The Cruise Director and his team and the variety of entertainment really added to what could've been considered a lackluster vacation option. The awkward layout of the ship, spotty dining room service, and dismal buffet options forced us to wander around and try some of the other free dining counters, which were all very good. We've never been on a cruise with such short times in all three ports, so we wouldn't choose an itinerary like this one again in the future.
Embarkation
3 out of 5
Getting on board was easy, but we left NY late, and we were never told why. In addition, when we got on board, no one explained where we were supposed to get our Sail & Sign Cards or suggested where we may go (besides the Lido deck) until our rooms were ready.
Ship experiences
Food and Dining
3 out of 5
Service in the Anytime Dining room was very mixed. There were nights that our service was excellent, but there were nights that we waited far too long to even to place a drink order.
Onboard Activities
5 out of 5
We used the Serenity deck, ropes course, and toured the gym and spa facilities. Everything was clean and well-kept. The staff was very friendly and informative.
Entertainment
5 out of 5
Shows were creative and fun, and the cruise director (Chris, The Flying Scotsman), was friendly, energetic, and fun. He took the time to get to know people on board and really pumped up his "fun crew". Comedy acts were generally entertaining, and they were offered almost every night, which was great. We also loved attending the art auctions.
Children's Programs
N/A
Service and Staff
3 out of 5
Room steward was excellent and addressed all of our needs expediently. Dining staff service was mixed. I called the guest service line 3 times and waited so long the call was disconnected twice. We also never received customs forms and had to seek them out ourselves.
Ship Quality
2 out of 5
Decor was tastefully updated, but the layout of the ship was awkward. It was almost impossible to avoid walking through the smoke-filled casino to access certain parts of the ship. The Serenity deck shared the same stairs with the ship's water slides! The common areas were all well-maintained and clean though. The food stations on the Lido deck had line spaces that were far too narrow and interfered often with passing traffic.
Cabin / Stateroom
4 out of 5
Clean and spacious for a cruise stateroom. Balcony was equipped with two chairs and a small table.
Ship tip
Bring all the wine and canned beverages the ship will allow, and consider the drink packages. Drinks add up!
There are so many beautiful beaches in St. Thomas. This trip we went to Paradise Point, a first for us, and the view was beautiful. We paid $21 pp, which allowed us unlimited SkyRides, but in my opinion, if you've never been to St. Thomas, you can definitely skip it and head to the beaches.
The port itself looked like an outdoor mall. If you ventured just off the main space, there was a cute island bar with food and drinks. We love the stand-up paddleboarding/snorkel excursion we chose.
There were no set lines at customs, and no one was clear about where we should be going. In trying to obtain transportation, we were told by our driver that he was not allowed into the taxi area where we were waiting.
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