Overall, this was a fantastic experience. We booked this as a family vacation with seven of us and we thoroughly enjoyed it. It was our first experience cruising together and a learning experience. However, there was enough to do on the ship that everyone could find something they were interested in and yet enough options for us to spend time as a family. I would highly recommend this to anyone looking to take a family vacation.
Embarkation
4 out of 5
We purchased the Faster to the Fun package which made embarkation very smooth. The lines were a little confusing but there were lots of staff to help direct us and answer questions.
Ship experiences
Food and Dining
3 out of 5
The service in the dining rooms was excellent. The food and portions were ok but not outstanding. We actually found we liked the buffet better and that it had almost every offering from the dining room. We were able to sample a bit of everything and having the pizza, taco and burger bars close were an added advantage so that everyone could get what they liked. The only complaint we had was that the burger bar wasn't open late enough! It closed at 6 and sometimes we were just getting ready to eat then.
Onboard Activities
3 out of 5
The pools were very small and fairly crowded. We weren't looking to swim much so that didn't bother us but, if you go planning to spend some pool time, you should know that they are super small. The sky cycle was a hit with some of our party and the casino, etc. were a lot of fun.
Entertainment
Did not attend any shows.
Children's Programs
2 out of 5
Our grandson attended Camp Ocean twice and was very unhappy with his second visit. Instead of the camp "counselors" guiding them thru activities when it was time, they were told that the kids had not let the counselors know it was time to play a game outside of the video consoles. It was a nice idea to have somewhere for the kids to go but I expected a little more guidance and interaction rather than sitting in front of a gaming console.
Service and Staff
5 out of 5
The service was off the charts. Our room attendant, Leonardo, was incredible. He greeted us cheerfully by name every time he saw us, asked about our day and, while we had very little extra asks, he was always helpful and prompt. The entire family adored him.
Tiana in the buffet was a true joy. She was cheerful and interacted with our grandson delightfully. She had him making silly faces and giggling when he tends to be quite shy on first meeting.
Malcolm in the dining room was fantastic. He was attentive and cheerful. While we didn't eat often in the dining room due to food choices, Malcolm stood out on the staff as someone we'd go to again.
Ship Quality
4 out of 5
Son in law tested every hand sanitizer station on the ship and was very impressed that all were fully functioning. Every common area was clean and well-maintained.
Cabin / Stateroom
5 out of 5
We were very surprised with how roomy and comfortable the cabin was. We would have all seven family members gather at least once each day to coordinate plans and it never felt overly crowded. The balcony was wonderful to sit on and watch the water or the land. The ONLY complaint we had about the cabin was the bathroom door squeaked. We didn't report it, however, so they may have been able to resolve. We were really impressed with the closet and drawer space and the number of hangers. The only thing limited was the number of outlets but we had prepared for that so it was not an issue.
Ship tip
I would absolutely purchase the Faster to the Fun package. We were able to embark and disembark quickly and efficiently. The day we needed to take a water taxi to port was smooth and easy. We also were able to take advantage of an express line for customer service when we had questions. That line was MUCH quicker. The only thing we did not get that we thought we would was early access to our cabins and our luggage did not show up at our room until after 5. However, this was not a deal breaker and our wonderful cabin attendant put our luggage in our room for us while we were exploring the ship.
Ohco Rios was a bit of a disappointment. We were constantly bombarded with people trying to braid our hair or sell us ganja, etc. The phrase "no thank you" DID work but it was continual. I would probably skip Ocho Rios if we did this again.
Again, with the Faster to the Fun package, our disembarkation was very smooth. The only reason I'm not rating this higher is that the luggage claim area was very confusing and I "happened" to notice one piece of our luggage sitting by the wall out and not on the baggage claim carousel. The tags are not secured very well and one had fallen off. It's not clear when entering the area, where you should go to retrieve your bag based on zone and if I hadn't just spotted the one bag, we could have been there for a while. The rest of the process was very smooth and easy though.
*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.
