Good, basic cruise. Great staff, good food. Mainly a sun and beach cruise
Embarkation
5 out of 5
Efficient and easy
Ship experiences
Food and Dining
4 out of 5
Great variety, good menus, but it would have been better if someone had explained that we could order as many portions of the restaurant menu items as desired. Initially, we thought they would be extra. Would also have been less jarring if someone had explained *upfront* that tips were already included. That last one left a bad taste when discovered.
Onboard Activities
4 out of 5
Shows: overall, good.
Pools: A little on the small side, but the covered deck bars were heplful :)
Cafe: some extra flavours and better stock bar would be nice
Entertainment
4 out of 5
Main stage: First night was the least of all of them, which was odd - not the best, first impression. The rest were much better.
Other, sideshows were fun
Service and Staff
4 out of 5
The staff were all very good and welcoming. Particularly, Oleg in the Atrium bar and Sean in the main restaurant. Our steward for 8177 was also, very welcoming.
On the other hand, we received no info on what to expect. We had no idea about using the ship's card for everything, no idea tips were included, no real idea of booking excursions ahead of time. Being our first cruise, the learning curve was a bumpy, as-we-found-out experience. That, particularly took away from the enjoyment. If there was a first-cruise briefing to expain all these things at embarkation, we didn't get told about that either!
Ship Quality
3 out of 5
An utter lack of outlets to allow people to just enjoy laptop time while watching the sea going by with a favourite beverage. That was very disappointing and the greatest con of the cruise. At-sea days are the best time to just lounge but not everyone wants to do it in the sun, but neither be stuck in the cabin! There were a total of just three outlets in the public areas of the ship and one even had to compete with the photographers for them! That was not a pleasant experience!
Cabin / Stateroom
2 out of 5
The utter lack of outlets (only 1!) was very disappointing.
Also, a bit smaller than expected, based on photos, but otherwise ok.
Ship tip
You need to get a full briefing from someone on what to expect. Tell them it's your first cruise and need help...with everything! If you plan on plugging in, ask for the outlets!
Bufadora was ok, but fairly brief and one gets waylaid onthe walk there by all the street vendors. Downtown was nice with selections of some eateries, etc.
Frankly, surprisingly slow! In the airlines, we deplane a hundred or more people in minutes! Was also surprised that the more expensive decks, such as Panorama were debarked last! Would it not be better to also pull out those who have flights before 12?
Welcome to the wonderful world of cruising. Sorry you had no guidance on what to expect. I enjoy helping new cruisers, so if you have any other questions, please ask Some of the newer ships have more outlets. Appreciate your feedback. Glad you enjoyed your cruise.
*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.
