which carnival fantasy class ship is best?

[ccleveland]

I need all of your help please! I'm looking at doing a 4 or 5 day cruise in September this year and wondered if the fascination or sensation or relation or paradise ship would be better?

 

I'm still unsure if I want to go to the Bahamas or the Caribbean such as Cozumel Mexico or the progresso from new Orleans.

 

this trip would be mainly for me and my wife just to get out of the house and have fun on the ship and get on and off we are not really doing any excursions so we can save money.

[GaNavy]

I am a big fan of Ecstasy - clean, pleasant crew, and an interesting decor. Inspiration was also nice. Didn't like Fascination so much.

 

Other than the decor and the fact that some but not all have a few balconies, though, there's no difference between these ships - layout, menus, all identical.

[cruisenanny]

Ecstasy has won several awards (within the fleet) over the years. We thoroughly enjoyed our two cruises on her.

[cruizinisthebest]

My personal favorite is the Sensation. Great waterworks, always clean, friendly crew, etc. etc. I've been on 4 fantasy class ships. Sensation is by far my favorite.

[theriac]

I just got of the paradise today and loved it. I also like the ecstasy last year, but I enjoyed the Paradise more. I am planning on booking the Paradise again real soon, maybe 1-2 more times this year.

[h3yitsvictoria]

The paradise is an amazing ship!

[RMcoolX]

I'm not sure which one is the best, but I will say that the class itself is my favorite. I find the Fantasy class ships to be easy to navigate, more intimate, and the lines are never as long as the larger ships. Can't go wrong with any of them.

[Cruise life]

I need all of your help please! I'm looking at doing a 4 or 5 day cruise in September this year and wondered if the fascination or sensation or relation or paradise ship would be better?

 

 

 

I'm still unsure if I want to go to the Bahamas or the Caribbean such as Cozumel Mexico or the progresso from new Orleans.

 

 

 

this trip would be mainly for me and my wife just to get out of the house and have fun on the ship and get on and off we are not really doing any excursions so we can save money.

 

 

Since no one has voted for the Fascination yet, I will be the first. It's our favorite, but it is also the one we have sailed the most.

[justusfour2014]

My vote is Fascination but I'd pick Cozumel over Bahamas any day which she does not sail too. Jax is an easy port and the crew is great. Elation is old and needs a lot of TLC but has better destination in my humble opinion.

[SkyMaster]

I too, LOVE Paradise, and have sailed that ship over, and over again. GREAT crew, outstanding entertainment, and excellent food and service. Sailed Ecstasy last year and enjoyed it as well, but the entertainment wasn't up to the standard set by Paradise. You won't go wrong with any of 'em though. :cool:

 

"SKY"

[Captain Carnival]

...You won't go wrong with any of 'em though...

 

"SKY"

 

I concur, but like SKY I too suggest that you sail on your Carnival Paradise!

[Cinders411]

Have sailed on the Ecstasy, the Paradise, the Inspiration & the Sensation. To me they were all about equal. All are small ships without all the bells and whistles of some of the larger ones. We enjoyed all of our cruises. I would have to say, we preferred the Dream to the smaller ships. Whatever you decide you cannot go wrong with any cruise! :)

[isladonna]

I have been on the Miracle, Conquest, Glory but loved the Fascination. You could literally go sit outside on lido and be completely alone at times. Not sure how that happens on a cruise ship :)

But happy to hear the input on the Paradise as we are trying her out on 6/27! It's been 4 years since a cruise so we are way excited to get back to it! Taking 5 year old adopted grandson this should be interesting at our old age :eek:

[marshhawk]

Have done the Sensation-our first Carnival cruise which got us hooked-are they doing more than a 3 or 4 day?

 

Have done the Elation-it is an older ship, I got locked in the ladies room on the lido when the handle fell off the door, and the cabins have the life jackets in a box which take up way too much space in the cabins-I have been told by a Paradise cruiser and a Fantasy cruiser that they too have the box in the cabin, kind of messes up assembling the king size bed. So if you aint hip about what you do on shore, because it's about getting away, how much time are you going to spend in the cabin?

 

I love the Fascination, the cabins have been spruced up, there is no box taking up space, and if you choose a HMC and Nassau, once the cruise is paid for, the rest of the trip is cheap! I wouldn't go all the way to Progresso, and Cozumel and stay on board, life is too short not to see the sights. in my humble opinion.

 

Have a great cruise, no matter which one you choose- I am on the Fascination in September, and again on the Elation in January. But the Sensation is too far for me to consider driving to for less than a 7 day cruise.:p

[Jay Sam]

I just got of the paradise today and loved it. I also like the ecstasy last year, but I enjoyed the Paradise more. I am planning on booking the Paradise again real soon, maybe 1-2 more times this year.

 

Loved Paradise cruise I took in early Dec. Great ship and layout. Had a very nice nautical theme.

 

Jeff, in St. Pete too.

[ccleveland]

All of you have said some interesting things and it's just such a hard decision. I believe that I definitely want to take a 5 day cruise and not a 4 day cruise which means the sensation is out because the sensation only does a 4 day cruise around the time frame that I'm able to go. With the 5 day cruise there is the fascination and Paradise and elation but the fascination go to Half Moon Cay which is wonderful and the elation in Paradise dusty Cozumel and other stops but I've already done the Cosmo 2 times so I want to try something different I think that's why I'm leaning more towards the fascination because I've never been to Half Moon Cay or Nassau

[cruiser fanatic]

I have been on 3 Fantasy-class ships, Fantasy, Ecstasy, and Elation. Ecstasy is my personal favorite. The Ecstasy has a great crew and looks great for her age. The Ecstasy also has won the most awards out of any ship in the fleet. The Fantasy was nice, similar to the Ecstasy except the food was awful. The Elation is my least favorite ship out of the Carnival ships I have sailed. The Elation is old, dated, has no upgrades, the cabin is disgusting and again very dated (especially the Bathroom) and the itinerary isn't that great.

[cruiser fanatic]

All of you have said some interesting things and it's just such a hard decision. I believe that I definitely want to take a 5 day cruise and not a 4 day cruise which means the sensation is out because the sensation only does a 4 day cruise around the time frame that I'm able to go. With the 5 day cruise there is the fascination and Paradise and elation but the fascination go to Half Moon Cay which is wonderful and the elation in Paradise dusty Cozumel and other stops but I've already done the Cosmo 2 times so I want to try something different I think that's why I'm leaning more towards the fascination because I've never been to Half Moon Cay or Nassau

 

The Fascination has more to offer than the Paradise. HMC is beautiful! Nassau is just ok but HMC makes up for it!

[Jay Sam]

All of you have said some interesting things and it's just such a hard decision. I believe that I definitely want to take a 5 day cruise and not a 4 day cruise which means the sensation is out because the sensation only does a 4 day cruise around the time frame that I'm able to go. With the 5 day cruise there is the fascination and Paradise and elation but the fascination go to Half Moon Cay which is wonderful and the elation in Paradise dusty Cozumel and other stops but I've already done the Cosmo 2 times so I want to try something different I think that's why I'm leaning more towards the fascination because I've never been to Half Moon Cay or Nassau

 

I like choosing new ports too. Don't expect too much at Nassau. It's ok I guess but far from my favorite port. I hope to go to Half Moon as well. In Nassau we walked to Junkanoo beach, about 15 minutes each way. Then back on the ship which was welcome.

 

Happy sailing. Check out cruiseradio.net. They are located in Jacksonville. They have a weekly show that you can access from their website. From what I understand, Jacksonville is a very convenient port.

[theriac]

Just know HMC is easily missed, some report on here missing it 2-3 times before getting there.

[rjdcruises4fun]

My favorites are the Fantasy and the Fascination.

[exarkkun]

Have done the Sensation-our first Carnival cruise which got us hooked-are they doing more than a 3 or 4 day?

 

Have done the Elation-it is an older ship, I got locked in the ladies room on the lido when the handle fell off the door, and the cabins have the life jackets in a box which take up way too much space in the cabins-I have been told by a Paradise cruiser and a Fantasy cruiser that they too have the box in the cabin, kind of messes up assembling the king size bed. So if you aint hip about what you do on shore, because it's about getting away, how much time are you going to spend in the cabin?

 

I love the Fascination, the cabins have been spruced up, there is no box taking up space, and if you choose a HMC and Nassau, once the cruise is paid for, the rest of the trip is cheap! I wouldn't go all the way to Progresso, and Cozumel and stay on board, life is too short not to see the sights. in my humble opinion.

 

Have a great cruise, no matter which one you choose- I am on the Fascination in September, and again on the Elation in January. But the Sensation is too far for me to consider driving to for less than a 7 day cruise.:p

 

 

We too, (hubster and I) are on the Fascination with you! We'll be celebrating our 4th anniversary. :) We looked at Elation too, but Jaxport is just so convenient. Is she worth the drive vs. Fascination?

[T. Advisor King]

As far as I'm concerned, a ship is a ship. They are all so similar that the differences are not significant enough to base a decision on. There are too many more important factors when picking a cruise: departure port, itinerary, cruise length, cost, available dates, cabin availability.

[Jay Sam]

Just know HMC is easily missed, some report on here missing it 2-3 times before getting there.

 

I have heard that very thing about both Half Moon and Great Stirrup Cay.

 

Then on my cruise on NCL 2 weeks ago, we were to stop in GSC, and due to weather, bypassed it. Well I got to see it through the rain and gloom from the ship, just didn't get to experience it. We were parked there while decisions were made. So close and yet so far.

 

Any thoughts on better months for weather, or is it just hit or miss? I still want to visit both.

[ccleveland]

It does suck that Half Moon Cay is missed a lot which thats why im contemplating on whether to go with Cozumel and Progresso or the cruise I just recently found an hour ago that does Key West and Half Moon Cay and Nassau from Miami on one of the bigger ships. I probably will end up staying with the fascination in Jacksonville because its only a5 hour drive for me and it's a decent price for a 5 day. If the Half Moon Cay gets missed all I know is that I'm on a cruise ship and thats the important part just getting away from home having a good time