I have been on over 20 cruises and this ship has spoiled me for any other ships. (I would still go on other ships if the itinerary interested me-but the main event on this cruise was the ship itself). It is gorgeous and has something to offer for eveeryone. It was also the smoothest sailing I have ever been on-I think it was day 6 when I felt the ship even move for the first time, and that was very minimal. The only sour spot with me was that we booked another voyage on the Allure while on board and were told that free gratuities were part of the deal. Once we got home RCCL said this was not the case and are not honoring their word.
Embarkation
5 out of 5
They have it down to a science. No waiting whatsoever. We were on the ship in less than a half an hour from when we arrived at the port.
Ship experiences
Food and Dining
5 out of 5
Dining room food was delicious. Loved some of the smaller convenient places to just get a light bite such as Sorrentos pizza and the Park Café on deck 8. Was not impressed with the Italian restaurant which you have to pay extra for-guess my expectations were just higher. Certain times had the Windjammer with long lines-but not always. Enjoyed the Johnny Rockets breakfast more than the dining room's breakfast.
Onboard Activities
5 out of 5
There is always something going on on this ship. The pools were very crowded but we never had any problem getting deck chairs. Very large state of the art fitness center. Enjoyed the outdoor movies and live band karaoke. Too old for riding the waves and rock wall climbing but the people doing it seemed to have lots of fun. The week went fast so we never made it to the ice rink. Just hanging out on the main promenade and people watching was fun. Central Park at night is very relaxing and there is a jazz guitarist there, if you just want to relax and get away from the commotion.
Entertainment
5 out of 5
Really enjoyed the outdoor diving show-it was unlike anything I had seen before. The jazz guitarist was enjoyable and so was the Dixieland Jazz band on the Boardwalk. The parades were also fun.
Service and Staff
5 out of 5
Can't say enough praise about the staff. From our room steward to all the dining room staff and everyone else-they were all efficient and friendly.
Ship Quality
5 out of 5
I had my doubts about going on a ship this big, that it would be too big, but it is laid out very well and was easy to maneuver. It was very clean and well maintained.
Cabin / Stateroom
5 out of 5
Our cabin had an ocean balcony and was very comfortable. It was very clean and well maintained. There was plenty of storage space.
Ship tip
Bring comfortable shoes-even for formal nights. Even though the ship is well laid out, there is still a lot of walking and you're not going to have a good time if your feet hurt. Also, do all your planning before you go so you don't waste precious vacation time figuring things out. Take the time to buy your Internet and drink packages and reserve your shows and meal times before you go.
This is one of the few Caribbean islands that I had never been to, so it is always fun to visit a new place, but not a lot going on here. Mostly shopping. Beware there are guys in the center of town who put monkeys on you and then say you owe them $10.
We rebooked for May and got same price. They refunded my internet package and all taxes and port fees as this these are fees acquired outside RCCL. We are still negotiating the onboard credit. We had $100 but got $50 so far. The personal cruise planner they gave us, April, has been a big help. She told us to call her once a month and she would help us with My Time dining times and if the cruise price went down, the difference would automatically be credited back to our account. I cannot even begin to imagine what it is like for them to try to rebook everyone off all the cruises that had to be cancelled.
Because they offered a 4 day cruise leaving 3 days after hurricane with 50% on board credit & 50% towards future cruise, they see that as what they did for us. Too soon to go with all that we've had to do & 4 days is not what we want.
I'd contact RC corporate and ask them to honor your original credit. The cancellation couldn't be avoided but in my experience, RC usually has good customer service.
I find it odd that they didn't honor your original on board credit. They cancelled due to Irma, an act of God but in good faith they should honor your on board credits.
We haven't been on it yet & even though I'm looking forward to it, first bcs since 04 we don't go with Royal, also bcs of this ship, I'm a little disappointed with Royal. Our cruise was cancel do to hurricane Irma & I completely understand that they had to do that & I'm glad they did bcs we were affected by Irma. I would of been worried sick about my family but I'm disappointed at the way the handled it. Not only are we paying more on the rescheduled cruise bcs they're not honoring the deal we had, we also lost our on board credit. We're not asking for more than we had paid for, we wanted the same. But God willing, we will enjoy ourself, specially after all this clean up.
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