October 2023 - 3 nights on Celestyal Olympia
RodPHL
Second Mate
Philadelphia, PA
Joined 01/2019
8
Cruises5
Reviews79
Helpful VotesPast cruises
August 2023 - 6 Night Bimini Grand Cayman & Mexico (Ft. Lauderdale Roundtrip) Cruise on Celebrity Equinox
Relaxing & Premium Experience
This class of ships is a good middle ground for the Celebrity Cruiser. They are not as big and feature packed as the Edge Class, but they are bigger, and a bit more luxurious than the smaller Millennium class ships. This cruise and ship, would be perfect for singles looking to relax and unplug (which was me), couples looking for a nice, romantic cruise vacation, and families with older/adult children all the way up to senior grandparents. There is plenty to keep you entertained, or you can just lounge around, watch movies, and take in the beautiful sunsets. It’s all up to you.
July 2022 - 7 Night Western Mediterranean (Barcelona Roundtrip) Cruise on Norwegian Epic
March 2022 - 7 Night Mexican Riviera (Los Angeles Roundtrip) Cruise on Norwegian Bliss
Beautiful Bliss
With the Free at Sea promotion, the NCL Bliss was a very good value for the money. It’s a beautiful larger ship, and thee ship really is a destination unto itself. Next time, I would spend more time in the spa. Those heated, stone loungers were fantastic! This was my first Norwegian cruise, after having several canceled over the last couple of years, due to the pandemic. It was also my first cruise back, since the pandemic. I had a fantastic time and really feel like I got my money’s worth. I will definitely sail on this class of ship again, maybe even the Bliss again soon!
December 2019 - 5 Night Western Caribbean (Galveston Roundtrip) Cruise on Enchantment of the Seas
RCL Enchantment OTS 12/4/19 - 12/9/19
I chose this itinerary and ship for my family, because we had a good mix of first timers and more seasoned cruisers in our party. This cruise represented excellent value for the money. For our next one, we’ll likely try out one of their bigger ships with more bells and whistles, now that everyone has one cruise under their belts. The Independence OTS was docked next to use in Cozumel, and everybody kept talking about how amazing it looked with all the slides and stuff on top. So, maybe that will be the next one for us as a group. The Allure OTS was docked next to us in Costa Maya, and she got similar comments from our party.
March 2019 - 5 Night Western Caribbean (Ft. Lauderdale Roundtrip) Cruise on Celebrity Infinity
I was on the Infinity from 3/16/19 - 3/21/19, sailing a 5 Night Western Caribbean rite from Ft. Lauderdale to Cozumel and Key West. This was my first Celebrity Cruise. I had only cruised Carnival before, and I have to say that I was pleasantly surprised at how much more relaxed and sophisticated the Celebrity experience was. The ship is elegant and is aging gracefully. The staff and service were first rate, with the exception of 1 particular bartender on the pool deck. The food in the main dining room was very well prepared, and presented. We ate at the Tuscan Grille on the first night, and the Filet Mignon was quite possibly the best I ever had anywhere! As I was nursing a minor physical injury, I spent quite a bit of time in the Solarium area with the Lassotherapy pool and hot tubs. The Martini Bar on 4 was fabulous, and the bartenders there were quite possibly the best service people anywhere on the ship! They were quick and friendly and put on an amazing show. There were string performances, a great singer from Britain, and interesting activities throughout the day. The Constellation Lounge at the front of the ship offers a stunning view with its massive windows. It’s a great place for coffee in the morning or cocktails in the evening! There was an LGBT happy hour on Day 1, which made it really easy to meet some nice link-minded folks. We ended up making it a nightly thing every night of the cruise, and we walked away with a couple of great new friends that we’ll definitely keep in touch with. If you’re considering Celebrity the. I would highly recommend the Infinity as a great starting point!
October 2018 - 4 nights on Carnival Victory
March 2018 - 7 Night Bahamas (Baltimore Roundtrip) Cruise on Carnival Pride
I was on the Carnival Pride in March 2018. It was my first cruise and a very good experience. The room steward was awesome and remembered our names quickly. The onboard experience was nice as well. I loved the Blue Iguana Cantina and the food in the main dining room. Since this was my first cruise, I did not know what to expect and had no real preconceived notions. The Pride really was a nice jumping off point for my new cruise obsession!
Celebrity Equinox
Sail date: August 27, 2023
This class of ships is a good middle ground for the Celebrity Cruiser. They are not as big and feature packed as the Edge Class, but they are bigger, and a bit more luxurious than the smaller Millennium class ships. This cruise and ship, would be perfect for singles looking to relax and unplug (which was me), couples looking for a nice, romantic cruise vacation, and families with older/adult children all the way up to senior grandparents. There is plenty to keep you entertained, or you can just lounge around, watch movies, and take in the beautiful sunsets. It’s all up to you.
Enchantment of the Seas
Sail date: December 04, 2019
RCL Enchantment OTS 12/4/19 - 12/9/19
I chose this itinerary and ship for my family, because we had a good mix of first timers and more seasoned cruisers in our party. This cruise represented excellent value for the money. For our next one, we’ll likely try out one of their bigger ships with more bells and whistles, now that everyone has one cruise under their belts. The Independence OTS was docked next to use in Cozumel, and everybody kept talking about how amazing it looked with all the slides and stuff on top. So, maybe that will be the next one for us as a group. The Allure OTS was docked next to us in Costa Maya, and she got similar comments from our party.
Norwegian Bliss
Sail date: March 27, 2022
With the Free at Sea promotion, the NCL Bliss was a very good value for the money. It’s a beautiful larger ship, and thee ship really is a destination unto itself. Next time, I would spend more time in the spa. Those heated, stone loungers were fantastic! This was my first Norwegian cruise, after having several canceled over the last couple of years, due to the pandemic. It was also my first cruise back, since the pandemic. I had a fantastic time and really feel like I got my money’s worth. I will definitely sail on this class of ship again, maybe even the Bliss again soon!
Celebrity Infinity
Sail date: March 16, 2019
I was on the Infinity from 3/16/19 - 3/21/19, sailing a 5 Night Western Caribbean rite from Ft. Lauderdale to Cozumel and Key West. This was my first Celebrity Cruise. I had only cruised Carnival before, and I have to say that I was pleasantly surprised at how much more relaxed and sophisticated the Celebrity experience was. The ship is elegant and is aging gracefully. The staff and service were first rate, with the exception of 1 particular bartender on the pool deck. The food in the main dining room was very well prepared, and presented. We ate at the Tuscan Grille on the first night, and the Filet Mignon was quite possibly the best I ever had anywhere! As I was nursing a minor physical injury, I spent quite a bit of time in the Solarium area with the Lassotherapy pool and hot tubs. The Martini Bar on 4 was fabulous, and the bartenders there were quite possibly the best service people anywhere on the ship! They were quick and friendly and put on an amazing show. There were string performances, a great singer from Britain, and interesting activities throughout the day. The Constellation Lounge at the front of the ship offers a stunning view with its massive windows. It’s a great place for coffee in the morning or cocktails in the evening! There was an LGBT happy hour on Day 1, which made it really easy to meet some nice link-minded folks. We ended up making it a nightly thing every night of the cruise, and we walked away with a couple of great new friends that we’ll definitely keep in touch with. If you’re considering Celebrity the. I would highly recommend the Infinity as a great starting point!
Carnival Pride
Sail date: March 11, 2018
I was on the Carnival Pride in March 2018. It was my first cruise and a very good experience. The room steward was awesome and remembered our names quickly. The onboard experience was nice as well. I loved the Blue Iguana Cantina and the food in the main dining room. Since this was my first cruise, I did not know what to expect and had no real preconceived notions. The Pride really was a nice jumping off point for my new cruise obsession!
Cruise tips
I did not get off the ship this time, but I have been to Grand Cayman before. George Town is a nice place to take in some water-oriented nature activities and some beautiful beaches. Restaurants tend to be good, and the shopping is nice as well. It’s not the most bustling place, but that’s what makes it nice for getting off the ship and wondering around the smaller downtown area.
Celebrity Equinox
Celebrity is a premium brand, so it will be a more elegant experience than your typical mass market cruise (i.e. Carnival or Royal Caribbean). In my opinion, this class of ship is designed for relaxation, experiencing live music performances, and nice dining without spending a fortune on specialty restaurants. The Martini Bar on Deck 4 was always busy and very popular, with its frozen countertops.
This was a smaller port, but great for shopping for souvenirs and grabbing drinks at the ample bars within easy walking distance from the ship.
Puerto Vallarta is fantastic, and I can’t wait to go back and explore more. We spent the day at Mantamar Beach Club, and it was fantastic. The food and drinks were very good, and the loungers and umbrellas were comfortable. The service was fantastic!
i was very impressed with Mazatlan. I did mt do much research on this port in advance of the cruise, but I was pleasantly surprised at the quality of the shops and restaurants in the area. We got off the ship and just walked around the whole time in port, which was a relatively short port day.
Cabo San Lucas’s is beautiful! We took a catamaran out into the harbor, and it was a fantastic way to spend the day. There are nice shops and restaurants in the port area.
San Pedro (Los Angeles), California
San Pedro is a little bit out of the way from Los Angeles. We flew into Long Beach and stayed in a hotel in that area. It proved to be a smart decision, as LGB was small and very easy to navigate, and it was only a 20-ish minute ride from the hotel to the port.
Norwegian Bliss
There is too much to do on one 7-day sailing aboard the Bliss. Do your research in advance, make a list of the top 3 - 4 things you want to do, and focus on those activities for your first sailing. If you try to do everything then you will feel overwhelmed and pressed for time.
What a beautiful little port town. We got a cheap cab to the town core and walked along the street by the beach for shops and restaurants. There were people giving massages, cabanas, and all kinds of things to see and do. It was a very nice way to spend an afternoon.
I stayed around the port area this time, since I have been to Cozumel before. If you can, make a reservation at one of the resorts and enjoy a nice beach day.
We didn’t do much here. We drove in the night before and stayed at the DoubleTree on Seawall Drive, which was very nice. They had a stay and park package for $60, so our friend was able to leave her car at the hotel, and roundtrip shuttle was included for that price for our whole group. My cousin parked his car at the port for the same amount of money. There is a nicely stocked Wal-Mart for any last minute items, and they also carry wine and champagne that you can take on the ship with you.
Enchantment of the Seas
If you’ve sailed on larger, newer ships with RCL then temper your expectations. The Enchantment is a nicely preserved older, smaller ship with a dedicated and hard-working crew. You won’t get all the bells ms whistles of the Oasis and Quantum class ships that you see on RCL ads, but you will get a very nice experience and good value for the money. Be sure to check out the Viking Crown Lounge on Deck 11.
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