Overall, if you want to begin your cruise stress free without large crowds, embark after 1:00 p.m. You will still be able to have lunch and explore the ship before the guest assembly drill. In addition to formal night being replaced with Wear Your Best, the other new dress code is Laid Back Lounging that officially allows jeans in the dining room.
Embarkation
5 out of 5
My friends and I ran into traffic and was delayed for our targeted embarkation time. This miscalculation of time ended up being a great time to embark! We boarded the ship around 2:00 p.m. There was no line for luggage porters, check-in, security or lunch in the Windjammer!
Ship experiences
Food and Dining
5 out of 5
The only disappointing dining venue was the Solarium Bistro. This was my third cruise this year on this ship (Anthem OTS). Solarium Bistro was a favorite except this time. The food appeared to be overcooked and too long under the heat lamps. So, out of 9-nights, I only dined there once. Of course, dinner in Chops was excellent! My friends and I had a great tables by the window for main dining...the problem was that our tables were not in the same dining room--one table was in Chic and one table was in Grande. Not to worry; we gladly gave up our great tables to stay together and used Coastal Kitchen as our main dining room. Coastal Kitchen had great food and outstanding wait staff.
Onboard Activities
5 out of 5
The Spa was fantastic!!!
Entertainment
2 out of 5
Since this was my third cruise on this ship this year, it had the same shows and headliners except the comedian.
Children's Programs
Did not travel with any children.
Service and Staff
5 out of 5
My cabin steward was great! The wait staff in Coastal Kitchen and Chops were outstanding. Overall, the crew were very friendly, professional and interactive well with guests. The Captain was the most visible and interactive with guests regularly. You never knew when he would pop up. Now, that is what makes a great cruise...having the captain mingle with guests not just on formal night.
Ship Quality
5 out of 5
Constant cleaning and maintenance kept the ship in tip top shape!
Cabin / Stateroom
5 out of 5
I requested this specific cabin because of its extra large balcony, close to the elevator and midship. If you're traveling with family or close friends, have them book 9646 so you can open the balcony door and then use the balconies to go to/from each other's cabin and to lounge on one balcony--the larger one. The only issue with this cabin is that any notices not placed in your cabin by your cabin steward but in the cabin's designated door holder may be missed because its on the other side of your door, which is a bit strange.
Ship tip
No formal attire necessary since there was not one formal night on this 9-night cruise. The new dress code is "Wear your best. It's time to shine - your way."
I'm glad you had a great cruise. It's a shame that you and your friends were assigned to different dining rooms but I'm glad you worked it out so you can sit together
*Cruiseline.com is not a booking agent or travel agency,
and does not charge any service fees to users of our site. Our partners
(travel agencies and cruise lines) provide prices, which we list for our
users' convenience. Cruiseline.com does not guarantee any specific rates or
prices. While prices are updated daily, please check with the booking site
for the exact amount. Cruiseline.com is not responsible for content on
external web sites.
Contact us
Submitting...
Need help from a personal vacation planner?
Loading...
Find the perfect cruise with weekly tips and cruise deals for as little as $30/night!
Sign up for weekly cruise deals
Join other subscribers and get the best
cruise deals of the week in your inbox every Thursday.
