First of all, huge kudos to Carnival for taking very good care of us in these crazy times. They started by giving us a generous OBC per cabin (we had 2 with the kids in a connected room) the Friday before our cruise left on Sunday. It was for staying on the cruise, but we had to cancel 3 days before. So, we were excited about the OBC. They switched out St. Lucia ahead of time since St. Lucia did not have their covid-19 rules in place, so that we had port that would accept us instead of learning the day of that we could not dock. We made all our ports and only had a challenge when ready to disembark in Puerto Rico. Puerto Rico had added new rules, while we were gone, that would require we quarantine in the ocean for few days and other rules (but full details were not given). Carnival got clearance in Miami, though some concern that the clearance may be removed before we got there. They opened up the phones and internet and helped us get through to American Airlines. Also, kudos to American for getting us on a flight from Miami instead. Rescheduling flights for 4 people from a cruise ship is not easy, but everyone helped out. The sail to Miami gave us 2.5 extra days on the ship where additional days and service charges were complementary. Carnival also provided airport transfer in Miami complementary. I’m sure they were eager to cut ties with us after the extra 2.5 days, but they kept up spirits and service level. Now a little bit about us, we are a 40-something couple traveling for Spring Break with two sons, 11 and 14, traveling in 2 connected rooms -- oceanview cabins. This was the 14th cruise for the adults, and 3rd and 4th for the kids. Embarkation: This was a rougher embarkation. We originally just wanted to drop off our luggage early, and had read this was possible, and then go back and explore Old San Juan more. We had tired of hauling luggage around. By the time we found someone taking it, they said they were full and told us to go to another line, which was regular check in, ahead of our scheduled arrival time. There was a health survey – our way of life had not been too disrupted when we left on March 8th but got very tough while we were away – asking if we had visited countries noted by the State Dept as do not travel to due to Covid-19 or if we had been around any sick people in the last 14 days. Then check in with our paperwork and passports was fast. Then they took our temperatures before we entered the security lines. Security line was long and slow. Security tossed 2 out of 4 empty water bottles – grr – we need them for ports and the airplane back! This really annoyed me and left me with a sour start to the cruise. Though I believe the security employees are San Juan’s not Carnival’s. After security was a long wait to board in three lines that they were slowly taking a few people from each. Our boarding experience on Carnival in Miami was much, much better and in Galveston much better. After boarding, 3 out of 4 of us enjoyed our first delicious Guy’s burger, and husband enjoyed some buffet samplings. They warned us on embarkation about no self-serve in the buffet. We appreciated the care to keep everyone onboard healthy (which was successful, to our knowledge), but it is harder to try just a little of several things. We were served larger portions then we would take for ourselves. We planned to get some soda for our rooms before boarding (and even promised the kids, who do not normally get soda), but after getting through the boarding process, we decided it was too much trouble to get back off. They were selling, I believe, 6 tall cans packs (not in a box) in the terminal before security. I had read beforehand that Puerto Rico had 8 pack cans instead of 12 pack cans in boxes, so maybe this was 8, but thinking less. When rooms were available at 1:30, we rested a bit after our overnight flight to San Juan from DFW. After I did not fall asleep, I checked for luggage, and it had been delivered. So, I started unpacking in the kids room until husband got up. Best muster drill of any of our previous cruises. Normally painfully long on our previous Carnival cruises, but it quicker – we were in the Theater – and our host with the mic was funny. Dining: We had your time dining, which is in the Sensation Main Dining Room, and went each evening (early) as a family of 4. Good service and food that was pretty quick. Lois from Peru was awesome. We would normally get a kid’s menu and regular and let the kids pick which to order from. Some of our favorites or not so favorites: - Mac and Cheese side – kids and my favorite - Port of call fish the first night (San Juan) was not husband’s favorite. - Oldest son who does not eat too much meat tried the vegetarian Indian dish – which was huge – and was not a fan. Husband was and ate some and had it a couple of other nights. - Braised brisket the first night was very good! With our extra nights, it was offered again where it was still good but not as good. - Caesar salad -- is a favorite of the kids and me (though I like NCL’s better). - Fried oysters – husband loved - Prime rib – very good - Tiramisu – favorite, melting cake and Crème Brule – always favorites - Hazelnut cake – so good with delicious chocolate sauce - Lasagna – one kid like and the other did not We also enjoyed breakfast in the Main Dining room several mornings. Normally, slower than dinner, but good. The broken egg sandwich was a new one for me, and myself and youngest enjoyed it. I also had the Deli a few times, and it was always good. I was also able to get the dark chocolate sea salt cookies that I could not get on our last cruise. They were good. I had the ham and cheese panini a couple of time and the special of the day once, which was either a teriyaki beef or chicken, I think beef. It was good. And, of course, we had more Guy’s burgers, some Blue Iguana tacos, and some more buffet. The Continental buffet for breakfast, also in the Buffet, was not too crowded and worked. At the beginning of the cruise, I toasted my own bagel, but later they figured out pre-toasting them and bread/toast worked better. It did; however, the challenge was that the cream cheese was not beside the bagels but in one of the two main buffet lines (mostly in one but moved around). Again, Carnival excelled at cakes with the best chocolate icing. We also enjoyed the Alchemy Bar a couple of times – I like the Deal Closer. Husband had the martini flight that was good. We visited the candy store – very good, but challenging without self-serve, trying to explain how many of each weighed item that you want. Entertainment: Better TV than we have come to expect. They had Cartoon Network and Nick for the kids and HGTV with a guide channel. Also, the remote was one piece, easy to sanitize between guests, instead of individual little buttons. We all enjoyed the comedians. Four were expected, but with the virus, the original 2 was stuck with us the full time and the 2 new ones could not get on. Cole was our favorite. Our youngest got up on stage with the assistant cruise director to each tell a joke. He won a big lollipop from the candy store and a ship on a stick. He was excited. The kids enjoyed putt-putt, though very windy at the top, front while the ship was moving. Without a promenade deck on this ship (that was missed), we walked the walking trail around the putt-putt after dinner. That was very windy too, but the star viewing was nice. We also enjoyed trivia and a game of trivial pursuit. Our youngest noted that they should have a video game trivia, and few days later, they did. Though we told him not to get his hopes too high because some questions will probably games from before he was born. He knew some. We missed the Harry Potter trivia for our oldest. Husband won the food and drink trivia. Disembarkation: The planned Puerto Rico arrival time was 7:30am, Sunday; when we did not see land outside around 7am, hum set in. We watched the location on the TV – circling. The first announcement was about 8:30 when we were at breakfast; Puerto Rico added new rules that cruise ship had to comply to before docking (since the week before). The Captain and team would follow up with an update in about an hour. When they came back, one rule was quarantining at sea for a few days before docking. So, the new plan was to sail to Miami where clearance was currently granted. A request by the Captain to allow Puerto Rican citizens to disembark was denied, which seems crazy because they are going to fly home after getting to Miami anyway. This update noted a Tuesday morning arrival. Later announcement of opening the satellite phone lines and wi-fi for travel re-arrangements and letting family know. We were not getting through to the airlines to change our flights. Our original flight from SJU was early Tuesday morning, so we expected to fly on the same day. Husband was not sure that he was doing the call correctly – there was a button on the room phone and a code to get out that they gave in to the announcements. We assumed these did the same thing, but being not sure, I called the Service Desk to ask, noting not getting through. She asked the airline and offered to try and connect me if she got through. Since Tuesday morning was the time frame, we got a 3:30 pm flight. Right after I got it changed, I found a note outside saying Tuesday noon arrival and then cruise director staff recommended a 7pm or later flight – doh! On the last night, we saw a lull in the normally very long Service Desk line and asked if they had an earlier disembarkation for those that did not know until later not to book as early of a flight. After asking someone else, they said to just getting off with the first group. When we did, they questioned us, asked flight time, and let us go. The ship arrived about 11am instead. So, though initially concerned, but we had plenty of time. We arrived in Miami an hour earlier than announced. It was good to see a familiar skyline approaching (from a cruise the Nov before). Oh, no, there were lots of police outside; that is concerning. Still not knowing for sure if we would be allowed to get off or under what circumstances. Then someone was brought off the ship in handcuffs and one more escorted off by police. After that, the police presence dropped some. Then we saw our comedian and others on the entertain team disembark – good sign. Then fairly quiet for a while with only trickles of people in the disembarkation ramp to the terminal. We were port side with a great view of the disembarkation proceedings. Then later a better stream of people on the disembarkation ramp, but no announcements or decks called yet. So, we decided to check and were permitted to disembark with a higher deck going then. In the terminal, the process was normal – escalators or wait for an elevator up, through passport control/friendly gentleman, and outside Carnival directed us to the complementary airport shuttles. When at customer service the night before, I noticed custom forms, asked if we needed it, told yes, and filled it out. At passport control, he had not interest in it. We are glad that we got to take a Spring Break cruise with the kids and glad our ship stayed healthy, not taking or picking up the virus from the islands we visited, and still healthy. The world became scary while we were gone. 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My Second cruise, Wife's Fourth on Carnival Fascination. Compared to other ships I view while docked in San Juan PR and other islands we stopped at this ship was the smallest, but I wouldn't have known any better because it was only my second cruise. We chose the Southern Caribbean 6 Island 7 day cruise starting out in San Juan PR because for the price and everyday stops at 6 different islands. We had to fly in from Atlanta, GA on the 8th March 2020 for embarkation and sail to ST Thomas that night arriving in ST Thomas the next morning. Our First day 9 March 2020 our excursion Parasailing was canceled because of bad weather. We left the ship and walked in to the strip shopping plaza in ST Thomas where I made a dumb mistake of stopping at the first souvenir store and payed way too much for a two caps and a shirt, then went to another store and the same items were as much as 50% off, very stupid of me never buy from the first store without doing some comparison shopping. The Second day 10 March 2020 we stopped at ST Marrten and left the ship for our second excursion The Big 3, Flying Dutchman Zip Line, Canopy Chair Ride to the top of the mountain and the Tube slide down the mountain. Definitely not worth the price that they charge and the Tube slide was horrible and dangerous down the mountain. The Flying Dutchman Zip line too time consuming because you had to go through three practice runs on smaller zip lines before you were allowed the 2000Ft drop from the top of the mountain down to the bottom. The Third day 11 March 2020 we arrived in ST Kitts and left the ship for our excursion at the beach. The beach and water was beautiful. But the facilities were run down dilapidated antiquated. The food was horrible there too. Only thing good was getting in the water. Bad excursion not worth the price get a taxi and tour ST Kitts on your own. The Fourth day 12 March 2020, we were supposed to go to ST Lucia but their government would not allow the ship to dock because of the Corona-virus outbreak. So went sailed to Dominica where we never left the ship. We spent that day just walking around on the ship and relaxing. The Fifth day 13 March 2020 we arrived in Barbados where we went on the excursion Best of Barbados beach and family fun.We went to two different beaches the first one was beautiful but very turbulent waters. The second one was okay but had a lot of rocks in the water plus you had to pay $10.00 for your beach chairs, i thought this was ridiculous. the tour guide Andrew remind me of Kevin Hart was a riot so funny him and the bus driver.. Plus we were served Rum Punch, beer and soft drinks the entire time. Better bring some snacks though no food served. the facilities were not that good either. The Sixth day 14 March 2020 was all at sea sailing back to San Juan PR so we just relaxed and tried to find entertainment when and where it was showing according to the ships schedule. Their entertainment can use more improvement and shows especially at night not enough adult shows and entertainment. The Seventh day 15 March 2020 was supposed to return back to San Juan PR for disembarkation from our Southern Caribbean Cruise ship Fascination. However the Puerto Rico Government would not allow the ship to dock because of the Corona-virus. so we had to sail another two days more to Miami Florida where we were allowed to disembark from the ship, very scary too we missed our flight from San Juan to Atlanta and had to buy new tickets from Miami to Atlanta but we considered our selves blessed other people from the ship were left in very worse travel situations than us. Overall, I will not take another cruise on the Carnival Fascination again too small and outdated cruise ship.The food in the Lido deck cafeteria was always very bland and just not very good. Although Guys hamburgers were great at lunchtime. We only used the elegant dinning room once and the food there wasn't good either. The excursions were way over priced and the advertising was very misleading. Read Less

Thank you for an amazing cruise.Our destination was , St. Thomas, st.kitts, St. Martann Dominka (bc st.lucia closed their boarder) and Barbados Cruise March 1 2020. We enjoyed the entire experience. The rooms, dinning and entertainment on board where fantastic. We booked our excursions online before boarding the ship which we enjoyed and was easy to do. Highly suggest that you download the Carnival app onto your phone as its very useful throughout the cruise. We would like to give out a big thank you to Mrs. Joanna our housekeeping manager and the staff who cleaned room M249 as they did a fantastic job always. Highly recommended this ship to anyone looking to enjoy a week out on the waters and exploration. We highly recommended booking the trip "Beach Hopping - Family fun" in Barbados. With an open window bus Andrew will take you to Barbados's two best beaches, and show you around Barbados with music, jokes and fun. Read Less

My husband and I usually prefer to cruise with RCC but went on this cruise as part of a large group of friends and family. We were worried about the ship because it's old, comparatively small and had lots of not-so-good reviews. My advice is to just ignore the bad reviews. We had a great time and the ship was very nice. Yes, it's clear she's having some plumbing issues, but other than a VERY mild odor in our hallway on a couple of days, it really was nothing. My niece's cabin had shower drain issues, but the crew was able to get it fixed quickly. The ship is still beautiful, for the most part, appears to be in good repair and seems to have had the benefit of upgrades. If you prefer a smaller, more intimate ship, I don't think Fascination is a bad choice at all. The main dining room food was very good and the wait staff was excellent. Buffet food was good, and Guy's Burger and the Mexican place were great. We were on the ship just as the Covid-19 thing was becoming a problem (3/1 - 3/8). No one on our ship was affected, but one of our ports would not allow the ship to dock, so Carnival changed the port. We had nothing scheduled for the scrapped port, so it didn't matter to us, though I can see how it would have been a hassle for those who had shore excursions. Carnival went, what I felt, was above and beyond, and credited each cabin with $200 of OBC. Shows were better than I expected and the comedy club was average. Our cabin was an ocean view as far forward as you could go. Compared to other cabins I've sailed in, it was tight and difficult for two people, but that's to be expected. The location did suffer from some noise when the ship was docking, but again, it wasn't that bad. Read Less

We chose this cruise for its convenience in boarding in Barbados, since we live close by. But early on, we realized that boarding in Barbados was a lowly second cousin to the more popular San Juan. We had ONE staff person checking us in with a CLIPBOARD, with NO questions about our recent travel to China, despite the stern email we had gotten the day before that anyone who had been there in the last 2 weeks would not be able to board. We were not shown where to go in the terminal, at the ship we were abandoned by one of the elevators, and not warmly welcomed. Staff seemed tired and not responsive to our questions. There should be a “team Barbados “ group dedicated to acclimating the new passengers. Food was pretty good, there are lots of options and you won’t get bored. The second day was at sea, and it would have been nice to know that it was the only brunch day at the restaurant, and a ship tour was possible. Ports of call are easy to take advantage of, you don’t have to do the excursions they offer, but you are guaranteed if you book with them that the ship will not leave without you. They really drill an on time return into your head. Evenings are really full of fun things to do, from seriously talented performers and comedians, to acoustic and Latin music. But no enrichment activities. The one I tried to go to the guy didn’t show up. Sleep was interrupted by the noise from the engines when the ship was speeding, and high wind knocking the life boats around. There was a musty smell throughout most of the ship. Bed was very comfortable and bathroom was fine. The sheets were not clean when we checked in, though. Swim towels can be scarce, get yours early. I would not do this cruise again, but probably Carnival again, for the price and the fun. I hear some ships can be very loud, though, I will have to research that. Read Less

We chose this cruise because of the ports that are every day and for the majority of the day. We don't like too many 'days at sea'. We are not really interested in the activities aboard the ship but rather the ports of call. These were all great islands with a variety of scenery and things to do. We chose the grand suite with the extended balcony because we like to sit on the balcony and enjoy the peacefulness of the ocean/sea. The bed had a plush mattress which was the most comfortable bed I've slept in at any hotel, airbnb, condo or other cruise. The shower had lots of hot water and lots of water pressure. The lounge chairs on the balcony (the same as around the pool) were very hard and uncomfortable. If you are a food critic you probably won't like this cruise as the buffet was limited and not very tasty. Which is good I guess because then I didn't overeat! I did not eat in the dining room so I cannot speak to that food. We took the land/sea combo excursion on St. Lucia and it was excellent. A great way to see the island. At the other ports we just took a taxi to a beach we had picked out before the cruise. There are always plenty of taxis available at the ports with flat rates to most of the popular beaches. We rented a car in Barbados which I would recommend as the island is small and relatively flat, there are a number of places to see and we were there until 9:00PM. (they do drive on the left though so be prepared) Read Less

As always the people that take care of your room are great at their job...Food was very bland. Food in the Dining room had to be sent back numerous times by people that were setting at our table due to being over cooked, under cooked, items in their food that people were allergic to, Food was very flavor list. Our boat had a place where you could order special sandwiches. Asked for pickles with our food on more than one occasion and was told it was to late in the day to open a new jar. On the dessert bar no sugar free foods as they had ran out 2 days before end of cruise. One of the people we were traveling with asked directions to get to where we needed to go to disembark of course it was at the other end of the ship. Was told it is by the Buffet and down and then she told the person they looked like they needed another chocolate milk for energy... WTH just cause this person is on the thick side don't allow them to be rude. The ship only had one pool for the over 2000 guests. If you are going to see the shows don't pick this ship.. They have a couple of shows but nothing like the larger shows. If you are a Casino player stay away from the one on the boat...They are super tight and winning is almost impossible. Could have bought my drink package for the next couple of cruises for what was spent. This is my first time that I have every not been satisfied with my cruising experience and have done over 12 cruises and this is by far the worst experience. I always say it is what you make of it and just want to see people choose a different class of ship for the entertainment. They announced that people can get off the ship at least 45 minutes after people were already disembarking. Read Less

The exterior of the ship showed a lot of rust and the windows that were not accessible from an outside deck were covered with seawater residue. To Carnival's credit, some of the rust was being painted over at each port. We enjoy relaxing with beverages around the pool. Not on this ship. Hip-hop music played over speakers I believe were purchased used from McDonald's Drive Through. Beyond annoying. Alcohol aggressively pushed in this area. I understand that the Carnival theme is "FUN", perhaps there is sometimes too much fun. My handicapped wife was knocked to the ground by a drunk having fun dancing backwards through the crowd outside of the casino. Disembarcation was a nightmare. No elevators available to get to the gangplank. We were told to walk up one or more levels; handicapped wife is unable to climb stairs. After complaining to crew, an elevator suddenly became available for us. The food was very good and the service, as usual, was exceptional. Friendly and efficient. The shore excursions offered plenty of variety and included at least one in each port suited for the semi-disabled. Read Less

Our cabin had mold around the frame. Food was terrible (comparing to other Carnival ships). Overall the ship was dirty. Water and coffee had an algae/earthy taste as filters are not changed in the dispensing machines. French fries were always black due to old burnt oil. Be ware of the scams in the fun shop. I purchased a watch for $180.00 because of their great on board sale (which was a scam). The price tag was supposedly $995.00 (as per salesperson). At San Juan airport the same watch was $200.00 with a second one completely free. They inflate the prices purposely and then they pretend to give you a discount. Stay away from their art sales of overpriced posters. The buffet had very limited food. For the first time I actually lost weight on a cruise. the ship itself is rundown and rusty. I wrote to them to complain ad they just sent me a survey to fill up. The VIFP program is a joke; If you travel with them many times you get a free bottle of water in the cabin (BIG WOW). We didn't even go to their entertainment (always the same thing) I WILL NEVER cruise with carnival again Read Less

This was by far the BEST cruise EVER! The activities on and off of the ship were so fun, and Circle C was by far one of the BEST parts of the cruise! I met so many people my age, and made tons of new friends, we even created a few group chats because some of us have become really close. I definitely recommend taking a cruise with Carnival, and if you have kids that are 17 and under, you should for sure consider signing them up for one of those groups. Me and my family already have another cruise planned with Carnival next December, and I can't wait! Thank you Carnival for the amazing experience! I also loved the towel animals, they were so cute, plus it was always fun to see what the next animal would be. And of course, what kind of review would this be if I never talked about how amazing the variety of food was. (For the traveling with children question down below, I didn't mean to press under 3, I only meant to select 13-15) Read Less

This was the first time I go on a cruise, before I go on the Carnival Fascination I read too many comments about the bad service, poor rooms, bad quality of the ship, too small, etc. But when I arrived to the ship in the rigth moment I touch the ship I feel that I stay in other world because those coments were not true (not for my experience) it was extremely cool, too fun, and the meals was also other thing I can't have a bad comment because was so delicious, is true that is not a wide variety lf food but if you does not like the food you view in the buffet you can go for pizza, hamburgers, mexican tacos, sandwiches (colds or hot) finally a big selection of different food to enjoy. If you go to Sensation Dinnig Room go with Gerardo he speak spanish and is fast and a VERY GOOD waitres Summarize it was THE PERFECT CRUISE IF YOU WANT TO HAVE THE BEST WEEK. Read Less

This being my first cruise, I wasn't sure what to expect however I checked out some videos on YouTube and did some research to make sure that I had the best experience with my family. The cruise ended yesterday and I can say that it was amazing! The staff and crew of Carnival Fascination did an excellent job in making this experience great. There was always someone nearby to pick up after you or refill or replace. They are just amazing. The food choices were good and if you don't like what's on the menu there are many other options. With that comes a lot of food wastage however but that is no fault of the Cruise line. The itinerary for the next day is given the day before so you can decide which shows you want to see and plan your day beforehand. The rooms are cleaned regularly and guest services do their best to cater to your needs. All in all it was an amazing experience. We enjoyed the Comedy club hosted by Pedro. Happy Cole, Lance and Esposito were really funny. Thanks to Rachell from the Philippines and Britney with her usual announcements. The staff and crew truly make it a great experience. Read Less

The cruise started in San Juan,Puerto Rico. Was my first cruise. I am 74 years old and was a little nervous. The whole trip was nothing but enjoyable. I have never had a more relaxing, better vacation. Our steward was a joy to meet and be around the entire trip. My cousin who I was traveling with in disabled and uses a walker. Everyone went out of their way to help her any way they could. The experience in the dining room was unbelievable. I have never had better service and I have experienced some top flight restaurants. The food itself was worth the cruise. I was amazed at the positive energy from everyone on the ship. When in Barbados we were at the Copa Cabana Beach. The young men working there went out of their way to help my cousin with her walker. They carried her walker while she walked behind to the glass bottom raft. Helped her board the craft. They made sure she was comfortable and enjoying her time. I enjoyed the balcony room a great deal. I enjoyed sitting on balcony and reading or just relaxing while traveling or sitting still. I am saving my money right now and planning another Cruise with Carnival next year. Hope I can get on the Fascination again. Our room steward made the cruise the most enjoyable vacation I have ever had! Read Less

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We were excited to see 6 islands in 7 days...who wouldn't be...but the fun stopped there. This is the second time I have been on this ship, and it looks worse than it did 3 years ago. It is in desperate need of a refit or at least a paint job. The Ship is covered in rust! The Cabins are small, dimly lit, and our shower had mold growing in it. There were fruit flies in our room for the entire trip. We never met our cabin steward. We were awoken every morning by noise in the closet next to us, sometimes as early as 6am. When we contacted guest services and house keeping about this, they did nothing to help. The entertainment was ok, however there was a lack of space on the boat for entertaining. The best was the Stars Bar with Monopop, who provided the best live music on the ship. We tried the Piano Bar several nights, however Gilbert seemed to be keen to playing only ballads, which put us to sleep. Food offerings were typical, the lines were often long and disorganized. Read Less

The ship was old and the entertainment on the ship was terrible. The food was horrible not enough choices of food. Will never book this company again. The staff was nice and the room was kept clean. Other then that just horrible. If you are going to spend that type of money I expect for it to be nice. Just wasn't enough to keep you entertainment when you are at sea. That is just about all I have to say. I'm just very disappointed. I really was ready to enjoy myself. But I was like WOW. Big company like this should not such a old ship. And we're there for my sister 50th birthday day. She didn't enjoy herself as we. It was like 5 of us. I wouldn't recommend this cruise line to anyone. I do mean no one and I also complain to anyone who would listen to me on the shi0. Read Less

We selected this cruise for the ports. The ship was very small and old. The cabin was clean but cramped. The bathroom smelled of urine constantly. The food quality in the buffet and dining room was terrible, the worst of any cruise yet. The cruise catered to the Hispanic guests, especially the entertainment. The burger joint, pizza and cantina were the only food of any quality. My prime rib was 1/4 inch thick as was the filet mignon which was over cooked. Dining Staff seemed unhappy, while the entertainment staff acted like celebrities. They were constantly running out of tea and lemonade. Overall it was my most disappointing cruise to date, I do not recommend this ship at all. The cruise director was the bright spot and the Monopop band was awesome. Jerome and Nairi Saenz were great comedians, the adult shows were great! We did appreciate the party for the platinum and diamond members. Read Less

All in all this cruise was OK. We were originally booked on the Horizon but hurricane Dorian had other plans for us so we rebooked on the Fascination simply for the ports. We had sailed this ship before and we really liked it. It's smaller and older but it's not bad. Could use some freshening up here and there. We booked because of the ports and not for the ship. Sailed out of San Juan, check-in was mostly easy. Had to wait outside for about 30 minutes and it was a little rainy but we weren't complaining. We were in a junior suite (V15) so we had priority check in. Cabin: The cabin was about the same size as a standard balcony on most other Carnival ships. The shower was bigger which was really nice. There's plenty of storage in the cabin and the motion activated light under the desk was great for night time visits to the bathroom! The lighted closets are also a plus! The location of this cabin was great because it was a 30 second walk to the smoking section and maybe another 30 seconds to the pool. There aren't too many cabins on this deck so the noise was fairly minimal. It was clean and comfortable. Food: The food quality has definitely gone down over the years but we had decent meals with good portions. Nothing stood out as amazing but nothing was really so bad that it deserves mention. Desserts were delicious! Had very good salads as well! We prefer shared seating but we had anytime dining due to the fact that we booked 3 weeks before sailing. The line to get in was nuts! It was like that every night and not fun. The hostess was rude every time we encountered her. We did not care for her attitude. I really wish we got her name but we didn't. We really enjoyed the waiters we had on the first night and asked the 2nd night if we could possibly be seated in their area or to sit at a shared table. We got a firm no before my husband could even finish his sentence. She barked at us that we would have a table for 2 and that was that. We were very polite and didn't make any demands. Not sure what her problem was. Our booking stated the suite guests have priority seating and that was a big fat lie. The tables for 2 are so close together that it might as well be a table for 4 or 6! It was ridiculous. Many other diners we talked also preferred shared seating and hated the set up as much as we did. The wait staff were awesome and made up for the rude tempered angry faced hostess. We booked the Chef's Table and LOVED it! Did it a few times on other ships as well as other lines. Well worth the charge. Prior to dining they sent us a questionnaire (for allergies, and food dislikes) in our cabin where I advised I don't eat veal or lamb and they made special dishes for me. Everything was delicious. Visiting the galley was really neat. The service was good but we only got one glass of wine...all the other times we did Chef's Table it just kept coming and coming. Not complaining, just an observation. My husband loved Guy's Burgers and we both loved the burrito stand. Amazing!! Ports of call were fantastic. We skipped St. Thomas due to weather but they added on Dominica which was a nice surprise. We were going to miss St. Kitts due to weather as well but they added it on the end of the cruise which was also a nice surprise. Some wanted the extra sea day but we were happy with it. Tired but happy! Pool deck could get crowded and there were chair hogs but it wasn't so bad that you couldn't find a seat. The hot tubs were often crowded so we never bothered with them. Didn't go to any of the shows as it isn't our thing. Enjoyed the guitar player in the atrium while we waited in line to get to dinner. Overall it was a nice cruise. Sail for the ports and not the ship. Probably wouldn't sail on this ship again unless it gets a major overhaul. Sailing out of San Juan isn't too bad but remember English is not the first language and everything is in Spanish and English on the ship because so many passengers are from beautiful Puerto Rico. I was often stopped by Spanish only speaking passengers thinking I was also Spanish speaking. I speak Italian so I managed. It was lots of fun meeting new friends for Puerto Rico! We all had great laughs as our cultures are very similar. Thanks to Carnival for a good cruise. Read Less

As a Barbadian local, I have cruised this itinerary a couple times before on the various ships carnival has placed here. This time was with my dad and aunt to celebrate my aunt's 60th birthday. The ship was pretty small but was clean and though it didn't have all the bells and whistles a larger ship would, had plenty places to relax, sit and lounge around. My only complaint would be that though the ship was small the one pool and 4 hot tubs were not enough for the crowds especially on sea day. Both were always fairly crowded and because of that was only able to use the pool once and the hot tubs a couple of times and that was only because I used those in the adults only area. As we had an interior for three people things were crowded at times but the room amenities were in good shape and we had plenty of storage, though it lacked some of the amenities such as mini-fridges or blow dryers found on newer ships. Since we boarded in Barbados and not Puerto Rico our embarkation operated a little differently and in some ways may have been slower than regular Puerto Rico check in. After a pre-boarding check-in at the port, we had pictures taken for our sign and sail cards on the gangway and waited to complete check-in and get our cards with the other Barbadian guests in the "Puttin on a Ritz Lounge." We had a small muster drill that day as well and were able to skip the big muster on Sunday and instead joined a small complimentary cocktail party put on by the cruise ship for the Barbadian guests during that time. Entertainment was great for the most part. The first night or two was a little slow since we basically joined Friday when most guests would be ending Sunday. Once new guests joined Sunday however, things really picked up and in the lounges and clubs etc. The sea day really seemed to be lacking in activities to do during the day besides shopping and trivia. Arguably the best part about the entertainment was the cruise director Brittany who was full of energy and made everything even better. Food in the buffet was okay and there was good variety for the most part but dinner in the dinning room was where food excelled to me. Since we had anytime dinning, didn't really get to know our servers like cruises before but service was great each night. I loved all the ports and have visited them all at least once before. We did island tours and some shopping in town in pretty much every port except for Puerto Rico where we did a shopping tour at some close by malls and shopping centers. My favourites were St Lucia which included a short hike through a nature trail where we got to sample some local fruits and food and St Martin where we got to see and learn about both the French and the Dutch side of the Island. Overall great cruise and I can't wait till my next one Read Less

This was our fourth cruise, the third one with Carnival. During embarkation, the baggage screener threw out my empty water bottle, while she allowed water bottles for all the other 5 family members with me. That started off my cruise on the wrong footing. Guest Services: There was always a long line at guest services. I had to wait more than an hour. For the most part, they had only two people at the desk, at times only one, especially on the first day of the cruise when they would be expecting more guests at the guest services desk. Carnival Hub App: The app is great if it works. I paid extra for the ability to use the Chat feature to be able to communicate with the rest of my family. The chat did not work couple of times. When reported to the guest services, all they could say was that they have made a note of it. How difficult would it be for the technical staff to keep a tab on something as simple as an app and ensure that it is working at all times especially when guests depend on it to communicate Cabin: Cabin was great and the housekeeping crew did a good job. However if the lid on the toilet was kept open it would stink like urine all the time. Dining: The food variety on the Lido deck was mediocre, especially the desserts. The Sensation room dining staff seems to be overworked or busy to interact with guests. Some wait staff were simply rude or uninterested,, whereas others were great.So it was a mixed bag. Entertainment : Entertainment was so-so. The cast and performances lacked quality. Considering the ethnic diversity in the demographics of the guest, the main entertainment cast lacked diversity. Some of the fun staff were rude and acted more like celebrities than fun staff. Port and Shore excursions: The saving grace for us was the number of ports on this itinerary and the shore excursions which were good. Overall, other than the ports and excursions it was a very mediocre experience. We had cruised last year on a different cruise liner to Alaska. We did not feel like leaving that cruise ship, but on this one we were so looking forward to go back home. Read Less

This was a 70th birthday celebration cruise. I don't eat of any reason why this cruise other than the great stops. This was a great cruise! Boat was kind of old fashioned compared to my other cruises on Norwegian. Boat needs to be retired. Our cruise director Mel was the best compared to other cruises. Her energy was awesome, we look to see where she was gonna be and followed her around. She was that good. Mel interacted with everyone one. We have never seen a cruise director like Mel. Mel and our cabin Stewart made our cruise an awesome one. Dining Staff at table 311 was awesome with Candy, one of our waitress was exceptionally awesome. We look forward to seeing her each night. Even when someone did not like what they ordered, Candy never showed an unhappy face she went up and beyond to make everyone happy. Candy made us all take part in the dining room entertainment, she just have that spirit to make everyone happy. My 6yr old loved camp Ocean and cried even when we got back to New York. Ms Thunder made his time there at camp ocean unforgettable. On another note there was not enough for my 16yr old according to him. He loved the karaoke but got upset when he had to leave at 9:30 , for him that was too early, Carnival Fascintion cruise was an awesome one because of all the people I mentioned in my review Read Less

We chose this cruise because we live in the Caribbean, and wanted an opportunity to explore other islands, and this was by far the most affordable option. We live in Barbados, and this particular cruise makes a round trip to and from the island, eliminating the need for a flight. Getting on and off the ship was a painless experience, and both the Carnival staff and the customs and immigration officers who work at the port are pleasant, efficient and professional. Beware of San Juan though - the immigration process was a lengthy wait. THE SHIP Being first time cruisers, we didn’t know what to expect, but it only took us a few hours to acclimatise to the new surroundings and get our sea legs. The Carnival staff were helpful, wearing “ask me” shirts for the entirety of the first day to ensure all the guests could ask their questions without feeling awkward approaching about staff members. The ship itself is on the smaller side, only made abundantly clear when we were docked next to another cruise liner, but this meant it was more manageable to navigate! The decor was a bit outdated, but the public areas were always clean and inviting. They have so many activities going on at the same time, and they make do with the space they have, so don’t be surprised when you’re walking in the hallway and have to make your way through a crowd of people listening to a band playing IN the walkway itself. CABIN We selected a twin bed cabin with an ocean view and it was the perfect size for two people. The layout of the room maximized the space and it did not feel cramped at all. There was plenty of storage space and the bed was very comfortable; a welcome sight after a long day exploring. The windows were clean and with minimal sea salt on the outside, so we could take a picture of the sunrise or sunset or port of call through the window without seeing any little smears. (Perfect for when you’re feeling lazy and don’t want to leave your bed). The towel creations were cute and the steward assigned to us was awesome at making the room feel like a fresh new start every day. Before we even met him, he knew our names and throughout the cruise would make a point to greet us if we saw him out and about. Very friendly and pleasant. ENTERTAINMENT and SHORE EXCURSIONS Our cruise director on board the Fascination was Mel, who was a young lady with boundless energy - the definition of hype. She was part of the fun team, and did a great job at making sure all the entertainment was engaging and enjoyable. Every day, a “fun times” package is slipped under your door with the activities planned for the following day, and there is something for everyone. Art auctions. Bingo. Karaoke. Dance parties. Trivia. Casino. Comedy nights. Board games. And these are the planned events. There are many more things to do just by walking around the ship - giant chess, pool, spa, mini golf, water slides and even a small library if you want a quiet moment to read. But as much as there is to do ON the ship, we booked this cruise to experience the islands, and there was something exciting on every island that we visited. So many options of shore excursions to appeal to people of all ages and particularities. You want to ATV across the island? Check. Take a bus tour? Check. Lie on a beach? Check. Swim with turtles or dolphins or rays? Check. Zip line? Check. Shop? You bet. We enjoyed all of our ports of call, and while it’s out of Carnival’s control, the guide really does make a huge difference re: the quality of the tour. The shore excursions are locally operated and the companies work with the cruise line, so while Carnival makes the connection for you, they don’t have control over the individual who takes you on the tour. It’s the luck of the draw who takes you out to visit the island, so cross your fingers for a good guide! Because we embarked in Barbados, the shore excursions did not show up on the carnival website when we booked, so do not be alarmed if this is the case for you. When you board, you can book on the ship, with low chance of the tours being filled. Also, because we boarded in Barbados, the carnival app did not work throughout our entire trip - “technical difficulties”. Hopefully they fix this soon. DINING There are several dining options included in the ticket price - both casual and slightly more upscale. The buffet, pizza, deli, burger and taco options (on the Lido deck) are all exactly what you would expect quality wise, so we were not disappointed. We enjoyed everything that we ate in the MDR for both breakfast and dinner. At dinner there is an option for “rare finds” for the more adventurous diner, and we had the opportunity to try some cuisine that we wouldn’t usually try (eg: frog legs). If you like sushi, Bonzai Express had some delicious options. You have to pay extra, $5-7.50US per roll, but it was worth it! We definitely gained our obligatory 5lbs over this trip! SERVICE One of things I enjoyed about this experience, was that on every employees’ name tag they listed the country where they were born. There are people from ALL over the world working on this ship - Philippines, Indonesia, South Africa, Mexico, England, the Caribbean, Australia, Myanmar, Columbia Serbia, and this list goes on. When you take this into account, you can be a bit more understanding when a staff member speaks to you in absolute earnest, but in broken English. I myself can speak only one language, and I think it’s awesome that they are expanding their horizons and learning a new language while they work! I would not be able to do it! Everyone on board was either cordial, pleasant, friendly, or outgoing. I received no bad service at all. Because we did not plan to spend the entire day on board, we did not buy a Cheers drink package, opting to just buy a drink here or there throughout the evening. If you have no intention of drinking alcohol while on this ship, be aware that the staff who work as roving bartenders are like Liam Nesson. They will find you, and do whatever they can to encourage you to have a few drinks. If you ARE looking to drink and have a good time, you will be well taken care of. OVERALL In essence, we were looking for a hotel that could move us around the Caribbean while we explored new islands, feed us along the way, and give us some entertainment options during the afternoon/evenings while we were on board. That is exactly what we got. 7 days was the perfect amount of time to spend on board, as towards the end we were starting to feel burnt out (as we went on excursions every day). We loved this cruise so much that we are looking to book our next one to visit more places. We had a lovely vacation and we hope you do too! Read Less

My wife and I had been trying to get to St. Lucia for two years due to the last hurricane. The Fascination is an older ship and smaller than others, but we found it to be very clean and easy to embark and debark. Both were very smooth and we used Faster to the Fun. The ship was very easy to get around and our cabin to our liking with a balcony. The one thing I missed was having a refrigerator and couch. Carnival has definitely cut back on their wait staff and it showed in the amount of time it took to serve only four people at our table the first night. The food was good but we found the side dishes to be lacking. Our cabin steward “wayman” was incredible and kept the room spotless and always greeted us by our first names. Kudos to our fabulous Cruise Director and the staff in the Alchemy Bar. I tested the bar with a prickly pear margarita and they came through, even without using a true prickly pear. The ports was the main reason we chose this cruise. We arrived in San Juan a day early and stayed at Casa Los Cummins. Half way from the airport to Old San Juan at Coronado Beach. Great overnight stay. We had rain in St Thomas so we opted for a couples massage at the local dock. Trust me, this was the best hour massage my wife and I have experienced at $80.00 USD. They are twice that amount on the ship. We did a quick cab tour of St Maarten and enjoyed the history and their famous airplane landings over the beach. Book the Jeep Wrangler tour in St Kitts. It was great seeing the Island from a rustic view. The lookout where we say the Atlantic Ocean, St Kitts, the Caribbean Ocean, and Island of Nevis was breathtaking. We took the Land and Sea excursion in St Lucia. Do not take this trip if you are prone to car sickness. It traveled up steep inclines and hairpin curves,but gave a great photo opp of the Pitons. The bus took us to s powered catamaran and the party began. Be aware their is no alcohol served before your beach stop. After the beach stop the rum punch flowed and the music was loud. Sailing into Margot Bay was gorgeous. The food on the boat was fabulous. Focal port was Barbados and very easy to walk or taxi to town and explore. When you get off the ship , and go through the shops try out the local bar at $3.00 USD for their beer. If you enjoy the craft beer make sure to try Banks and 10 Saints. Final day was a sea day and plenty of activities to keep you busy. After 10 cruises we finally made it in the Love and Marriage show and was lots of good laughs Read Less

I choose this cruise because of the destinations and because it started and ended in San Juan Puerto Rico. So I made time to explore the awesome city of San Juan, and HIGHLY recommend you do the same. This particular cruise itinerary we were at a different island 5 out of 7 cruising days. First ill admit I was skeptical about being on Carnivals oldest ship in the fleet, but boy was I in for a surprise! The dinning room was by far the best I have ever experienced on Carnival, keep in mind its the only formal dinning option on the ship, there isn't any (specialty dinning) Other food options include Guy Fieri's Burger Joint and the Blue Iguana Cantina. Which were both awesome! Tortillas were prepared fresh right in front of you, plus not to mention several options including Taco salads, Burritos, and tacos with the options of chicken, beef, shrimp ,fish. The ship its self was in good condition, apparently it has been remolded three different times. At no time did I ever feel trapped or claustrophobic. Since the ship is smaller it did not feel crowded. Going back I would not do the Parasailing in st Thomas, don't get me wrong I had a great time and the staff was great however we were only in the air for about 5 minutes, just not worth spending over $100. Embarkation and disembarkation were painless, being a smaller ship the lines were not too long. Read Less

We were so excited to celebrate our 25th wedding anniversary without the kids. We flew into Puerto Rico and did a Southern Caribbean on the Fascination. We brought a suite so that I could soak in the tub to ease my pain. Our cruise started on May 5th. It was a busy day and we retreated back to our cabin after dinner. I wasn’t feeling well so I decided to take a hot bath. As the bath was filling we found that water to be pumpkin orange. We called down and they sent a plumber up. He explained that they filled the tanks in San Juan and said the hot water would run clear. He asked us to keep the hot water running so it would happen quicker. On day 2 am the water was the same and we again notified guest services. They assured us it would be fixed upon our return on the ship. When we got back the hot water was the same. After we retreated back to the cabin for the night we received a letter from Customer Service wanting to speak with us about the assistance we received from maintenance. I called down and the service rep who answered my call asked if we were satisfied, I said no because I was still unable to take a bath or shower (Leon was filling the tub with hot water while I was on the phone) because the water was contaminated. She started yelling at me saying she was personally was in our cabin and the plumber has the water running clear. I told her she was welcome to come up with the maintenance dept to see the hot pumpkin colored water that was on our tub. Within 10 min they we all in the cabin once again. They looked at the water and said it was safe. I asked if they showered in water that looked like ours. They left. Day 3 by now we needed a shower. We got up ran the water and again contaminated. We missed our shore excursion and I wasn’t feeling well so we stayed. on the ship. We received another letter under our door. The guest service manager wanted to speak with us. They all came up at 600 pm. We filled the tub and they saw how bad the water was. We told them we are bathing out of the sink with bottled water because the water was contaminated and it was making us itch and made our hands hurt! (we had to wash our hands in the water thru the day) They assured us they would get a handle on things and get back with us. I also showed them the balcony during this meeting. After dinner we went back to our cabin and people were in and out until 11 pm. They asked if they could paint the balcony we said yes and that never happened. On day 4 I called and told them I was still unable to bathe in our cabin, I was screamed at and told once again our problem had been resolved. I said thats funny because I am looking at our tub filled with hot orange water, much darker than any previous time. We went off the ship for a couple hours and came back because I wasn’t feeling well. I needed to soak in the tub so the pain in my ankle could get better. After dinner that night I asked for the plumber to come look st the hot orange water that I had just filled in the tub. They sent the plumber back up. He turned on the sink faucet and filled a white paper cup with cold water and said look the water is clear. He extended the cup of water to my husband and told him to drink it.. My husband angrily said no and told him to drink the damn water. The plumber said there was no way he would drink the water. My husband told him he was clueless. The plumber was standing next to tub that was filled with dark dark orange water. We agreed the cold runs clear but the hot is contaminated. He got extremely mad at us and started screaming: YOUR STUPID AMERICANS you only want want want want something for nothing. Leon asked him to leave immediately after I got upset feeling extremely unsafe. We asked for nothing but clean safe water. For the last 4 days the only thing we asked for was clean safe water to bathe in, After feeling threatened we were hesitant about allowing people in the cabin. We have never been referred to as stupid Americans. On day 5 we received a phone call from guest services telling us they wanted to give us $150.00 for our inconvenience. I said no I want clean safe water. Then I received another call offering us $300.00 I just hung up the phone. Within 15 min the guest services manager came to our cabin and asked us what would keep us quiet the remainder of the cruise. I told him clean safe water. He said obviously that can’t happen. I simply said if you can’t provide the services we paid for than the answer is simple, I want to be reimbursed for our cruise. He told us that was an impossible request. He reminded us that we were the only guests complaining on ther entire ship. (Later after asking several guests and staff members if the had stinky pumpkin orange water we found out it was many including staff cabins). He reminded me thar he offered us the keys to a cabin 49 down from ours to shower in. I told him when he gave us those keys it was to long of a walk for me. My husband went down for a shower and the water there smelled worse than ours did (ours would make you gag). I also reminded him staff members were in and out of our cabin day and night from day 1, sometimes without knocking. Giving us different reasons why the color of our water was not clear. Giving us False hope each day. I reminded him We were unable to use our balcony as well. Anytime you went out on the balcony the condensation from the roof dropped droplets of rust on our clothes half of the clothes that we took are ruined from rust stains.. If you wanted a good case of tetanus all you had to do is come on our balcony. I sternly reminded him WE NEVER ASKED FOR ANYTHING WE DIDN'T ALREADY PAY FOR! I shouldn’t have to wash in the sink with bottled water for 6 days while staying in a grand suite. Supposedly the best rooms on the ship. The water has my skin on my hands inflamed and raw. That was the last time we heard from him or any other staff member was on day 5. Today I was contacted by someone in Miami who informed me that she had the crew members report and pics. She informed me the water we claimed fo be orange and contaminated looked crystal clear to her. I was floored. I explained the cold water was clear and they took pics of the cold water. We watched them fill the tub and sink with cold water and take The pics. I explained the pics I submitted were taken everyday morning and night. I asked what compensation was given? She stated we received a $915.00 on board credit. I had no idea that this happened. We did not ask for it. That was the first I heard of that. No one on the ship spoke to us about that nor did we agree to it. I told her I wanted to escalate our case higher than her. She stated “THE PRESIDENT OF CARNIVAL AUTHORIZED HER TO TELL US OUR CASE WAS CLOSED”. She informed me we would not see any further compensation. So by compensating us does that mean the staff on the ship and the president of Carnival admits fault? Do they agree the water was contaminated and we were unable to use what we paid for? We took a water sample and sent it off to a lab to Be analyzed. Can’t wait for that to come back. We wanted nothing but clean water. Then the last time the plumber came to our cabin we were threatened by him and felt extremely unsafe for the last two days of our cruise. My dream vacation was turned into a nightmare that won’t end. I Read Less