Fascination--what should I know about THIS ship?

[celbercrz333]

We will go on Fascination this fall. Is there anything I should know about this ship? How about the differences between Celebrity and Carnival? We have only done one cruise--last fall on Celebrity Zenith.
--Joanne
Celebrity Zenith 10/2003
coming: Fascination Fall 2004

[wicruiser]

celbercrz333,
My husband and I are in the same spot you are in. We have only cruised once before and it was with Celebrity (Mercury). We are giving the Fascination a try in Oct., We can't wait to cruise again! I am interested to see if you get any responses to your question. Good luck with your fall cruise! [img]http://messages.cruisecritic.com/infopop/emoticons/icon_smile.gif[/img]

[fascination 5/10]

Fascination is great... I''m ure you'll love her. We did the 4-day W. Carib out of Miami last year, and are doing the same trip next week. There are some things about the ship that are a little glitzy and gaudy, but the food and staff were amazing, not to mention the value!
We leave on Monday for another trip on her, so if you have any questions, ask first and I'll be sure to pay particular attention and respond when I return.

[img]http://escati.linkopp.net/cgi-bin/countdown.cgi?trgb=000000&srgb=00ff00&prgb=00bfff&cdt=2004;5;10;17;0;00&timezone=GMT-0500[/img]
Fascination 5/12/03

[fascination 5/10]

sorry for typos...it's late! Time for bed I guess, though these boards are addictive. [img]http://messages.cruisecritic.com/infopop/emoticons/icon_smile.gif[/img]

[img]http://escati.linkopp.net/cgi-bin/countdown.cgi?trgb=000000&srgb=00ff00&prgb=00bfff&cdt=2004;5;10;17;0;00&timezone=GMT-0500[/img]
Fascination 5/12/03

[CruiseFever]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR> How about the differences between Celebrity and Carnival? <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Well you know how Celebrity's motto is "We like to have fun...just not too loud" right?

Carnival is loud

I think the first thing you need to do is forget you ever cruised on Celebrity at all.

Ok so that's not going to happen.

The Fascination is a great ship and a super ship for a short cruise. We loved her and would go back in a heartbeat.

I'd caution you not to make direct comparisons while you're onboard though.

I've not sailed Celebrity at all but I've seen this question asked before, read reviews after and it's the passengers that go in looking for a fun cruise on a great ship that have the best time and enjoy themselves.

I do know that statistically you'll find a younger crowd and if you're looking for a party, there will be one to be found. I also know from personal experience that the Fascination can be enjoyed as a laid back/relaxed or high energy cruise.

Here's how:
[url="http://www.lifeiscruising.com/lifestyle"]http://www.lifeiscruising.com/lifestyle[/url]

Happy Cruising

Chris

[url="http://www.LifeIsCruising.com"]www.LifeIsCruising.com[/url]

Next up:
Caribbean Princess 06/26/04
Star Princess 10/24/04
Diamond Princess 12/22/04
Carnival Miracle 03/13/05

[MichelleP]

I'm going on the Fascination tomorrow, so when I come back I'll post a review that I hope will help.

We've been on both Celebrity and Carnival. Our first Carnival cruise after Celebrity was actually very disappointing - we kept comparing the two lines and coming up short with Carnival. We just went on Celebrity again, but this time on Carnival again we'll try to be a little less stringent in our criticism. If you compare the two, I'm afraid you [B]will[/B] end up disappointed, so just look at them as two seperate types of vacations.

[I]Cheers, Michelle P.[/I]

Jubilee 5/9/02
Fantasy 9/5/02
Millennium 12/15/02
Imagination 5/8/03
Millennium 12/14/03

[img]http://escati.linkopp.net/cgi-bin/countdown.cgi?trgb=000000&srgb=00ff00&prgb=FF0033&cdt=2004;05;07;21;59;00&timezone=GMT-0500[/img]
Fascination 5/7/04

[robcool]

I was just on the Fascination 4-day cruise in February. It is a great ship! There is a link to my review below. If you have any questions, don't hesitate to ask!

--------------------------
"Semper Gumby" - Always Flexible
12/01 - Victory ([url="http://www.cruisecritic.com/memberreviews/memberreview.cfm?EntryID=560"]Victory Review[/url])
2/04 - Fascination ([url="http://messages.cruisecritic.com/2/OpenTopic?a=tpc&s=927093444&f=969097554&m=55610437&r=91010067#91010067"]Fascination Review[/url])

It's a Miracle! Cruising on the Miracle 12/12/04!
[img]http://escati.linkopp.net/cgi-bin/countdown.cgi?trgb=000000&srgb=00ff00&prgb=111111&cdt=2004;12;12;16;0;00&timezone=GMT-0500[/img]

([url="http://messages.cruisecritic.com/2/OpenTopic?a=tpc&s=927093444&f=6963067357&m=6683015177"] Miracle 12/12/04 Roll Call[/url])

[ywinston]

I was on the fascination twice...I enjoyed myself. The kids had a ball.

Cruising is FUN, FUN, FUN
Fascination 06/01
Fascination 11/03
<img src =http://personal.tcu.edu/~ywinston/smilie_newbie.gif>
<img src =http://www.animfactory.com/animations/people_m_z/scuba_diver/scuba_dive_md_clr.gif>

<a href="http://www.escati.com">
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<font face=arial size=1>[b]Countdown to Fascination 11/24/2003: Days Remaining:[/b]</font>

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[ywinston]

oops

Cruising is FUN, FUN, FUN
Fascination 06/01
Fascination 11/03
Spirit 7/05
<img src =http://personal.tcu.edu/~ywinston/smilie_newbie.gif>
<img src =http://www.animfactory.com/animations/people_m_z/scuba_diver/scuba_dive_md_clr.gif>

<a href="http://www.escati.com">
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<font face=arial size=1>[b]Countdown to Alaska 07/06/2005: Days Remaining:[/b]</font>

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[NHLady]

We really enjoyed the Fascination last year. The ship was a lot of fun. We met some really great people and for the most part they were a lively, yet not unruly crowd. The food was usually good, we loved the piano bar both at night after dinner and for tea in the afternoon. We went with for a fun, flirty long weekend away without the kids and the Fascination delivered just that! You'll have a ball. Just remember, don't expect the Waldorf Astoria, you've booked the Sheraton! [img]http://messages.cruisecritic.com/infopop/emoticons/icon_wink.gif[/img]

Karen

[img]http://www.gifs.net/animate/2hulagirls.gif[/img]

Fascination 03 2003
Monarch of the Seas 09 1995

[DHB]

We did a 5 day cruise on the Fascination last year with our child and we did a 7 day cruise on the Celebrity Centry two years ago without our child. The Fascination fell short as to what we expected as compared to the Century. It was like going from the Hyatt to the Day's Inn, but I got what I paid for. We had fun on the Fascination with our son and I have been on the Victory and I am booked on the Glory for a June cruise, but Celebrity is the standard I compare the others with.

[wicruiser]

Thanks for all of the feedback on the Celebrity / Carnival comparison! Let me say that We loved our Celebrity cruise....BUT, we booked this Carnival cruise to just have FUN and to not compare the two cruises! My husband and I are in our early 40's and we still think we have a party or two left in us! [img]http://messages.cruisecritic.com/infopop/emoticons/icon_wink.gif[/img] [img]http://messages.cruisecritic.com/infopop/emoticons/icon_wink.gif[/img] It sounds like the Fascination will show us a GREAT time!

[NHLady]

WICruiser,

With that attitude, you're on your way to a great time!! It's a fun ship and a great little getaway!! Enjoy!

Karen
P.S.Are you doing the Bahamas or the Key West/Cozumel itinerary?

[img]http://www.gifs.net/animate/2hulagirls.gif[/img]

Fascination 03 2003
Monarch of the Seas 09 1995

[K.T.B.]

celbercrz333,

What date are you cruising on..? My wife and I are going to be on the Nov. 1 cruising. [img]http://messages.cruisecritic.com/infopop/emoticons/icon_smile.gif[/img]

[img]http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/images/baseball/mlb/logos/cubs_45.gif[/img] [img]http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/forums/images/smilies/greenlanthal.gif[/img] [img]http://www.comixtreme.com/forums/images/smilies/flash.gif[/img]

[img]http://skins.hotbar.com/skins/mailskins/em/030203/030203usf_prv.gif[/img]

05/24/03 Celebration -- Our first cruise!

12/07/03 Conquest

11/01/04 -- Fascination!
[img]http://escati.linkopp.net/cgi-bin/countdown.cgi?trgb=000000&srgb=00ff00&prgb=008080&cdt=2004;11;1;16;00;00&timezone=GMT-0500[/img]

[Guest]

I am crusing on the Fascination at the end of June (4 nights). The trip is a gift for my husband as we celebrate our five year anniversary. Any suggestions on how to make it especially memorable? (We've cruised once before back in 2000 on RCCL Grandeur of the Seas).

Thanks!

[wicruiser]

NHLady (Karen)
We are doing the Key West/Cozumel 4 day cruise. Do you have any suggestions?

PS...I grew up in the Rochester,NH and Berwick, ME areas....not too far from you...A GREAT place to live!

[momofmeg]

We did Fascination-southern caribbean out of San Juan in 2000. Fascination is a fanasty class ship so it is nice-has a really glitzy atrium similiar to the spirit class ships.

What I liked about Inspiration, another fanasty class ship, when we went on her in Dec. was we could find everything because the lay-out was the same as Fascination.

The ship is really nice-the only thing I did not like about Fascination was the mannequin"movie stars" they had around=too faky and looked too much like dress shop mannequins.

I have not been on Celebrity-we almost booked Horizon in March 03-but was too afraid of war starting and terroist threats etc. so I guess I can't help you there.

I can say this Carnival is a nice decent cruiseline-her newer ships are better- but even on the older ships you still have the 24 hour pizza and self-serve ice cream which most of us love-there are afternoon teas served on sea days which we always love. They always have a lounge with live music for ballroom type dancing in the evening for those of us that are too old for the disco thing. There is always a piano bar with a paino player every night. There is always a lounge with karoke every evening. Usually there is a trivia game going in one lounge or another every evening- So no matter what your taste is there is something somewhere going on for you in the evening- besides the Los Vegas style shows and gambling.



Carnival Tropicale 10/15/98 Western Caribbean
RCCL Sovereign of the Seas 11/22/99 Bahamas
Carnival Fascination 09/23/00 Southern caribbean
HAL Statendam 05/20/01 Alaska
RCCL Sovereign of the Seas 11/08/01 Bahamas
Pacific Princess 09/29/02 Bermuda
Carnival Inspiration 12/14/03 Western caribbean
Carnival Miracle 04/09/04 Bahamas

[robcool]

The mannequins where not there when we sailed on Fascination. I think I read they took them off after a refirb some time ago.

--------------------------
"Semper Gumby" - Always Flexible
12/01 - Victory ([url="http://www.cruisecritic.com/memberreviews/memberreview.cfm?EntryID=560"]Victory Review[/url])
2/04 - Fascination ([url="http://messages.cruisecritic.com/2/OpenTopic?a=tpc&s=927093444&f=969097554&m=55610437&r=91010067#91010067"]Fascination Review[/url])

It's a Miracle! Cruising on the Miracle 12/12/04!
[img]http://escati.linkopp.net/cgi-bin/countdown.cgi?trgb=000000&srgb=00ff00&prgb=111111&cdt=2004;12;12;16;0;00&timezone=GMT-0500[/img]

([url="http://messages.cruisecritic.com/2/OpenTopic?a=tpc&s=927093444&f=6963067357&m=6683015177"] Miracle 12/12/04 Roll Call[/url])

[TrinaLC]

I think they did a mini refurb in november and removed the celebrity manaquins, thank god!

Victory 8/5
[img]http://escati.linkopp.net/cgi-bin/countdown.cgi?trgb=000000&srgb=00ff00&prgb=dc143c&cdt=2004;08;05;17;00;00&timezone=GMT-0500[/img]
SS France 1965
SS France 1969
Cunnard Princess 1986
Fascination April 5 2004
Victory August 5 2004