Amazing 1st cruise on an incredible ship with a remarkable crew! Never felt crowded...plenty of room & activities. I loved everything about this cruise!
Wonderful 1st cruise! I will be definitely planning another trip very soon.
Embarkation
5 out of 5
It was smooth & seamless. We were on board within 10 minutes. It's unbelievable how they manage to get over 6k people on board. Kudos to the process. Purchasing "The Key" IMO is unnecessary unless you want the other perks.
Ship experiences
Food and Dining
5 out of 5
Main dining - food was excellent, presentation was nice. They are so accommodating (you can have as much as you want). Service was faultless; loved everyone we interacted with especially our main waiter Augustin. We had My Time Dining which worked perfectly for us.
Boardwalk Dogs (not listed) was convenient and tasty.
Room service was timely, and the food was tasty.
PS - sorry that I accidentally included the carousel unable to remove it.
Park Cafe
5 out of 5
Had our embarkation lunch here and let me tell you that everyone was RIGHT about the prime rib sandwich. It was AUH-MAZING along with the fresh salads made your way,etc. It was a bit busy but not so that we couldn't find a seat. Also loved going there for specialty coffees and sitting in Central Park. Quick tidbit - you can always grab an extra bag of chips and fruit for a snack.
Sorrento's
5 out of 5
Has great pizza especially if you're lucky to snag it right out of the oven. My sons and I found ourselves craving it on numerous occasions (great for a late night snack as it is open until 3 am).
Wipe Out Cafe
4 out of 5
Great for a quick bite. Bonus- there's a fro-yo machine located inside.
Solarium Bistro Restaurant
5 out of 5
Was my favorite spot for breakfast and a healthy lunch (not to mention the area is calming).
Windjammer Cafe
4 out of 5
Ate lunch once and the food was good and plenty of variety. Not sure how crowded it actually gets as I've heard it could be from other reviewers but was still impressed with the size nonetheless. The young woman that greets you was very lovely.
150 Central Park
5 out of 5
Loved it! Great place to sit and have coffee (morning or midday). Liked the tranquility...such nice scenery especially at night.
Onboard Activities
5 out of 5
So many...pace yourself or you'll be exhausted.
Carousel
5 out of 5
It's beautiful and had to try it at least once.
Solarium
5 out of 5
Great place to relax. Never saw any children in the area as past guests have commented. You definitely have to be up early to get a prime spot on sea days.
Sports Court
5 out of 5
My 2 adult sons loved it. Could usually find them there.
Center Ice Rink
5 out of 5
Loved it!
Entertainment
5 out of 5
Besides service and amenities this is where they really excel. The energy the performers have (show after show) to ensure you have a good time was greatly appreciated. I'm a Las Vegas resident that is used to some fabulous headlining shows on the strip and I was in awe of all the performances we were able to attend.
The pool band L'Elements were talented and lots of fun.
Blue Planet was pretty good.
Aqua Theater
5 out of 5
5+ stars! Incredible show and very talented performers. 1st time we had reservations and since we had a Boardwalk balcony near the Aqua theater I was privy to see the performance with ease at any point.
Service and Staff
5 out of 5
10+ stars! As hard as the crew works everyone always had a smile and warm greeting. They really did go out of their way to make your vacation the best possible (including Guest Services). Dimitri our cabin attendant was amazing. He kept us organized, anticipated our every need and very personable. Towards the end of the cruise it was hard saying goodbye.
Ship Quality
5 out of 5
Incredible ship! Although she's over 10 yrs old she's a beauty. The crew worked tirelessly to keep her clean. The only thing I could fault was the carpet in some areas needed a bit of TLC.
Cabin / Stateroom
5 out of 5
As I've previously stated we had a Boardwalk balcony (aft). It was nicely decorated with plenty of storage and enough space for 3 adults. The balcony made the cabin feel bigger. It was surprisingly quiet at night. The beds and pillows were awesome...best sleep I've had in years. I also believe the subtle rocking helped LOL! We loved the location (great views) and the ability to watch the sunrises and sunsets. Also convenient to watch the movies, etc. The only strain we'd encountered was not enough outlets.
Ship tip
Take time to really study the deck map (I focused only on the main venues) as she's huge (easy to navigate) and there's so much to see and do. Towards the end of the cruise I finally found my bearings and was a bit sad that I missed out on a few things. Book all show reservations in advance. We didn't make it to the late comedy show our 1st night and it was sold out for the remainder of the cruise (not a very big venue). I highly recommend traveling with a passport it makes the disembarkation process a lot easier. Sit back, relax and enjoy yourself!
Did not visit. By the 2nd evening the Captain announced that they'd been tracking a storm off the Atlantic for a week and made the decision that we would go to Labadee instead. Was grateful that we didn't have another sea day and respected his decision for our safety as he later reported how terrible the weather actually was. I was a tad bit disappointed as we had plans but oh well it didn't ruin our vacation. Overall we had a great day. It was beautiful and the water was amazing.
Friendly people and so beautiful. We did the 5 star Island tour. The only thing I didn't care for was the 2 hours of shopping as I was not interested in purchasing jewelry. If it's not your thing I wouldn't recommend it. Should have taken a cab back to enjoy the ship. 😁 Megan's Bay - all I can say is wow the water was stunning - wish we had more time there. Paradise Point's view was breathtaking. We really enjoyed the island.
Arrived the day after the earthquake. Was extremely hot (too much humidity) but was a great day to just explore and learn the history/culture. We didn't have enough time but I now know I would love to return for an extended stay.
It was quick and easy (facial recognition was so convenient). We used the luggage valet so we were able to walk off whenever. Highly recommend it if its available to you. We didn't see our luggage again until we arrived at the airport.
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