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Carnival Cruise Line

MS Imagination

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Reviewed by: James Sheen
# previous cruises: 9
Date of Trip: December 28, 2002
Itinerary: Caribbean - Western

Great service,wonderful food, terrific entertainment and a fabulous New Year's Eve party made this a memorable cruise. Carnival deserve 9 out of 10.

The public areas were very clean with comfortable chairs and loungers. The pool areas were somewhat crowded due to this being a holiday cruise. Deck chairs were abundant. However it was finding a space to put them which created headaches at times.The jogging track on the sports deck was rather small but it was carpeted preventing people from slipping when the deck was damp or wet

Food and service deserve top marks on the Imagination.The Spirit Dining Room where we sat for the early (5-45pm) dinner was pleasant if somewhat muted. We sat at an oblong table for eight. There were few cosy dining areas.

All food and beverages with the exception of my wife's tea which she found too weak, was excellent. From Lobster to Cherries Jubilee the taste and presentation was perfect. Unhurried service added to our dining enjoyment.

On the Lido deck the Horizon Bar and Grill served delicious full course meals along with the usual burgers,fries,hot dogs etc. The pizza must rate very highly as it was absolutely fantastic.

The Gala midnight buffet was incredible.The line up to photograph this was very long but it was well the wait.The ice sculptures and water melon shapes left us with our mouths open! It was a shame it was eaten within one hour of being on display.

Our two cabins m132 and m136 on the main deck forward were larger than we expected. We found that one queen size sheet when the two beds were pushed together would have made more sense than two double sheets tucked into each bed! This made cozying up almost impossible unless one was prepared to be nearly strangled in the attempt!!

The bathrooms were roomy with strong water pressure from all taps. Amenities included toothpaste, razors, soaps etc. Storage space was more than adequate and lots of clothes hangars were available in the closet. Each evening our steward made towel animals for our amusement. They were great and we all had a good laugh.

Entertainment by and large was very,very good. The Imagination singers and dancers put on two spectacular shows. Laser beams and a revolving stage added to the enjoyment.

The Cruise Director and his staff were awful. He kept asking people to 'make some noise' every time he asked a question. We never saw him in the lounges or other public areas. His staff were no better appearing to be just going though the motions with bland monotonous voices.

The comedian Percy Crews was hilarious. (We did not attend his 'adults only' midnight show)

Whilst at sea we sunbathed most of the time on the pool deck. We did watch the Hairy Chest contest along with the balloon and "T" shirt race The pools were small therefore crowded most days.The whirlpools were usually available and most refreshing. The water slide was a big hit with both kids and adults alike. We did not use the health club facilities.

The shops on board the Imagination sold everything from cheap key rings to the most expensive jewelry so a lot of time was spent browsing once the sun went down. The photo shop was another very popular venue.

We stopped at Grand Cayman and Ocho Rios in Jamaica. In Grand Cayman we had scheduled a stingray tour only to learn on arriving on shore that all stingray tours had been cancelled due to bad weather on the north side of the island. We we very disappointed. However we found a small lagoon near the tender dock where our two teenage boys snorkeled and we watched from shore.

In Ocho Rios the boys climbed Dunns River Falls whilst my wife and I enjoyed a relaxing swim in the warm Caribbean below the falls

The majority of passengers were very friendly. However they were bettered by the Carnival Stewards and Stewardesses.I'd invite all those fabulous employees to my home anytime.