This was our longest cruise as we typically go for just a week. We really enjoyed the extra two days as it made the trip even more relaxing. We will be trying a 12 day cruise on Grandeur next year and really look forward to it. The longer cruises are less port intensive which give you more ship time which is what we wanted. If rest & relaxation are your goal then I recommend this itinerary and ship. The smaller ship and staff also have a more intimate, family feel to it which we also liked.
Embarkation
4 out of 5
Overall the embarkation was quick and easy. Removed one start because there were more check-in agents processing general passengers instead of priority Crown & Anchor guests. This meant that we could have gotten on the ship quicker if we had not gone through the Crown & Anchor line as we were directed.
Ship experiences
Food and Dining
4 out of 5
Food was excellent. Removed one star because we are very early risers and there was no place to get coffee. Also some of the meat at carving stations in the Windjammer was dry.
Viking Crown Lounge
5 out of 5
This is one of our favorite locations on the ship. It has excellent views and is very relaxing. On bigger ships this venue is not available to all guests so take advantage on this ship!
Onboard Activities
5 out of 5
We mostly focused on the relaxing in the lounges. Our two favorite areas were the Centrum and the Viking Crown Lounge.
Jogging Track
2 out of 5
I am a heavy user of the track on cruise ships. It gets two stars because at least it is a decent size track. It loses stars because putting the track on the top deck makes it extremely windy for running. Many people use it to walk which is fine but too often people will walk side by side making it difficult to get by. Oasis class ships put track on lower portion of the ship where it is more protected from the wind. I prefer this much more!
Entertainment
5 out of 5
The performers were excellent and hard working as always. We really enjoyed the crew talent show that features staff that are NOT part of the normal entertainment team. They were very good.
Centrum
5 out of 5
We really like the way the Centrum fits within the layout of the ship and how you pass by it from all the different decks of the ship. Since there are many activities throughout the day it gives you a chance to check them out.
Service and Staff
5 out of 5
The dining room staff was the highlight for us. In particular the dining room manager personally ensured that we were satisfied with the service. He also stepped in wherever help was needed.
Ship Quality
5 out of 5
Given the age of the ship I was impressed that it looked as good as it did. I has a little wear and tear but otherwise is in good shape.
Cabin / Stateroom
5 out of 5
This was our first cruise in a Jr Suite and we found it to be much nicer than our typical interior stateroom. The extra room space including chairs and balcony really made spending some time in our room an attractive option. Our only complaint is that the pool deck is right above and at night you could often hear people moving deck chairs. Many people complained and the staff tried to rope off the problem areas at night.
Ship tip
Given the smaller size of the ship compared to some of Royal Caribbean's big ships like the Oasis be prepared for fewer options. We saw this as a good thing as we wanted a more relaxing cruise.
We made a quick visit to Washington DC and had an excellent meal in Baltimore the day prior to embarkation. There is certainly a lot of options for things to do in this area.
We took an air-boat tour here which we enjoyed. I do not think we would ever do an Orlando area theme park excursion from here though because the ship did not arrive until mid-morning and this would put you at the parks after they opened. Given the high prices for theme parks I would want to max our my day there.
Nassau did not have much we were interested in but this allowed us to have extra time on the ship with fewer people on board. We did get off and walk around a bit. There is the expected barrage of locals that will try to make you offers for rides, excursions etc. I did a long run on the island making my way to Atlantis just to check it out. If you have children that like pools/water parks then this place is for you. It is pricey but appeared to be meticulously maintained. You could easily make have a full family vacation there.
I should have checked the box "Did not visit this port" as we could not get onto the island due to rough seas. The visit was cancelled only after the planned time for boat tenders to take guest to shore. Given that this will not be an issue in a few short months when the pier under construction is completed, this is only a short lived problem. We did see a few parents with young children that were very disappointed. I give 5 stars here though because the ship staff immediately after the cancellation came up with a whole new Cruise Compass with extra activities for guests.
Disembarkation was very easy and quick. I took off one star because I wish I could make early use of the fitness center. Running on the top deck was not an option with high winds and below freezing temperatures.
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