I picked this short cruise as an early surprise for my mother's 80th birthday. She is unable to travel far by airplane and because she is raising grandchildren (my late sister's) our time was limited. The embarkation was a breeze. I picked her up at LAX early Monday morning and we headed straight for Long Beach. We were at the terminal before the early cruise check-in opened. Once it opened, we ...

Pre-cruise -------------- We drove the 400 miles to Long Beach the day before our cruise. I couldn't bring myself to "throw caution to the wind and try to get a deal on Priceline" so I reserved a room at the Holiday Inn on Atlantic. When I called, they offered a package that included "two king beds, free shuttle to and from the boat, and parking in their underground garage during the cruise." ...

Having read the numerous negative reviews about this ship, I felt I needed to add something positive. Rather than calling it a fun ship, it more properly might be termed a party ship. My wife and I were celebrating our 10th wedding anniversary, and we found ways to celebrate from one end of the ship to the other. I feel that this is one of the easier ships to find your way about than some of the ...

This is a review of the Carnival Ecstasy, sailing from Long Beach, California on 12/15/03, calling at Catalina Island on 12/16/03 and in Ensenada, Mexico on 12/17/03. This was a four-day cruise that returned on Friday morning 12/19/03. The short version: Those of you who would avoid the Ecstasy at all costs probably won't change your mind by reading the paragraphs to follow. This is a worn-out ...