Let me start by saying Carnival has definetly had it's share of misfortune and bad press. But, it appears they've been taking making steps to not only improve their public image but are also focusing on the total guest experience.

I've cruised with Carnival many times and have had experiences ranging from being trapped in a 24/7 frat party, peering down the vast deck hallways wondering where the service staff was to having a perfectly adequate experience. I think you see the theme here - overall pretty inconsistent experiences. I've learned to not expect much and be happy with the fact that I was on a ship not behind my desk at work. The bad run of luck has prompted some really great cruise pricing. I was able to find a value cruise on Carnival Fascination out of Jacksonvill; five days to the Bahamas. Seeking warmth from the midwest cold my buddy and I booked it and set off with no other expectations of Carnival other than having a bed, three meals a day and warm weather.

Upon seeing the Fascination docked at Jacksonville pier I quickly noticed she was an older ship and appeared a bit worn. We were greeted with smiles, "welcomes" and hospitality from the moment we dropped out bags off with the porter. Embarkation was a breeze and took us 50 minutes from arriving at the JAX pier to fillinging our plates for lunch on the lido deck. Upon boarding it was evident the Fascination was rough around the edges but clean and had many of the features of the classic liners from previous days: Brass railings, smaller lobby/rotunda area, teak wood decking, subtle lighting features, comfortable decor and colors. Read more