My husband and I just returned from a 5 day cruise on the Carnival Fascination out of Jacksonville, to the Bahamas (Half Moon Cay and Nassau). We had a terrific time and hope to do it again - maybe with the kids! The cabin was bigger than anticipated - plenty of closet and drawer space (also more hangers than expected!). The shower was hot and with plenty of water pressure. The bed and sheets were super comfy. Most of all, our cabin steward ("D") was terrific. He got to know our names on the first day and always asked how we were doing. We asked him for extra ice on the first day and he kept us stocked with an extra bucket for the duration.

I expected the entertainment, service, and ports to be terrific - based on what I've read about Carnival Fascination on this website. So, I'll comment on what surprised me. First, the food was so much better than expected. Sure, some of the buffet food on the Lido desk was uninspired, but even that surprised me on occasion (the sandwiches at the back deli were great, as was the Mongolian Wok!). However, everything that my husband and I ate at the Sensation dining room was fabulous! I was really surprised by the fast and friendly service and the quality of the food. I had a pumpkin pot pie and a Mango Cream soup that were wonderful, but really, in the total 18 dishes (appetizers, main courses, soup/salads) that we ate in the dining room - all were very tasty. I can't say that about my favorite restaurants!

I've also read negative things in other reviews about Jaxport. However, we had no complaints here either. The personnel were friendly and both embarkation and debarkation were fast and smooth. Sure, the port isn't the most picturesque, but we are used to the appearance of the port in Savannah, and know that most working ports are a bit industrial looking. The $8 parking lot was a great deal, and they were super nice too. Read more