Better than Expected !!!
Carnival Fascination Cruise Review to Caribbean - Southern
Contributor Level:
Purser
Cruises: 2-3 cruises
Review: 1
Helpful Votes: 45
7 Night Southern Caribbean (San Juan Roundtrip)
Sail date: July 30, 2017
Ship: Carnival Fascination
Cabin type: Oceanview
Cabin number: M146
Traveled as: Family (young children)
Reviewed: 6 years ago
Review summary
If you're looking for a fun, lively cruise and are OK that the boat might be a little older and smaller, this is for you. If you prioritize the different ports more than being on the boat, again, this cruise is for you. If you want to spend all your time on the boat and want an ice skating rink and a pool deck that looks like God's waiting room, you probably should look elsewhere...Embarkation
A little confusing related to luggage. When I had picked my boarding time, it said that if I picked a time after 2:00, I would have to transfer my own luggage. --- No problem.
I picked 3:00. So, I didn't print baggage tags, etc. When we got to the port, however, they said we couldn't carry our own luggage since the bags were too big and then had to create tags. It all worked out, but more confusing than it needed to be.
Ship experiences
Food and Dining
We primarily went with a sit-down breakfast and dinner. The wait staff (Vincent) and his crew were awesome in taking care of our kids and suggesting good things on the menu. Overall, much better food than previous Carnival cruises I had been on.
When we did go to the buffet, I'd say it wasn't as good. The Pizza pirate and deli, however, were very good. And, the kids love the 24hr ice cream.
Onboard Activities
We enjoyed the pool / hot tubs as always. We thought the pool was nice and clean. While the slides wouldn't be enough for the most extreme thrill seekers, our kids had a blast on them.
We also enjoyed ping-pong more than I thought we would and played several games each day. Ping pong with a breeze and some movement of the ship is a different game!!
Entertainment
We visited a few variety shows as well as the Family friendly comedy shows. Of course, different entertainers / comedians are better than others. Overall, however, our family enjoyed them. My son is still reciting some of the comedy club jokes.
Children's Programs
My kids enjoy being with the family and doing the same things that we do...
Service and Staff
Wait Staff (Vincent and his crew) were excellent. They took care of my kids and suggested menu items we would all enjoy. Lots of energy and a desire for us to be happy.
Room steward wasn't as great. I had to ask repeatedly to get enough towels for my whole family. On the plus side, they did a good job at straightening the daily mess and keeping the bathroom clean of sand, etc...
Ship Quality
We really liked the layout of the pool and common areas. The ship is certainly an older and smaller one, but for this cruise with so many ports, it was great...
If you look closely, you can certainly see areas where the ship is showing its age. But, it still felt clean and safe.
Cabin / Stateroom
I knew this was an older ship before we got on, so I expected a smaller room. I don't really care, as I'm not going to be in it that much anyhow. --- I'm not going on a cruise to sit in the room and watch TV.
We were a little disappointed that there was no refrigerator in the room and there was only 1 plug to keep our phones / cameras / etc.. charged. But, again, the cabin was not our focus.
Ports of call
We love St. Thomas. For the second time in a row, we did the fast cat to Honeymoon beach and snorkel. The kids love the snorkeling and beach. The water is beautiful and warm. The adults enjoy a rum punch or 2 or 3... Highly recommend it.
Thumbs Up
13
Just caught a taxi to Caribe beach. Bit of a tourist trap with vendors trying to sell you everything, but overall about the nicest beach and water I've ever seen. You could clearly see the bottom in 15+ feet of water.
Weather wasn't great. Went to the Windjammer hotel which had an abundance of water toys, but we weren't able to use them. Water seemed OK, but not the best / clearest we experienced.
Probably would be a much better experience with better weather.
Did Stand-up Paddleboarding based on a Carnival excursion. Highly recommended. Beautiful water / scenery and great staff. Legs did hurt for a few days after, though...
The island itself was nice and the history very interesting.
Did family boogie boarding at Orient beach and wouldn't recommend it. We felt very rushed by the staff like they just needed to get us out. Beach was just OK.
Disembarkation
Good and quick. No issues.