Will I be disappointed with Fantasy?

[SKYYcamel]

The wife and I have been on 3 carnival cruises.  All on larger ships (Conquest, Triumph and Dream).  We were looking for an inexpensive getaway and found a 5 day cruise on the Fantasy.  Mobile is the closest port to us and then is attractive to us as well.  I also know she's the oldest ship in the fleet.  So, after being on those larger ships, will she be too much of a letdown for us?  Is she more susceptible to rocking during rougher sea days?  Is the food good? Any input anyone can give is appreciated.  Thanks!

 

 

[NightOne]

1 minute ago, SKYYcamel said:

The wife and I have been on 3 carnival cruises.  All on larger ships (Conquest, Triumph and Dream).  We were looking for an inexpensive getaway and found a 5 day cruise on the Fantasy.  Mobile is the closest port to us and then is attractive to us as well.  I also know she's the oldest ship in the fleet.  So, after being on those larger ships, will she be too much of a letdown for us?  Is she more susceptible to rocking during rougher sea days?  Is the food good? Any input anyone can give is appreciated.  Thanks!

 

 

 

I've been on Triumph, Dream, and Fantasy. The Fantasy is smaller but we had a good time. We went during a holiday week in the middle of college football season so we were not fans of many of our fellow passengers but we had no problem with the ship. The actually have an awesome little area right outside the lido in the aft which is one deck higher than serenity deck where you can eat or just chill and enjoy the aft view.

 

Try it.

[Don Kehote]

What are your expectations?  That's the key here. 

 

Food should be line-standard. She was my first ship back in '98 or so.  And I've only been on Fantasy-class since, so I can't really speak to comparisons, but even the lowlights have been perfectly cromulent, in retrospect, and the high points have been fantastic.

[purplephenom]

I was all prepared to be disappointed with the Fascination, after being on larger ships.  I was preparing my 'I told you so" response.  But, after being on the bigger ships, there were no lines for anything- I found myself wondering where all the people were- and I could get a deck chair whenever I wanted.  That was all quite the novelty to me, and it really made my cruise.  Now, I'm worried about going on the Horizon.  

 

So no, I don't think you'll automatically be disappointed going on the fantasy- the fantasy class really does have a different sort of benefit 

[xDisconnections]

I would probably be disappointed. The condition of the Fantasy is less than ideal.

[NightOne]

3 minutes ago, xDisconnections said:

I would probably be disappointed. The condition of the Fantasy is less than ideal.

Condition of Fantasy is just fine.

[xDisconnections]

1 minute ago, NightOne said:

Condition of Fantasy is just fine.

I guess my expectations are higher. I'd avoid this ship.

[lovecarnivalcruises]

I have a cruise planned for the Fantasy in Sept. I have been on large ships and small ones. And loved them both. The worse ship I have every been on was the old Holiday ship, it was really bad when I was on it. But, that was my favorite cruise, I really had so much fun. The service on the ship was great. So plan on having fun and you will.

 

[N7786W Flyer]

My wife and I have 9 Carnival cruises booked at this point, with 3 of those being on Fantasy class ships (Fascination, Ecstasy, Paradise).

 

While they are not as large as their sisters and may not have all the bells and whistles the newer ships have, they deliver a great cruise experience in my opinion.

 

While no disrespect is intended, it always amuses me when people have a fear of these ships' size.  Yes, they are definitely somewhat smaller than contemporary cruise ships of today.  However, when they were built, they were some of the largest passenger ships in the world at the time.  If memory serves me, when the Fantasy debuted in 1990 at 70,367 tons, the SS Norway was the world's largest passenger ship at 76,049 tons.

 

Long story short, I wouldn't....and don't...hesitate to book Fantasy class ships if the itinerary and pricing are to my liking.

 

Garnett

[Cruiser_1977]

I was on her the week before her dry dock. My review is in my signature. I loved her and would sail on her again in a heartbeat. I don't do shows and rock walls and that type of bells and whistles. I like to read on the balcony or by the pool. Visit the piano bar, have a bourbon in a lounge making new "cruise friends". Go and enjoy! Happy Cruising 🙂 

[zipper1]

56 minutes ago, xDisconnections said:

I would probably be disappointed. The condition of the Fantasy is less than ideal.

Of course you would.

 

[Robert & Debra]

We did a back to back last month and we would go back in a second. The ship has some issues but nothing that diminished our cruise. The food was good except the one night we decided to go to the buffet. It was terrible. Maybe just a bad night. We have sailed several Carnival ships and when I compare them Fantasy really holds its own. We live really close to the port as well and it was nice to not have to travel just to get there.

[NCTribeFan]

I love Fantasy.  I have about 40 nights on her.  Feels like I'm "home" when I board!  When they moved her out of Charleston and put Ecstasy there, it just wasn't the same, although they're practically identical.

 

IMHO, the Fantasy-class ships always seem to have good service and good food.  Fantasy just always had a good "vibe" to her.

 

If you think you can't live without a dinner in the steakhouse or without a big TV by the pool, you'll be disappointed. 

[Bahbert]

I've sailed on the Conquest and the Dream, and have been on the Fantasy twice now (most recently about a month ago). My most recent cruise before the Fantasy was on the Dream, and I didn't notice a huge difference between the two ships (except that I didn't have as far to walk on the Fantasy). She's a fine ship with plenty of amenities. Does she have 6+ hot tubs or a BBQ place like the Dream? No, but I didn't miss any of that stuff.

 

The food is as good as on any ship; she has all the usual fare (MDR, buffet, pizza, deli, Guy's burgers, burritos). She doesn't have a steakhouse, but there is a tiny place to get fresh-made sushi (for extra $$) if you'd like.

 

Movement isn't really noticeable unless the seas are a little high, and then you'll feel it on many ships (I'm prone to get a little queasy sometimes and didn't have any problem on this last cruise, while I did feel it one night on the Dream). 

 

Some people have reported broken things in their staterooms (cabinet hinges and the like) but I think that's possible on any ship, really; I think that has less to do with the age of the ship and more to do with the people who have most recently sailed her.

 

Overall I choose my cruises for the price, port, and itinerary, and not so much for the size of the ship. We've had plenty of fun on the Fantasy and would willingly sail her again.

[PhillyFan33579]

1 hour ago, xDisconnections said:

I would probably be disappointed. The condition of the Fantasy is less than ideal.

 

When was the last time you cruised on Fantasy?

[Warm Breezes]

We got a great deal on the Fantasy last year.  I too was a little nervous about sailing an older ship.  Yes she showed a some wear and tear.  We had a PH room which was a little more rocky than we were used to but was ok.  We food and entertainment were good.  The Cruise Director Mikey was great.  DH was in bed most of the time having issues with his back.  I spent that time in the casino and started winning on day one at the slots so I kept going back and playing more since he was down.  I ended playing so much I got free drinks on the third day and was still winning.  I ended up on the last day buying myself a new ring with my winnings and coming off the ship with a few hundred more than I came on with.  Now I am looking forward to our Carnival Sensation cruise this October and hoping my luck carries on 😎.

[NightOne]

1 hour ago, xDisconnections said:

I guess my expectations are higher. I'd avoid this ship.

 

Have you even been on the ship or is this just your usual short statement with nothing to back it up? LOL

[Tapi]

I sailed on the Fantasy back in February, after a 9 year hiatus from Carnival. We sailed with 25 friends to celebrate a birthday. The ship had just gone through a dry dock the previous month.

 

We had a great time, substantially fueled by the fact that we were sailing with friends, the low prices, and the convenience of sailing from Mobile (our closest port of embarkation). Many of the things that we enjoyed from previous Carnival cruises were present on this sailing as well. 

 

But even with a recent dry dock, Fantasy is looking sadly neglected. There’s no denying that she’s almost 30 years old and it shows. Our stateroom had a lengthy list of maintenance issues. Broken sink faucet, closet door that ripped right off its hinges, TV that showed no signal for most channels, and a window with a worn seal and which leaked water that pooled on the ledge. Throughout the ship, similar maintenance issues were evident in several places. On one end, Carnival has definitely spent money to upgrade and fix some things, but then there are a lot of things that still need attention. It seemed to me like Carnival isn’t spending what they should to truly keep this old gal up to speed.

 

I believe that the key to enjoying a sailing on the Fantasy (or any older, smaller ship in the Carnival fleet) is to adjust expectations accordingly. Some people probably won’t bat an eye (or even notice) the maintenance issues that the ship has and won’t be bothered, while others will probably think that this ship is better off being sold for scrap. It truly depends on the individual person and what they expect from their vacation. 

 

With everything mentioned, I considered our last cruise on the Fantasy to be very enjoyable. As mentioned before, we sailed with friends, the convenience of sailing from Mobile couldn’t  be beat, the prices was cheap, and the crew (both on the ship and ashore) were some of the friendliest and hardest working we’ve ever met (although they were overworked and spread too thin). But we are not rushing to sail on her again. We agreed that we won’t sail from a Mobile again until Carnival (or another cruise line) brings another ship in better condition to Mobile.

 

As long as you go with realistic expectations, and that your focus is on everything except the general condition of the ship, the Fantasy will be a good, affordable, and convenient way to get away for a few days. 

[obx_fintoo]

3 hours ago, Don Kehote said:

even the lowlights have been perfectly cromulent,

This made my day!!  😎

 

Fantasy class ships are our preference.  I have sailed on the larger ships and enjoy them but keep going back to the Fantasy class.   The layout is actually one of the least confusing.  Do your research and have a wonderful "inexpensive getaway"!

[Don Kehote]

29 minutes ago, obx_fintoo said:

This made my day!!  😎

And now my heart is embiggened!

[kenb]

I have a cruise booked on the Fantasy in November. We have sailed RCL, Celebrity, and NCL. We prefer a smaller ship so my last cruise which was on the NCL Breakaway during spring break was a definite eye opener. Luckily we were in the Haven so we were able to escape the madness. 

We met up by accident  with some friends we had seen on several of our NCL cruises. They cruise several times a year through Casinos at Sea. They live close to Mobile and talked us into a short cruise together. My wife and I have a mini-suite because we can't live without a balcony. I have already learned a few of the differences between the other cruises and Carnival. Most of them are not show stoppers.

One quick question is , our cabin has a mini fridge, is is cold enough for my wife's insulin?

[wesorbeth]

I have been on the Fantasy twice, the BEST SERVICE I have ever received on a cruise ship both times.  

[wesorbeth]

We brought an extra vial of insulin for our daughter's pump, the medical center will give you something to keep it cold. The refrigerators are not recommended to store insulin.

[Butterbean1000]

I've been on Fantasy twice.  My least favorite ship.  Wer are balcony people.  The only balconies are suites.  The ship is very old and showing her age. 

[purplephenom]

3 hours ago, Warm Breezes said:

We got a great deal on the Fantasy last year.  I too was a little nervous about sailing an older ship.  Yes she showed a some wear and tear.  We had a PH room which was a little more rocky than we were used to but was ok.  We food and entertainment were good.  The Cruise Director Mikey was great.  DH was in bed most of the time having issues with his back.  I spent that time in the casino and started winning on day one at the slots so I kept going back and playing more since he was down.  I ended playing so much I got free drinks on the third day and was still winning.  I ended up on the last day buying myself a new ring with my winnings and coming off the ship with a few hundred more than I came on with.  Now I am looking forward to our Carnival Sensation cruise this October and hoping my luck carries on 😎.

 

What a cool story. Hope your DH is in good health on your next cruise and you both win money!