First Cruise Deserves Another!
Carnival Ecstasy Cruise Review to Caribbean - Western
5 Night Western Caribbean (Galveston Roundtrip)
Sail date: September 04, 2006
Ship: Carnival Ecstasy
Cabin type: Oceanview
Traveled as: Couple
Reviewed: 14 years ago
Review summary
Our first cruise experience was an eye-opener! We went on the Carnival Ecstasy, and will be sure to budget better on our next cruise. (And there will be a next cruise!) The service and staff were great, the food wonderful, the variety of entertainment wide, but the extra charges were unexpected. Of course, they were all optional expenses, but still a little pricy. The first day we spent an extra $30 for a "fountain drink card". The carbonated beverages were available at a premium ($1.75 a can), so we got the card to get unlimited sodas throughout the cruise. Pictures were taken constantly. A nice thing, for the most part, but, again, a bit pricy. At $10-$20 each, the professional photographs were well-done, but not in our budget. The tournaments (black jack & slots) were only $20 each, which is not bad. However, with only a $500 prize, where does the rest of the entry fees go? Bingo, at $10 a card, was overpriced, and again, where did the amount over the $500 prize go? Other than that, the trip was fabulous. The shore excursions were interesting and varied, and in general, not a bad price. The onboard entertainment included not only the casino, but karoke, game shows, music, dancing, and a "Vegas style stage show". I haven't been to Vegas in years, but it seemed the show was the same every night (same dances, tempo, etc), just different songs and costumes. Overall, we had a great time, and are planning our next voyage already.Ports of call
Pros: The great service and cheerful staff.
Cons: Piracy on the High Seas
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