Overall, cruise was as expected. Food was meh...bland and cold. Service was surprisingly spectacular (I am a cruise snob and thought that the service was similar to the smaller vessels I have enjoyed. We were impressed that the layout of the ship allowed for quick access to most venues. While it was obvious we were on a large commercial vessel, the venues did not seem to be overcrowded.
Embarkation
4 out of 5
Ship experiences
Food and Dining
2 out of 5
Food in the buffet and MDR was served cold (consistently...even though we were early birds) and the juice (unless you ordered fresh) was so watered down that it separated and was unappealing to look at. Buffet served same food every night and quality declined throughout cruise. Specialty restaurant CHOPS served better quality food but was served luke warm. SERVICE WAS ON POINT!!!!
Onboard Activities
4 out of 5
There were plenty of activities to keep us entertained. We were not able to enjoy several activities because of the limited time that they were open.
Entertainment
4 out of 5
Children's Programs
3 out of 5
I had read good reviews on the teen program...but without organization, there really was no opportunity for our 13yr old to meet others. This might have been due to our off season travel. And also might have been our schedule.
Service and Staff
5 out of 5
Our steward, Arnold, was excellent!!! Leah and Frances in the buffet were also stellar. We were very impressed that when standing in line for client services, there were additional reps walking down the line to make sure you are in the correct line or to help expedite your requests.
Ship Quality
4 out of 5
Staff did a decent job of cleaning the guest mess that comes with a crowd. Also, design of ship allowed venues to not seem overly cramped (except elevators at peak times.) Disembarkation was a mess (seems like this is the exception) and we were left standing in a hallway for 1h20m after being moved out of the lounge waiting area. Not good for elderly, those with bad knees and small children. Family in front of us spent over an hour trying to keep their 1yo from getting too close to the stairs. :/
Cabin / Stateroom
5 out of 5
Cabin size was perfect for our family blend (My father, me and my grandson) and I was pleasantly surprised by walk in closet and ample storage space designed around an open space. The door to the balcony was a little tough to open and was very noisy and the balcony and bathroom showed some signs of age/wear (rust) but Arnold, our cabin guru kept our day/night set arranged perfectly while we were out and about. He even learned our habits and accommodated for our habits. :D
Ship tip
Don't expect to enjoy all. Even with 2 days at sea, there isn't enough time to experience everything. :D Pick your top options and work around those.
Snorkeled at St. John...There was a little scuffle at the ferry terminal between a taxi driver and a personal watercraft captain. Interesting to watch but made some guests uneasy.
Drove around the island in rental car. Could not see scenery due to overgrown bushes on main highway. Areas that we explored were beautiful, including the intriguing migration of flamingos... Very happy to have GPS "island wifi" and that maps.me worked. We would have missed the flamingos if it weren't for the map.me app. :D
Rented a car and drove to Baby Beach which was beautiful! Maps.me did not work because there was no signal. Although small island was simple to navigate, getting out of the cruise terminal and onto main road proved difficult without mapping software. Made the adventure a little more challenging. :D
Beautiful island with beach on one side and rain forest on other...This would be a fantastic option for an overnight port stay. We did not have enough time to explore!!! Plan to return and stay for a few days/week. :D
We were asked to leave the waiting area (theater) and told to move to the exit area. Once there, we found that they had too many people in the terminal so we were made to stand in a hallway for an hour and 20 minutes. This was a lot for elderly father. Also family next to us spent the time trying to keep their one year old from getting too close to the stairs. Once we were in the terminal, we grabbed a porter and progressed smoothly.
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