Ecstasy..just booked!! What should I know??

[marimojo]

My adult son and I sailed on the Ecstasy in September, on the cruise to nowhere. It was DS's first time cruise, I have been on lots of cruises. He loved everything and was totally impressed. We both had a wonderful time. The ship sailed totally full (I guess it always does) and the buffet was really crowded during normal mealtimes - so, we started eating most meals in the dining room and let me tell you, that was really nice, and didn't take that much longer to eat. The food by the pool is great, I loved their hotdogs and french fries, so we would go there for a snack. Our cabin was on the Verandah deck and we loved it there, so close to everything. I thought the shows were really good, the staff was outstanding, the drinks were wonderful - you will have a GREAT time. We are looking at booking again in February.

[tkportersat]

Well, I have been on her 4 times so I like her quite a lot.....she has never let me down! I don't think she is gaudy at all, the decor is neon - which just reminds me of Vegas and means it is time to party! ha. She doesn't ride as smooth as some of the newer, bigger ships but you also don't have to spend as much time walking to get where you want on the ship. Food is great, crew is friendly.

 

Only thing I can think to note is if you plan on seeing any shows, get there early. By far the worst set up of a theatre I have seen on a ship. Views from the balcony are mostly obstructed.

 

Otherwise it is perfect, have a great time!

 

Well I booked the Ecstasy with a great friend of mine (Hi Rav!) and we are going to leave on my birthday and head to Progresso and Cozumel for a 5 night cruise!!! We are both excited but I know nothing about this ship...what should I know from my great CC members??

[txjeepgirl]

Just found this forum yesterday..

We sail next week on the Ecstasy...

December 18-22.

We are bringing 5 daughters...ranging in age from 11 to 18...

none of them have ever cruised...so they are all 'over the moon' excited.

My hubby has been on 4 cruises...2 with me..

We cruised the Jubilee in '02 and the Conquest in '05

I have enjoyed reading these posts regarding this ship...and I look forward to posting a review when I return...

[txchelle]

txjeepgirl please come back and let us know how it was!! I will have a 13 yr old and a 11 yr old (think that is their age ..lol they are not mine) when we cruise in may

[veryhotred]

Ok my issue with the buffet was that the food always seemed cold and had no flavor. Could be that I'm from texas and love my spicy txmex food. However, we enjoyed our pb&j's and we even lost some weight on this cruise!!! :D We didn't eat in the dining room except for dinner a few nights. It was our first cruise and we didn't pack enough clothing for the dining room. So, I don't know about the pasta bar. The nights we did eat in there the food was awesome. I had a baked chicken and tomato soup one night and my mouth still waters when I think about it. The food was probably my only disappointment on that cruise. I cruised RC the next year and ALL the food on that line was excellent. I'll be back on Carnival next year and hope that I won't be disappointed by the food. Of course I'll pack the right clothes to eat in the dining room too!! :p

 

Aww, I have had the "no flavor" food on a cruise before...last time I sailed I was on RC Enchantment of the Seas and the food just seemed like food, bland and boring. I had sailed on RC's Sovereign and the food was much better! RC has this GREAT pasta bar at lunch in the dining room, they will fix any kind of pasta with all kinds of sauces and things for you...mmmm, it was so good! Thanks for the info!! :)

 

My adult son and I sailed on the Ecstasy in September, on the cruise to nowhere. It was DS's first time cruise, I have been on lots of cruises. He loved everything and was totally impressed. We both had a wonderful time. The ship sailed totally full (I guess it always does) and the buffet was really crowded during normal mealtimes - so, we started eating most meals in the dining room and let me tell you, that was really nice, and didn't take that much longer to eat. The food by the pool is great, I loved their hotdogs and french fries, so we would go there for a snack. Our cabin was on the Verandah deck and we loved it there, so close to everything. I thought the shows were really good, the staff was outstanding, the drinks were wonderful - you will have a GREAT time. We are looking at booking again in February.

 

Great to hear, thank you!!! I look forward to sailing on her too and going to Mexico!!!

 

Well, I have been on her 4 times so I like her quite a lot.....she has never let me down! I don't think she is gaudy at all, the decor is neon - which just reminds me of Vegas and means it is time to party! ha. She doesn't ride as smooth as some of the newer, bigger ships but you also don't have to spend as much time walking to get where you want on the ship. Food is great, crew is friendly.

 

Only thing I can think to note is if you plan on seeing any shows, get there early. By far the worst set up of a theatre I have seen on a ship. Views from the balcony are mostly obstructed.

 

Otherwise it is perfect, have a great time!

 

Wow, 4 times!!?! She must be a good one then...like you, I do not mind the neon, just makes me more in a party mood :D I have been on the Fascination and thought that was big (was my first cruise) so if it is at least that big I will be fine...thanks for the tip on the show btw

[cdn seeking heat]

My first cruise was on this ship.

I knew no different that there were bigger, more impressive ships out there.

I had a wonderful time, I enjoyed the ship and all that it had to offer.

The great thing about smaller ships is that there are less people and a more intimate environment.

It's better to start on a smaller ship and work your way up. You REALLY notice a difference when you go in reverse. I have done that too.

Carnival is Carnival, if you like the atmosphere that this line offers (the fun ship), you will be fine.

I believe it is all in your outlook. Go with the mind of having fun and you will.

Have a wonderful time.

 

Also.... If you use a hair dryer, check to see that this ship offers one. I seem to remember one of the smaller ships did not offer this amenity.

[JeanieTheMom]

Also.... If you use a hair dryer, check to see that this ship offers one. I seem to remember one of the smaller ships did not offer this amenity.

My only cruise (so far!!) was on Ecstasy. We didn't have a hair dryer.

 

I thought the neon was neat. Here's a picture of one of the lounges.

[TexmanAl]

Have been on her 3 times and the last time in Oct 08 was by far the best.

Look up CD Steve Cassel and tell him you know Al from the Vet cruise and you will get some special treatment. He is an awesome fiddle player and juggler. If you miss the shows you should "walk the plank". If you eat in the Windstar dinning room ask for Eva the Hostess and tell her you know Al and Barry the guys that gave her the DVD and she will watch out for you. She is a fantastically beautiful gal from Slovakia and warm and sweet. I would adopt her in a heartbeat even though I already have 5 girls that would love her like a sister.

Have fun on the Ecstasy and think of the Veterans Cruise in Nov 2009

Al

[rav4lady]

Hey, I am the other half of the Red team, we met on a cruise last year and had so much fun we wanted to get together again to see if we could top it. I live in Ohio and she is in Nebraska...we are not a dating team...she is married and I do like men! LOL. Now Red, don't tell all my secrets! Those bike thingys are called Segways...and the tour looks neat. I really want some good snorkeling around the Coz area. I am always happy on a cruise, don't care what the ship looks like, if its clean and the service is good and the friends are along....well nothing else matters. It sure beats a day at work! I can't get my countdown clock to work either...but its coming up! Less than 90days now. Just read some other reviews with picts posted by Lambknuckles of the the Ectasy and it looks great. No worries here.:D:D:D:D

[CenTexGal]

Nice!! Service can make up for bad food..lol..and I can stand to lose a few lbs..lol..

 

 

 

Ok, what is up with the buffet??? Yours is not the first to say that..:confused: What is wrong with the beef???? Tell me details???

 

The beef just has a strange flavor and texture, like the beef in Mexico. We are huge beef eaters, but will not eat it anymore on cruise ships unless, maybe, in the Supper Club...I hear that is good, but the Ecstasy doesn't have one.

 

We ate one night at the buffet...had stuffed pork loin and mashed potatoes. The potatoes were like glue, could not shake them off my spoon and the pork loin BROKE into pieces when I tried to cut it, it was so dried out.

 

We did not starve to death by any means. The food was just not what we had anticipated. Breakfast in the dining room was always good. Pizza was great and the sandwich bar is good as are the hamburgers.

[LuckyStar]

We just got off the Ecstasy last week and had a great time. It is pretty tacky and kind of gaudy and looks worn, but the staff worked their tails off to show us a good time. It was a first cruise for us so it was actually the perfect first cruise since the ship is not too too big.

 

We were on the Empress deck toward the back. The ship had some rough times; I sleep like a baby with waves going; another member of our party had a rough time.

 

We found the dining room in the Windstar just wonderful. It was a fun experience to dress and dine each night. We had a great time at Stripes, one of the bars and had a good time at karaoke in the Starlight Lounge (I think that was the name). There was always entertainment and we were never bored.

 

We ate at the buffet only a few times and at the grill once. We loved the ice cream and dessert bars. We spent one afternoon on the Lido deck playing trivia and watching ice sculptering and I tell you what, we wanted to nibble all afternoon. But as long as we weren't near the food, we didn't think about eating. I actually lost five pounds on the cruise and I ate well. We walked the jogging track, it was so exhilirating to walk seeing all that ocean. We danced and laughed and drank little to no alcohol. We did partake well of the Captain's reception. But I honestly had a terrific time. We had two in our party of six who purchased the soda card but honestly, I found it easy to drink tea and lemonade. One thing I will bring next time is water. The water on the ship was not good. The coffee was good and they give free cappucino at dinner so that was a treat. We went to the specialty coffee bar once; price was on par with Starbucks. Again, it was a great time.

 

Will tell you this is not a great ship for singles to hook up. We were six single women vacationing without our husbands so we weren't looking. One in our party was quite disappointed because there were few single men and she is single, looking to meet someone. So I would classify this ship clientele s Overfed, Nearly dead and Happily wed. :)

 

Jenny

[Sassy Chassis]

Ecstasy is very bright with all the neon, but no worse than Vegas. I thought the ship had a lot of personality and the staff was great. I usually tend to steer away from a buffet (unless it's Indian food), but I gave Ecstasy's buffet a try and thought it was very good (for a buffet).

 

I had gotten upgraded from an inside to an oceanview and when I compared the room to my previous RCI oceanviews, well...let me just say that my OV on Carnival seemed A LOT bigger!! I had no issues with the accommodations on Ecstasy and my room steward always did a fantastic job. I was even surprised to see a small dish of health & beauty aids on the counter in the bathroom. A very nice touch, IMO.

 

I thought the dining room food was as good (or better in some cases) as RCI. The only thing I didn't enjoy in the DR was the dancing/blinky lights :eek: They should really warn people who might be prone to seizures about the lights. I even took a little video with my camera because I thought my hubby would never believe me that they blinked and changed color. :p They also need to upgrade the 'stereo sound' that they used in the DR if the waiters are going to dance around to music.

 

Anyway, overall I thought Ecstasy was a great value and an awesome way to get a quick [solo] vacation. I walked around Cozumel by myself with no issues (had been there before) and explored Progreso with a nice family that I met onboard.

 

Oh, sometimes it's hard to find a deck chair on sea days...but keep looking...you WILL find one! :D And of course, the bartenders and servers will keep those drinks coming!!

[LuckyStar]

Oh, something else, I forgot to add. Remember Cozumel and Progresso are complete opposites of each other. We had planned to snorkel at Chankanaab but the water was too choppy so we ended up shopping the Forum shops. Lots of jewelry stores. Go to the lectures about the ports on the ship and you will get lots of coupons. Cozumel is glitzy while Progresso is more rustic. We actually had a great time at Progresso at the Flea Market (take the free shuttle into Progresso). We found little bargaining in Cozumel; lots in Progresso. So you might actually find the same things in Progresso and in Cozumel. Vanilla was $18.95 in Cozumel; I got the same bottle in Progresso for $4.

 

Scour the duty free shops on the ship before you go into port and make note of things you are interested in. Cozumel has some very high end shops and prices were good. I snoozed on some perfume and missed out. Progresso has a huge duty free store. Some prices were better on the ship, so just keep that in mind.

[lgbteacher]

I have sailed the Ecstacy 3 times and am going again in May 09. I love it because it is smaler and the excellent service. Things I would suggest are: Try a BLT from room service. They were awesome. Go to the front of the ship and look for the flying fish. That was so neat. If you drink have a Miami Vice. Best drink I tried. We tried to eat as many meals in the dining room as possible. I like being waited on. I don't really like the waiting in line stuff. Not that I wouldn't if there was something better on the buffet. I did get a salad some days on the Lido deck instead of going to the room and changing out of my swimming suit and going to the dining room. They don't allow swimming suits in the dining room. I also would not have been comfortable in there with my suit and cover up on. Just take a good attitude and I think you will have a great time.

[txchelle]

Lgbteacher...

When in May are you going?

We are going at the very end of May. I keep waiting for someone to come join me on my roll call but so far over all I am talking to myself there every month or so. LOL

 

I have sailed the Ecstacy 3 times and am going again in May 09. .

[lgbteacher]

Lgbteacher...

When in May are you going?

We are going at the very end of May. I keep waiting for someone to come join me on my roll call but so far over all I am talking to myself there every month or so. LOL

 

We are looking at May 30. My daughter is a Senior this year and some (about 10) of her friends and their parent are planning a cruise for our group. The kids are all special ed students so we think they will have fun sailing together. We have not booked yet so I have not looked at the role call threads yet. We are planning to book after the first of the year. Maybe we will all be on the same cruise. I hope so.

[JRock59]

OK she's an older Gal and deserves to be a bit worn but she's a GREAT ship! :) As for the Neon it grows on you and is a bit "Old Vegas" nothing wrong with that. :p We sail on January 19th our 3rd time on her and if the Flat Iron Steak is as good as it was on the Holiday back in September we'll be happy campers! ;) I'll try to remember to report back on that subject. A suggestion for Progresso would be the Dzibilchaltun Ruins EX booked through the ship. And take the 4 hour tour it's worth every penny and every minute! :D Big plus is it's under 30 minutes from the ship! Coz is great for shopping and not just at the peir head to the main square and make a day of it. :rolleyes: I'd say have the lunch special at Pancho's Backyard (enough for 2 people) and a couple of 'Ritas. Again well worth the money. Coz has really been cleaned up since she was hit a couple of years aago and there are some wonderful shops off the main strip in behind the main square. A lot cleaner than it use to be and we even noticed a number of Police walking around back there so we felt completly safe. Where as a few years back you could pay me enough to go back to that area! :( I have no doubt you'll have a great time, just keep reading these boards and before you know it you'll be on your Cruise!

[txchelle]

May 30 is when we are going :-)

Keep me posted!

 

We are looking at May 30. .

[cks]

Can any of you Ecstasy veterans give me information about the availability of lounge chairs on deck? Did you find it difficult to find chairs at peak times? Are there any areas off the beaten path that may have fewer people lounging than by the pool? Thanks.

[demples]

I have sailed on the Ecstasy twice and plan to sail on her again in Dec. 09. I love the ship!! I wish there was a better port to visit than Progresso. The ship had wonderful entertainment, the beds were great, we wanted to take some of the crew home with us, the food was good and the ship was clean, clean clean. I just returned on Sunday Dec. 14, 2008 from a 7 day on the Conquest and it was a great experience as well.

 

You will enjoy your cruise and all that it has to offer. What happens on the ship stays on the ship!!

 

Demples

[tkportersat]

You shouldn't have too much trouble finding one away from the pool, if you want to be by the pool you will have to get out there early - but that is the case for any ship. The only time I have had trouble was the week of Spring Break, we ended up back by the funnel.

 

The best spot is the area at the very back of the ship, it is tricky to get to though so that is why it is great because most folks haven't discovered it :D. I think you have to go through the Karoake lounge to get out there (Starlight lounge). Guess I have blown it now, huh? hehe. :rolleyes:

 

Can any of you Ecstasy veterans give me information about the availability of lounge chairs on deck? Did you find it difficult to find chairs at peak times? Are there any areas off the beaten path that may have fewer people lounging than by the pool? Thanks.

[cks]

You shouldn't have too much trouble finding one away from the pool, if you want to be by the pool you will have to get out there early - but that is the case for any ship. The only time I have had trouble was the week of Spring Break, we ended up back by the funnel.

 

The best spot is the area at the very back of the ship, it is tricky to get to though so that is why it is great because most folks haven't discovered it :D. I think you have to go through the Karoake lounge to get out there (Starlight lounge). Guess I have blown it now, huh? hehe. :rolleyes:

 

Awesome, that's just the kind of info I was looking for. I promise I won't tell anyone. :p

[tkportersat]

Well, I found it by accident. If you go out the doors to the left of the deli (facing it) and look down, there it is. It is very peaceful back there and all you hear is the sound of the ship's wake behind you. That was actually the time we were on it during SB and my friend and I were the only two people back there.

 

Awesome, that's just the kind of info I was looking for. I promise I won't tell anyone. :p

[LuckyStar]

Can any of you Ecstasy veterans give me information about the availability of lounge chairs on deck? Did you find it difficult to find chairs at peak times? Are there any areas off the beaten path that may have fewer people lounging than by the pool? Thanks.

 

We didn't find that the pool was all that great on the Ecstasy. It's on teh Lido deck and the music was too loud. But there were chairs, all occupied, no chair hogs, or maybe we just didn't care. :D We ended up one level in some adirondack type chairs. The music wasn't so loud and we could read quietly. Or you can choose to sit back from the pool toward the burger grill. Nice tables there in the grill area as well.

[cks]

We didn't find that the pool was all that great on the Ecstasy. It's on teh Lido deck and the music was too loud. But there were chairs, all occupied, no chair hogs, or maybe we just didn't care. :D We ended up one level in some adirondack type chairs. The music wasn't so loud and we could read quietly. Or you can choose to sit back from the pool toward the burger grill. Nice tables there in the grill area as well.

 

When you sit in obscure places away from the pool, can you still be in swimwear or do they frown on that?