Everything was nice except the smoking in the Casino. I was really shocked and disappointed in this. I have Asthma and a first time cruiser friend of ours that we brought with us gets migraines from cigarette smoke so they could not go in the casino at all and they were looking so forward to it so that put a real damper on our vacation. To make things worse, the air was not working properly in the casino so not only are you in a cloud of smoke but it was so hot in there. They also do not have good instructions on how the card works in the casino. If you pull your card out and have $$ left on it, do not walk away for a few minutes until it clears as the next person can sit down and use your money. This happened to me but casino did re-imburse me thank goodness. If you get 1500 points you get free drinks but it is only when you are sitting down at a machine or table playing and does not apply if you have purchased the Cheers drink pkg. Also, not enough staff working the courtesy desk in the casino, We waited in very long lines very often. Machines are extremely tight as well, it is very difficult to win more than $20 no matter how much you are wagering...so gamblers beware.
Embarkation
3 out of 5
Other than waiting in line in one spot for almost an hour embarkation was good. Not certain what the problem was but we were moving along then came to a dead stop and never moved an inch. What made it worse was that there were no announcements as to what was going on and know one seemed to know anything.
Ship experiences
Food and Dining
4 out of 5
Dining areas were nice, staff worked very hard and were all friendly. Buffet was kept clean. Food choices were good. Only thing that was disappointing was that we were seated at the upper level and when staff entertainment started they only did it on the lower level so we had to leave our seats to watch.
Onboard Activities
5 out of 5
Fitness center and spa activities were great. We enjoyed all the raffles and giveaways that were offered. 3 of our group of 8 won prizes.
Entertainment
2 out of 5
Entertainment was not that great. One female comedian was awful, several people walked out during her show. We do like the option of comedy shows in the evening however but wished they were better comedians. The military acknowledgement was much appreciated. Deck parties seem to be geared to kids or young adults. Expected more steel drum Caribbean music but it was more like a college night club. Would rate the deck party as poor and sail away party was not all that exciting as it has been in the past.
Service and Staff
5 out of 5
Outstanding! Staff was constantly working and smiling.
Nik and Tyson were fantastic and made our dining experience wonderful. Tyson had some pretty good dance moves!
John, Elma, Michelle and Necia were wonderful in the spa
Ramielino and Akbar did an outstanding job in our cabin, they never stopped moving and always always so friendly. 90% of the bar tenders were great. Matre D' did not come to the table and introduce himself as we have had on other cruises.
Ship Quality
5 out of 5
Yes, nice that it wasn't so large and difficult to maneuver.
Cabin / Stateroom
4 out of 5
It did get a bit warm in the cabin at times and the tiny hair dryer fastened to the inside of the top drawer needs to go. It was very difficult to dry hair with that small hair dryer and only being able to pull it so far made it even worse, Otherwise it was nice
Ship tip
Be aware that smoking is allowed in most of the casino and they have the photographers right near the casino so if you have photos taken prior to dinner your clothes and hair are going to smell like cigarettes the rest of the evening. They have a non-smoking area but smoke does not know to stay on one side so that is useless. You may want to bring your own hairdryer, although if you have a spa cabin, you can use the locker room facilities and there is a larger hair dryer and larger shower in there with a bench which was very nice. Booking a spa cabin is well worth it.
Not much to do here but the beach is absolutely beautiful and Carnival offered a lunch on the island that was nice but we stood in line a very long time in very hot weather,
Did not do an excursion
Was disappointed in the change of Ports but completely understandable. Have been here twice before and did not want to go back a third but we did and we hailed a cab with an ID badge (Woody) and just asked him to take us around the village and he took us up the mountain to view the beauty of the island and it was just perfect. Quiet and pristine and he educated us on all the vegetation that the islanders use for various reason, it was just a very nice tour as we weren't looking for anything too long or costly. The residential islanders come on very strong and don't stop when you tell them no. Felt just a little uneasy as far as safety goes here. We were walking on a bridge and a man stuck his head out from under the bridge smoking a joint and tried to sell us some wooden beads, police presence is very visible though which was good, but watch your back here.
Basically just shopping and unless you are going to do an excursion there isn't much else to do. It is expensive to ear or drink here, $6.00 for one domestic beer.
Always nice to be in Cozumel. Jewelers hound you for free gifts a lot here but they are not too bad. Cost is very reasonable and island is fun. We took a cab to down town and walked around. There was a lot to see and do there.
We did not do any excursions
The best ever. You can now keep your luggage with you and get off the ship quickly. We were off by 9:15. The line moved very quickly, was very organized.
Cruise casino are the worst payout. International water so not regulated I believe celebrity is 100%smoke free. Try them. They are great as far as I understand
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