Carnival Ecstasy Review

3.5 / 5.0
1,057 reviews

First time cruiser!

Review for the Bahamas Cruise on Carnival Ecstasy
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littlebeachcomber
First Time Cruiser • Age 30s

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Sail Date: Jun 2016

Disclaimer: Please keep in mind that this is my first cruise and I think that might make me a bit more forgiving. My husband and I chose to cruise out of Charleston because it's only an 1 1/2 hour drive from our house. This was to be our vacation before his second deployment. Reviewers said this port is disorganized but it didn't seem to bother us newbies. Staff at the port were friendly even though the heat had to have been roasting them. The ship is literally as old as me..to the day. It shows it's age but the staff is constantly cleaning. I always was greeted in the hallways and it was nice to have friendly people around. I found refuge in on the 21+ Serenity deck because the dinky little pool made for the entire ship was always overrun by kids and teens. It was wonderful back there! Most of my time was spent at the Serenity Deck. My husband loved the Casino and that is where he spent most of his time. I joined him at night and loved watching the action and talking with the fellow guests! The only "event" we took advantage of was the Military Appreciation Hour. We shared stories with other guests and honored vets and those fallen. They even took a picture of those who served/currently serving. It was awesome! I didn't attend any shows or games. I was perfectly happy with the view and my wonderful novel. Freeport was awful. Unless you have a paid/planned excursion, this was not a fun place to get off and walk around. We went back on board and took advantage of the empty pool. In Nassau we took a boat ride (fun!) out to a little island for the Sting Ray swim/petting. This excursion is separate from the cruise line but I was disappointed in this experience. I got to see my favorite animal (Sting Ray) but the souvenir store was out of Sting Ray merch and the photos were scary pricey. I did not like the food on the ship. The only meal I looked forward to was breakfast. The omelette station was yummy! If you book the R1 room, be prepared for an "earthquake" every morning around 7 AM when pulling into port. We were at the bottom and front-most room! We would wake up and crack up laughing because it was so obnoxious! Oh well! The only TV station I wanted to work didn't .."Turner Classic Movies"..ugh! I loved the pictures taken on board and purchased a couple along with frames. I enjoyed walking the track on the top deck and getting some steps on my fit bit. THE ELEVATORS. Nope. I only rode them maybe 2-3 times. I would walk those steps (mind you, I was on the R deck) every single day. Multiple times a day! I do not trust those elevators. They would make very scary noises and I am not about that life. Heck no. Debarkation was a BREEZE. Going through customs was fast and we were at our car in no time.

Overall: We had a blast together. I am so glad my husband convinced me to try out cruising! I am glad I went on the Carnival Ecstasy as my first cruise because I feel I would be disappointed as a seasoned-cruiser. If you are less picky than I am, I say go for it! I do not plan on boarding the Ecstasy again, though it was a lot of fun! I'm ready for an upgrade!

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Port Reviews

Freeport

If you don't have an excursion, stay on the boat.

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