Carnival Fascination Cruise Review
Cruise Line: Carnival Cruise Line
Cruise Ship: Carnival Fascination
Cruise Destination: Key West and Calica
Cruise Dates: January 30, 2006
Guest Contributor: Ohio Cruiser
bmarie54@yahoo.com
We got in late last night from Miami to be greeted by a big snow storm today. Ohio weather stinks! This cruise was booked after we got bumped off a cruise on Ecstacy in December when it was taken for hurricane relief.
With the $200 ship credit they gave us, we figured this one only cost us about $199 each for four days. Arrived in Miami night before departure and stayed at the Baymont Inn near the airport. Free shuttle service. The hotel was clean with hot breakfast buffet and only cost us $69 for the night. They also shuttled us free to the port.
We left the hotel at 11:00, got through embarkation and were on the ship by noon or so. Fascination was just like all the other ships of its size. I think I prefer the small ships. I don't like crowds. We have cruised Carnival and Royal Caribbean, but see no big differences. Royal Caribbean seems to have an older clientele but this cruise really didn't have a lot of kids either. My 15 year old had to look far and wide to find a friend his age.
Food was great and we ate too much. Anybody who complains about the food on these ships, just doesn't have enough to worry about. Shows were good if you're into that kind of thing. One change: Pool towels are not provided.
You have to check them out on your account and will be charged $22 a piece if not returned. Might want to bring your own and not have to worry about it. Also, tips are charged to you at $10 day per person and you have to adjust in person if you don't agree.
Key West was interesting but we didn't have time to do much. We don't waste money on excursions as we've found you spend a lot of time waiting around on the group. Free shuttle to town. Just went in and walked around. The shuttle driver did a lot of history and tourist info. It is the kind of place you could get lost for awhile and really relax. Would go back. Weather was overcast the first day but arrived in Mexico to beautiful, warm and sunny skies.
Getting off the ship was a little hectic. Everybody tried to leave at the same time and bottle necked in the stair wells. You might do just as well to wait a bit. We took a collapsible cooler along and packed sandwiches from room service in zip-lock baggies for lunch at the beach. The ship docked at Calica which looks like a stone quarry. Not pretty. We had a group of eight and hired a taxi/van to take us to town to the beach. I cost $130 but the driver took was very accommodating and was flexible with out return time--we just couldn't pull ourselves away at the designated time so he stayed another hour for us. The ride there was interesting, seeing the way the Mexicans locals live. We were dropped off downtown and walked though a shopping district down to the beach. Kind of high pressure sales but we didn't stop.
The beach was awesome! We parked our party near the ferry terminal and a waiter named Moses set us up with four chaise lounges and a table with umbrella and chairs. Buckets of XX beer were $16 for 6 and the Margaritas were yummy. Watch out for last call. He made those "special". Our total bar bill was $114 for about four hours of drinking, so I figure we got our money's worth. That included some tequila shots.
Back in Miami on Friday we rented a car and drove to Key Largo to a state park with mangrove forests, snorkeling and glass bottom boats. Ate at Fish House just outside the park. This place was on Food Channel. Our flight was not till 8:45 pm. We got back to Miami ahead of rush hour but then sat for four hours. It was a real rough flight back to Columbus ahead of the snow storm. Was a great trip.
Cruise Ship: Carnival Fascination
Cruise Destination: Key West and Calica
Cruise Dates: January 30, 2006
Guest Contributor: Ohio Cruiser
bmarie54@yahoo.com
We got in late last night from Miami to be greeted by a big snow storm today. Ohio weather stinks! This cruise was booked after we got bumped off a cruise on Ecstacy in December when it was taken for hurricane relief.
With the $200 ship credit they gave us, we figured this one only cost us about $199 each for four days. Arrived in Miami night before departure and stayed at the Baymont Inn near the airport. Free shuttle service. The hotel was clean with hot breakfast buffet and only cost us $69 for the night. They also shuttled us free to the port.
We left the hotel at 11:00, got through embarkation and were on the ship by noon or so. Fascination was just like all the other ships of its size. I think I prefer the small ships. I don't like crowds. We have cruised Carnival and Royal Caribbean, but see no big differences. Royal Caribbean seems to have an older clientele but this cruise really didn't have a lot of kids either. My 15 year old had to look far and wide to find a friend his age.
Food was great and we ate too much. Anybody who complains about the food on these ships, just doesn't have enough to worry about. Shows were good if you're into that kind of thing. One change: Pool towels are not provided.
You have to check them out on your account and will be charged $22 a piece if not returned. Might want to bring your own and not have to worry about it. Also, tips are charged to you at $10 day per person and you have to adjust in person if you don't agree.
Key West was interesting but we didn't have time to do much. We don't waste money on excursions as we've found you spend a lot of time waiting around on the group. Free shuttle to town. Just went in and walked around. The shuttle driver did a lot of history and tourist info. It is the kind of place you could get lost for awhile and really relax. Would go back. Weather was overcast the first day but arrived in Mexico to beautiful, warm and sunny skies.
Getting off the ship was a little hectic. Everybody tried to leave at the same time and bottle necked in the stair wells. You might do just as well to wait a bit. We took a collapsible cooler along and packed sandwiches from room service in zip-lock baggies for lunch at the beach. The ship docked at Calica which looks like a stone quarry. Not pretty. We had a group of eight and hired a taxi/van to take us to town to the beach. I cost $130 but the driver took was very accommodating and was flexible with out return time--we just couldn't pull ourselves away at the designated time so he stayed another hour for us. The ride there was interesting, seeing the way the Mexicans locals live. We were dropped off downtown and walked though a shopping district down to the beach. Kind of high pressure sales but we didn't stop.
The beach was awesome! We parked our party near the ferry terminal and a waiter named Moses set us up with four chaise lounges and a table with umbrella and chairs. Buckets of XX beer were $16 for 6 and the Margaritas were yummy. Watch out for last call. He made those "special". Our total bar bill was $114 for about four hours of drinking, so I figure we got our money's worth. That included some tequila shots.
Back in Miami on Friday we rented a car and drove to Key Largo to a state park with mangrove forests, snorkeling and glass bottom boats. Ate at Fish House just outside the park. This place was on Food Channel. Our flight was not till 8:45 pm. We got back to Miami ahead of rush hour but then sat for four hours. It was a real rough flight back to Columbus ahead of the snow storm. Was a great trip.
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