Fantasy 2009

Bonnie and I a couple of weeks back were looking for a break after four and a half months of dealing with post Hurricane Ike issues, Kids and School and were desperate for a getaway…We had skipped her birthday in December, so Seeing a last minute deal on a five day cruise out of NOLA on the newly refurbished Fantasy we jumped…Plus we get to go to NOLA.



Interestingly NOLA and Galveston ports with Fantasy an Ecstasy respectively, do the same ports, and mirror each other for the most part…We drove six hours to NOLA and not 20 minutes to Galveston and the Ecstasy, so we could enjoy the city and check out the “New” Fantasy.

Fantasy is the first of the Fantasy class ships and is soon to turn 20 years old but has recently went through a little updating of rooms (Flat Screen TV’s and New Bedding) and more dramatically updated pool area, new water slide aft, and adults only serenity deck aft where the kids pool used to be.

We stayed in the French Quarter on Saturday night and moved to the Drury Inn just four blocks away from the Quarter on Poydras to take advantage of a $99.00 cruise room rate and free parking for the cruise…heck of a deal and truly a nice hotel with a managers reception in the evening and breakfast. MY total bill with tax was $117.00. I highly recommend this! Monday mourning we walked to Café de Monde, walked back packed up and dropped our bags around 11:00 and went back to the hotel and parked. We then entertained our self’s by joining in the MLK parade…stopped at Mother’s and had a Ferdie…although $11.00 for a sandwich is getting ridiculous…and then down to the terminal for around 1:00. It’s a 15 min walk. With our Platinum status we were able to use the VIP line, which they had placed a busload of new crew just before we arrived into the screening process, so with a small delay we were on the boat. We were able to bypass pictures blending in with new crew…a small victory! We had a outside Riviera deck mid ship and could not have had a better room for the sea conditions that we encountered.

Sailing down the Mississippi is always fun but about the time of departure a cold front and darkness soon arrived. Still enjoyed a bottle of wine on the serenity deck aft out of the wind. I had not noticed this before but as soon as we departed the Casino was opened.

First day at sea was a little cooler then I would have liked but out of the wind you could enjoy the decks. We did notice a few complained of being seasick and it had been a little rough the night before. We slept through it.

Our first port Progresso, one of those ports people seem to love or hate. Shopping is limited to small markets and Mexican trinkets but cheaper than most ports. The public beach is heavy on vendors but a respectful no thank you will keep them moving.


Progresso averages a ship two days a week and is an immature cruise port. You have to take a 4-mile ride by bus down the pier to the Town, which is free.



Shore excursions leave from dock. Merida a large colonial city 35 minutes away offers interesting activities available by excursion.


Progresso is a fishing village/commercial port town and is a vacation spot for Mexican families in the late summer. Many small beach villas stretch north and south from Progresso for about 25 miles. In the winter Snowbirds from Canada and the U.S rent many of these villas for as little as $1000.00 a month. In general this is still typical non tourist Mexico were the average store worker of low level government employee make $5-6 a day plus social security benefits. If you know where to look your dollar goes a long way.

The place also is the heart of the Maya and within a short distance are several sets of ruins that will make anyone interested in Meso- American Cultures very happy.

We rode the bus to the downtown market (Free from the ship) and were planning to take a Taxi to a set of ruins but were able to book a quick tour with an English speaking guide for $12 per person to Xcambo a relatively small but significant Mayan sight responsible for salt production for the northern Yacatan from around 150 B.C. Xcambo is located in the salt marsh and mangroves and we had the added bonus of viewing native Pink Flamingoes (Possibly the largest native population estimated at 50,000 in the Area) and ended with a trip to a small un-crowded beach club for lunch. The guide figured out my wife the Anthropologist, was not the usual tourist unversed in Meso American cultures.









Pancho provided great insight as a native Maya speaker not found in textbooks or University classrooms. If you go to a place like this entry is free and you will have a caretaker or two employed at subsistence level by the government to protect the ruins. Please tip the caretaker a buck or two and you will match his days pay and you might get to see a little extra…

The Yucatan Beach club 15 miles south of Progresso was a nice small beach club with $2.00 beers and $6.00 Ceviche…it does not get any better than that. We finished up back in Progresso were we could catch the free bus back to the ship, tiped our guide heavily and said good bye as Pancho left to teach afternoon classes at the Elementary School down the street.





We like Progresso….

Next day Cozumel so we headed for our favorite Mexican Beach Bar Nache Cocum which is reservation only and limited to a 100 or so guests. Make the reservation online with a small deposit on the credit card and pay the balance in cash at the door.

Nache Cocum is a $13-14 taxi ride away from the cruise pier and total adult cost is $49 a person (Kids are less) and is all-inclusive with a lunch ordered a al carte and a dedicated waiter for the day. Good service, cold beer and bar drinks, Great food Try the Ceviche), access for additional to powered water sports and an uncrowded beach with no venders. If you want to stay away from the crowds and have a good time the money spent is well worth it.



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We love Nache Cocum…


Our last day back at sea was uneventful with the weather improving throughout the cruise. The ship was back by 4:30 a.m and with self-departure we were off by 7:30 after an early breakfast in the dining room. C and I was slow but finally pushed out the door at Eight…

Carnival is synonymous with value…we did not pay much with a last minute military rate. The dining service food was okay and it seems like they have cut back. The Lido deck food was really much better than the last few times and it was a surprise. The updates and changes to the ship seemed to work. The entertainment was as usual superior with notably a tribute to the Beatles show we had not seen that was very entertaining.

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New Orleans also is a fun departure point and we will make the drive again.

Pictures are up in webshots..