Carnival Cruise Lines                                          Rating:  4 STARS!
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The Ecstasy Cruise Ship Review:

Upon boarding the Carnival Ecstasy Cruise Ship, you are welcomed with a friendly smile
and cheerful greeting by the staff.  The staterooms are clean and are arranged for the
most spacious layout possible.  Diagrams of the ship are located by the elevators and
are very helpful and easy to understand in order to help you navigate your way around.
The staff will also leave a towel animal on the beds when they clean the room and this
is well received by the kids.

On the Ecstasy cruise ship, you will find 3 separate pool areas - one with a winding slide, 
all located on different levels and have different depths.  In case it's cold and windy on board,
there are 3 hot tubs.  On the very top deck, you will find a miniature putt-putt golf course for
you to enjoy with the kids.  On another deck, you will find a basketball court, volleyball court,
ping-pong tables, and an area to try your golf swing in a net.

There is a great kids program on the ship called Camp Carnival and it is broken down into
different age groups.  At camp, depending on the age group, they will do crafts, have a
scavenger hunt for items found on the ship, make their own stuffed animals, make their
own desserts, make their own pizza, participate in sports, have a dance contest, sing
karaoke, and participate in many more fun activities.  They can pick and choose which
times they'd like to go or they can be dropped off for the day to stay at camp. 

Our kids were 9 1/2 and 5 and spent most of their time with us doing activities like bingo,
watching the stage shows, swimming in the pools, playing putt-putt golf, playing volleyball,
watching the family comedian show, etc.  They only went to the Camp for one activity each,
lasting about 30 minutes the second day.  On the last day of our cruise, they decided to go
do more things there and picked fun activities that totaled about three hours.  The kids had
fun, made new friends, and got to experience some independence from their family for a short
kid vacation at camp.  The Camp Carnival staff were nice and well-organized. 

Also located on the ship, you will find a spa, casino, arcade, dance area, lounging areas,
shops, candy and chocolate stores, jazz club, karaoke bars, piano bars, teen dance clubs,
several dining areas, portrait areas, etc. 

There is always room for improvement.  The food in the casual dining areas needs more
American-variety and more kid-friendly food options.  I recommend adding chicken strips,
chicken sandwiches, macaroni and cheese, and corn to the casual dining areas for it to be
a better dining experience for the kids.

Overall, I found the Ecstasy Cruise Ship to be fun and family-friendly.  The entertainment
provided is great and offers variety.  The ship bathrooms were always clean and well
maintained.  The breakfast buffet is awesome! The staff were friendly and accommodating.
I recommend Carnival Cruise Lines for your next all-inclusive vacation.


** FYI:  The first night on board is when they serve the best dinner items in the formal dining
             areas, so if you enjoy lobster, make sure you don't miss it!  

             Also, as soon as you get settled into your room, go down to the shore tours desk and
             book your desired shore excursions because they will sell out quickly.  And if you might
             want a treatment at the spa, it would be a good idea to book that first as well before
             it gets all booked up. 
            
             When you are making arrangements for the debarkation process, I recommend
             that you choose the self-assist option instead of the general debarkation method
             that requires you to leave your luggage outside the stateroom by midnight on the
             last night of your cruise.  The self-assist option will save you time and allow you to 
             be amongst the first to leave the ship upon docking and get you to the customs area
             quicker and therefore leave the port sooner.  

             If you choose the general debarkation option, it will take you longer and you will be 
             among the last people to leave the ship and last in the long line for customs and your
             luggage.  **


** WARNING:  In every show performance, there is at least an outfit or two that are very RISKY
                       and not for kids to view.  **