Carnival Ecstasy-7/16-20 Review with pics

[ksatte03]

So I'm back from my first cruise and I would like to share my experience with everyone.

 

Did I overpack? Oh yeah

Did I get lost everytime I stepped off the elevator? Pretty much

Did I overeat? Just a little...

Did I have a blast? YOU BET!!

 

Background: I traveled with my best girlfriend of 14 years, Trish. I just turned 30 and she is 32. This cruise was a first for the both of us. She left her two kids at home with her husband (he's still recovering from that-lol), and I left my dog with my folks :p. Being our first cruise, we were obviously clueless, so I told her to just pay her half, and I'll take care of the rest, being that she's a busy mom and teacher. So, I researched extensively and planned everything. Let me say that if you are a newbie, this is the place to be. I learned so much from CC boards and members, and a special "shout out" to CC member Falkcor for answering endless questions I had. :D

 

Here we are: That's me on the right:

 

Embarkation: Keep in mind that this is my first trip, so I have nothing to compare it to, but in my opinion, I thought it was very smooth. We drove from Houston to Galveston, arriving around noon. To our dismay, it poured down rain the last hour of our drive. Now, anyone living in Houston knows that it hasn't rained since the Texans won a football game, but of course, now that we're on vacation, it comes down cats and dogs. Luckily, it cleared up by the time we were onboard.

 

Anyone driving and leaving their car in Galveston, I would highly recommend using Lighthouse Parking. It was $35 for 4 days (normally $40 but you can reserve online and receive a $5 discount). This was a very safe parking lot with a professional crew running it. They shuttled us right to the terminal. So, with funpass in hand, we walked into the terminal, had our carry-ons scanned and proceeded to the funpass check in. The line went very smooth, and everybody was so happy to be on vacation that most people were just chatting it up, and before we knew it, we were up. I then put cash on my S&S card (i'm anti-credit card), and posed for our embarkation picture. I wanted to take a video of us walking up the gangway, but Carnival has a very strict policy of no cameras in the terminal. Not sure why, but I wasn't going to risk the $2000 fine.

 

So, now we are inside, and what a sight it is!

 

 

First thing on the agenda, head to the Lido for lunch!

 

more to come....

[falkcor]

nice - looking forward to hearing your perspective! :D

[ksatte03]

Ok, so we arrive on the Lido deck and head to the Panorama Bar and Grill. This area was very hot and humid, and large industrial floor fans were constantly blowing. The decor was a bit outdated (think 50s diner with aqua blue linoleum), but what the grill lacked in looks, the food made up for it. The first day I ate at the buffet, then i was introduced to the <harp playing> lido cheeseburger. Wow. This had to have been the best burger I've ever had. I don't know if they put crack in it or what but boy was it tasty! After lunch, we head out to check out the main pool. We are bombarded by endless waiters hocking DODs. I thought, what the hay, and had a funship special. Tasty. But the waiters are relentless! They will literally come over to you, look in your cup, and see how much is left, then proceed to tell you that you need a refill. LOL They were only really pushy on day one. Since we hung out by the pool most of the time, I got to know a couple of the waiters, and dealt with them exclusively when I ordered drinks.

Here is what the pool area looks like:

and the lido deck at night:

 

So, after a tour of the lido, and a couple DOD's, we decide to check out our cabin.

 

We stayed on the Riviera Deck in cabin R124. At first, I was a bit aprehensive about staying on the bottom deck, but to tell you the truth, I would do it again. Our cabin was about mid ship, was an ocean view, and it was very quiet with little or no movement felt from the ship. Granted, the ocean was so calm during our trip, that the captain commented that it was like a mirror.

 

As soon as we arrived in our room, we met our room steward, Dontello. He introduced himself and asked if we needed anything. Our only request was to keep ice in our coolers (we brought our own soda and water), which he did. I really liked the fact that everytime he saw us, he called us by name. I noticed that with many of the crew. I was quite impressed that several crew members (not just our waiter and room steward) would call us by name in passing. I must say that the service on this ship is top rate. Yeah, the Ecstasy is a bit worn down (thank goodness for dry dock renovations this fall), but the service completely makes up for it, and that, in my opinion, is what really counts.

 

One thing I did notice, is that this ship reeks of cigarette smoke. It was so bad that it even bothered me sometimes, and I'm a smoker myself! It was especially bad on the Empress deck, because this is where the casino and nightclub are. Even smoking in our room was allowed, which shocked the hell out of me.

 

So, time for the muster drill. <holding up index finger and twirling it around)

What else can I say? You throw on a life jacket, listen to a 10-minute-long announcement, and then you're free to go. At least it was held in the A/C. We started sailing away during the drill, so as soon as it was over, we ran out to the Lido to wave bye-bye to Galveston!

 

And we're off....

[smithface]

I love it!! We're leaving on the Ecstasy on Saturday (7/25). Keep the updates coming!!!

[watcher46]

What else can I say? You throw on a life jacket, listen to a 10-minute-long announcement, and then you're free to go. At least it was held in the A/C. We started sailing away during the drill, so as soon as it was over, we ran out to the Lido to wave bye-bye to Galveston!

 

And we're off....

 

Lucky you, our muster point was Lido deck. At least we found a place out of the sun...all in all though it was a fantastic trip.

[gypsyrose]

Good review so far for a first timer. More pics though:D

[txmomto1]

Great review! I leave for my 3rd time on the Ecstasy in February. I'm wondering how different it will look after dry dock!

[Ashpalo]

Great review so far! Please keep it coming with LOTS of pictures!! We're leaving on the Ecstasy in 6 weeks - 3rd time for me, 2nd time for my daughters, mom, and grandmother. My mom and grandmother will be in the cabin next to the one you were in!

 

Thanks for taking the time to post a review!

 

Ashley :)

[Carguylee]

thanks for the review so far, looking forward to more

[oldvato]

I love it!! We're leaving on the Ecstasy on Saturday (7/25). Keep the updates coming!!!

See you there. First time on the Ecstasy, but have been on the Elation, and on the Conquest.

 

One small correction on the OP's smoking observance. I don't think the Casino and clubs, with the exception of the Atrim club, are on the Empress deck. They are on the Promonade deck, two decks above.

 

One question for the OP, what did they serve at the buffett at lunch time?

[TxStacey]

Can't wait to read the rest of your review!!! I am boarding her with 9 other women 1 week from today!! It's our "mom's just want to have fun" cruise! The ship may not be the same once we get off ..LOL

[ksatte03]

See you there. First time on the Ecstasy, but have been on the Elation, and on the Conquest.

 

One small correction on the OP's smoking observance. I don't think the Casino and clubs, with the exception of the Atrim club, are on the Empress deck. They are on the Promonade deck, two decks above.

 

One question for the OP, what did they serve at the buffett at lunch time?

 

You're right, they are on the Promenade. Thanks for the correction, I'll update that. :o

 

As far as lunch goes, every day there was a different country featured. First day it was Italian (pasta, etc.), second day it was Chinese (didn't eat buffet that day), third day it was Mexican (yummy tacos). Burgers are served everyday on the outside buffet, as well as fresh fruit, and there is a pizza station, and sandwich station also located in the Panorama Grill, along with a salad bar and dessert bar. There was always something for somebody!

[ksatte03]

Can't wait to read the rest of your review!!! I am boarding her with 9 other women 1 week from today!! It's our "mom's just want to have fun" cruise! The ship may not be the same once we get off ..LOL

 

You are going to have so much fun!

[cjkumbaya]

Nice start and great photos. Looking forward to more!

[Luanne21]

Loving your review

[TxStacey]

You are going to have so much fun!

We ae so excited! I have sent all of my fellow cruisers a link to your review so they can read it before our cruise..a couple of them are first timers like you! Please keep it coming!

[Texaslandshark]

Nice review...Since you can be fined for picture taking in the terminal, that can't be Carnival's rule. I'm sure it's TSA or similar.;)

[ksatte03]

Hey everyone! Thanks for the kudos on the review so far. Since this is my first one, I'm not sure what to include so I'm just including everything! Let's continue the fun...

 

So, we sail away, and about that time we head back up to our room and check to see if our luggage was there. Sure enough it was! We wanted to change into our swimsuits and hit the pool. Next time we will put our swimsuit in our carry on (or just wear it on w/coverup), so that we don't have to wait around for our luggage. Just a little tip if you plan on hitting the pool early. There are two pools on the lido deck. The main pool with the slide, and the "supposed to be" adult pool is aft. The smaller pool is about twice the size of a hot tub, and it's behind the whale tail, so there was always a funky smell back there (a combo of exhaust and buffet). It didn't bother me, but it made my friend a bit nauseous at times. Both pools are saltwater. There is also a hot tub back by the adult pool. I am looking forward to the new waterworks that will be installed during dry dock. If you're up for it, the slide is really fun! I lost count on how many times I rode it!

 

There was always something going on on the lido. There is a stage in the middle, and there was either a band playing, or fun and games to participate in (hairy chest contest, tv trivia, balloon fights, to name a few). Our favorite lido entertainment was the Calypso band, Dynamix, who played everything from Bob Marley to Baha Men to UB40. They also took requests. Saturday night there was a huge party on the lido deck with an 11pm mexican buffet (yummy!!), live music, a conga line, and of course group line dancing. Within ten minutes time I did the Cupid Shuffle, Electric Slide, Cha Cha Slide, Macarena, and the Chicken Dance. That was my work out for the day!

 

Ok so enough about the lido. You can tell this is where I spent most of my time (usually with a DOD in hand!)

 

Time for dinner!! We had late seating in the Wind Song dining room. At first, I didn't think I would like the late seating, but we were so busy all day that we would have had to rush to make the 6:15 dinner time. Tip: if you are really wanting to do/watch karaoke, don't choose late dining. We missed it every night. The dining room service was remarkable. Our waiter, Iwayan, was always attentive, and greeted us by name every evening. We sat at a table with a very nice couple also from Texas. The menu was outstanding every night. Tip: The MDR was always cold, so ladies, you may want to bring a sweater (I had to buy a wrap in the gift shop because I was freezing)

 

We always started out with french bread, then you could order a salad, appetizer, soup, main dish, and dessert. Yes, it's true that you can order as much as you want. The first night I had the flat iron steak (well done) with mac 'n cheese and peas with cream sauce. This was my favorite dish of all nights! The next few nights I stuck with some type of pasta (fettucini with breaded chicken, penne pasta with shrimp and calamari, and bow tie pasta with peas). That's a lot of pasta, but hey, I'm half Italian.

Dessert, for me, was always warm chocolate melting cake. When in Rome...

The waiters sang and danced every night which was something to look forward to. One night they sang "Jai Ho!" from Slumdog Millionaire, and everyone participated in the dance

 

 

 

The second night of the cruise was elegant evening. Many of the passengers dressed up. I did see a few tux's and prom dresses, but for the most part, it was after 5 dresses or slacks/blouse for the ladies, and coat and tie or dockers/sports coat for the gentlemen. Here is what I wore:

The captain's reception was prior to dinner that evening in the main lounge. There was an assortment of complimentary cocktails, including whiskey sour, champagne, and a couple of other drinks. I was able to meet our captain, Captain Roberto Costi from Genoa, Italy. He was very nice, and we chatted about the trip and the old country. He even teased by saying he would stay on my good side when I told him my ancestors where from Corleone, Siclily. Here is me and the captain:

 

The reception was very brief. The captain introduced all of his officers and key staff. This was the first time I met our cruise director Steve Cassel. Steve was a very nice man, I just didn't interact with him much, so I don't feel I have the knowledge to critique him as a cruise director. To be honest, I don't even know what the CD does.

 

Some of the other places for nightlife were:

 

• City Lights Casino (look for Alan, a good-looking Englishman who will remember your name and your game!)
  
• Stripes disco. I felt a bit old in here at times, although it was adults only. The dj played a lot of dance (Lady Gaga, Black Eyed Peas, etc) along with 80s and some hip hop.
  
• Piano bar. Wasn't as great as I was expecting. We hung out here once. I just couldn't take a bunch of drunks sitting around singing along to "Let's get drunk and screw"
  
• Adult comedy show. It is "R" rated and normally plays at 11 pm and again at 12 am. The comedian on the first night was really funny, the second guy, not so much. But all and all it was very entertaining. These shows are adult themed and 18 and up only is allowed. (mostly because of curse words and sexual content)
  
• China Lounge. Went in there once. For muster drill. Passed by and heard live music, but never went in.
  

There are also a few shops onboard in the Galleria. A $10 only store (mostly purses and costume jewelry), the tax and duty free store, a typical souvenier shop, and a jewelry shop that also sold high end cosmetics such as Lancome and Clinique. The third day stuff really goes on sale (t-shirts were 2 for $20, inch of gold was on sale also) so i would hold off on buying anything in these shops. We decided to wait and shop in Mexico before we purchased anything on board.

 

Speaking of Mexico....

[firefly4423]

thanks for the great pictures!

[falkcor]

There are also a few shops onboard in the Galleria. A $10 only store (mostly purses and costume jewelry), the tax and duty free store, a typical souvenier shop, and a jewelry shop that also sold high end cosmetics such as Lancome and Clinique.

 

it's kinda ironic, that for a ship sailing from galveston / houston metro - calls this area the 'galleria'... as compared to what we all know that word to mean :D

 

certainly not comparable :)

[ksatte03]

It's now Saturday morning and we have arrived in Cozumel. Tip: the gangway is located on the deck below the Riviera deck (where the crew resides), not on the Empress deck where you first embark. We didn't know this (just kind of asked around) and to be honest, I don't remember anyone announcing it. Luckily, we were staying on the Riviera deck, and since we were right there, we were one of the first groups to disembark.

 

Cozumel is absolutely beautiful. If you are into plants and flowers, be prepared to be amazed. One of my favorite pics I took is of the hibiscus shrubs and I didn't notice until later, that the ship was in the background!

 

Shore excursion: We booked online (through Carnival) ahead of time to avoid waiting at the shore excursion desk. We chose the Deluxe Sail & Snorkel Beach Party. For $59/person, we were taken out on a catamaran to snorkel, followed by play time at a private beach with free soda, beer, margaritas, and access to beach volleyball, kayaks, floats, etc. This was the highlight of my trip. I highly recommend this excursion. The crew of the Fury was very professional, and could not have treated us any better. The private beach they took us to was pristine. I had never been snorkeling before and the experience was amazing. Something about being in the calm of the ocean, swimming among colorful fish was very peaceful. It was good for the soul.

 

After the excursion, we were dropped off back at the pier to do some shopping. There is a little village right at the end of the pier with all sorts of shops. Prepare to bargain! I recommend bringing cash and in small bills, $1s, $5s. It's easier to bargain a price down if you're not carrying a wad of $20s. If you don't want to pay what they are asking, walk away. Don't be embarrassed. Chances are, they will follow you out and offer it dirt cheap. SOLD! This is where we purchased most souvniers like t-shirts, key chains, shot glasses, etc. There is also a Mexican market, a drug store, duty free, fine leather shops, and a couple of restaurant/bars (i want to say Margaritaville, but I'm not sure) all in the same vicinity. They do sell Cuban cigars, but smoke them before we get back to the US, for they are not allowed through customs. We departed Cozumel around 5:30 pm, but had to turn around and go back 3 hours later due to a medical emergency. From what I was told, an elderly woman onboard had a stroke and needed immediate hospitalization. The second time we departed Cozumel was around 10:30 pm. This put us 5 hours behind. No problem for me. BIG problem for people boarding ship after us. (We'll get to that later)

 

All in all, Cozumel was a lot of fun. I only wish we could have stayed longer. 7 hours is just not enough time. I would like to see Carnival do a 5 day cruise with 2 days in Cozumel, skipping Progresso (face it, there's not much to Progresso). I will leave my Cozumel review with one last picture. His name is Nacho and he is a crew member aboard the Fury catamaran (he also took the underwater photos). Who does he look like to you? :rolleyes:

[ksatte03]

it's kinda ironic, that for a ship sailing from galveston / houston metro - calls this area the 'galleria'... as compared to what we all know that word to mean :D

 

certainly not comparable :)

 

Exactly what I thought! I kept asking around "where's the rest of the shops?" and i was told "this is it"!

[TxStacey]

Do you remember what time you were able to get off the ship on Saturday?

[ksatte03]

Do you remember what time you were able to get off the ship on Saturday?

 

It was around 10 or 10:30 am

[naenae]

I went on the same ship a few weeks earlier and we had a blast..... I heard that someone had a heart attack on this trip and the ship was not able to leave until 11 or 12 midnight from Mexico. I was wondering if that was this cruise and how the ship handled the delay????? So far we have been pleased with Carnival Cruise line. I would hate to have been that family that had to was sent to the Mexico hospital. That would scary.......