My family greatly enjoyed our first cruise experience. The cruise director, Carly, was very bubbly. There was plenty of food, leisure time, and beautiful sights that made this a relaxing trip. I unfortunately contracted norovirus towards the end of our sailing.
Embarkation
5 out of 5
The boarding process was smooth, quick, and well organized.
Ship experiences
Food and Dining
4 out of 5
Overall, the food was pretty great. You can't go wrong with pizza from the Park Cafe. The Windjammer had a great selection and the themes changed for dinner - ie, Mexican night, French night, Caribbean night, etc to match up with the MDR. My husband and I found most of the pork items to be flavorless and I found a lot of the Windjammer food to be extra salty. The dessert items were tasty 90% of the time though. We did My Time Dining in the MDR for dinner. Our waiter, Anom, and his assistant, Elpan, were awesome! Our selections always came out quick and were cooked to perfection.
Onboard Activities
3 out of 5
If you're 50+ or like to drink, there's plenty to do. But if you're young or have teens it's a bit lacking. The pools were a little smaller than expected but were always a nice temperature. Same with the hot tubs. The arcade needs a major upgrade in my opinion. There's a play to win claw machine with ducks, 2 stuffed animal claw machines, a few other play to win games, 2 racing games, and a motorcycle game. But get this...the motorcycle and racing games have no audio! I personally feel they should take down the wall between the teen center and the arcade to convert that whole area into an arcade. And maybe make the back area of the Adventure Ocean a teen area.
Entertainment
4 out of 5
The Orpheum is a nice size and there was a decent variety of acts. The first comedian was so un-memorable that I can't even remember his name. Mark Merchant (ventriloquist) Albert Lucas (juggler) and Dario "El Gaucho" (variety act with Bolo balls) were our favorites! The Broadway style performers were pretty great as well. The dancers had a lot of energy, the 2 male singers (Tyler and Jordan) were strong, and Charise has a great voice.
Service and Staff
5 out of 5
Every member of the staff we encountered were friendly and courteous. Our room attendant, Ignacio, is a very hard worker! Anom and Elpan in the MDR were great! And all the workers in the Park Cafe deserve a raise for how quickly and efficiently they sling out the pizzas!
Ship Quality
5 out of 5
One reason why I really liked this ship for a first cruise is because it's smaller. Therefore you learn the layout quickly and don't feel overwhelmed. Every area was clean and maintained. The only time it wasn't was when other cruisers left their dishes in random places like the front of the ship on top deck or in the elevator, which is just uncalled for in my opinion 🤦♀️
Cabin / Stateroom
3 out of 5
The beds need a serious upgrade! They were as hard as a rock. Our pillows were nice and fluffy, though. We were right by the elevator and didn't hear much noise from it. The room size was suitable, though.
Ship tip
Be sure to bring some of your own forms of entertainment if you're younger. If you're a light sleeper, don't get a room on decks 2 or 3 towards the front of the ship because it can get a bit noisy.
We saw sea turtles in the water as soon as we were walking into port. Which was a very memorable way to start our trip! "Paradise Beach" which is just a few minutes from the port is good if you just want to lay out in a chair. But if you get in the water, bring water shoes because the ground is very rocky and uneven. My leg got all cut up and bruised from getting knocked down by a wave and into that ground. If you have small children, there is a really neat playground right outside the shopping area.
We chose an island tour here, which we thoroughly enjoyed. The French side is heartbreaking due to the lack of rebuilding and repair from a hurricane years ago. The Dutch side is much more lively and has some gorgeous beaches!
Didn't book an excursion here and decided to venture on our own. Bad idea! Every 2 seconds we were bombarded by locals asking us if we wanted a taxi. I had a homeless man reach for my purse on the street right outside of port. We went to a local church, which had a family of stray doga hanging out, and came right back to the ship.
Gorgeous blue water and lots of wildlife! Booked a Catamaran snorkle adventure and it was lovely! We saw a few turtles, stingrays, and lots of fish at our feet.
What an incredible island! We only toured St Kitts but will definitely be back to check out Nevis. The scenic railway tour is a must! So many sights and things to do here!
Glad you enjoyed your cruise. Very courageous of you to try a 12 day cruise for your first one. I love the smaller ships out of Baltimore and sail on them very often.
Welcome to the wonderful world of cruising. Glad you enjoyed your first cruise. Appreciate your detailed review. I enjoy seeing cruising through fresh eyes.
I have always thought that Royal Caribbean catered more to families with teen and kids. There are less activities for couples without kids.
Glad you enjoyed your vacation.
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