Imagination Thread Only!

[Musicman9859]

Popsec - what are your plans for the Eastern leg of your B2B? Seems like you're a planner and I'm curious as to what you have planned for Grand Turk, Half Moon and Nassau. Oh and PLEASE write a review when you return - we'll be boarding May 5th and the excitement is building!!!

 

Yes! It would be great to see a Popsec review on that leg of the B2B. I will be on your May 5th Imagination cruise to that Eastern leg! :)

[popsec]

Popsec - what are your plans for the Eastern leg of your B2B? Seems like you're a planner and I'm curious as to what you have planned for Grand Turk, Half Moon and Nassau. Oh and PLEASE write a review when you return - we'll be boarding May 5th and the excitement is building!!!

 

LOL.....not that much of a planner! Since we've been averaging 6 or 7 cruises a year we try to keep the price of excursions down. Usually we just hire a taxi to take us around the islands, never do ship excursions. We're just doing the beach thing at Grand Turk and Half Moon. I love the Atlantis in Nassau so we'll probably just take a taxi over and play in the casino a little while and check out that huge Manta Ray.

 

I'll try to be sure to come back on with a review and pics. Since we've been on the Fascination so many times we should have no problems finding our way around this ship. I'm really looking forward to checking out the Serenity area and the new Waterworks and slides!

[tlmaule]

DH and I just returned from our 5 day cruise and had a wonderful time! This was our 7yo DS's 1st one, so we wanted to test-drive the cruise experience and see how he'd do (he has high-functioning ASD) - he had a blast! We went with my mom and dad also - they had a room next to ours.

 

The ship is beautiful - many have commented on the upgraded cabins, etc, so I won't repeat. We had an inside room on the Empress deck and had plenty of room - they brought in a bed for Zach (sort of a floor level cot) that was so comfortable I could've slept on it myself. The only weird thing I noticed is that our room always seemed humid - our wet clothes would not dry out either. I don't remember it being humid indoors on past cruises.....

 

**News Flash** - on our cruise, they upgraded the room keys, so now your Sail & Sign card will open your door too. They changed the doors floor by floor. Our room was changed over on our last full day.

 

The waterpark area is cool - DS loved the fast twin "racing" waterslides and I had to slide alongside him (to make sure I was either at the top or at the bottom at the same time). Ladies, cross your legs or you may experience an undesired cleansing;) . The BIG slide was cool too - DH walked DS up to the top, and I waited at the bottom. Zach loved it - he said "I spin around" "I got dizzy" and he wanted to go again and again.

 

The one unexpected disappointment is there is no wading pool/kiddie pool area - other than the sprinklers at the waterpark. Since Zach is Zach, it was tough trying to relax while he played - I needed to be up chasing him around or with him on the slides..... The Lido pool is too deep for little ones (over 5 feet, no shallow area) - he can swim, but that deep I wouldn't let him go on his own - and the salt water burns your eyes.

 

The staff was awesome all the way around. The waiters were all so wonderful - they work in the Horizon restaurant for breakfast/lunch and every one we encountered made a point to learn Zach's name and to talk to him. I sadly never learned all their names! We do remember Zoran and Charlie specifically. Zach LOVED sitting at the outdoor tables along the railing so he could watch the water while we ate (we enjoyed it too!). Our dining room waiters were Mario and IMade - they were the best! They made a point to dance with our son when they did the nightly waitstaff mini-shows. We had Main seating (6pm) in the Pride dining room and it was perfect. Our tablemates were another family of mom, dad, grandma, grandpa, and son - so the boys had a blast at dinner and around the ship, and we enjoyed dining with them as well. The food was awesome, although we all agreed that one night we wanted one of everything, and the last night, we wished we could have spread out the favorites.... Definitely get the warm melting chocolate cake - and here's a hint - ask for strawberries, because there is nothing more yummy than strawberries and chocolate together.

 

We all thought the shows were terrific - Zach loved the music and the "ladies with feathers on their heads" - he didn't comment on the showgirl-style thong outfits - but I sure wish I could look like that in one (I'm sure DH does too;) )! The Russian dancers were more than amazing - don't miss them! Our fly-in entertainer was hysterical - he was a juggler/comedian and we enjoyed his show.

 

The islands were much better than I expected - at Grand Turk we spent the morning on shaded lounge chairs at the beach, and a few hours at the Margaritaville pool. Half Moon Cay was beautiful! The sand is just like the stuff you make sand sculptures with - so clean and soft! Don't wear closed beach shoes - you'll never get the sand out of them! The lunch area was all new with nice pavillions and picnic tables - we were told they didn't start serving until 12:30 so went up then and had no wait at all. In Nassau we just wandered around town and went to the Graycliff cigar factory - it's a beautiful old hotel and restaurant, as well as the humidor area where you can just walk in and watch them hand roll award-winning cigars. As we walked back to the ship, we followed a big parade of school students - the entire high school, complete with three flatbed trucks with cheerleaders and band members - we found out they won the basketball championship.

 

The cruise director, Jorge ("George" before 5 pm, or the Latin pronunciation "hor-hay" after 5) was wonderful. He is a talented comedian and kept us laughing, even for the always-exciting debarkation talk.

 

Debarkation was a bit of a madhouse - everyone wanted to self-assist and tried to hop off before they were called. We went with the zone method - once we got off the ship, it was easy to find our luggage and a very friendly porter to help us with our bags (4 for our family, 2 for my folks). We chatted with him in the customs line and he wheeled our bags all the way out to our truck in the parking lot. Really nice guy!

 

The only real complaint I have is that our cruise is done and my countdown clock says "Sailed" - Boo! Oh, and I had to cook my own breakfast this morning:(

 

:cool: Tamara

[popsec]

Wow!...thanks for posting your review!...I can't wait to go! We're on the Main deck and I'm hoping they change over the cabin keys on our deck before we get on.

[Bunkie103]

Tamara, thanks so much for your well written and informative review. Enjoyed hearing how much fun Zach had. We sail a week from tomorrow and it is the first cruise for my granddaughters 8 and 11. Thrilled to hear the doors have been upgraded. That second card was always a pain.

[w8ing2cruz]

Tamara - thanks for the awesome review - and the strawberry tip. I wasn't aware that they were changing the door keys over - that will be so great to only have to carry one card!

 

Popsec - 6 or 7 cruises a year - you are so lucky!! One thing you may want to check out in Grand Turk is a small little beach bar right next to Margaritaville. I thought it was called White Sands or something like that. From the ship it will be to the left of Jimmy's place. Beautifully done in all natural wood and a lot less expensive.

 

Musicman - getting close now :D We've got a small roll call going on - seems like a lot of midwesterners. We're going to put faces to names around 5 PM on sail away day at the pool bar on Lido deck if you're interested. Hopefully I will be able to contain my Drink of the Day's until then!

[popsec]

 

Popsec - 6 or 7 cruises a year - you are so lucky!! One thing you may want to check out in Grand Turk is a small little beach bar right next to Margaritaville. I thought it was called White Sands or something like that. From the ship it will be to the left of Jimmy's place. Beautifully done in all natural wood and a lot less expensive.

 

Thanks for the tip about the little beach bar..we'll be sure to check it out!

[tlmaule]

Wow!...thanks for posting your review!...I can't wait to go! We're on the Main deck and I'm hoping they change over the cabin keys on our deck before we get on.

 

The whole ship was changed over while we were aboard:) Our tablemates were on the Main deck, and they were the ones who told us about it - one of the first few days.....

 

Enjoy your trip - I wish I were going again with you!!!

 

:cool: Tamara

[popsec]

The whole ship was changed over while we were aboard:) Our tablemates were on the Main deck, and they were the ones who told us about it - one of the first few days.....

 

Enjoy your trip - I wish I were going again with you!!!

 

:cool: Tamara

 

Thank you!...that is good news!! :)

[Cruzin 1025]

So I've got a very odd question....

 

For those of you recently off the Imagination, are they still using the same clear Carnival glasses on the first day? Do you recall if they had one color or multi colored logo on them? I've got like a hundred of them and was thinking of bringing them back to be refilled rather than ending up with more to pack in my suitcase.

 

44 more days til we leave again!

[sharon&family]

We recently sailed on the imagination and it was ok but I was not greatly impressed with the ship. Our first cruise was two years ago on the miracle and it was so much nicer. I know the imagination is refurbished but it still looked old to me. The halls had dark paneling which looked outdated and the halls had some kind of odor which made it just smell old. On the miracle we had an extended balcony room which we loved. This ship hardly has any balconies and there weren't even any window rooms when we booked so we tried interior. It wasn't awful but we will definitely stick with balcony. The room seemed so much smaller than the miracle. It was basically a 10 x 10 room except for the hallway and bathroom. We had two children with us ages 3 and 5 and it was very awkward getting around the room. One of the bunks was over our heads and we each hit our head several times while getting up and laying down. We could not sit up under the bunk. The other bunk took up a lot of walking area. We would have liked to leave them down for the kids but they had to be put away each day or we would not of had any room. Several times we just put the kids on their bunks to play because there is no room for them on the floor without tripping over them. We are not party people and just like to relax and enjoy the view so an interior room is not for us.

 

Another thing I was very uncomfortable with was the railings all over the ship. My 3 year old is very tiny and is very active. I had to watch her every second and hold her hand because the railings scared me to death. They are basically just 5 poles with a gap of 10 inches between each one. I could fit between them if I tried (I did try) My 3 year old could easily slip through them. The water area in the back was nice but I couldn't relax and enjoy myself even out of my room because the area was not enclosed and my 3 year old was running around everywhere so I couldn't take my eye off her for a second. Every time she went near a railing I had to jump up and stand beside her. On the miracle if I remember correctly the railings leaned outward and were made of glass with no open areas. I was even a little worried about my 5 year old. I had to get after her a couple times for standing on the bottom rail. If she slipped she could have slid right through it. If a person did go over the side they would go all the way down into the ocean. There were no other floors under them to catch them. I am not normally an over protective person at all but this was a big deal to me.

 

Pool area - I enjoyed being around the pool but the pool itself was just a small hold to swim in and was over 5' deep. On the miracle there was a 1' area surrounding the slide to sit in and for little ones to play. Here there was nothing and I didn't once get in.

 

Water slides - I am sure they were fun for kids ages 6 and up. My 5 year old (47") went down once and was too afraid to do it again. Part of the slide is enclosed making it look a little dark and scarry for little ones - not very dark but just enough to where she wasn't comfortable. The water play area was nice but was only 1-6" deep. It was interesting when it was almost time to close down, the ship would lean to the right slightly and all the water would slowly rush out of the pool and over the side of the ship. I am sure they did this purposefully to empty it because I saw it several times.

 

Food - It was alright but not great. Every time I got a steak it was always tough. I thought the soups were horrible and very tasteless. I was very happy one night and ordered the potato asparagus soup until I tasted it and realized it was chilled. It did have a good taste but I have never heard of cold soup and didn't enjoy it. I loved the chocolate melting cake. they had it every day. I got it because it was the only thing I liked. They only offered 3 desert selections besides ice creams and cheeses and all of them sounded wierd and unappetizing. My husband tried some of them and said they were tasteless. The apple pie was good. I enjoyed the fresh fruit cocktail and got it every day. The buffets had long lines which made it difficult getting food for little kids. One of had to sit with the kids while the other person got the food. After we got theirs we had to take turns getting ours and it was ridiculous the time it took for all of us to get our food. Usually we just picked the hamburger line because that is the only food the kids would eat and if we wanted anything else it would take too long. The pizza was ok but not great. My husband liked the rueben sandwiches. Most of the deserts looked great at the buffet but were not. They had some cupcakes out with orange and yellow colored icing all piled up. The kids were excited to get them then wouldn't eat them. The icing tasted like butter and was not good at all. There were some good deserts. The chocolate chip cookies were good all the time. I enjoyed the ice cream cones. I gained two pounds so I did get enough to eat.

 

Camp Carnival - The kids did have fun. They got to be in the same room together. The people who worked with them seemed really friendly but the people who check them in were a pain. They gave us a phone to use which was great in case they needed to contact us. They didn't tell us we needed to bring it each time to write the number down. We forgot a few times and got yelled at. Why can't they just write down the phone one time on a board next to each childs name instead of hassleing us about it. They were always closing at various times throuout the day as well which made it hard for us to have enough time to relax or plan anything. Some days they were closed 12-1. Others 12-2. Somedays 3:45 - 5:45 or 4-6. On port days when we were not due back on board until 5:00 such as half moon cay, they had to be picked up by 3:45. I do not understand why they have to close all the time. They could do something with the kids while they clean up parts of the room and rotate workers in and out so they all get breaks. I know they worry that people will leave their kids there all day but closing all the time really makes it difficult. If we spent time with the kids in the morning and got them there 10 or 11, we then had to pick them up an hour later which is ridiculous. I believe all the carnival ships are like this because it was the same on the miracle. At least in the evenings it wasn't so bad. We could drop them off at 5 or so and they would eat with the kids and we didn't have to pick them up until 10 or later if we did babysitting. We always got them around 9 or 10.

 

drinks - we loved the passion fruit juice for breakfast and wish it was served all day. The fruit punch was too sweet. However, I would get lemonade and add a little punch to it and that tasted pretty good. During the dinners you only get water. We tried asking for tea and they would occasionally bring you some out in a small glass but didn't seem to want to. They would not ask you what you wanted to drink except for the bar lady who came around every night. Our waitresses were Olga and Olga her helper. They never offered us anything besides water. I saw other tables having coke and lemonade and having their cups refilled constantly. I finally did ask for lemonade once and got it but it wasn't offered to anyone else at the table.

 

We enjoyed all the ports in Nassau we went to the zoo/botanical gardens. It was really pretty and we enjoyed seeing the different animals and birds some which we had never seen before. Flamingos were roaming around at will and the foilage was beautiful. There was one tree that had one flower in it. It was pink with spikes coming out of it. I had never seen anything like it. The water was very green and dirty looking where the animals lived however. Ater that we went on a tour of the city in a taxi for an hour. I didn't realize how bad the taxi smelled until after we agreed on the price and were underway. It was horrible. I could barely stand it. I thought I was going to have to tell him to pull over that I had changed my mind. It smelled like he had not had a bath in a month or the car had not had a bath in 5 years. I was not impressed with Nassau. Everything was so close together and trashy looking. There was lots of traffic and it is not pretty at all unless you go to the water. If we stop there again I will go to Atlantis or stay on the ship. This was the only port they did check your id as well as your sail and sign card to get back on the ship so don't forget it!! Half Moon Cay was beautiful and the water was Crystal clear. We enjoyed walking through the roads. We found the stingray area which was ok. On the Miracle we went to a sandbar in the middle of the ocean and there were lots of stingrays everywhere. Here, there was a roped off area with maybe 10 - 15 stingrays and people snorkeling with them. I hope they didn't pay much to do that because it didn't look like much especially if you have swam with them before. We took the kids with us until noon then took them back to the ship and we came back. It took us almost an hour to get back. The kids play area is great. The water slides are perfect for 2-7 year olds. They are gently sloping and only have a couple inches of water in them. The water trampoline was a little too far out to take our little ones. We didn't bring them floats and it would be too hard to swim them out there. In Grand Turk, we took them to the pool in Margaritaville which was great. It is a zero entry pool and was huge. It was very quiet at the end where the kids played and there were plenty of louge chairs with shade which made it very relaxing. We walked over to the music and there was a man on stilts. He made balloon animals for the kids which they loved. The beach here was also nice with plenty of chairs everywhere and lots of shade. I did love the itiniary of the Imagination and would love to do it all again with another ship.

 

I hope everyone can read this. I am sorry for any typos. I wrote this in a hurry and didn't check spelling. Feel free to ask any questions and I hope some of the information was helpful.

 

I don't mean to give so many negatives of the cruise. There were a lot of positives but I am tired of typing. We did have a good time although it is hectic with kids and our next cruise will be on a newer ship with better sides. I think I would recommend if you really want to have fun to wait until your kids are over 5 years old although we enjoy taking them with us.

[mikil321]

Thank you everyone , for your great reviews! Lets please keep this thread alive.

 

- Mikil

[FlashbackAlternatives]

Exactly four months (8/25 sailing) 'til we are back on the Imagination :)

 

Still hoping to find someone who was in connecting outside cabins (or has pictures), and can tell me if you can have one cabin configured with the beds together while still having the doors between cabins open.

 

Ed

[beccadoby]

Exactly four months (8/25 sailing) 'til we are back on the Imagination :)

 

Still hoping to find someone who was in connecting outside cabins (or has pictures), and can tell me if you can have one cabin configured with the beds together while still having the doors between cabins open.

 

Ed

 

Well, my sons have a connecting cabin with my Mom BUT my pics will be no good....I will be departing as you are arriving.:D

 

But to answer your question, yes, the cabin can have the beds together

[FlashbackAlternatives]

Well, my sons have a connecting cabin with my Mom BUT my pics will be no good....I will be departing as you are arriving.:D

 

But to answer your question, yes, the cabin can have the beds together

 

But can the door stay (or be) open :) The one (stock) picture I saw, I believe on John Hearld's Blog, shows the beds together in front of/and against the connecting door. The way that picture looked, if you wanted the door open, and the beds together, they would have to be under the TV - not terrible, but just a tad hard to watch TV at night before bed.

[FlashbackAlternatives]

To answer my own question, I stumbled upon this picture of an outside connecting cabin (u-58) -> http://www.*****.com/pictures/savvy_ship_visitor/2008/door_to_adjoining_cabin_u58

 

The beds can be pushed together, however the door can not remain open as (a) there does not seem to be anything to keep it from closing (unless there is a stop that swings down on the inside of the door), and (b) when open it looks like it would block the TV.

[beccadoby]

To answer my own question, I stumbled upon this picture of an outside connecting cabin (u-58) -> http://www.*****.com/pictures/savvy_ship_visitor/2008/door_to_adjoining_cabin_u58

 

The beds can be pushed together, however the door can not remain open as (a) there does not seem to be anything to keep it from closing (unless there is a stop that swings down on the inside of the door), and (b) when open it looks like it would block the TV.

 

I looked at that pic---WOW that cabin seems so small! I guess its the angle.

 

You should carry a door stopper with you to keep it open. And yes, to see the TV, it looks like you will have the connecting door barely open.

[mikil321]

Exactly four months (8/25 sailing) 'til we are back on the Imagination :)

 

Still hoping to find someone who was in connecting outside cabins (or has pictures), and can tell me if you can have one cabin configured with the beds together while still having the doors between cabins open.

 

Ed

Hey FlashBack! See you on the same cruise August 25th/2008. Going in style this time from the Miami airport,Limosine service!!!! Also have a Cat 12 Suite so thats alittle more style Im sure but what really tops of this vacation is we are headed to Vegas right after we Disembark the ship Yahooo! Anyway! Sounds Like Im bragging and I shouldnt but I am soooo excited about all this fun coming up. Im going with all my family and close friends (about 25 upto now)so we will have a large group and you ll probably hear us if you have the same dining times. We'll be the ones laughing the loudest in the dining room Ha Ha ha! Anyway! See yah there and have fun Mikil

[FlashbackAlternatives]

I looked at that pic---WOW that cabin seems so small! I guess its the angle.

 

You should carry a door stopper with you to keep it open. And yes, to see the TV, it looks like you will have the connecting door barely open.

 

I think it is just the angle. I don' t think the room refurbs took up any additional space.

 

Brining a door stop (or two) is a good idea. I will have to remember that.

 

Thanks!

[FlashbackAlternatives]

Hey FlashBack! See you on the same cruise August 25th/2008. Going in style this time from the Miami airport,Limosine service!!!! Also have a Cat 12 Suite so thats alittle more style Im sure but what really tops of this vacation is we are headed to Vegas right after we Disembark the ship Yahooo! Anyway! Sounds Like Im bragging and I shouldnt but I am soooo excited about all this fun coming up. Im going with all my family and close friends (about 25 upto now)so we will have a large group and you ll probably hear us if you have the same dining times. We'll be the ones laughing the loudest in the dining room Ha Ha ha! Anyway! See yah there and have fun Mikil

 

Hi Mikil:

 

Never been in a suite, closest was the Extended Balcony cabin we had on the Miracle back in 2006. There were 24 of us on that cruise. Only 10 of us this time around. I guess with the connecting cabins, it will be like a mini-suite :) Two bathrooms, which is key.

 

Going to be up on the Empress Deck - was able to move up from the Riviera Deck for no cost during one of the Carnival sales a few months ago. Looking forward to the convenience of it - but just a bit concerned about above deck noise. We are going to be under the main show room, about equal to where the doors/back rows are - hoping it won't be too much of a problem, if any.

 

No limo for us as the limo company said they couldn't fit luggage for 10 in the limo, so we are getting a 15 passenger van from FLL. About $250 r/t including all fees and tips, so I am not complaining.

 

Four months to go!

[mikil321]

Hi Mikil:

 

Never been in a suite, closest was the Extended Balcony cabin we had on the Miracle back in 2006. There were 24 of us on that cruise. Only 10 of us this time around. I guess with the connecting cabins, it will be like a mini-suite :) Two bathrooms, which is key.

 

Going to be up on the Empress Deck - was able to move up from the Riviera Deck for no cost during one of the Carnival sales a few months ago. Looking forward to the convenience of it - but just a bit concerned about above deck noise. We are going to be under the main show room, about equal to where the doors/back rows are - hoping it won't be too much of a problem, if any.

 

No limo for us as the limo company said they couldn't fit luggage for 10 in the limo, so we are getting a 15 passenger van from FLL. About $250 r/t including all fees and tips, so I am not complaining.

 

Four months to go!

 

Flashback! You sound like you will have a great time.Thats a good deal for 10 people round trip to the port. I have 7 people in one super strecth limo one way and that cost me about $128 buckaroos!!!! Im also counting the days down. See yah there Thanks Mikil

[mikil321]

Hey folks! Just trying to keep this great thread alive and well. Anyone else just recently get off Imagination and would like to share their experiences or photos with us all. Much Thanks Mikil

[cruisegal40]

Just got home on Monday and off the ship the Sat. prior. We had a good time. Ship is in good shape. Not to wacked about about the horizon court food area. Thought the food for breakfast was a little bland. We did go to the sit down breakfast which was good.

 

The entertainment was not bad either. The comedian was quite funny. The shows were good. We only went to 2 out of I think 5 that were put on. The crew was nice, but not overly friendly. I think this just has to do with not working for the gratuity any more, but that is just my opinion.

 

The dining was good too. The waiter kept apologizing for the long waits. We had second seating too. There just is not the level of service anymore. I guess I can be picky. The assit waiter kept forgetting bread and the drink person never showed up on certain nights. Little things, but nothing to break the cruise either.

 

I am use to 7 night cruises so this was short for us.

 

Any questions, I will try and answer although I am not good on details.

[WuWei]

Hi guys! Just got off the 5-dayer today! (Grand Caymen, Ochos Rios). I was a VERY good girl, and DID save my Capers! (I will scan them when I get a chance!) Wouldn't you know it- we booked the sister ship of the Inspiration, which is our third home (second being our own sailboat!) So, the layout was EXACTLY the same, just a loooonnnng 5-hour drive to Miami! Getting caught up on laundry right now, since we're taking our boat out for the weekend before we go back to work...

 

Lots of fun- CD Jorge is THE BEST of Carnival! (I want him to come live with me! He is hilarious!) Had Felix in the Dining Room- great service! Also, Andi (room steward) and staff are awesome. Successful smuggling operation- but we still bought a few drinks! Also, bought the soda cards- Carnival lost on that one- the bartenders KNEW we were Diet Coke addicts, and kept us in DC. I think I drank what I did at home- 12+ DCs a day! (That is without alcohol!)

[turtlegirl2]

Thanks for all the info on this thread! We are sailing on the June 2nd Eastern Caribbean route and can't wait! Looking forward to scuba in Grand Turks, the cabanas on Half Moon Cay and diving and the Atlantis in Nassau. Also can't wait for the room service, having all our meals prepared & no dishes to do, dancing, drink of the day, water slides, etc!! How can anyone not have a good time on a cruise?!?!