Carnival Fascination Review
Rating by category
Additional details
The NYE cruise of the Carnival Fascination is its last before going in for a two week dry dock and as such there may be several changes from the contents of this review.
Embarkation
We elected to park up the street for $8.00 per day versus the cruise terminal for $15.00. Jacksonville is a smaller port and does not have a parking garage, etc. so it seemed silly to pay extra for comparable service. The shuttle took us right to the porters so there were no real issues. Getting through the security check, check in and on boarding was a breeze. It was quick and painless. The ship was a bit late getting back from the previous cruise which was a minor inconvenience but did seem to throw everything off a bit (especially once on board).
Cabin Review
My family had two exterior staterooms with an adjoining door. The cabins were still being cleaned well after the 1:30 target time (likely due to the late arrival). One of our cabins was missing a robe which was quickly replaced when asked. The other clearly had been occupied by savages at some point previously. The desk light did not work but was quickly repaired, the toilet stank even after it was cleaned and a couple of the desk drawers were broken. For standard cabins, they were spacious (185 square feet compared to 140 or less on other ships) and the beds comfortable. for a family of four this is the best way to travel where everyone has some space without paying for a suite. Plus you pick up the second bathroom which is always a bonus.