Carnival's Imagination: A Taste of What to Expect
Written: Oct 05 '01
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Older vessel with new-ship amenities, good price and lots to do.
Cons: Showing some signs of wear and tear; three star cuisine.
The Bottom Line: Although showing some signs of age, the Imagination is a great value and perfect for the first time cruiser.
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| Suzi's Full Review: Carnival Imagination |
The Imagination operates four and five night Western Caribbean cruises that depart Miami on alternating Mondays, Thursdays and Saturdays. Prices range from under $300pp in the off season for four nights, calling on Key West and Cozumel; to five night itineraries, making stops in Grand Cayman and Ocho Rios or Cancun for around $400pp from September through mid-December and January.
Although this cruise is an excellent value and perfect for first time cruisers, it also has a strong following among Florida locals and gets it's share of repeat guests. The Imagination is well laid out and comes with many of the new features cruise passengers look for in a ship today. My experience aboard the Imagination was positive, however, not what I would call perfect. None the less, I would sail on her again and would not hesitate in recommending this cruise to friends and family.
I have been on the Imagination three times, but only once on the five night itinerary. Our staterooms have all been comfortable, kept clean by efficient room stewards. We have been in both inside and outside cabins, and found them to be nearly identical. The rooms on the Riviera Deck are the least expensive, however, they tend to have more vibration and noise especially early in the morning. You will find the vibration felt on Riviera and Main decks to be nonexistant in cabins located on Upper, Empress and Verandah decks. In my opinion, the inside cabins, located on the Verandah Deck, are by far the best value. Both inside and outside cabins are large and comfortable. There are a few rooms on the ship that have portholes (far forward) but most outside staterooms have large picture windows. Unless you book a room with a balcony, you won't be spending much time in it, and the additional expense may not be worth it to you. On the other hand, some people can't live without a window. Prices tend to be about $100pp more for an outside cabin.
Like with all other Carnival Cruises, the main focus aboard the Imagination is the entertainment, shipboard activities, and ports of call NOT the cuisine nor the service. Most people come away having had a great time; however if you are looking for five star dining and personalized service in an upscale environment, you will go away disappointed. That's not to say you won't find good food or attentive staff. But as the old saying goes, "you get what you pay for."
My experiences have generally been positive ones. I've had my share of run-ins with the Purser's staff (those are the people at the "front desk"), however, my trips (with the exception of one) aboard the Imagination have been work related, and not typical of what a paying passenger might necessarily experience. The staff aboard Carnival ships change often, so I caution you about some of the negative reviews you may encounter regarding service related issues. I agree, service isn't what it used to be. But the staff continue to work very hard to please its passengers. I wish the quality of the food would be higher, but again, most passengers seem to like the new, revised menu. Much of the food is typical of better quality steak houses, with the exception of a few dishes. The appetizers and soups are excellent, but the plain salads are boring. The main courses are pretty good, including the lobster, and you can order more than one entre. The desserts are mediocre at best, but the free espresso or capuccino is a welcome after-dinner bonus.
The Lido deck buffet and pizzaria are okay, however, the majority of kids on the ship rave about the food here. And I am always surprised at the large numbers of people who dine here in the evening, in leiu of the main restaurant. Take it from me, the food quality in the main dining room is head and shoulders above the Horizon Bar & Grill.
The nightly shows and entertainment are generally well received well by most passengers. The Las Vegas style reviews are well arranged and you'll find dancing, lounge acts and a huge casino to while away the night. The kid's program is excellent, according to my 8 year old. If you have kids in Camp Carnival, it's best if you arrange for dinner at the first two seatings (5:30 or 6pm). Camp Carnival has activities for children from 7-10pm, allowing parents to go to shows on their own, or to enjoy some time in the evening away from their kids.
The five day cruise to Ocho Rios and Grand Cayman is my preferred itinerary. But the other two, making stops in Key West, Cozumel or Cancun are also fun. This cruise is excellent for those of you looking to snorkle, spend some time on the beach or do a little shopping. Please check out the following shore excursion reviews for more input:
Cozumel for Cruise Passengers
http://www.epinions.com/trvl-review-1C26-CCE1AD7-3925971B-prod3
Visiting Grand Cayman While on a Cruise
http://www.epinions.com/trvl-review-504A-6C4108A-3921BC57-prod6
Ocho Rios for the Cruise Passenger
http://www.epinions.com/trvl-review-A70-5E36064-39216B73-prod2
Cancun for the First Time Visitor
http://www.epinions.com/trvl-review-5E8F-59E23F3-391330FF-prod3
What to Expect from Carnival
http://www.epinions.com/trvl-review-2460-3118A2B-396F49C8-prod1
Scuba Diving for Cruise Passengers
http://www.epinions.com/otdr-review-49CD-41443AA-39B021AC-prod1
Although my overall experiences aboard the Imagination were positive, there were a few things that bothered me here and there. I found many of the public areas to be showing lots of wear and tear; much of the furniture was dingy and dirty. Our cabin was kept clean, but no matter how hard our room steward worked (it seemed), the bathroom tile around the shower was never as clean as I would have liked (no Clorox, I guess). The bedding was warn and tired looking. The spa was very nice, but I refused to go near the place after their hard-sell tactics during my message on two separate cruises. Throughout both voyages, I got numerous annoying phone calls to "inform" me of specials. I might have even bought something had they only left me alone! The spa service is contracted out to Steiner, and although I like their products (which you can get over the internet), they are too hard-sell for my taste.
It's hard to include all aspects of this cruise in just one review. I recommend you check out others, both positive and negative, to get an idea of what you are in for. It's important to remember, your experience will be unique, and not take to heart everything you read. If you already have a trip booked aboard the Imagination, I have this hunch you'll have a great time. Remember to not let the little annoyances you may encounter, get to you. Although the Imagination is beginning to show her age, she none the less is an excellent value. Thanks for reading.
Recommended:
Yes
Best Suited For: Couples
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Epinions.com ID:
Suzi
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Location: California
Reviews written: 190
Trusted by: 147 members
About Me:
Suzi is an aspiring travel writer who enjoys scuba diving and volleyball.
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