First Timers

Carnival Imagination Cruise Review to Mexico

woodbrowning

Contributor Level: Deck Hand

Cruises: 1 cruise (first)

Review: 1

Helpful Vote: 1

Overall rating:

3 out of 5

4 Night Catalina & Baja Mexico (Los Angeles Roundtrip)

Sail date: October 04, 2015

Ship: Carnival Imagination

Cabin type: Suite

Cabin number: U114

Traveled as: Couple

Reviewed: 9 years ago

Review summary

My husband and booked our first cruise two months in advance in a suite; I was very pleased with the cabin but not the food and my husband was a little disappointed in the cabin but thought the food was good.

I knew the drinks were going to be expensive, very expensive, but I did not expect it to be so inconvenient and time consuming just to get a beer.

As soon as we embarked, we learned that although only one of us would be drinking only beer, we had to purchase two drink cards or pay AL la care for each drink. After purchasing the drink card, there were always reasons to charge even more in addition to the initial price, added gratuity, tax, etc.

I am not used to spending so much of my day, let alone my vacation, obtaining a six-pack of beer (and it wasn't even my usual brand of beer). I am uncertain if getting our drinks via the drink card or AL la carte would have been less expensive or easier to obtain. That really soured our trip -- which was a concern of mine prior to the cruise. What a suckered punch that turned out to be for us, thanks Carnival, thanks, !

Ship experiences

Food and Dining

1 out of 5

Onboard Activities

3 out of 5

My only on board activity was trying to locate a beer every time I wanted one -- an activity that normally takes less than 15 minutes, once a day and, I get what I want and I don't have to get out of the car -- not my experience on this cruise. Exaspirating.

Entertainment

3 out of 5

We never made it to anything except the casino. We did have the television on which I watched while my husband slept. Not a good selection of channels.

Children's Programs

3 out of 5

Service and Staff

3 out of 5

We could only understand approximately 20 percent of what they said if there were any available to ask.

Ship Quality

3 out of 5

Cabin / Stateroom

5 out of 5

I thought it was roomy, clean and comfortable, however, the pillows were not comfortable, the personal mirror in the bathroom needs to be fixed so it stays in the position it is placed, and I had a difficult time with the controls on the bathtub. No coffee maker or clock in the room, otherwise very nice.

Ship tip

Also, I since this was a cruise to Mexico, I expected more fresh fish on the menu and Latino music to be heard -- didn't get much of either.

Thumbs up

Ports of call

Long Beach (Los Angeles), California

5 out of 5

Catalina Island, California

5 out of 5

Ensenada, Mexico

5 out of 5

10 Comments

jeremyap 9 years ago

Whiner

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TeresaC1963 9 years ago

I don't the bar service is any slower for Cheers patrons vs non Cheers, the bar service Is just typically slow especially at peak times. Embarkation was horrible. It took 30 minutes just to get a soda.

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TitusWoman 9 years ago

I've heard that bar service is slow. I always have wait staff bring me mine and service has been prompt, but I don't do cheers program.

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brandysubia 9 years ago

im cruising Sunday and plan on purchasing cheers program... is bar service slower for cheers progran

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TeresaC1963 9 years ago

Yep and exactly why they have to require everyone over 21 in the same cabin to purchase even if only one would drink. As in so many things in life, the honest ones pay for the dishonest.

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TitusWoman 9 years ago

always people looking for a way to cheat

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TeresaC1963 9 years ago

My last cruise in May, there were several couples "sharing" the cheers program despite rules against it. I don't know if they were couples sharing it with other couples (one cabin buys 2; the other doesn't buy at all). They made bar service really slow because they would order one drink and then 5 minutes later ordered a drink for the other person. People that break the rules inconvenience many

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rendezvoussam 9 years ago

To my own experience unless you are an alcoholic or consume at least six drinks a day, alcohol package is way over priced.

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TitusWoman 9 years ago

unless you drink a lot it is cheaper to just purchase individual drinks. always have tax and tips.... .always. you learn a lot on your first cruise that makes you following cruises better. there is no cheat sheet as everyone is so different in their preferences.

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terry115 9 years ago

you had a suite and the alcohol was too much I'm sorry about that

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