Carnival Fascination
 Carnival Fascination docked in Key West, Florida. | |
| Name: |
1994–2007: Fascination 2007–present: Carnival Fascination |
| Owner: | Carnival Corporation & plc |
| Operator: | Carnival Cruise Lines |
| Port of registry: |
1994–2000: Panama City,  Panama[1] 2000–2013: Nassau,  Bahamas |
| Builder: | Kvaerner Masa-Yards, Helsinki New Shipyard, Finland |
| Completed: | 1994 |
| In service: | 1994-present |
| Refit: | 2006 |
| Identification: |
Call sign: C6FM9 IMO number: 9041253 MMSI number: 309682000 |
| Status: | In service |
| General characteristics | |
|---|---|
| Class & type: | Fantasy-class cruise ship |
| Tonnage: |
70,367 GT 7,180 DWT |
| Length: | 855 ft (261 m) |
| Beam: | 103 ft (31 m) |
| Draft: | 7.80 m (25 ft 7 in) |
| Decks: | 10 |
| Installed power: |
2 × Sulzer-Wärtsilä 8ZAV40S 4 × Sulzer-Wärtsilä 12ZAV40S 42,240 kW (combined) |
| Propulsion: | Two propellers, 3 bow thrusters, 3 aft thrusters, |
| Speed: | 21 knots (39 km/h; 24 mph) |
| Capacity: |
2,056 passengers (lower berths) 2,634 passengers (all berths) |
| Crew: | 920 |
Carnival Fascination is the fourth ship in Carnival Cruise Lines' eight-ship Fantasy class of mid-size cruise ships. She entered service in 1994, and is currently home-ported in Jacksonville, Florida, she sails to the Bahamas year-round. Her sister ships are Fantasy (1990), Ecstasy (1991), Sensation (1993), Imagination (1995), Inspiration (1996), Elation (1998), and Paradise (1998).
Renovations
The Fascination was given a multi-million dollar refurbishment while in dry dock during September 2006,[2] during which all 1,026 staterooms and suites were completely renovated with the addition of flat-screen TVs, new furnishings, and refurbished bathrooms, the Coconut Grove Bar and Grill received new carpeting and upholstery, as did the Passage to India Lounge. The Imagination and Sensation Dining Rooms received new carpeting, upholstery, and sound systems and the Grand Atrium Bar was added on the Empress Deck. Bogart's Cafe, a new coffee bar, was added to the Promenade Deck.
A new 9-hole miniature golf course opened on the Sun Deck, the 1,600-square-foot (150 m2) Children's World, a new Camp Carnival facility, was added to the Verandah Deck and Club O2, a club exclusively for teens, was added.
An art gallery opened on the Empress Deck allowing passengers to view artwork available at auctions held on-board, and a new photo gallery on the Promenade Deck allows passengers to view photos taken by staff on-board. The 12,000-square-foot (1,100 m2) Spa Carnival was renovated with new exercise equipment and private treating rooms added while the whirlpool spas were removed; whirlpools are still available at the main pool area on the Lido Deck and the aft pool area on the Verandah Deck. The bandstand in the main pool area on the Lido Deck received audio-visual upgrades and the Palace Lounge received two new shows ("Hey Mambo" and "Far from Over: the 80s") to accompany a new revolving stage, orchestra area, stage lighting, and audio-visual equipment,[3] in addition Puttin' on the Ritz received new décor
In January 2010 Carnival Fascination underwent an additional dry dock and received the "Evolutions of Fun" upgrade. This included Carnival Waterworks, Serenity Adult only area, the addition of new balcony suites, and more.[4]
In January 2013, Carnival Fascination underwent another dry dock. Carnival Staff say that during this dry dock, all 1,026 staterooms will be renovated with new bedding and lighting. Three new restaurants will be added which include an American, Asian, and Southwestern style cuisine and the main dining room will be updated with new carpet and decor. The Carnival Fascination is not scheduled to receive the "full swing" of the lines FunShip 2.0 initiative. However, according to Carnival's brand ambassador and senior cruise director John Heald, the ship will receive both the RedFrog Rum Bar and the BlueIguana Tequila Bar, as well as Playlist Productions (the new LED screened shows in the main theater).
Current and Former itineraries
The Carnival Fascination currently departs from Jacksonville, replacing the Celebration which retired from Carnival. She offers 4-day cruises to the Bahamas, featuring stops in Nassau and Freeport and 5-day cruises including stops in Key West and Nassau on the Monday sailing. The alternate 5-day sailing (Saturday departure) stops at Nassau and Half Moon Cay.[5] In April and May, 2011, Fascination operated a 7 night itinerary stopping in Nassau, Half Moon Cay, and Grand Turk. Carnival later announced that all 7-Day sailings would be canceled, citing strong demand for the shorter 4 and 5 day sailings.[5]
The Fascination was the first Carnival ship to sail from New York. When she arrived in New York starting on July 24, 1994 - September 4, 1994 she sailed 5-Day cruises to Saint John, New Brunswick & Halifax, Nova Scotia. She also sailed 2-day cruises to nowhere, with the ship itself as the destination. After September she moved to San Juan, Puerto Rico.[6]
In 2013 and 2014, Coco Cay will replace Key West on some of the Carnival Fascination's itineraries. Coco Cay is a private island in the Bahamas owned by rival cruise line Royal Caribbean International.[7]
Incidents
Power Loss
In June 2010, the Carnival Fascination lost engine power due to a technical malfunction while returning to Jacksonville, Florida. Power was restored after several hours, and the ship was able to return to Jacksonville under its own power.[8]
Health Inspection Failure
In April 2013, it was reported that on February 21, 2013 the Carnival Fascination failed a CDC health inspection after inspectors found insects in food preparation areas, dried food waste, insufficient chlorination in the pools, and insufficient sneeze guards at the salad bars. A satisfactory rating from the CDC is a score of 85 or higher. The Fascination scored an 84. Carnival is not the only cruise line to get an "unsatisfactory" rating from the CDC in 2013 on one of its ships. Celebrity's Century and Summit also received unsatisfactory grades in 2013, scoring a 78 and 81, respectively. This incident marks a first in quite some time for Carnival. The cruise line said that in the past five years no carnival ship had failed an inspection. The fleet's average score during that time period was 97, Carnival said, and its average score over 20 inspections conducted in 2013 was 97.2. The same month Carnival Fascination failed its inspection, the Carnival Sensation scored a 100.[9]
External links
- Official website
-
Media related to Carnival Fascination at Wikimedia Commons
References
- ↑ Fascination - IMO 9041253
- ↑ Carnival Cruise Lines - News Release
- ↑ Carnival Cruise Lines - News Release
- ↑ "Carnival Fascination Returns to Service from Jacksonville Following Extensive "Evolutions of Fun"™ Upgrades". 2 February 2010. Retrieved 13 February 2012.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 Sloan, Gene (1 August 2011). USA Today http://travel.usatoday.com/cruises/post/2011/08/carnival-fascination-jacksonville-florida/179490/1
|url=missing title (help). - ↑ "Fun Ship From Fun City". Cruise Travel: 31. March/April 1994.
- ↑ Sloan, Gene. "New port for Carnival ships is owned by Royal Caribbean". USA Today. Retrieved 11 April 2013.
- ↑ Carter, Adam. "5 troubles on Carnival cruises". CBC News. CBC. Retrieved 11 April 2013.
- ↑ Golden, Fran. "Carnival ship fails health inspection". USA Today. Retrieved 11 April 2013.
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