Upon arrival, we were wowed by the decor. We loved the glass elevators, the suites were roomy and great. The staff were friendly for the most part. It took a couple of days to get acclimated to the routine. It was evident that this was not the cruise to interact with others easily. There were several times where you could feel very alone around 5,000 people. The Cruise Director would mention live and on the tv that the staff/crew would love to hear from us, but this was not evident.
Ship experiences
Food and Dining
3 out of 5
The food was very good, the sushi bar, the ice cream machine, the pizza, all of it. Sometimes it was difficult to know when Emile's was opening and closing because we didn't wear a watch and it was difficult to memorize when events started and stopped.
Entertainment
3 out of 5
Some of the acts had attitudes and it seemed to be more about them. Some of the activities on the ship were fun and some were annoying. The Cruise Director was nice and helpful, his shows were for the most part pretty good. Some of his helpers were over the top and sort of insulting to our intelligence and ears.
Children's Programs
5 out of 5
The Camp Carnival women/girls were great! Very professional and caring and fun. Good job!
Service and Staff
3 out of 5
This is difficult to judge because some of the staff couldn't be bothered, and some really went our of their way. After a few days on the cruise, many of the staff were yawning and one began to feel like a number. The Purser's Office was very kind to us. Some of the Infirmary staff were punchy at opening time, and it didn't get better later in the day. One nurse was wonderful and knew how to communicate. Food staff were excellent. The unsung heroes were the housekeeping crew who cleaned and smiled-they were amazing. It often seemed that the lowest paid staff were the kindest.
Ship Quality
3 out of 5
The ship was difficult for many to navigate, and if we didn't have a particular place to be at a certain time, this was fine and sometimes fun because you would run into people with the same situation. The condition of the swimming areas was of concern because of wet and slippery areas. Also, mopping marble floors while masses of people walked on them proved to be tricky. Everything was very clean and the crew were continually cleaning. They were pleasant while they did this, too, which was incredible.
Cabin / Stateroom
5 out of 5
We loved our rooms. Our room stewards were incredibly accommodating and welcoming--like they cared. Loved the towel stingray.
We had to arrange our trip last minute due to family illness. We got to go to the Enchanted Garden rain forest trip, the group was small, we had the videographer with us so the trip was on tape forever, which was great. Shopping and stopping time was WAY TOO SHORT. We barely had time to use the WC and look at the goods, which there weren't too many of in the rain forest shop. Our next stop before the falls was only 30 minutes and we had to find gifts for our friends, try to get a bite to eat and figure out where the bus was. This was stressful and didn't work out so well. Double the shopping time on this one. It was so hard to get a feel for the local culture and goods. Loved the patties, couldn't get enough of those. The Dunns Falls was pretty but hectic because people were really on their own. I am surprised more people don't get hurt. It was slippery and I got injured helping a small boy who was without his parents. Our tour guide was so sweet to help me and my family.
We found little assistance when getting off the ship. Some kiosks had phone numbers without the area code, so it was a little difficult to locate the service. The snorkeling trip was fun for the family, and a couple of us rented an electric roadster which was a lot of fun. Next time we'd get one with a roof because the sun was very strong. We found parking difficult. We wanted to do more shopping but couldn't park near the souvenir shops.
Loved Stingray Island! The blue water was exactly what I was wishing for. It was like a dream. Hell was definitely overrated and we were rushed at the stop. The Turtle Farm was okay, could have spent less time there or missed it altogether.
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