Some Fascination and Victory-questions- help please!

[rdevine10]

We are seriously considering changing our upcoming cruise to another. My kids really want to go to the Atlantis. For the week we can go (where you get Nassau for a good full day) its either the Fascination or Victory.

 

Fascination is a 5 night - Nassau, Little Stirrup Cay with 2 sea days

 

Victory is a 5 night- Nassau, Half Moon Cay & Grand Turk with 1 sea day

 

Here are my questions. For those who have sailed the Fascination can you tell me how crowded the 1 pool is on sea days? What about the waterworks area? What else did your kids enjoy doing on this ship? We are concerned that 2 sea days we might get more restless on this ship (never sailed Fantasy class before).

 

I prefer the Victory sailing, that being said- Jacksonville is much more convenient to where we need to be post cruise (1 hour and 15 min vs 4 hours). The Fascination is cheaper, etc. Fascination has the Hasbro shows, Victory does not. Victory is bigger with more pools and a seaside theater. Which ship has more for kids to do?

 

If you have kids which would you pick and why! Please help me! Thanks!

[GTO-Girl]

We are seriously considering changing our upcoming cruise to another. My kids really want to go to the Atlantis. For the week we can go (where you get Nassau for a good full day) its either the Fascination or Victory.

 

Fascination is a 5 night - Nassau, Little Stirrup Cay with 2 sea days

 

Victory is a 5 night- Nassau, Half Moon Cay & Grand Turk with 1 sea day

 

Here are my questions. For those who have sailed the Fascination can you tell me how crowded the 1 pool is on sea days? What about the waterworks area? What else did your kids enjoy doing on this ship? We are concerned that 2 sea days we might get more restless on this ship (never sailed Fantasy class before).

 

I prefer the Victory sailing, that being said- Jacksonville is much more convenient to where we need to be post cruise (1 hour and 15 min vs 4 hours). The Fascination is cheaper, etc. Fascination has the Hasbro shows, Victory does not. Victory is bigger with more pools and a seaside theater. Which ship has more for kids to do?

 

If you have kids which would you pick and why! Please help me! Thanks!

 

I haven't sailed the Victory but have sailed on Fascination 4 times and I can tell you it was a great ship! yes it's a smaller ship but it was clean, well maintained and the crew is just great.

 

We enjoyed it much more than our Dream cruise!

[rdevine10]

I haven't sailed the Victory but have sailed on Fascination 4 times and I can tell you it was a great ship! yes it's a smaller ship but it was clean, well maintained and the crew is just great.

 

We enjoyed it much more than our Dream cruise!

 

Thank you for your thoughts! Do you have any insight on my Fascination questions? thanks!

[GTO-Girl]

Thank you for your thoughts! Do you have any insight on my Fascination questions? thanks!

 

It was just my husband and I so I can't give you any help on waterworks or kids area......sorry.

[cruise_girl2002]

We are seriously considering changing our upcoming cruise to another. My kids really want to go to the Atlantis. For the week we can go (where you get Nassau for a good full day) its either the Fascination or Victory.

 

Fascination is a 5 night - Nassau, Little Stirrup Cay with 2 sea days

 

Victory is a 5 night- Nassau, Half Moon Cay & Grand Turk with 1 sea day

 

Here are my questions. For those who have sailed the Fascination can you tell me how crowded the 1 pool is on sea days? What about the waterworks area? What else did your kids enjoy doing on this ship? We are concerned that 2 sea days we might get more restless on this ship (never sailed Fantasy class before).

 

I prefer the Victory sailing, that being said- Jacksonville is much more convenient to where we need to be post cruise (1 hour and 15 min vs 4 hours). The Fascination is cheaper, etc. Fascination has the Hasbro shows, Victory does not. Victory is bigger with more pools and a seaside theater. Which ship has more for kids to do?

 

If you have kids which would you pick and why! Please help me! Thanks!

 

On the Fascination, the main pool can get a bit crowded. I went on the fascination in may (may 11) and it wasn't too bad. their weren't many kids on board at all. I always sit in the back towards the waterworks anyway. the slides are GREAT on the fascination, but I also love the victories 1 slide. I have always loved the victory..it gave me the best WOW factor in the atrium. no matter which ship you choose....you'll have a great time. both are great ships

[sparkysj]

I have not been on the Victory but have been on the Fascination 3 times and LOVE that ship!! It is one of the small ones but well taken care of. Our daughter (and us too) love waterworks- all ships should have this. If it wasn't for others in the family who want to go to some new ports I would be back on it again next year.

[SteelerCruiser]

the pool on the Fascination will be crowded but as with most ships pools will be crowded especially on sea days. I have sailed her 4 times and it is a great ship and convenient as far as travel time to port of departure. That bein said I think the iteniary is much better on the Victory and if the price is similar them I would go that route. Have been to Nassau many times and it is good, have been to both CoCoa Cay (Little Stirrup Cay) and Half Moon Cay and LOVE both places as one really can't argue with little slice of private island paradise. The big deciding factor is Grand Turk. Went there last November and absolutely loved it! What an awesome place! Beautiful Beaches very similar to private island.

[luvsviola]

My kids are 6, 4, and 2. We loved Fascination. Smaller ship meant shorter lines, and the kids clubs were very empty most of the time (10-15 kids was the most that were ever in there and often there were less). My kids loved the staff up there, and it was great. The Mongolian BBQ was fabulous. We were able to do a grand suite extended balcony for a reasonable price (think balcony big enough for 3 lounge chairs) and it was 2 hours closer to home.

 

Water Works were fun and not crowded. It isn't a big family ship--mostly couples and groups of friends. Everyone was polite and friendly.

 

We loved it enough that we are doing it again for fall break next year. I booked it two days after we returned.

[bradm77]

I have sailed on both within the last 2 years and I would go FASCINATION hands down!!

 

• Better mix of passengers out of JAX
  
• Main pool will get crowded on sea days, but waterworks is never crowded
  
• Fascination has a far better Serenity area
  
• Less Crowds, less long lines on Fascination
  
• Only advantage to Victory is that Half Moon Cay > any other port ever!
  

[TennLee]

I Just got off the Fascination last month (same itinerary you mentioned), and have kids. On sea days the pool was crowded but we still used and enjoyed it. The waterslide area was awesome, and the lines were never crowded. My kids rode the long slide countless times.

[nydney1]

How old are your kids? We have two, ages 8 & 6 and not the best swimmers.

 

We did the Victory in September and loved it. The crew is great and the itenerary is wonderful. The pools are not the best for small kids. The Victory does not have a Waterworks area. There is one waterslide but it is not nearly as good as the waterworks. (We have not sailed the Fascination, but we did sail the Ecstacy that had waterworks). The other two pools are small and crowded, not set up for kids our age with limited swimming ability.

 

Half Moon Cay is HMC, I don't think I need to say anything more about how great this place is.

 

Grand Turks was wonderful. We went down to Jack's Shack and pulled up two chairs and the kids played at the beach all day. No crazy vendors bugging us just a great beach day. There are no waterslides or big attractions there but it is a great beach day.

 

I would probably have to choose the Fascination. Four hours is really 8 hours as you have to go there and back. The waterworks area is great for kids, we are thinking of limiting our next cruise choice to a ship with waterworks. You are happy with the ports and the extra sea day instead of Grand Turks is not a bad thing since you have waterworks and that sounds like a priority for your kids.

 

Neither ship has speciality resturaunts or 2.0 so while the Victory is larger it really does not offer much more. (Not bashing the Victory, I loved that ship). the Vctory does have the Seaside Theater, not sure if the Fascination does.

 

Final factor is price. Since everything else is pointing towards the Fascination, saving a few $$ is not a bad thing.

 

Hope this helps.

[lingram001]

On the Fascination, the main pool can get a bit crowded. I went on the fascination in may (may 11) and it wasn't too bad. their weren't many kids on board at all. I always sit in the back towards the waterworks anyway. the slides are GREAT on the fascination, but I also love the victories 1 slide. I have always loved the victory..it gave me the best WOW factor in the atrium. no matter which ship you choose....you'll have a great time. both are great ships

 

We were on this cruise with you cruise_girl2002, FANTASTIC! You guys beat us out on the longest distance to Jax, lol

 

Fascination waterworks is really great for kids, no wait lines. My kids also other kids there and did things together. Except for HMC, I would choose Fascination.

[rdevine10]

I guess I should update! We did decide to try the fascination based on most of the remarks here and reading reviews (many!). Im ok with no half moon cay as I have been to Little Stirup befere (Coco cay) and really loved it there too.

 

One day to Half moon Cay (either for our August cruise or my 40th cruise in April of 2015!)

[nydney1]

Enjoy your trip!