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Carnival Cruise Line

MS Sensation

Your Rating:
Reviewed by: Jeremy Andrews
# previous cruises: 50 +
Date of Trip: December 13, 2004
Itinerary: Caribbean - Western

I read this CruisePage's review of the Carnival Sensation several times before our departure, and sailing aboard this ship was a great experience. I found that the reviewer here gave the Sensation High marks in many areas, which I will do as well. This site was very helpful in making this cruise choice.

The Cruise aboard Sensation from Now Orleans was a good vacation value. Because of the ease of transfer from shore to ship and return, makes this a very good Port of Departure.

The ship was great, very clean, the staff was extremely efficient and polite. The Sensation was very clean, well kept, the staff was extremely polite and helpful in every need of their passengers. As they like to say, they exceeded my expectations.

The public areas are very nice. The Fantasia Lounge was great, with great sight lines from where ever one sat. I dined in the Ecstasy Dining Room, which was quieter and nicer than Fantasy Dining room. The Seaview Grill was very busy, and very efficient in serving that many guests. This dining area was the 24 hour service area. The Many public rooms were well kept, clean and service was great as well. There are many lounges and seating areas on Sensation Boulevard to appeal to every passenger on board. The outside deck areas were extremely well kept. Lots of outside seating for sunning and eating. There is also a "clothing optional" deck area beneath the funnel. There is outside promenade deck space to walk and not be crowded at all. Watching Sensation Port from the front of the ship ( Sun Deck ) access points was great.

The food aboard Sensation was great. Each night brought a specific Dining experience. There was ample choices of foods. There is also a Carb Smart/Special Menu available in both dining rooms. So if you are trying to watch your carb or weight intake you have a lot to work with. The service in both dining rooms was great. As I said I preferred Ecstasy Dining room. (I dined in both dining rooms on this cruise). There was a daily Breakfast/Lunch/Dinner Buffet available in the Seaview Grill AND on the Lido deck. The Late Night Buffet was in several areas during the cruise ( Fantasy Dining Room/and on Lido Deck). The Seaview Grill also has a Pizzeria that serves sandwiches and Pizza 24 hours a day. I did not have a single complaint about food or dining room service.

We were booked in an Upper Deck Outside Cabin ( U-141). The cabin was BIG, spacious, and clean. We had the beds converted to a Queen for the cruise, which left us with a lot of navigation space in the cabin. There was ample storage areas for clothing. There is a room safe in the cabin. My only complaint was the bathroom. The weather was rough all week, and as such, when we showered, the lip of the shower stall did not (contain) shower water, which flooded the bathroom floor (every night). the drainage was slow, so we had to keep towels on the floor when we used the shower. The room steward was extremely efficient and helpful with all of our requests. Each night our cabin was turned down and there was a ( towel 'animal' ) sitting on our bed with the usual nightly chocolate and Carnival Caper. We had a huge picture window as well. I spent a lot of time looking out the window during the cruise. Our cabin was very quiet. We did not hear our neighbors at all. The cabin also has a full size TV, with satellite tv of (NBC,CBS,ABC and FOX). We also had daily feature movies shown (in cabin) as well in one of the public rooms. there is a 24 hour Travel Log Channel (ship views) a channel that showed the daily shows and talks by cruise staff, as well, the shows were taped and shown in the cabins as well.

The entertainment was great. The Production shows were great. The entertainers and dancers were very happy to entertain, seeing how rough the weather was. Stephen Webb and Kym, ( a magic team) were EXCELLENT. It was said that they headlined in Nassau for over a year. We had our own version of "Sensation Idol" competition, which was great. There were a lot of talented people on board. I enjoyed both production shows, Party Time, Latin Themed show and Showtime ( a holiday / pop music presentation). It was amazing how Totally Well they preformed Full Concert Numbers from the likes Of Madonna (from the Girlie Show Production). Being a Madonna Fan, I was amazed at how well the dancers preformed these complicated numbers. Both Production shows were Excellent. They worked very hard for the passengers on board.

There were a lot of activities planned for the cruise, but alas, weather did not permit much (on deck) activity due to rain and cold weather. Alot of things were either moved in doors or cancelled all together. We visited (Calica/Playa Del Carmen and Cozumel on this cruise). Our first Shore Excursion was Tulum (ruins) and Xel Ha water park. (A good tour) Not too long on the bus trips, the tour staff was Great, they even provided a box lunch on the bus between the two stops. Xel Ha is a really good Afternoon event after the ruins tour. They have a "dolphin experience," snorkeling, beach access, a river inner tube trip (which we took) very enjoyable and relaxing. In Cozumel we went into town on our own. We anchored off of the shopping area ( not downtown) we were about 3 miles from the main downtown portage facility. Where we anchored there were several other ships at port with us. Access into the city was good, yet I was not thrilled by this area, there was a lot of construction going on (on the seaside streets). We kept to the shopping Mall right on the Port Square. Lots of things to buy and to see. Carlos and Charlies and Senor Frogs ( institutional Mexican Fare in Cozumel) were very busy and packed.

On Board... The Pools ( there are 3 pool areas). 1 Lido Deck Pool with water slide and as well, Hot tubs on Deck. There is the aft pool on the Lido deck as well. One deck down is the childrens pool, which was very busy at sunny times. There are also Hot Tubs in the Spa as well. The health club/Spa/Gym were great. The programs offered were great, and the gym was very usefull in working off all the guilty pleasures of eating all the time.

The Camp Carnival had their hands full this cruise. We saw camp counselors moving the children from one area to another, then again, we didn't see too many kids during the cruise because the children's play areas, Spirals Club and the Arcades kept them very busy. The Kaleidescope Disco hosted a dance party early in the evenings for kids during the dinner hours for so the parents could have time to themselves.

Porting from New Orleans brings a varied group of passengers on board. Lots of passengers from New Orleans, the South, Texas and a good group of international passengers (as we were from Canada, and had to go through immigration).

I met many people on board whom we dined with in the dining rooms, in the Seaview Grill and danced with in the disco. The most fun was taking shore excursions with people I met on board. that was a great highlight.

Everyone was polite and very friendly. This cruise was different in many ways then lets say, a cruise from Miami. This was evident in the presentation of shows, the music on deck and the music played in the Disco at night, and food served in the dining room. Food was presented to appeal to the many Southern/New Orleans passengers.

My one complaint on this cruise was this, (the disco only catered to a certain "group" of passengers on board). This alienated the rest of "us." If you didn't like the play list in the disco, there was no optional dance area. I went to the disco every night, the play list was the same every night, which got boring after while. The only way to explain this is this way.... if you are not into R&B or rap, then the disco is not the place to party on this cruise. (that was my experience on MY cruise). I cannot say its the norm on every New Orleans departure.

Would I recommend this cruise - Definitely
Would I cruise on Carnival again - Definitely
Would I recommend Sensation to others - Definitely
Are there any complaints about service and food - NO
Was there enough to do - YES
Were the Ports worth visiting - Definitely
Did I have a great time - YES
and finally
Did Carnival exceed my expectations - YES.