Overall, this cruise was wonderful! We enjoyed ourselves tremendously. Cruising on the world's biggest cruise ship has now been checked off our bucket list, and it did not disappoint!
Embarkation
5 out of 5
Research the ship beforehand so you know where to go to get some food once you're on board. We went straight to the Solarium Bistro and skipped the chaos in Windjammer. Stateroom was ready by 1 PM as promised, and our luggage was already delivered. We've been on several cruises before, but it's been several years, so we were pleasantly surprised at how much more efficient embarkation is.
Ship experiences
Food and Dining
4 out of 5
Typical buffet fare. Mostly great stuff. Something to please every taste. We highly recommend splurging for Chef's Table. That meal was AMAZING! Be prepared though, it took about 3 hours. Really enjoyed getting to know our table mates. One place to improve would be the availability of snacks. There should be somewhere to pick up some cookies, pretzels, Chex mix, popcorn, that sort, at all times. (Although you can get nachos anytime at Mini Bites.) But you have to pay $ for popcorn. Popcorn! Seriously? Is it necessary to charge extra for popcorn?
Onboard Activities
5 out of 5
There is plenty to do on the ship. Never a boring moment. We spent time in the various whirlpools, did the water slides and the Ultimate Abyss, we also walked on the track around the ship. Participated in trivia events, and danced with staff on the pool deck.
Entertainment
5 out of 5
Don't skip any of the complimentary shows. Every one of them was excellent! Tip: Try to make your reservations online before you board, but no worries, there is line for folks without reservations, too. They let people from that line in 10 minutes before the show begins. There is music everywhere, don't miss the many talented musicians on board. We even enjoyed the parade!
Service and Staff
5 out of 5
There isn't anything negative at all to say about the staff. Everyone was friendly, helpful, efficient, and did their jobs with excellence. We especially appreciated our room steward. One criticism though, you are constantly being "marketed" to while onboard. This is not unusual, but on a 7-day cruise it gets a bit annoying. Just be prepared to say "no, thanks". They don't harass you, when you say no, so that's a plus.
Ship Quality
4 out of 5
Very clean! We also liked how each area was well insulated sound wise (staterooms, bars, Central Park, etc.) Tip: you can't go end-to-end on deck 6, so if you have mobility issues, keep in mind which elevator bank you have to use to get where you're going. We also struggled the first day to locate the public restrooms. The interactive touch-screens near the elevators were helpful. Everywhere seemed to have the right amount of seating for the venue. Exception: Windjammer. But we were pleasantly surprised to not have to fight for a lounge chair, which has been an issue for us on other cruise ships.
Cabin / Stateroom
5 out of 5
We've never had an interior balcony room before. We loved it. People watching was great. Barry, our room steward, kept things very tidy, super clean, and smelling fresh. He was in and out in a flash too! Little touches mean a lot. For example, Barry noticed that we brought 2 bottles of wine on board with us, so he supplied 2 wine glasses on the second day, without us even asking for them. Of course the towel animals never get old. The room was smaller than a hotel room, which is typical for a cruise ship, but they made good use of the space. We had plenty of drawers and closet space in the room and plenty of shelf space in the bathroom. Tip: unpack on the first day and you'll feel less cramped. Stow your suitcases under the bed.
Ship tip
If you buy liquor in port, make sure that the ship packages it as required by the TSA to get through security at the airport. We had our liquor in our carry on bag, but were "escorted" out of security back to the ticket counter and ended up having to stow the liquor in one of our carryon bags and had to check it for transport in the plane's cargo area. There is a baggage fee for checking a carry on bag.
It rained the day we were in Labadee. The beach area looked amazing, but isn't suited for rainy days. I'm sure if it had been sunny we would have loved the experience there.
As with the embarkation process, the dismbarkation process has really improved over the years. This went really smoothly, and I didn't feel like I was being rushed off the ship. We enjoyed a leisurely breakfast - with complimentary mimosas!! If your travel agency arranges your transport from the ship to the airport, make sure you have the proper voucher to present to the bus driver.
Which interior balcony room did you have? Boardwalk or Central Park. We will be in a Central Park balcony in March. Any tips for the interior balcony rooms?
Well you may have another opportunity for that bucket list item - the Symphony of the Seas now has the bragging rights as the worlds largest cruise ship
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