March all the way through the end of August.

 

Dave

[mariemorgan]

I just posted the 4 night capers, spa pricing, menu, and cozumel shopping guide if anyone wanted it.

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=708922

[chicoinelink]

Embarkation in New Orleans for our 5 night cruise went pretty smoothy except for the fact that there aren't alot of instructions for parking if you are driving to the port. We arrived early after miscalculating how long it would take us to get to the port. We parked at 10:30 AM and were on the ship by 11:30 for lunch. Hung out on deck till about 1:30 when our room was ready and we could drop our carry on luggage. Our checked luggage all arrived one by one before 3 PM.:)

It takes about 8 hours to get out of the Mississippi River and into open water. Would have liked to see some of the sights along the river, but we left an hour late. Soon it was dark and we could no longer see the banks. My husband and I decided to go to our cabin & get ready for our 8 PM dinner seating in the Jubilee Dinning Room.

The Jubilee Dinning Room is in desparate need of a makeover. Looks like a 70's disco club. There are streaming lights on the ceiling that they light up during the "show" at desert time. Lights made several people at our table feel a little queasy. The food was not up to Carnival standards in my opinion. Ceasar salads were not fresh, the lettuce was wilted. Everything was pretty bland, including the lobster on the second night. This was our third cruise and we really expected more from the waiters and the cuisine.

There is a suishi bar, but it was only open three of the five days and didn't open usually till 5 PM. My husband and I were generally resting at the time until it was time to get ready for dinner. The choices are very limited and again, pretty bland.

The lunch buffet was fair, but the sandwich bar in the back of Window's On The Sea was really good. There is a varity of sandwiches that we tried and all were good. The pizza was ok, even though the crust could have been a little crisper.

Our first port was Progreso and we choose to take the long trip out to Chichen Itza for our excursion. Chichen Itza itself is incredible and I wish we had more time to explore. However the peddlers that are all over the grounds take away from the authenticity of the ruins. We were solisited no less than 100 times while our guide was giving the tour. This would have been a great excursion if there were no peddlers permitted on the grounds and the tour had been longer. There were many parts of the grounds we were unable to see before having to get back onto the bus for our sack lunch for the drive back. The sack lunch was a small ham & cheese sandwich, chips, some kind of chocolate roll, an apple, and bottled water. If you haven't heard, Progreso's cruise ship pier is 4 1/2 miles long. If you google map it with the satalite image, it's very visable. If you have a fear of bridges or falling into the water, you may want to stay on board during at this port.

We arrived in my second most favorite place in the world, Cozumel the following day. My husband & I always rent a car while in Cozumel. There is so much more you can do and so much more time spent exploring if you rent a car instead of booking an excursion. Our day is always started out by heading east on Benito Juaraz toward the windward coast. The east side of Cozumel is absolutly beautiful and very few people are to be found there. The coast on the east side is mostly rocky, but a must see. There are a few shops, a couple of great small bars (Coconuts is the best in my opinion, with the best view), and the lighthouse park, Punta Sur. The road wraps around the southern end of the island and heads back west. There are several great snorkeling spots to hit on this side of the island as your drive back to San Miguel. You can get a map of the spots at www.cozumelinsider.com along with cruise ship arrival schedules and alot more. Make sure you leave atleast 1 1/2 to get back to the ship if you rent a car. The gas in the car has to be filled first and there are two main gas stations. The first is on the way back into San Miguel and only takes cash. The second is on Benito Juarez in the middle of town and does take credit cards. Both cost about the same, but if you've had trouble navigating the streets in San Miguel, I suggest getting gas at the first station I mentioned.

Disembarkation was a disaster! We docked at about 6:30 AM and were not off the ship till 11 AM. I don't know what kind of order, if any they use. You are given a random number and when the number is called you are allowed to disembark. We are Carnival past guests and heard from many first time cruisers that lived within 45 minutes of New Orleans they were given really low numbers. While we and many other past guests who had flights or long drives were some of the last people left onboard. There was a couple in there late 60's that planned on driving back to Kansas sitting in the Majestic Bar with us (rooms are emptied at 8 AM) till the very end. This was their 8th cruise with Carnival and after that, most likely their last. There were only housekeeping staff (or so it seemed) left on the ship, so no drinks were being served and all the hospitallity was gone. The only staff on this ship I would give a gold star to would be the room stewards. There was not one time when we walked down the halls to our cabin, they did not stop, give us a fabulous smile, and say hello.

I will absolutly cruise with Carnival again, but never on the Fantasy or out of New Orleans. Spend the extra $$ and cruise out of a different port.:mad:

[Jabee]

I noticed that there was a Conquest only thread .. I will be going on the Fantasy in the future and thought let's have one for the Fantasy for anyone that has any questions or comments ... Thus like with the Conquest all the info is in 1 thread and not spread out ...

 

Big Tex is great as CD, and the ship is really going to be wonderful after the upgrades.

[BrendaB1]

Dave, I AM looking at that group just today!!! I have just booked the Destiny b2b (my first one and first solo :D ) and of course our group going on the 2009 Bloggers...so I am counting the pennies to see if I can squeeze in that May 08 if they'll have me......hoping I can do it, I want to so bad! October is FOREVER away and MAY sounds so much better:cool: !

 

We would be glad to have you join us in May. Small group but lots of good people. Many of us know each other from previous cruises but new people are always welcome. :D

[DisneyCruiser76]

I will absolutly cruise with Carnival again, but never on the Fantasy or out of New Orleans. Spend the extra $$ and cruise out of a different port.:mad:

 

That sure is a disappointment to hear! I am cruising out of NOLA on the Fantasy for the first time in May. I am already nervous because this will be my first non-Disney cruise. I am going to keep an open mind though. Sorry you had a bad time. :(

[tigerlilyno]

We just returned from the 5-night sailing on Fantasy which departed Feb. 4.

 

Leaving from New Orleans was easy- lots of convenient parking, nice terminal, not too much walking. We were on the Lido deck having lunch at 12:30 pm, and our cabin was ready promptly at 1:30. The weather was nice, not too hot or too cold, sunny and a little windy. We left port right on time at 4:00 and it was fun to go down the Mississippi River.

 

We were happy with the stateroom- a cat 11 with obstructed view on the Verandah deck. There was plenty of room and a lot of storage and closet space. The cabin had a small balcony. There was a large window and we could see the sky and small views of the ocean. Our steward did a great job-the cabin was always cleaned twice a day right when we left for the morning and to go to dinner.

 

Some of the public areas do need to be updated-particularly the main atrium/shopping area, the Jubilation dining room and the pool areas. Other areas are very nice and appear to have been recently redone, including a long walkway that goes past shops, the Bistro, and the casino, and which is lined with seating areas that have views of the ocean.

 

Most people didn't "dress up" for dinner but I didn't notice anyone dressed inappropriately in the dining room. (in other words, I didn't see any adults in shorts, t shirts and flip flops at dinner). The service was unobtrusive but good, and we all seemed to get what we asked for without waiting too long or feeling rushed.

 

Some of the food was surprisingly good, and some was not so good, but there was so much food everywhere you could always find something you wanted. Desserts in the main dining room were really good in my opinion except for the Baked Alaska.

 

The weather was beautiful in Progreso and Cozumel, and it was easy to find our way around from the ship in both ports. We enjoyed shopping in Progreso and seeing an authentic Mexican town. Everyone we encountered there was friendly and we never felt uncomfortable. It's not a Caribbean beach with clear water there, but the area is pretty and tropical looking and the ocean is a beautiful color.

 

We had no problem disembarking in New Orleans. Things seemed pretty organized and well-run overall. We'd do it again!

[floatingaway2525]

We would be glad to have you join us in May. Small group but lots of good people. Many of us know each other from previous cruises but new people are always welcome. :D

 

 

Thanks so much for the welcome :) ...this is my favorite ship and even tho she ain't the newest or the fanciest, I have had my mostest fondest memories on this ship!!!

 

I am sorry to read here a few had some troubles....hey it happens, we all have our views. Personally, I get a kick out of the retro decor lol, the pizza is the best in my memory, the people are the friendliest- crew and passengers alike :D

Just want to say to everybody sailing her in the future....you will enjoy it!! I am working to get back on her before next Feb which will be my 4th time :cool:

Great day to all!!!

Eva

[kelz66]

Dave, I AM looking at that group just today!!! I have just booked the Destiny b2b (my first one and first solo :D ) and of course our group going on the 2009 Bloggers...so I am counting the pennies to see if I can squeeze in that May 08 if they'll have me......hoping I can do it, I want to so bad! October is FOREVER away and MAY sounds so much better:cool: !

 

Thanks so much for the welcome ...this is my favorite ship and even tho she ain't the newest or the fanciest, I have had my mostest fondest memories on this ship!!!

 

I am sorry to read here a few had some troubles....hey it happens, we all have our views. Personally, I get a kick out of the retro decor lol, the pizza is the best in my memory, the people are the friendliest- crew and passengers alike

Just want to say to everybody sailing her in the future....you will enjoy it!! I am working to get back on her before next Feb which will be my 4th time :cool:

Great day to all!!!

Eva

 

Please come check us out and join us!!

 

You can find info by clicking the link in my signature or just join in on the thread.

 

:cool::D

[jackdis]

We just returned from the 5-night sailing on Fantasy which departed Feb. 4.

 

Leaving from New Orleans was easy- lots of convenient parking, nice terminal, not too much walking. We were on the Lido deck having lunch at 12:30 pm, and our cabin was ready promptly at 1:30. The weather was nice, not too hot or too cold, sunny and a little windy. We left port right on time at 4:00 and it was fun to go down the Mississippi River.

 

We were happy with the stateroom- a cat 11 with obstructed view on the Verandah deck. There was plenty of room and a lot of storage and closet space. The cabin had a small balcony. There was a large window and we could see the sky and small views of the ocean. Our steward did a great job-the cabin was always cleaned twice a day right when we left for the morning and to go to dinner.

 

Some of the public areas do need to be updated-particularly the main atrium/shopping area, the Jubilation dining room and the pool areas. Other areas are very nice and appear to have been recently redone, including a long walkway that goes past shops, the Bistro, and the casino, and which is lined with seating areas that have views of the ocean.

 

Most people didn't "dress up" for dinner but I didn't notice anyone dressed inappropriately in the dining room. (in other words, I didn't see any adults in shorts, t shirts and flip flops at dinner). The service was unobtrusive but good, and we all seemed to get what we asked for without waiting too long or feeling rushed.

 

Some of the food was surprisingly good, and some was not so good, but there was so much food everywhere you could always find something you wanted. Desserts in the main dining room were really good in my opinion except for the Baked Alaska.

 

The weather was beautiful in Progreso and Cozumel, and it was easy to find our way around from the ship in both ports. We enjoyed shopping in Progreso and seeing an authentic Mexican town. Everyone we encountered there was friendly and we never felt uncomfortable. It's not a Caribbean beach with clear water there, but the area is pretty and tropical looking and the ocean is a beautiful color.

 

We had no problem disembarking in New Orleans. Things seemed pretty organized and well-run overall. We'd do it again!

 

Glad to hear your review! Looking forward to our upcoming trip!

[jackdis]

Embarkation in New Orleans for our 5 night cruise went pretty smoothy except for the fact that there aren't alot of instructions for parking if you are driving to the port. We arrived early after miscalculating how long it would take us to get to the port. We parked at 10:30 AM and were on the ship by 11:30 for lunch. Hung out on deck till about 1:30 when our room was ready and we could drop our carry on luggage. Our checked luggage all arrived one by one before 3 PM.:)

It takes about 8 hours to get out of the Mississippi River and into open water. Would have liked to see some of the sights along the river, but we left an hour late. Soon it was dark and we could no longer see the banks. My husband and I decided to go to our cabin & get ready for our 8 PM dinner seating in the Jubilee Dinning Room.

The Jubilee Dinning Room is in desparate need of a makeover. Looks like a 70's disco club. There are streaming lights on the ceiling that they light up during the "show" at desert time. Lights made several people at our table feel a little queasy. The food was not up to Carnival standards in my opinion. Ceasar salads were not fresh, the lettuce was wilted. Everything was pretty bland, including the lobster on the second night. This was our third cruise and we really expected more from the waiters and the cuisine.

There is a suishi bar, but it was only open three of the five days and didn't open usually till 5 PM. My husband and I were generally resting at the time until it was time to get ready for dinner. The choices are very limited and again, pretty bland.

The lunch buffet was fair, but the sandwich bar in the back of Window's On The Sea was really good. There is a varity of sandwiches that we tried and all were good. The pizza was ok, even though the crust could have been a little crisper.

Our first port was Progreso and we choose to take the long trip out to Chichen Itza for our excursion. Chichen Itza itself is incredible and I wish we had more time to explore. However the peddlers that are all over the grounds take away from the authenticity of the ruins. We were solisited no less than 100 times while our guide was giving the tour. This would have been a great excursion if there were no peddlers permitted on the grounds and the tour had been longer. There were many parts of the grounds we were unable to see before having to get back onto the bus for our sack lunch for the drive back. The sack lunch was a small ham & cheese sandwich, chips, some kind of chocolate roll, an apple, and bottled water. If you haven't heard, Progreso's cruise ship pier is 4 1/2 miles long. If you google map it with the satalite image, it's very visable. If you have a fear of bridges or falling into the water, you may want to stay on board during at this port.

We arrived in my second most favorite place in the world, Cozumel the following day. My husband & I always rent a car while in Cozumel. There is so much more you can do and so much more time spent exploring if you rent a car instead of booking an excursion. Our day is always started out by heading east on Benito Juaraz toward the windward coast. The east side of Cozumel is absolutly beautiful and very few people are to be found there. The coast on the east side is mostly rocky, but a must see. There are a few shops, a couple of great small bars (Coconuts is the best in my opinion, with the best view), and the lighthouse park, Punta Sur. The road wraps around the southern end of the island and heads back west. There are several great snorkeling spots to hit on this side of the island as your drive back to San Miguel. You can get a map of the spots at www.cozumelinsider.com along with cruise ship arrival schedules and alot more. Make sure you leave atleast 1 1/2 to get back to the ship if you rent a car. The gas in the car has to be filled first and there are two main gas stations. The first is on the way back into San Miguel and only takes cash. The second is on Benito Juarez in the middle of town and does take credit cards. Both cost about the same, but if you've had trouble navigating the streets in San Miguel, I suggest getting gas at the first station I mentioned.

Disembarkation was a disaster! We docked at about 6:30 AM and were not off the ship till 11 AM. I don't know what kind of order, if any they use. You are given a random number and when the number is called you are allowed to disembark. We are Carnival past guests and heard from many first time cruisers that lived within 45 minutes of New Orleans they were given really low numbers. While we and many other past guests who had flights or long drives were some of the last people left onboard. There was a couple in there late 60's that planned on driving back to Kansas sitting in the Majestic Bar with us (rooms are emptied at 8 AM) till the very end. This was their 8th cruise with Carnival and after that, most likely their last. There were only housekeeping staff (or so it seemed) left on the ship, so no drinks were being served and all the hospitallity was gone. The only staff on this ship I would give a gold star to would be the room stewards. There was not one time when we walked down the halls to our cabin, they did not stop, give us a fabulous smile, and say hello.

I will absolutly cruise with Carnival again, but never on the Fantasy or out of New Orleans. Spend the extra $$ and cruise out of a different port.:mad:

 

That's a shame that your trip wasn't that great! I'm crossing my fingers for ours!

[jackdis]

Hi Everyone!

I've gotten some great advice and insights here. Thank you so much!

Questions:

 

We have a 6:15 dining time. Good? Bad? Any thoughts? Is it possible to switch to a later dining time? Should we consider it? (When we went alone, we loved NCL's Freestyle. We tended to eat later. Since we are leaving port each before dinner, I don't think it will be a rush to get back and washed for the early seating. Also, we have the kids with us (9 and 2).

 

Also, will that interfere with us visiting/registering our kids for the club on the first night?

 

Lastly, will we miss a lot to see while departing NOLA?

 

Any info. will be appreciated. Thanks!!!!:)

[goLC]

When we went in October, we had the 8:00 dining time. That worked great for us! We'd get back from Progreso and Cozumel, lay by the aft pool and have a coupla drinks, then go take a brief nap before showering and getting ready for dinner. We stayed up late for shows and fun, so that little catnap freshened us up for that. I'd do the same thing again, but we didn't have kids with us, so that might be a different situation for you. I just know we liked not having to rush.

When we pulled out of New Orleans, we stayed by the aft (back)pool area. It was neat seeing Nola that way, and we stayed out there the whole time watching the Mississippi. It was my first cruise so I don't have anything to compare it to, but it FELT like a unique experience! Loved every second of it!

[djacobson]

Hi Everyone!

I've gotten some great advice and insights here. Thank you so much!

Questions:

 

We have a 6:15 dining time. Good? Bad? Any thoughts? Is it possible to switch to a later dining time? Should we consider it? (When we went alone, we loved NCL's Freestyle. We tended to eat later. Since we are leaving port each before dinner, I don't think it will be a rush to get back and washed for the early seating. Also, we have the kids with us (9 and 2).

 

Also, will that interfere with us visiting/registering our kids for the club on the first night?

 

Lastly, will we miss a lot to see while departing NOLA?

 

Any info. will be appreciated. Thanks!!!!:)

 

Yes, it is possible to change your dining time. If you want to change to 5:45, 8:00 or 8:30, you need only to go to the Celebration dining room around 2:00 p.m on your sailing day and talk with the Maitre D. 6:15 is a good time for dinner, especially if you are not interested in going to really late shows right after dinner. You would have also only a 2 hour gap from dinner to the late night buffets.

 

The orientation meeting for Camp carnival is usually around 5:15, so it should not conflict with your dinner plans.

 

In answer to the departing NOLA question, I think the best part is the 360 degree turn the ship makes on the Mississippi to begin the trip.

[Ocean Spirit]

Could anyone tell me what dining room is used for the 6:15 dinner?

Thanks for any info

[djacobson]

Could anyone tell me what dining room is used for the 6:15 dinner?

Thanks for any info

 

The 6:15 and 8:30 seatings are in the Celebration dining room, which is located mid-ship. My two friends and I will be having dinner there at 6:15 p.m.

[jackdis]

HI Everyone!

Thanks for the responses so far. I think we will keep the 6:15. I'm sure the kids will be tired out by the time of the later seating. (Or maybe they will be content and happy at the club!!)

djacobson: Is the 360 turn shortly after departure? About what time? I definitely do not want to miss it!

[cruzzza]

DINING TIME ALERT!!!

 

Hey guys, I wanted to get the last few posters attention!!! It appears you are talking about your dining times BEFORE your cruise. I want to warn you that those dining times you referred to may NOT be your actual dining time on the ship. What I'm trying to say is that you REQUEST a dining time when you book, but you do not KNOW what your dining time is until you check in when you get your Sail and Sign card with your time and table number printed on it. You won't know until right before you board what time you actually get. I don't want anyone to be disappointed. In my six past cruises, I don't think I've ever gotten my requested time. You can ask the maitre'd to change it once onboard, but not before.

 

Exceptions: If you are with a very large group or have some type of special arrangements, you may know in advance. And, I think that Platinum Carnival cruisers may have guaranteed times, but I'm not sure about that.

[djacobson]

DINING TIME ALERT!!!

 

Hey guys, I wanted to get the last few posters attention!!! It appears you are talking about your dining times BEFORE your cruise. I want to warn you that those dining times you referred to may NOT be your actual dining time on the ship. What I'm trying to say is that you REQUEST a dining time when you book, but you do not KNOW what your dining time is until you check in when you get your Sail and Sign card with your time and table number printed on it. You won't know until right before you board what time you actually get. I don't want anyone to be disappointed. In my six past cruises, I don't think I've ever gotten my requested time. You can ask the maitre'd to change it once onboard, but not before.

 

Exceptions: If you are with a very large group or have some type of special arrangements, you may know in advance. And, I think that Platinum Carnival cruisers may have guaranteed times, but I'm not sure about that.

 

Thanks for the clarification. I neglected to tell the OP this. My reply may have implied that their original request was guaranteed.

 

Platinum members do have the perk of guaranteed seating times.

[nowendy]

We just returned from the 5-night sailing on Fantasy which departed Feb. 4.

 

 

Us too! I found that the seas were a little rough going out, but fine sailing after that.

 

We were on the Veranda deck too, V20 & 24. It was really small for 3 people. Roll away beds, no bunk beds.

 

Our room steward was really good. Metrina I think was her name.

 

Oh well, I may have passed you in the hall. We were the 2 rooms that had decorations on them. Mardi Gras on one and fish on the other.

[Rowan555]

Just a quick note regarding Camp Carnival and dining times. If you want your kids to eat dinner with you and still get to enjoy all the CC activities each night, 5:45 is the ideal dining time. This will put you in the aft dining room, just below the Camp Carnival area (until September, when CC may be moved to another location). We find that with the 5:45 dining time, we finish eating just in time to head up the stairs to Camp Carnival right at 7 PM when they open up for the night.

 

If you plan on having your kids eat dinner with Camp Carnival (which I believe is available every night except the first) then the other dining times will work nicely. You can drop your kids off at 6 PM on the Lido Deck for dinner, and they feed them and then bring them to the CC area at 7 PM.

[mariemorgan]

DINING TIME ALERT!!!

 

Hey guys, I wanted to get the last few posters attention!!! It appears you are talking about your dining times BEFORE your cruise. I want to warn you that those dining times you referred to may NOT be your actual dining time on the ship. What I'm trying to say is that you REQUEST a dining time when you book, but you do not KNOW what your dining time is until you check in when you get your Sail and Sign card with your time and table number printed on it. You won't know until right before you board what time you actually get. I don't want anyone to be disappointed. In my six past cruises, I don't think I've ever gotten my requested time. You can ask the maitre'd to change it once onboard, but not before.

 

Exceptions: If you are with a very large group or have some type of special arrangements, you may know in advance. And, I think that Platinum Carnival cruisers may have guaranteed times, but I'm not sure about that.

 

That is true, we asked for 6:15 and got 8:30.. I think it was a better choice though :)

[nowendy]

In November when it was just DH & I we had 8:30 for the first time and loved it. This time with the kids, it was a little late. I just love the Celebration dining room though. You can just go down the elevator and it is right there. The Jubilee dining room, you have to go up and then down to get to it. The easiest way to find it is go all the way to the end of the ship on level 9 and then go down the stairs. One resturant is at the front of the ship and one is at the back of the ship. You can't go straight through to the Jubilee D.R. because the galley is in between the 2.