English 1301
Fascination
The line was long and crowded; the countless energized bodies seemed to snake around pylon after pylon with out an end in sight. You could see bobbing heads moving left to right moving opposite of the person in front and everyone hoping to see the end, the end to the tiresome wait. You could see children of all ages some playing with hand held video games others hearing music, their parents and single adults contained their excitement in meaningless conversations. But still slight half step movements would trickle down the line, the wait reminded me of the countless times I would spend as a child waiting to cross the bridge from Juarez to El Paso after a family gathering. The only difference was there was no smell of hot burning motor oil and no fumes of poisonous carbon dioxide gas emitting from old Chevys and Fords. Finally, the moment my family and I so diligently and patiently awaited for, the door, our finish line. I clearly remember the eight-foot squeaky double doors, which had a lustrous shine; the glass had a mirror fish that even Superman could not penetrate with his x-ray vision, were at our reach. As we entered with heart pounding excitement the type of excitement you feel as you drop from long never ending rollercoaster, I gasp not knowing what I would face next. As I entered my excitement was squashed as I immediately saw the one line fork into 5 other endless lines with the same people from the previous room now scattered throughout the room. We slowly cleared the second room and noticed that these double doors led to the outside. I cautiously walked out and immediately was welcomed by blinding sunlight, I immediately raised my hand to shield my eyes when I heard a calm “wow” coming from my daughter’s delicate voice. As I look up to mimic her stare, I was engulfed with the same amazement as her, in big blue bold letters I read F-A-S-C-I-N-A-T-I-O-N by Carnival it was clearly painted at the bow of the gigantic white ship. The immediate burst of fresh air hitting my face and the smell of salty ocean water was enough to awaken my spirits and enter the realm of relaxation. The long lines we carefully navigated well worth the wait, as I entered through a huge opening on the side of the boat a smiling young man dressed in white suit with navy blue perfectly pressed pant quickly greeted me. “Welcome to the cruise ship fascination” He said in a low voice with an Asian accent, “please move forward and enjoy”. The large entrance led to an even bigger welcoming area. The area was big and beautiful it was like entering a grand ballroom. The walls were lined with red and blue satin drapes carefully floating around the beautiful painted art. A fresh and flowery smell came from the newly carpeted floor, which also lined the four staircases that lead to the belly of the ship. We graciously walked up the stairs in a wondrous state of amazement, wondering how our cabin would look like. A fresh sent of roses peered out as we entered our cabin. Our room was just as grandiose as the entrance, elegant bolted down furniture edged the room, every piece complementing the use of the room. On the white dressed queen sized bed was a fluffy white smooth towel in the shape of a baggy eared dog eager to be picked up and hugged. At the far end of the room was a glass sliding door that allowed you to escape into a magnificent view of the endless blue ocean. The experience itself was enough to make you forget the troubles of the real world.
Soon after our departure from the doc our designated dinnertime had arrived. We snaked through the colorful yet endless hallways and stairways that led to the grand room that hosted the colorful trays of food. As we were escorted to our table, the combination of smells was enough to get you full. The food table had oven baked turkey and all its dressings, there was honey suckle ham browned to perfection with pineapple slices hanging on by the shinny glaze. The fresh red lobsters sat in rows waiting to feed our hungry bellies, and finally what I was waiting to see, two tables designated only for colorful textured desserts. The chocolaty smell of cake mixed with the smell of pecan pie, a display of fresh fruit adorned the center of the table immediately followed by dozens and dozens of decorated cookies. Carrot cake with its white frosting and specs of carrots was the next runner up closely followed by slices of cheesecake all topped with whipped cream and fresh strawberries, perfection. The entire cruise was one long and unbelievable experience. Fun filled relaxation with amazing shows, plentiful amounts of food that made you palette scream with delight and all with great service. The ship clearly lived up to its name Fascination.