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Carnival Cruise Line

MS Fantasy

Your Rating:
Reviewed by:Steven Champion
# previous cruises: 5
Date of Trip: December 24, 2000
Itinerary: Bahamas

I anticipated this sailing very much, both for the ship and the season. With a huge passenger load, and tons of kids onboard, due to the Christmas season, all went fairly well. I left the ship having had a good time and looking forward to my next cruise.

The public areas are relatively expansive and accomodating. The ship never had a crowded feel, except perhaps around the Lido Pool during the day time. The sunning areas around the Verandah Pool is large. There are many spots, off the beaten path, to get away from the crowds. Particularly, the placement of Century Boulevard on one side provides a nice, wide walkway down the ship. Overall, the decor was a bit dated, but well maintained. Cleopatra's Bar, though enticing in the brocure, is a cold, useless room. The show lounge is huge with good view throughout.

Food was terrible, some of the worst I've had anywhere. I savored my airline meal on the way home. School cafeterias do better. Enough said about the food. However, service is friendly and prompt. Actually, the meals seemed a bit rushed at times, even on a late sitting. The pizza was the best thing aboard, but there are always lines and a rather irritable staff at the pizzeria. Room service is prompt with an OK menu. The room service food still leaves something to be desired. The bartenders are incredibly slow and really bad. Most basic American style drinks became odd concoctions.

I had a verandah suite with a small balcony. The room is nice, large by most standards and well appointed. The verandahs and suites on the upper deck have refrigerators and VCR's as well. The balconies on the verandah deck are more for standing as they are too narrow too really sit out. For the diffence in price, the suites on the upper deck are much larger and the balconies are huge but do not get quite as much sun.

The production shows were typical, cheesy Carnival fare. Actually well produced for a ship, but still just OK. Something to fill time. The piano player in Cleopatra's Bar needs to rest a little. The disco was fine, actually a good DJ, but the hang-out of teenagers who seem to have found a friendly bartender for drinks. The disco is a little small.

Freeport is one of the worst ports in the Caribbean. Nassau is about second. The health club was quite good and well equipped. Runners on treadmills should be cautioned about ship motion as it's easy to loose balance and take flight. Actually, the diagonal placement of the treadmills was odd and gave a strange action to the waves. Spa services were plentiful, well priced and nicely executed.

Younger families, mid-30's and a lot of kids and teenagers. I would not invite many over, although my buffet could have been sold onboard for a profit. Some people need lessons in hygiene and dress, and they were aboard. I was surprised at the number of younger teens and kids running amuck on the ship.