Carnival Ecstasy Review

Carnival Ecstasy Review
 
Overall I have a very positive review of Carnival Ecstasy!  The ship was fairly easy to navigate, the staff was pleasant and the newer amenities were nice (Guy’s Burger Joint and the Blue Iguana Cantina).  Coming off of Carnival Vista in December, I was afraid this MUCH Smaller ship would disappoint.  Even though the ship showed signs of much wear and tear over the years, the staff more than made up for this fact in the level of service, friendliness and overall hospitality.  We had a great 5 day Bahamian Cruise on board Carnival Ecstasy.

The Positives- While older, the ship was organized, our room was pleasant (albeit not many power outlets), the food in the dining room was delicious each and every evening, and the entertainment was pretty good.  We enjoyed the Punchliner Comedy Club shows and tried to get to nearly every one we could.  One night, after the Punchliner Comedy Club, we went to the Night Club…but it honestly wasn’t our style at all, so we left after about 30 minutes. The Serenity area (ages 21 and older) was always super quiet and nice, it even had 2 hot tubs (but we didn’t partake). The cushions (we noticed) were more plush in this area.  The Serenity was our favorite area to hang-out, relax and get some sun! Overall, we preferred the dining room over the “buffet” whenever possible.  You simply MUST try the breakfast burrito at the Cantina! Guy’s Burger Joint was a great, new renovation to this ship’s offerings.

The Negatives-  Unfortunately our "Your Time Dining” was atrocious. Each night once we checked in with the staff, we were given a pager and had to wait, and wait and wait….it was not convenient.  We even tried eating at different times, to see if it was just “popular times” were busy.  I spoke to the staff and voiced our frustrations with having to wait each time, so the very next time they tried to speed up our wait. Having done the “Your Time Dining” once before (on board Carnival Vista), I know it works and is very efficient on other Carnival Ships. There was only one pool on the ship (and on sea days it was packed).  Many of the elevators were broken (one we nearly got stuck in) but using the stairs was our preferred method of traveling.  The buffet always seemed to be packed and the lines were seemingly constant…this got old quickly. Sometimes we just grabbed stuff and went, to avoid the terrible congestion.  I honestly preferred Guy’s Burger Joint and the Burrito’s at the Cantina as far as quick foods.
 
Sending many clients on this ship previously, I can now personally vouch for this ship and offer my own personal pluses.  I love that this ship leaves out of Charleston, which is super convenient for us being in the Southeast.  Would I venture onto Carnival Ecstasy again in the near future, absolutely!

I must say that I cannot wait until Carnival Sunshine makes her debut in Charleston, she is STILL my most favorite Carnival Ship of All.  She is slated to arrive late May of 2019!  I hope to be on board soon thereafter.

If you need assistance booking your Carnival Cruise, without any additional cost to you, give us a call at Escape Destinations Travel- 910.379.4033.
 

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Here I am with my sister, Ginger at Princess Cays, Bahamas. Carnival Ecstasy is in the background.