Just thought I would give everyone an update on my cruise on the Fascination, that left 10/31/09 (Halloween) from Jacksonville Fla.
We stayed at Travelodge, in Jacksonville, the night before our cruise! Was a great price and the accomodations were really good for what we paid! We met several other cruisers at Chili's right down the road from the hotel that Friday before the cruise! It was a lot of fun to meet them ahead of time!
We dropped off most of our luggage, except for Carry on bag! We got to the parking lot at the port about 11:15 AM. We got onboard the ship by noon! Embarkation was a breeze! We could not get into our rooms until about 1:30 PM. We went to the lido deck and ate! Just had a burger and fries! The burger was good although the fries were not as hot as I would like they were still decent! After we ate I went and checked on our room, about 1:00 PM, there was still a lot of work going on down there! Since I had meds and other stuff, I decided to wait until I could put my stuff in my locked room! So took it back to the Lido deck for another 30 minutes! We went down at exactly 1:30PM and the rooms were ready! Locked our stuff up and went and looked around the ship! We had been on the Fascination before so we knew the ship pretty well! But got reaquainted with it!
Sail Away was Great! I have never left from Jacksonville before! It was our first time going under a bridge! That was a blast! Not to mention meeting several people from the Cruise Critic roll call for sail away!
Since it was Halloween, we had brought costumes! So before dinner we went to cabin and changed into them! Went up on the deck and had pictures taken! Most of them came out great, not just the Halloween ones but the whole cruise! The food in the dining room was really good! Although we only ate there twice on this cruise! The Captains night of course as my wife had to have the Lobster, and I had to have the Prime Rib! Both were great!
We did not enter the costume contest, we really didn't go all out on the costumes! Dressing up was fun though! We went to a couple of clubs, and checked out the bands and the Karoke, and of coures all the other costumes! I definatly would like to do another Halloween Cruise!
The food on the Buffet was great! The entertainment on the ship was also very good! I did not get to see the comedian though as I found other things I wanted to do at the same time!
Our Room Steward was great, he got us everything we needed right away! Our room was always ready for us! Thats saying something since we came in and out, all times of the day!
Our Waiter was also great although they seem like they were very overworked! But got us our food to us in a decent time, with as busy as they seemed! As I said we only ate in there twice to do other things we wanted to do at the time!
So the Ship was in great shape! The Service was Excellent!
Our Ports of Call,
Half Moon Cay, was a great stop! The beach there may be the most, Impressive I have seen! We didn't do anything there, except swim and lay on beach! It was Great!
Nassau, we had an excursion to ride around town with about 30 other Cruise Critic folks! we went to all the major tourist attractions! The Queens Staircase, Fort Charlotte, and Fort Fincastle! Had a chance to shop at these spots if we wanted! Also got to go to Atlantis! We just got to walk around and look at it, we didn't have long but could have stayed and been picked up later if we had wanted! We went to the beach from there! By this time we were all tired out and opted out of going to the beach there and went back to the ship!
Debarkation was a breeze! Customs was simple, and getting off the ship and out of the parking lot was easier than I have ever done!!
Over All our cruise was great would do it again when I get the chance!
The Facination is a great ship and the Captain and the Matr'e D are very acessable! The entire crew is exceptional! I definatly would recomend this cruise!
Happy Cruising All!