My carnival imagination review sailed 9/12/11

[Delasolbaltimore]

Embarkation

I was traveling with 9 women. We drove from Naples Florida in two SUVs. We were going to use premier parking but by the time we found the port it was just easier to leave the cars there. I couldn't wait to get on the ship. Parking was right across the street in the garage and 80 instead of 40 offsite. There was a slight line to go through security and a minimal line to check in. We got there about 1120am.

 

A note about wine. I took 4 mini plastic bottles of wine to amount to a 750ml bottle. I didn't have to show it. People in my party didn't

Listen to me and stuck bottles in their checked bags and they made it on fine as well.

 

We had the embarkation photo taken and I bought it that night. 8x10 for 19.99 and they offered me a nice leather like two sided folio with a photo of the ship for only 3.50 more.

 

Up to the lido for buffet. Which brings me to elevators. All of them never crowded but some used letters of decks and some numbers which made it confusing and sometimes visiting many decks for wrong letters and numbers picked.

 

The lido buffets... Two stations inside and two out as well as pizza and sandwich stations. All usually long lines and crowded at breakfast and lunch with the same items every day. Burgers, pasta, fries, hot dogs, salads... Boring. Breakfast was eggs from powder, bacon and they are stingy with it, potatos, grits, and an omolette station. It's was all edible so I didn't care too much.

 

Shows

I saw the day 4 sea day show shout. It was ok. Costumes and set was decent, dancing and singing mediocre. It was about an hour long with a nice variety of songs.

 

Excursions

On day 4 I did the behind the fun tour. It was almost 3 hours and they took you all around the ship. To the bridge and gallys, control room and food storage, backstage theatre, and crew mess halls. Pretty interesting and we got to interact with a lot of staff. There were 12 people on our tour. It was 55 with a limited edition hat, lanyard and a group photo with the captain. I didn't bring it home but did see a flyer that said it was going to be two group photos and a solo photo with captain and we would get to see a crew room but none of that happened.

 

Dinner

We booked my time dining but didn't get it. I had all five of our reservations linked so we got a table for 10 6pm in the spirit dining room. We made it 3 of the 4 nights. Cozumel night was hectic and we didn't get back on the ship until 8. All the meals were decent but I could have done without the song and the dance at the end. Food was served very quickly. I give an a plus to our waiter and his assistant.

 

The ship

 

Day one. Went for a spa tour and registered to win. Went back and gave away a few services but no one in my group won. Went to karaoke that night that they don't have a lot of songs from the past 5 years and a so so variety of songs from before that. I sang and there were about 13 people in the rotation.

 

Day two

Day two key west. Got up around seven. Room service came at 640 even though I asked for 7-715. Went to the breakfast buffet around 8 and it was quiet. Got off boat and wales to southernmost point. It was so hot I felt like I had just got out of the shower. Not too many bars and stores opened till 10. Found a reall cool art gallery halfway down. The artist paints Rupert an ostrich. I was schocked because I really like ostriches. We went back when they opened but all I could afford was a shirt and a book. Was good enoughh for me. Went to flying monkeys for a frozen beverage then to a few other bars then some shopping then back to the ship. Went to 80's music trivia - fail then did rock trivia - fail. They played 20 songs and you get a point for artist and a point for song. Yu win the coveted ship on a stick. Then it was carnivaliare which is like who wants to be a millionaire. We sucked at that too but not as bad. You got 4 choices for answers. Then we did facts and figures trivia and it was hard questions about geography and presidents and stuff. Then we put our dresses on and went to dinner for formal night. There were lobster tails at dinner and they were good.

 

I want to make a mention that along deck 9 there must have been at least 10 photographers with backdrops and they were aggressive.... And it got exhausting to say no. We played the slot tournament tonight, was 15 to enter and the 6 of us that entered didn't win.

 

Day three Cozumel

We didn't dock in Cozumel until a little before one. Room service came at 7 when it was supposed to and then we got dressed and went to the buffet. We played guess that song and lost again. There was a game called live call in trivia that you watched in your room and called in to win but we didn't play and went to the port shopping talk for Cozumel because my mom likes to go to those. Didn't win anything there either. We got off the ship with two other people in our group and took a 7$ take ride to margaritaville. We picked here over Carlos and charlies beach because it was close to town, two blocks and safe to walk and they said they had a water park. It was a mini iceberg trampoline and something else in right waters. We had a drink and walked to Carlos and charlies and we were the only boat on any pier so it was dead. We got a drink, ballon hats and left. Went shopping and all the shopkeepers were aggressive and had the same dusk. Got a huge ass beer at bobs around the square and got a taxi back to the pier. The pier had all the same junk and had a fun bar called three amigos where they played the movie over and over and still had the ballon hats but slightly more graphic, shot girls, and loud music. Nxt time I will just stay at the pier.

At 830 we tried to play 60 decode or less like minute to win it but had to put our names in a bucket and didn't get picked. Went to karaoke again, same crowd.

 

Day four at sea. Requested room service at 7. Got it at 6, didn't realize till 650 when another room service came that the first one wasn't ours. Turned second tray away. 3rd room service (keep in mind we only ordered one) came at 710 so we took that one because it was correct and we gave the guy our first one and he stuck it out in the hall and left... Went to buffets then movie music quiz. Then to match it up then to mind game mania then to general trivia and finally won trivia! We were going to do digital scavenger hunt trivia but the sheet they gave us was way to much running and too much involved.

 

Then we went to 20$ 3 card coverall bingo, nope didn't win, then played for win a cruise bingo also 20 for 10 tickets didn't win. Bingo was for 1000, 5000 if you got it in less than a ridiculous amount of numbers and the cruise was an ocean view 3 4 or 5 night you pick itinerary. More general trivia then dinner then the show. We went to guess that song in the piano bar and stayed there after winning another ship on a stick woo hoo and sang songs and I got a medal for singing the announcer in the meatloaf song paradise by the dashboard light.

 

My main complaint was the comedian Anthony acosta. Went to a late night show and am fine with the language but when he went on for five minutes talking about the difference between gays and ******s it turned me off. I consider it a racial slur. I'm sure people wouldn't want him up there using the n word....

 

We were in room r2 at the front of the ship riviera deck. Was very noisy when docking. But the hall was always quiet. Spacious room but no couch.

 

We didn't do as much as we liked but you never do. The ship was always clean and the staff friendly. If anyone has questions. Let me know. I have the fun times I can scan for anyone that wants them just let me know your email address.

 

Cheers

Becky

[spcopps]

Embarkation

I was traveling with 9 women. We drove from Naples Florida in two SUVs. We were going to use premier parking but by the time we found the port it was just easier to leave the cars there. I couldn't wait to get on the ship. Parking was right across the street in the garage and 80 instead of 40 offsite. There was a slight line to go through security and a minimal line to check in. We got there about 1120am.

 

A note about wine. I took 4 mini plastic bottles of wine to amount to a 750ml bottle. I didn't have to show it. People in my party didn't

Listen to me and stuck bottles in their checked bags and they made it on fine as well.

 

We had the embarkation photo taken and I bought it that night. 8x10 for 19.99 and they offered me a nice leather like two sided folio with a photo of the ship for only 3.50 more.

 

Up to the lido for buffet. Which brings me to elevators. All of them never crowded but some used letters of decks and some numbers which made it confusing and sometimes visiting many decks for wrong letters and numbers picked.

 

The lido buffets... Two stations inside and two out as well as pizza and sandwich stations. All usually long lines and crowded at breakfast and lunch with the same items every day. Burgers, pasta, fries, hot dogs, salads... Boring. Breakfast was eggs from powder, bacon and they are stingy with it, potatos, grits, and an omolette station. It's was all edible so I didn't care too much.

 

Shows

I saw the day 4 sea day show shout. It was ok. Costumes and set was decent, dancing and singing mediocre. It was about an hour long with a nice variety of songs.

 

Excursions

On day 4 I did the behind the fun tour. It was almost 3 hours and they took you all around the ship. To the bridge and gallys, control room and food storage, backstage theatre, and crew mess halls. Pretty interesting and we got to interact with a lot of staff. There were 12 people on our tour. It was 55 with a limited edition hat, lanyard and a group photo with the captain. I didn't bring it home but did see a flyer that said it was going to be two group photos and a solo photo with captain and we would get to see a crew room but none of that happened.

 

Dinner

We booked my time dining but didn't get it. I had all five of our reservations linked so we got a table for 10 6pm in the spirit dining room. We made it 3 of the 4 nights. Cozumel night was hectic and we didn't get back on the ship until 8. All the meals were decent but I could have done without the song and the dance at the end. Food was served very quickly. I give an a plus to our waiter and his assistant.

 

The ship

 

Day one. Went for a spa tour and registered to win. Went back and gave away a few services but no one in my group won. Went to karaoke that night that they don't have a lot of songs from the past 5 years and a so so variety of songs from before that. I sang and there were about 13 people in the rotation.

 

Day two

Day two key west. Got up around seven. Room service came at 640 even though I asked for 7-715. Went to the breakfast buffet around 8 and it was quiet. Got off boat and wales to southernmost point. It was so hot I felt like I had just got out of the shower. Not too many bars and stores opened till 10. Found a reall cool art gallery halfway down. The artist paints Rupert an ostrich. I was schocked because I really like ostriches. We went back when they opened but all I could afford was a shirt and a book. Was good enoughh for me. Went to flying monkeys for a frozen beverage then to a few other bars then some shopping then back to the ship. Went to 80's music trivia - fail then did rock trivia - fail. They played 20 songs and you get a point for artist and a point for song. Yu win the coveted ship on a stick. Then it was carnivaliare which is like who wants to be a millionaire. We sucked at that too but not as bad. You got 4 choices for answers. Then we did facts and figures trivia and it was hard questions about geography and presidents and stuff. Then we put our dresses on and went to dinner for formal night. There were lobster tails at dinner and they were good.

 

I want to make a mention that along deck 9 there must have been at least 10 photographers with backdrops and they were aggressive.... And it got exhausting to say no. We played the slot tournament tonight, was 15 to enter and the 6 of us that entered didn't win.

 

Day three Cozumel

We didn't dock in Cozumel until a little before one. Room service came at 7 when it was supposed to and then we got dressed and went to the buffet. We played guess that song and lost again. There was a game called live call in trivia that you watched in your room and called in to win but we didn't play and went to the port shopping talk for Cozumel because my mom likes to go to those. Didn't win anything there either. We got off the ship with two other people in our group and took a 7$ take ride to margaritaville. We picked here over Carlos and charlies beach because it was close to town, two blocks and safe to walk and they said they had a water park. It was a mini iceberg trampoline and something else in right waters. We had a drink and walked to Carlos and charlies and we were the only boat on any pier so it was dead. We got a drink, ballon hats and left. Went shopping and all the shopkeepers were aggressive and had the same dusk. Got a huge ass beer at bobs around the square and got a taxi back to the pier. The pier had all the same junk and had a fun bar called three amigos where they played the movie over and over and still had the ballon hats but slightly more graphic, shot girls, and loud music. Nxt time I will just stay at the pier.

At 830 we tried to play 60 decode or less like minute to win it but had to put our names in a bucket and didn't get picked. Went to karaoke again, same crowd.

 

Day four at sea. Requested room service at 7. Got it at 6, didn't realize till 650 when another room service came that the first one wasn't ours. Turned second tray away. 3rd room service (keep in mind we only ordered one) came at 710 so we took that one because it was correct and we gave the guy our first one and he stuck it out in the hall and left... Went to buffets then movie music quiz. Then to match it up then to mind game mania then to general trivia and finally won trivia! We were going to do digital scavenger hunt trivia but the sheet they gave us was way to much running and too much involved.

 

Then we went to 20$ 3 card coverall bingo, nope didn't win, then played for win a cruise bingo also 20 for 10 tickets didn't win. Bingo was for 1000, 5000 if you got it in less than a ridiculous amount of numbers and the cruise was an ocean view 3 4 or 5 night you pick itinerary. More general trivia then dinner then the show. We went to guess that song in the piano bar and stayed there after winning another ship on a stick woo hoo and sang songs and I got a medal for singing the announcer in the meatloaf song paradise by the dashboard light.

 

My main complaint was the comedian Anthony acosta. Went to a late night show and am fine with the language but when he went on for five minutes talking about the difference between gays and ******s it turned me off. I consider it a racial slur. I'm sure people wouldn't want him up there using the n word....

 

We were in room r2 at the front of the ship riviera deck. Was very noisy when docking. But the hall was always quiet. Spacious room but no couch.

 

We didn't do as much as we liked but you never do. The ship was always clean and the staff friendly. If anyone has questions. Let me know. I have the fun times I can scan for anyone that wants them just let me know your email address.

 

Cheers

Becky

 

I would love the fun times..we are doing this same cruise in October!!

 

spcopps2009@yahoo.com

 

Thanks for the review.

[spacepotatoes]

Thanks for the review! How long was the walk to the Southernmost Point, time wise?

[NeuroQueen]

Nice review. Don't you love the Imagination? It's great being so close to the port. I think we are spoiled!!!

[barbpol]

Thanks for the review. 5 of us (all women) will be on this cruise on Sept.26th. I'd like a copy of the fun times, if you don't mind. barbp1114@aol.com

[TomandIza]

Can you e-mail me the fun times? We're sailing in January. malamrowka@hotmail.com

Thanks!