The Imagination cruise ship departs from the Port
of Miami. Throughout the year, she offers ocean cruises to the Western
Caribbean.
Check Dates & Prices for cruises to Western
Caribbean.
Began service: 1995 Guest capacity: 2,052 Total staff: 920 Length: 920 feet Passenger decks: 10 CDC
inspection score: 92
Imagination Overview
There's a boatload of things to amuse passengers aboard the
Imagination. Service is a key factor on this vessel. Whether
it's a request to your room steward or stewardess, a menu decision
in the formal dining room, a towel at the pool deck or just about
anything else, expect service with a smile.
Many first-timers get their initial taste of cruising on the Imagination
and are, for the most part, younger than passengers on other lines.
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.
Cabins
Standard cabins are 185 sq ft. and most cabins have twin beds
that can be configured into a queen-size bed. Lighting is good with
individual reading lights at each bed. Bathrobes are included in the
amenities of all outside cabins. In-room safes, satellite television
and standard amenities are offered ship-wide. Bring your own hair
dryer. Only suites and demi-suites offer balconies/verandahs. Twenty
cabins are equipped for physically challenged passengers. Six cabins
on Verandah Deck offer partially obstructed views. Drawer and closet
space is more than adequate for two people for four- or five-day itineraries.
Dining
The two main dining rooms, Pride and Spirit,
are not crowded and service is good. Tables range from booths for
four to tables of 10. Three meals a day are also available in Horizon
Court on Lido Deck, room service, and a
24-hour pizzeria. The Horizon Court provides good
service but passengers carry their own plates to the table and have
to wiggle past the line to get drinks from another area. The same
dinner menu that is offered in main dining rooms is available in Horizon
Court with waiter service. A Nautica Spa
menu provides calories and carbohydrate totals for some menu items
and special diets are available with advance notice.
Room service is available 24 hours a day with a limited menu. New
staggered serving times on Imagination, as well as other
Carnival ships, mean early sitting is at either 5:45 or 6:30pm, and
late sittings at 8 or 8:45pm. Midnight buffets continue to be popular
on Imagination where passengers party heartier and stay up
later than on similar mass market cruise ships. Carnival's food service
has been kicked up several notches and presentation and variety are
superb.
Entertainment
The Dynasty Lounge is the site of the Captain's
Cocktail party, Broadway-type productions, port talks and
more. Sight lines are unusually good, but a few poles offer some blocked
viewing. Carnival's shows are state-of-the-art musical productions
with lots of pizzazz, strong visual effects and a strong Latin music
influence.
The Dream Bar is a piano bar that's one of
the hottest spots on the ship while Pinnacle Bar
attracts before and after dinner crowds. The disco rocks 'til early
morning hours. The large Casino offers seven blackjack
tables, one face up, one each of roulette and dice and two poker tables
in addition to a variety of slots. Tournaments are scheduled almost
every day. These are the fun ships and everyone parties full speed
ahead. Few passengers seem to be in bed by midnight, yet there's always
a crowd at breakfast.
Fitness & Recreation
Nautica Fitness Center
is open daily from 6 am to 8pm and is probably one of the most active
at sea. A variety of treadmills, steppers, circuit training, weight
machines, and aerobic room are busy all day long. The rooms are well
designed and have plenty of space to move around in. The adjacent
spa and beauty salon offer discounted treatments on port days and
the "couples massage" is a popular service. Eleven laps
around the Sports Deck equal one mile.
The main pool, with the signature Carnival
slide, is on Lido Deck and another is on Verandah
Deck. A second pool and a children's pool are also available.
Lounge chairs are sufficient, towels are readily available, and bar
service is always accessible.
Shore excursions can be booked from individual cabins via Interactive
TV, but a shore excursion desk is also open through the day; most
people opt for organized tours. Information on taxi service and shopping
recommendations are available at most destinations, but no suggestions
are made for onshore dining.
Daytime activities include port lectures, bingo, Internet
access (open 24 hours at a fee of 75 cents per minute), various
pool contests, games, trivia and the El Dorado Casino,
open at sea from 8am - 3am.
Public Areas
With a mix of decor that includes
countless gold-tone sphinxes and bars evoking fantasies of Shangri-La,
the ship's "heart" is the Promenade on
Deck 9. Leading from the Dynasty Lounge
to the Pinnacle Club and Xanadu Lounge,
more people gather here than elsewhere on the ship. They dance at
the Dream Bar, try their luck at the El Dorado
Casino and access the Internet at Vittorio's
cafe. It's also the site of a boutique and the stairway to
the Spirit Dining Room.
At the bottom of the six-story glass and brass atrium, on EmpressDeck, sits a tall sculpture by Fort Lauderdale artist
Len Janklow. Called "Space Illusion" it
is a conversation piece and speaks to Carnival's outstanding use of
passenger space.
Two self-service laundry rooms are located for passenger usage, $1
to wash, $1 to dry and 50 cents for detergent.
Kids
Camp Carnival is
one of the most successful kids' programs afloat, featuring a mix
of structured and individual activities. Programs feature four categories:
Toddlers (2-5); Juniors (6-8); Intermediates
(9-12) and Teens (13-15). Teens enjoy their own "disco"
and seem to take part in the camp program without being forced into
it. Counselors are trained and complimentary activities are available
on sea days from 9am to 10 pm and on port days from port arrival to
10p.m. Baby-sitting is offered for children 12 and under from 10pm
- 3am in the Children's Playroom. Pillows, blankets
and cribs are provided. Cost is $5 per hour for the first child in
the family and $3 per hour for each additional sibling. Each child,
12 and under, wears an identification bracelet and must be signed
in and out by parents. A children's menu offers traditional items
such as burgers and grilled cheese sandwiches and Camp kids usually
enjoy a pizza party together. Formula and diapers are not available
on the ship and parents of youngsters are urged to contact the line's
Special Needs Department before sailing. Pregnant
women in their third trimester cannot sail.
Expert Imagination reviews are edited by Michelle, and provided by Ian and Cruise Critic.com,
an award-winning cruise community. This objective information can
help you choose just the right ship for your next cruise vacation.
Check Dates & Prices
for cruises to Western Caribbean.
Imagination cruise reviews
Cruise
Ship Inspection Report
All passenger cruise ships arriving at US ports are subject to unannounced
CDC inspection. Imagination Score:
92
