April 2020 - 12 Night Transatlantic Eastbound (Cape Liberty To London) Cruise on Anthem of the Seas
LearningCurve2
Cruise Director
Joined 05/2015
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Cruises7
Reviews341
Helpful VotesPast cruises
March 2020 - 12 Night Transatlantic (Fort Lauderdale To Barcelona) Cruise on Allure of the Seas
November 2019 - 18 nights on MSC Bellissima
November 2019 - 9 Night Transatlantic Westbound (London To New York) Cruise on Norwegian Encore
October 2019 - 13 Night The Snowbird Migration (Quebec City To Ft. Lauderdale) Cruise on Adventure of the Seas
September 2019 - 15 Night Bering Sea & Japan (Vancouver To Tokyo) Cruise on Celebrity Millennium
April 2019 - 14 Night Azores & Ireland Transatlantic (Ft. Lauderdale To Dublin) Cruise on Celebrity Reflection
March 2019 - 15 Night Asia Repositioning (Sydney To Singapore) Cruise on Explorer of the Seas
November 2018 - 13 Night Transatlantic Westbound (Southampton To Miami) Cruise on Navigator of the Seas
September 2018 - 16 Night Transatlantic Westbound (Amsterdam To Tampa) Cruise on Brilliance of the Seas
April 2018 - 16 Night Transatlantic Eastbound (Ft. Lauderdale To Copenhagen) Cruise on Serenade of the Seas
March 2018 - 14 Night China & South Korea (Hong Kong To Shanghai) Cruise on Celebrity Millennium
December 2017 - 15 Night Transatlantic Westbound (Barcelona To Miami) Cruise on MSC Seaside
Memorable transatlantic cruise
As the price paid for this cruise was reasonable, especially as the ship is brand new, the overall experience was good.
Not sure if I would recommend MSC to many solo travellers as "anytime dining" was not available and language barriers often prevent ease of conversation.
April 2017 - 23 Night Transpacific (Sydney To Seattle) Cruise on Explorer of the Seas
Wonderful memories of my first transpacific.
Loved the small South Pacific islands, the Captain gave good information at noon each day. Ship, staff and atmosphere were all up to expectations of the cruise-line.
The Diamond/Concierge clubs were pleasant, friendly and well-maintained.
One quite major complaint was the lack of availability for current world news.
The only North American channel available on the tv was the degrading and opinionated CNN - Why could RCCL not supply a channel which gives unbiassed world news coverage? Also most of the other channels repeatedly showed outdated and boring entertainment shows.
Thank you to all the hard-working staff on the Explorer.
December 2016 - 7 Night Transatlantic Westbound (Southampton To New York) Cruise on Queen Mary 2
Elegant ship with happy atmosphere
Would highly recommend Cunard if you enjoy ballroom dance.
Beautiful, well-maintained ship, excellent staff.
Stateroom surpassed expectations in every way.
First class entertainment. All musicians played the best of music in various genres.
My only disappointment was the lack of any aerobic/dance classes which promote cardio fitness.
November 2016 - 14 Night Arabian Sea & Suez Canal Southbound (Athens To Abu Dhabi) Cruise on Celebrity Constellation
October 2016 - 13 Night Three Continent Transatlantic (Barcelona To Ft. Lauderdale) Cruise on Celebrity Equinox
May 2016 - 14 Night India & Southeast Asia (Dubai To Singapore) Cruise on Ovation of the Seas
May 2016 - 16 Night Suez Canal Southbound (Barcelona To Dubai) Cruise on Ovation of the Seas
Ovation is an amazing playground for families
An amazing ship for all ages of passengers.
Fabulous and unique production shows.
The Windjammer buffets were excellent in every way, the staff could not have been more helpful.
I do NOT care for the "Dynamic Dining" reservation system as it prohibits people from, randomly, meeting others (as with the "anytime" dining in main dining rooms of most ships).
For that reason I may not sail on Quantum-class ships again.
April 2016 - 14 Night Transatlantic Eastbound (Tampa To Barcelona) Cruise on Brilliance of the Seas
Happy atmosphere
Good ship. Great staff. Many of the passengers on board were loyal cruisers with the Brilliance.
I always enjoy transatlantic cruises with RCCL.
This cruise was a great way to get to Barcelona to meet up with the Ovation.
March 2016 - 14 Night Passage To Spain (Ft. Lauderdale To Barcelona) Cruise on Eurodam
October 2015 - 10 Night Transatlantic Westbound (Southampton To Miami) Cruise on Norwegian Escape
A great family ship!
The first cruise of the Norwegian Escape exceeded my expectations.
Having sailed on maiden cruises of other ships I expected some disorganization and lack of readiness to aaccommodate a large number of passengers. Not so. I was disappointed with the cost of the very inefficient internet service, feel that Norwegian is exploiting it's customers. The food was good, no complaints, but it could have been served hotter. As a solo traveler, I am not a great fan of Freestyle Dining.
Ship is poorly and unsafely designed near the District Brewhouse. I had to often open 4 heavy doors in passages en-route to my stateroom and found this hazardous, especially when not being able to see people or equipment on the other side of each door. Impossible to open each door if you are carrying items in each hand, (or are disabled). Norwegian should review this route before somebody becomes injured.
I loved my attractive stateroom, 8740 but, unfortunately, I could never make use of my balcony, even when the weather was warm and the sea perfectly calm. It was always totally soaked with sea-spray.
The entertainment staff were excellent, made sure that all passengers were kept as happy as possible. Julie, the Cruise Director, is professional, approachable and, possibly, the best I have encountered in 27 cruises.
All in-house entertainers were great and talented. The main production shows marvellous. "After Midnight" the most exquisite and brilliant production I have seen on any ship. (But then I do like jazz music and dance.)
The ropes course is amazing, as are all the other amusements on deck.
For a ship of it's size, the main pool could have been larger.
Guest Services staff were always helpful and the entire crew were friendly. Some staff appeared to be still "in training" but that is to be expected on a brand new ship.
Thankyou for a great cruise.
October 2015 - 14 Night Suez Canal Southbound (Barcelona To Dubai) Cruise on Explorer of the Seas
A good ship. Unfortunately we had to miss an important port of call.
Cruise was interesting due to the itinerary.
Very disappointed at not being able to visit Israel, due to the hostilities in that country.
Attentive crew, good food, happy atmosphere.
There was limited use of the on-deck facilities during the sailing through the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden. For security reasons passengers were not allowed on decks or balconies between sunset and sunrise. This certainly meant that the cruise line could not meet the expectations of it's passengers.
Would have liked more commentary when transiting the Suez Canal - we did not know what we were observing. Also much better maps should have been displayed both on the tv channel and in public areas for this type of cruise.
Internet was expensive and ineffective.
Entertainment superb as always.
Disappointed that there were no lectures and presentations telling the history of the ports we were visiting.
August 2015 - 7 Night Bermuda (New York Roundtrip) Cruise on Norwegian Breakaway
Happy atmosphere
Would definitely recommend this ship for families. Huge choice of activities and the crew create a welcoming atmosphere. If you don't like to be around a lot of children, you may prefer other cruise lines which do not offer the same facilities as the large Norwegian ships. Enjoyed many of the activities in the Atrium - a great focal point of the ship, the giant screen there is awesome. Adult swimming pool is totally inadequate for the number of passengers.
June 2015 - 7 Night Voyage Of The Glaciers Southbound (Whittier To Vancouver) Cruise on Grand Princess
April 2015 - 12 Night Transatlantic Eastbound (Ft. Lauderdale To Barcelona) Cruise on Allure of the Seas
Fabulous ship! Dance/aerobics???
Well-designed mega-ship. Wonderful crew, great food. Dining experience in Adagio excellent. Good selection of restaurants. Central Park, with the trees and foliage is delightful. Enjoyed the main shows but guest performers were not top-line. Variety of activities offered to satisfy all ages. I often choose Royal Caribbean because it offers daily dance/aerobic session. Was extremely disappointed on this cruise when, after 2 half-hour sessions, they were terminated. Apparently the Cruise Director, (a certified Zumba instructor) injured his knee. As he had told the almost 100 participants that we should expect daily 45 minute sessions, it would have been reasonable for him to assign one of the other most capable staff to conduct some form of dance/aerobics for the remainder of the cruise. Not necessarily Zumba. There must be provisions for temp. replacements for every job function on board. Can loyal RCCL cruisers expect to enjoy dance/aerobics sessions on this ship in the future??
March 2015 - 14 Night Indian Ocean Transit (Singapore To Dubai) Cruise on Celebrity Century
January 2015 - 14 Night Australia & South Pacific (Sydney To Singapore) Cruise on Celebrity Century
November 2014 - 8 Night Transatlantic Westbound (Southampton To Cape Liberty) Cruise on Quantum of the Seas
September 2014 - 7 Night Southern Caribbean (San Juan Roundtrip) Cruise on Jewel of the Seas
August 2014 - 8 Night Southern Caribbean (Miami Roundtrip) Cruise on Carnival Breeze
June 2014 - 12 Night Mediterranean Empires (Venice Roundtrip) Cruise on Nieuw Amsterdam
May 2014 - 13 Night Transatlantic Eastbound (Ft. Lauderdale To Southampton) Cruise on Independence of the Seas
April 2014 - 13 Night Transatlantic (Ft. Lauderdale To Malaga) Cruise on Celebrity Equinox
February 2014 - 18 Night New Zealand & Australia Bottom End (Auckland To Perth) Cruise on Celebrity Solstice
December 2013 - 14 Night Transatlantic Westbound (Rome to Ft. Lauderdale) Cruise on Celebrity Silhouette
October 2013 - 13 Night Transatlantic Westbound (Barcelona to Ft. Lauderdale) Cruise on Liberty of the Seas
April 2013 - 15 Night Transatlantic Eastbound (Ft. Lauderdale to Rome) Cruise on Celebrity Silhouette
February 2013 - 18 Night Transatlantic Eastbound (Miami To Venice) Cruise on Carnival Sunshine
November 2012 - 15 Night Transatlantic Westbound (Barcelona to Miami) Cruise on Carnival Breeze
September 2012 - 7 Night Canada/New England (New York roundtrip) Cruise on Carnival Glory
April 2012 - 14 Night Transatlantic Eastbound (Ft. Lauderdale to Barcelona) Cruise on Liberty of the Seas
October 2011 - 13 Night Transatlantic Westbound (Barcelona to Miami) Cruise on Norwegian Epic
May 2011 - 13 Night Transatlantic Eastbound (San Juan to Malaga) Cruise on Adventure of the Seas
September 2010 - 6 Night Western Caribbean (Ft. Lauderdale roundtrip) Cruise on Carnival Freedom
April 2010 - 16 Night Mediterranean Passage (Ft. Lauderdale to Barcelona) Cruise on Ruby Princess
October 2009 - 7 Night Eastern Caribbean (Ft. Lauderdale roundtrip) Cruise on Eurodam
August 2005 - 7 Night Exotic Western Caribbean (Port Canaveral roundtrip) Cruise on Carnival Glory
Allure of the Seas
Sail date: April 19, 2015
Fabulous ship! Dance/aerobics???
Well-designed mega-ship. Wonderful crew, great food. Dining experience in Adagio excellent. Good selection of restaurants. Central Park, with the trees and foliage is delightful. Enjoyed the main shows but guest performers were not top-line. Variety of activities offered to satisfy all ages. I often choose Royal Caribbean because it offers daily dance/aerobic session. Was extremely disappointed on this cruise when, after 2 half-hour sessions, they were terminated. Apparently the Cruise Director, (a certified Zumba instructor) injured his knee. As he had told the almost 100 participants that we should expect daily 45 minute sessions, it would have been reasonable for him to assign one of the other most capable staff to conduct some form of dance/aerobics for the remainder of the cruise. Not necessarily Zumba. There must be provisions for temp. replacements for every job function on board. Can loyal RCCL cruisers expect to enjoy dance/aerobics sessions on this ship in the future??
Norwegian Escape
Sail date: October 29, 2015
The first cruise of the Norwegian Escape exceeded my expectations.
Having sailed on maiden cruises of other ships I expected some disorganization and lack of readiness to aaccommodate a large number of passengers. Not so. I was disappointed with the cost of the very inefficient internet service, feel that Norwegian is exploiting it's customers. The food was good, no complaints, but it could have been served hotter. As a solo traveler, I am not a great fan of Freestyle Dining.
Ship is poorly and unsafely designed near the District Brewhouse. I had to often open 4 heavy doors in passages en-route to my stateroom and found this hazardous, especially when not being able to see people or equipment on the other side of each door. Impossible to open each door if you are carrying items in each hand, (or are disabled). Norwegian should review this route before somebody becomes injured.
I loved my attractive stateroom, 8740 but, unfortunately, I could never make use of my balcony, even when the weather was warm and the sea perfectly calm. It was always totally soaked with sea-spray.
The entertainment staff were excellent, made sure that all passengers were kept as happy as possible. Julie, the Cruise Director, is professional, approachable and, possibly, the best I have encountered in 27 cruises.
All in-house entertainers were great and talented. The main production shows marvellous. "After Midnight" the most exquisite and brilliant production I have seen on any ship. (But then I do like jazz music and dance.)
The ropes course is amazing, as are all the other amusements on deck.
For a ship of it's size, the main pool could have been larger.
Guest Services staff were always helpful and the entire crew were friendly. Some staff appeared to be still "in training" but that is to be expected on a brand new ship.
Thankyou for a great cruise.
Explorer of the Seas
Sail date: April 22, 2017
Wonderful memories of my first transpacific.
Loved the small South Pacific islands, the Captain gave good information at noon each day. Ship, staff and atmosphere were all up to expectations of the cruise-line.
The Diamond/Concierge clubs were pleasant, friendly and well-maintained.
One quite major complaint was the lack of availability for current world news.
The only North American channel available on the tv was the degrading and opinionated CNN - Why could RCCL not supply a channel which gives unbiassed world news coverage? Also most of the other channels repeatedly showed outdated and boring entertainment shows.
Thank you to all the hard-working staff on the Explorer.
Queen Mary 2
Sail date: December 15, 2016
Elegant ship with happy atmosphere
Would highly recommend Cunard if you enjoy ballroom dance.
Beautiful, well-maintained ship, excellent staff.
Stateroom surpassed expectations in every way.
First class entertainment. All musicians played the best of music in various genres.
My only disappointment was the lack of any aerobic/dance classes which promote cardio fitness.
Ovation of the Seas
Sail date: May 10, 2016
Ovation is an amazing playground for families
An amazing ship for all ages of passengers.
Fabulous and unique production shows.
The Windjammer buffets were excellent in every way, the staff could not have been more helpful.
I do NOT care for the "Dynamic Dining" reservation system as it prohibits people from, randomly, meeting others (as with the "anytime" dining in main dining rooms of most ships).
For that reason I may not sail on Quantum-class ships again.
Explorer of the Seas
Sail date: October 09, 2015
A good ship. Unfortunately we had to miss an important port of call.
Cruise was interesting due to the itinerary.
Very disappointed at not being able to visit Israel, due to the hostilities in that country.
Attentive crew, good food, happy atmosphere.
There was limited use of the on-deck facilities during the sailing through the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden. For security reasons passengers were not allowed on decks or balconies between sunset and sunrise. This certainly meant that the cruise line could not meet the expectations of it's passengers.
Would have liked more commentary when transiting the Suez Canal - we did not know what we were observing. Also much better maps should have been displayed both on the tv channel and in public areas for this type of cruise.
Internet was expensive and ineffective.
Entertainment superb as always.
Disappointed that there were no lectures and presentations telling the history of the ports we were visiting.
Brilliance of the Seas
Sail date: April 26, 2016
Good ship. Great staff. Many of the passengers on board were loyal cruisers with the Brilliance.
I always enjoy transatlantic cruises with RCCL.
This cruise was a great way to get to Barcelona to meet up with the Ovation.
MSC Seaside
Sail date: December 06, 2017
Memorable transatlantic cruise
As the price paid for this cruise was reasonable, especially as the ship is brand new, the overall experience was good.
Not sure if I would recommend MSC to many solo travellers as "anytime dining" was not available and language barriers often prevent ease of conversation.
Norwegian Breakaway
Sail date: August 30, 2015
Would definitely recommend this ship for families. Huge choice of activities and the crew create a welcoming atmosphere. If you don't like to be around a lot of children, you may prefer other cruise lines which do not offer the same facilities as the large Norwegian ships. Enjoyed many of the activities in the Atrium - a great focal point of the ship, the giant screen there is awesome. Adult swimming pool is totally inadequate for the number of passengers.
Cruise tips
Great to explore. No excursion.
Great city. No excursion.
No excursion. San Juan is always a great place to visit.
Santa Cruz De Tenerife, Canary Islands
No excursion.
No excursion
Very good for shopping at the port but it is necessary to take an excursion/taxi to see the beauty of the island.
MSC Seaside
If you like good English breakfast tea - bring your own tea-bags! Make sure you ask for the "Loyalty Match" program when BOOKING you cruise! Don't set expectations too high regarding food and personal service, it is not up to the standards of many other cruise lines. Realize that the majority of your fellow passengers may not speak English. Enjoy the bright, new vessel!
Explorer of the Seas
Explore the entire ship a.s.a.p. The ice-machine is on Deck 5 near the cafe.
Queen Mary 2
Explore the ship thoroughly a.s.a.p. after embarkation. Otherwise you may miss spending time on your cruise in a lounge or area which you find particularly attractive.
Ovation of the Seas
Make reservations in advance for the main shows. They are amazing! If travelling solo and the cruise is for more than one week, do NOT book an inside, solo studio cabin. They are very small. The regular inside staterooms cost more but are superb and have the large "virtual balcony". ENJOY!
Brilliance of the Seas
Enjoy!
A pleasant port to explore.
The ship's tour to Petra was excellent.
Cancelled. Hope to try again in the future.
Would have liked far more information before and during transit.
Good, free wi-fi within the terminal.
Explorer of the Seas
Participate and meet fellow cruisers. A good ship!
Norwegian Escape
Expect to pay a high cost for internet. A fun ship for families. Explore the ship thoroughly as there are so many attractive places to spend time. Book main shows and specialty restaurants BEFORE sailing to get the times you want.
Norwegian Breakaway
A ship intended for families. (But don't take children to Rock of Ages!!) Attentive crew. Lots of fun. Personable Cruise Director - he was often visible throughout the ship and interacted with passengers - a definite "plus".
Allure of the Seas
Enjoy the ambience of Central Park at any time of the day or evening.
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