Thank you for a wonderful cruise start to finish. I can't say enough about Captain Eric, with a great sense of humor, and Valerie Perry who really made this trip special. I would cruise with her every time. I guess my only frustration was the poor wifi access, it really barely worked in my stateroom and not anywhere else on the ship. I thought it was $159 too expensive. I am glad that my friend came along. It was definitely a couples cruise.
Embarkation
4 out of 5
We got there about 3pm and were the only people embarking! The parking and transport was easy, but there was no one to guide us which way to go in that big cement building! It took a few minutes for someone to notice we were wandering and she headed us to the escalator which was not immediately obvious. But, we got there!
Ship experiences
Food and Dining
5 out of 5
The choice of dining room open seating was wonderful. We sat with others and met great new people every meal, and some repeats as requested. The Lido buffet options were excellent, and again, to sit with "strangers" and connect with new friends. Thank you for GF options at all meals. Thank you for amazing deserts and ice cream! The service staff was top notch, always smiling and ready to bring you drinks or whatever you needed. This was my first cruise, so I don't have much to compare it to, but it was really great.
Onboard Activities
5 out of 5
This was my first cruise, and I specifically chose a "smaller" ship (about 2000 passengers) and it was the right decision. There were lovely people to meet, everyone was smiling and considerate. Valerie Perry, the Cruise Director was amazing. Her daily lectures were a must, and packed the "Main Stage". The evening shows were a lot of fun, especially the ventriloquist who was so funny!! I didn't use the fitness center, but the game room was a big hit with shuffle board and backgammon. Wish I had brought my cribbage set. We sat at the pool less that expected because our "at sea" days were cloudy or drizzly. Luck of the draw. The main pool was a bit crowded and tough to get chaise, so we usually headed to the other pool at the back of the ship. I participated in the "Walk for a Cause" 5k and really enjoyed talking to participants, getting great exercise and just walking on board. The constant bingo, raffles etc. were fun to a point, but a little too much sales sales sales - we went for the champagne! I'm not a gambler, but I stopped at the roulette table for a round (and won!) and played the 25cent game. The BBKing lounge was nice with movies and the talented singers, it was just a bit too loud so I walked past but didn't enter. The cooking show was fun. The tour of the Kitchen was great. thanks. And thanks for the daily NYTimes crossword puzzle. The Where & When was essential and well done. thanks for that.
Entertainment
5 out of 5
We liked them all, funny talented people. Some nights we attended twice at 7:30 and again at 9:30. The ventriloquist was a hoot. The commedian, musicians and dancers, all wonderful
Service and Staff
5 out of 5
What a wonderful crew top to bottom. All smiles, always helpful, generous and thoughtful.
"Bank" in the Lido was just sweet as could be and offered super service. Everyone behind the counters were helpful (except maybe the fry cooks who seemed serious). Wulan, our room maintenance guy was nice and folded top notch towel animals for us.
Ship Quality
5 out of 5
This ship was amazingly clean and well maintained. The public bathrooms were spotless. I noticed a bit of loose floor molding in our room, we did request and get a new hand mirror because the one was broken. Our airconditioning would not properly adjust, but once we mentioned it to customer service it was immediately repaired. Just small things because overall it was beautifully maintained. The layout was fine, but of course we always turn aft when we should have turned starboard? Whatever. The elevators were plentiful and the stairs were great option too. The disembarking for excursions was easy, the cool towels and drink when reembarking was so thoughtful. The steps in the Main Stage were tough once the lights went out.
Cabin / Stateroom
5 out of 5
The stateroom had good storage, lots of hangers and shelves and hooks. Thanks for storage under the bed for luggage. The beds were comfortable. Our airconditioning needed adjustment (see above) so I was cold and found an extra king size comforter and when Wulan noticed, he swapped it for a more appropriate twin bed extra blanket.
Ship tip
Bring cardigan or light over shirt layers, some spots are chilly until they fill up with people (eg Main Stage or Lido dining) Bring a lanyard for your ID card, unless you want to buy one for $7.95 in the gift shop. We also decided next time to bring travel bottle/coffee mug so we could take hot tea back to our room or to the show or game room. There were plenty of plugs or usb ports.
I've been to Aruba before and didn't need to go downtown, so we did the cave excursion. We were disappointed with the description because it neglected to visit the one large cave on the island (something about protecting the bats) but that should have been clearer. But the transportation was fine, safe, clean and on time back to the ship.
This was a sweet visit to the shopping area. The island is colorful and just lovely. We didn't do an excursion, just walked around on our own. We wish we could go to the beach but no time and too far from the docks. The shopping was boring, but being out in the sun and in a beautiful island was fun.
We had little time here, and didn't do an excursion. We did pick up a trolley ride with 10 other people for $20 that basically drove us through major traffic to city center, a walk at the fort and at the church, but since not all passengers were from Eurodam, we had to return earlier and the driver said - go down the block, there are taxis for $5/each! We got back on time which is what counts. Mostly it was 2 hours in traffic. But I can say I was there!
This was everything I imagined and hoped it would be. This was the main event and it was excellent. Valerie offered lectures and there were movies to see. I had read "Pathway between the Seas" so I was well informed and it totally lived up to expectations. We took the excursion onto the ferry to through the full set of locks to the Pacific. I was disappointed not to get to ride the train (a bus took us back to the ship) and wish we could have stayed overnight and spent another day in Panama City. It was excellent, hot, muggy, (no mosquitoes!) with great service, great lectures and guides. A fascinating experience.
Our ship entered the Gatun locks and lake, we transferred to the ferry for the transit to the Pacific, and a bus drove us back to Colon docks, but not through Colon, and it was dark by then. Truly, I wish we could have stayed docked overnight for a day two excursion on land.
Weather and seas were too rough and Captain Eric had to make a tough decision for safety, so we couldn't dock there. It is what it is. All excursion fees were fully refunded with ease. Unfortunately he couldn't arrange another stop in Key West which would have been nice, but we all understood. Yet, 3 days "at sea" was a lot on the way home.
Excellent, we picked a time so we could have breatkfast, and everything went smoothly, my luggage was all there and we met the shuttle to parking. Nicely done.
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