Carnival Ecstasy Review
Rating by category
Additional details
We chose the Carnival Ecstasy out of Charleston while we were still living in North Carolina near my husband's parents. We had moved to New Jersey in the fall of this year but made the drive anyway -- it was worth the extra time! The ship is older, but none of the spaces felt cramped or run-down in any way to us, with the possible exception of the Serenity Deck. But even in that case, we found times to enjoy the deck and hot tubs there when they were uncrowded, after elegant night. The crew was amazing, full of good cheer and energy and extremely accommodating. We had a cabana at Half-Moon Cay and fell utterly in love at first sight, resolving that this will be a must-have any time we go to the island.
This was our first cruise and our belated honeymoon after our 2013 wedding. It was also a wonderful family experience after moving away from my husband's family. Although we are interested in trying out a range of different cruiselines over time, we're definitely eager to return to Carnival on any ship available.
Cabin Review
Ocean View
Very comfortable bed!! We had plenty of storage space. Our single disappointment was the salt encrusting our window, but we very quickly realized how inevitable it was and never noticed it afterward. We do think we might like to try a balcony next time as we napped a lot more than we had thought we would.
Port Reviews
Nassau
The tourist maps were confusing and difficult to follow, but we enjoyed strolling around Bay Street and wandering up to the beautiful Graycliff Hotel and to Parliament Square. One of our favorite surprises was the good humor of everyone when the power went out for a few short periods along the Bay Street shops. We were a little naive with our haggling in the Straw Market, but pleased with our purchases nonetheless.
Charleston
The Charleston cruise pier was well organized and stress-free to navigate. The entire embarkation / debarkation experience was a welcome surprise, even without Faster to the Fun.