Loved Izumi. People on this cruise are mostly friendly. I have to say though I enjoyed being off the ship more than on it. I love the ports. The included food options were a little disappointing but hard to complain too much when you get to go to the Caribbean.
Embarkation
5 out of 5
Ship experiences
Food and Dining
3 out of 5
Main dining room new menu was pretty disappointing. Food quality was below what we expected for a cruise and the buffet wasn’t much better quality or variety wise. We ate at Izumi though (without a dining package) and it was stellar, absolutely recommend
Onboard Activities
3 out of 5
We enjoyed the pools and hot tubs daily although wish the seating was a little more spaced out so you don’t have to be elbow to elbow with strangers but not a big deal. Fitness center was good too and usually empty. We enjoyed mini golf. One downside is that the rock climbing has limited hours and the pool is closed by 9 pm
Service and Staff
4 out of 5
Staff was doing their best and usually very helpful and nice however I noticed some of them seemed a little sad or not very cheerful which is understandable given they were on month 8 of 9 month contracts at sea. Rahul from Izumi was our favorite, very friendly, happy and hard working
Ship Quality
4 out of 5
Overall very well maintained however some guests treat every surface as a trash can/dish room. Cups and trash left on the tables by the elevators, used dishes left behind outside of the dining areas. Not the crews fault though, some guests just take their food wherever and leave it. Crew does their best to keep up with it.
Cabin / Stateroom
5 out of 5
Ship tip
This ship is pretty good for a first time cruiser and older folks, but for younger people I would suggest a larger ship with more activities. Also, do not waste your money on the classic soda package as there are no CocaCola freestyle machines on board, only canned sodas at the bar. You can bring your own cans of soda on board.
We did the three reef snorkel with Ezequiel, Charro and Chewy. It was fantastic, such clear water, lots of fish. Reefs are kind of dead but still interesting to see and hear about what they are doing to improve the reefs. The island itself is a party island. Prepare to be solicited the entire time you are there including while you eat. Tequila A GoGo was great, much more relaxed than senor frogs. Better service and more reasonable prices.
We went to 7 mile beach (public beach) via shuttle from the port and it was gorgeous. Swimming, food, drinks, ice cream, umbrella rentals, souvenirs, bathrooms and showers all within immediate access of the beach. Water was warm, clear and deep. Friendly locals. We should’ve done an excursion but otherwise it was amazing. Only complaint is the port days through RC are short.
We were off the ship before 8:30 AM and had a 4pm flight as we weren’t expecting to get off so soon. They hurry you through customs and do not do security checks when you disembark, you basically get off, grab your luggage, show your passport and go so they can load the next cruise on. I would say for this particular cruise, an earlier flight home would be pretty feasible. Shuttles to the airport are waiting right outside the port and are cheaper than an Uber. Pretty easy
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