This was my first cruise and loved every minute of it, can't wait till I go on another one.
Embarkation
5 out of 5
Went quick especially if you have your seapass on your phone and ID ready.
Ship experiences
Food and Dining
4 out of 5
Food was good, main dining was nice and the service was good. My family actually preferred the buffet, more choices. If you prefer the dining room, make reservations ahead of time, I did and did not have to wait to be seated, there was a line for those who did not. Was kinda disappointed they don't enforce dress code on formal nights, there were people in shorts and t- shirts. Also the first night in the dining room, people who sat near us need to learn to use inside voices and not talk so loud and obnoxious so that everyone can hear them and if you have screaming kids, please take them out of the dining room. I did like how they made people use hand sanitizer at the buffets. The other places to eat, the food was served and not a free for all. I didn't feel the need to do the specialty restaurants, there is more then enough "free" places to eat. The salads at The Park cafe in Center Park were very good.
Onboard Activities
5 out of 5
I booked all the shows in advance and saw all of them, get to the shows 10-15 minutes before start time. They were all very good except the Headliner which was ok. The headliner we saw was someone impersonating Elvis, I have seen better. The comedy shows including the family comedy shows are funny, but not appropriate for young children. The pools get packed and the adult pool in the solarium was basically standing room only. Did mini golf, rock climbing and zip-line which were all good. Many activities on this ship, you won't be able to do them all. The last sea day they had a family festival on the Boardwalk for young children which included games, free popcorn and cotton candy. Popcorn otherwise is $2.50, I think RC really needs to include this in their packages. Didn't use the fitness center but did take a tour of it, looks very nice and a good size if you want to work out. I don't gamble but the casino looked nice and larger than I thought it would be, but the smoke smell is a big turn off.
Entertainment
5 out of 5
Read the comment above. Really enjoyed the Ice show, Ocean show and Blue Planet. The Royal promenade parade was nice too.
Service and Staff
5 out of 5
All the staff were nice except one who worked at Jonny Rockets, she had an attitude but I didn't let her ruin my trip. Our room steward was nice, never did get his name but he worked on the 7 th floor port side front of the ship, and he worked hard. He was always available all day long.
Ship Quality
5 out of 5
The ship is big but I didn't think it was that bad from walking from one end of the ship to the other end. For some reason it felt long if you walked in the hallways where there were only rooms but when you used 4,5,6,8,15, or 16th floor it went quick, I know it sounds weird. I thought the ship was clean, the staff were always walking around picking up dirty dishes and cups. I always saw people cleaning everyday. It's a beautiful ship.
Cabin / Stateroom
4 out of 5
Had a ocean view balcony cabin on the 7th floor, nice size. Plenty of storage for 3 people.
Ship tip
Book shows and dining room before getting on the ship. If you can, get an ocean balcony room, it's relaxing and peaceful to listen and watch the ocean without a crowd.
The port was also very nice with lots of shopping. We went to Mr. Sanchos and also did horseback riding here. If you chose to do horseback riding, make sure you use bug repellent, the mosquitoes were terrible. The horse back riding itself was ok, the guide was nice and they took a lot of pictures with your phone for you, not sure if I would do it again there. But the Mr. Sanchos it self was very nice, the food and drinks were very good, it wasn't full either which was a plus. The water was the best I have ever seen, it was very clear, warm and we saw plenty of fish in this area, more then I did snorkeling.
The port was very nice, lots of places to shop. Did a snorkeling excursion, which was disappointing cause the reef was dead and saw very little fish. But the catamaran was a lot of fun and the water was warm and clear.
This area is beautiful. Did the zip line, which was fun. The Haitians can be pushy in the shopping area, but if you tell them no, you will be ok. The sand is very fine and the water was clear.
We had a late flight so we chose to get off the ship as late as we could. We ate breakfast, which Windjammer does get full on disembarkation day for breakfast, then we relaxed on the top deck for awhile and got off the ship around 09:45. Our luggage was easy to find in the port area cause the mad rush was over. Walked right out and got a taxi to the airport for $20, which there are plenty taxis waiting at the port and we were at the airport in 10-15 minutes.
I got addicted on my first RC cruise, too. Harmony- 2017, Harmony 2018, Allure 2019, and due to scheduling conflict, I'll be in the new Odyssey if the Seas 2021! Only 552 days to go! Glad you enjoyed it!
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