Anyone back from Fantasy cruise?

[Boneman]

I would like to know if anyone has cruised on Fantasy since the dry dock? I have read on another site that the first week was terrible. I wanted to try to find out if it has gotten any better. Thanks.

[Alblancher]

I just got home from the 4 night cruise to Cozumel on the Fantasy. It was my first cruise so I am probably not the one to compare this cruise to others but I can relate my experience.

We stood in line for over 2 hours to board. We entered at the drop off area around 1:00 pm and waited outside and at the escalator for over an hour. Another 1 to 1 1/2 hours to get past check in and through security. A real mess when people where going around the line by using the elevator.

We left the room to wait in the public area to disembark from the ship at 7:30 in the morning. We got called to leave at 10:30 and to the car at 11:45.

We stayed in a cabin on R deck about middle of the ship. There was a strong, bad smell in the hallways of the bottom three decks. My brother in law on U Deck said that there had been a sewer problem.

I loved our cabin steward but they had a habit of restocking the linen cabinets in the middle of the night 11:00 pm to 3:00am slamming the doors and beating on the walls. It was very difficult to sleep the entire night without being disturbed.

The entrance to the water park slides stopped on the adults only deck.

I was under the impression that there was an adults only pool but it was removed when the water park was installed.

The library was very limited in board games and reading material. There where no magazines, light reading or travel books.

The staff was as a rule friendly and helpful. We felt welcomed on the boat. Hamburgers, hotdogs, fried chicken and other "people food" was inexpensive buffet quality. The fish, steaks, appetizers and deserts served in the dining areas where excellent. Wait staff in the dining areas where professional and a joy to have around. We where assigned seating for casual dining during lunch in the dining rooms.

I was impressed with Big Tex, his staff, the comedians and the singers but the shows where a bit off and the dancers need a bit more practice.

If you do not enjoy hairy chest contests, bingo, karaoke, crowds gathering around a pool, gambling and expensive spa treatments plan on finding a quiet deck chair aft and visiting with new friends.

I got the impression that the fare paid the bills. The cruise ship makes it's money on drinks, pictures, shore excursions, gambling and expensive extras.

I caught a cab to Chakanaube park and snorkeled all day. Loved it and will do that again.

Just my two cents, I look forward to hearing the opinions of others that where on the cruise.

Al

[LHP]

Hey AL...you were on the cruise with us!!

woo hoo!!!

Yes, sadly Carnival goofed on this one.

We sailed on the Fantasy 3 times last year and she was "tired" then. We were looking forward to seeing her all "new and fresh".

She is not.

We just sailed on the Imagination after her drydock in January and she was PERFECT (ok the deli wasn't finished ...but everything else was great)....

so we were very disappointed to board the Fantasy and see her in this condition.

Now the GOOD NEWS....

our second cruise was MUCH better than the first one. 99% of the complaints from the first cruise were very valid and those cruisers deserve some kind of acknowledgement for what they had to settle for.

The next cruise will be even better.... until things are normal again.

Carnival made 2 mistakes....they did not take the Fantasy to the East Coast where they did the Inspiration and Imagination. Those two ships came out with only needing some "tweaking". Secondly, they brought the Fantasy out of drydock 2 weeks to early. I don't think they should have cancelled our cruise....but I definately think (especially on that first cruise) Carnival should have been shelling our some serious onboard credit AND smaller future discounts.

The Fantasy came out "undone" and that is unacceptable.

Fortunately for us....the areas that were not completed were not areas that we used....so we were not affected.

We had a BLAST!!!!!!!

Yes, there was a "whiff" of sewage smell in the forward elevator area on all levels. But we were on Upper AFT and did not have any odor back there.

The ladies steam room was not operating at all the times I tried to use it and the Ladies Sauna was only marginal. (I steam my vocal chords daily since I sing in karaoke every night.) But that is the only thing that "affected" us at all. Not a big deal.

It was more of a disappointment...because we saw how beautiful the Imagination looked after her drydock. We were expecting the same thing on the Fantasy. Our cabin had not been redone yet and there was a huge tear in the carpet. This did not affect our cruise as all...it just simply something that you would not expect to see on a ship that was supposedly just redone.

Staff and crew were great.

Karaoke ROCKED!!! I live in karaoke. The karaoke host was suppose to be a friend of him Rozwin....but the karaoke gods pulled a trick on me. Rozwin was getting on the ship as as we got off the ship.

The good news is that Kim (the karaoke host) is a guy that is VERY BEST FRIENDS...with one of my VERY BEST CRUISE FRIENDS. So it was neat to get to sail with him and catch up on Emme and stuff that is going on with her.

Kim (karaoke host) ROCKED. We partied like brother and sister and had a BLAST!!!

Karaoke was 5 hours every night after the first night...so anyone who knows me...knows I was in HEAVEN!!!!

The bottom line is that we had a great time. We were fortunate not to be affected....but there were many who were and their complaints are valid and should be addressed properly.

[Alblancher]

Hi LHP,

Yes I knew you where on board but I didn't even know my cousin was on the boat until I ran into her at the disembarkation line!

I didn't mention the very worn, bad carpet in the Windows of the Sea buffet, or the real bad paint and rust on the railings, or the elevator that didn't work or that we froze in our room because we couldn't adjust the thermostat enough. There where many wear and tear problems on the ship. I expect all this on an older boat and they did not affect the quality of the experience.

I hoped to use the workout facilities on board but we opted to climb the stairs instead. Considering that we where on the bottom deck and decided to climb up something like 6 decks to get to the Lido Deck I figured I didn't need to sit on an exercise bike!

To anyone trying to decide to if they want to book this ship remember what they offer. If it's in line with what you like to do by all means book the trip. Just remember that the sail and sign card makes it real easy to purchase drinks while on board. I had to laugh because one of the girls that obviously spent to much time at the bar was seen at the pursar's desk after the cruise trying to understand her 3 page bar bill

[Dwayne]

Welcome back LHP and AL!

And thank you both for the reports. I have also heard some rumblings about this, and I am disappointed as well they didn't make my old friend look like what they should have.

Dwayne

[Boneman]

Yes, thank you for your reports. I feel a little better I guess. My wife likes to lay out by the pool during the day and we both like to dance in the evening, so as long as the staff are nice, the food decent, and those two things are happening, we will have a good cruise. A little worn carpet will not bother either of us.

[tx21431]

We are booked on The Fantasy March 30, 09. Taking the kids 6 & 18....oh I hope it is much better than what I am reading. Question, excursions for 6 yr old in Cozumel? Any suggenstions?

Tammy
Miracle 2006
Fantasy 2009

[Alblancher]

Hello Tammy,

Actually your kids will have a great time. The youngest can enroll in Camp Carnival where adult team members will keep them entertained and fed while you enjoy your time at the pool. The 18 yr old will have a great time meeting other young people at the pool. I noticed that all the kids seemed to be very well acounted for and I could tell from their activities they where kept busy.

As far as excursions, like I mentioned, Chacanaube park will allow you to pet dolphins, see iguanas, sit on the beach, play in the pool and wade around in the kiddy lagoon. The 18 yr old can snorkel within yelling distance of the shore or be part of a guide led team to scuba dive and snorkle. Neat thing about the ship is that the staff guest ratio is such that it's hard to get into trouble without being within sight of a crew member. There is also a disco for young adults that was pretty full all the time. I believe you can set a limit on the 18yr old's sail and sign card plus they will not be able to purchase alcohol.

I would imagine that being 5 months out most of the problems LHP and I discussed will be addressed.

Boneman

They offer line dancing and swing dancing lessons I believe. As you can probably imagine neither where high on my list so I can't tell you specifics but dance classes where well attended. You may not find a lot of 50's type dancing but if I hear YMCA by the Village People one more time I'll pop a gasket.

[tncruiseman]

Thanks for the post LHP and Al! I wonder if they will have the carpets replaced by our cruise 10/27. Were there flat screen tvs in the cabins? On our last Fantasy cruise, they had an deck area under the funnel roped off because of blowing oil from exhaust, or something similar. Did you notice anything like that? I was really looking forward to seeing a shiny classic ship! Maybe they'll have her all fixed by then...but I doubt it. This "crisis" has everyone cutting back on everything except essentials.

[Alblancher]

Yes they had small flat screen TVs in the staterooms.

No I did not see any roped off areas around the funnel. Some of the outside passages where roped of for painting but I imagine that changes every couple of days.