Onboard the Sensation

[Zuzie1]

Greetings from onboard the Carnival Sensation. DW, DD, and I just boarded this morning for her 4 night Bahamas cruise. A frequent reader (and not so often poster) of these boards, I figured I start a post about our cruise, especially since the Sensation is one of the less frequently talked about ships on this site.

 

I will try and post as often as I have internet.

 

Background:

We're a family of three. Booked this cruise only about a month ago - it was a spur of the moment decision (actually booked it before I cleared it with DW). I was itching for a vacation, but we both have very busy jobs, so getting away is tough. I picked the cruise more for the timing than anything else - we're both off 7/1 and 7/4.

 

We've both cruised a bunch - in fact DD is only 22 months old and has already been on three cruises! I've never been on Carnival, DW has been as a singleton a few times before. We love cruising. To us, any day at sea is better than a day on land.

 

Will admit upfront, I'm going to take this cruise for what it is - not going to compare it to our time on Celebrity, Princess, Windstar. To me it's comparing apples to oranges.

 

Itinerary:

Quick 4 nighter - Miami, Day at Sea, HMC, Nassau, Miami

 

Embarkation:

We arrived to FLL at around 9am. Given that we have DD with us, we booked Carnival transfers - they actually worked out perfectly. We were enroute to MIA, by 9:35am. Meeting the reps at the airport was a breeze - there is a Carnival podium under a sign that says "Meeting Place."

 

We booked Faster To The Fun. I read very mixed reviews on the program, but again given our daughter and the long day of travel we had to get here (our flight left NYC at 6am - you can do the math), I wanted to expedite everything. Went in expecting that it wouldn't be worth it, but let me tell you, it's already paid for itself in my book. Everything at the pier was a breeze. Just follow the yellow brick...err...faster to the fun signs and you're golden. We were checked in by 10:50 and onboard the ship by 11:30, lunch in our bellies by 12 (including a stop to our cabins - yes, they were ready). FTTF is totally worth it - if for embarkation alone.

 

Cabin:

We booked 2 connecting oceanview cabins on Deck 6 - Upper Deck. DD goes to bed early and on previous cruises it's forced DW and I to basically sit awake in the dark. After two times round, we decided it would be much more relaxing to put her in an adjoining room (and allows us to both get ready at the same time - extra bathroom for the win). Cabins are basic, but perfectly suitable for the price. The bathroom and shower are a very good size, closet space is ample too. Decor is a bit dated (but so is the ship, more on that below).

 

Initial Impressions of the Ship:

Honestly, the ship is exactly what I thought it would be. Seems like I was time-warped back to one of those Kathy Lee Gifford commercials for Carnival. Decor is gaudy, loud, and very early-90s. Would I want it for my own home? No. However, I think it adds a bit of character to the vacation and don't mind it - it's Carnival, after all. I have no doubt the atrium was quite impressive in its day (although it's very purple, it's still a fun space).

 

Everything is so-far-so-good. If I had one minor gripe, it's that the ship smells a little stale. Some parts reek of smoke, other just give off an old smell. By no means is it a deal breaker though.

 

Lunch:

Grabbed a burger and fries from the grill. Quite tasty and very fast (thank you FTTF).

 

Crew:

We've had 4 interactions with the crew thus far and they have all been super friendly and quite kind to DD. They all seem genuine about wanting to know more about - no one has rushed off. Lots of them seem quite loyal to the Sensation. One of the junior hosts we met is on her 15th contract - on this ship! It's too early to say it yet, but the ship is definitely in the running for one of the best crews.

 

We've only been onboard for about 2 hours, so that's pretty much all I have to share at the moment. Hope you find this helpful. Feel free to ask questions. I'll try to answer and post updates when I can.

 

Question for the Carnival pros out there - is the Suess breakfast worth it? Can you do that and the Sea Day Brunch? Would a 22 month old like it (DD loves Elmo and Curious George)?

[jocko4279]

thanks for the report! Seuss brunch is well worth the $5pp. I think your daughter would absolutely enjoy it

[JaniceB]

Have a great cruise, thanks for sharing!

[przyk]

Sorry about the " old smell ". I was on the Sensation last month. It's probably me.

 

I really liked the Mongolian Grill for lunch. I agree with your initial assessment of the staff. They were all great.

[winddawn]

Greetings from onboard the Carnival Sensation. DW, DD, and I just boarded this morning for her 4 night Bahamas cruise. A frequent reader (and not so often poster) of these boards, I figured I start a post about our cruise, especially since the Sensation is one of the less frequently talked about ships on this site.

 

I will try and post as often as I have internet.

 

Background:

We're a family of three. Booked this cruise only about a month ago - it was a spur of the moment decision (actually booked it before I cleared it with DW). I was itching for a vacation, but we both have very busy jobs, so getting away is tough. I picked the cruise more for the timing than anything else - we're both off 7/1 and 7/4.

 

We've both cruised a bunch - in fact DD is only 22 months old and has already been on three cruises! I've never been on Carnival, DW has been as a singleton a few times before. We love cruising. To us, any day at sea is better than a day on land.

 

Will admit upfront, I'm going to take this cruise for what it is - not going to compare it to our time on Celebrity, Princess, Windstar. To me it's comparing apples to oranges.

 

Itinerary:

Quick 4 nighter - Miami, Day at Sea, HMC, Nassau, Miami

 

Embarkation:

We arrived to FLL at around 9am. Given that we have DD with us, we booked Carnival transfers - they actually worked out perfectly. We were enroute to MIA, by 9:35am. Meeting the reps at the airport was a breeze - there is a Carnival podium under a sign that says "Meeting Place."

 

We booked Faster To The Fun. I read very mixed reviews on the program, but again given our daughter and the long day of travel we had to get here (our flight left NYC at 6am - you can do the math), I wanted to expedite everything. Went in expecting that it wouldn't be worth it, but let me tell you, it's already paid for itself in my book. Everything at the pier was a breeze. Just follow the yellow brick...err...faster to the fun signs and you're golden. We were checked in by 10:50 and onboard the ship by 11:30, lunch in our bellies by 12 (including a stop to our cabins - yes, they were ready). FTTF is totally worth it - if for embarkation alone.

 

Cabin:

We booked 2 connecting oceanview cabins on Deck 6 - Upper Deck. DD goes to bed early and on previous cruises it's forced DW and I to basically sit awake in the dark. After two times round, we decided it would be much more relaxing to put her in an adjoining room (and allows us to both get ready at the same time - extra bathroom for the win). Cabins are basic, but perfectly suitable for the price. The bathroom and shower are a very good size, closet space is ample too. Decor is a bit dated (but so is the ship, more on that below).

 

Initial Impressions of the Ship:

Honestly, the ship is exactly what I thought it would be. Seems like I was time-warped back to one of those Kathy Lee Gifford commercials for Carnival. Decor is gaudy, loud, and very early-90s. Would I want it for my own home? No. However, I think it adds a bit of character to the vacation and don't mind it - it's Carnival, after all. I have no doubt the atrium was quite impressive in its day (although it's very purple, it's still a fun space).

 

Everything is so-far-so-good. If I had one minor gripe, it's that the ship smells a little stale. Some parts reek of smoke, other just give off an old smell. By no means is it a deal breaker though.

 

Lunch:

Grabbed a burger and fries from the grill. Quite tasty and very fast (thank you FTTF).

 

Crew:

We've had 4 interactions with the crew thus far and they have all been super friendly and quite kind to DD. They all seem genuine about wanting to know more about - no one has rushed off. Lots of them seem quite loyal to the Sensation. One of the junior hosts we met is on her 15th contract - on this ship! It's too early to say it yet, but the ship is definitely in the running for one of the best crews.

 

We've only been onboard for about 2 hours, so that's pretty much all I have to share at the moment. Hope you find this helpful. Feel free to ask questions. I'll try to answer and post updates when I can.

 

Question for the Carnival pros out there - is the Suess breakfast worth it? Can you do that and the Sea Day Brunch? Would a 22 month old like it (DD loves Elmo and Curious George)?

Congratulations on your last-minute cruise! I'm looking forward to your review. I think you will find that Carnival staff are phenomenal--especially considering the price point. IMO they truly care about passengers and go out of their way to provide great service. I speak from experience. I just took my 30th Carnival cruise this month. Wishing you and your family a great cruise....

[SMSACE6]

Thanks for your report! I have a soft spot for the Sensation. She was my first Carnival ship, and I have only cruised Carnival since then, though that may soon change, still I have loved all my Carnival cruises, and find the staff to be exactly as you described them. They seem genuinely interested in making you feel welcome. Sorry, I have no personal experience with the Suess breakfast, but have read many a review, where adults say it is well worth the fee, but the kids do seem to really enjoy it. Have a great cruise:)

[Zuzie1]

Quick update...

 

Dining Table

Per the board, I emailed the maitre'd to request our own table. Never heard back so figured it was a no go. Just went to scout out our table and sure enough we do have our own. Very impressed. Will make dinner so much easier for everyone.

 

Muster Drill

It was exactly an hour long. Wow. Never had one this long. Is it unique to Carnival? First we had to meet in the theater and then got marched to the lifeboats. They insisted on everyone being quiet which I totally get, but hard for a 22 month old to understand. Needless to say we weren't the favorite people at the muster.

 

Future Cruise Desk

Contrary to what's online Sensation has one. If all continues like this, I'll be paying a visit. The other ships can only be better than this, right?

 

Oh, and we booked Seuss! Will let you know. Bon voyage!!

[Zuzie1]

Sorry about the " old smell ". I was on the Sensation last month. It's probably me.

 

Highly doubt it! If you're cruising Carnival your young in my book!

[4biegelboys]

THanks for the review. Hubby and I are determining our 20thouse anniversary trip and this boat is on the listnew so it will be good to hear a current review. This will be a cruise without our kids, first big vacation by ourselves in a very long time!

[louanne93]

Have an AMAZING time!!

[riclop]

Thanks for the report.

[Zuzie1]

Night 1 Update...

 

Just finished dinner. DD in bed sound asleep, so I splurged for the premium internet package (really just to keep you all updated) - speeds are very good. $60 for the cruise.

 

Dinner

We were pleasantly surprised by the dining room. Decor is not all that chitzy and does not seem dated. There are still table cloths on the table, so it doesn't seem that AT has been implemented yet.

 

Our two waiters are very nice. The food night was fine. It was in line with what I was expecting - it's cruise fare. Banquet food-esque. We asked the waiters to bring our daughter's food out right away and they certainly obliged (I'll add the chicken nuggets were delicious). DW started with shrimp cocktail and then had the lasagna. The lasagna was huge. It was tasty, but it lacked pasta noodles and had green olives in it - not sure I would call it lasagna. I had the escargot to start, which was highly delicious. Ordered the Greek chicken for dinner, and honestly, while tasty was a bit of a letdown. Really just a chicken breast in red sauce. It also came served over penne (menu didn't mention that), not sure I would get it again. We also shared the spinach artichoke dip, which also was just okay.

 

Our daughter was expiring by the time dessert rolled around, so DW brought her back to the cabin, while I waited for desserts to come out (and then brought them back to the cabin). Cheesecake, melting chocolate cake, and butter pecan ice cream. We did not care for any of them. No big deal though, glad to save the calories.

 

Now don't misconstrue my words, the food is fine, it's just not the best out there. Certainly won't ruin the cruise. Plus, we still have 3 more nights for our opinions to change.

 

Cabin

DW requested turn down and it was fulfilled - towel animal and all.

 

Tomorrow

Fun day at sea. We have the suess brunch in the morning, then who knows what. That's the beauty of a day at sea.

[sun_lovin!1]

If your family is anything like mine you will absolutely adore the Suess breakfast. I grew up with Dr Suess and I loved it. So did the my DD, DIL and the grandsons, ages 7 and 2 1/2. Thing 1 and Thing 2 were a huge hit. On the Splendor the characters don't leave the room until every child has had the opportunity for pictures. The decorations are adorable and even the food was fun! Loving your review!!

[przyk]

As far as the dining room food on the Sensation for the most part I liked the appetizers better than the entrees. No one in our party of 7 liked any of the beef dishes. I had fish a couple nights that was okay.

[disneylover89]

Great review so far! We sail on the Sensation in August so I am interested to hear more :)

 

How do you like the premium internet service? My son wants to do some studying for his CPA while on the ship and he needs to access a study website. Is the internet connection reliable? Are you using the internet from your room? Thanks!

[myisland00]

Thank you so much for the review! My family is going on Sensation on July 9th. I'm looking forward to hear about the Seuss breakfast. My boys ages 9 and 11 used to love Dr. Seuss, I hope they aren't too old to enjoy it!

I would love to hear as well if the ship sways a lot? My last cruise was on the pacific side-baja, and it was really choppy. I'm hoping the water is calmer in the Caribbean? I'd love to hear your thoughts! Have a wonderful time! [emoji267]

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums mobile app

[Zuzie1]

Great review so far! We sail on the Sensation in August so I am interested to hear more :)

 

How do you like the premium internet service? My son wants to do some studying for his CPA while on the ship and he needs to access a study website. Is the internet connection reliable? Are you using the internet from your room? Thanks!

 

Premium Internet has Ben working great. No real issues. Not as fast as home, but not terribly slow either

[Zuzie1]

Thank you so much for the review! My family is going on Sensation on July 9th. I'm looking forward to hear about the Seuss breakfast. My boys ages 9 and 11 used to love Dr. Seuss, I hope they aren't too old to enjoy it!

I would love to hear as well if the ship sways a lot? My last cruise was on the pacific side-baja, and it was really choppy. I'm hoping the water is calmer in the Caribbean? I'd love to hear your thoughts! Have a wonderful time! [emoji267]

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums mobile app

 

Things have been very calm. It's hard to tell we're even moving. Then again, we're only going to HMC, with a day at sea in between - pretty sure they could shut the engines off and we'd still be able to float there.

 

As long as the weather is nice, I think you'll be fine. IMHO, Caribbean sailings are some of the most calm.

[Frank12]

We've enjoyed all 5 of our cruises on the Sensation. The crew has always been top-notch.

If you like the Sensation you will really enjoy one of the newer larger ships like the Breeze or the Magic! Many more dining options and bells & whistles

[winddawn]

Things have been very calm. It's hard to tell we're even moving. Then again, we're only going to HMC, with a day at sea in between - pretty sure they could shut the engines off and we'd still be able to float there.

 

As long as the weather is nice, I think you'll be fine. IMHO, Caribbean sailings are some of the most calm.

Glad to hear you're having a good time. I'm looking forward to reading more about your cruise.

[disneylover89]

Premium Internet has Ben working great. No real issues. Not as fast as home, but not terribly slow either

 

Thanks for the reply! Have fun at HMC! We love their beach and make sure all our cruises have a stop there. Enjoy!

[CruiseReg]

Premium Internet has Ben working great. No real issues. Not as fast as home, but not terribly slow either

I'm on the Sensation right now also and agree the premium Internet is working quite well for me. I did a speedtest and got 10 Mbps down and 3 Mbps up. It's the best I've measured at sea and I've been cruising since before there was passenger accessible Internet access.

 

I'm quite pleased.

 

Sent from my Nexus 6 using Tapatalk

[disneylover89]

I'm on the Sensation right now also and agree the premium Internet is working quite well for me. I did a speedtest and got 10 Mbps down and 3 Mbps up. It's the best I've measured at sea and I've been cruising since before there was passenger accessible Internet access.

 

I'm quite pleased.

 

Sent from my Nexus 6 using Tapatalk

 

Great news! I hope you post a review on the Sensation when you get back!

[Zuzie1]

Day 2 Update - A Wonderful Day at Sea

 

Morning

Our morning started at the Suess brunch. Thank you all for your recommendations. It was very well done. Every table is Suessed-out. Waitstaff in Suess uniforms as well. The kids loved it. DD on the other hand was freaked out by the characters. More a product of her age than anything I believe. In due time. Breakfast at the brunch was pretty terrible. DD loved it - too sweet for DW and I. All in all, I would recommend for a family with kids a little older than our DD. For the price, it's a bargain.

 

After the brunch, we went up to the pool deck and had a nice morning by the pool and at waterworks. DD LOVED waterworks. Literally spent hours running from fountain to fountain.

 

At around 11:30, we went in for lunch. We were disappointed that there really weren't any lunch options at this time besides pizza - which was very good. Everything else starts at 12.

 

Afternoon

While DD and DW snoozed, I got a massage. The massage was very relaxing, albeit painful at times. I asked my therapist to ease up on the pressure a few times, but it didn't seem to change anything. I have bruises from it. First time ever this has happened! I know I'll feel it tomorrow.

 

After the massage, I returned to the cabin and DD was just waking up. We went to the Hasbro game show. Fun show. I will say, I am surprised by the lack of bar servers, considering booze is a big money maker for cruise lines (and, we're on a fun ship). Took a while to secure a drink. Perhaps they've reduced the number of bar waiters because so many people buy Cheers they don't want for easy access? I did not buy the package.

 

Post the show we tried to get DD's picture taken as its dressy night and pictures were supposed to start at 4:30. Well at 4:50 nothing was ready - they were still setting up. Oh well. We save money and again they miss out on the revenue.

 

Evening

Tonight was formal night. While I don't dress to the nines for it, I was surprised to see how many people wear jean shorts and shirts to the fancy dinner. Clearly dress codes have gone out the door. Fine by me. Wish I had known.

 

Dinner was better than last night. Recommend the alligator fritters and the duck. I did have to send my crab ravioli a in vodka sauce back. They were not good. It was DW's birthday last week and the crew did a ver nice job celebrating it today. Waiters sang to her and cabin steward decorated the room without asking. Nice touch.

 

Other observations / thoughts

-The toilet paper onboard is terrible. Might as well be sandpaper.

-Activities never start on time from the muster drill to photo shoots, everything seems to be 10-15 minutes behind the schedule. We're punctual people, but have started to factor this in.

-Our connecting cabins have two different stewards. One is substantially more present than he other. Wish we had him for both.

-Tomorrow we are at HMC and booked a villa. My wife had the brilliant idea of asking them to put a crib in it for DD to nap. The shorex desk had never heard the request before, but after a quick phone call to housekeeping, it was arranged. Will let you know how it works out.

 

That's all folks. We're having lots of fun!

[Zuzie1]

Forgot two other quick thoughts

 

-We really like the taste bar. It's featured small bites from carnival's specialty restaurants around the fleet. Although tonight the man tried to say we could only have one serving from it. Please, this is a cruise...

 

-The ship gives you discount coupons for a bday on the day you celebrate. Notably $50 off a spa treatment or $25 off a bottle of wine. So pro tip: celebrate early so you have the cruise to enjoy and use.