Carnival Cruise Lines
Ecstasy Cruise Review
Western Caribbean

I read a lot about the ecstasy before leaving. I have been on 3 past cruises during Christmas or summer. The ship does not make the cruise. It's the people on board that make the cruise.

I am 46 and went with my 19 year old son. He was bored but still had fun like I did. You cannot help but like a cruise. But most events are not like the events held on cruises with younger crowds.

Lots of bars closed early. Some did not even open. Picture yourself in an old folks' home. This is a cruise during the off-season. I would say the ship had mostly 30-50 year olds on it. But they were all on their honeymoon or were couples. There were very few singles. And of course tour groups of elderly. Do not get me wrong, every one of them are nice and I conversed with them all. But they were either too old to get up and groove or their spouses were watching.

The sushi bar is great. The food was good. The alcohol is ridiculously priced. When I first boarded, I was served 12 oz cans for $3.75 each than later on 16 oz aluminum bottles for $4.50 each. I prefer a can but they did not have any in bud lite after the first day; this ticked me off. I will ask next time I book a cruise about this or I will not go on Carnival again.

Stops at ports are a laugh. These are tourist traps and very expensive. I grew up in San Antonio and father is from Mexico. Mexico does not sell bottles of water for 2.00. Only in these tourist traps. If you get off the ship, read things to do in Cozumel and take a bus or taxi to them. Barter on prices. Look only at the first stops by the ship exits. You can always come back to them.

I think most of tipping should go to the cabin steward. I only ate at night and skipped one day. The meals were boring and not exciting with singing like last cruises I'd been on. Of course they were there to serve you and did a good job at it. The room stewards on all cruises so far have exceeded my expectations.
The country show was good, but the comedian is average. Casino was tight, and the bingo was fun.

I think the ship could have had a better person on Lido deck doing the events; She was kind of boring. The ocean was very rough when we left, and the outside decks on top were closed and the pool was closed. No sail away party that night. But like I said, the crowd you travel with make the cruise. Not the ship.

So when you cruise and you want a relaxing slow cruise. Travel when school is in session. If you want an action packed cruise, travel during Christmas or summer. I will go back to the school-time cruises as my kids have more fun and that makes me happy.

Click on link for photos of ship. Loads slowly being over 100 photos

http://hunt.freewebpages.org/ship.html