Danvers14
Third Mate
Danvers, MA
Joined 10/2017
43
Cruises2
Reviews10
Helpful VotesMy wife of 51 years and I enjoy being on the water. We've visited most of the Caribbean Islands, as well as the Mediterranean. We've cruised 30+ times. We also enjoy the all inclusive resorts in the Carribean and have stayed at many of them. We somehow keep coming back to cruising!
Upcoming cruises
Past cruises
January 2024 - 7 Night Eastern Caribbean (Ft. Lauderdale Roundtrip) Cruise on Celebrity Apex
August 2023 - 6 Night Bimini Grand Cayman & Mexico (Ft. Lauderdale Roundtrip) Cruise on Celebrity Equinox
March 2023 - 9 Night Southern Caribbean (Ft. Lauderdale Roundtrip) Cruise on Celebrity Equinox
November 2022 - 7 Night Puerto Plata St.Thomas & St. Maarten (Ft. Lauderdale Roundtrip) Cruise on Celebrity Beyond
August 2022 - 2 nights on Margaritaville at Sea Paradise
February 2022 - 9 Night Southern Caribbean (Ft. Lauderdale Roundtrip) Cruise on Celebrity Equinox
February 2021 - 9 Night Southern Caribbean (Ft. Lauderdale Roundtrip) Cruise on Celebrity Equinox
February 2020 - 12 Night Southern Caribbean (Ft. Lauderdale Roundtrip) Cruise on Celebrity Silhouette
A Great Celebrity Cruise
A great cruise on Celebrity Silhouette. We have been on 37 cruises, the last nine on Celebrity. We find Celebrity to be superior to Royal Caribbean for our age group. We sailed on RC for 20+ cruises. My wife and I are both a young 70 and we enjoy traveling with our contemporaries. On this cruise we saw ONLY 3 children (around 10 years old) and we felt bad for them. Very few, if any, teens. If you’re cruising with kids and are looking for activities for them, you’re better off to choose a Royal Caribbean mega ship.
August 2019 - 7 Night Bermuda (Boston Roundtrip) Cruise on Norwegian Gem
February 2019 - 7 Night Eastern Caribbean (Ft. Lauderdale Roundtrip) Cruise on Celebrity Edge
November 2018 - 2 nights on Celebrity Edge
April 2018 - 4 Night Western Caribbean (Tampa Roundtrip) Cruise on Carnival Paradise
March 2018 - 10 Night Ultimate Caribbean (Ft. Lauderdale Roundtrip) Cruise on Celebrity Reflection
November 2017 - 7 Night Bahamas & Florida (New York Roundtrip) Cruise on Norwegian Breakaway
We've been on 30 cruises, only 3 on Norwegian (Royal Majesty, Dawn, and Breakaway. I will preface my remarks regarding Norwegian's Breakaway with the fact that we are a 68 year old couple traveling without children or grandchildren. We chose the Breakaway as a last minute idea for an adventure out of NYC. The ship is an excellent choice for couples traveling with children. There's a rock climbing wall, ropes course with a zip line and plank, plenty of water slides, and child's water park. There is also a mini-golf course.
The staff is very conscientious about enforcing the adults only pool. We saw several teens asked to leave the pool. This can be a problem for kids in their teens. They are too big for the kiddie pool, but not allowed in the adult pool. This could cause a problem for your family. We thought it was strange that a ship built to sail from NYC (year round) had no solarium with an indoor pool. We have since learned that the Breakaway is being moved to New Orleans and the Norwegian Gem will take over trips from NYC.
We found the food in the buffet to be fair at best and the MDR was the same. The specialty restaurants were very good (at least the ones we went to Ocean Blue (2x), Cagney's, LaCucina and Bistro. Ocean Blue was especially good if you enjoy King Crab or Stone Crab. Both are available as appetizers at very affordable prices if your not on a meal plan.
The entertainment was great. Rock of Ages was a full 90 minute performance of a Broadway musical (not advised for young children). We also enjoyed the featured comedians and Howl At The Moon dueling piano bar. My wife and I are fans of Jimmy Buffett and we're very disappointed with the Margaritaville restaurant on board. There was a $15 cover charge if you wanted to eat (no charge to drink at the bar). The restaurant was deserted all week. It's a pretty large space behind the rock climbing wall. There were no Buffett videos and no Buffett music. The menu was very limited, but the "Perfect Margaritas" (we had to try them) were very well done.
As you can see, the cruise for the most part was very enjoyable. The's ship size and design were not our favorite and 4500 hundred people results in crowds and lines. Having a multitude of activities for kids, results with many children being onboard. As a former elementary school principal I found this a little peculiar; as far as I know there were no school vacations in the Northeast the week after Thanksgiving? I noticed that the kiddie pool area was jammed during the days we were in Florida and Nassau.
This large ship and its' design was just not for us. We sort of knew what we're getting into and we are glad we tried it. We've got two more cruises booked in the coming months and will stick to smaller ships on Celebrity.
February 2017 - 7 Night Eastern Caribbean (Miami Roundtrip) Cruise on Celebrity Reflection
July 2016 - 7 Night Bermuda (Boston Roundtrip) Cruise on Norwegian Dawn
April 2016 - 4 Night Bahamas (Port Canaveral Roundtrip) Cruise on Enchantment of the Seas
January 2016 - 7 Night Western Caribbean (Ft. Lauderdale Roundtrip) Cruise on Celebrity Silhouette
January 2015 - 7 Night Southern Caribbean (San Juan Roundtrip) Cruise on Jewel of the Seas
November 2014 - 4 Night Western Caribbean (Ft. Lauderdale Roundtrip) Cruise on Liberty of the Seas
October 2013 - 12 Night Mediterranean (Barcelona roundtrip) Cruise on Celebrity Equinox
March 2013 - 11 Night Ultimate Caribbean (Ft. Lauderdale roundtrip) Cruise on Celebrity Equinox
October 2012 - 7 Night Eastern Caribbean (Port Canaveral roundtrip) Cruise on Freedom of the Seas
August 2012 - 8 Night Bahamas (New York roundtrip) Cruise on Disney Magic
November 2011 - 6 Night Western Caribbean (Ft. Lauderdale roundtrip) Cruise on Navigator of the Seas
March 2011 - 4 Night Western Caribbean (Ft. Lauderdale roundtrip) Cruise on Navigator of the Seas
October 2010 - 7 Night Southern Caribbean (San Juan roundtrip) Cruise on Serenade of the Seas
September 2008 - 7 Night Mediterranean (Rome to Venice) Cruise on Wind Surf
August 2005 - 7 nights on Norwegian Majesty
April 2005 - 7 Night Eastern Caribbean (Ft. Lauderdale roundtrip) Cruise on Costa Mediterranea
December 2004 - 7 Night Western Caribbean (New Orleans roundtrip) Cruise on Carnival Conquest
April 2002 - 7 Night Western Caribbean (Miami roundtrip) Cruise on Voyager of the Seas
August 2001 - 3 Night Bahamas (Port Canaveral roundtrip) Cruise on Sovereign of the Seas
August 1999 - 5 nights on Carnival Fascination
August 1998 - 7 nights on Enchantment of the Seas
September 1995 - 7 nights on Sovereign of the Seas
August 1994 - 5 nights on Carnival Fascination
April 1994 - 7 nights on Costa Classica
February 1993 - 8 nights on Nordic Prince
February 1993 - 7 nights on Majesty of the Seas
August 1990 - 4 nights on Sunward II
April 1990 - 7 nights on CostaRiviera (RETIRED) 78
Celebrity Silhouette
Sail date: February 23, 2020
A great cruise on Celebrity Silhouette. We have been on 37 cruises, the last nine on Celebrity. We find Celebrity to be superior to Royal Caribbean for our age group. We sailed on RC for 20+ cruises. My wife and I are both a young 70 and we enjoy traveling with our contemporaries. On this cruise we saw ONLY 3 children (around 10 years old) and we felt bad for them. Very few, if any, teens. If you’re cruising with kids and are looking for activities for them, you’re better off to choose a Royal Caribbean mega ship.
Norwegian Breakaway
Sail date: November 26, 2017
We've been on 30 cruises, only 3 on Norwegian (Royal Majesty, Dawn, and Breakaway. I will preface my remarks regarding Norwegian's Breakaway with the fact that we are a 68 year old couple traveling without children or grandchildren. We chose the Breakaway as a last minute idea for an adventure out of NYC. The ship is an excellent choice for couples traveling with children. There's a rock climbing wall, ropes course with a zip line and plank, plenty of water slides, and child's water park. There is also a mini-golf course.
The staff is very conscientious about enforcing the adults only pool. We saw several teens asked to leave the pool. This can be a problem for kids in their teens. They are too big for the kiddie pool, but not allowed in the adult pool. This could cause a problem for your family. We thought it was strange that a ship built to sail from NYC (year round) had no solarium with an indoor pool. We have since learned that the Breakaway is being moved to New Orleans and the Norwegian Gem will take over trips from NYC.
We found the food in the buffet to be fair at best and the MDR was the same. The specialty restaurants were very good (at least the ones we went to Ocean Blue (2x), Cagney's, LaCucina and Bistro. Ocean Blue was especially good if you enjoy King Crab or Stone Crab. Both are available as appetizers at very affordable prices if your not on a meal plan.
The entertainment was great. Rock of Ages was a full 90 minute performance of a Broadway musical (not advised for young children). We also enjoyed the featured comedians and Howl At The Moon dueling piano bar. My wife and I are fans of Jimmy Buffett and we're very disappointed with the Margaritaville restaurant on board. There was a $15 cover charge if you wanted to eat (no charge to drink at the bar). The restaurant was deserted all week. It's a pretty large space behind the rock climbing wall. There were no Buffett videos and no Buffett music. The menu was very limited, but the "Perfect Margaritas" (we had to try them) were very well done.
As you can see, the cruise for the most part was very enjoyable. The's ship size and design were not our favorite and 4500 hundred people results in crowds and lines. Having a multitude of activities for kids, results with many children being onboard. As a former elementary school principal I found this a little peculiar; as far as I know there were no school vacations in the Northeast the week after Thanksgiving? I noticed that the kiddie pool area was jammed during the days we were in Florida and Nassau.
This large ship and its' design was just not for us. We sort of knew what we're getting into and we are glad we tried it. We've got two more cruises booked in the coming months and will stick to smaller ships on Celebrity.