Jacksonville is the largest city in the United States so its no surprise that the world’s largest cruise line has chosen to keep a ship here full time. The Carnival Fascination cruises from Jacksonville, FL on 4 and 5 day trips to Nassau and either Freeport, Key West or Half Moon Cay.
There was a time when you would want to try and avoid the Carnival Fantasy class ships like the Fascination as they had began to show their age. Times have changed and Carnival has done a great job refurbishing the older ships with more balcony cabins, more slides, better resort like pools and adult only cruise areas like Serenity.
If you have cruised on the Fascination before the refurbishment in 2006 and didn’t like it then it is certainly worth another shot after the changes. With some inside cabins going for less than $200 and some balconies going for less than $400 its hard not to like her now. You can’t stay in a hotel for those prices.
When choosing your trip, I suggest you look for an itinerary with Half Moon Cay, which is a private island rated the best by Porthole magazine for four years in a row. Key West would be my second choice but your stay is so short you miss out on a lot that Key West has to offer like its Duval Street nightlife and famous sunsets.
If you need a hotel before or after your cruise in Jacksonville then check out the Holiday Inn Blount Island. There isn’t much around the hotel but she is the closest hotel to Jaxport and they offer parking and shuttle service. Others also recommend staying around the airport at Springhill Suites.
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