As with all reviews, each should be taken for what is is which is my personal experience on this particular cruise on this particular date. I tried Carnival for the 1st time and would not recommend this ship. Might go on another Carnival Cruise if it was a newer ship but I have had a much better experience on other cruise lines. And no, I am not one of those that has been on lots of cruises that brag about the number of cruises that have been on. I will likely stick to the other lines that I have cruised in the past. If you like a lot of port calls during the week to a bunch of islands, then this is the idea cruise but use a different cruise line but stay away during the hurricane season. Carnival had to revise the itinerary due to Irma, at the very last minute and we ended up going to islands we had cruised to previously. We did this tour this year after doing a similar cruise last year that got diverted due to Hurricane Mathew last year and thought we would try a second time, but no more Caribbean cruises during hurricane season for me. The Fascination is old and it shows. The good thing is you don't spend much time on the ship since you only have one seas day. I admired how hard the crew works and their friendliness but this ship has little to offer.
Embarkation
2 out of 5
Quick and easy boarding experience. Don't waste your money on the faster to the fun pass. You don't need it on this ship. Lines are not that long. Our baggage check-in line was longer than the general boarding line.
Ship experiences
Food and Dining
1 out of 5
The food was the worst I have every experienced on a cruise. It's sad when the best food on the ship is the pizza and french fires. There were no specialty restaurants so you are stuck with either the dining room or buffet that serve the same food. The buffet should open early on port days so you can eat before leaving on your excursion. No one used the hand sanitizer when the entered the dinning area and surprised there wasn't a virus outbreak. Other cruise lines have had staff make sure everyone uses the sanitizer before entering.
Onboard Activities
1 out of 5
Pool way too small for the number of passengers on the ship.
Entertainment
2 out of 5
Walked out of most shows since they were so poorly performed.
Service and Staff
4 out of 5
Staff was very friendly and hard working. Service was always prompt. The employees were great.
Ship Quality
1 out of 5
Ship needs to be retired. Old and worn. The ship decor was very dark and uninviting.
Cabin / Stateroom
2 out of 5
Warning. This cabin is at the front of the ship and we will be woken every morning on port calls at 5am due to the engine noise for docking the ship. It is very loud for over an hour!
The cabin was an inside cabin but with two portholes. The cabin was spacious and very nice. Service was excellent. The room had enough space that could have accommodated a desk or dresser that would have been nice to store items. The room did seem moldy and musty when we boarded and they had fans going in the hallways. Both my wife and I ended up with sinus and respiratory issues within a day that we had the entire cruise.
Ship tip
Take any cruise line. We did this same cruise itinerary with Royal last year and the trip as so much better. This cruise is idea for people that want the visit a lot of island ports and not spend days at sea.
Lastly, Carnival cancelled 3 of our 4 shore excursions and we got notified late the night before. Made it difficult to choose another excursion and we ended up not re-booking two of the excursions.
Did the 5 star catamaran and snorkel excursion. It is not a 5 star excursion. Don't waste your time snorkeling in Barbados, Nothing to see but a turtle or two. Numerous people got sick and left the boat during the excursion.
Did the Top 10 tour. It is 6 hours of riding in a bus on very winding and narrow roads. Very few stops and very short. Most stops at some local spots selling souvenirs. This was an excursion we booked after our original one was cancelled. You do see a lot of the island as you are being whisked down at a breakneck speed. Lunch is not provided and they stop at a restaurant where you pay $5 for a piece of chicken, fish and bread. Make sure you take something to eat with you.
Went on the fascination Aug 25th and I thought being it was smaller ship, I wouldn't like it. I loved it, just as I did the bigger ships. Wouldn't change anything.
You tried something new and did not like it. You tried! Good news is you can go back to your comfort area/ cruise line with the knowledge you gained. You did not lose anything except the time/money spent on this ship.
all the cruiselines had to change itineraries, Carnival will keep you safr unlike Rccl that twice sailed into a Hurricane. ports are not guaranteed on ANY cruiseline
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