Note: I am sailing on a 5-day Mexico cruise aboard Carnival’s oldest ship – Carnival Ecstasy, a trip that costs only $14 per day in cruise fare. Each day I cover the experience, giving you an inside look at what it’s like to navigate this journey.
You can view other days here:
For one of its last times, Carnival Ecstasy is on its way back to Mobile, Alabama. After more than 30 years of sailing, the ship has approximately six more weeks of sailing before it is scheduled to leave the fleet.
As this journey draws to a close, knowing that I’m on a ship that has taken literally millions of passengers on cruises around the world… and I won’t be doing that again… is a little strange to think about. There are so many things I’d like to take off the walls as souvenirs, but I don’t think Carnival seems too kind about it.
Instead, enjoying one more day at sea is my parting gift. Thankfully, the weather has been great to enjoy just that. Calm seas, just a few clouds here and there, and plenty of sun.
I had planned to have seafood brunch in the dining room, but changed plans when I saw the line to get in. when you get a notification, your board is ready. In my opinion, it seems to be contributing to longer lines as dozens of people stand around the dining room entrance until the app says to proceed.
Instead, I just had a quick bite at the buffet, sat outside and enjoyed the sea view while I ate. From there it was off to the gym for a quick workout and then back to the cabin to catch up on some work in front of the pool.
But the return to the cabin was a surprise.
Now, for the most part this trip has been great. But if you are someone who is particularly picky and likes things perfect, then there may be times you don’t like them.
For example, around day 3 I noticed that the cabin next to me – which had Roll Tide door trim – had apparently moved about 10 doors down the hall. I noticed it, but didn’t think much of it.
Also that day, I realized my cabin had a musty smell when I entered. After a minute I didn’t notice it anymore, so it wasn’t enough to complain to Guest Services. But it was enough to look through all my clothes to make sure I didn’t leave a wet bathing suit somewhere. Every time I went inside, the light breeze would be there.
Well, today, two and two came together. I saw that maintenance was inside the booth next to mine working when I got back from the gym. The ceiling tiles were down, the bed had been moved and sitting in my cabin working I hear voices, a hammer clanging, an occasional grinder and then a welder. It seems possible that a pipe has leaked next door.
The noise continued for at least 45 minutes until I decided to go to the pool. Again, if you’re calm, it’s no big deal; just go around the ship until they run out. However, I know some people would be upset about it.
With the sunny day, the pool deck was bouncing. Instead of fighting for a seat, I made my way to the back of the ship where there were still lots of people but plenty of room. I mentioned earlier that I like more activities on a cruise ship, and just lounging on a lounger is fine for a bit, but I need more excitement. So on the last day I made sure to hit the waterslides on the ship. Since the cruise is sailing right after school started back up, I didn’t have to take too many little kids out of the way for a ride.
From there, it was time for a little sun before having a delicious lunch at BlueIguana.
Now for dessert, I decided to treat myself. I don’t know what it is, but the usual desserts on this cruise just didn’t do it for me. Other than some tiramisu the first night, I haven’t found anything that I thought was that good.
But there is a small cafe on the ship (called Rolls Royce), and they have a cooler filled with lots of goodies for an extra fee. So I opted to try a slice of chocolate cake in hopes that paying a little ($2.25 per slice) would be worth the investment.
Worth it was an understatement. Insanely rich, the five-layer feta was extremely good. I felt like a cheat for not getting a piece every day of the cruise. In fact, despite having a huge dessert, I couldn’t even finish the whole thing because it was so sweet. I highly recommend a piece…especially if you have another person to help you handle it.
The afternoon has slowed down somewhat. As I mentioned, with the smaller ship, there isn’t much to do around the ship other than the basics – pool, casino and drinks. Instead, I’m using the time to pack and get ready to leave so I don’t have to do it tonight.
There are a few things I want to make sure to get in before the cruise ends, including a drink and karaoke at the Chinatown Lounge and tonight’s Motor City production highlighting Motown music.
Update: I just got back from seeing the Motown show. Absolutely a hit. Lots of fun and a very talented cast.
Tomorrow morning, it’s time to disembark and fly home.
Is it worth it? Final thoughts on sailing on Carnival’s oldest ship for cheap
So what’s the bottom line of cruising for just $70 for five days on Carnival’s oldest ship? Is it worth it? A disaster? Would I do it again if I could?
I will say that coming into this cruise, I had some concerns. If you’ve ever seen the movie Vegas Vacation, where they visit the off-strip casino to win Clark Griswold’s money, then you have an idea of what I pictured.
This was not the case here at all. First, let’s start with the ship. Its old. It is small. It is showing some wear. And it is not on par with ships built today.
But even there there is a charm. I mentioned on Day 1 that it feels like a time capsule. The decor is very 1990s, and I dig it. If it was my first cruise, I’m not sure what I would think. But sailing many different ships, Ecstasy is a fun change of pace that is unlike anything else I’ve sailed.
That said, I think three or four days is plenty. Five days is getting a little long. A week long cruise? I couldn’t do it. There just isn’t enough to do and experience on board.
But I also go back to the price and the things I had to do on this cruise.
For much less than the cost of a plane ticket, I was able to visit the Yucatan. I swam at a private beach in Cozumel. I have to see cenotes that are nothing less than natural wonders. While the ship is at sea, I was able to see the Milky Way, rainbows, sunny days, and beautiful dark storm clouds rolling across the horizon. I met some great people. And I ate a piece of chocolate cake.
In other words, I came expecting one thing… but had a completely different experience than that. Carnival Ecstasy might not be my first choice for a cruise – and it definitely wouldn’t be for everyone – but I’m glad I had the chance to enjoy this whole experience while she’s still at sea. I don’t think I would do it again… but I still had a lot of fun.
Interesting observations
- Looking at my onboard account summary in the Carnival Hub app, I have a random credit to my account for $5.71 for “Reimbursement of Port Taxes, Fees and Expenses”. This isn’t the first time I’ve noticed random refunds or credits on a Carnival cruise. Next time you’re cruising, keep an eye out and you might even enter the random cash raffle.
- All you bacon lovers, heads up. Breakfast seems hit or miss if bacon is served. Twice it wasn’t available, and I’m not sure why. Another time it was. Even if it is available, the staff serves to keep the litter down. One day I had a random passenger sit next to me in the morning when tables were hard to come by. His breakfast? A pile of bacon on a plate… and nothing else. What a king.
- I have a complaint? It is constantly cold in my room. I’m from Texas. I don’t need a 65 degree cabin. There is no thermostat in the room, just a large opening in the middle of the ceiling with a handle to open or close it. Even the whole street is closed, it’s cold. The best part of the day is going out on the pool deck first thing in the morning to thaw out.
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