I did extensive research for a southern Caribbean cruise and opted for Carnival Fascination due to value and number of ports. This was our first cruise as I always thought cruises were too formal and stodgy. This was another reason for choosing Carnival, who has a reputation for being more fun. After flying into San Juan, we collected our baggage and went to the taxi stand. I had read that there was no real reason to wait for Carnival transportation to gather all their riders. The ride took some time as there was a carnival near the cruise pier #4. Taxi cost us $23 plus tip. Embarkation was relatively smooth as I had filled out the required paper work before leaving. We left our bags with the porter and were later surprised that it took so long before they were finally delivered to the room. However, the room with balcony was the right choice!
The ship was just right in size that we bacame very familiar with it. There were good food options and entertainment was fine. We played mini-golf, ping pong and went to two shows, along with a comedy show. I had already researched the ship and knew the pool was small and skipped it. Hot tubs were also present but we didn't partake. For us, the ports were the main draw.
The food was good on ship. The dining rooms were enjoyable and Anton, our service crew leader couldn't have been better. He and the dining room staff went out of their way to make sure our needs were met and that we had a good time.
I did a lot of research and wanted a jr. suite but they were unavailable when I booked. The room with balcony was fine despite hitting my head two times on a bed that folds down above our bed. I had told Stephanie Breen, our Expedia agent that I preferred mid to rear cabin to mitigate my motion sickness. Although I came armed with motion sickness treatments, I didn't need them.
- Ride through Old San Juan
- El Yunque National Forest is worthwhile including the Visitor Center.
- Loquillo Beach is as nice as it gets.
- The food options in Louiza/Pinones area are staggering. We ate at Carmines, a
seafood restaurant.
Our visit to Boatyard Beach Club was very relaxing and enjoyable. Sun and sand, along with good good and drinks made this one of our cruise highlights.
Our visit to the Butterfly Farm was a highlight as this was a unique experience. We then took a taxi to Negril Cuisine in Phillipsburg for a very good authentic Caribbean meal.