Love The Fascination – September 20-24, 2012 - 4 Day Cruise with pictures!

[Crusin Karen]

Thanks for the great review. I am going to research the CCL credit card. Sounds like a good deal. Also, try an 8 day cruise. 2 sea days, 3 days in port, then 2 sea days. PERFECT! ;):):D Also, can't find a mention anywhere of the Twilight Zone drink. Is this something new on the menu? Happy cruising to you both! :cool:

[Brittasbay]

Thanks for the great review. I am going to research the CCL credit card. Sounds like a good deal. Also, try an 8 day cruise. 2 sea days, 3 days in port, then 2 sea days. PERFECT! ;):):D Also, can't find a mention anywhere of the Twilight Zone drink. Is this something new on the menu? Happy cruising to you both! :cool:

 

The twilight zone is on the frozen drink menu they typically have on the bar that you can look at. It is the same menu that has the miami vice on it. I had never heard of it either here on the boards but I saw a woman walking around with one so I asked her what it was called. After she told me the name I realized it was on the frozen drink menu. I guess there are so many choices I had never noticed this drink before :rolleyes::cool:

[Brittasbay]

Thanks for the great review and pictures! We're heading out on Fascination on Saturday and we can't wait. Checking out your review made me even more excited (if that's possible!) Thanks again:)

 

This is a great ship with great staff, you will have a blast!

[Brittasbay]

Random ship pics:

 

 

 

 

 

 

Pretty moon pic

 

 

We went back to the room to pack our bags and so that DH could lay down and let his food settle.

 

DH gathered all of his receipts for the classic cocktails and we headed to the casino. We had enough receipts to get $35 worth of matching dollars. DH sat down at a $10 blackjack table. Very quickly he was up to $70 and he decided to switch to a cheaper table so he could get longer game play. I went to play slots again while he enjoyed himself. When I went to check on him it was close to midnight and he was up to $120! DH decided to walk away since he started with just $35. So all in all we probably came close to breaking even over the course of the cruise for our gambling.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Since DH was doing so well, I decided to go get myself a cocktail ring I had been looking at. So of course I ran up to the shops and picked one out. Then we headed back to the rooms so DH could get his last room service fix.

 

 

[wrigley80]

We rarely do much in Freeport other than go to Billie Joe’s for cracked conch so we were in no rush to get off the ship and fight the crowds. The day became gloomy and overcast but the temperatures were nice. We headed into Freeport in an over packed taxi and hit Billie Joe’s. This time we were hassled a lot by people selling t shirts, jewelry or hair braiding. This hadn’t happened to us before on previous trips to Freeport so I was surprised. I didn’t care so much, I was focused on getting some chow! Cracked conch and conch salad, yummo!

 

The Pride right next to us in port. The sun is still out right before noon!

 

 

 

The skies starting to look ominous.....

 

 

Billie Joe's!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

Cracked Conch

 

Conch Salad

 

Where is Billie Joe's in Freeport??? I would love to go there on our upcoming cruise to Freeport. That cracked conch looks so good

[wrigley80]

Where is Billie Joe's in Freeport??? I would love to go there on our upcoming cruise to Freeport. That cracked conch looks so good

 

And do you remember what was in that Twilight Zone drink. That looks so good as well. I've gotta remember to order that on our upcoming back-to-back cruises

 

Thanks for the picture review.....I love the Fantasy class ships

[Crusin Karen]

I just googled the Twilight Zone. It has Light Rum, Melon Liqueur, and coconut cream. On top put a "float" of blue curacao. I have all the ingredients except the blue curacao and I would hate to buy an expensive bottle for a "float" so I googled again and you can substitute triple sec for the BC. Course, then it won't make the drink BLUE,:rolleyes: but it said if you want a blue drink, just put a drop of blue food coloring in the triple sec! :p;):p OP, I detest the Baked Alaska...never saw the appeal of it and I know sometimes on the last night that is the only dessert they offer which I can't figure out. I especially feel sorry for us WCMC addicts who have to have our fix ONE MORE TIME! :o

[poemmimi77]

I am cruising in November and I am Type 2 Diabetes. How did you do on the cruise? This is the first time cruising with it since diagnosed. Sorry if it is too personal.

[NYGirl1002]

I really enjoyed your review! I'm glad you're going to do a 7 day next. You're going to love it.

[Nooge]

What is the My Awesome Bar card please?

I am going on the Fascination October 18, 2012.

Yay!!

Nooge :)

[lukeduke07]

Love the review. My family and I were on the same one! Looking through your pics to see if there was a random one of us. Going on Fascination with just the wife in January.

[Brittasbay]

Where is Billie Joe's in Freeport??? I would love to go there on our upcoming cruise to Freeport. That cracked conch looks so good

 

Take a cab to Port Lucaya (its where most of the taxis are going) and they will let you off in front of a hotel with a casino in it. All the cabs are there. Walk towards the police station which is up on your left about a block. As soon as you get to the police station you will see a fence with a sign for beach access. Turn left and go down this path. It seems shady but there is tons of foot traffic from tourists here. Just follow the path a couple of minutes and viola, you are at Billie Joe's. It will be on your right on the beach and to the left you will see a big hotel with a pool and a playground area. There is a watersport company right there too where you can do jetskis, parasailing, or banana boat rides. They are always busy with tourists but we have never used this company so I can't vouch for them.

 

If anyone know the name of the hotel that is next to Billie Joe's please let us know :);) The more info the better!

[Brittasbay]

Where is Billie Joe's in Freeport??? I would love to go there on our upcoming cruise to Freeport. That cracked conch looks so good

 

And do you remember what was in that Twilight Zone drink. That looks so good as well. I've gotta remember to order that on our upcoming back-to-back cruises

 

Thanks for the picture review.....I love the Fantasy class ships

 

I just put directions to Billie Joe's below. Cracked conch is the bomb if it is done right. Billie Joe's cooks it fresh so it is never greasy or nasty. I love them!

 

I think that the twilight zone had blue curacao mixed in with some pina colada mix and then they poured that into the glass that had about 2 shots of midori in it to get that green look. Very fruity and tasty. :D

[Brittasbay]

Day 5:

 

Waking up just to rush to get off the ship sucks! We got up and gathered our things. Then we headed to the Lido deck for breakfast. Last omelet of the cruise :( We were zone 10 so we had some time to sit and wait after eating. I have a gripe about the soda card that drives me crazy on disembark days. I hate that all the bars are closed and I can’t get a diet coke when I get up. Luckily this time I thought ahead and bought a can in Nassau that I could have a drink while waiting to be called to leave the ship. Customs was easy to get through and within 15 minutes of stepping off the ship we were back in our vehicle, ready to head home. I have to say that even though this port is small and old, it is easier to get on and off the ship here than in Miami. When I sailed on Liberty in January, it took almost 2 hours to get off the ship, get our bags and then wait to get through customs. And it was sooooo hot and uncomfortable.

 

 

[iluvdoxies]

I am trying to work through my cruise withdrawal by sharing our trip with you guys. This was our third time on Fascination and I feel like we totally are veterans of cruising now. We have figured out what we want to do, what is worth spending time or money on, and how to make the most out of the days. I will warn you guys ahead of time that there are not a ton of pics of the interior of the ship in this review. Since we have been on the ship before I didn’t take as many as I usually do. Also there is a lot of food porn in this review. I dream about the food when on land so I enjoy it with all of my senses when on the ship. The food on Fascination is always really good and there is rarely a dish that is not the perfect temperature. So forgive me if you do not enjoy the food porn, hopefully the other pictures will entertain you.

 

Some background on us, we are in our late 30s with no kids. I work in a high stress mental health job and DH is in a job he has had for the past 12 years. DH is in the process of trying to figure out what he wants to be when he grows up. Some of you may remember from last year’s review that I did that DH was trying to become a teacher and we had hoped he would be in a school system by now. Life happened so DH is not pursing teaching, at least for now. So he is super stressed out trying to figure out what his next career will be. This trip was a quick getaway so that he could really relax and get some perspective on what he wants to do next.

 

You may ask, why do Fascination for a third time? We live in the Atlanta area so going out of Jacksonville is cheap, fast, and easy for us. Plus we can’t do a 7 day because of DH’s job. And honestly, the staff on this ship are amazing. Even my father does a cruise or two a year on this ship because he loves the staff, the food, and the fact that the ship is not super crowded even though it almost always sails at full capacity. And my dad is super picky!

 

Packing and getting ready to go:

 

 

That's a lot of clothes for 4 days lol

[Crusin Karen]

That's a lot of clothes for 4 days lol

And that doesn't even include SHOES! :eek: DH takes more clothes than he leaves in his drawers and closet! :( AND we are platinum and get free wash and dry! :confused: OP, thanks for sharing your cruise with us and hope you have many more BON VOYAGES in your future! ;)

[2 cruzen]

I just googled the Twilight Zone. It has Light Rum, Melon Liqueur, and coconut cream. On top put a "float" of blue curacao. I have all the ingredients except the blue curacao and I would hate to buy an expensive bottle for a "float" so I googled again and you can substitute triple sec for the BC. Course, then it won't make the drink BLUE,:rolleyes: but it said if you want a blue drink, just put a drop of blue food coloring in the triple sec! :p;):p OP, I detest the Baked Alaska...never saw the appeal of it and I know sometimes on the last night that is the only dessert they offer which I can't figure out. I especially feel sorry for us WCMC addicts who have to have our fix ONE MORE TIME! :o

 

I think the allure of the Baked Alaska is when it used to be presented more elegantly. On our first cruise, it was on Celebrity, all the waiters come down the stairs carrying the dessert and my DH even thinks it was flaming, but I'm thinking that might be a fire hazard. :eek: Anyway, I don't think it tastes great either, just presented in such a great way.

[Crusin Karen]

I think the allure of the Baked Alaska is when it used to be presented more elegantly. On our first cruise, it was on Celebrity, all the waiters come down the stairs carrying the dessert and my DH even thinks it was flaming, but I'm thinking that might be a fire hazard. :eek: Anyway, I don't think it tastes great either, just presented in such a great way.

I remember the same thing on CCL. I think some had "sparklers"and others had candles in the cakes. I even remember some of the waiters carrying the cakes on their heads! :eek::eek: I forgot all about that! :rolleyes: Good memories! ;):)

[Brittasbay]

I am cruising in November and I am Type 2 Diabetes. How did you do on the cruise? This is the first time cruising with it since diagnosed. Sorry if it is too personal.

 

It's not too personal of a question. I am a type 1 so I can take insulin for the carbs I eat. This means I can chose to eat whatever I feel I can cover with insulin through carb counting. I only had one time where my blood sugars did not cooperate and that was my own error in calculating that caused that. When we went snorkeling I did not want to go low when out in the water so I let my blood sugars run too high. I was in the mid 200s that day from being too conservative with my insulin and too liberal with my food intake :o:rolleyes:

 

If you are on more of an exchange system/diet plan and are not taking insulin to cover your carb intake like many type 2s are then I would suggest taking advantage of the lighter menu options like the sugar free deserts and picking main course options that aren't filled with starches and pasta. Please talk to your doctor and your certified diabetes educator before you cruise. They can give you better tips that match where you are with your diabetes care and needs. Also check out http://www.tudiabetes.com and look at their forums for type 2 diabetics. You will get lots of answers out there that will help you.

 

You can live your life the way you want with diabetes, you just need knowledge and education to do so. Never let "the D" get in the way of who you are and what you want to accomplish. Diabetes is not a life sentence, it is just a challenge to learn to navigate. Have a great cruise!

[Brittasbay]

And that doesn't even include SHOES! :eek: DH takes more clothes than he leaves in his drawers and closet! :( AND we are platinum and get free wash and dry! :confused: OP, thanks for sharing your cruise with us and hope you have many more BON VOYAGES in your future! ;)

 

 

LOL! This time I only brought 2 pairs of flip flops and 1 pair of flats but we did have more clothes than we needed for sure! Last year I packed at the last minute and did not bring enough underwear for myself. I ended up washing underwear in the sink so this time I wanted to be sure I bought plenty of changes of clothes HAHAHAHA

[cruiseclues]

Brittasbay, this photo review was outstanding...I especially love the close up photos of the food...every food photo made me hungry...you seem to have extra special talent in taking those food photos. :)

 

Cruisin Karen, We think Bols Blue Curacao Liqueur is the best substitute for Blue Curacao from Curacao. Other Liqueur maker's also make Blue Curacao, but we think Bols is best for that specific liqueur. We make a Blue Lagoon with it, which is a frozen Piña Colada with Blue Curacao added to it.

 

[Crusin Karen]

Brittasbay, this photo review was outstanding...I especially love the close up photos of the food...every food photo made me hungry...you seem to have extra special talent in taking those food photos. :)

 

Cruisin Karen, We think Bols Blue Curacao Liqueur is the best substitute for Blue Curacao from Curacao. Other Liqueur maker's also make Blue Curacao, but we think Bols is best for that specific liqueur. We make a Blue Lagoon with it, which is a frozen Piña Colada with Blue Curacao added to it.

 

Cool! Thanks, I will look for it in my local Bottle King! ;)

[wrigley80]

I just put directions to Billie Joe's below. Cracked conch is the bomb if it is done right. Billie Joe's cooks it fresh so it is never greasy or nasty. I love them!

 

I think that the twilight zone had blue curacao mixed in with some pina colada mix and then they poured that into the glass that had about 2 shots of midori in it to get that green look. Very fruity and tasty. :D

Thank You so much. That cracked conch dish looks so good :) and I am definitely going to have to try the Twilight Zone drink. Our roll call has a 2 hour open bar party so I will ask for the drink at the party

[Brittasbay]

Thanks for all the feedback on the review! I wanted to wrap up the review with a list as some people love lists :D

The good:

• the service all over the ship
  
• the food
  
• the flexibility for appointments and the experience at the Spa
  
• buy a classic cocktail and get a $5 match coupon at the casino
  
• awesome service in YTD section of dining room
  
• got a FCC before the program went away
  

 

The bad:

• the slight sewage smell on Empress deck-never smelled this before on this ship
  
• the upsell in the Spa
  
• the limited use of the free drink coupon for VIFP members
  
• the prices on the booze in the gift shops! Prices were not good this time, $29.95 for 2 bottles of Absolute when in January I spent $19.95 for 2 bottles. Plus the cigarette prices were higher too
  

Let me know if you have any questions, I am happy to try to help :cool:

[swmo]

Hello, thanks so much for the review. We will be on the fascination on Dec. 3rd. and your pictures really helped. I seen you had booze in your cabin. I didn't think we could do that. What am I missing?