Carnival Fascination Reviews

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My husband and I just returned from a 5 day cruise on the Carnival Fascination out of Jacksonville, to the Bahamas (Half Moon Cay and Nassau). We had a terrific time and hope to do it again - maybe with the kids! The cabin was bigger than anticipated - plenty of closet and drawer space (also more hangers than expected!). The shower was hot and with plenty of water pressure. The bed and sheets were super comfy. Most of all, our cabin steward ("D") was terrific. He got to know our names on the first day and always asked how we were doing. We asked him for extra ice on the first day and he kept us stocked with an extra bucket for the duration. I expected the entertainment, service, and ports to be terrific - based on what I've read about Carnival Fascination on this website. So, I'll comment on what surprised me. First, the food was so much better than expected. Sure, some of the buffet food on the Lido desk was uninspired, but even that surprised me on occasion (the sandwiches at the back deli were great, as was the Mongolian Wok!). However, everything that my husband and I ate at the Sensation dining room was fabulous! I was really surprised by the fast and friendly service and the quality of the food. I had a pumpkin pot pie and a Mango Cream soup that were wonderful, but really, in the total 18 dishes (appetizers, main courses, soup/salads) that we ate in the dining room - all were very tasty. I can't say that about my favorite restaurants! I've also read negative things in other reviews about Jaxport. However, we had no complaints here either. The personnel were friendly and both embarkation and debarkation were fast and smooth. Sure, the port isn't the most picturesque, but we are used to the appearance of the port in Savannah, and know that most working ports are a bit industrial looking. The $8 parking lot was a great deal, and they were super nice too. Other terrific experiences were the comedy shows and the '80's show, but others have commented on those as well. The only downside for us was that the time in Nassau was changed from 8-9 to 8-6. It rained, though, so I guess we didn't miss the extra hours in port too much. All in all, it was a wonderful experience and I would definitely cruise with Carnival again!

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This was our second time on the Fascination and in my opinion I find the passengers from Jacksonville the least friendly of all the ships. My husband and I always nod politely or say hello to people in the halls or on the elevator and usually on other ships people respond and you can strike up small conversations or jokes anywhere but not on this ship. The people seem to travel in large family groups and they keep to themselves. Believe me we weren't looking to hone in on their good time but a smile or a nod goes a long way--after all we are all on holiday! I talked to someone from Buffalo NY who married a Jax native and they said that many people were from rural areas and were suspicious of northerners from urban areas. I don't know if that is true but it's one theory. Anyway, as far as the ship I love the layout, it is so easy to get around from one place to another. I love the Lido deck and Hollywood Boulevard. The crew were first class, very friendly and attentive. The food in the main dining room was just OK. The waiters were rather obsequious and that was a bit of a put off but overall it was OK. The Coconut Grove has some weird smell thing going on, it was very unpleasant--it smelled strongly of urine in many places, I don't know where the smell was coming from but I found it terrible. I think it may have colored my impression of the buffet. I found the food rather bland and at times inedible but there was a nice dessert table and thankfully bags of English Breakfast tea. I didn't think the shows were very good they were rather amateurish but the crowd seemed to enjoy them. The cabins were much smaller than the usual so it was a bit of a trial getting ready but the biggest thing was that it absolutely STANK of cigarette smoke! Someone was smoking in their cabin and it carried the smell into ours (according to an engineer on the ship) I am allergic to tobacco and having to phone the purser repeatedly and turn off the ventilation really ruined this trip for me. Our clothes stank of tobacco and the room had a constant funk--one that beat the funk in the Coconut Grove! This is definitely a budget cruise--I envy the people who can just drive to port, they are certainly getting good value if they get a non-polluted cabin, but for people like us who have to fly this can be quite a disappointing cruise. There are way nicer ships to travel on.

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Upon arriving in Jacksonville, the temperatures were a little chilly and very windy. Getting on the ship was a little bit of a challenge. Out of all the ports we have sailed from, this was my least favorite. Very crowded and unorganized. The inspection agents were very rude. Luckily, this was the worst of our trip. All was better from here. We got on the ship and was able to go straight to our room. Due to the long lines at the terminal, this was a first. We then went up and got a snack. Our first day and our fifth day were days at sea. I learned along time ago that if you want a deck chair, get up early. This was no different but I expected it. I did make the mistake of being on the wrong side of the pool. On one side, smoking is allowed. I don't smoke. Be sure to catch which side is which. Next was Key West. My first time and we had a great time. We bought the Hop On Hop Off trolley on line before we left and paid 17.00. Through the cruise line it would have been 30.00. Can't wait to go back. Then off to Nassau. We got on the #10 bus and went to the beach at the Sheraton. It cost us 1.25 for each of us, each way. It was to cost us 25.00 each to use the beach but they never asked for the money, so we didn't offer. The food is excellent. The Didja section of the menu is new and sorta enjoyable. From sushi to alligator, to frog legs. The food on Carnival has alot more flavor than RCCL. The shows are just ok. We did enjoy the 80's show. It brought us back a few years. The comedy shows were great as well. Very funny. Over all, we had a great time.

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This was our first cruise on Carnival Fascination and our first cruise as Platinum! Cruising this time was my DH (44), myself (a few years older :) and our three childen: DS, 24, DD 20 and DD 16. This was the 20 year old DD's 3rd cruise and the first cruise for DS 24 and DD 16. We arrived at Jacksonville Port around 10:45 a.m. and were told we were not allowed in the parking lot until 11:00 a.m. so we drove around the area for a few minutes and returned around 10:55 a.m. to wait in line. The Port of Jax parking is a breeze. At 11:00 the security lines to board were already very long (how did all those ppl. get in line if they didn't allow anyone in the parking lot before 11:00??) Buses. And quite a few of them! No problem. The VIP / Platinum line was empty. We entered through the VIP door & there was no line. Since the VIP lounge area was full, the Carnival Rep. led us to the front of the check-in line as they would start check in shortly. Within five minutes we watched a wedding party board and then we were the first to check in. Honestly, this was the easiest check-in ever! Port Canaveral is still our favorite port but Jacksonville is now a close second. Highlights. Just a couple highlights as I'm not good at all the details. A Platinum perk is choosing your dining time. We booked just 2 weeks prior to sailing. MTD was no longer available when we booked but Platinum status allows you to get your dining time selection even if it is no longer available. Food. Having cruised on NCL and RCCL, we still very much prefer Carnival's food. IMHO, it is the best. We had some picky eaters on this cruise and there was something for everyone. The adventurous eater (DS) who tried everying, the DD who ate the same thing every night and the other DD who tried a few things but did not try the "didjaever" options. We had dinner in the Sensation Dining room (MTD) every night and Sandy, Jose & Lilya were awesome. After night two, they remembered all of our names. They were very good and we asked to be seated in their area every night. Entertainment. The main show on the 2nd night was very good! I can't remember the name of the show but it was new to us and our kids really enjoyed it. The comedians were also very good. Rooms. We booked 2 rooms. DD, DD and DS in one room. My DH and I were next door. Worked out great. They had no problem with the size of the room. We got a towel animal every night. The kids loved it. Ports. We missed HMC as it was a little rough. DH and I have been there and we love this island. Our kids were a tad disappointed. This port was replaced with Freeport. Not as good but at least they were able to get off and they were happy! We LOVE Nassau. I know a lot of ppl. do not like Nassau but DH and I always head over to the Atlantis casino and usually win some $$. This trip was no exception :) Debarkation. Again, we LOVE Platinum. We were off the ship by 8:30 a.m. with our bags and in our vehicle by 9:00. The priority embarkation and debarkation is so nice! Now for the VERY few negatives: 1. The room steward was great. He did not, however, point out that Platinum had complimentary laundry service. Had I not read about it on CC, I would not have known. 2. I wish they would bring back the galley tour. It would have been nice to have our kids see how much work it takes to feed all of those pax each night in the dining room. I think it is an eye opener and makes us zll appreciate the work involved. 3. The casino was OK and only OK. I get the point of putting unused $$ on your S&S card but honestly, you should also be able to cash out and get a ticket if you don't want to put the $$ on your card. We forgot we had $$ on my DH card the last night. They called our room around midnight to let us know we still had casino money on the card. By that time, we were in bed so unless he headed to the casino to cash out, we lost our money. It was only about $50 but still, this is not the ideal system. All-in-all a great cruise. We would definitely cruise on Carnival Fascination again.

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Embarkation: We drove to VIP Parking in Jacksonville and got off to a slow start. We waited and hour for our shuttle to take us to port. Jaxport seemed to have more checkpoints than Tampa and was slightly slower to get onboard. Still it was not a bad process. Our rooms were ready a little early so we were able to drop off our carryons and head up to the Lido deck. The buffet area was not overly crowded which was nice. I even was able to try the Mongolian Wok without a line! It was good. Cabin: We were in and outside room on the Upper Deck near the forward elevators. It was a convenient location. At times we could hear people in the hall, but it was not a big problem. The rooms a very soundproof as far as neighboring cabins are concerned. The bed and linens are so wonderful. There was plenty of storage for 2 people. Our stewards were excellent and friendly. Ship: We have only cruised Fantasy Class ships, so we already knew the layout. The Fascination is easy to navigate around. The decor is more understated on this ship. Most in our party liked it better that way. It never felt very crowded. There is always a quiet place available. The deli and pizza are located all the way aft which helps with the traffic flow in the buffet. The pizza was really good this time. We were amazed at how smooth the shipped sailed most of the time. A little rocking is enjoyable for us, so the bad weather day didn't bother us. Dining: We ate in the main dining room for breakfast and supper every day. Lunch was always on the lido deck. We really enjoyed the food. Some nights it was hard to choose! Once in a while something was less than perfect but overall we were quite pleased. We love Your Time Dining and only had to wait one night for a table. We had a large party that night. The servers were very attentive. Joseph was the maitre d. He is very enthusiastic. It wasn't my style but lots of people love him. Our servers were very attentive. Most nights we had Jorge's team. We requested him if possible. Entertainment: The 80's show was our favorite. The male singer is especially good. The band that plays in the Stars Bar was quite good as well. The piano player and guitar player in the atrium were ok, but not as enjoyable as last time. Itinerary: It was changed due to weather. Half Moon Cay had to be cancelled and became a sea day. Nassau was the same day and our last day they added a short day in Freeport. See the port reviews. Go with the flow and you can have a great time no matter what

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