Sensation in May ~ Input please!

[dnj628]

We have read so much about her voyage, and we do see all sides of the situation ~ so that is not the issue here. The dilema we are looking at is: We ( 5 moms) are sailing her for Mother's Day for a getaway ~ the chance to be girls and not "someone's mom" for 5 days. We have worked and planned for this time away for quite a while, and really want a fun and relaxing girls get away. The million dollar question is: in your opinion, do we keep with our current plans or call our TA to re-book or find something else for us to do for our outting? Please, we've read all the negatives (and few positives) from previous threads and now we're just seeking input on what to do. Thank You!!!

[LHP]

Hey, no one is going to fault you for wanting to make the most of your special time. If the Sensation isn't it, then that's ok!!!

 

Are you still outside the cancellation window without a penalty? You did not say when in May you were going.

[Eliot Ness]

My daughter has a cruise booked in May also so I have been following the threads. My advice to her is don't worry, all of the rough edges, staffing, and other issues will be worked out by then. Just my 2 cents, but I hope you have a great cruise on whatever ship you decide on!

 

John

[dnj628]

We are on the May 13th sailing. We are prepared not to get a full refund, but I don't know what kind of "magic" a TA can do. At this point we are just so up in the air as to what to do ~ us girls just want to have fun!

[CarribbeanTina271]

there were 4 of us mothers that went on the last cruise before Sensation went out of service, the cruise right after the hurricane, we had to drive twice the distance....but it didn't matter to us....WE ALL NEEDED TO GET AWAY for many different reasons!!! After a few little bumps along the way, the cruise was awesome!!! so IMPO go and enjoy!!!!

[donnavb5]

I'll be on their with you on May 13th. Yes I think the BUMPS will all be worked out. Maybe even BETTER to make up for the mistakes made.

Too bad things went so badly though for those first cruisers.

[legalmom]

My Husband and I will be on the May 13th cruise and we will have a great time no matter what. We are going to make the best of what is offered. See you then.

[Bunkie103]

We're on the May 8th sailing and I'll give the crew a good "talking to" so they are ready to pamper your group! Seriously, I am inclined to agree with the previous posters that the rough edges should be worked out by then and we'll all do just fine!

[dnj628]

Thank you all, so much, for your words of encouragment. I will share this with the ladies later on today. My vote shall be to continue as planned, especially after hearing from all of you. Thanks again!

[Honeybear]

We have read so much about her voyage, and we do see all sides of the situation ~ so that is not the issue here. The dilema we are looking at is: We ( 5 moms) are sailing her for Mother's Day for a getaway ~ the chance to be girls and not "someone's mom" for 5 days. We have worked and planned for this time away for quite a while, and really want a fun and relaxing girls get away. The million dollar question is: in your opinion, do we keep with our current plans or call our TA to re-book or find something else for us to do for our outting? Please, we've read all the negatives (and few positives) from previous threads and now we're just seeking input on what to do. Thank You!!!

 

My DD and I went on the Sensation July 2004, we had such a great time we went on the Sensation July 2005! As you can see, same ship. We loved it, but we were so happy to get to go we would have been happy on any ship. Your cruise is what you make it. I cannot imagine how 5 Moms could go anywhere and NOT have a great time!

[dnj628]

Thanks Honeybear! You are absolutely right ~ we get excited to sneak away for a Starbucks every now and then, so this will be a real treat!

[katsted69]

We (dad, mom, 2 kids and grandma) are scheduled to sail her on Thursday. This is a trying time of not knowing but if we cancel, we lose everything. My husband is leaving with the Army for a year and this is our spring break vacation before he's gone. We are driving for 14+ hours and we're praying for the best. It is very stressful but I fully believe that by the time your May cruise gets here, all will be well.

 

I will give a review once we return.

[LHP]

We are on the May 13th sailing. We are prepared not to get a full refund, but I don't know what kind of "magic" a TA can do. At this point we are just so up in the air as to what to do ~ us girls just want to have fun!

 

 

Ok, this is just my humble opinion. I would hate to see you gals lose any money on the deal. If a full refund is not an option, then I would consider going.

 

The rule of thumb I have always tried to use is never cruise on a ship for one month after it has been in drydock. Again, I think this drydock was a special case because it was coming from FEMA usage and not "normal" cruising. I think 6 months of being docked is a usage the ship is not used to and I think special circumstances occured because of it. I don't believe the people staying on board had anything to do with it, only the difference circumstances of the type of "housing" that was provided.

 

That all being said. We have sailed on the Sensation prior to FEMA and really had a great time. The food was consistant with the rest of the other Carnival ships. The service was consistant with Carnival's other ships.

 

 

I suggest you read the worst reviews. And then answer 3 questions:

 

1. Were the complaints valid? It is pretty easy to tell if someone is being realistic or if they just have a starfish up their fanny?

2. If the complaints are valid, do they apply to me? Willl my cruise be affected by the Kiddie Pool being out of commission... slow bar service at one of the bars...etc.

3. If the complaints are valid and they do apply to you, then will these areas affect your cruise enough for it not to be worth the money you paid for it?

 

When it comes to the "food", that is really a personal preference. And a hard area to tell if someone is being over critical or not. Usually if someone says all the food "sucked" ...they are of the "starfish variety" and I ignore them.

 

Only you can decide what is best for you and your friends. I assure you that whatever your decision is, we on this board will still love ya!!

[LHP]

PS: Always take a solid Renuitz air freshener for your bathroom. You know the kind that pulls up to reveal the solid air freshener.) I have never needed it, but the one time I don't take it...I know I will. I usually get the one that is for strong odors.

 

I am not saying you will have a problem with "odors" but the more prepared you are...the better your cruise will be.

 

Also, hopefully, since it is not a summer cruise (with all of school out)...it will not be a full ship. That way if there is a problem with your cabin, some sweet talk from you lovely ladies can get you changed to another cabin..it needed. There should not be to many kids, since school is still in session for the most part.

 

If you go, I think you are going to have a wonderful time.

If I were booked, I would go without hesitation.

[jdjaguar]

We're on the 4/10 cruise and the only thing I'm worried about is the propulsion issue. I'm booked to dive w/ my son at Grand Turk. But if we go to Freeport, what the heck, we'll still have a good time.

 

I figure the kinks are getting worked out as we speak.

[LHP]

We're on the 4/10 cruise and the only thing I'm worried about is the propulsion issue. I'm booked to dive w/ my son at Grand Turk. But if we go to Freeport, what the heck, we'll still have a good time.

 

I figure the kinks are getting worked out as we speak.

 

 

That is really a bummer, because Freeport is not my favorite port. And Grand Turks is a place I would really want to do. Hopefully by that time the problems will be resolved, but two weeks is a crap shoot when you are dealing with propulsion systems.

 

That is the one thing about cruising....everything from maintenance to weather can play a role in changing the ports. Hope it all works out well.

Enjoy the time with your son. It is so neat to hear a Dad doing great things with their children. Good job!!!

[starketcher]

To the Moms...surely the problems will be worked out by then. Though at this point, I would be a bit edgy too. Have you thought about upgrading (I believe others said their was no penalty to upgrade to a 7 day, but you would have to come up with the additiion money difference.)? In any case the trip sounds like it will be a fun time with just the girls anyway.

 

JD, I would be bummed about not going to GT as that is one port I would like to visit and dive. Since you do dive, try the shark dive in Freeport. Freeport as a port sucks (just my opinion) but the shark dive is supposed to be excellent. I've never done it as I was a diving newbie when I went to Freeport, but if I were going again...that is what I would do as the port itself is not much.

[dnj628]

LHP ~ you are very wise and rational! Thank you! I plan on using your theory when I talk with my fellow cruisers and hopefully they will agree and I can report that the cruise is on! Of course, no one wants to cancel, and especially the first time cruisers read some of what was written on other threads and this impression becomes imbedded in their minds that they are possibly walking onto some sort of a sub-standard vessel that looks and feels like it has been abandoned and forgotten and then just thrown back into the water. I know that is not the case, but if you have never cruised before, half of the vacation is the anticipation and planning leading up to cruising ~ and unfortunately their perception is a bit tainted right now. Thanks again for your words of wisdom!

[blackwing]

My wife and I are on the May 27 cruise and so far we are going to stick with it. It's a pain in the butt to have to change airline tickets, cancel hotels, cancel the rental car, etc. Not to mention to give up the plans to go to Disney/Universal the days before.

 

We are going to make the most of it. We would really like to go to Grand Turk as it will be a new port for both of us, but if there are problems, oh well.

 

I think by the time May rolls around, that the propulsion problems and any other problems will be fixed.

 

As far as the food comments, I agree that I've seen so many people complaining that the food on the recent Sensation sailing "sucked". It what ways did it suck? It seems to me that people here as a whole seem to think that food on a cruise ship should be of the Ritz Carlton variety all the time. Foie grois, oysters on the half shell, shrimp cocktail, filet mignon, etc. Not going to happen. Unless you are a really picky eater, I find it hard to believe that somewhere on the ship you cannot find anything that is acceptable to eat.

[jdjaguar]

anymore info on the "shark dive"?

 

that sounds pretty cool (my wife may disagree).

 

If the ports are changed to freeport (which looks likely), is there any decent deep sea fishing guides operating out of there?

 

That will be my back-up plan.

 

Of course Carnival won't tell us if we are goingto GT or Freeport until 2 days before I reckon.

 

makes it difficult to book.

[LHP]

LHP ~ you are very wise and rational! Thank you! I plan on using your theory when I talk with my fellow cruisers and hopefully they will agree and I can report that the cruise is on! Of course, no one wants to cancel, and especially the first time cruisers read some of what was written on other threads and this impression becomes imbedded in their minds that they are possibly walking onto some sort of a sub-standard vessel that looks and feels like it has been abandoned and forgotten and then just thrown back into the water. I know that is not the case, but if you have never cruised before, half of the vacation is the anticipation and planning leading up to cruising ~ and unfortunately their perception is a bit tainted right now. Thanks again for your words of wisdom!

 

 

Glad I could help. Since our little family of four tries to cruise at least twice a year, in many ways I have forgotten my "first time" feeling. Those first few cruises that made my heart beat a little faster in anticipation. Although we still love it (or we would not do it so often), there is a tendency for me to be a little "matter of fact" about it.

 

And perception is a lot of it. People write all the time how their cruise turned out to be so awesome because their expectations were so low. Or their cruise was horrible because they had unrealistic expectations to start off with.

 

Again, we will be here either way. May your weather be warm, your seas smooth and your drinks really really cold!!

[starketcher]

JD- try UNEXSO Diving (they are the most well-known) Xanudu (check the spelling though!) Divers in Freeport for a start.

[KOS]

Hopefully all of those problems will be worked out for you by then. We're going the 1st week in June, and really want to make it to Grand Turk-would be majorly disappointed if we had to go to Freeport instead. Sitting here hoping for the best for all of us!:)

 

KOS

[Mikel1733]

Seems like the things you worry about never are the things that actually cause you problems. Its the things you'd never expect that bite you in the butt. That said I think CCL will have all the kinks worked out by May, so I would keep your plans as they are. Have a great trip:)

[Rykat247]

JDJAGUAR! Also on April 10th, resolving ourselves to the fact that most likely no GT.

Oh well....when you get lemons...:D :rolleyes: :( :D