Experience Hollywood on the high seas on the Fascination, Carnival's tribute to the golden age of film-making. Rub shoulders with new friends at the Beverly Hills Bar. Dance all night at Diamonds Are Forever, or have a quiet evening at Tara. Rich tapestries and stone elephants create an exotic ambience in the Passage to India Lounge. Feast on everything from lobster to Duck a L'orange at the splashy Coconut Grove Bar and Grill or the elegant Imagination Dining Room. Life-sized figures of Hollywood stars of bygone days like Marilyn, Bette, and Clark create once-in-a-lifetime photo opportunities. Escape on a 3- or 4-night cruise to the Bahamas or exotic Mexico and historic Key West.

Ship Highlights

• Six-deck-high Grand Atrium
• Three swimming pools, one of which is 115 feet long
• Six whirlpools and a 14-foot-high serpentine waterslide
• Two formal dining rooms and a variety of other dining options
• Fitness center with sauna and steam room
• Camp Carnival children's facilities
• Exciting nightlife including a disco and Las Vegas style revues
• Galleria Shopping Mall
• Revitalizing spa offering massage and beauty treatments
• Health-conscious Nautica Spa menu options

Overview

Carnival Cruise Lines is the largest cruise line in the world carrying one-fifth of all cruise passengers. A good percentage return again. This is a great main stream cruising value for those that are looking to have a "FunShip" vacation with a party atmosphere. You will find excellent spa and fitness facilities, great programs for kids and some of the largest cabins in this price range. Onboard all Carnival ships, guests under 21 must be accompanied by a parent, relative or guardian 25 years of age or older. This cuts down on the "Spring Break" reputation Carnival is trying to beat.

Fascination is the fourth Fantasy-class ship debuting in 1994 and is similar in all but the theme, "Hollywood", to her sister ships Ecstasy, Fantasy, Sensation, Imagination, Inspiration, and Paradise.

Many first-timers get their initial taste of cruising on the Fascination and are, for the most part, younger than passengers on other lines with a high concetration of couples due to the short cruises. However the days of T-shirt-clad crowds are gone; today's cruisers are honeymooners, young families, and singles as well as veteran travelers who like the Carnival ambiance. Dancing is a popular pastime for all, and late night adults-only comics bring out huge crowds.

Public rooms

Hollywood Boulevard stretches the length of the ship and is lined with popular venues for nightlife including Passage to India Lounge with its traditional near-East decor and the Casino Royal which lives up to its name in lights and sound. Hollywood Boulevard is the place to see and be seen nightly after dinner.

The $1 million art collection is displayed throughout the public areas but renditions of famous stars such as Marilyn Monroe, James Dean and John Wayne on the Boulevard capture the attention of the crowds.

Two self-service laundry rooms are located for passenger usage, $1 to wash, $1 to dry and 50 cents for detergent.

Activities

Entertainment

The Palace lounge features Carnival's popular Vegas-style revues nightly. This state-of-the-art theater boasts lasers lights, special effects and a sound system to rival any land-based show room. A word of warning -- be sure to get there early to get the best seats. Some of the seats have limited or obstructed views of the stage.

The Casino Royale is large and popular offering up an array of blackjack tables, roulette, craps and poker tables in addition to a variety of slots. Tournaments are scheduled almost every day.

One of the most popular places on the ship is 88, the sing-along piano bar. Get there early if you want a seat. Later in the evening, it was standing room only -- in the hallway! Passengers in the mood for a high-octane dance club will find the Diamonds Are Forever Dance Club a satisfying alternative. The Puttin' On The Ritz Lounge is another popular haunt with live music is on the bill most nights.

The real fun begins at sundown, when Carnival Fascination excels in decibels. This ship will entertain you in a timely fashion. There's no doubt that Carnival does "fun" better than anyone else. If you want to party and live it up. Then this ship is the one for you. So come give our crew consent to entertain you and yours beyond belief.

• Paris Lounge with it's 2 level show room featuring lavish shows that rival anything in Vegas
• 88 Bar - piano bar
• Teen Disco Club
• Hollywood Boulevard - filled with life-like figures from the movies
• Casino Royale - large casino
• Bogey's Cafe
• Passage to India Lounge
• Diamonds Are Forever Discotheque
• Puttin' on the Ritz - smaller show lounge
• Beverly Hills Bar
• Coconut Grove Bar & Grill

Fitness and Recreation

The large pool complex on the Lido Deck is the scene of live music and the signature blue sliding board gets plenty of use. Snorkeling equipment is for rent for the length of the cruise. A topless sunbathing area is situated aft on the Sun Deck. The Nautica Spa is more than large enough to accomodate passengers at 12,000 square feet including beauty salon. A fitness center offering pneumatic pressure machines, treadmills, stationary bikes, Stairmasters, and whirlpools get plenty of use. The spa is operated by Steiner, as on most cruise ships, but rates are pegged to the cruise passengers and are lower here than on the more upscale ships. There's a jogging track and a total of six whirlpools.

Family

Families are a major market for Carnival and the minimum passenger age is 4 months with no ship maximum on the number of children allowed on a particular sailing. Kids pay the flat rate for third/fourth guests in a cabin. Parents should pay "tips" on children aged three and up.

Camp Carnival is divided into four categories. Toddlers (2 - 5), Juniors (6 - 8) Intermediate (9 - 11) and Teens (12-15). There's a playroom for under-3s. Operating on sea days from 9 a.m. - 10 p.m. On days-in-port, Camp Carnival offers supervised free-play from arrival until 2 p.m.; scheduled activities run from 2 - 10 p.m. Babysitting is available on sea days and port days; cost is $6 for first child, $4 apiece for additional children and babysitting is a group activity (available from 10 p.m. - 3 a.m. in the children's play room. The dining room features a "daily junior special" each day plus a regular kids menu with the usual staples (chicken nuggets, hot dogs, pizza, pb&j). On formal nights, counselors host a kids-only dinner at the Lido buffet. Diapers are sold in the infirmary, and there's a turndown service featuring fresh baked chocolate chip cookies at bed-time. Carnival also offers teen-only shore excursion outings and walkie-talkies available for rent onboard. A Fountain Fun Card ($9 - $23 depending on length of cruise) is available for the under-21 set.

Fellow passengers

Lots of young couples and families choose this ship, partly because of the complimentary Camp Carnival program, its San Juan home port and an exotic Southern Caribbean itinerary. However, it also draws a complement of singles.

Dress

The Fascination is a casual cruise. There is one formal night, and most gentlemen opt for a suit and tie as opposed to a tuxedo. Most ladies wear a short cocktail dress or a dressy pants outfit on formal nights. Other nights are casual, with most gentlemen wearing a sport shirt and long slacks and most ladies wearing a casual dress or skirt and blouse or pants outfit. Shorts are not permitted in the dining rooms at dinner. The dress is very casual during the day, with swimsuits, shorts and t-shirts being the rule. Swimsuits are not allowed in the dining rooms, but you may opt for casual breakfast and lunch on the lido deck or around the pool.

Gratuity

The line suggests $3.50 per person per day for the cabin steward and table waiter, $2 per person per day for assistant waiters and additional tipping for maitre d' and head waiter. Tips for drinks are included in bar bills.