This cruise is a good quick getaway at a reasonable price (except during holidays).
Embarkation
5 out of 5
Charleston cruise terminal is very efficient and better than most I have sailed from, We had the "faster to the fun pass" and boarded within 30 minutes of parking the car. The staff was courteous and knowledgeable. Our room was ready when we boarded and the preorders of soft drinks and water were in the room.
Ship experiences
Food and Dining
3 out of 5
The food was average fare for Carnival. We did the Chef's table one night and that was well worth the extra cost. That was the only specialty option on the Ecstasy. Guy's Burger and the Mexican Buffet were good options instead of the regular buffet. On sea days we went to the Wind Star Brunch which we recommend over the buffet.
Wind Song Dining Room
4 out of 5
Our service team was Erol and Yasa, They were efficient and helped us through the menu each night. There were some special items for the holiday and they modified the last evening festivities with a Christmas sing along after dinner.
Onboard Activities
4 out of 5
The water slide was fun.
We enjoyed the educational aspect of the Johnnie Walker Scotch tasting.
The spa was enjoyable but costly.
Spa Carnival
5 out of 5
Nannarat was excellent as a massuse as she provided a "trio of treatments" for my wife.
Entertainment
5 out of 5
This cruise had the best entertainment I have every had on Carnival.
Blue Sapphire Main Lounge
5 out of 5
The singers and dancers were mostly form Great Brittan and were extremely talented. They did 3 shows (Motown, Rock and Brit Invasion) plus a special Christmas day presentation. Everyone in our family form the youngest (27) to the oldest (75) completely enjoyed the shows. The entertainers were happy to hang around after each show to talk with passengers.
Children's Programs
We had no children in our group.
Service and Staff
5 out of 5
Our cabin steward (Raften) was very good, He wasfriendly without being invasive and did a good job cleaning. The ice bucket was always full and we always had clean glasses and towels.
Ship Quality
4 out of 5
The Ecstasy is one of the oldest ship in the Carnival fleet. It is nonetheless a clean and well run ship. Navigating the decks is realitively easy.
Cabin / Stateroom
3 out of 5
We had a no frills functional basic ocean view cabin. It was average size for an older ship, Balcony cabins were sold out early due to this cruise being over Christmas.
Ship tip
Due to the noise do not book a room near the atrium on deck 7.
Some members of our family went scuba diving and it was decent but the reef is dying so the sea life quantity is poor. The last time we were there on a cruise we went deep sea fishing and enjoyed that but we booked it directly online and not through Carnival.
You have to negotiate the salesman and hawkers to get out of the port area. This is a nuisance. It is a fun port to walk around and shop. Most of the cigar shops sell Cuban knockoffs so beware. There are decent liquor shops with some deals if you are willing to look around. I found a liter of Havana Club 7 Year Select at a good price. You can't purchase it in the states. The Poop Deck East is a great restaurant.
The private islands are money makers for the cruise lines. The beach was ok and not too crowded. The BBQ lunch was basic burgers and dogs. If you want to swim or do an excursion go ashore if not stay on the ship.
We did the Dune Buggy excursion and it was fun. The cost ($175) was high but we going to see some of the island that most people don't get to see and toured ruins of a lighthouse and a church with the guide giving us the history of Eluthera .
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