October 2023 - 10 nights on Norwegian Star
dallasp92
Second Mate
Peoria, Il
Joined 01/2018
15
Cruises8
Reviews53
Helpful VotesPast cruises
July 2018 - 7 Night Voyage Of The Glaciers Northbound (Vancouver To Anchorage) Cruise on Star Princess
January 2018 - 5 Night Western Caribbean (Tampa Roundtrip) Cruise on Carnival Paradise
This was my first cruise on Carnival. I usually sail on Norwegian or Princess. I honestly had very low expectations based on what I had heard about carnival but was pleasantly surprised. The food was good, crew was friendly. The cruise director, Leigh, was one of the best I’ve seen. The ship is very unique. Some of the decor is pretty cheesy and gaudy but I think that kinda made it fun. They are renovating and updating the ship next month so I’m excited to see it once it’s done. My only two real complaints were that some stuff especially in the staterooms, is just really worn down and in desperate need of updating. (Which will come with the renovation I’m sure. So I can overlook that). The only other thing is that the layout is quite strange. A lot of dead ends and difficult to reach areas. We figured it out pretty well by the end, just a little tough to navigate. So I’m sure that will be improved with the renovations too. Other than that, we had a great time.
January 2018 - 10 Night Eastern Caribbean (San Juan To Tampa) Cruise on Norwegian Dawn
I personally like the smaller ships and don’t need all the extra frills. If you’re looking for water slides and mini golf and other extras, the dawn isn’t really for you. But if you like smaller ships, the dawn is great. The atrium is big and open with an upper lounge area great for playing cards or listening to the performers below. The crew is fantastic!! We had plenty of vacation heroes!
January 2017 - 7 Night Western Caribbean (Miami Roundtrip) Cruise on Norwegian Getaway
Pros: Very fun boat, and the waterfront is great. We sat out on the waterfront almost every night and it was one of the few places that never seemed overly crowded.
Always something to do. Lots of good bars and good variety at the buffet. Very friendly staff and crew.
Cons: felt crowded in a lot of areas, disembarkation was a MESS. A snaking line through the entire ship that we had to wait in for almost two hours before we even made it off the boat, just to wait in the customs line after that.
We had a very full sailing as the ship was quite new when we sailed. So I’m hoping to travel on the getaway again.
September 2015 - 10 Night Alaska Glacier Bay (Seattle To Vancouver) Cruise on Norwegian Jewel
A nice, smaller ship. We had a great time onboard and the staff was fantastic. NCL never disappoints with customer service. My now husband proposed while we were in Skagway (took the drive to Yukon/emerald lake and he proposed there) on an Alaska cruise and when some of the crew heard, they had champagne, cake, and strawberries sent to our room!
December 2014 - 7 Night Western Caribbean (Miami Roundtrip) Cruise on Norwegian Epic
I love NCL but the epic was one of my least favorite ships.
It is big and has a lot to do, but half of them cost extra and it is always crowded. Because of having so many onboard extras, it seemed like there were less trivia/cruise staff activities. Which is fine for some people but we usually like to do those things. It was definitely a younger party atmosphere which also isn’t really for me. But if you like that kind of thing, you will probably like the epic.
The two things I loved about the epic was the studio rooms are great with a smart layout and feel very spacious. (Wish I could book it for 2 people now!)
Also, the entertainment was great. We had blue man group and it was a very fun show.
July 2014 - 7 Night Alaska Glacier Bay Southbound (Whittier To Vancouver) Cruise on Norwegian Sun
July 2014 - 7 Night Alaska Glacier Bay Northbound (Vancouver To Whittier) Cruise on Norwegian Sun
June 2013 - 7 Night Voyage of the Glaciers Southbound (Whittier to Vancouver) Cruise on Diamond Princess
December 2012 - 7 Night Southern Caribbean (Ft. Lauderdale roundtrip) Cruise on Caribbean Princess
Loved the Caribbean princess. We had a great cruise and great staff. Food was good, lots of fun activities. Definitely would sail on the Caribbean princess again.
June 2012 - 7 Night Alaska Voyage of the Glaciers Northbound (Vancouver to Whittier) Cruise on Sapphire Princess
August 2011 - 7 Night Voyage Of The Glaciers Southbound (Anchorage To Vancouver) Cruise on Island Princess
December 2010 - 7 Night Western Caribbean (Miami roundtrip) Cruise on Norwegian Pearl
November 2008 - 7 Night Eastern Caribbean (Ft. Lauderdale roundtrip) Cruise on Westerdam
Norwegian Epic
Sail date: December 14, 2014
I love NCL but the epic was one of my least favorite ships.
It is big and has a lot to do, but half of them cost extra and it is always crowded. Because of having so many onboard extras, it seemed like there were less trivia/cruise staff activities. Which is fine for some people but we usually like to do those things. It was definitely a younger party atmosphere which also isn’t really for me. But if you like that kind of thing, you will probably like the epic.
The two things I loved about the epic was the studio rooms are great with a smart layout and feel very spacious. (Wish I could book it for 2 people now!)
Also, the entertainment was great. We had blue man group and it was a very fun show.
Norwegian Getaway
Sail date: January 22, 2017
Pros: Very fun boat, and the waterfront is great. We sat out on the waterfront almost every night and it was one of the few places that never seemed overly crowded.
Always something to do. Lots of good bars and good variety at the buffet. Very friendly staff and crew.
Cons: felt crowded in a lot of areas, disembarkation was a MESS. A snaking line through the entire ship that we had to wait in for almost two hours before we even made it off the boat, just to wait in the customs line after that.
We had a very full sailing as the ship was quite new when we sailed. So I’m hoping to travel on the getaway again.
Norwegian Jewel
Sail date: September 19, 2015
A nice, smaller ship. We had a great time onboard and the staff was fantastic. NCL never disappoints with customer service. My now husband proposed while we were in Skagway (took the drive to Yukon/emerald lake and he proposed there) on an Alaska cruise and when some of the crew heard, they had champagne, cake, and strawberries sent to our room!
Carnival Paradise
Sail date: January 20, 2018
This was my first cruise on Carnival. I usually sail on Norwegian or Princess. I honestly had very low expectations based on what I had heard about carnival but was pleasantly surprised. The food was good, crew was friendly. The cruise director, Leigh, was one of the best I’ve seen. The ship is very unique. Some of the decor is pretty cheesy and gaudy but I think that kinda made it fun. They are renovating and updating the ship next month so I’m excited to see it once it’s done. My only two real complaints were that some stuff especially in the staterooms, is just really worn down and in desperate need of updating. (Which will come with the renovation I’m sure. So I can overlook that). The only other thing is that the layout is quite strange. A lot of dead ends and difficult to reach areas. We figured it out pretty well by the end, just a little tough to navigate. So I’m sure that will be improved with the renovations too. Other than that, we had a great time.
Norwegian Dawn
Sail date: January 07, 2018
I personally like the smaller ships and don’t need all the extra frills. If you’re looking for water slides and mini golf and other extras, the dawn isn’t really for you. But if you like smaller ships, the dawn is great. The atrium is big and open with an upper lounge area great for playing cards or listening to the performers below. The crew is fantastic!! We had plenty of vacation heroes!
Caribbean Princess
Sail date: December 08, 2012
Loved the Caribbean princess. We had a great cruise and great staff. Food was good, lots of fun activities. Definitely would sail on the Caribbean princess again.
Cruise tips
If you are in Juneau during the whales bubble netting season (most likely in June-July), you MUST go whale watching. We always use a company called Juneau Whale Watch. They have a facebook where they post updates as to how the whale watching is. We have seen tons of whales bubble netting and breaching with them and it is an incredible thing to see! Multiple times, the whale watching has been so good in the morning that we booked them to go straight back out on the afternoon trip as well! Some photos in my profile. If it is not a great day for whale watching, or if we have a long Day with enough time after whale watching, we like to do Mendenhall Glacier/Nugget Falls. There are some nice walking trails, and you can walk right up to the base of the waterfall.
I love Skagway. It’s such a cute little town surrounded by beautiful landscape. The White Pass Railroad is a bit expensive but definitely a great experience, with beautiful sights and a great way to learn about the areas history. My favorite thing to do in Skagway is to rent a car and take the Klondike Highway in to the Yukon. There are tons of places to stop off along the road (waterfalls, lakes, rivers, even a desert in Carcross!) Highly recommend driving all the way to Emerald Lake. It is absolutely gorgeous especially in fall! (About 75 miles from Skagway)
I love Skagway. It’s such a cute little town surrounded by beautiful landscape. The White Pass Railroad is a bit expensive but definitely a great experience, with beautiful sights and a great way to learn about the areas history. My favorite thing to do in Skagway is to rent a car and take the Klondike Highway in to the Yukon. There are tons of places to stop off along the road (waterfalls, lakes, rivers, even a desert in Carcross!) Highly recommend driving all the way to Emerald Lake. It is absolutely gorgeous especially in fall! (About 75 miles from Skagway)
Costa Maya used to be great for snorkeling right off the pier but now they have poured concrete out over the rocks so the beach isn’t the same as it used to be and the water hits too hard to get in safely. Basically unless you book an excursion, all you will do is shop or go in the pool while you are there. There is a free dolphin show that is neat. But overall it is one of my least favorite ports. One saving grace is the cheap souvenirs, and since there is little else to do there, it makes it a good stop for doing all your souvenir shopping without feeling like you are wasting your day or missing anything.
Tortola, British Virgin Islands
It’s been almost 10 years since I was there, but it was gorgeous when we went. They had a lot more local handcrafted items too and not just the “same crap, different port” stuff which was nice. Hopefully I can go back soon!
Tortola, British Virgin Islands
It’s been almost 10 years since I was there, but it was gorgeous when we went. They had a lot more local handcrafted items too and not just the “same crap, different port” stuff which was nice. Hopefully I can go back soon!
Been almost 10 years since I went but I loved it when we did. Wasn’t as built up and touristy as a lot of other ports at that point so not sure how it is now. We enjoyed snorkeling right off the beach and pulling up tons of conch shells. I’d love to go back.
Cozumel is one of my favorite ports. Biggest recommendation I have is to get away from the cruise port. We like to rent a car from a reputable place (there’s an Avis very close to Langosta Pier and an Alamo very close to Puerta Maya. Or another Avis in the Grand Park Royal hotel which is about half a mile from Puerta Maya and maybe 1/4 mile from international pier, so all walking distance) We have found that generally Avis is cheaper, and you can rent a car for $40-50 for the day from them including taxes and fees and insurance. The downtown area is a little hectic to drive through but not terrible, and once you are out of downtown it is basically one road around the whole island, so it is very easy to navigate on your own. There are plenty of points to stop off and enjoy the view, do some shopping, or grab some food. I highly recommend Coconuts for food. It has a fantastic view and the food is great, and not overpriced (about $9-15/meal). The beef tacos are great and the “Sex at Coconuts” drink is fabulous. But keep in mind that their are quite a few stairs up to the restaurant, as it is built up on a cliff. There is a rough ramp to the far left of the stairs (any of the vendors at the bottom can probably show you where) but it is still not the best for those with mobility difficulties. A lot of the public beach areas have pretty rough waves, but there are a couple areas where there is a natural shallow pool past where the waves break. If you go to Punta Sur, it is $14 to enter but it’s worth it. It’s an eco park where a lot of turtles nest, and they also have a couple beaches and a neat lighthouse you can go to the top of for another great view. The beaches here are a lot more calm than the other public beach areas and one of them has a restaurant on it that is pretty good (and usually you get a free drink from the restaurant with entry) There is also a Mayan ruin along the drive that you can go back to. The whole road around the island is about 40-50 miles, so usually there is plenty of time to stop and take your time and enjoy the views. And it will only take about $10 in gas.
Cozumel is one of my favorite ports. Biggest recommendation I have is to get away from the cruise port. We like to rent a car from a reputable place (there’s an Avis very close to Langosta Pier and an Alamo very close to Puerta Maya. Or another Avis in the Grand Park Royal hotel which is about half a mile from Puerta Maya and maybe 1/4 mile from international pier, so all walking distance) We have found that generally Avis is cheaper, and you can rent a car for $40-50 for the day from them including taxes and fees and insurance. The downtown area is a little hectic to drive through but not terrible, and once you are out of downtown it is basically one road around the whole island, so it is very easy to navigate on your own. There are plenty of points to stop off and enjoy the view, do some shopping, or grab some food. I highly recommend Coconuts for food. It has a fantastic view and the food is great, and not overpriced (about $9-15/meal). The beef tacos are great and the “Sex at Coconuts” drink is fabulous. But keep in mind that their are quite a few stairs up to the restaurant, as it is built up on a cliff. There is a rough ramp to the far left of the stairs (any of the vendors at the bottom can probably show you where) but it is still not the best for those with mobility difficulties. A lot of the public beach areas have pretty rough waves, but there are a couple areas where there is a natural shallow pool past where the waves break. If you go to Punta Sur, it is $14 to enter but it’s worth it. It’s an eco park where a lot of turtles nest, and they also have a couple beaches and a neat lighthouse you can go to the top of for another great view. The beaches here are a lot more calm than the other public beach areas and one of them has a restaurant on it that is pretty good (and usually you get a free drink from the restaurant with entry) There is also a Mayan ruin along the drive that you can go back to. The whole road around the island is about 40-50 miles, so usually there is plenty of time to stop and take your time and enjoy the views. And it will only take about $10 in gas.
I love grand cayman. Seven mile beach is gorgeous and the water is beautiful. The locals are all very friendly. Stingray City is a fun and relatively cheap excursion. It’s really crowded with so many boats going there but it is a very neat experience. But if you want the cheapest option, just enjoy the beach for the day. Taxis are $3-$4/person each way from the cruise port.
I love grand cayman. Seven mile beach is gorgeous and the water is beautiful. The locals are all very friendly. Stingray City is a fun and relatively cheap excursion. It’s really crowded with so many boats going there but it is a very neat experience. But if you want the cheapest option, just enjoy the beach for the day. Taxis are $3-$4/person each way from the cruise port.
We went in 2014 and got off the boat for a couple hours before hearing on the radio of our taxi that there was a shooting downtown at the currency exchange. We went back to the ship after that. Probably fine if you book an excursion through the ship, but I wouldn’t recommend exploring the area on your own as it didn’t seem particularly safe. If I ever have an itinerary with Ocho Rios again, I probably won’t get off the boat.