Ecstasy Cruise March 5th, 2011 U87

[musicgal]

We have been home now for a couple of hours. The boy and girl are headed back to Waco with dog in tow, happily cared for by girl's parents. We had beautiful weather for this trip, and it was too short in some ways- too long in others. Sooo... starting from the beginning.

 

Embarkation- We used Lighthouse parking in Galveston which has covered (carport style) parking. They are very efficient at pickup and dropoff and just down the way from EZ Cruise on Harborside Drive. I think they cost $5 more- which might be worth it to you to have slightly elevated parking if you are parking down there in the summer months (peak hurricane season). Mardi Gras was going on the day we embarked and the Strand was barricaded- you couldn't get in that central area unless you were ticketed. But, traffic around the port was better than I expected, considering the fact that we left on a Parade Saturday. We arrived when told to do so on our travel documents

 

We had VIP boarding because of the Grand Suite and the kids were on our sail and sign cards so they were told to come with us in our line. We checked big bags and had very manageable carry ons. Getting on the ship was very easy, especially in comparison to the Conquest previously.

 

So- once on board, you are not allowed access to the cabins for a bit. We went up to the Lido and got a DOD. It was kind of brisk (cold) on embarkation day in Galveston, so we were happy to get to our room- and what a room it was! DS and DDIL went up to their starboard OV while we settled in and unpacked. There was more than enough drawer space for clothes- and we bring a lot.

[musicgal]

I am going to try to get at least the thumbnail pics on here so you guys can see what beautiful weather we had on this trip. Here is the balcony of U87. We are starboard, right in front of the first extended grand suite balcony. It was very private here. On the "upper" deck which is really sandwiched between Empress and Main, ours is the lowest balcony level which puts us fairly close to the water. And that's very good if you like it like that. "U" is the quiet deck because it has a deck of just cabins above and below it.

[jenale80]

YAY! Looking forward to read the rest of your review.

[flounder315]

we had the first extended balcony on the upper deck, right beside yours. we loved loved loved the extended balcony.

[musicgal]

We were very excited upon leaving Galveston- had a glass of the champagne we brought from home. There was somewhat of a realization that there was almost TOO much to do on the cruise and we would have to pick and choose and miss a lot of things that were offered. Some of it, having cruised before, I didn't want DS and DDIL to see anyway. We made sure to book the behind the scenes tour immediately, since space on it (last full sail day) is very limited. With an 8:15 dining time, we had several hours to explore and find all the "secret" Ecstasy decks... most of which were unimportant to us save for the Serenity deck. After meeting Boris and the "crew" at dinner we went back to our cabin to find this little guy-

 

More later- thanks jenale80:)

[laurierocs]

I can't wait to hear the rest!!! We are sailing the Ectasy in ONE WEEK!!! Can't wait!!!

[ticka1]

Can't wait to read the rest of your review - we are staying at U103 - love reading about your room and balcony.

 

We sail in 55 days.

[musicgal]

Well, that first night out at sea, a cold front was chasing us- so lying down in bed you could feel Ecstasy pitch from side to side as she sped towards Progreso. I am generally susceptible to getting seasick... so I was surprised that the rocking did not affect me badly. Though, as I type here on terra firma I am still compensating for pitch and roll mentally. This usually goes away after one night's good sleep- speaking of which...

 

I have nothing but praise for the comfort level of the bedding on Ecstasy. If the best hotel bed I've ever slept on (Four Seasons) was a 10- Ecstasy was right up there in a solid 7 to 8. Any time I didn't sleep well, it was my own fault for overinduging in good food type things or good drink type things... the latter wrecking your sleep cycle. We did (cumulatively) partake in a lot of naps. From short catnaps on the balcony to long doesn't-get-better-than-this daytime naps in bed in the sunlight.

 

On the first morning, we woke up for breakfast in the MDR. You are to wait for someone to lead you to a table- which will not probably be your dinner time table. For that first morning I had a ham and cheese omelet with hash brown potato-ettes and REAL coffee. Your portions in the MDR will always be smaller than on the Lido. Much of it is the same food... some of it is not though, and it does add to the experience if you have an elegant cruise style preference.

 

All of our bunch exercises and we all had good intentions of using the gym/track facilities... which we did- on this one day. DS and wife ended up taking a long nap after their workout, while DH and I went up to the Lido to watch part of the Hairy Chest Competition. That thing is done on the Lido stage and I don't really like it- although it's harmless fun, some of the guys get pretty vulgar- after drinking all morning. We had a lot of little girls onboard from a dance troupe that got to watch that close up... just something that I know is part of the tradition, but either a bit too cheesy/sleazy for my taste.

 

On this day, we were supposed to meet our CC group at the Neon Piano Bar where the cruise director, Steve Cassel was scheduled to meet us. That did not- to the best of my knowledge, happen. We stayed around for about 20 minutes and chatted with our folks and nary a sign of Steve. Not a tragedy though. Our group was not very active before the cruise but we did have a handful of folks show up at the m&g. Good to have met you guys if you are reading through this- some of the CC's kids were feeling seasick from the rough seas and needed some TLC. Our particular group was from various stages of life... parents of younger children, retirees, in betweeners, newlyweds etc. so we were all on our own agendas. It was nice to meet the faces behind the avatars though. I strongly recommend attending your meet and greet (if one is scheduled), even if it's just to say hello. It is the polite thing to do after chatting with folks for months looking forward to the cruise.

 

Tablemates- I don't know exactly how tables are allocated, but we were happy to have a window seat, even though the sun was down when we ate at 8:15. We had a table for four- next to another table for four- next to a table for 2. Really, it was one big table with about 3 inches between the groups. Enough for a psychological separation- but no way could anyone squeeze through;) I found that arrangement worked very well, and we could talk to the couples next to us easily if it was warranted, or totally forget they were there. Our neighbors were quite nice- in their 30's... cruising without their kids.

 

Everyone showed up on the first full day at sea which is elegant night- looking very spiffy. The lobster and chocolate melting cake were wonderful... I don't deviate much from the tried and true:p Our group went to the Starlight Lounge afterwards for some family rated comedy and then back to U87 to see this little guy.

[musicgal]

Hello flounder315, laurierocs and ticka1. Yes, that extended balcony HAD to be nice, as ours was very comfortable and sufficient for our needs- but the one you guys had was stretched out enough for a lounge chair. I found these balconies to be very private and quiet. You have to crane your head around the partition to look at your neighbors balcony... in other words- no sunbathing au naturel recommended, but really a great place to soak up sun or shade, depending on which way you are headed.

[musicgal]

If you read a lot of reviews of these five day cruises, you see a lot of people choosing to stay on the ship or taking the double decker bus tour in Progreso proper. It's also the staging area for Chichen Itza, the long tour to the premiere Maya ruins. I sometimes teach anthropology and have been meaning to get over there to see "them there ruins"... but I can't conscience doing it in the short amount of time alloted for a half day tour... so, we did the dune buggy excursion out of Progreso instead.

 

Getting off the dock, you walk to a meeting area that has a number of shops... and sign in with your particular tour. On our tour, there was an insurance form for the driver, our son. This tour was basically a drive out to the Xcambo ruins... which you do more for the drive down the coast, not the ruins. BTW, use the bathroom before you leave Progreso- the lavoratories near the ruins are DEEsgusting. I enjoyed the little cultural trek though, but the excursion is mostly about driving the buggys. It was surprising to me to see all the upscale vacation houses along the road on the way to Xcambo- really nice places that would make a great vacation rental.

 

I liked the town of Progreso. It is, as they say, a quaint little fishing town- but full of very nice people. I think the "parade" of jeeps and dune buggies that go down the local streets on cruise days are very welcomed by the people who live there, who waved at all of us on our way through.

[musicgal]

Okay- so here is the part of the review that the Dune Buggy folks are not going to like:cool: The DB's were a lot of fun, but there are some things that you, the cruising public needs to know about this excursion before you sign up. The first thing that comes to mind is that you need to be able to drive a stick shift. It is implied that you will be able to have alcoholic beverages if you are not the driver (part of the excursion is a short beach break on a private beach in town). Well, come to find out, once you are at the point of no return after signing in, you are told explicitly that no one in the entire group is permitted to have alcohol. (Now, let me say that I do not think that rule was kept by everyone in our group:) The literature says that you will get one plastic token for "a drink". This will be a soda or a non-alcoholic mixer... and that is really fine actually- but, the approach was very underhanded, in my personal opinion. On top of that, there was no snack or meal provided, although they offered guests the option of purchasing the buffet at the beach for $15 per person (discounted, don't you know, from the usual $25) Just cheesy- because you don't get back to Ecstasy until well after lunchtime and they know you will be hungry. The excursion is not one of the cheaper ones either... so know before you go. We had a much better experience in Cozumel on the Passion Island twister for about the same price. More on that later.

 

About the beach you are taken to in Progreso... it's Okay- and that's about it. It is crowded and the time there is too short to really do too much. Cruise and learn though-

 

Excursion days tire you out... we wolfed down pizza from the lido on getting back to the ship and enjoyed the Serenity Deck hot tubs. It really stayed adult only when we were there- there is an entrance door through the Starlight Lounge and a staircase coming down from the deck above, which makes it a little harder to find, but worth it.

[Meyer2]

Yay! Loving your review so far!! Great pictures too! I look forward to the rest of the review.

[musicgal]

Hello Meyer2- I've read your reviews and enjoyed them.

 

Docking in Cozumel early, we opted for room service breakfast as we had done the day before. Croissants, coffee and yogurt for me... enough to fuel the morning of the "twister". They call it the twister because the speedboat they take you out on does 180 to 360 degree spins out near Passion Island which is your destination. The island is the filming site of the famous Corona commercial- the idyllic Carribean setting full of peace and quiet and wow, it sure is. We had to use a waterproof camera that day because of the boat ride and the beach activities so I can't post any pics of the beach here right now... we need to get them developed the old-fashioned way. But, there are plenty of pics on youtube... and the place really is beautiful. You get so much for the money- a clean, utterly beautiful private beach, which is big enough to absorb the boats as they come in. We had kayaks, a cabana, played frisbee golf, beach volleyball, had good well drinks (Sex on the Beach, Margaritas) and a fairly good buffet. All of that, and a GREAT staff... Aida and Alex were genuinely gracious in the very best non-cheesy way. Lot's of sun, lot's of fun- and many of the young people on the boat yelled "Best day ever!" What a great value for the money.

 

DDIL and I shopped for most of our souvenirs in Cozumel- buying a white Mexican dress, decorative boxes, wallet, etc. It's a touristy little area around the cruise ships... we were so sunbaked when we came off the boat we just shopped on automatic and went back to the ship to soak in whatever was available. Since we had a tub in the suite... that was done there. DS, DDIL and DH went to fill up on Lido food while I went back to the room to get clean and prepare to watch the pier runners.

 

We were docked opposite the Carnival Glory- and there were several ships in port including a Celebrity ship. The Glory dwarfed us as we pulled in... they shouted to us "you're late" as we docked and waved to us as we left that day at 4pm.

 

Okay- so we've never done this but we had a front row seat for the pier runners... you know the folks that show up right before the gangplank is pulled up. How funny was that!!!! There were so many folks that actually ran the corner to get on both the Ecstasy AND the Glory... and the way we were docked, they ran a gauntlet of balconies on both sides urging them to RUN!!! And a lot of them did. Some of the folks slowed down and "sauntered" to show their disdain for the audience- but you could tell a lot of them were relieved that the ship was still there. Here are some pics of Cozumel and Glory. More later.

[sarsie]

Thanks! Sdd and I are on the Ecstasy next week. Ws the Serenity deck packed all the time?

[tickles]

If you read a lot of reviews of these five day cruises, you see a lot of people choosing to stay on the ship or taking the double decker bus tour in Progreso proper. It's also the staging area for Chichen Itza, the long tour to the premiere Maya ruins. I sometimes teach anthropology and have been meaning to get over there to see "them there ruins"... but I can't conscience doing it in the short amount of time alloted for a half day tour... so, we did the dune buggy excursion out of Progreso instead.

 

Getting off the dock, you walk to a meeting area that has a number of shops... and sign in with your particular tour. On our tour, there was an insurance form for the driver, our son. This tour was basically a drive out to the Xcambo ruins... which you do more for the drive down the coast, not the ruins. BTW, use the bathroom before you leave Progreso- the lavoratories near the ruins are DEEsgusting. I enjoyed the little cultural trek though, but the excursion is mostly about driving the buggys. It was surprising to me to see all the upscale vacation houses along the road on the way to Xcambo- really nice places that would make a great vacation rental.

 

I liked the town of Progreso. It is, as they say, a quaint little fishing town- but full of very nice people. I think the "parade" of jeeps and dune buggies that go down the local streets on cruise days are very welcomed by the people who live there, who waved at all of us on our way through.

 

 

Im so excited to hear about your review, we leave on Ecstasy next month, How warm was the weather in progresso? was it warm enough to go in the water to swim?

[musicgal]

So... we're not big cruisers. We've done a very nice HAL Alaska cruise and a Conquest out of Galveston previously. So when I talk about the vibe of a ship, I'm speaking of a general feeling one gets on a particular cruising. It's interesting how the ships all have differing personalities, yes? Of course, I'm sure these personalities change as the crews and dry docks alter the makeup of the ship from month to month. And our cruise was interesting, given the recent history of the Ecstasy and her future.

 

I really like the Ecstasy. We won't be back on her because of the rolling on the smaller ships- but her decor was very charming to me... neon- all Miami Vice deco type stuff going on. On this short cruise, the vibe was all about partying... lots of people feeling very good- but I really didn't see any ugly drunks personally. And, I remember when the Ecstasy was new, and I dreamed (in my spaghetti days) of cruising on her. She was the prettiest gal in town back then. Now...Magic is coming and I'm just as excited about her.

 

But, just a word about demographics. Things I notice because... well... they just stand out to me- and before I start this... let me just say, I'm not trying, nor do I wish to offend anyone. Just read, and feel free to disagree- it's all good, as the kids say;) Short, inexpensive cruises seem to draw two relatively opposite demographics- young parents with kids and bubbas who are looking for pretty girls. Now, the bubbas we met in the hot tub were very nice, but bubbas nonetheless. And the parents with young kids were trying to figure out just why they decided to take a cruise in the first place. Any disappointments in your vacation ends up being projected towards the Ecstasy... which makes a valiant effort to be all things to all people. There are "family" rated shows and shows with skimpy costumes. Hairy-chested guys rubbing their rears on female judges with 7 year olds watching onstage... presumably with their parents not knowing where on the ship they are? 14 year olds getting mixed drinks in the line in front of you... yes, we saw that on the cruise.

 

Now, do I blame Carnival for all that? Yes, and NO. They actually do a very good job of keeping things clean, safe and orderly. For example- at debarkation, most of the problems are caused by passengers who are hell bent on not following instructions- and gum up the process. And it's not their fault if a drunk yells out four letter words in the family-rated comedy show. But that is part of the price of being ALL things to all people. On the last night of our cruise, our tablemates expressed their disappointments... which won't make it onto cruise critic, because most cruisers don't know CC exists. One woman had lost her purse onboard and had to cancel credit cards and will need a new driver's license. She thinks that perhaps a crew member took it. I think- probably not. But, lock your stuff up in the safe when you leave. You have to learn to do some things automatically when you travel frequently. Seasickness also afflicted many folks we talked to- while we saw many cruisers wearing the "patch".

 

If I were the "queen" of the world (which I'm not:-) and I wanted to market Ecstasy effectively- I would market her for "romance" cruises. She's small and rocks;) No, seriously- I feel that the business model must evolve. Ecstasy lost at least eight people that I know of.Why?? Because they were confused about where they fit into the scheme of things. That's because there IS no scheme of things. It is the shotgun method of entertaining your guests. Can you catch both the bubbas and the longhairs? Well, all I have to say- is that Steve Casell plays a MEAN Vivaldi. More later.

[musicgal]

sarsie and tickles... hi!!!!!

 

To answer your questions- yes, Serenity was packed the first few days. A little secret is that if you get there before the early dinner seating- you can get the area almost to yourself. People disappear at 5:p at least they did on our cruise. Towards the end of the 5 day cruise the pool and the hot tub were emptier. They are never empty during the day though- plan accordingly;)

 

 

And yes, in Progreso- the water will be very comfortable next month. Happy cruising!

[musicgal]

Wanted to tell you guys a little bit more about the room. As you can see from the previous pics, it is spacious for a ship stateroom. The decor is more subdued than the public areas and the bathrooms are really very nice for a ship. Our tub was a small whirlpool. This mean that if you are a size 14 ladies size... it will be big enough. If you wear a man's L, it will be big enough. If not, you will be taking a shower and that tub will be wasted on you. Very, very clean. Much thanks to the room steward.

 

Bring a hanging organizer for toiletries. It will keep your pretty marble counter free. There is a step down out of your bathroom onto your wood inlaid floor. Right across from the bathroom is your walk-in closet which has five built-in drawers and two sided hanging areas. This is also where your life vests and blankets are stored.

[douglinc@msn.com]

We will be sailing on her 3-28. Enjoying your review.

 

Doug

[musicgal]

The Behind the Scenes tour was offered on the last full sea day on our cruise. It is an awesome tour and is a true reflection of the hospitality philosophy of Carnival. Because you go into many secure areas on the tour, cameras and cellphones are prohibited. Bring close-toed shoes if you want to take it (I had to borrow some from DDIL)- Limited to a very small number of folks, it is best to sign up for it right after you get on the ship at embarkation.

 

Highlights-

 

Our group meets in the library and we happen to be on the tour with some folks from our roll call. Nice surprise. Our tour was conducted by the staff trainer, a young lady from Romania who can speak several languages. She explains the order of the tour and we are "wanded" very nicely by a security person before moving into the theater to see the sound and light equipment and talk to the dance master in the dressing rooms backstage.

 

So much fun to see the cooks in the galley. That rapidly revolving door that separates the Windstar DR from the galley was slooooow-ed down for us happily. All I can say about that kitchen is that airports should run that efficiently. What an operation!!!! The chef very graciously came out to talk to us and give us some recommendations for dinner on the last night- braised ribs... my son had two helpings!!!! We saw the dessert chefs dipping strawberries in chocolate, making a pattern of little tuxedo-dressed strawberries. Little did we know that we would be made a gift of some of those:D

 

Carnival is very proud of its recycling efforts and we saw a lot of attention being paid to environmental concerns. It was also just as clean in the work areas as the public areas. The kitchen surfaces were immaculate-

 

We were led onto the level that has the "highway" that runs the course of the ship... and saw many of the loading areas with their stacks of supplies. We stepped into the meat lockers and entered into the room that holds ALL the alcohol. All the while we passed the guys who peel the carrots and potatoes- dressed very professionally, doing their respective tasks.

 

Our guide took us for more refreshments into her office in the crew training section where she explained the hiring and training process for the ships. Many in the group were shocked at the low wage level of the staff and crew- but I was reminded again of the cost factor for us as passengers in choosing a cruise- and I think it helped a lot of people remember that their tips were important to these folks.

 

The crew dining and recreation is not as "fancy" as the passenger areas, but they are very pleasant and decorated nicely. We saw the crew's private deck- one young lady slept on a lounge in her uniform... probably exhausted from a long shift.

 

Next- Engine Room and Bridge

[ticka1]

Thank you for the review of behind the tour tour - where do you sign up for that when you get on the ship during embarkment? Dh and me want to do participate in this tour.

[musicgal]

Thank you for the review of behind the tour tour - where do you sign up for that when you get on the ship during embarkment? Dh and me want to do participate in this tour.

 

ticka1- Go to the excursion desk after you get on board. I unpacked our carry-ons while my husband got those tickets for our group, and he said that they told him he was wise to get there early. Happy cruising!

[musicgal]

One of the highlights of our tour was going into the control room for the ship where the head engineer talked to us... explaining the schematics and mechanical aspects of the ship. My son especially enjoyed that since he just graduated with a mechanical engineering degree. This was one of the areas where security was pronounced.

 

Our last stop on the tour was the bridge where the third officer gave us a talk on the different aspects of controlling the ship. There are actually multiple levels of controls- varying responsibilities for the different crew members... all of the officers working their way up the system. Most of the senior crew is Italian. We met our captain and all received a photograph with him. Asked him some personal questions, which he answered very graciously and I won't say tell the answers here;)... just take the tour.

 

At the end of the tour we went to the Neon Piano Bar, where we were given a Carnival souvenir hat, lanyard and funtime wristband.

 

When we got back to the room, a plate of sweets was waiting for us...:D

[Meyer2]

Aww, thanks for the compliment!

 

Thanks for the rest of your review, I really enjoyed reading all of it. I can't wait for my turn on the Ecstasy. :D

 

For the Behind the Fun tour, how much is it for the Ecstasy? DH & I almost did it on our Conquest cruise, but didn't end up doing the tour. Not sure if my mom would want to or not for the Ecstasy, but you never know.

[tickles]

Can't wait until we are on the ship next month, how were the shows onboard?? and how was the weather comming back home? Were the seas pretty smooth or kind of rough?