This was a fun and relaxing cruise that we got for super cheap. Unfortunately we did not get the room we had wanted, but got two up grades while there. Lots of toys, lots of good to excellent food. 60% occupancy makes for a very pleasant cruise.
Embarkation
5 out of 5
If were not for all the folks that were outside of thier check in ime, it would be a 5. As it was, arrived at 11:45, on the ship by 12:35. Very smoothing checking of all the paper work.
Ship experiences
Food and Dining
4 out of 5
MDR dinner was good to excellent. Two nights we had very good staff and the other 5 excellent.
Lunches were what you made of it, MDR not very good, Lido good to great (Horizon, pizza, Guy's, Blue Iguana), Cucinia was OK. If you could not find something good or better, you were trying not to. Smoke house was a good first day Lunch.
Onboard Activities
4 out of 5
Pools, small and lack of, always full, and the Lido pool got kind of gungy looking at times. Water slides fun but not for the claustrophobic, rope walk was fun but not for those with height issues or dizziness, Sky ride was fun and either relaxing or fast. Serenity deck is great to kick back and relax.
Entertainment
3 out of 5
Stage is poor, stage shows not to my taste with the lasers blinding you, the Celestial Strings was worth doing. Comedy (PG time), Geechy Guy was boring, Chris Strait was fun. The atrium music suffered from the bar tasking up prime sitting area and inebriated folks But Buck & Oz were great country, while Say Play was only OK (I dislike electronic violins, prefer acoustical).
Children's Programs
no kids
Service and Staff
5 out of 5
Only had one not very good at the Serenity towel checkout, but when I returned the towel he was fun to talk to (everyone has a bad moment). Not really anyone below good, most very good and a lot of excellents. Service Desk, Reason Chatyoka saved our trip, we were unilaterally moved from deck two to room 6237, a very poor room next to the O2 lounge and loud music. He moved us to 8235, a great room, where 'I Ketut' (lots by that name, cultural naming issue) took excellent care of us. MDR Vista table 340, Julius and Jawi were super, Viktor was very good (but excellent at keeping us watered and cleared).
Ship Quality
4 out of 5
Lack of pool space (due to other toys), Promenade does not go all the way forward since the forward part is the crew hang out spot. Putting the O2 in the middle of cabin spaces was a bad choice. Casino had smoke/stink issues, even after 10 hours of no smoking, It was so bad that even my wife did not want to go there and she has always had a few turns on the machines, and I did not see that many cancer sticks lit up (poor ventilation?).
Cabin / Stateroom
4 out of 5
We were unilaterally kicked out of 2345 and sent to 6237 at the embarkation desk. 6237 was next to the O2 lounge. It was sort of clean, saw dust bunnies, had almost a full case of water in the closet (good, but should not have been there), and brown granules in the drawers. Steward as friendly, but just OK for the the one night we had him.
BUT, Room 8235 was good, clean, and great steward. Narrower than other balconies we have been in, less hanger space, less drawer space, but workable for two. If three were there (fold out couch, it would be very tight). Balcony was tiny, two could sit, but not move around.
Ship tip
Research the ship, there is a lot of food service and odd hours. In the Lido do not stop at the first place to eat, scan all of them because they do have slightly different offerings.
Very well controlled and fast. The only issue was they had two luggage call times, but they waited until ALL the luggage was out on the floor before calling all of the first group.
@NicholsH, masks were enforced entering the dining areas, although in the Horizon you did see a few folks who forgot to remask when going back to the buffet. In venues like Comedy Club and the ‘theater’ they actively announced masking and looked for those not fully covered. Most other places that folks were at inside it was more of an honor system that most followed. Outdoors, some did, most did not.
Just a note on names of many of the crew on the Panorama who (as I was told) are from Bali. 'I Ketut' I = Male Ketut = fourth born.
Women are Ni 'number'.
All names are from one to four, then they start over (confusing!) You can read up on all this by googling "Bali children name".
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