Carnival Imagination to North America

This trip was a short, add on break to some time spent in Los Angeles. Having been to Ensenada before-and not particularly liking it- I had decided to simply spend three days' relaxing on board the ship herself.

I booked one of the suites down in the hull, which gave me plenty of private space to escape to on this otherwise busy ship. There was a covered outdoor terrace here that was perfect for enjoying a glass of zinfandel while savouring a gorgeous Pacific sunset.

Like her sisters, Carnival Imagination is brim full of round the clock fun for all ages. From the late night casino and disco on the broad, indoor boulevard to the constant buzz around the upper deck pool and hot tub whilst at sea, most of the 2,500 passengers on board seemed to enjoy the ship on this short break.

I did enjoy the entertainment- the piano player was especially good. Normally I take most of my meals buffet style during a short trip like this, but this time I took every opportunity to eat in one of the two main dining rooms. It's a much nicer option for a sit down breakfast but, be aware, odds are you'll be seated at a table with complete strangers. One day, I took the opportunity to have breakfast on my private terrace as the ship nudged into the dock at Ensenada. Now that truly was a great way to start a day.

As most of the passengers poured off the ship In Ensenada, I took myself off to the aft facing Serenity Zone, at the stern of the ship. Here, an adults' only (over 21) area provides padded loungers, soothing background music, and a pair of bubbling hot tubs. I spent half a day here, lying in my bathrobe and drifting in and out of sleep; a routine interrupted only by picking at some comfort food and enjoying the odd margarita.

It seems strange to say that I simply relaxed on, of all things, a Carnival cruise. But that's exactly what I did. Lovely stuff.