We enjoyed our vacation and as experienced cruisers we may be a little more critical then other passengers. Having sailed on several classes of ships with Royal Caribbean, this was by far the most disappointing. The staff was fantastic and the food pretty good. We decided to try a Quantum Class ship because of the convenient departure port, and to see what the ship was like. It is very unlikely that we would sail on one again.
Embarkation
3 out of 5
Too few agents available, took a lot longer then in other ports.
Ship experiences
Food and Dining
4 out of 5
Food was pretty good. As suite guests we ate in the Coastal Kitchen when we didn't dine at a specialty restaurant. The staff was fantastic, but we were disappoint at the lack of variety. The lunch menu never changed and the dinner menu only changed a few times making it necessary to eat the same things, Jamie Oliver's was very disappointing. The food could barely be called Italian, and my eggplant parmesan was completely raw and could not be eaten. For a restaurant that cost extra, you would expect the food to be exceptional. Chops was fantastic as usual.
Onboard Activities
5 out of 5
Had a great time with the activities, The iFly was really fun, and the bumper cars were pleasant surprise.
Entertainment
3 out of 5
The headliner entertainers were really great. The production shows however left a lot to be desired. My wife and I walked out of We Will Rock You about 40 minutes into the show. We had seen the show on Broadway, and this was such a convoluted departure that it wasn't worth eating at 9 pm just to stay. The show times were terrible. The show goes from 6:30 to 8:22 making in impossible to eat at a decent time. The other production shows were okay but not very exciting.
Service and Staff
5 out of 5
Everyone from the Captain down were great.
Ship Quality
2 out of 5
Hated this ship. This was out 16th cruise and first on a Quantum class. From the minute we walked on to the ship we were surprised to find that it was more like a Las Vegas hotel then a ship. Very few areas offered views of the ocean and the ship felt very confining. The public areas are narrow and become backed up when an event is occurring, especially the Esplanade. We would never take another trip on this class of ship.
Cabin / Stateroom
3 out of 5
Felt very small compared to the same class of cabin on other ships we have sailed. We have had many suites onboard Royal Caribbean ships and for an Owner's Suite it felt small. Friends that we met also stated that their Grand suite was small as well.
This port is ugly and run down. Unlike departure ports in Florida, Bayonne looks like a typical cargo dock with a cruise port thrown in. Something should be done to improve the overall area.
The weather was pretty bad, so we really didn't get to enjoy the island. My only problem with Labadee is the local market they have set up. We love to shop but the constant harassment by the vendors made it unenjoyable.
You would have thought that this was the cruise lines first time debarking a ship. We had priority debarkation and it was still an exhausting experience. I can only imagine how hard it was for the regular cruising guest.
Recommend an inside cabin next time. We have been on 15 cruises and have enjoyed everyone. Granted, some were better than others, but we would never be able to describe one as bad.
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