We really enjoyed this trip as much for the ship as we did for the ports of call. The ship and crew were amazing and the ports each had their own feel about them that we enjoyed. We didn't care much for the humidity but what do you expect at this time of year!
Embarkation
5 out of 5
Excellent. Fast and efficient
Ship experiences
Food and Dining
4 out of 5
The food in the main dining was good but not exceptional. Usually I can't decide which dish to have because there are so many delicious sounding choices but not this time. There would only be one choice worth making and even that didn't sound too exciting. The quality of food compares well with other cruise lines but I wasn't that impressed. The dining room itself was beautiful and had an elegant feel to it.
The buffet was well laid out and the food hotter and tastier than most other buffets we've eaten at.
Room Service
1 out of 5
Worst food I've ever had on a ship. Every dish, and I mean EVERY DISH, was either overcooked, tough, or tasteless. We only paid 50% of the $35 cost although we should have gotten the full meal comped as we ended up going to the buffet afterwards for something we could eat. The staff was understanding and did their best to make things better but nothing would help the food.
Onboard Activities
4 out of 5
Enjoyed watching the activities but we're not big fans of joining in.
Entertainment
4 out of 5
We usually don't enjoy the stage shows on ships and find them somewhat amateurish but these shows were an exception. The performances were themed and had some substance to them. The singers and dancers were all quite good and we enjoyed all their performances. The comics were also good and we had some good laughs. There was only one show with some guy who used to be the lead for Paul Revere and the Raiders that was so bad we had to leave. Given that the band he sang with started in 1961 we knew he was in his mid 70's and although he wasn't bad for his age, he should have retired from the stage many years ago.
Service and Staff
5 out of 5
One of the most notable things was how happy the crew were. Their smiles were genuine and they were always very helpful. The ships captain, Captain Kate, was fantastic. We've been on more than 25 cruises and have never seen the Captain as many times as we did with her. Her announcements were humorous and informative and she was present on many occasions at ship events. She even took the time to come down to the gangway and shake the hands and say goodbye to every single passenger as we left the ship. That was amazing.
Ship Quality
5 out of 5
Cabin / Stateroom
4 out of 5
Good layout with the bed by the window. Only complaint was that the balcony doesn't extend to the edge of the ship and there is a large area extending about 10 ft. beyond the railing which obstructed any view straight down so we couldn't see the water except a distant view.
We did a 4 hour private tour of the island. The devastation from Hurricane Irma was very evident with many roofs damaged or missing and boats tossed about on the shore or lying on their sides in the water. As a result, it was fascinating to see the damage and this made the tour all the more interesting. Apparently the salt in the air during the hurricane caused a burning effect over much of the island and it looked more like a desert than a tropical island in some areas. The history of the island is fascinating and there is quite a difference between the French and Dutch sides.
Did a 4 hour excursion with Sunny Liston Tours. Great tour, a lot of fun. Sunny was the guide for 25 of us and he's quite a character. He had music blaring from the speakers and was singing along as we barrelled along the road. We never stopped smiling. We stopped at a few places and were given a bit of an explanation, but there's really not that much different than any other island. There were signs of hurricane damage but the island was still lush and green. We stopped a Magens Bay Beach for a couple of hours... magical. All the hotels on the island are closed for repairs until 2020 so we practically had the place to ourselves. This is the time to go!
You have to pass through a gauntlet of taxi drivers and tour people trying to sell their services and then you got hit by lots of touristy shops selling junk. We've been here a couple of times before and were not impressed then either. There is a lot of crime on the island as evidenced by all the bars on the windows of homes and shops. We only got off the ship to find free wifi.
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