CARNIVAL'S FUN SHIPS

WHY ARE CARNIVAL'S "FUN SHIPS" SO MUCH FUN?
by Julie Simon

Just what makes Carnival's "Fun Ships" so much fun? In search of the answer, I embarked on two of Carnival's "Fun Ships" --- the Imagination and the Fantasy, to find out for myself.

We departed from the port of Miami on Imagination's 5-day Western Caribbean itinerary. This itinerary included two "Fun Days at Sea", a day on the beautiful island of Grand Cayman, and a full day in Calica/Playa del Carmen.

Our "Fun Days at Sea" included endless hours of soaking up the sun by the pool, trying our luck in the casino, sipping frozen tropical drinks in the lounges, relaxing in the hot tub, shopping at the onboard mall, and indulging ourselves in a massage at the spa. The options are endless! Carnival also offers a wide variety of activities throughout the day---Onboard "Survivor", the "Newlywed Game", trivia games, relay races, karaoke, and so much more! By nightfall, you can dance the night away at the many clubs, join a conga line at the deck party, catch a Vegas-style show, or laugh until you cry at the comedy shows. There is so much fun to be had that the onboard photographers will never catch you without a smile on your face!

And did I mention you can eat 24-hours a day if you'd like? Every "Fun Ship" has a 24-hour pizzeria or you can choose to dine in the dining room or at one of the many buffets on the upper deck. If you are feeling guilty, you can work it off at the gym overlooking the gorgeous sea. Of course, there was so much going on around the ship that we never made it to the gym.

The fun continued as we ventured out into the ports. While in Grand Cayman, we opted for shopping at the many duty-free shops. There were many shore excursions to choose from in the Cayman Islands---a favorite is the Stingray Sandbar. In Mexico, we decided to venture into Cancun for fun and relaxation on the beach. There were also many shore excursions for your stop in Mexico as well. Choose from a tropical jeep safari, the Mayan Ruins of Tulum and much more!

Unfortunately, all good things have to come to an end. But…why does it have to? So I immediately started planning my next "Fun Ship" adventure.

With only a short weekend available, we decided to embark on the 3-day Bahamas itinerary aboard the Carnival Fantasy. The Fantasy spends one full day and night in Nassau, Bahamas and includes one "Fun Day at Sea" so you can enjoy the ship's many amenities.

While in the Bahamas you have many options to choose from. We decided to take the Yellow Bird Party, which included a live calypsos band, free rum punch and a stop at Blackbeard's Cay. On the cay, you can swim, snorkel, jet ski, take a banana boat ride, join a limbo contest, or just relax in the sun all day. Then you have the entire night to enjoy yourself in the Bahamas by gambling at the Atlantis Resort and Casino or returning to the ship to enjoy the many nightclubs and activities they have to offer. It's your choice!

Once you come aboard a Carnival cruise you'll have everything you need for your kind of fun! I would be happy to help plan your adventure on one of Carnival's many "Fun Ships"!

About Julie

Julie (Simon) Schafer joined the Classic Travel Team in 2002. She works with both leisure and corporate clients, as well as groups. She is also Classic Travel's School Group Specialist---arranging memorable travel experiences for music, sports, arts and other studies. Julie has traveled to Mexico, New Zealand, the Caribbean, and throughout the United States, including Hawaii and Alaska.