merkdjm
Second Mate
Joined 07/2014
35
Cruises13
Reviews238
Helpful VotesUpcoming cruises
Past cruises
May 2024 - 7 Night Eastern Caribbean & Perfect Day (Miami Roundtrip) Cruise on Icon of the Seas
April 2024 - 7 Night Western Caribbean & Perfect Day (Miami Roundtrip) Cruise on Icon of the Seas
February 2024 - 17 Night New Zealand (Auckland Roundtrip) Cruise on Royal Princess
January 2024 - 7 Night Eastern Caribbean With Puerto Rico (Ft. Lauderdale Roundtrip) Cruise on Sky Princess
January 2024 - 7 Night Western Caribbean With Mexico (Ft. Lauderdale Roundtrip) Cruise on Sky Princess
September 2023 - 7 Night Canada & New England (New York Roundtrip) Cruise on Carnival Venezia
Something new
Loved the Venician decor theme. Overall the service was very good.
January 2023 - 7 Night Western Caribbean With Bahamas (Ft. Lauderdale Roundtrip) Cruise on Regal Princess
A good time but needs improvements
Many activities and great musicians on board. Loved the Princess patter paper schedule. The princess app was not user friendly and confusing at times.
January 2023 - 7 Night Eastern Caribbean With St. Kitts (Ft. Lauderdale Roundtrip) Cruise on Regal Princess
December 2022 - 10 Night Southern Caribbean With Martinique (Ft. Lauderdale Roundtrip) Cruise on Enchanted Princess
Enjoyable cruise, great service
A upscale cruise with mostly senior 60+ passengers. Very relaxing, not to have to dodge kids running around. Loved having the paper activity schedule each day, the app was not user friendly for activities.
November 2022 - 7 Night Eastern Caribbean & Perfect Day (Miami Roundtrip) Cruise on Oasis of the Seas
September 2022 - 7 Night Eastern Caribbean (Port Canaveral Roundtrip) Cruise on Mardi Gras
Fun ship needs Inprovement
A very full ship, plan your day in advance. All venues get crowded
August 2022 - 7 Night Eastern Caribbean (Port Canaveral Roundtrip) Cruise on Mardi Gras
January 2022 - 7 Night Eastern Caribbean (Ft. Lauderdale Roundtrip) Cruise on Sky Princess
January 2022 - 7 Night Eastern Caribbean (Ft. Lauderdale Roundtrip) Cruise on Celebrity Apex
Calm, reserved, and mellow
Very low key low energy relaxed vibe. Very reserved polite staff.
December 2021 - 12 Night Ultimate Southern Caribbean (Ft. Lauderdale Roundtrip) Cruise on Celebrity Equinox
Relaxing and restful
A relaxed environment with a older crowd. All crew wore masks and passenger were mask free. I felt totally safe on board.
October 2021 - 7 Night Western Caribbean & Perfect Day (Miami Roundtrip) Cruise on Symphony of the Seas
First rate -totally safe
As always loved all the shows on Royal. The reservations on the app was a little confusing. I preferred booking all shows pre-cruise as in the past.
September 2021 - 7 Night Eastern Caribbean (Port Canaveral Roundtrip) Cruise on Mardi Gras
A different experience
Excellent service and staff. So much to see and a lot of new places to eat
February 2020 - 7 Night Eastern Caribbean (Port Canaveral Roundtrip) Cruise on Carnival Breeze
Breeze Feb 2020
We had to make our own fun, not a very energetic fun crowd. Only a handful of people were dancing at the late night club and at any music venues. Mostly a sit and watch crowd.
September 2019 - 7 Night Western Caribbean (Miami Roundtrip) Cruise on Symphony of the Seas
Awesome cruise
A great ship for outstanding entertainment, and food. RC is really offering a lot more specialty food but at a extra price. Not a cheap cruise line, they are always advertising extras for$$$.
February 2019 - 8 Night Panama Canal (Tampa Roundtrip) Cruise on Carnival Miracle
A smaller ship with a friendly crew, the miracle needs a total refurbishment. Carnival has new rules, only one cabin service pick one morning or evening. The food was hit and miss some days there was a good menu others, just average food. The 88 keys show was fun with a sing along, the comedy club was fun but crowded, get there early.
August 2018 - 7 Night Eastern Caribbean (Miami Roundtrip) Cruise on Celebrity Equinox
Suite 2119 - warning, the buffet is right above the deck 12 suites and u hear chairs moving a lot,.Sshout out to Butler Gordana brings all room service food and also canapés at 530 plus anything else you request, very hard working and always ready to please. 😠😠warning -wish bed was bigger, just a standard full cruise size 😑😑Suite guests had a separate lounge ‘Michaels’ could get fancy coffee all day or any kind of coffee or drinks. High tea was served at 330 with tiny sandwich’s and desserts yummm.
Food-luminae for suites, had a gourmet hamburger with truffle fries, waffle with fresh berries yumMMM best steak ever good flavor very tender,,,
Most foods had a good seasoning flavors but a few were bland. Main dining room -excellent service, lots of waiters, don’t have to wait for food. Warning ⚠️ Murano specialty restaurant overpriced and not worth the extra $50 per person,,
Dinner -main dining , daily menu had escargot , Caesar salad, chicken and steak served as daily choice plus 4 speciality entrees each nite, good breadsticks, and good fish selections always fresh,, The Buffet for lunch and breakfast - B grade, good variety, had lox and bagels and blue cheese daily, which u cannot find on most ships. Last day has a mega desserts selection with chocolates fountain .
Entertainment - average, comedians, some singers, 3 production shows only C grade. Variety Music every nite in main atrium with dance floor, don’t miss the silent disco , everyone has headphones and u listen to 3 different channels , it’s a blast watching and dancing too . Usual shopping, last two days have pop up sales, with the best prices,
- [ ] Casino - had some good luck, won my money back. Which is very rare on ships, also, one nite had free drinks for players,, Persian garden extra $$: spa room had 8 heated lounge chairs but can get crowded, gym had treadmills with tv, usual variety of equipment also crowded on sea days.
Beautiful solarium, with padded lounge chairs , beds and hammock plenty of pool towels, don’t have to hunt for towels like on most ships.. Aqua spa cafe in solarium had a variety of self serve salads in small bowls, great to sample at lunch time. A separate gelato and gourmet dessert bar/ coffee bar for extra $$, for a gourmet treat desserts.
This was a more adult type of cruise, not many kids. Very friendly staff , will definitely cruise celebrity soon😀
October 2017 - 7 Night Western Caribbean (Ft. Lauderdale Roundtrip) Cruise on Allure of the Seas
October 2016 - 7 Night Western Caribbean (Port Canaveral Roundtrip) Cruise on Carnival Magic
December 2015 - 10 Night Southern Caribbean Carnival Journeys (San Juan To Port Canaveral) Cruise on Carnival Sunshine
July 2015 - 7 Night Alaska Hubbard Glacier Northbound (Vancouver To Seward) Cruise on Radiance of the Seas
November 2014 - 7 Night Southern Caribbean (San Juan Roundtrip) Cruise on Jewel of the Seas
August 2014 - 6 Night Western Caribbean (Miami Roundtrip) Cruise on Carnival Breeze
June 2014 - 7 Night Eastern Caribbean (Port Canaveral Roundtrip) Cruise on Freedom of the Seas
June 2013 - 8 Night Southern Caribbean (Ft. Lauderdale roundtrip) Cruise on Carnival Freedom
October 2012 - 7 Night Western Caribbean (Ft. Lauderdale roundtrip) Cruise on Allure of the Seas
Carnival Venezia
Sail date: September 16, 2023
Celebrity Equinox
Sail date: December 10, 2021
A relaxed environment with a older crowd. All crew wore masks and passenger were mask free. I felt totally safe on board.
Harmony of the Seas
Sail date: April 29, 2017
A beautiful ship with fantastic shows and a well organized staff. The hi light was the Aqua show and musical Grease, a must see. We had any time dining in the main dining room. Most busy times were 6:30 to 7:30 for dinner but we waited at most 20 minutes for seating. I was impressed one nite when we only had one hour for dinner to attend a show and the staff really hustled to get us done in time. We had a boardwalk balcony which included a soda package and a complementary lunch at Johnny Rockets. The boardwalk had a regular full size Starbucks cafe, hot dog stand , Sabor and Johnny Rockets restaurant. Our boardwalk room had two large closets and one large dresser with 5 drawers which was a improvement over the older ship layouts. The only drawback was the echoing noise from the boardwalk. The noise and music did not quit until after midnight. We also enjoyed the Park cafe which had grab and go food. The cafe had breakfast sandwiches, fruit cups, bagel bar for breakfast and soup salad and sandwiches for lunch, very quick and convenient. We did purchase a WOW band for $5 each. It was convenient to open the room and was waterproof nice for swimming, but you still needed the sea pass card to get on and off the ship. I missed the Ben and Jerry ice cream shop on the promenade which was replaced with a Kate Spade store, there was always a lot of salespeople on the promenade trying to get you to shop, a little too pushy. Overall a beautiful and pleasant experience with a lot of great shows and activities. Well done!
Symphony of the Seas
Sail date: September 28, 2019
A great ship for outstanding entertainment, and food. RC is really offering a lot more specialty food but at a extra price. Not a cheap cruise line, they are always advertising extras for$$$.
Regal Princess
Sail date: January 22, 2023
A good time but needs improvements
Many activities and great musicians on board. Loved the Princess patter paper schedule. The princess app was not user friendly and confusing at times.
Carnival Breeze
Sail date: February 15, 2020
We had to make our own fun, not a very energetic fun crowd. Only a handful of people were dancing at the late night club and at any music venues. Mostly a sit and watch crowd.
Symphony of the Seas
Sail date: October 16, 2021
As always loved all the shows on Royal. The reservations on the app was a little confusing. I preferred booking all shows pre-cruise as in the past.
Mardi Gras
Sail date: September 25, 2021
Excellent service and staff. So much to see and a lot of new places to eat
Enchanted Princess
Sail date: December 09, 2022
Enjoyable cruise, great service
A upscale cruise with mostly senior 60+ passengers. Very relaxing, not to have to dodge kids running around. Loved having the paper activity schedule each day, the app was not user friendly for activities.
Celebrity Apex
Sail date: January 15, 2022
Very low key low energy relaxed vibe. Very reserved polite staff.
Mardi Gras
Sail date: September 03, 2022
A very full ship, plan your day in advance. All venues get crowded
Carnival Miracle
Sail date: February 02, 2019
A smaller ship with a friendly crew, the miracle needs a total refurbishment. Carnival has new rules, only one cabin service pick one morning or evening. The food was hit and miss some days there was a good menu others, just average food. The 88 keys show was fun with a sing along, the comedy club was fun but crowded, get there early.
Celebrity Equinox
Sail date: August 18, 2018
Suite 2119 - warning, the buffet is right above the deck 12 suites and u hear chairs moving a lot,.Sshout out to Butler Gordana brings all room service food and also canapés at 530 plus anything else you request, very hard working and always ready to please. 😠😠warning -wish bed was bigger, just a standard full cruise size 😑😑Suite guests had a separate lounge ‘Michaels’ could get fancy coffee all day or any kind of coffee or drinks. High tea was served at 330 with tiny sandwich’s and desserts yummm.
Food-luminae for suites, had a gourmet hamburger with truffle fries, waffle with fresh berries yumMMM best steak ever good flavor very tender,,,
Most foods had a good seasoning flavors but a few were bland. Main dining room -excellent service, lots of waiters, don’t have to wait for food. Warning ⚠️ Murano specialty restaurant overpriced and not worth the extra $50 per person,,
Dinner -main dining , daily menu had escargot , Caesar salad, chicken and steak served as daily choice plus 4 speciality entrees each nite, good breadsticks, and good fish selections always fresh,, The Buffet for lunch and breakfast - B grade, good variety, had lox and bagels and blue cheese daily, which u cannot find on most ships. Last day has a mega desserts selection with chocolates fountain .
Entertainment - average, comedians, some singers, 3 production shows only C grade. Variety Music every nite in main atrium with dance floor, don’t miss the silent disco , everyone has headphones and u listen to 3 different channels , it’s a blast watching and dancing too . Usual shopping, last two days have pop up sales, with the best prices,
- [ ] Casino - had some good luck, won my money back. Which is very rare on ships, also, one nite had free drinks for players,, Persian garden extra $$: spa room had 8 heated lounge chairs but can get crowded, gym had treadmills with tv, usual variety of equipment also crowded on sea days.
Beautiful solarium, with padded lounge chairs , beds and hammock plenty of pool towels, don’t have to hunt for towels like on most ships.. Aqua spa cafe in solarium had a variety of self serve salads in small bowls, great to sample at lunch time. A separate gelato and gourmet dessert bar/ coffee bar for extra $$, for a gourmet treat desserts.
This was a more adult type of cruise, not many kids. Very friendly staff , will definitely cruise celebrity soon😀
Cruise tips
The port had a few boutique stores on the pier. Go across the street to shop at a few nice souvenir stores. Lots of pot smokers in town.
A beautiful port with a nice boardwalk. Take the boardwalk to sightsee and souvenir shop. We also walked 5 blocks to a grocery supermarket for snacks and soda pop. Do not miss the Peggy’s cove excursion, a scenic tour thru fishing villages and the ocean shoreline.
A beautiful port in a country side setting. We took the 7 hour Cabot Trail excursion. Lots of scenic stops, only one shopping stop at a Gaelic college store.
Carnival Venezia
Get to the shows 30 minutes early, especially the comedy show.
Limited shopping, not a great town to sightsee
A gated shopping area with several shops.
Regal Princess
Get to shows and trivia games early.
Princess Cays (Cruise Line Private Island)
Nice clean beach ,lots of lounge chairs. Very crowded ship tenders, took over 30 minutes to load and unload passengers.
Great shopping and beach close to the dock
Tortola, British Virgin Islands
Only a few port shops, and a craft market nearby. Pretty harbor but not much to see walking in town.
Our island excursion was on a modern bus with a/c and bottled water for the guests. Went to see Sacred Heart church on the hill, beautiful view, a huge botanical garden, and the Clemon estate and rum factory. Very scenic drive with many sugar cane and banana fields.
A large city, but not very scenic. Our excursion stops were a small waterfall, a cemetery and St Francois beach. A 5 hour bus ride, not at all impressed.
Enchanted Princess
All specialty dining was reserved but I checked daily for openings and did find a few openings.
A lot of shopping, very clean and easy to walk shopping areas.
Masks required and could only shop in limited areas
Masks required and could only disembark on an excursion.
Masks required and limited shopping in designated areas
Frederiksted, St. Croix, U.S.V.I.
Masks required and limited shopping
Masks required and could only disembark on a excursion
Masks required and could only disembark on a excursion
Celebrity Equinox
No USB outlets in cabins
Mardi Gras
Full ship with crowded venues, Plan to get anywhere early.
Limited shopping, nice beach area.
Always very hot, we always stop at CVS for snacks and items we forgot.
Only excursion guests could disembark. We stayed on board, very disappointing.
Brand new terminal , easy to get around
Carnival Breeze
Get to comedy shows early (30 minutes). We tried to get in 15 minutes beforehand and had to stand.
Perfect Day At Coco Cay, Bahamas
A shuttle will take you to several areas. We has a Oasis lagoon cabana, which provided towels, water, bar and food service. The oasis lagoon was very clean ,only waste deep and had a swim up bar with a DJ playing music. Loved it all!
Coxen Hole, Roatan, Bay Islands, Honduras
Went to Maya cay excursion. A local resort island, with snorkeling, beaches, a fresh water pool and a animal rescue center. They had a cash bar for alcoholic drinks and served a delicious lunch that was included with the excursion.
Limited excursions, a large pool, bars and a lot of shopping. Before COVID there were local entertainers, with music and dancing, nothing right now.
Many shops at the dockside port. Margaritaville and Senor frogs open for drinks by the waterfront.
Symphony of the Seas
Day one book all shows on the app, they fill up fast. Also make dinner reservations for each day.
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