I will start by stating that this was our first cruise, so I have nothing to base it on other than all inclusive hotels. I had read all the reviews for the cruise before we left, and I'm glad I did! I got some great advice! Definite things to bring: your own water, your own wine, a fan...just in case. If you are really cheap you can buy wine with a twist off top and replace the wine with the alcohol of your choice. We thought of this on our way back home ;-) The drinks were about $8+ each then a 15% tip is added. Water: I agree that the water smells a little funny on the Lido deck, but in the dining rooms it was fine. We drank it at every dinner along with the rest of our table and it was fine. It was nice to have fresh water in the room, though. A fan: the air is on the ceiling and we had no issue with it. I was glad that I picked up a clip on fan from Walmart, just in case. The dining room servers are simply amazing! The food we had was wonderful and the ship was crazy clean. They cleaned everywhere...all the time. I read a review that said the clientele on this ship is what you might get if a ship stops at Walmart and asks the customers if they want to go on a cruise. This made me chuckle...but it wasn't too far off. There are definitely a high number of rowdy, drunk rednecks. But we found them amusing. There are a lot of Southerners on this cruise because they don't need to fly and it's pretty reasonably priced. We had a room with a window and paid $900 with all the taxes for 2 people. Not bad. I read a review from somewhere to stay at the Jacksonville Plaza Hotel and Suites because they have a stay and cruise package. It was $100 to spend the night, eat their mediocre breakfast, keep our car there while cruising, and be shuttled to and from the dock. It was easy and stress free. The rooms were clean, the bathroom could use an update (although it was clean as well), and the shuttles were quick. It was exactly was I was hoping for. read more

This place is a clusterf*ck. Carnival is a stingy company who employs people who are instructed to PUSH goods and services well after you've already declined multiple times. For example, at dinner: "What would you like from the bar" "Nothing thank you" "Oh come on, it's good" "No, I don't drink" "Oh you should it's so good. What can I get you" "Nothing I'm fine" "Oh no, I can get you something" Etc. sickening. Multiply this by 1000 all week. Never have I wanted to yell at someone to stop talking so badly. They have the process down for getting on the boat, but getting off the boat is hilariously bad and demeaning. We were instructed to be out of the rooms by 8:30, they started calling for debarkation at 8:10 and we happened to be the first floor they called so we walked directly to the steps from our room since we weren't instructed to be out yet. I was told by a very rude worker that I should have gone to the presentation on how to exit the ship. I did. And I was following the rules I was instructed. Apparently I was supposed to go up to 9 (from 4) and take the elevator down to 3, even though I was already on 4 and able and willing to take the 7 steps to the gangway. They need a new project manger so badly. I got my masters degree in program development and evaluation, and let me tell you, their organization is abysmal. But hey, you pay for what you get. A cheap cruise gives you cheap service, cheap goods, and rude staff, congrats Carnival. read more

Carnival allowed a security guard to put their hands on a passenger on the cruise ship. The person was intoxicated, and had stated "not to be touched" multiple times I myself was close with this passenger and she did allow me and another family to calm her down and approach her. During the commotion that was taking place.. One female security guard attempted to put her hands on the passenger to push her back and calm her down... even though the passenger was saying she didn't want her touching her, the lady had already stating she has PTSD, anxiety and depression and has had an abusive childhood. In this process the passenger did grab the security guard's neck and push her back into the coffee stand in retaliation of a security guard approaching her how she did. After that we immediately separated the two and the security guard stood by us with her arms crossed with an attitude as if she wanted to attack the passenger again. I tried to speak to the security guard to ask if she was OK as a mutual party. Instead of acknowledging me kindly, I was met with an attitude and she said "Don't talk to me". After the passenger started to calm down and we were able to work everything out with security she attempted multiple times to apologize to the security guard because "that was not her usual behavior" she stated, even to a point the security guard did allow her to give her a hug while she apologized in tears. Following that in a conversation I did witness the Head security tell her it was OK and to calm down and everything would be fine. Afterwards I had noticed that the female security guard stayed guard all night and was also the security guard for the club which from my understanding meant they were capable of handling at least one person. Also there were multiple men guards and friends to stop her. Yet the one lady guard took it upon herself to step in and then after everything had calm down the next day I was hearing the security guard wanted to press charges but again she approached the passenger with force first. The next day they moved her into a different room and would not let me in, so I listened from outside I could hear one of the higher up security guards speaking roughly to her as if she was less than a person to them and it was personal. I can't say I'm comfortable riding a cruise line anymore that treats their guest as such no matter how intoxicated one can become, especially Elation. I was under the impression as a security guard, one understands things can become physical but when I stated to a superior guard "isn't a situation like this potentially part of a job as security". He said "No, it's not...this doesn't happen" and walked off in my face rudely and continued to make a call, with his given statement, to my understanding that means the female guard acted outside of her job description as a security guard. Meaning she was just as much in the wrong after the woman stated she didn't want to be touched by any of them, the doors were already locked and multiple guards were inside. I feel as if the female guard is being vindictive. Carnival had already stated the passenger was banned from sailing. And they locked her in a room for the remainder of the trip...not lock up jail - just a room that they personally gave her to descalate the situation that had occurred with her husband, and as I visited her room during the day, they were neglecting to feed her as well unless she paid additional fees for room service. They also charged the customer $1200 in damages I believe, which can be understandable....but honestly I feel as if Carnaval is placing her in a Double Jeopardy situation because they have continuously tried to make it harder for the passenger after they kept wanting to punish her more for the same thing. Then additional the guard was seen on duty posted on guard for the comedy club event later that evening, even though she said "she was sore" from the incident. read more

We were first time cruisers and it was a GREAT TIME! The boat entertainment was good, Half Moon Cay was fabulous, dolphins were neat in Nassau, and service was awesome. We don't have any other cruise to compare but we were pleased. Our room attendant kept our room tidy and cozy. The towel animals were great and we looked forward to seeing what he would do next each night we returned to the room. My family loved the buffet, burgers, pizza, tacos, and ICE CREAM! I hinted an odd odor/flavor in the cooked food. I thought it was just me but the pre-packaged food, fruit, and things like peanut butter didn't have the taste. It was like that for me in all restaurants. The entertainment squad was upbeat and the cruise director Cam was very personable and fun. One pool was cutting it close though. It was crowded at times. I liked the corn hole, mini golf, chess, shuffle board type games as well as the board games on the ship. We didn't do a drink package because we don't do much soda but brought a few 12 packs on board. Gotta be careful though accepting any drinks. There are no tastings..haha. I was talking and not paying attention at dinner and accepted a Woo Woo shot when I thought I was getting a wine sample like Olive Garden. I was wrong and dinged $10. I would have gotten a Cheers alcohol package but I would have to pay $55 for each day and for each adult in the room, but my wife doesn't drink. Overall we'd definitely take this cruise again. read more

We just got back from a 5 day 4 night trip on The Fascination cruise ship. This was my first cruise (usually we just fly wherever we go). We had a BLAST!!!! We cruised to Freeport and Nassau. This is one of the older ships and isn't as large.... But I still had trouble finding my room. Lol. The size of the boat was just right for me. The food was good. I'd really give it maybe 4 stars. But it's so nice to be able to eat and be catered to 24 hours a day. We preordered alcohol and mixers for our room. I definitely recommend that. It's a little expensive, but it's just nice and we probably saved money by doing that. Of course we still hit our share of the bars. I loved the drinks of the day and the cute umbrellas in them. Also the Chocolatinni was soooo good! We had a suite with a balcony. I loved our room. Very large, walk in closet, couch, bathtub with whirlpool tub, and comfy king size bed. There aren't many balconies on the ship, but it's definitely worth the extra money. So relaxing sitting on it. Gorgeous views! Also I recommend the hot tubs on the back of the ship. They aren't crowded and the bar is nearby. Most of the time there's somebody to get the drinks for you. They have free room service 24 hours a day. I definitely took advantage of that. Great grill cheese sandwiches to munch on. I definitely think we will go again. We really had a nice trip and it was nice getting away! read more

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Overall, we had a good experience with Carnival Elation. We came in knowing that this was one of the older ships, so we knew that there would be less amenities and activities. However, we wanted to try the Carnival Elation as it was just right here in our backyard of Jacksonville. We had a pleasant experience, although there could be improvements in some areas. I have to say that the staff on this cruise was AWESOME! The hospitality and service that they provide on this cruise is top-notch. The cruise director, Mellisa, for this cruise was phenomenal. She really was the face and personality that heightened our cruise experience. The food options were also good, although there could have been more variety and options in cuisine and flavor. Personally, I think the Blue Iguana Mexican restaurant and Pizza Palace were the two best restaurants on the cruise. Now onto some improvements, there was only one pool to serve the over 2,000 guests. I definitely think another pool would have been awesome. We didn't even go into the pool during our cruise because of its small size. Another improvement to be made is to have more designated smoking areas. I am not a smoker and prefer not to have the smell of smoke follow me around, however it seemed that on this boat that the cigarette smoke smell stuck to some areas. Yes...the casino smelled like smoke. But, there were other areas that also reeked of cigarette smoke. If this is improved upon, I think that it would be a better experience for all. Overall, I give it 3 stars as it was definitely relaxing and a nice vacation to end the Summer! They made me feel extra special for my birthday and we left with new friends! read more

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Very nice people that are all was there to help you. The towels are left every day and are super cute. The food was really good and tasty. The stops are fun along with excursions. The TV in the room play good movies and shows. Very nicely designed and the bars are easily accessed. read more

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CARNIVAL ELATION (JAX) I understand why most people stay away from cruises, even when you feel your getting a "bargain", they nickel and dime you any chance they get. Pay close attention to your daily bill and question anything that seems off immediately. Download the Carnival HUB app which allows you to see a tally of your running bill. Do not use it to chat with other members of the cruise as this TOO will cost you an additional charge, but the app itself is free. THE CONS (everything has a cost; always read or ask about the fine print/disclaimers): 1. WIFI - The ship offers NO FREE wifi, instead they have 3 plans: $5 USD per day "SOCIAL plan" this gives you access ONLY to social media websites (e.g. Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pintrest, Linkedin, Whatsapp, etc.) Does not include access to other websites or apps. The next package is "VALUE plan" $16 USD per day (e.g. Surf the net including e-mail, news, sports, weather, banking and finance. Note: Does not support Skype calling or music streaming such as Spotify.) "PREMIUM plan" $25 USD per day gives access to all things internet. Call me crazy but doesn't $125 total for a 5 day cruise just to use the web sound a bit over the top? 2. ALCOHOL PACKAGES - Carnival sells "Cheers!" which is $49.95/day with 15% gratuity automatically included although you are still expected to tip when you are served. It was just my boyfriend and I for this trip and being native New Yorker's we could not see ourselves paying $500 total for an alcohol package when the total we spent on the 4 night cruise was $781. It just seemed insane. You are allowed to bring 1 bottle 750ml per person of wine/champagne on board, but this package seemed like highway robbery to us. I've been on other cruise lines that offer a free upgraded beverage package that includes alcohol. This was definitely a turn off for us. We did manage to sneak our own booze on board using one of those all plastic flasks that can be purchased on Amazon. BOTTOMLESS BUBBLES - Is the unlimited soda and juice for $6.50 USD per person/per day which for the 2 of us totaled $65. Now I don't know about you but I've never spent $65 on soda and/or juice for 4 nights. Again blatant price gauging. Can someone introduce Carnival to a BJ's or Costco or just a basic mom and pop store. WATER - Filtered tap is free at the buffet. If you want water in your room a pack of 12 (16.9 oz) "Carnival" brand bottles of water is $4.50. I'm convinced they just bottle the tap water into bottles labled with their company name. An 8 pack (50 oz) of water, again "Carnival" brand will cost $20. CORKAGE FEE - For each bottle of 750ml of wine you bring to dinner (remember the cruise allows each person to bring 1 bottle of wine or champagne on board) you will have to pay $15 for their corkage fee. Is this a joke? The bottle openers they sell at the liquor stores near the cash registers are about $1. Bottom line here is the price for all of their beverages in general are insanely overpriced. What good is paying a bargain deal for 4 night cruise which was $781 if your going to be paying an additional $700 when all is said and done in beverages alone!!! Madness. 3. OLD SHIP built in 1998 and refurbished in 2014 although you can't really tell it was refurbished at all. Every single thing about this ship needs to be broken down and completely re-done. It felt like cruising back in the 90s. Day 1 of our cruise while still in the Jacksonville port all lights went out for about an hour. 4. PORTS - We had 2 stops. First was FREEPORT BAHAMAS and the second was NASSAU. When the ship pulled into Freeport the looks on the passengers faces while on the decks watching the sights was that of shock. Freeport was extremely industrial. Rocks, rubble, abandoned buildings, a ghost town. There was nothing nearby to do. We decided to jump in a shared cab to a beach 40 minutes away. Stay away from Freeport... Nassau was well Nassau.. What you expect from Atlantis Paradise Island which you can get to via shuttle/taxi for about $20. Beautiful newly built buildings but the excursions were insanely priced. THE PROS - The workers on the cruise ship were very friendly and helpful. They did their best to keep the old ship looking clean and I mean what more can you ask for? However, for those who don't purchase the alcohol package but instead the bottomless bubbles juice package... expect to wait for a bartender to serve you. They can tell by your wrist band what beverage package you purchased and they want alcohol based tipping. So between you ordering juice and the guy next to you ordering a bloody mary, the bartender will overlook you and even seem annoyed with your order. Stay away from the Carnival Elation. The ports were nothing to brag about, all of the hidden pricing will bite you in the butt at the end. Watch your invoice daily like a hawk! I would not go back or recommend this line to family or friends. read more

Last cruise on this cruise line!!! So many rude people ( employees!) no organization!! Did have fun but we will Find another line! read more

This was my second cruise. My first was taken less than 30 days from this one. In comparison, the rooms were much more modern, beds more comfortable, but the employees were far less friendly and the arrangement of food, and quality for the buffet wasn't good. There were few healthy options and even though the boat wasn't as crowded as my prior, the buffet line was deplorable. Aside from the buffet food, and the employees that weren't very friendly everything else was great. I would cruise again with them, perhaps take meal replacements or protein shakes. read more

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We love the Elation It is not one of the big ships but that also means not as many people on board. We have been on her two times so far with two more very soon. The port is very nice easy to get around. read more

Sewage Smell Ruined this Experience. I guess it is acceptable to have the smell of urine in the cabins. This is true. At first I thought it was on the floor, but it was coming from the sink or toilet. One cruiser said he just puts a scent on his upper lip to mask it so he can sleep. Really? If you like the Home Town Buffet this cruise line is for you. Horrid Buffet food nearly 24 hours. I heard classier cruise lines have better food? Stick to the drinks. All this aside. You only get one afternoon on wherever you dock. Then back to the tourists and same people on your boat. If you want to experience culture get a hotel or air bnb, go out and eat and drink with the locals. Stay a few days in one spot or even a week. Experience the culture! Not just for a day then on to the next spot. Fake... Lastly. When I told carnival that my room smelled of urine. They offered me a carnival gift and $25 off my next cruise. Too funny! What horrible customer service. Never again with Carnival. Which I understand is bottom of the barrel. Maybe never cruise again? Definitely would pay more and avoid any ship associated with Circus Carnival. read more

After reading reviews I was Leary of this ship having cruise twice before . By far my favorite cruise line out of carnival , Norwegian and MSC. the entire staff was extremely friendly and accommodating. Food was great and fuses was always something to eat. Pizza is 24hrs so is ice cream and deli. Rooms are outdated as they are dry docking ship for upgrades in September however we had a room on deckE195 and it was bigger than all rooms I've had before . Room was clean and they had towel animals every day for us . Ports we visited were princess cays which is there private island - we opted to rent floats and lay out . Floats were9.99 and so worth it . In Freeport we swam with dolphins and it was beautiful and worth every penny. We bought the drink package which was 15 alcoholic beverages a day ; but both cabin members had to purchase - in the long run it wasn't worth it for us - as you can't use it off the ship at any of the ports. Black jack was super fun and bumim was super friendly. Our dinner staff angela and Sanjay were great as well! read more

Decent cruise for the money. I'd suggest a few things to newbies: 1. bring your own bottled water. The drinking water tastes and smells foul 2. Bring a bottle of wine or champagne per person in carry-on luggage. This is allowed and saves you $ over $12 drinks on board. 3. Ask for two or three appetizers or main courses in the Sensation dining room. It's all you can eat and the portions given are teeny-weeny. 4. Try the chocolate melting cake for dinner--really good! 5. Bring ear plugs--unruly kids running up and down the halls at night and/or drunken people in the hallways might keep you up. 6. be savvy about taking cabs on the island stops. The cabbies will most definitely try to overcharge you. Negotiate! 7. Our cabin air was stuffy and musty. No fan or temp control. Bring tiny personal fan for some air flow! read more

Just not good entertainment ama for the best entertainment you had to stand around rails! Show cancelled and nothing to replace it. There should be a neck up or move shows up. We lost put cuz we saw comedian already so no entertainment last night that we could see. Also, the newlyweds game we knew was adult only but hearing ***k and ***t was very offensive. Overall the ship was disappointing but the staff were pretty good. read more

Ok first of all getting on the ship is a nightmare. Then once you get on and wait 3 hours for your room to be ready.. the security guards come in and violate your privacy! I have never been treated so badly than on carnival cruise. We came here as a family looking to have a fun vacation, that is not what we found. Save yourself the headache and book a better cruise read more

So on Thursday night I attended a game event which was for adults. During this event though on one of the challenges we were told to act as a dog and get on all fours, as everybody did the instructions the host made me stay longer than anybody, saying "I haven't called your number yet", even though I had met the instructions. Then went on to say "let's see how much of a good boy he is", Following that I was asked "what's my name, told to rollover, play dead, and go fetch my team number after it was thrown. I feel as if a lot of it was unnecessary and I was told by other people in the vicinity the same thing as well. I did it because I did not want to start any drama but personally as a person it was embarrassing and demeaning to my character. The rules were no phones allowed although I still saw people recording some so I do feel as if someone recorded the event... then on Friday the security guard guarding my friends room was flustered with me because I was trying to help my friend even when I bought her Tylenol she made it seem as if it was a big deal even though my friend had stated her head was hurting. Bottom line my experience on Carnival Elation wasn't pleasant and I don't recommend sailing from Jacksonville if that's the boat you'll be put on. read more

This is now the Elation. Had a wonderful time. All wait staff was genuinely attentive and pleasant. We were made to feel that they actually wanted us there and were happy to wait on us hand and foot. Most companies could use some customer service training from Carnival. I highly recommend this cruise. The ship is a bit dated but it is still a very beautiful ship. Food was excellent. Beds very comfortable. Our room was always cleaned. read more

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If you are reading this you are probably deciding if this is RIGHT vacation for you! Like you, I too read A LOT of reviews. I would like to present that all the good and all the bad is relative. Relative to your level of standards, stress level, and willingness to be flexible. I believe that my standards for cleanliness and customer service are high and my flexibility is more moderate. 1. All the things we loved: great selection of food (no salt so a bit bland), activities all day for ALL ages, balcony room view and location (aft away from hoopla), room service was amazing-cleaned room EVERY time we left cabin, cheers and bubbles programs, everything free on board, fun shops closed -we didn't care didn't want to spend more money, 16 13 and 8 had plenty to do, ease to navigate boat, sitting by pool and taking in the sun, no thinking about what to do next, availability of food, met really cool people, no babies in pool, clean restrooms, crazy friendly customer service - everyone on that ship remembered our names, Comedy was funny, corny B line shows, sleeping in, learning more about future cruise options, and all that good stuff 2. All the things we wanted to tailor: working PA in cabin (all main areas worked well), clarity of cruise guide's English, on board entertainment for adult non gamblers, getting off last and long time debarking, golf simulator or something for guys to do, NEVER going back to Freeport (not sure why this is a stop), heated pool/slides, more guest enter action type of entertainment (I though they would simulate real game shows), get the activities book for excursions ahead of time to better plan, keep 15 drink minimum but be able to share (wasn't able to purchase more than one at a time and was celebrating a birthday), repeating shows during cruise (same night is cool but not on a different night), and so on. Note: people that were complaining you can tell are pretty much self-centered, on going complainers. People didn't like limited room service (ok go get your own food), no babies in pool (ok that's in the info before you book-read), pool restroom dirty (we r by the pool with wet feet and kids-they cleaned every 10 min so chill), paying $70 for beach day with Buffett (your choice. We came back on ship to eat for free), cooler than expected weather (take it up with the god's... Lol not cruise fault), excursion getting canceled (5ft waves... I was sad but I didn't die), only non sweet tea (well us Southerners we're just all in a tissy), and little things like that. I'm not sure where the WOW factor land with people anymore. Overall a great experience as long as you were open-hearted about just enjoying time with your loved ones who came with you. read more

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Cheers package-this cost us about $613+ for my husband and I. Drinks range from $6.85-$15.00 each. So I'm thinking it's been worth is as you can purchase water bottles through this as well as coffee (that's not in main dining and other drinks alcoholic or non) for whatever the reason- drinking water seems really far away the entire time lol. I learned after late in the 2nd date you can ask for water bottles at the bar with your cheer package so basically if you don't have cheers each water bottle will cost you $1.25 (or 3.75 for the ones in your room) OR you purchase a 12 pack for 4.50 before you board which we also did but ran out. Cheers is good and we would do it again. It's sort of like a peace of mind thing. Faster to the fun is a MUST and makes everything better. It took my husband and I about 15 minutes to check our bags and we were on the ship - in that 15 minute period. Getting off the ship was still good and only took about 30 mins. You also get off first at each port. The service team will place letters in your cabin to let you know when and where your supposed to do what. We had a balcony cabin which was really nice. Only issue is that A LOT of people break the rules and smoke off the balconies. It sucks because it goes right into your room and unfortunately there's no way to report it because you can't see anyone doing it specifically but you know it's happening! It's sad but true the food is NOT that great. Guys burgers is good and Always has a line- Unless you get there a little before people come back from the time off the ship. Blue iguana is actually really great! The main dining room is like hospital style food ....but it seems like it gets better further into the trip. However, we couldn't tell if it actually was getting better or that we were just getting used to it. HA! We were assigned the imagination dining room- 'your time' and that worked out OK. We would say the food is about 7% better than the food in the main dining- there is a wait and usually it's 30mins - 1 hour. The service is great and they will accommodate you. For example- I really hate sitting in the very middle of anything right next to others I don't know...any time I had an issue they had no problem giving us an empty corner booth or table like actually didn't role their eyes or anything and I know my request can be super annoying. The wait staff are responsive but I recommend getting a drink while you wait and bring it with you. The bar drinks inside the restaurant are slow but only because the place is packed. All the servers were really nice. Entertainment was interesting also a bit cringy at times 2 dudes lead the whole ship and you can tell they are working hard to make improvements- the biggest issue that we had and number 1 down side is that we sort of didn't have anything to do while at sea- I feel like we spent A LOT of time walking in circles. They try and have shows or different activities throughout but the main event is laying out by the pool or walking in circles unless you like to gamble. The comedy club is fun. They did a carnival quest scavenger hunt the last night and that was REALLY Fun and hilarious. We wish they would have done it the first or 2nd night though because we may have been able to meet other couples/friends. The scavenger hunt makes you team up with a group of 12-20 so it's a perfect ice breaker game. They should really do it every night it is THAT much fun! We purchased a Nassau hopping tour- but not enough people showed so they cancelled it. 26 were needed and we had like 17. They gave a full refund. So We Just walked around the town which was OK but not great. If you don't like being haggled don't do this! We Ended up at Senor Frogs and it was a BLAST!! It may sound weird but it was probably the best time we had. it's pricey and you need to get there no later than like 11:30am to be able to fully enjoy. Half Moon Cay was beautiful- UNTIL everyone got there lol. There's NO direction on what to do so everyone just sprints for a chair etc. There are blue cabana shells towards the back - they are $29.99 for the whole day and they make everything better!! It's private and you get some shade. Otherwise good luck to you. I found that the furthest you are from the entrance the less people there are but it's a walk. Again - unless you love smoke (previous smoker here too) there are tons of people that just want to smoke all up in your face so we had to move a couple of times. The lunch they served on the island and was pretty Good and better than the ships main dining. Water shuttle leaves every 30 mins or so to get back to ship and if you go back early - no lines. Overall the trip was good- The service was really great and they have outstanding organizational skills and procedures in place to manage the amount they have to. We gave it a 3 because there was just not enough to do for people that had no kids or older kids. We kind of wandered A little too much. read more

Carnival is the worst company I have ever had to deal with. I caution every single person from using this company and urge you to use an alternative. There is a reason their shit is cheap. They will steal from you. They will give you horrible service. Do not trust or use this company. I been battling them for 6 months over a flipping picture that they are now saying is gone and they won't even give me my money back even though I paid for it and didn't get it. Their customer service rivals Comcast in the worst customer service on the planet. Every single person in guest care needs to be fucking fired specially the MORONS in the photo department that never take a call. Fire them all and DO NOT CRUISE with carnival! read more

I've cruised several times before, but this was my first time on the Fascination. Also my first time on Carnival (previously sailed with NCL and Royal Caribbean.) Work has had me in Jacksonville for a few years now, so I thought I would finally take the opportunity to cruise out of our port. Embarkation was a breeze. Early boarding was at 11AM EST, and normal boarding started at 12:30PM EST. I got to the terminal around 1:30PM and the line was pretty long but it was moving. I had all of our docs in hand and ready to go. We made it through security in probably twenty minutes. I'm not sure if the girlfriend and I were just particularly nice looking, but once we got through security someone asked if we would like to check-in in the captains lounge. Score! That shaved some serious time, and we were on the boat with our room keys within about half an hour from arriving at port. Our bags got to the room around 6-6:30PM the first night, but we already had swimsuits and sunscreen in the carry on as well as our bottles of wine. I would highly recommend getting to one of the top decks for embarkation. The cruise port is fairly far inland on the St. Johns River, which means you get to see a lot of big homes on the way out of Jacksonville. I brought a cheap pair of binoculars ($12 on amazon) to look out and I'm glad that I did. Really cool to see everything going by. That night we went to the opening night show, which I highly recommend. It introduces you to all of the performers for the cruise, as well as various services aboard. Second day was at sea. Started out with a nice brunch in the main dining room and moved out to the Serenity (21+) deck to relax in the hot tubs and lay out in the sun. We were there before 11AM, and were fortunate enough to find two seats. They filled up pretty quickly after that. Hit the casinos later on, and dinner in the main dining room again. Day two was formal night. The dress code is more of a suggestion than a requirement, but it's a nice chance to take pictures. Day 3 was Nassau. We walked around for a bit, took a water ferry over to paradise island (for $4) and then back to enjoy some drinks at the tiny tiki bar at junkanoo beach. It's easily walkable from the boat. I'd recommend it if you're trying to save money, the prices are insane. They had specials like "4 beers and 4 shots for $9.99" Day 4 was Freeport. I know that people recommend not renting scooters in ports, but we did it anyway and had a blast. I've been to Freeport a few times and always just went to the Port Lucaya Marketplace. Honestly I always kind of hated it. Renting scooters allowed us to explore more of the island. The roads are actually very well maintained, you won't have to worry about pot holes. We found a nice secluded beach and camped out for the day Day 5 ditto from day 2 except that we went to the Diamonds Lounge until about 1AM which was fun. Then we were back in Jax. We were on the Main deck, which was one of the first two called thankfully. It took us about an hour and a half to get off the boat, through customs and into a cab. Overall, I had a very good time. The boat could use a facelift. There aren't many rooms with balconies, there are no premium dining options for dinner, and there aren't as many things to do as bigger boats. However, the staff was incredible at every turn. Everyone from the dining staff, to the entertainers, all the way up to the cruise director were top notch and helped make it a really special trip. It's not quite as nice as larger ships, so if you're used to cruising on the monster ships out of South Florida, it may be a little underwhelming. But if you're new to cruising or just want a cheap all inclusive vacation just do it. read more

Brief Synopsis: Fascination is an old ship that a makeover can't help. Not enough activities or chairs for the number of passengers. Not enough entertainment. Drink programs are not worth it. Customer satisfaction isn't top priority. While this has been two straight cruises with Carnival that have resulted in negative impressions, there were several guests onboard that were having a great time and didn't have any bad experiences. Upon boarding the ship, we went to the Atrium bar and had the drink program added to both of our cards (more on the Atrium bar below). We immediately ordered our first drink and was shocked... in addition to the $250 (plus gratuity) we just paid for our package, we were charged an additional tax on each drink we purchased. Furthermore, we had to sign a receipt that asked for more gratuities. I was so excited to show my wife the Jr. Suite that I had upgraded her too. I expected to see a lavished stateroom, but it didn't look much different than a normal balcony suite. Speaking of the balcony, it was so small, that you had to walk in a line formation, as there wasn't any room for two people side-by-side. Literally, it was 3' by 5' (barely room to get by the chair/table). The bathroom was small with no storage for toiletries. There was a smell of raw sewage in the bathroom and a mildew smell in other areas of the ship. Dinner was good. We were a bit taken back by the lack of social skills by our waiters. They didn't take the time to get to know us, ask us our names, or even try and communicate with us; unlike other cruises where we built a rapport with our waiters. The next morning we were woken up early with the sounds of loud, thunder-like, booming coming from above us. Our cabin was located under the fitness center, more specifically directly under the free weights area. As the weight lifters were lifting the bar bells they would drop them to the floor. BOOM! Over and over again. Very frustrated and tired from not getting a good night's sleep, we decided to find chairs on deck to get some sun. Holy smoke. There were no available chairs to be found. We joined the dozens of passengers circling the ship like vultures waiting for someone to get up so we could find a place to sit. There were 40 to 50 passengers that had resolved to put a towel on the deck and lay on the ground. After a day in Nassau Bahamas, we got back to the ship a couple of hours before sailing so that we could get a bite to eat and then get cleaned up. We were shocked to find that there were limited places to eat. Both buffets on the Lido deck were closed and the only place we could eat was at the sandwich bar. There wasn't enough simultaneous activities to support the number of passengers. Carnival has been a huge let down. The shows were good, but compared to Celebrity it was like community theater verses Broadway. I hate to keep referring to my last cruise, but every aspect of our cruise reminded me of how much better Celebrity was. The in-room entertainment, for instance, consisted of on demand movies where you had your choice of numerous titles that could be watched at any time. On Carnival you got one movie per day that only showed every three hours. The weather prevented us from docking at our second port (Half Moon Cay). Looking at the weather channel on the in-room tv, we could see the severe storms north of us. We could also see clear sky south of us. Since we couldn't make port that meant two days at sea. Instead of heading south for clear weather, we proceeded north into the storm. This increased the motion of the ship ten-fold and also increased the number of people suffering seasickness (including my wife). The Junior Suite was a disappointment. We expected something elegant but got plain. The bathroom was too small with no storage for toiletries. The balcony was to small and didn't allow us to stretch out and enjoy ourselves. There was no way to even walk by another person. The Cabin was directly under the fitness center which resulted in many complaints due to loud noise, thunder-like booms on our ceiling. We found out that the staff use the fitness center when it closes to passengers. The toilet broke on day two. The safe malfunction on day 4. It seems like every day was a new issue. read more

"If I could turn back time" - Carnival Misery Run. Unless you are into children being given birds and bees lessons due to Tupac videos being broadcast at 7:30 am in the disembarkation lounge. Or waiting in line for drinks from a package you prepurchased that can only be provided by a lone bartender who is too busy making single frozen drinks to assist multiple customers simultaneously. Or you love endless commercials and paying quadruple the price of value for goods. The maid service in the room was excellent, hence the one star instead of zero rating. read more

If your bucket list includes empathizing with livestock being fattened up on cheap food before being lead to slaughter the Carnival Elation is the perfect choice for you. If you want a vacation that includes clean public facilities and good service keep looking. Pretty sure a bedazzled peacock exploded in the Carnival's Elation's public areas and that pretty much sums up every thing nice I have to say. Inefficiency at its finest, filthy windows, mediocre food and near impossible to get a soda even after pre paying for them. To be fair to Carnival's Elation the rooms were spotless, the windows opque with filth, the bars poorly staffed, the food plentiful if not appetizing and the lines unbearably long. Keet reminding self...I paid to be treated like this. We could not wait to get off this ship. read more

This cruise was a birthday gift. I was sooooo nervous because I have never sailed before and I'm terrified of my stomach acting up on vacations. It was a four day cruise that stopped in Freeport and Nassau Bahamas. While in Freeport we did the Beach excursion and it was ok but like all things purchased on the boat was a bit over priced. Nassau, we opted not to get the excursion on the boat because my BF had been there before, So while in the market area a local tour guide charged us $20/person for a tour of the island. It was wellllll worth the money, the group we were with was from another cruise line so in total it was about 8 of us, and boy did we make a day out of it. The tour was originally suppose to be 1.5 hrs and it turned into 3 because we were having such a great time. Ok.... so back to the actual cruise ship. People were saying that we were not going to spend much time in our room. We spent plenty of time in there and enjoyed each others company. Im not much of a big drinker so that part didn't appeal to me. But we did spend plenty of time on the deck enjoying the view as well. Went to a comedy show that was good but super short it was only 30 minutes long. Also went to a Motown show that I enjoyed very much. Im not going to be in a hurry to cruise again but I must say that I enjoyed myself even while being sea sick 3 of the 4 days. read more

For those who are planning on taking a trip on Carnival Cruise and always want to know what they serve for dinner in the main dining room (where you sit down and order from the menu) and also what they serve on the All You Can Eat Buffet on the Lido deck. I have recorded a full clear and steady HD Food tour overview aboard Carnival Cruise. Click on the YouTube video below or go onto YouTube and type "Carnival Cruise Food Tour Overview" By the way, the food you see in the video will be almost the same type of food, but with minor adjustment that they serve on all of Carnival Fantasy Class - meaning cruise such as Paradise, Sensation, Elation, Ecstasy, and Imagination http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rfHccPquiRQ I have been looking all over YouTube for HD video of the type of food they serve, but I can't seem to find any good footage, so when I went on Carnival Paradise in Long Beach last year, and Carnival Sensation over in Port Canaveral, I managed to record all the Dinner food we got and also a tour of the Lido Deck buffet. By the way, the food you see in the video will be almost the same type of food, but with minor adjustment that they serve on all of Carnival Fantasy Class - meaning cruise such as Paradise, Sensation, Elation, Ecstasy, and Imagination http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rfHccPquiRQ Heads Up! When dining in the main dining room in the evening hours, be expected to sit up to 2.5 hours waiting and eating all 3 courses - Appetizer, Entree, and dessert. Remember, don't be SHY when you sit with other guests on the table, you can order as many entrees as you like in the Main Dining room. read more

The food on this cruise was absolutely horrific. Our group was forced to order almost every entree at every meal to try and find something palatable. Even with the opportunity to try everything we were still unable to find something we would order at the next breakfast, lunch, or dinner. Although the food was a complete disaster the staff in the dining room did everything in their power to make our time enjoyable and satisfying...which was nearly impossible when being served food that tasted and often looked like it was prepared in an elementary school cafeteria. So kudos to the dining room staff for their hard work. ( I feel bad for them for having to serve food of that poor quality). The cruise ship itself was centered around their casino with virtually no activities for people over 12 years old. The shows were short, the pool was at max occupancy, and it there is nothing to do on this outdated vessel. Thank goodness we were blessed with excellent weather the whole time so we did get to enjoy the deck and take in some sun. The Halfmoon Cay stop in the Bahamas had a crystal clear water beach that was beautiful. Definitely a nice a break from the pathetic excuse of the pool that was on the boat. The only complaint about the stop was that it was too short! We could get over the hockey puck hamburgers because the view and beach were that nice. The Nassau stop was also enjoyable with again the only complaint being that we could have stayed a few hours longer to possibly see the sunset. But with time not our friend we needed to get back to port by a certain time so we could make it back on time. Overall I would definitely not recommend this cruise or Carnival to anyone simply because the food was honestly that awful. I will say however every Carnival employee and person working on the boat was extremely professional and usually went out of their way to make you satisfied. read more

I was deployed and when my deployment was possibly getting extended Carnival would not let me cancel my cruise. Carnival preaches that they love military, however when it involves money their tune changes very fast. I was lucky and did not get extended so we did go on the cruise. The whole cruise was a money trap, and the boat has not been upgraded since the early 2000s. If you want to see what a real cruise line looks like don't worry, at some point you will pass another cruise line and see the nice updated boats and happy passengers. This will be the absolute last time I ever think about dealing with carnival. This company is all in it for the money and not the people. Carnival doesn't care about military and it is very disappointing. Do yourself a favor and pick literally any other cruise line, and save yourself some headache, and cash. read more

This was my first ever time on an actual cruise ship. I read many reviews about the Carnival fascination so I sort of knew what to expect.. While yes, it is an older ship we found it to be very accommodating, exciting, and everything we expected it to be. It does seem a little dated. But that didnt matter to us. Our room was very clean. And with some reviews I read, about it being hot, that was not the case with our cabin. You could have hung meat in there it was so cold!!! The food on the ship was about average. Captains dinner was the best. We each had two lobster tails and about eight shrimp each. We could have had more but we were getting full. The chocolate melting cake is a must! Just get it. You will not be disappointed. The outdoor area was also plenty big enough.. In previous reviews that I had read it stated there was not enough seating. I saw tons of empty chairs. now I'll be at they were not right by the pool, there was plenty around the ship. The staff was great. Always friendly. Always called me by name. even brought us an extra blanket when we said we were cold!! I would definitely go on the Fascination again. But I will add that I would like to go on a Nother ship so I would have something to compare it to. Also because there are other destinations that this ship does not go to. read more

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It's a cruise, which in my opinion will always warrant a 5 star rating. Yeah, Fascination is one of the smaller ships in the fleet and maybe it's one of the older ones as well, but again..."It's a cruise". You really cannot go wrong with Fascination. We have sailed on two separate occasions and found the crew to be very courteous and helpful each time. Our rooms were kept up and whatever we needed, all we had to do was ask and it was brought to us. The ship activities and shows are plentiful so there is always something for everyone. We did learn that the Fascination is up for a facelift soon, and will be totally remodeled to get out of the 70-80's décor. That will be a refreshing sight to see. I can't wait to go back again. read more

I chose to take the carnival fascination sailing on March 7, 2016. We chose this ship solely because it was embarking from Jacksonville, just a short drive from Tallahassee. I was bringing a good friend who doesn't get out much so I spent the extra money to get the Grand suite with extended balcony. The main problem with this room is that the a/c did not function properly. There were 3 accesses but only one worked throughout the whole voyage. It was only march but still hot and hard to sleep. Somehow, Carnival lost/stole my garment bag that had 2 suits in it. Formal night was awful because my friend was dressed up to the max and I did not have what I planned to wear. I will never sail Carnival again because they basically steal your stuff if it isn't in the safe. I only received a small portion of the value of my lost luggage. Which would not cover the value of most people's suit cases. It's kind of like a gamble: Do not check anything you can't afford to lose. The drinks bought on board are incredibly weak and are essentially not much more than mixer. The food was disgusting! The pancakes were rubbery. The bacon was never done, and if you asked the person dishing it out to pick out the more done pieces he will give you an ugly look and ignore you. They served the same thing every single day. Hope you like hamburgers and hot dogs if you are sailing with carnival. And don't get up to get a second drink, cause they will grab your food quicker than you can turn around. Above all this, I would encourage you to bring your own cup and plate because I encountered numerous dirty dishes set out as clean: sticky with salt and sugar and all other particles of food. We never even got to go to halfmoon cay. This must always happen on this itinerary based on other reviews. So instead, we went to Freeport for a very short stay in which everyone on board agreed was a whole lot of boring. The only good part of this ship was Tony Ward the man behind the piano at the piano bar. That man is funny and can play his *** off. But even this wasn't enough to bring this miserable trip up to a 2 star rating. If you are interested in booking a cruise to the Bahamas, look into a cruise line other than Carnvial: because that's the best chance you will have at having fun and not getting robbed. read more

So, we had the unfortunate happenstance of traveling on a cold and rainy weekend. *sigh* I am convinced we would have had a much better experience had it been warm and clear. So I don't want to hold that against Carnival. This was my first cruise. Very exciting. Getting to room was a breeze. I had an ocean view cabin and my roomie didn't show so I had it to myself. Definitely smaller than a hotel room, but not so bad as long as you are there with someone you know well and are comfortable with. Tight for not so close acquaintances. Step up bathroom. Also small for two people. I didn't understand how to operate the shower, but a friend helped. There was no degree markings in my bathroom. TV was available in the room and had a decent number of channels - loved the movie channels. My cabin steward was really cool. Loved the towel animals that the staff left each evening. My room was ready before 12:30 (embarkation time), which was great. We explored the ship until muster time. Unfortunately, my muster location was on the open deck and it was raining. Thumbs down. And it didn't start on time which meant more time in the rain. Ugh. But the instructional time itself was quite short. On this deck (Lido), there was the main pool and two hot tubs. Also, there was the buffet, Mongolian grill, and grill (hot dogs, hamburgers, chicken tenders, etc). Buffet has the daily meal offerings, deli, 24-hour pizza stand, and 24-hour soft serve ice cream. Milkshakes (must pay) are available on the deck below at the coffee stand. Water, iced tea, regular coffee are free. Juices, soda, alcoholic beverages, and other speciality drinks cost extra. There are some packages that you can buy. I just brought on my allotted 12 cans/canisters of soda and juice. I purchased 12 bottles of water from Carnival that were ready in my room when I embarked. Entertainment included some activities at different bars and at the outdoor deck. There is also a singing show (I saw the Divas show, but the next night was Motown night) and some solo and group performances at various spots on the ship. There is a comedy club (all ages and adult versions), dance club, and piano bar. There is a gym, but it is fairly small. There is a group fitness room. Some classes are free. Others are extra cost. There is also a running path on the top deck. Very cool. It is right by the mini golf. There is spa if you want to relax. But the prices are crazy! You can enter to win free spa credits. If you attend the raffle, you may also receive a discount. Food was not good. But I usually could find enough to eat between the various options. The food is better at the grills than in the dining halls, believe it or not. For sit down dinners, the appetizers tended to be the best. And dessert. The main entrees, hit or miss. The best thing I had was the jerk pork chop. The worst was the flank steak (inedible). They will try to get you something else if you don't like your meal. All the meal staff I encountered were very concerned about our experience. They also put on quick shows during meal time. Either singing or dancing. Everyone was really nice that I encountered. Easy on/off the ship. Affordable cruising. Really not bad for my first experience EXCEPT for the weather. Note: Freeport stop sucks. Nassau is much better. read more

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Five star because they made our wedding perfect :) We chose a cruise out of Jacksonville because a lot of our guests were from the east coast and we wanted them to be able to drive. This resulted in a lot of people being able to come. We booked our wedding onboard the Fascination while docked in Nassau. We booked the Let's Celebrate Bigger - 2 hour reception to follow. Prior to boarding we had been planning the wedding for at least 6 months. Two weeks prior to our wedding, Jessica from the wedding department called and finalized everything. She told us what room the ceremony would be in and where the reception would be held during this convo. It was a short and sweet phone call because she had it all down to a T. Day of embarkation: We had a TON of stuff. I carried my wedding dress on Southwest and it was tough because we had an infant as well. We stayed the night at the Holiday Inn Blount and on the day of embarkation most of the guests took the hotel shuttle to the port. When we got to the port it was hot and miserable, we had a baby and a case of water, wedding decor, our luggage and it was nearly impossible. The porters took our luggage, and we went through VIP check in and told them we were getting married on the ship and we were the bride and groom. They didn't give us one problem, even though the paperwork said you only get priority boarding if you are getting married the day of embarkation. The Day before the wedding: Vanja met us in the morning where the ceremony would be held. Prior to this we had a problem with the processional song length because we had 7 bridesmaids and a ring bearer and we had no idea if there were going to be stairs involved or how long the aisle was. We had a song - "you & I" by John Legend which was roughly over 4 minutes. During this meeting Vanja told us that would be fine and she showed us how everything would happen. She was so amazing. The Day of the wedding: My hair appointment was at 8am for a 1pm ceremony (I think his name was Sasha - AHHHH I am so mad I forgot because he was a wonderful stylist and I am PICKY!!!!) to allow enough time to do all of the girls. 8 am hair appointments are not too early - we were rushing. The Ceremony: (Puttin' on the Ritz Room) Vanja came to get us and escorted the Maid of Honor and myself to the Ceremony. She made us hide so that people inside couldn't see us. The wedding people from the Island were there too, making awesome things happen. One was at the door having the girls walk in, and the officiant was inside. They were PERFECT at the timing, they had it down to a science!! The Reception: (Passage to India Room - same floor as the ceremony). We walked into the reception and I hadn't seen it yet. It was BREATHTAKING! From the table with the guestbook that Vanja set up for us, to the food table with the ice sculpture, to the bar! We had a host for entertainment and we brought our own CD's. I walked over to him and told him to turn it up because the music was low and he said that usually people like it lower that's why they start it like that, but they have no problem turning it up! We are people who love to dance and party so we let him know and he turned it up The crew asked where we wanted our table at and they set us up a table. The drinks were the BEST on the entire cruise. After that the photographer took us around the ship. The rest of the cruise was wonderful. My only complaint would be the food wasn't as good as I'm used to but they cancelled any negative food feelings out by an amazing wedding and amazing staff. read more

Dare I say, we liked cruise so much that our youngest daughter was hmmmm... how should I put it . She was conceived on that cruise . Me and my wife had a blast there. We went to Nassau and Freeport. I think most of the people who say Bahamas is boring on YouTube never wanted to spend more than $1 there. We hired local taxis to drive us around , hired a horse ride and got free tour by local taxi drivers. They happily tell you interesting facts about the island you are on. We never bought Carnival tours, so I can't say if they are boring or fun. But inside of the ship you will find night clubs, a lot of alcohol readily available for around $8 everywhere on the ship. One of the advantage of Carnival - they have a Night Owl program to keep your child there so you can go out and have fun with your partner . We took full advantage of that program. read more

Carnival Elation - Me with my oldest daughter - Freeport, Bahamas - Tours Near Me

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If you have been on the Carnival 2.0 ships do not down grade to their smaller boats. The amenities are nowhere near the other boats. The staff was exceptional, the entertainment and activity crew was beyond what was excepted! My only complaint involves the time that things open. I enjoy waking up early and Going in the hot tubs-Nope they wont open till around 9am... In fact nothing opens till at least 9am.... Also the line for the Mongolian wok was RIDICULOUS everyday. I had to stand in line 20 min prior just to try it. I love carnival and cruising, but I will most definitely be more picky on the ship I am on vs destination read more

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Traveled on December 26th, 2016 to January 1st, 2017. This was the third time I traveled with the Carnival Vessels, first time in the Fascination. The embarkation process was smooth and quick. We paid for a 7 day cruise and got a 6 day cruise...they skipped St. Thomas. I believe it was a screw up by the Travel Agency. We went directly to a Day at Sea and then to Barbados...then St. Lucia...St. Kitts and then St. Marteen. Most of the staff was polite and service oriented. In some cases, the staff in the Buffet Area were arguing loudly in front of everyone. The Coffee Shop need a more friendlier person running it, the lady was very rude and non-polite. The persons with late dining missed a lot of the main activities. The Diamond Lounge DJ was not diverse...his repertoire was hip hop & pop he did not consider that 80% of the people on the boat were latino and rarely took request. The cabins (R-160 & R-127) were dusty...windows were dirty thru-out the whole trip. The curtains were so dusty every time you open them you can literally see the massive amount of dust. The rugs were moisty giving the room a locker-room smell. We had to buy a bottle of Febreeze the smell was uncomfortable. The cabin attendants were friendly and did a good job tiding up the room. The dining experience was good and big props to our Main Waiter Elmer from México. Be careful buying more than $800 on on-board purchases...US Customs will pull you aside to pay taxes at a 5.5%. The ship says Duty-Free but the purchases are in International Waters...make your big purchases in St. Thomas or St. Marteen. On-board they sell a Discount book for $25 for shopping. This is not worth it because in the Islands...they don't want to honor the discounts. Especially, Cariloha Bamboo and Del Sol. They get upset and even if you buy they don't want to honor the coupon in the Book. I will not travel on this ship again. The experience was not as expected by Carnival Cruise Lines. read more

This was my first cruise ever and I really enjoyed it! I literally had unlimited BLT's delivered to my room and the staff truly made the ship the best experience for us! What I really liked: - food was fabulous - views were spectacular - room was really comfy - cruise staff was absolutely brilliant! What I didn't like: - sail and sign card - i was told i needed more money on it because i ran out, so i figured it was like a debit card, but then they let it overdraft by $100 and never once told me and just kept charging it into the negatives! Luckily i was prepared to spend the money and i had a great time else I would have pitched a fit about this. - "service charge" - My fiance and I got a $50 service charge each for no apparent reason. We called and were told this was a thing for room service but we paid hundreds for the room! They immediately took it off, but why on earth were we charged this in the first place? It seemed so underhanded and sneaky I would highly suggest you SCRUTINIZE and question every charge put on your card! Overall We absolutely loved the cruise ship so much that we went off of it just once - and we walked right back onto the ship because it was such a touristy area we just wanted a peaceful time. the adult section is fabulous, food is fantastic, and the bar staff (whom we saw a lot of) was just outstanding! i highly recommend you go on the Facination and just make sure you check your sail and sign card for unknown charges as they are really sneaky about it! read more

Hey me again. checking in from the Elation Carnival Cruise for sb2k18. Let me tell y'all right off the bat that anything is possible on this cruise. Day 1: Finally got on this massive vessel. From the looks of the people on this boat it's gonna be one hell of a cruise. Guests range from morbidly obese families to alcoholic students to the type of people who wear gym shorts and wife beaters to the pool. Add in 15 (or more if you know what you're doing) drinks a day and it's gonna be a recipe for mayhem. Day 2: Bartenders could be a little faster with serving drinks but how can I blame them. I should be thanking them I probably wouldn't make it to dinner if they came any faster. And I would sound like a dick if I complained that my grey goose Voss water with a splash of lemon juice took 15 minutes instead of the agreed upon 10. Word to Alberto for blacking me out after solid $5 tip. My roommate even met a nice girl last night, very happy for him. Day 3: another day of fun in the sun. Senor frogs was what kids call fucking LIT. Managed to sneak in about a fifth of vodka, watch some girl with daddy problems win a twerking contest and even got caught in the rain with my pina colada. Like I said anything's possible. Back on the boat and it's about 5pm and I have 15 drinks left. Can't yelp about much considering how fast I managed to kill all 15 of those bad boys #college. Anyone seen Ben? Day 4 (I think): The days are starting to blend together. Late start to the day. I'm poor and room doesn't have a window can't blame me. What island even is this? Whatever someone give me a vodka water and some sub par buffet. Flash forward to dinner and I just spilled a full glass of wine all over Garret. Someone just ordered 4 entrees to prove a point. Why is there a mariachi band and where is Super Tuscan Chianti (yes, I studied abroad)? Just finished my 15 drinks and now I'm making friends solely to get more. Day 5: Headed back to the main land. The squad is barely going to make it. Severe sun burn, far too many blackout portrait pictures, my roommate settled down and filed for divorce all within 5 days, the crew is starting to recognize our group (and drink orders). Am I drunk, seasick, hungover or all three? Garret is officially a featured model for Carnival Cruises. Damnit Alberto where is my vodka water? I need to get off this boat. Overall, great time 4 out of 5, would do it again. Godspeed. read more

Let me start by saying our room was bigger than expected. There was 5 of us and we had plenty of room. We were in a interior cabin. We had a full size bed and two twin size beds, and the bathroom was decent size too!! We were very impressed with how clean everything was. We always had fresh towels and our beds were made for us everyday, with cute towel animals. There was so much food and so many varieties. You could go to the buffet as many times as you wanted all day long or you could go to the restaurant for a more elegant meal with Amazing foods. There was never a shortage of activities.we always had a list of activities for that day brought to our cabin. My kids ages 18,15 and 8 ... they all had a blast because there was something for every age on ship. Our ports were half moon cay and Nassau Bahamas, getting off and on ship was so quick and easy. All in All it was a great cruise!! read more

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