 Expert Review |  | | | | |
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Editor's Note: All eight of Carnival's Fantasy-class ships will receive extensive upgrades as part of Carnival's $250 million "Evolutions of Fun" program. Expansive children's water parks, a new design style and features for the pool areas, and the creation of the Serenity adults only deck area will be part of the changes to the open decks of Carnival Cruise Lines' eight Fantasy-class ships. The expanded outdoor recreation areas will be initially incorporated onto the 2,052-passenger Inspiration and Imagination during month-long dry docks in fall of 2007 and added to other Fantasy-class ships in 2008 and 2009 during scheduled dry-dock periods. In the world of cruise ships, Ecstasy is proving to be a golden oldie. I loved my five-day trip and would sail the very comfortable Ecstasy again in a heart beat. It boasts many of the amenities standard on 21st-century vessels such as flat-screen televisions and Internet cafe, but with more than a touch of Carnival's original classic neon and glitz. Ecstasy is a Fantasy-class sister to Fantasy, Fascination, Imagination, Inspiration, Elation and Paradise, and cost $315 million when it debuted in 1991. One of three vessels (along with Sensation and Holiday) Carnival chartered to FEMA after Hurricane Katrina hit the Gulf Coast, Ecstasy has recently undergone a major refurbishment, and is offering two five-day sailings and one four-day sailing, departing Mondays, Thursdays and Saturdays to Mexico from the Port of Galveston. The refurbishment included changing and thoroughly cleaning carpets throughout the ship. Pictures on the wall are new, there are the aforementioned flat-screen televisions in all cabins, the new Carnival Comfort bedding has been installed in all cabins, and public rooms have been updated and brightened. It was a boatload of intense spring cleaning, and the ship has aged well. Among the larger changes? A mini-golf course was created, and Camp Carnival, one of the most attractive features of these Carnival vessels, was relocated. (More than 600 kids were registered during one spring break week.) An Internet cafe is located at the Promenade deck (Deck 9), down the hall from Rolls Royce, a new coffee shop offering a variety of designer coffees and milkshakes priced between $2.50 and $4 each. There's also a late afternoon sushi bar and a new photo gallery that winds around the Atrium. This well-maintained vessel is ideal for families, multigenerational groups, honeymooners and singles, providing that proverbial something for everyone, including fine entertainment, comfortable accommodations and excellent food. The cruise line has set out to attract "age is a state of mind" travelers across the spectrum who are looking for a more spirited vacation experience. Because of its four- and five-day schedule, Ecstasy attracts a large number of families and kids of all ages. And yet at the same time, veteran travelers who remember the earlier days of contemporary cruise travel, won't be disappointed. The "newlywed game," name that tune contests, ice carving and bingo are still part of the frivolities. An extended camp program for kids between the ages of 2 and 17, art auctions, wine seminars, spa classes attractive to the fit, and late-night entertainment appeal to all demographics. The Ecstasy features a New York City theme that runs throughout the public rooms. If you seek a lively, active cruise with plenty of nightlife, this ship is for you. This vessel appeals to the young-at-heart of all ages who like a more spirited than subdued holiday. You will find terrific Las Vegas-style entertainment, a selection of theme bars and lounges, and some of the largest standard cabins in the cruise industry. Despite the large number of passengers, there is no sense of being crowded onboard. | | |  top | | | | Dining
Once upon a time, the dining experience wasn't Carnival's high point, but that was then. In the now, the line's ships offer exciting dining options and truly good food. Service has been considerably refined and is outstanding. Wind Star and Wind Song are the two main dining rooms. Menu items include a wondrous raspberry mousse with chocolate cake; a free-range chicken specialty with creamed foie gras sauce served with grilled zucchini, glazed mushrooms and a basmati rice pilaf; and more. An appetizer that got rave reviews on Ecstasy was the smoked duck and caramelized oranges with onion and oven-dried tomato confit. Menus also offer spa alternatives, lower calorie items with calories and fat grams listed. (How about grilled baby veggies with tangy soy vinaigrette at 121 calories and only 2 grams of fat?) Breakfast, lunch and dinner are available at the Panorama Bar & Grill, a buffet eatery where a 24-hour pizzeria, 24-hour yogurt and ice cream station, and deli sandwich bar are also located. Breakfast on the Lido Deck includes a made-to-order eggs/omelet station, fresh breads, Danish pastry and muffins, many items for lunch plus a salad bar, and at dinner, some of the offerings from the main dining rooms. A children's menu featuring those ubiquitous chicken fingers, small pizzas and pasta is always available. Service in the dining rooms -- and the Panorama Bar & Grill -- is consistently good. Attentive waiters fill glasses, offer more (oh so good) bread and make that extra effort to ensure guests enjoy the meal. The two dining rooms accommodate 650 passengers. The two seatings are at 6 and 8:15 p.m. All dining venues are non-smoking. Room service -- with a limited menu -- is available 24 hours. Salads and sandwiches are pretty much all that's offered for lunch and dinner, and a continental breakfast of cold cereal and/or breads is delivered promptly with the toast still warm. Late night offerings include the ever-popular midnight buffets -- yes, Carnival still offers them -- and that 24-hour pizzeria. A sushi bar on Promenade Deck is in operation before dinner. | | | | top | | | | Public Rooms
City Lights Boulevard is the name of Ecstasy's promenade on Deck 9. The Photography Gallery -- a repository for all those pictures taken during the cruise from embarkation to farewell dinner -- encircles the Grand Atrium, between the casino and Blue Sapphire Lounge. One deck below, on Deck 8, is the Explorer's Library (open two hours a day) and Neon, a popular piano bar. An electronic games arcade is also located on Deck 8. The ship's most active areas dot the Boulevard, which runs from the Blue Sapphire Lounge through the Grand Atrium, and down to the Society Bar and the larger Starlight Lounge near the aft end of the ship. The Lobby -- where guests enter and gaze up the seven-story Atrium in awe -- is home to the U-shaped bar that also serves coffee. Between the shore excursion desk and the ship's front desk, it is a busy hive of activity when the ship is not in port. Internet service is available in a great location, 24 hours a day on Promenade Deck, across from the Rolls Royce patisserie. Packages are available for about $29 an hour. | | | | top | | | | Cabins
Standard Oceanview cabins are 190 square ft. and inside cabins are 185 square ft. Most the ship's cabins feature twin beds, combined into an extremely comfortable king-size bed. Carnival's Comfort Bed is a new sleep system that is on a par with those in five-star hotels. Cabins offer good lighting for reading in bed. New flat-screen television sets are wall-mounted. Oceanview cabins and higher feature bathrobes, but don't expect hair dyers, so pack your own. Only top-priced cabins have a verandah. Amenities include wall-installed, in-shower bath gel and shampoo, plus a basket of sample-size goodies, including Crest toothpaste, Tylenol, Tums, razors, etc. Triples and quads accommodate the needs of three or four people traveling together. These cabins go quickly -- especially over school holiday periods -- so book early. Interestingly, all of Carnival's Fantasy-class ships have cabins that can accommodate five -- very unusual in the industry. It goes without saying that this can be quite appealing to families. Twenty cabins have been designed for physically challenged guests. Closet and drawer space is standard. A safe, which guests can program individually, is located in each cabin. Suites on the ship were redone during the refurbishment program. Launderettes are situated throughout the ship. | | | | top | | | | Entertainment
Carnival entertainment is varied, ranging from classical music to X-rated comedy, and includes some of the most outstanding stage productions -- real Las Vegas-style revues -- on the seven seas. Xtreme Country is the name of a western-themed show, performed the last night at sea, and practically tailor-made for the Galveston-based vessel and its passengers. Once a replica of a pickup truck appears on stage, the standing room audience is completely captured. No one can sit through the show without tapping a foot, and a few dance in the aisles. Loud, colorful and dynamite, Xtreme Country is marvelous. Stripes Dance Club is a wild and crazy place. Chinatown also features music. Rolls Royce -- and yes, there is a real Rolls on display -- is a patisserie and coffee house, and the Crystal Palace Casino is often the hottest spot on the ship. The Blue Sapphire Lounge, a two-tiered showroom, features a lot of glitter, a lot of blue, some wonderfully comfortable seats, but also those darned poles that ruin sight-lines on the Fantasy-Class ships. It is a shame, because many of the shows produced in this room are about the best in the business. It is an elegant show room -- in a 90's sort of way. Crystal Palace Casino is a full-service casino with slots and table games and weekly slot and blackjack tournaments. Table games include blackjack and Caribbean Stud Poker, three card poker, roulette and craps. Slots are state-of-the-art. Neon offers sing-alongs and karaoke. | | | | top | | | | Fitness and Recreation
The spa and fitness center offers separate saunas and steam rooms for men and women, as well as coed whirlpool tubs. Classes, such as aerobics and Pilates, are offered; some levy a $10 charge. Ecstasy has three pools, including a wading pool for Camp Carnival. The main pool is where the action is (live music, pool games and Carnival's signature water slide). There is a quiet aft pool and two whirlpools for guests who choose to get away from it all and relax in peace. Carnival has been very aggressive in growing its golf programs. Onboard Ecstasy, a golf pro sails on each cruise -- and will arrange golf outings during calls at Mexican ports. Just want to play at it? Check out the new nine-hole miniature golf course. Another hit is the trademark Carnival slide, open on sea days. | | | | top | | | | Family
If ever a ship and/or itinerary lent itself to family cruising, this is it. Camp Carnival provides super programming for kids of all ages. They have a blast. New audio/visual equipment in the Camp, relocated in the refurbishment to a new area reached by the Forward elevators, makes it a really attractive area to youngsters. Family programming goes on all day and includes pool games, dance lessons, and an evening production revue. | | | | top | | | | Fellow Passengers
Galveston has proven a popular drive-to port with hundreds of Louisiana residents, Texans, other Gulf Coast folks, and many Middle Americans opting for the Galveston-based itineraries. Expect to find people from many walks of life traveling in groups, a couple of in-their-own-world honeymooners, some first-time cruisers and a lot of repeat passengers. Because of this broad sweep of passengers, ages skew all over the board. Most appear to be in the 40 to 60 age group. | | | | top | | | | Dress Code
This is a casual ship -- and it is usually quite hot in Mexico, as well as in Galveston -- so shorts, T-shirts and sandals seem to be the uniform of the day, everyday. Long pants are appropriate at dinner. Formal nights on Ecstasy don't seem to require a tux. A suit or sport jacket and slacks are the option most men choose, while women dress up a bit more. You can dine in swimwear at the Lido or around the pool. Wear a cover-up. | | | | top | | | | Gratuity
A fee of $10 per person, per day is added to each bill. It covers tips to room stewards, dining room waiter and team waiter. Additional tips to maitre'd, dining room captains or camp counselor are at your pleasure. A change in tips is possible by visiting the front desk before departure. Carnival adds a 15 percent tip to all drink bills. --by Marcia Levin | | | | top | | | | | Expert reviews are provided by CruiseCritic.com, an award-winning cruise community. This objective information can help you choose just the right ship for your next cruise vacation. | |  | |
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