SENSATION back in Pt. Canaveral - Balcony Photos

[Au48]

As usual, Tom, you have come to the rescue of us CC members and gave us the """fix""" we needed.... Sadly though, Carnival has turned an older vessel in to a "wannabe newer vessel" but FAILED in my eyes with the final outcome !

 

This new addition(s) are just plain "butt ugly".... looks like an aftermarket item placed on a vehicle.....or taking an old chevrolet caprice, adding huge rims on the tires, painted it some god awful color, and then re upholstered the seats in velvet ! What in the heck were they thinking when they did this ? I was looking forward to this and had hoped it would have a similar look to what =x= did with the Century http://www.southerncruising.com/images/contentmanaged/CEL_CN_ExteriorSide_11.jpg

 

I gotta say that this end result certainly has left me less than impressed and just gives reinforcement to CCL's method of cutting costs and the end result looking exactly like how cheaply this project probably ended up costing. Kinda like the "Serenity Area" they are boasting about.... again, it looks like an inexpensive way to draw the crowds, but only to find out it is NOT what they make it out to be, or the minature golf added on the older ships... what a joke regarding the overall look of what was done when compared to Royal Caribbeans well landscaped minature golf....

 

Sorry Carnival, but again you are headed towards the setting up to be known as the "WalMart" of cruiselines by trying to cut costs to try to bring an older ship to a new appearance and it being evident in the end result.

 

You can put lipstick on a pig, but it will still be a pig in the end unless you do the project correctly and not just cost efficient !

 

Okay. Sure, it doesn't look "pretty." But, how do YOU propose for Carnival do have done this project "correctly?" This was nothing like the =X= Century's balcony addition. Sure, it would have looked better if they could have run the balconies the length of the deck, but they were limited by the lifeboats up above. And this is why you have the midship balconies there by themselves, looking... unattractive. How is this balcony addition "cutting costs?" Aesthetically unpleasing? Sure. Cost-cutting? Notsomuch.

 

While I agree with you that the putt-putt and even the Serenity are mere afterthoughts on the Fantasy class, it is unfair to compare them with RCCL's product, where these features were designed into the new-built ships. They are all obvious improvements to an aging class of cruise ships.

[jessemon]

Looks like he!!.....But thanks for the pix.....

[dman1]

She looks like she is back in port. Hopefully, we will get some feedback and pictures today!!

[MICKMAC100]

Nice photos, but I dont think I like the design of the balconies

[conquistador74]

Just wondering, but I wonder if there is any change as to the efficiency of the ship due to the midship balconies? It certainly isn't helpful having what seems like elephant ears sticking out of a pretty streamlined superstructure? Also, how about the poor slobs who are in the standard Cat 12's right next to the extended's? They really can only look in one direction and down?! Personally, I hate it....I don't think that it is cost cutting, but I think that at least with the midships balconies it was a cheap way to add revenue without thinking about asthetics in any way.:cool:

[CarolinaGurl86]

Hey there CarolinaGurl..............looks like we're nieghbors!!!! :)

 

I haven't heard anything from my aunt. I told her not to use her cell unless it was an emergency. Although, I'll be calling her 1st thing in the morning & let evryone know how she felt the cruise was...............keeping in mind, this is her 1st cruise & when I talked to her Thurs. night @ 7pm, she was just tickled to death. So unless any bad happened, I'm sure she'll say it was fantastic!

 

I would say that we are! We actually live in Grovetown too!

[nealstuber]

Well not sure how else they could add balconies to these ships without moving the lifeboats around...but it's definitely worth the ugliness to have the balcony option :)

 

Different question...why did they scrub out the name on the bow? Just touching it up?:confused:

 

Looks like they were makin room to say "Carnival Sensation" instead of

 

"Carnival

Sensation"

If they couldn't get that done in time - bet there's a lot more loose ends.

[mr jailerman]

Any updated info from this 1st cruise yet ?

[eroller]

Leave it to Carnival to perform a hatchet job on an existing ship. They are certainly the pros at squeezing revenue out of their existing designs. What suffers is any sense of continuity or cohesive design. Of course the Fantasy Class were pretty butt ugly to begin with, nothing more than overturned milk cartons so perhaps it doesn't matter?

 

This particular balcony job really looks like it was done "on the cheap". Absolutely no effort was put into aesthetics and the balconies themselves just look cheap to me.

 

I would be interested to see a close up (inside and out) of the aft balcony cabins. The stern of the ship is quite angular, and I'm curious to see how much of that angle takes up balcony space and also how they dealt with the door to the balcony.

 

Ernie

[firefly333]

I would be interested to see a close up (inside and out) of the aft balcony cabins. The stern of the ship is quite angular, and I'm curious to see how much of that angle takes up balcony space and also how they dealt with the door to the balcony.

 

The aft balconies to me look like they added extended balconies. I looked and prices for balconies are in the $300s, so bring them on. If people can book a balcony for not much over $300 a cruise, you bet they are going to do it.

 

Bring them on.

[BamaCruiser20]

I think she would have looked just fine if they had only done the aft balconies. Those don't look so much like an "afterthought" to me.

[richardleyser]

Just got home from the Sensation, not exactly organized but always nice to get away.

 

To keep it brief.

 

Chaos on embarking, didn't get on until 2.pm,Port Canaveral is not set up for delays.

ship smelt of glue and paint (beats sewage I suppose)

Couldn't get to cabin until 3.pm new balcony was nice, approx 4'x10'

TV didn't work and cabin not stocked NO TOILET PAPER

 

Sailed 4 hours late but arrived on time in Nassau

 

Public areas look great, lots of work to do but after the second day they seemed to catch up and all was as good as usual, I would think that after the next cruise it will be great

 

As soon I can can work it out I will post some pictures

[Lgarth]

Thanks for the brief review. Looking forward to your pictures.

[nealstuber]

I think she would have looked just fine if they had only done the aft balconies. Those don't look so much like an "afterthought" to me.

 

 

If they had blown out the Atlantic deck so there was no gap between the Promenade deck and the Empress deck - I think the center of the ship would have looked much better and less of an after-thought

[Natanni]

Just got home from the Sensation, not exactly organized but always nice to get away.

 

To keep it brief.

 

Chaos on embarking, didn't get on until 2.pm,Port Canaveral is not set up for delays.

ship smelt of glue and paint (beats sewage I suppose)

Couldn't get to cabin until 3.pm new balcony was nice, approx 4'x10'

TV didn't work and cabin not stocked NO TOILET PAPER

 

Sailed 4 hours late but arrived on time in Nassau

 

Public areas look great, lots of work to do but after the second day they seemed to catch up and all was as good as usual, I would think that after the next cruise it will be great

 

As soon I can can work it out I will post some pictures

 

If you don't mind me asking, where was your balcony? How did it compare to other Carnival balconies you have.

[eroller]

I was also thinking of the safety aspect. Usually if balconies are this close to the water line (and I'm not certain if any ships have them just three decks above), they are a "hull hole" balcony which I assume is much more secure and has a much greater structural integrity. CARNIVAL DREAM will have balconies a few decks above the water line, but they will be hull holes and even have large steel doors to close over the glass portions of the cabin in rough seas. I have my doubts the SENSATION clip-on balconies have such safety features.

 

I have seen what mother nature can do to a ship. It would not surprise me if some of those lower aft balconies are ripped off or severely mangled in truly rough seas. Now wouldn't that make for a great Carnival publicity shot?

 

I really feel Carnival is pushing the envelope with this one.

 

Ernie

[cowgrlkirby]

Just got home from the Sensation, not exactly organized but always nice to get away.

 

To keep it brief.

 

Chaos on embarking, didn't get on until 2.pm,Port Canaveral is not set up for delays.

ship smelt of glue and paint (beats sewage I suppose)

Couldn't get to cabin until 3.pm new balcony was nice, approx 4'x10'

TV didn't work and cabin not stocked NO TOILET PAPER

 

Sailed 4 hours late but arrived on time in Nassau

 

Public areas look great, lots of work to do but after the second day they seemed to catch up and all was as good as usual, I would think that after the next cruise it will be great

 

As soon I can can work it out I will post some pictures

Hi I was wondering if you could tell me if the sign and sail card was your room key? I can't wait to see some pics of the ship! How do the bathrooms look? Did they get a good refurb themselves? THANKS!!

[CarolinaGurl86]

Thanks for the update! Glad to hear you made it Nassau on time and that things seemed to improve the 2nd day.

Can't wait to see pics!

[MICKMAC100]

Thanks for the update, I am looking forward to the photos

[mr jailerman]

Just got home from the Sensation, not exactly organized but always nice to get away.

 

To keep it brief.

 

Chaos on embarking, didn't get on until 2.pm,Port Canaveral is not set up for delays.

ship smelt of glue and paint (beats sewage I suppose)

Couldn't get to cabin until 3.pm new balcony was nice, approx 4'x10'

TV didn't work and cabin not stocked NO TOILET PAPER

 

Sailed 4 hours late but arrived on time in Nassau

 

Public areas look great, lots of work to do but after the second day they seemed to catch up and all was as good as usual, I would think that after the next cruise it will be great

 

As soon I can can work it out I will post some pictures

Thanks Richard, we are waiting for those photo's and more detailed review.. Thanks once more.:)

[mr jailerman]

I was also thinking of the safety aspect. Usually if balconies are this close to the water line (and I'm not certain if any ships have them just three decks above), they are a "hull hole" balcony which I assume is much more secure and has a much greater structural integrity. CARNIVAL DREAM will have balconies a few decks above the water line, but they will be hull holes and even have large steel doors to close over the glass portions of the cabin in rough seas. I have my doubts the SENSATION clip-on balconies have such safety features.

 

I have seen what mother nature can do to a ship. It would not surprise me if some of those lower aft balconies are ripped off or severely mangled in truly rough seas. Now wouldn't that make for a great Carnival publicity shot?

 

I really feel Carnival is pushing the envelope with this one.

 

Ernie

Ernie :D, The suspense is killing me as I have already paid for my August balcony cabin ! How about some pics ? :o

[vtoria98]

Just got home from the Sensation, not exactly organized but always nice to get away.

 

To keep it brief.

 

Chaos on embarking, didn't get on until 2.pm,Port Canaveral is not set up for delays.

ship smelt of glue and paint (beats sewage I suppose)

Couldn't get to cabin until 3.pm new balcony was nice, approx 4'x10'

TV didn't work and cabin not stocked NO TOILET PAPER

 

Sailed 4 hours late but arrived on time in Nassau

 

Public areas look great, lots of work to do but after the second day they seemed to catch up and all was as good as usual, I would think that after the next cruise it will be great

 

As soon I can can work it out I will post some pictures

 

I am wondering if they re-modeled that crazy Touch of Class piano bar. Also how the balconies are too since I will be on in a month, Woo Hoo!

[firefly333]

If they had blown out the Atlantic deck so there was no gap between the Promenade deck and the Empress deck - I think the center of the ship would have looked much better and less of an after-thought

 

I dont think that would be possible in a month long dry dock

[nealstuber]

I dont think that would be possible in a month long dry dock

Just in the midship region. The interior could have been done after drydock...

[nealstuber]

Just in the midship region. The interior could have been done after drydock...

 

I'm not real good at the link thing... only know how to upload images..