Carnival Fascination 10-30-16

 

 

Boarding in Platinum in San Juan is very easy.  We were guided to a separate room and got our cards.  Then we went through security which is when it got weird.  They flagged my bag and said I had liquids in it so they proceeded to take it apart.  Then I said I didn’t have anything in the carry on but had two bottles of water and a soda in my bag.  Well he said I couldn’t take both the waters on so he took one.  Then we rounded the corner to head on the ship and a female officer said not to take a step toward her unless we had our passports open to the picture page!  Finally we get on and Debbie and I are surprised that the ship for one of the older Carnival ships is in surprisingly good shape.  Much smaller than we are used to but nice. 

Being Platinum also affords us priority luggage delivery.  My luggage was outside the cabin door about 20 minutes after we got on.  I put it inside and we went to lido to have some lunch.  When we got back, Debbie's luggage was still not there and she was getting worried since they were already delivering others.  We waited for awhile and still no luggage so we decided to go look for it to see if it was outside the wrong cabin.  I said I would take the port side and she would look on the starboard side.  I told her that for some reason I thought we should go down a deck first.  We did and as soon as I got to the port side Debbie was yelling that she saw it and we followed the luggage cart until she got it then the crew let us use the luggage elevator to take it back up.  We were unpacked quickly and had the luggage put away and she was happy and relaxed again.  It is awful when you know it should be there but it isn't.  Hard to relax until you know where it is and of course the crew said we should just go to cabin and wait...it would come.  Famous last words! 

Dinner is open seating since we sail so late tonight.  We are seated with a whole table of US people which was amazing considering the population of this ship.  Tons of large groups who are all wearing shirts that tell about their group.  Hispanic and Black is the majority and Spanish is the language.  Even in the Ship’s paper, they have specific activities in Spanish!

Dinner was good (even without the tablecloths which Carnival has done away with) and the chocolate melting cake just as good.  The muster drill was at 9 PM and I wasn’t sure I could stay awake long enough.  It took a full hour to do this drill…we didn’t think it was ever going to be over.  We were with a cute couple that dined with us at dinner from Novia Scotia who are both delightful, fun and funny!  If it wasn’t for them, I don’t know I could have made it through the drill.  We were supposed to sail at 10 PM but never left until 11 PM.  Debbie and I were already in bed.

So ended day 1 on the Fascination.

 

Orchids growing in the trees outside the Hampton

This was at the pier in San Juan

Our cabin...no balcony..slumming for me...boohoo

Raining so hard you can't see across the harbor

Clear again

Nite Nite