1st Fascination voyage post Hurricane Maria and dry doc
Carnival Fascination Cruise Review to Caribbean
Contributor Level:
Purser
Cruises: 7+ cruises
Review: 1
Helpful Votes: 38
Southern Caribbean from San Juan
Sail date: February 18, 2018
Ship: Carnival Fascination
Cabin type: Inside
Cabin number: U118
Traveled as: Couple
Reviewed: 6 years ago
Review summary
Trying excursions every day was tiring for a pair of 70 year olds. Next time we may not do as many. Ship and crew were enloyableEmbarkation
We took the Carnival transport from the airport. We like to carry our own luggage on and off so when the Carnival folks insisted we load it on to a truck we became concerned. We were put on a shuttle bus. The luggage did not arrive to our cabin until after9pm.
When we got to Embarkation, it was a zoo. Very congested outside of the cruise terminal. I'm not sure if folks were trying to board outside of the assigned window or poor management by port and Carnival. My spouse is not a wait in line person so we assertively moved forward. As it turns out, once past the initial choke point boarding was fast and smooth.
Ship experiences
Food and Dining
We are steakhouse fans and the Fascination does not have one. We were disappointed.
The main dining room fare was typical of Carnival's American menu that we've enjoyed on prior cruises.
I know some folks miss the white table cloth experience at every meal. It does not bother us. On Elegant Night(s) it was there as appropriate. I would recommend exploring the regional/Caribbean offerings. I tried the shrimp curry which was excellent. The baja chicken was good as well. I enjoy the cold soup offering on every cruise and this was no exception. The mango soup is wonderful.
Our servers (Clara, Nestor and Marilyn) were exceptional and sensitive to our needs.
Onboard Activities
Entertainment
Comedians Happy Cole and Jim Brick kept us entertained. We saw the early and late shows. The PG13 early show had some of the younger folks attention when it was obvious they wished to be somewhere else. That is quite the complement. We caught Larry's solo act on a couple of occasions. He did covers of music appealing to mature crowds (we are 70). The productions shows we saw were mixed. Divas had music we did not find particularly appealing and the volume was a bit too much. Considering I'm hard of hearing, that's saying a lotWe did not do the Piano Bar, Latin Night at Passage to India, or the movies so I will not comment on them.The juggler was a terrific entertainer who engaged folks of all ages. A great act!
Service and Staff
Wait staff in the dining room Clara, Nestor and Marilyn kept up with all of the demands with grace and style. I appreciate there efforts.
Room steward Kervin was great.
Ship Quality
Steakhouse venue would be nice. Functioning beverage dispensers on Lido deck when passengers are present is needed. Restocking the sanatizer is essential. One night the menu posted outside of the dining room was incorrect.
Cabin / Stateroom
We have cruised multiple times. As mature folk we request the twin bed setup as it is easier in the middle of the night to exit the bed than having to disturb your mate by crawling over them. We loved the arrangement. My CPAP machine did not require an extension cord stretched across the pathway to the bath. We did miss the refrigerator.
Our steward, Kervin, and his assistant provided us with wonderful service. When we were surprised by our adult daughter with some goodies, they provided an ice bucket for the wine and kept it refilled daily.
Ship tip
Use your Fun Times to plan your activities. There is much to do and you want to stay involved.
Thumbs up
0
Ports of call
We flew in a day early and stayed at the airport hotel because at the time we booked (shortly after hurricane Maria) we were unsure of the status of other hotels. It was satisfactory with a pleasa staff. Sunday morning we took a cab into Old San Juan for a 2 hour walking tour we booked through Viator. The guide David Rodriguez-Otero with Tripolin.com was excellent. We met at a Starbucks and heard and saw about buildings, forts and the development of San Juan. Highly recommend David.
St Thomas was the is land where we observed the greatest devastation from Hurricane Maria. We did a Sonny Liston tour with Elvis as our guide. We had elected an early start and Elvis picked us up promptly and took us into a shopping area and gave us 2 hours to explore. Many 'barkers' outside of businesses trying to entice you to enter, A smile and a polite firm NO was sufficient.
We did have an excellent reprieve at the Side Street Pub on Creque's Alley downtown. Expats Kim and Elise kept us in cold beer and snacks while recounting tales of the hurricane and recovery. If you find your self on St Thomas with some time you owe it to yourself to check out the Side Street Pub.
We did Copacabana Beach Bar for a beach break. No issue with getting umbrella and beach umbrella. We ordered a bucket of beer as soon as we arrived and happily sipped away. The kitchen did get backed up and we were unable to get lunch which was a disappointment. Staff was helpful and restrooms clean.
We had the greatest tour guide, Pastor Henry William, whose knowledge of the island was extensive. We booked the Grand Island Tour with Grey's Island Tours through Trip Advisor and included an a time at the beach. In our group only a young couple did the beach the rest of us elected to return to the ship. ThHill a site of interest to anyone with a bent towards military history was great. It did entail a significant number of steps uphill to the fort. The Wingfield Estate with beautiful gardens was a tranquil respite.
Disembarkation
We carried our luggage off and were waiting for Carnival crew to unlock the elevators for trip down to the gangway. No problems. There is always a slight line at Customs which they handled promptly. Taxis were readily available at $22 for the two of us and bags. A great experence
Traveler Photos
