The highlights of RCL is the entertainment.
The lowlight was the food and dining options and shops on board.
I go on cruises for the port itineraries, not how much stuff you can do on a ship.
I would go on RCL again, or maybe it's smaller cousin Celebrity.
The buffet was always crowded. The dining room was hit or miss.
The best meal was from the mexican restaurant and 150 Central park had the best rolls I have ever tasted in my life.
The first couple of days lacked breakfast meat variety. It was all pork products that I didn't eat. The chicken sausage didn't come out until Day 3. I think it may have been a supply issue.
Embarkation
5 out of 5
Leaving the ship and entering the ship went fairly quickly. As long as you follow directions and arrive at the time scheduled. It took about 30 minutes to get on the ship.
Ship experiences
Food and Dining
4 out of 5
Since it was a full capacity trip, I avoided the Windjammer buffet. The buffet was self service, which I think is a mistake, because COVID still exists and many people got sick post cruise. There were no mask restrictions and the cafeteria seemed short staffed. The full service restaurants required reservations (even with the "Anytime" dining option). Almost every meal contained some sort of potato, beef, fish option and chicken option. Very limited vegetarian options. The variety was a bit lacking in the main dining room. If you want variety, your best bet is the specialty dining locations (like the mexican restaurant or the 150 Central Park, and Chops restaurants). Wonderland is good for the adventurous diner, but it was kind of "hit or miss".
Onboard Activities
5 out of 5
There was plenty to do on the ship, just be prepared to stand in line. There are other things that the restaurants and bar wine and whisky tastings. You have to go to the actual bar and reserve these ahead of time. The pools were kind of small and shallow. The slides and the zip lines looked fun, but I didn't go on the cruise for that. The best part of the fitness bar was the smoothie bar, which had freshly squeezed juices for an extra fee (or it is included with the refreshment package). The spa package did not include access to the hot tubs, which was odd. Overall there was a lot to do on the ship.
Entertainment
5 out of 5
The best part of the cruise was the entertainment. Download the RCL app to see all of the options. The ship's band and the game shows were fantastic. Just remember to book the broadway style show as soon as you board on the ship. The RCL app may be a bit wonky, but you can find someone at the customer service desk to assist. The broadway show that was playing was Grease and it was enjoyable. Every night there was some sort of live music or a DJ, and it was a variety of music styles from 70's disco, to country to pop to reggae. I went to see live music every night of the cruise.
Children's Programs
I did not bring any children with me.
Service and Staff
5 out of 5
My room steward was named Clive and he was fantastic. He was very attentive, and even made a towel animal after my room mate mentioned that she didn't see the towel animal waiting on the bed from before. We always had plenty of towels, because we both showered before dinner after being at port all day. What I enjoyed most about the trip was Erwina from Vintages wine bar. She was delightful during the wine and whisky tastings. Pro-tip, you can get most of the appetizers from the Jamie Oliver restaurant at the Vintages bar without the wait at the Jamie Oliver restaurant. The waiters in the main dining room was a bit hit or miss, because we didn't have the same waiters each time. Or maybe because we ate late and the shift was ending soon. Other people like Bruno from Brazil and Connie from South Phillipines (I think that's her name) were great.
Ship Quality
4 out of 5
The ship was huge. Maybe a bit too big. Sometimes I would get lost because I took the wrong steps down. There are no arrows on the floor that point to the front like on NCL. I got lost a lot. There are interactive maps, but they were only on the main areas like deck 5 and 6. The Casino seemed hidden on deck 4, and the art gallery was just a random hallway. Very different. The ship was clean, but with all of the kids running around, it had to be.
Cabin / Stateroom
5 out of 5
The size of the cabin was confortable enough for 2 to 3 people. The bathroom was a bit awkward since the door opened up into the bed. Storage was decent also. I'm glad I picked an external balcony.
Ship tip
Bring a COVID test kit with you when you sail. Many people on the ship had caught COVID and it may have been because there was a large amount of unvaccinated children on the ship. I got sick towards the end of the cruise. I took the test and it came up negative. I think I caught a sinus infection while aboard. Also, if you do not like to experiment with food, don't choose Wonderland for fine dining. Stick to Chops. Get the smoothies from the Spa Bar.
Do not leave the ship in Falmouth unless you have an excursion planned. Falmouth is located about an hour from anything tourist related in Jamaica. Choose Blue Hole or Konoko falls over Dunn River's falls. Dunn River's falls is crowded and takes about an hour. The travel time is longer than the excursion itself. Falmouth is a rural/industrial area. Nothing like Ocho Rios or Montego Bay.
I kind of like Labadee better than Perfect Day Coco Key. It's more spaced out and less "Water park" like than Coco Key. Haiti is mountainous and beautiful. The vendors sell the same stuff as they sell in the Bahamas.
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