Did I screw up?

[Zuissb]

I finally convinced my friends to go on a cruise for spring break next year (2017). I have gone on three cruises already (two eastern and one western caribbean), but the other three passengers have not cruised before.

 

I heard that southern caribbean islands were the best and since none of us have been before I thought it would be the best location.

 

I ended up booking a 7 day cruise from San Juan, PR that travels to St. Thomas, St. Maarten, St. Kitts, Barbados, and St. Lucia with one day at sea. I thought it was an amazing itinerary and a great price ($1850 for all 4 of us), but then I came on these boards and read a lot of negative things about Carnival Fascination.

 

This concerned me greatly because my friends put a lot of trust in me to choose a good trip and I want their experience to be a good one to hopefully sway them into taking more cruises together.

 

So do you think I screwed up by booking a smaller ship, or will they not know/care since they have not been before? Perhaps the islands and excursions are enough to make the trip great?

[cruzeluver]

If they have not been on a cruise before then I would not be too concerned since they will have nothing to compare Fascination to. Yes, its an older ship with very 80's decor, but Carnival does a pretty good job of at least keeping their older vessels clean and in good repair. Besides, you only have one full sea day and your itinerary is great! Going to some terrific islands and getting to start in Puerto Rico to me is a huge plus. Absolutely one of my favorite places on Earth.

[asalligo]

I have made the same mistake and do not think I would take first time cruisers on the Fascination after my previous experience. I have heard first time cruisers after cruising with me say things like this person cruised this ship and they had this and this and it was so much cooler than the boat we were on.

 

Yes, there are lots of cruise options out there, but we had one specific week and we needed to drive to the port, this limited our options to basically two ships. Not to even mention price. So yes, there are big awesome ships out there, but every cruise ship in the world was not available to leave on our two possible embarkation days in March.

 

So if I was taking a first time cruiser and a more frills boat was available, I would choose that over great ports.

[RubyGold]

Hi, welcome to cruise critic!

 

My first cruise was on the Carnival Ecstasy, quite a small ship without updated amenities. It was crowded. There were chair hogs. Rude people at the buffet, elevator......

 

But we had an absolute blast. We were together, celebrating, sunbathing, drinking........ We made it OUR vacation.

 

You have an itinerary with amazing ports, you have your friends, you have all the food you can eat and you have (hopefully) sunshine and time off from work/school/normal life.

 

If they enjoy this and then go on a larger ship, i'm sure that they will be wowed.

Keep the trip as it is, don't read into the negatives too much, you'll be so busy that you won't have time to see the downside.

 

Enjoy your trip.

[ryano]

My first ever cruise was on Carnival Holiday at a time when there were many other newer and bigger options available. I LOVED that cruise and that is what got me hooked! Fascination is newer now than Holiday was then and bigger and the people you are going with have NOTHING to compare too. I wouldnt sweat it at all. If they like cruising at all, they will love it Im guessing and wish the cruise was longer.

Edited July 19, 2016 by ryano

[asalligo]

Maybe just speak to them and set the expectation. See what other ships are available and tell them what the Fascination does not have versus the awesomeness of the ports. At least they would then know they had a choice.

 

I personally prefer the smaller ships, but if doing it again, I would get more input and make everyone work on the decision.

[nchikk]

I took Hunny on the Fascination for her first cruise. On debark day she was looking for places to hide so she wouldn't have to get off the ship. There is nothing wrong with Fantasy class ships, unless you consider the lack of "bells & whistles" of the newer ships to be a problem. I don't.

[elliair]

What they don't know won't hurt them. Go and have a good time.

[bandtaxi]

Personal opinion rules here. For us, it would definitely be ports over the ship. We did the south on our first cruise and LOVED it! But, again, ship amenities are not high on our list as long as we have a clean room and food. Give us beautiful islands!!! Barbados is one of our favorite places on earth!

[travelinteach]

Did you book through Carnival and is that price with 4 in a room?? I think that is a great price and am looking at this cruise as well.

[stobe1]

I wouldn't worry about it.

 

You can find negative reviews of any ship. That's why I don't read reviews. For every negative review you read, there are 1,000 positive stories that you don't hear about.

 

The Fascination is a great ship. Don't worry about it.

Edited July 19, 2016 by stobe1

[ryano]

What they don't know won't hurt them. Go and have a good time.

 

I agree with you! :eek: It certainly didnt hurt me.

 

Speaking of Fascination though, this was a pic from my first cruise on Holiday.

 

Edited July 19, 2016 by ryano

[NurseMarla]

Like others have said, if they have never cruised before, don't stress it. Our first cruise was on a smaller ship and those have ended up being our favorite.

[originalgeek]

3 years ago my son and DIL talked my wife and I into going on a cruise. We had always been hesitant because we were afraid of sea-sickness and the fear of the unknown. It was a 3 day cruise to Freeport on the Bahama Celebration (since renamed I believe) and we went because we figured it would be a safe test of our sea-going prowess.

 

Well we had a blast. Even though all around us were experienced cruisers complaining how small the ship was and how much shows and extra food cost, we had the greatest 3 day vacation we've ever had.

 

I've been pining for the open sea ever since then and this Saturday we are heading out for our 30th anniversary on Conquest.

 

In summary - you and your friends are very likely to have a blast. That does sound like a great itinerary. Don't worry, relax and have a fantastic trip!

[bumbles]

My first ever cruise was on Carnival Holiday at a time when there were many other newer and bigger options available. I LOVED that cruise and that is what got me hooked! Fascination is newer now than Holiday was then and bigger and the people you are going with have NOTHING to compare too. I wouldnt sweat it at all. If they like cruising at all, they will love it Im guessing and wish the cruise was longer.

 

I was just coming on to say almost this exact thing - our first cruise on Carnival in 2009 was the Holiday - we've been hooked ever since. Vacation is what you make it - and that itinerary is so jam packed and wonderful that you'll hardly notice the ship at all.

[CGinMTL]

Talk to your friends. explain the pro's and cons. Let them decide. Remember, it is your vacation too.

It is always hard being the "planner", some people made zero decision but were good to "blame".

Now, before I do anything I say " you are not paying me to be your travel agent".

.

Show them the way to cruise critics and let them each do the research on 1 port.

[SeagoingMom]

I wonder why you ask the question, "Did I screw up?" Are you considering changing to another ship, or are you simply looking for positive things to say to convince your traveling companions (and yourself, it would seem...) that they will enjoy their experience?

 

You had certain reasons for choosing Fascination -- itinerary, cost of the cruise, and since it's a spring break cruise, undoubtedly dates. If none of those factors has changed, then you made a great choice within those parameters.

 

Whether you and your companions will have a great time will depend more on the people than the ship. I have had a very different experience on every cruise, but my husband and I make our own fun and enjoy each trip in spite of little glitches, inconveniences, or less-preferred characteristics of the ship. On the other hand, if you are traveling with whiny, self-centered people who "want what they want when they want it," you may have a miserable time no matter which ship you choose!

 

On Cruise Critic you can read negative reviews of every ship sailing. When I read negative reviews, I sift through the issues the poster is complaining about to see which ones would be a problem for me personally, then decide whether I believe I will react the same way to the ship as the poster did.

 

If you are asking "Did I screw up?" because you are thinking of changing your plans, I would advise you to talk with your companions about what they are looking for in a cruise. Do they think they would prefer a huge ship with all the bells and whistles: flow rider, zipline, indoor park, grass lawn, climbing wall, ice skating rink? If so, can they afford that? If not, will they be happy just to be at sea on a fine ship with deck parties, bars, nightclub, pool and waterslide, and visiting some great ports?

 

I presume you have already taken your friends' preferences into consideration, and they have allowed you to choose. Go for it! You will most likely have a great time no matter what ship you are on!

 

I sailed on Fascination before the "Evolutions of Fun" upgrade -- before it even had a waterslide -- and it is still one of my favorite ships. I liked the smaller size and the less glitzy interior -- it was more like a ship to me than many bigger, newer vessels which seem more to me like hotels at sea. But I sail mostly for the ship, and for sea days, too, so my taste may be different from yours.

[poz222]

Honestly, on that itinerary the ship matters very little... With 6 ports in 7 days there is barely enough time/energy to really take advantage of ship amenities... Bells and whistles are useless if your too busy or tired to use them! Don't sweat it and with the good rate you got, take,the extra money and do some amazing excursions!

[TerReuv]

We sailed the Fascination for our first cruise in 2011. We went with my parents and we all loved the cruise. It was a 5 day and we only went to Nassau and Half Moon. For our first cruise we thought it was great and we have cruised twice since then. I wouldn't worry about it.

 

You could always find a video on You Tube of the Fascination to show them the ship and let them get an idea of what it is like. However, I agree with others that a cruise is what you make it and going into it with a good attitude is the first step.

[KCruise9876]

My first and only cruise (so far) was on a small ship. I didn't really read any reviews before I went, so I had no idea what to expect. We only went to Nassau and Freeport and it was still the best vacation I can remember taking! We had such a great time. It was so much fun to explore and experience new things. It's this awesome break from reality and I don't see how anyone could have a bad time! You guys will have a blast.

[michiganredrose]

Honestly, that was such a great itinerary and such a busy trip, I wouldn't have cared what ship I was on. I loved every port on that cruise.

[dulcimergirl]

Hi, welcome to cruise critic!

 

My first cruise was on the Carnival Ecstasy, quite a small ship without updated amenities. It was crowded. There were chair hogs. Rude people at the buffet, elevator......

 

But we had an absolute blast. We were together, celebrating, sunbathing, drinking........ We made it OUR vacation.

 

You have an itinerary with amazing ports, you have your friends, you have all the food you can eat and you have (hopefully) sunshine and time off from work/school/normal life.

 

If they enjoy this and then go on a larger ship, i'm sure that they will be wowed.

Keep the trip as it is, don't read into the negatives too much, you'll be so busy that you won't have time to see the downside.

 

Enjoy your trip.

this! Enjoy each and every cruise like it will be your last.

[ober134]

I agree with most of the opinions posted above... Don't give too much weight to the reviews you read. While often helpful, reviews can definitely be misleading. I have read reviews of cruises I was on... And I can hardly believe I was on the same sailing as the reviewer. I think some people just can not be pleased, no matter what. We actually like the "smaller" fantasy class ships. And a 70,000 GT ship is not really small... It's a huge ship!! Yes, smaller than newer ships but its darn big. Not all the bells and whistles, but I guarantee a good time. Keep your expectations realistic, don't sweat the small stuff. sounds like a great price, a great itinerary (I'm actually looking at this same ship for early next year)... go have fun!

[dacsmom]

The Southern Itinerary is amazing, and there is so little time on the ship. If it is their first cruise, they will probably have a fantastic time no matter what ship they are on. There is definitely something to be said for the smaller ships; friendlier crew, more personal service, less crowds. Have a great cruise and do not worry that you made a bad decision. The ship sails every week, so some people must like it. There are also some great reviews out there too.

Edited July 19, 2016 by dacsmom

[Zuissb]

Wow thank you all for such quick feedback! I have already began looking at all the great things to do at each port through trip advisor and I think there will be plenty of stuff to occupy our time! I think I made the right decision and will hopefully remember to make a blog post when we do go in March.