NHinds

Age: 25
Occupation:
Number of Cruises: 1
Cruise Line: Carnival
Ship: Sensation
Sailing Date: May 31st, 2004
Itinerary: Western Caribbean

After reading sooo many reviews I went on the ship expecting a 6 out of 10 trip. It was so much better than that. Several reviews stated how tacky and old the ship was and I think they were just trying to come up with something negative to say.

Dining:
The formal dining room was the best and you would be cheating yourself by eating anywhere different on the ship for breakfast or dinner. For lunch we (my husband and I) ate at the Seaview Bar and Grill and the food was decent. The outside buffet serves typical hamburgers and french fries, and inside you will have a little more to choose from. The best thing about the outside buffet is the Veggie Burgers, they were great.

Excursions:
In the Grand Caymens we did the Stingray and snorkeling trip. The stingray part was great and most everyone would love this. However, the snorkeling wasn't worth very much. There are too many people in one area to enjoy anything. Also, there isn't that much to see. This excursion wasn't anything compared to the catermaran and snorkling safari we took in Cozumel. The snorkling was so much easier here because the water is so salty that you float. There is a slight current so you just glide through the water and look at all the beautiful coral. Afterwards, back on the ship they had an open bar until we made it to a beach. You can play volleyball or just lay out while you are their. We were able to go horse back riding along the water for $20 each. It was great, and again there was also a open bar on the beach. This excursion was totally worth the $65 each.

Entertainment:
The vegas style shows were okay. The comedian and even the cruise director Jorge were very good.

Service:
I don't know how they do it. I would be on the phone asking for a hairdryer and before I hung up it was at my door. It was the same way when I called about the balance on my sign and sail card it was pushed under my door before I was off the phone. I couldn't ask for more than they gave.

Tip:
Have plenty of extra room in your suitcase for the alcohol you plan on buying. My husband and I are not big drinkers but it is so cheap we had to buy some. A large bottle of Grey Goose vodka is only $22!! I could not get over how cheap all the alcohol was. And they allowed us to have 4 liters per person without paying tax. We purchased 11 liters and had to pay less than $3 tax on the additional 3 liters that we claimed.

I hope this helps, Good Luck!