A great ship to entertain multi generational families. There was something for everyone and times when we could all come together. We had parents in their 70's and grown adult children with us and we really enjoyed having the large ship to offer up lots to see and do!
Embarkation
5 out of 5
Was smooth and easy. It is amazing how they get thousands on the ship with what appears to be such ease.
Ship experiences
Food and Dining
4 out of 5
We ate in the buffet often and it always had a wide variety of items and changed things up every couple days. The Park Cafe on Deck 8 in Central park was a nice change for a quick grab of fruit, coffee & custom bagels etc. The dining room was just OK. We noticed that if you wanted lobster tail you had to pay extra...something we have ordered from the general menu before without cost. Food was prepared well and in smaller portions so if you wanted you could order a second main or 2-3 different appy's should you desire. Make sure you leave room for dessert - they are all great! The little sandwiches at the Promenade cafe are excellent for a quick bite.
Onboard Activities
5 out of 5
We had 3 generations on this trip and we all enjoyed the pools and the quiet area of the solarium (for 16+ only). Some enjoyed the rock climbing (we could watch from our balcony), flow rider, arcade, trivia contests in the Schooner Bar was always fun, the casino, mini golf, table tennis competitions and more! Oh did I mention the Art Auctions?!!
Entertainment
4 out of 5
Loved the aquatheatre shows, comics and singers. The Production of Moma Mia was a bit disappointing as the lead was not a strong singer/actress. Supporting actors and group numbers were good though. Lots of entertainment options throughout the ship on New Year's Eve!
Service and Staff
4 out of 5
Our room Steward Rayborn was excellent. The rest of the service staff was just ok - several of the bar tenders were a bit snarky but dining room staff were good and were run off their feet New Years's Eve! We always enjoyed the buffet greeter a fun upbeat lady who made our day!
Ship Quality
5 out of 5
Well maintained for an older ship that goes in for refit in the summer. We noticed the most wear on lounge chairs as not being in the best shape, but most everything was good.
Cabin / Stateroom
4 out of 5
Our cabin was always clean and tidy. Size was good, bed was a bit worn (soft) and the closet wasn't the easiest to access since half of it was right beside the couch. We have also sailed on the Harmony and found that issue was resolved in the newer design of the rooms. We were the last balcony cabin on the Boardwalk next to the Aquatheatre room so the views were amazing. You can sit and watch movies on the big screens or the shows from your balcony.
Ship tip
There is no self serve laundry - it is $25 per bag.
Fort Lauderdale is very easy to get around and both the cruise port and airport are very close by. Lots of shopping, restaurants, canal cruises, everglade tours - you name it!
This was an amazing stop! I wish the ship stayed docked overnight so we could enjoy a second day!!!! We purchased months in advance a half day waterpark pass and made full use of it. We then took the shuttle (deluxe golf cart) to see the hot air balloon (was grounded that day due to high winds) and then to the giant pool and beach area at the top of the island. This was so relaxing and we were lucky we happened to be the only ship in that day so no real line ups or waiting for anything.
We had been to Nassau before so just decided to check out the duty free shopping along Bay St. It is worth taking a tour around the island and a visit to the Queen's Staircase and Atlantis.
We got off the ship and into the cab stand line - it took about 7-10 minutes to get a cab ($17 USD & 15 min to our destination). We made reservations ahead of time at Mr Sancho's Beach Club and it did not disappoint! Great beach, food, non-stop drinks and service. Something for everyone but more geared for adults. There were cabs waiting at the beach club ready to take you back to the cruise port so no waiting once you were ready to go.
You really did not research as much as you should have. We were on the Allure in November. The MDR had absolutely delicious food everynight and they do have the free lobster tails on one of the formal nights. Every night we ordered at least 3 appetizers each and sometimes 2 entrees. We only went to the buffet once on embarkation day for lunch and it was not good.Too crowded and cold food. The Park Cafe had the best salads for lunch and prime rib sandwiches. So many free venues yo eat. Don’t know why you would bother with the buffet , especially with a large group if people. Oh well.
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