I Imagined being on another boat
Written: Jun 25 '02 (Updated Jun 25 '02)
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Affordable, good for teens & younger party crowd, plenty of late night opportunities, quicky getaway
Cons: Large boat, immature, sometimes gauche passengers
The Bottom Line: Imagination is an inexpensive way to try cruising or sample the Caribbean. Don't choose Imagination if this is a once in a lifetime vacation.
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| rat_rubber's Full Review: Carnival Imagination |
After talking about taking a family holiday cruise for several years, we finally decided to go for it. We chose the Imagination for it's short itinerary (4 days) and price and booked our cruise for the week before Christmas.
There were thirteen family members and we ranged in age from 12 years old to 66 years old. We used VacationsToGo (Serena) to book our cruise and have nothing but praise for her.
The itinerary was Miami, Key West, Cozumel and return to Miami. We departed Miami with minimum hassle. Parking at the port was $10.00 per day, payable in advance.
The Room
Think of an orange HoJo sign and that's exactly what color our room was. Our cabins were outside (porthole) on the lower passenger level, in the bow. The room was large, provided an in room safe (no charge), and had ample closet space. We were also provided with robes but I don't know if this is standard in all rooms. The porthole provided a cozy nook that was large enough to sit in but unfortunately the cabin steward had failed to notice the gum stuck there.
The bathroom was basic. There was a height adjustable shower head with good water pressure but we did notice temperature changes when other cabins were using water. There was a small shelf and cabinet above the sink. No hair dryer was provided and there was no counter space.
When we compared rooms with the rest of the family, everyone had some problem. There were rooms with no towels, some with sample gift basket, some without and others with no drinks or ice. Our cabin steward was AWOL.
The rooms were quiet except when docking. The chains running through the hawsers made quite a racket and vibrated the bed.
But hey...The family is together and we're here to have fun...on to the food!
**Best Tip Give your room steward a chance to make it right before complaining.
The Food
We dined every evening in the formal dining room. The food was average to good and there were three to five choices per course including a cheese/fruit selection for dessert.
I didn't care for the seating in the dining room. There were tables but we were seated in booths. It was okay for us as a family but I would have been uncomfortable in that seating arrangement with strangers. The service was very hurried and we had to make repeated requests for different items. Our waiter seemed to be doing the best that he could but had too many tables under his management without enough support staff.
The buffet lunch and breakfast was adequate. The selection was limited with one or two hot items, some cold salads, cut fruit and dessert. The lines were long and often we just grabbed a roll w/butter or cereal for breakfast or a salad for lunch. The outdoor grill provided hamburgers, hot dogs and fries, etc.. The grill lines seemed to move faster than the buffet lines.
We did enjoy the late, late night crepe buffet where they provided sweet fruits, cheeses and whipped cream to make your own creation. It was a good place for the night owls in our group to gather and talk about the day.
One cost efficient feature that we liked was the drink coupon available for around $15.00 to $20.00. We purchased one for each child. The coupon enables you to get unlimited fountain sodas for the entire cruise. This is a great deal since canned sodas cost about $2.50 each. These coupons are not limited to children.
**Best Tip Order second entrees in advance because once dinner starts you might not get it.
Shore Tours
Key West
Since we have been there before, no one booked a tour through the cruise line. If you plan to go snorkeling or sailing though, it might be recommended because of time limitations. Key West is small enough to do just about all the other tours on your own. We visited the Atoocha museum. It cost about $8.00 per person and was disappointing. Very little of the actual Atoocha treasure is displayed. Key West is a good place to try a piece of the signature key lime pie and sample a sweet, creamy cafe con leche (Cuban coffee). Our group particularly liked Hemingway House and all it's cats.
Lines to get off the boat were very long. Lines to get back on the boat were longer. Disembark as early as possible and don't wait until the last minute to return.
Cozumel
Everyone had a different idea about what they wanted to do here but that's what is great about a family cruise.
One crew rented a jeep. These were available at the pier and cost about $75.00 for rental and insurance. This group seemed to accomplish the most as far as sight seeing. They made it to the other side of the island to see blow hole rocks, the Chaknab National Park for a quick snorkel (gear available at park for small charge) and an abbreviated Myan culture/artifact tour and still had time to taxi into town for shopping in the evening.
My crew split up and here is where things got a little frightening. Since Mom and Dad (us) had done the Myan ruins at Tulum on a previous cruise, we opted for snorkeling at Chaknab National Park. Our children, 21 & 13 yrs. opted for Tulum. We were comfortable that they would be fine by themselves.
We were at the pier waiting for their shuttle to arrive at the scheduled time. No shuttle. Checked with the Imagination crew and they said it's running late. Waited, waited, checked with crew and it's still running late. Finally the shuttle arrived but our children were not there. Panic ensued. The shuttle crew had no memory of our children being onboard but said there may be another shuttle.
As we hoped and waited for a second shuttle to arrive, my husband and I made mental plans for staying in Mexico, locating the kids and flying home. We scanned every face on the pier searching for our children and then......we see them. They were loaded with purchases from town. The shuttle had stopped in town first and they decided to disembark and go shopping.
Being a parent can be so much fun sometimes. :)
**Best Tip Take a guided tour for the best snorkeling
The Boat
The Imagination is a large boat and carries about 2000 passengers. This created long lines for food, disembarkation, etc. but also provided for a lively nightlife. It is decorated in an Vegas glitzy theme with large amounts of lucite, brass and glass. We were all very disappointed that there were few holiday decorations.
Large pools and whirlpools provided plenty of swimming space. Lines were too long for the giant slide and the children decided it wasn't worth it.
There was so much available to do onboard that I really couldn't list it all. There were themed lounges, a large casino, spa & gym available. There was a library that never seemed to be open, internet cafe with banks of computers and even a sushi bar. The promenade deck was lined with shops and bars. We were disappointed that there was no outside deck that went completely around the ship.
The showroom was beautiful but a lot of the upper level seating had poor visibility.
**Best Tip Carry a map.
Activities
Daily activities included sports competitions, gaming clinics, bingo, dance lessons, shore excursion seminars, cooking/ice sculpting demonstrations and poolside games.
There was a teen dance every evening.
Various shows were available to attend. We thought the stage production was very good.
**Best Tip Children may need help planning their activities because the choices are overwhelming.
Service
What service? We felt it was poor to average. The employees seemed overworked and apathetic. Gratuities are automatically added to your cabin at the end of the cruise. Perhaps this or poor pay/heavy workload is the problem. Or maybe, like us, they didn't appreciate having to step over passengers who were passed out in the hallways.
Anyway, Carnival's Imagination service was a far cry from what we experienced on their sister company line, Holland America. (See my Maasdam review at this site: http://www.epinions.com/content_67458207364 )
**Best Tip Remember the sugar vs. vinegar draws more flies adage
And Finally
My motto is: It's better to have an average trip than no trip at all.
Overall I think we chose the appropriate cruise for a small budget and large group of people to please. All the children (12 & above) enjoyed themselves and were able to stay busy with activities appropriate to their age. The adults in our group were happy with the activities available even if not thrilled about the service. We had a wonderful family photo taken on formal night and will have good memories of this family Christmas.
Recommended:
No
Best Suited For: Singles
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Epinions.com ID:
rat_rubber
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Location: South Florida
Reviews written: 5
Trusted by: 2 members
About Me:
MWF very epinionated, loves going off the beaten path, travel, books & dining out.
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