Going into this cruise, I have to admit I had very low expectations. I had cruised the previous Thanksgiving on the Carnival Splendor out of New York and was very disappointed with many aspects of the cruise. I had A $600 Carnival cruise credit that needed to be used or I would not even have planned another Carnival cruise. I read reviews of the Fantasy on Cruise Critic prior to the trip and they further lowered my expectations.

I was very pleasantly surprised! The ship, though old, was clean and well kept. The food was excellent as was the service. The best part of the trip, however, was the fabulous live entertainment. There were several options and all were entertaining. Roger in the Piano Bar and Luke, who played guitar in various venues throughout the ship were OUTSTANDING! It was so nice having a before dinner drink and listening to Luke in the Atrium or in the 21 Century Bar. Going to the piano bar after dinner and singing along with Roger was also very fun. The lack of live music was one of my biggest disappointments with the Splendor, so this was an unexpected surprise. The food in the main dining room, though standard cruise fare, was prepared well and the serving staff were friendly and attentive.