This was our first cruise and our first time in Mexico so we went into it with no real set expectations. I did do a bit of research beforehand (read reviews, watched Youtube vidoes) which helped us to make the most out of our trip. First off, we got the Cheers package and had a lot of fun with it - from drink service on the Serenity deck to wine and cocktails at dinner, to yummy coffee drinks at the coffee bar to drink service at the live performances. We visited every bar on the ship during the course of our stay. We also enjoyed the musicals and comedy shows on the ship, as well as, some of the trivia games in the Cat's Lounge. The Serenity deck was a popular spot, and certainly one of our favorite places to be. We ate breakfast and dinner in the Celebration dining room (any time dining) and lunch on the Lido deck choosing from Guy's, Blue Iquana, Pizza, deli, buffet. The Masala Dosa on the breakfast menu in the dining room is delicious. I ordered it as a side to go with my bacon and eggs which were also good. We met Pura, a drink server, on the Serenity deck and we liked him so much that we requested him to be our server in the dining room at dinner. Pura really knows his way around the bar and dining room menus and his recommendations were wonderful - can't say enough good things about him. As far as the ports go, we took the free shuttle into Progreso and then took the 45 minute $9 open bus tour of Progreso - totally worth doing. Afterwards, we shopped a bit in the flea markets and took a nice walk along the beautiful beach. Cozumel was more of a resort type feel with beautiful blue water, boats, snorkeling. We strolled around, went into the shops and paid a visit to Senor Frogs and Margaritaville - which were very fun. Coming back, our morning arrival was delayed by thick fog in the port of Mobile. The captain and Andy the cruise director did a great job giving us updates. We didn't disembark until after 6:00pm. Overall a great trip - nice range of ages in the passengers. Very pleasant and attentive staff. Sigit, our room steward, did a fantastic job throughout our trip. Two thumbs up! Read Less

We picked this cruise because it started and ended in San Juan PR where we wanted to have a pre and post cruise beach front resort vacation with this cruise in between. The price on this cruise was a very good value and it offered five ports over the seven night cruise. We wanted to be sure we would have our best chance for good weather getting away from the snow at home and with San Juan offered this. We knew it was an older ship and that we had been to all these ports before but getting away from winter on a cruise is something we like to do. Pros; The crew really went out of their way to treat us well and make us feel welcome. The bed and bedding in our cabin was the best I've experienced in my 20 cruises. The entertainment on this cruise far exceeded what I've had on any cruise in 20 years. We saw three shows put on by the ships own entertainers and were amazed by how much better they were than what we have gotten used to on other cruises. The two comedians we saw preform were much better than usual as well. On this cruise we were denied entry into one port because of the virus scare but Carnival not only got another port where we could land, and one we had never been to before, but also gave a $200 shipboard credit as well, which we felt went well above and beyond. We had a great excursion on Barbatus with a beach hopping van trip through Carnival. Cons: This is an old ship and although there has been some updates, still really showed its age and we were surprised how much we missed the newer ships we have been on. We didn't like the food on the lido deck as much as on other ships. They should have had staff on the pier at embarkation to help priority passengers find the priority boarding line. A number of breakdowns like ice machines and elevators that didn't work at times, real limitations of bathrooms in public areas, the layout of the ship, lifeboats blocking the view unlike other ships, our cabin had a few problems. As much as we liked a number of aspects of this cruise the ship itself got in the way. If they are going to keep this ship they need to do a full overhaul. Read Less

I was super skeptical of taking this cruise given the reviews, but the price was great, it fit the dates we needed and was driveable. It’s a 30 year ship so yes there is wear and tear but it’s clean and comfortable. Food: Guys and the blue iguana were fantastic. We could have eaten here every meal. The dining room was hit or miss. Staff: They seemed to definitely have less staff, dishes set on tables longer than expected. It’d been a while since I’ve cruised carnival and maybe this is normal, but our room was only serviced once a day, no turndown service which is totally fine with us. Andy, the cruise director is fantastic! Best cruise director we’ve ever had and we’ve been on 20+ cruises. Entertainment: The shows and activities were all well ran and organized. I would take this cruise again, especially if Andy was the CD. There’s plenty to nitpick with the ship but the staff and food made up for that. Read Less

Hey everyone I just want to share my one and only cruise with carnival.At the beginning of March we made a spur of the moment decision to try out a cruise for a small get away. We booked our cruise and after that everything just went down hill. Prior to our cruise we booked our VIP dolphin swim, paid gratuities, ordered and paid for our alcohol, I ordered us an anniversary cake to be delivered on the last night of the cruise. So let’s start from the beginning we boarded on the seventh deck which just so happen to be the same floor our room was located. We got The ocean view stateroom. So after boarding the ship we had to wait until 1:30 to get our room which was fine. We get to the room my luggage is there but my boyfriends is not. We wait until 4:30 still no luggage, 6:30 comes around still no luggage 8:30 comes around still no luggage, this went on until 12:39 am. When finally a random stranger brings us our luggage in the middle of the night and says he found it in his room. So our first day we did not to enjoy the hot tub he was still wearing jeans. They gave him a t shirt and said we would get 20% off of the gift shop for his luggage. Okay so thankfully we got his luggage in the middle of the night. So everything else was okay until our shore excursion day..... well guess what the. VIP dolphin swim we booked with snorkeling and kayaking and water boarding - we find out as we are literally heading to do it they cancelled all water activities except swimming with dolphins. We were supposed to leave at 9:30 we didn’t leave until about 10:15 so that is 45 minutes we were practically cheated out of out of a 4 hour excursion. Then we swim with the dolphins everything was great went and ate lunch and listened to a sales pitch at our lunch for photos then 10 minutes later it was 1:00 and it was time to head back to the boat. So we check with check with guest services and due to us being aware of the water cancellations we get No sort of compensation. Basically what I’m saying is if you want to be screwed over. Cruise with carnival. So back to the cake we ordered for our anniversary. It was pretty cheap. I got the chocolate heart cake that was supposed to say “happy anniversary” and we got a white circle cake with the letters “HA” idk if that’s supposed to mean “happy anniversary” or “haha we screwed y’all over”. The entertainment was great. Food was not what we expected but it was tolerable. I called them to just give feed back. They don’t want to hear it. Today I was taking to a lady about the cake they totally got wrong... they wouldn’t even refund me back on a 11.00 cake they messed up!!!!! Just because we signed a shore excursion ticket we don’t get back anything for the 45 minutes they screwed us out of. Not including all the water activities they cancelled. They are totally not worth cruising with. I would rather just stay at a resort and spend my money knowing I will be treated the right way. Because at a resort it is about QUALITY not QUANITY, and we were treated just the opposite on carnival fantasy cruise. Oh and I forgot to tell you all the bathroom smelled horrific in our cabin. Read Less

This was my 7th cruise, 1st on Fantasy. The service was personal and amazing ! The cruise director Andrew (Andy) was the best I have every experienced. He went above and beyond to entertain the passengers. On the last night he hosted an event in the Atrium where he sang and danced as he interacted with the guests. During one song, "American Pie" he poured sugar on himself as the song lyrics rolled "pour some sugar on me". He went over the top! This was a family vacation with my husband and 8 adult children. We were treated with such good care and service by everyone. Our room valet, I Wawan, was so courteous and provided us with anything we asked. Our dinner servers were amazing as well. The wait staff came to anticipate our individual needs before we asked, such as bringing me coffee every night at dinner the moment I sat down. I must give a special shout out to Johnamay. She was part of the dinner service crew that made our experience on the ship. Johnamay danced and sang to one of my daughters, which made my daughter's trip even more memorable. Thank you to all the staff and crew. We will be back. Thank you for sharing us and creating these special memories. Read Less

We booked this cruise last minute to have quick family getaway during the holiday weekend. This was my 10th cruise experience and by far the worst. I did my research on the ship ahead of time so I was aware it was Carnival's oldest ship. For this reason, I was not expecting a lot of beauty and activities that you'll experience on some of the newest or newly renovated ships. I was at least hoping that the service, food and entertainment was up to par but I was sadly disappointed. By looking at the exterior of the ship, you can see it is in need of an upgrade however, the interior main areas were comfortable. Our interior cabin had a strong odor of paint, visible dirt and dust on the walls and furniture. At times a sewer smell would be in the bathroom, and we experienced brown water coming from the faucets. Luckily we had bottled water which we used to wash and brush our teeth. The rooms do not come with a refrigerator. If you'd like one, you have to request one from guest services. They apparently have a limited supply and are only given to those that truly need it for health or dietary purposes. Food in the main dining room was average, the buffet food was often cold and unenjoyable. I am assuming due to the small size of the ship, I felt the motion of the ocean a lot than any other ship I've been on. I lost a drink one evening due to the shaking of our table. Our cruise director was great. The most fun was in the atrium and in the comedy club. Our cabin stewardess was good but the dining staff most evenings were very rude and had an awful tendency to reach over you without saying anything. I almost got elbowed in the face a few times. Photographers had this same poor behavior, sometimes, leaning over my guest just to snap a picture across the table. Thankfully, this was a 4 day cruise, it would have been miserable spending any more time on this ship. Usually, by the end of my cruise, I would want to add a few more days to continue my experience but I could not wait to get back on land being on this ship. I certainly do not recommend cruising on the Fantasy. Book one of Carnival's newer ships. Carnival should strongly consider removing this ship from the sea because I believe it will tarnish the Carnival brand. It is a poor representation of their service. I cruised on the Vista which was a great experience so I have experienced what Carnival has the potential to offer. However, if this was my first Carnival cruise, I would never want to cruise on Carnival again. So any first-time cruisers, save your coins and book on another ship or cruise line, otherwise I think this will ruin your thoughts on the whole cruising experience. Read Less

I had never been on a cruise before, so I read up a lot, and ended up having a great time. The ship itself is obviously older, and the decor is a little dated, but it is well-maintained and kept clean. Food was fine, drinks were great, and service was excellent. I bought the Cheers package, which was a fantastic choice on my part. A great part of the fun was to drink a lot all cruise long. One of my favorite things on Fantasy was to go aft to the water slide area, which has a small hidden bar. It is far less crowded than the rest of the Lido deck, so you can easily have a chair right up against the railing, go down the water slide, and then get a drink from the bar before returning to your chair. Cozumel and Progreso were both great. In Progreso, I got my fix of history with the incredibly detailed Mayan ruins. Our tour was comfortable and well-conducted. In Cozumel, I went to Mr. Sanchos where there were plenty of cruisers both from the Fantasy and other boats. Sit down lunch was fantastic, and the bartenders were very attentive. I tipped very well, participated in a tequila tasting where I bought a bottle. There are plenty of food options all over the ship. I chose a fixed dining option in the main dining room. It was nice to have a fixed group of people, including some younger folks I could see around the ship. Food was okay, not mind-blowing, but enjoyable. Other dining locations were Blue Iguana, Guy's Burgers, and the Lido buffet. The Lido buffet was always great for snacks, or a more casual meal than the main dining room. That said, I recommend stopping by the MDR on a sea-day for brunch at least once. After that, I think Blue Iguana is the best breakfast option with its burritos which are really amazing, they also have pretty good tacos for lunch. Easily the best lunch option on the ship is Guy's Burgers. They aren't just good for cruise ship food, they are genuinely amazing burgers, and the fries can double as awesome drunk food to soak up some booze. Lido is good for snacks at all hours, more than a couple times I'd grab a couple slices of pizza and soft-serve late at night after hours at the club. As for entertainment, there was always plenty going on. I never managed to find anyone actually attending the meetups in the bars, but everyone aboard was friendly nonetheless. The music was kind of lame, I don't think this was the fault of the DJ, it seems like Carnival has some kind of policy where they can't play explicit music even in the 18+ nightclub. Kind of a bummer, but it was still fun to hang out and do shots even if there wasn't tons of dancing. Embarkation and debarkation was obviously a long ordeal, but there's not really anything anyone can do about funneling people through a small space any faster. I believe they handle it as well as they can. One recommendation is to bring your passport NOT your birth certificate + passport, as that gets you off the ship a lot faster. Other tips: If you have any question about buying the drink package, just buy it. Hang out at the back of the ship near the slide. There is a small bar back there that not many notice, and it is far less crowded. Don't miss the chance for Guy's Burgers. Keep an eye on the duty free shop for alcohol flash sales. Don't wait until you get on the boat to try to buy shore excursions, especially if you have a large group. Eat on the deck out aft of the Lido Buffet. Not sure why everyone seems to prefer eating inside. Read Less

Friends asked us to go with them on their first cruise. We went along to be with our friends or we probable would not have gone. We had no complaints about the food or house keeping they were great. The ship is worn out. Our closet door would not shut, the refrigerator was old not dirty but dingy. The couch was uncomfortable The ship is so small by current standards it looked like a pygmy in the port at Cozumel along side the other ships. During most of our trip the gulf was very rough and with this small of ship was bobbing around day and night. We were awakened at night by the deck chair on our balcony sliding up to the widow and banging it to it every time a wave hit. The ship was rocking so bad the toilet lid was banging also. They had to drain the pool because the water was going everywhere. Everyone the crew included was seasick the trip home from Cozumel. Read Less

This was our first cruise, January 2020. We selected this cruise because it was short (5 days) and we could drive to the port (Mobile). Overall, the cruise was very enjoyable. The Fantasy ship is about 30 years old but is in very good shape and is very clean. We didn't encounter any problems with the ship or our room. Our favorite on ship event was the "Astro Nautical" band in the Cat's Lounge. These are 5 outstanding musicians with an excellent lead vocalist. We also enjoyed the comedy show with Sean Kent. (I still don't know what the lady from Mississippi was saying). We had excellent burgers from Guy Fieri's burger joint. The ship's crew were excellent in all encounters. They always greet you in the halls. We purchased "Faster to the Fun" program ($70) which is basically an upgrade to the VIP status allowing priority boarding and debarkation as well as some other perks. This was well worth the money. We walked past hundreds of people in line to board the boat without waiting behind a single person. Same thing when we left the ship. We did have a very good time and we would sail the Fantasy again without hesitation, but here are our critiques. In the main theatre, the "Brits" show and the "Country" show were very corny and amateurish. Our biggest disappointment was the food. We had been told that cruise food is excellent but we found the food to be bland and the service slow. We ate in the dining room three nights and one lunch before we gave up on it and went to the buffet. At least in the buffet we could try different items and pick what we liked. Personally, I was disappointed that the Fantasy didn't have a good craft beer on tap (but that's just me). Other than that the bar service was fine. At Progreso we took a bus to Dzibilchatun Mayan ruins and found them very interesting. It is smaller than the Tikal site and Lamanai site (Belize), but with a unique history. The excursion lunch was in Merida and was one of our best meals on the cruise. Our guide, Gabriel, was excellent. The highlight of the trip was the VIP Catamaran snorkel trip we took at Cozumel. The weather was great and the water was clear and warm. We had opportunities to snorkel at two locations where we saw lots of colorful reef fish. The lunch was the best as was the bar service. Although they often have up to 40 guests, this time there were only 9 guests along with 7 crew members. Shelley and the crew took excellent care of us. We stayed at the Microtel in SARALAND, AL prior to cruising. We left our car there and they took us to the ship and picked us up at the end of the cruise. That worked out great. The Fantasy is a smaller and older ship but that didn't hinder our fun in any way. Read Less

We chose this ship due to the Mobile port. We had never cruised Carnival and some of the reviews held me back of ships in New Orleans and Mobile. I decided I was not going to drive further to a port (Mobile is within 4 hours) so we took a chance on the Fantasy. We aimed for low expectations due to reviews and we were surprised at how much it exceeded our expectations. The food in the dining room was the best food we've had on a cruise yet. I don't understand the reviews that say their food was awful. Ours was fantastic, everything cooked perfectly from their flank steak to chicken, etc. Tasty and wonderful! Our waiters were fantastic and called us by name as soon as we went in each night. They were delightful. Our room steward was also great, calling us by name daily. He was in stealth mode and would slip in almost as soon as we left and the room would be clean when we got back from breakfast or wherever. We asked for ice one time and had it refreshed daily by him and his memory everyday. Asked for extra towels and he never forgot to do that either. Our cabin was a window view on deck 7 and the location was extremely convenient. Just one flight up the steps to our dining room. It had no smells and I was worried about being hot after some reviews, but it was super cool. Air worked great. We actually had to turn down the air some and I stay hot...so I was pleased! No, the cabin is not newly decorated but the beds were comfy, there was lots of lighting, the air temp was great and our bathroom was always clean. Zero smells. All the previous bad reviews make me wonder was it the same ship. Most comfortable bed on a cruise so far. There was plenty of storage space. Tv was small (think small computer monitor size) but we got Turner classic (yeah!) and a few channels. It was better than other ships we've been on. We did not try the wifi or internet. We go to unplug. I found crew to be cleaning all the time, and the food excellent. We had been to Cozumel before so we just shopped, as we just shopped in Progresso. We found the prices far better in Progresso on blankets, trinkets, etc. We found plenty of quiet areas on the ship to sit. I am not a smoker, so I avoided the area outside the casino, etc. with the tables and chairs. Serenity had newer cushions on the chairs than youtube videos.... we always got a chair and enjoyed that. Smoke was always pretty thick there. We did venture in the casino one night and were able to play enough on what we put in to have an enjoyable time and leave with a little cash (very little but still was able to play on just a little). My husband saw someone the night before win cash from one of the grab machines...so they did pay off eventually for someone. People sat at them the entire trip! We don't use the pool really, so that was not important to us. It was always packed to the max when we went by. I'm not sure I would want to get in that anyway (too many people). Hot tubs on the Serenity deck never had more than 2 or 3 adults on it when we were on it and no kids was enforced. Husband said fitness room was fantastic. The boat was a little rocky the last day but that was when the storm was in the SE. Seems like I felt it more on this ship but one motion sickness pill and I was fine. The entertainment is where I would like to see improvement. The performers gave their all in the shows but it was not along the lines of what we experienced on other cruises. It is not the performers who we didn't like, just the shows. We do not enjoy the adult pg or plus comedians or silly shows, and that is probably what Carnival is known for. We skip those. So, entertainment s the only area I felt like was not quite up to par with what we've seen before but those kids gave their all and were fantastic in their own right. We enjoyed captains talk and lectures on another line, would love some kind of history talk or something---probably not going to be on Carnival. Lastly, the spa people would ask each time you passed certain doors or coming off the pool area from lunch, etc. if you'd like such and such at the spa. It got annoying after a while but they accepted no. The people taking pictures were the opposite, if you said no they smiled sweetly and moved on. When we took a Royal Caribbean cruise, I felt like they hounded us more for pics. All in all we had very low expectations and left the ship far above pleased and would do it again if the trip and price was right.... and the right time of the year (not spring break, etc.). Oh, and we found a mix from babies to middle age to seniors to a few college age. We sailed in Jan., so it was not a party cruise at all. Families were the bulk of this ship. Saw a lot of entire families like grandma down to babies meeting up for supper in the dining room. This was a nice mix of people. Read Less

Worst cruise ever. Ship is old and falling apart. Fixtures falling off of the walls in the public bathrooms. Food was the worst I have ever experienced on a cruise. Worst service at dinner. It took forever to get waited on and when you finally did, took forever to get your food. At breakfast one morning, I discovered dried dirt or something (who knows) in the bottom of my water glass. Called a manager over, their answer to the problem was to bring us a cheap bottle of wine to dinner that night. I told them that I didn’t want a bottle of wine, I just wanted to know what I had just consumed in my water glass. Never heard another word from anyone on the ship. My husband complained to Carnival through their survey. We have yet to hear back from them. Never again will we sail with Carnival. Read Less

Rude waiters and waitresses in the casino. Food selection was bad at the buffe. Selections in the dinning room was so so. Dirty bathrooms parts of the ship smelled And dirty. Things not working the whole trip like the elevator hand dryers in the bathrooms. Would not do this again and would not recommend this trip to anyone! Heard the ship was 30 years old. They should retire it and make rooms for the homeless veterans! Crew needs some attitude adjustments. The fun director was good. Announcements were not coming out plain on the speakers. Guess they are old too. Rough rough rough seas !!!! This is our 4 cruise with the carnival lines and this is the worst. Sooo many kids. Someone did tell us there were lots of kids on this one! Guys burgers were good as usual. We did enjoy the breakfast on deck too!!! Unhappy customer!!! Read Less

My family chose to cruise for Christmas. I’ll start with the pros: Staff on this ship were amazing! Our stateroom steward, Waiyn was incredibly helpful and kind. Our dinner staff was wonderful and extremely accommodating for my one year old. As old as the ship is, I will give the staff credit for keeping it absolutely spotless. Everywhere you go on the ship, someone is cleaning something I wouldn’t even think to clean. Kudos to them! Boarding and disembarking the ship was simple and quick. Negatives: our cruise sailed from Mobile, to Progreso (Yucatán) and Cozumel. Our day in Progreso was not what I anticipated in the worst way. We waited in one line after another for transportation to a filthy beach with literal concrete walls topped with barbed wire and people trying to sell you something if you so much as look in their direction. We knew immediately we weren’t staying there, so found someone who sold us a day at an “all inclusive” so we took a bus there. The staff for this excursion was very kind and wanted to make sure we enjoyed ourselves and we did, the all inclusive was fine. I honestly can’t imagine why Carnival has chosen Progreso as a port destination. I would NEVER recommend it. Our day in Cozumel was amazing, however! So much fun and we reserved a spot on Cabana Beach. HIGHLY HIGHLY RECOMMEND Cabana Beach. Ship: Old and needs to be retired immediately. There are two smoking sections on the ship (one is inside next to the casino) and thus, the entire ship reeks of smoke. It’s disgusting. Only 3/4 elevators were working on my section of the ship. 1/2 glass elevators in the atrium worked. And 2/4 worked in the back of the ship. Everyone pretty much took the stairs instead of waiting for an elevator. Pretty difficult when you’re carting a stroller everywhere, so that was inconvenient for us. 2/4 coffee machines were out of commission and the ice cream machines worked most of the time. Food: pretty good. Guy’s burger joint was by far the best spot to eat on the ship. Drinks were great I was very disappointed my one year old wasn’t even allowed to play in the splash pad in a swim diaper. I totally understand not letting diapered babies in the hot tubs or pool, but come on. Running around on the splash pad was literally all she wanted to do and she had a blast until they told me I had to take her out. Huge bummer. They need to reassess that rule. I wouldn’t sail again with a toddler because there is nothing for them to do. Read Less

The family and I (four of us total) went on the Fantasy for our Christmas vacation. I read a lot of reviews about the Fantasy and I'll admit I was a bit concerned about the overall condition of the ship. However, I was pleasantly surprised on how good of a shape she is in for her age. Just as I read the reviews for better insights I share here my overall experience and views of the Carnival Fantasy. Ship Condition: Overall, I felt she is in good shape. The crew was constantly cleaning the ship and in several spots they were doing some detailed repairs such as tearing up tile which was completed within a few hours. I personally didn't mind this as it had little impact and considering these ships are continually on the go, this should be expected. (Rating: 4 of 5 stars) Elevators: I know there is a lot of complaints and chatter on FB about elevators not working and here I would say this is a legit complaint. On day 1 and 2, both glass elevators worked, but then on day 3, the port side elevator was out of service. Forward elevators, 3 of the 4 were operating. Mid-ship, all four worked the entire cruise. Aft elevators, 3 of the 4 were operating. (Rating: 3 of 5 stars) Staff: Simply said, they were very professional, friendly, constantly working and helpful. I did not have a single bad experience with any crew member. (Rating: 5 of 5 stars) Dining: We ate dinner in the main dining room on four occasions. The menu changed out some. The food was good, but nothing wowed me. My favorite, sad to say was the chocolate flow cake. There is always the option to upgrade the meal at cost and on the last day I got a steak, which was disappointing. (Rating 3.5 of 5 stars) Buffet: It's a buffet, nothing spatular but it works well enough. For breakfast it was not until day 3 did I try out the omelet station and here is where I went the rest of the time. Highly suggest the omelet station. For lunch, did the deli once and that was good. I never ate dinner here. (Rating 3 of 5 stars) Guy's Burgers / Blue Iguana Grills: Perhaps the best place for lunch and if you want a mid day snack. I was surprised that they close at 6. Guys burgers are really good, but my favorite are the tacos from Blue Iguana and the variety of hot causes available. (Rating 4.5 of 5 stars) (I knocked off some points for not being open for longer periods) Bars / Lounges: Here is where they really miss the mark in my opinion. They were all too small and can not fit many people. Places like the Cats and Cleopatras don't have a proper bar in them so you have to wait for a server or go get the drinks yourself. This assumes you get a seat in the place. At the proper bars, I felt the stools were very close to the bar and very uncomfortable. (Rating 3.5 of 5 stars) Entertainment & Activity: As with any cruise there are a ton of activities / entertainment scheduled each day. Due to the size of the lounges, it can be difficult in getting a seat. So plan on arriving early and service for drinks being a bit inadequate. The girl playing the steel kettle drums was really good. Others were just okay. The DJ played good music, but he himself was not very entertaining. The comedian was lacking. The hairy chest contest... um, NO!. (Rating 2 of 5 stars) Ports / Excursions: Cozumel: We did Mr. Shanchos. Well worth the cost and we were really pleased with the food, strong drinks, and it offered plenty of actives. (Rating 5 of 5) Progreso: We took the Fantasy excursion for VIP Chechen Itza, Cenote with lunch. Don't let the two hour bus ride each way stop you from going on this. We were very please with this excursion and without doubt the highlight of our entire trip!! (Rating 5 of 5) Ships Tour: My wife and I did this at a cost of $55 per person. It was roughly 2.5 hours in length. We saw the laundry room, engine control room, part of the galley, some crew spaces such as where they eat, behind the stage and the bridge. I liked the control room the best. Was it worth it. If you've never done one before, then yes. If you've been on one already, then No, it's not worth it. (Rating 3.5 of 5) Chef's Table: There was some confusion on this as I booked this well in advance (like a year before the cruise) but upon arrival I didn't get any notice. So I went to the service desk and they didn't have me down and were starting to spin up the story that I was out of luck as there was no record of me signing up. BUT, I handed them the e-mail confirmation notice and then they changed their tune and somehow there was suddenly some space available. I was disappointed in the location of this event. I was thinking it was going to be someplace nice or a blocked off section in one of the MDRs. I was also expecting the head Chef (as advertised). The reality is they hold this event in the library and the Chef is one of the underlings. There is no preparation table side with perhaps the exception that they plop something on top of some rice or pour on some sauce, while the underling Chef explains what it is you are about to eat. Granted, what they server here is good, small portions (but like seven courses or so) and it is unique dishes. Is it worth $75 each. NO! (Rating 2 of 5) Technology (HUB - WiFi - Pixels): We used the Carnival HUB and I really liked this application. It was very convenient in planning out your day and keeping an eye on your room charges. The chat worked okay, but was not completely reliable. The WiFi worked well and I though was well worth the cost. Pixels, it was okay. I don't think you get enough pictures for the price you pay. (Rating 4 of 5) Kids running amuck: Sure, it's a vacation. Sure, Carnival caters to families. Sure, Carnival has some areas and actives very specific for kids. Great and I'm perfectly okay with that. Have two kids of my own so been there and done that. But, going on a cruise should not be a ticket for a parent to simply open up the cabin door and let the kid(s) run about the ship like a banshee and left unsupervised. 12 kids (no exaggeration) in a hot tub and using it as if they were in a deep diving pool! I was extremely disappointed that little kids were permitted to sit at the bar and take up valuable seating while they complained about being bored and wiping their noses and then handling the menus. Now, I don't want to paint with a broad brush here as there were certainly well behaved kids with parents monitoring them and enjoying the various actives. BUT, be warned, there is a good sized group of unattended, bratty kids running about on this ship. (Rating 1 of 5) In closing: Overall we enjoyed our time on the Fantasy and visiting Cozumel and Progresso. We are glad we took this cruise and has given us some great memories. There is a video from Cruise Critic which gives a tour of the Fantasy which was really good and the narrator gives a good summary at the end which I think is spot on. Which is along the liens of, 'the Fantasy is a good ship for first time cruisers and for cruises that are five days or less in duration.' I think the 5 days or less comment is an important point as on day four I was starting to feel the confinement of this smaller size ship. Would I recommend the Fantasy? I certainly would for younger generations and with kids. Overall Rating: 3.45 out of 5. Read Less

We wanted a very cheap way to visit Cozumel and this was it. We got an inside room that was small but the total price was only $715 for the 2 of us. Embarking was fine. We carried our luggage. Disembarking was a little strange but it went quickly after we finally got in line. We left our room at 8:30 and were in our car leaving town by 9:30. Carnival is a Fun Ship and very noisy everywhere. We haven’t been on Carnival before and it is a little different. Lots of young kids. We found the food on Lido to be very subpar. We ate in MDR for breakfast and dinner and enjoyed it. DH really enjoyed the vegetarian plate 2 nights. The pizza on Lido is not very good, Guy’s burgers are good but the fries aren’t so much but the deli is good. We went to 3 shows—Motown, British Invasion, and Country. They were about a 3-4 on a 5 scale. We were uncomfortable with the Country Show—it made the country girls look and act like hookers! Too suggestive and I would not have enjoyed watching with my grandkids. The lobby bar was fun, the bartenders were great. The cruise director, Pauly, was a hoot in the evenings for music trivia. The 9th deck is a smoking area in the lobby, bar and casino. It truly smells, but I understand lots of smokers enjoy having a place to smoke. Read Less

My wife and I chose this cruise due to price and the fact that Mobile is only 5.5 hours from home. BOARDING Got to cruise terminal around 11.30 and were parked and on ship in 25 min. CABIN..We got a outside room with a window. The room is what you would expect small but everything in room worked and the room was very clean from start to finish. The bathroom was small but seemed bigger to me than most. I wish the room had a mini fridge but being a older ship a bucket of ice had to do. DINING. Good---Guys Burgers, Blue Iguana, Sea Day Brunch, Pizza, Deli and Ice cream machines. DINING. Bad---Buffets were weak, the pastries were bad very dry and the same thing every morning. The cakes in the buffet at lunch looked fantastic but all had a cornbread texture to them. The biggest complaint we had is that because we only had one dinner in dining room and rest in buffet is that there were no VEGETABLES TO BE FOUND. (POTATOES AND RICE EVERY DAMN NIGHT. ENTERTAINMENT- We went to all main shows and they were good, cant complain. The Casino on this ship is small but is always crowded but only about 50% gambling and 50% SMOKING THERE BRAINS OUT. SERVICE- Let me say from the time we got on this ship to the day we got off everything on this ship was spotless form interior to outside of ship to the buffet dining room with no dirty tables and people walking around cleaning plates off of tables as soon as we were done. The crew on this ship were all very nice, always saying hello and good morning. Probably did not hurt that they failed a inspection 3 months ago. Ports----I have to be honest when I say Mexico is not my favorite but we booked at last minute so you have to take what you get. Everyone seemed to enjoy themselves. Overall this was a good cheap 5 day cruise out of Mobile Alabama. I will be taking a cruise next November on New Mardi Gra I will be setting the bar up very high for that cruise. Read Less

The gratuities per person where automatically charged on my card without informing the me (customer) which was weird. Food- being a Vegetarian it was a hell to pick the right food, the spoon where actually mixed between Veg and non-Veg, I ordered a Veggie Taco and there was meat on it. I ended having cereal the entire cruise time. The food didn’t look good quality for me. No cash transaction was accepted on the cruise, I couldn’t even buy/exchange a photo at the nth moment while debarking which was disappointing as well. The rooms were cleaned regularly and entertainment was good, the team had tried to do the best. There were lots of programs for all the age groups which was excellent. The entire crew are/ were trying to do the best to make customers happy. Some feedback for improvement. The food / dinning department , should have a separate counters for Vegetarians /Vegans. There should be an update to the new technology which should be ease to use and customer friendly. All mode of payments should be accepted not depending only on credit/sail and sign cards. Read Less

We went on this ship on Thanksgiving. Good: Playlist Performers, Comedy shows Bad: As you can see only two really good things. Buffet: Food tended to be cold. I even went to the buffet on purpose when they first opened for lunch one day to see if it was just me, but no it was cold again. Person making omelettes made one incorrect and when he made the eggs over easy did not let them cook all the way so there was clear liquid still showing. Pizza was okay but looks like Carnival is cutting back on toppings. Deli I wish they would go back to the presses, rather than the machine they are using as the bread tends to come out hard. Burritos had more lettuce than other fillings, again another cutback. Seaday Brunch, went once and the Eggs Benedict were cold and filet was tough, so not a filet. Did not go back. Dining Room. Worst service we have ever had. Could not even tell you the waiter's name. We had to ask for more water, ice tea, never offered coffee or tea with dessert. In the past once we sat down they would have what ever we ordered for a drink the previous day.there, plus tea or coffee would be offered. They did not know our names. One night we were still eating the main course and they were bringing dessert menus. That is why we select late dining to avoid the rush. Food was on the cold side again. Pork loin, steak, mahi mahi, chicken, and Thanksgiving Turkey was like eating turkey from the deli, salmon served with the skin up. Nuts in the stuffing, even though it did not say that. Appetizers not fully described. One night asked for mashed potatoes and they said did not have any, even though it was offered with another meal. A girl at our table asked for french fries and the waiter said we do not offer them, yet they were offered for another meal. Very poor experience in the dining room. Buffet servers tended to be on the rude side. Breakfast in Dining Room: Ordered omelettes and they came out totally wrong. No one ever came over and asked how anything was. Room Service: Ordered once and they forgot an item, yet they called us and said we can bring it now. We did not want to be bothered again. Stateroom: The coldest we have ever had and the only way to control it was to shut the fan off in the ceiling. We pulled the extra duvet out of the closest and it was stained. Gross! The steward brought us two blankets. The room remained on the cold side and one day, even though we shut the fan down, came back to the fan being opened. Freezing again. What is with the urine spell in the bathrooms? I asked a couple other people and they said the same thing. Every morning we got woken up between 6-615am with them running down the hallway with a laundry basket. I even got out of bed to see them running down the hall. Another morning at 518am, there was an announcement and it scared us to death. Why is the king bed pushed up against the wall and the sheets put in so tight you have to move the bed. I realize this is an older ship, but really?? Tour: We took the Progresso tour and while good, it tended to be rushed. Then the last stop they get people to try and buy tequila. When walking back to the ship there was a group of people dressed like Mayans on the pier and when we said no, as we walked by he called my wife a b***h. I realize they are not Carnival people, but they should be respectful. Maybe newbies would not be aware of these things, but as gold members we try to be loyal to Carnival, but it might be time to try another cruise line. We never remove tips once we pre-paid them as we know it goes to all the workers. We usually tip extra, but not on this cruise as it seemed like they did not care. Maybe this is a training ship, well they need better training. Read Less

DO NOT TAKE THIS CRUISE! No entertainment, horrible food, and rude staff. The only decent food was Guys Burger Joint. The food in the dining room had me spending the rest of my night in the restroom. The food was disgusting! They have one mediocre show per night and the comedy club show which was mediocre at best. They had no consideration for my mother who had to use a walker. Getting off the ship should not be so disorganized. They should mail you all information about your cruise but you have to figure it out for yourself or be surprised with the information. They also add 55 dollars for cabin cleaning and was not told till I got the bill. There was only one way off and on the ship which makes things more difficult and disorganized. Most of the staff was just plain rude and unfriendly! Don’t waste your money on this cruise .... you will be disappointed! Read Less

Boat rocked so hard threw us out of bed. Best description I’ve heard is being herded around like cattle and have a strict set agenda. Food wasn’t what we expected at all. Hardly any seafood. They did have good drinks and all the staff was excellent and all went above and beyond. My guess is the boat is too small by looking at other boats. It doesn’t handle rough seas very well at all. Plenty of entertainment on board. Back of the boat was still tore up and I heard they already had it sold to somebody in another country. It’s getting to be pretty old by the looks of things. Time for upgrades carnival. First and last cruise for us. The bartenders were fantastic. Throughout the trip they made several announcements that nobody could understand. Need a better sound system especially for important information. Little bit of a language barrier too. Bathrooms way too small. Huge water issues. Read Less

This was a family cruise for my mother's birthday. We picked this cruise because it was close to home therefore we did not have to pay for airfare or hotels. We were not really expecting much we just wanted some family time. What we encountered was beyond my expectations. Yes the ship is nothing fancy as it is old but the staff, the food, the entertainment and activities available were fantastic. We went on Royal Caribbean out of Tampa two years ago and we had to get off the ship in ports to get a decent meal. The food on the Fantasy was wonderful. We ate in the dining room every night. Our waiter Rodulf and Kamei were great. They knew our names after the first night and if we had a coke package there were drinks waiting on us. The entertainment staff were very good. I even went to the country show and I am not a country music fan. Ship did not seem crowded even though it is much smaller than most ships now. I would not hesitate to go on this again. Read Less

We chose Mobile due to proximity to home and not going near Orlando where we would be tempted to go to Disney. The staff aboard is great. They are nice, lively and patient. Marty, Gemma, and Lizzy are all wonderful fun staff members. We also really enjoyed the variety at dinner. It was nice to try new things we had never had before. The casino is on the same floor as the Camp Ocean and smoking is heavy there. Our son had an asthma attack going to Camp Ocean one night so we spent time treating that. You could smell the smoke all over the 9th floor which also happens to be where to go for the photos each day. It's just heavy. The elegant night was less than elegant. More people in shorts and t-shirts than elegant wear. We enjoyed our time we were dressed up, so it is what it is. I just thought it was typical to dress as suggested. We are not a party family. We are very conservative in our activities so the crowd was not our favorite. It was like spring break on the ocean all week with loud adults and inappropriate behavior for a family cruise. Midnight still having people hollering down the halls was annoying as we were trying to sleep. A lot of individuals were commenting on people in swimsuits and how they didn't belong in swimsuits at all and taking photos of them so I didn't even bother trying to enjoy the water with my kids. That's on me for being self conscious though. I will also say that Camp Ocean was supposed to be separated by age, but they put the 6-8 year olds with the 9-11 year olds. There were a lot of 6 year olds so our 11 year old (who turns 12 in a few weeks) stayed with us after day 2. He was not thrilled with the activities being moved to being only for the younger kids. The atmosphere just wasn't for us. That's not to say it wouldn't be perfect for others. It's just not for a more conservative family who want to enjoy a relaxing vacation. Read Less

We decided on the Carnival Fantasy because of the Panama Canal Transit. We had never wanted to cruise Carnival because of the reputation of "Party Ship" but the cost was great and the timing was perfect so we took a chance on the September 16th, 11 day cruise out of Mobile, AL. This ship was so far above my and my husbands expectations. It had just received very bad news coverage from a disgruntled inspector (after we purchased the cruise), and we were already risking the party atmosphere. We were so shocked to find not one of the things we had read or heard about the ship to be true. The staff was amazing and went above and beyond to know who we were and how to make each moment more enjoyable. This was a Journey cruise (over 10 days) so we were with this staff longer than most. We found relationships built that were genuine and positive. The captain was great at keeping us in touch and informed which made it a positive interaction as we sailed. The meet and greet with the staff was elegant and professional – as well as very entertaining with the professional ballroom dancers and Shipmonk’s performing the perfect mood setting music. Drinks were flowing and appetizers and staff met with the elegant ambiance they had set for the evening. The dinning staff was attentive to our every need - greeting us by name and having the things we enjoyed on the ready. Seon, Lady Ann, Pratama, Kataporn and Ola (short version of Ola's name) were dining room stars! Singing, smiling and ensuring our water was always topped off, our sides were always ready and available and any extra’s or additions were cared for. The cleaning staff was amazing! They were constantly wiping windows/handrails/glass as well as vacuuming and cleaning floors. Seti cared for our stateroom in way that made it a place to look forward to coming back to so we could see the surprises he had laid out for us! Selva was one who constantly worked! From the day we got on board and he was getting the luggage out … to meeting him all over the ship as he cleaned, vacuumed, mopped, dusted and always smiling and wishing us a good day. It was a pleasure to have Seti and Selva on the cruise! There was nothing about our Carnival ship that lived up to any negative reputation which had proceeded it. It was clean, run well, fun, relaxing and enjoyable. Marty was the Cruise Director for the first part of the trip and Rico the Cruise Director for the last. They were amazing! Why different Cruise Directors on one cruise? There was a special event we never know about held where Carnival and St. Jude’s are in a partnership, Carnival does various little events on ships to raise money they give to St. Jude’s. This was so touching to learn about. We had our fund-raiser onboard and our ship raised over $15,000 for St. Jude! It was incredible to be a part of. But, back to the reason Marty left the ship mid-way. Marty was selected as one of a very few Cruise Director’s to go and present St. Jude with the monies raised, as well as getting the opportunity to meet with some current families at St. Jude and talk with staff to see exactly how the monies are used to help each family personally. It was a blessing to learn of Carnivals involvement with such a wonderful purpose. Once Marty left and Rico took over – it was just as amazing and Rico’s heart and joy were evident in his calling as Cruise Director. The promotion mid-trip allowed us all to see how much each person values their various roles onboard. The majority of the staff was just as much as professional and fun while being available to complete whatever task was on hand for them. Even in the photo department the ship was not pushy in any way and we found Fresca was so kind and yet fun and willing to capture a great shot, or let us move on by when she saw it would be an interruption. That alone was amazing. The ports of call were different on Carnival than other cruise lines. They ensure you have a wonderful experience if you are even just visiting the port. It was cleaner and easier to get off and back on the ship than others we have sailed. The excursions were well explained and when we did take them (we did not at each port) the staff was highly educated in the experience we were about to embark on. The transportation was in new buses with air conditioning and bathrooms, locations were clean and organized and it was safe and so fun and entertaining! Overall we had so many positive experiences and interactions on our Panama Canal cruise we were amazed. It wasn't all perfect, as with anything when you are with people in the same place for 11 days there will be a snafu to two, but the good was actually great and we are looking forward to taking future cruises with Carnival - hoping to run into some of the same staff again to catch up and see how they are doing – as well as meeting up with people we met on the cruise for creating new memories to last a lifetime. Thank you Carnival for completely changing our impression and view of Carnival cruise line. We are glad we took a chance and grateful for the amazing Panama Canal crossing experience! Read Less

Fair warning, we have sailed on Princess for our previous 4 cruises after switching from Carnival after 6 cruises with them, on various ships (Holiday, Fascination, Elation, and Miracle). And yes, I’m long winded and critical, but I do give props where they are due. My wife and I decided to try Carnival again as Mobile is a very convenient port for us versus driving to Fort Lauderdale to sail with Princess. We previously sailed in Grand Suites with Carnival and planned to this cruise as well, however we were offered an upsell to an Owner’s Suite, which we (foolishly) took. Don’t take the upsell unless you NEED the extra room as this cabin has PLENTY of extra room (it’s over 900 sq ft!). There are only 4 elevators that go to the forward Sports deck where these cabins are located. The 2 atrium elevators (which are both currently broken and not scheduled to be replaced until December 2019, at the earliest) and the two forward, port side elevators, 1 of which routinely takes a minute or two to settle on the floor it is stopping at, and the other which seems to operate properly, but seemed to be down for maintenance very often on our cruise, the last 2 full days of the cruise, specifically. The other 2 forward elevators stop at Lido deck, 2 decks below. So for 3/5 days of the cruise, there was only 1 working elevator that could take you to Verandah or Sports deck. Ok, back to the cabin, PH1. These cabins are ENORMOUS and look fantastic in the various photos and videos you can find online and are emailed when offers the upsell. Buyer beware, these cabins, at least PH1, was not very well maintained or deep cleaned very often. Nice coat of dust everywhere, marble floors in serious need of mopping/polishing, broken/missing lightbulbs (and the cabin, in general, is not lit very well, at all) and while the views should look amazing through the wall to wall windows in the living room and bedroom, they aren’t tinted or mirrored (everyone on Lido can see you!) nor are the outside of the windows ever cleaned. Even if you don’t mind the dirty windows, don’t leave the shades open very long as the cabin AC cannot keep up with the heat from the windows, the room will get very warm, very quickly. Room steward: Very efficient, however also responsible for some (most?) of the cabins on Verandah deck, so she would call to make sure we were out of the cabin before coming up with fresh towels and to refresh the room. I never saw a cart or other cleaning supplies, and I didn’t find a stash in the room, so yes, that did make us suspicious regarding the cleanliness of our cabin..... Food: Dining room: Only dined in the dining room once, for seaday brunch. Service was good, as was the food, although apparently, for brunch, the wait staff rotate through serving different sections of the dining room. Once your area’s tables have all been served, do not expect anymore service as the wait staff waves bye and moves on to another area (I wish I were joking). Buffet: We tried to eat at the buffet mainly, however it is extremely small, and the options are very limited. You are lucky if you have 3-4 options somewhat similar to what is being served in the dining room for lunch/dinner. That’s about all they have room for, and both “sides” of he buffet serve identical items. The salad “bar” is very lacking and the dessert area had, at most, 6-8 options, including the sugar free and whatever other dietary options they include. Side note, for parents as we used to cruise with our son, who is now grown - I seem to recall there always being fries, chicken fingers, Mac and cheese, etc (think kid friendly items) on the buffet. We didn’t see any, that we can recall, on the buffet ever, so parents beware. Guys Burgers: Best burgers and fries I’ve had at sea to date. Get the usual toppings from the servers and make it your own at the Toppings bar, which has just about anything you would want to put on a burger. Beware, the operating hours vary and they usually don’t start serving until Noon, even on sea days and might be open until 6, if you’re lucky. Blue Iguana Cantina: If you think Guys’ has weird operating hours, good luck getting anything from the Cantina as we never got to try it because they were either closed or had an enormous line during their few open hours. They do open in the AM for breakfast burritos (and never had a line, so unsure if it was worth trying for breakfast, which we didn’t) and reopen for lunch around noon, but always seemed to be closed by 330. Deli: Very good, usually a long line, but was worth the wait (and they have fries). They have daily specials as well as the usual menu, be sure to read the sign. Pizza: This pizza can’t be called pizza, sorry. And I used to like Carnival’s pizza. To be honest, I dislike Princess’ pizza as well. But to describe this “pizza”, Think of a tortilla with some red sauce slathered on it, with a few globs of melted cheese, and a sprinkling of toppings. A piece of pepperoni pizza (2 slices they way they serve it, half a “pizza”) had a total of 5 small pieces of pepperoni. Where you would expect more pepperoni to be was where the globs of cheese were. Room Service: Very good and very prompt delivery, however be sure to ask for every condiment you may need and check the order for the requested and advertised condiments upon delivery (for example, the Firecracker shrimp ($) is advertised as having a sweet Chile dipping sauce, ours were served plain, with no dipping sauce). Also, and this may be specific to PH1/2, our breakfast room service cards were never collected 2/4 days. A quick phone call the first time did get us coffee and the assurance it wouldn’t happen again (it did). Bar service/drinks: Do yourself a favor, drink beer, from bottles. Every drink we ordered, frozen or on the rocks, was very weak, and we aren’t big drinkers. And those drink packages? They charge you taxes while in Mobile, on a full size serving. We had the soda package and paid $.25 in taxes for every soda we got until we were far enough away from port. Between the 2 of us, we paid $3 in taxes on $2.50 sodas on embarkation day. Keep in mind, with the soda package, they don’t give you the entire can (which retails for $2.50), only a glass full, which was maybe 1/2 a can with the amount of ice in the glasses. Yes, we have sailed from Mobile many times and yes, we have always gotten the soda package. We have never had to pay taxes like this before on sodas from a soda package. Embarkation: We arrived at 10:30, dropped our luggage, parked in the garage (you pay through text and mobile browser, or they do have a kiosk or two if you don’t have a smartphone) and due to being in a PH, were promptly escorted through checkin and waited until 11:15 to board and shown to our room by a Carnival escort, behind the wedding party. Disembarkation: Since we were upgraded to Platinum status due to our cabin, we did Platinum self disembark which met at 730 and were through customs and on the road by 800. During Cruise and PostCruise Communication: We honestly felt forgotten on the ship, no sales flyers, etc from anyone other than the ones given to use by our room steward. Plus the room service issues. We also politely explained to the spa staff the first 5 times they met us at the elevator that we were staying across the atrium from the spa and did not need their services, but that didn’t help. We were hounded every day, the moment we stepped out of the elevator, as to which spa service we were there for, which was pretty funny when I was carrying 2 trays from Guys’ burgers, LOL. Also, Carnival used to hand out end of cruise surveys onboard. We didn’t get one either onboard or via email, so maybe they have stopped caring what you thought about your cruise? Read Less

The service was mediocre and the activities were below mediocre. Rooms were musty The entire trip was mediocre nobody cared to listen to my concerns or address The food was cold with HOT spots like you warm in a microwave...even though i could see people cooking so i assume that the warmers were not properly calibrated. The activities were so under par it was laughable....they gave us scrap paper for arts and crafts.. I am embarrassed to tell people that we went on this cruise. It was a waste of money, time and effort. Scripted response of our its not 'our typical experience' Please save yourself the horrible experience of going on this cruise. Please use your money for a vacation that is valuable and worthy of your time. The water pressure was low the rooms were musty and the food was lack luster. I really wanted to enjoy this cruise Read Less