Overall, very nice cruise even with COVID. I do believe that cruise lines should consider lowering the capacity slightly right now but that is just me. We knew the risks and we would 100% cruise again. We are cruising again in Sept 2022 and cannot wait!! The service was good, entertainment was pretty good and the food was good. We had a nice time. Our friends who didn't get sick also had a nice time. One was a first timer and had a blast! Cannot ask for more than that! :)
Embarkation
4 out of 5
We live in FL so we drove to the port. Dropped off our bags with a porter, gave him a tip, parked our car and off we went. We showed up about 10 minutes prior to our allotted check in time of 10:30am. The line was very long but moved quick. We were some of the few mask wearers in line. They controlled how many people at a time could enter the building. We appreciated that it wasn't a free for all and chaotic. Went through security. Waited in a small line and checked in with a friendly representative. Waited in the suite guest area. It's nothing special and that was totally fine. We found that a gentleman that was "guarding" this area was quite rude. When we approached the area he gave us dirty looks and shooed us away saying it was for suite guests only. We showed him our boarding passes and he rolled his eyes and grunted out "go ahead". He did that to a lot of people. It was odd. All in all from parking, waiting in line, security, check-in to waiting, it was about an hour. We got to board with the first group because we had a jr suite in "Sea Class". Then they boarded by tier.
Ship experiences
Food and Dining
4 out of 5
Food was mostly good to very good. We bought the 3 night dining plus our travel agent gave us a complementary dinner for 2. We loved Wonderland on Anthem and tried it again on Harmony. Loved it again! Even more so this time. Chops was good as was 150 Central park. Much better than our experience on Oasis. Izumi was booked solid for the hibachi so we didn't get to go. We had Jamie's for lunch on embarkation day (do this, you stay away from crowds and you can book any specialty dining while there. It's easy.) and then we ate there again for dinner one night. EXCELLENT! Loved it. Didn't do Sabore, Doghouse or Johnny Rockets. Thanks, COVID.
Windjammer was a complete nightmare the two times we went there. It was overcrowded and very busy. They let people serve themselves. Many people were getting seconds and thirds so it defeated the purpose of washing your hands when you enter. Go back and wash your hands again! We ate there once and the food was good. It was just too busy and short staffed with lots of dirty tables. Went there another time just to get a drink and it was still chaotic. Went to Solarium for breakfast a few times. Much more low key and less crowded. Food was good. The pizza place was OK and the staff there seemed sad. Central Park Cafe was good. Ate there a few times. Service was good as well.
As the headline states, we got COVD and wasn't able to enjoy a few venues we had planned. Room service became boring and wasn't that good. We only had to quarantine for 2 days. I cannot imagine doing it longer. I'm Prime in the casino so I got free drinks while playing. They made a very good mojito at the casino bar. We also had drinks at the Solarium bar and they were good. Drinks at Rising Tide were our favorite. We love it there.
Onboard Activities
4 out of 5
Entertainment
4 out of 5
We only saw one ice show, 1887 and it was pretty good. We also liked the guitar player in the English pub. Because we got COVID, we couldn't go to the water show or other ice show we booked.
Service and Staff
5 out of 5
Everyone was very nice. We really had great service including in the medical center. The male nurse practitioner was a bit short and rude but whatever. They took good care of us and made sure that not only we were OK but that crew and other passengers were OK. I was feeling really unwell on day 5. I brought 2 COVID tests from home just in case. Glad I did. I took a test and it was positive. My heart sunk. We called the medical area and they had us come right down. I got a PCR test and it was positive. My husband was negative. They had us quarantine in our own cabin or we could have split up into separate rooms since my hubby tested negative. We figured he would probably test positive at some point so we opted to stay together. He did test positive on the day we got home. They gave us free wifi, free movies and no room service charges while in quarantine. They refunded us for 2 days of the cruise as well.
Ship Quality
4 out of 5
Cabin / Stateroom
5 out of 5
We had a Jr Suite. Loved it! Balcony was quite large and perfect for us. The room was spacious and clean. Small-ish bathroom but it was fine for the two of us. The walk in closet was awesome! Lots of storage It is nearly smack dab in the middle of ship so you do have a little walk to an elevator or stairs. Didn't bother us but if you have mobility issues, you might want to give it a thought. The hall was a little noisy but we couldn't hear our neighbors at all. The bed was a little hard but you can ask for padding and they will add it for you. Jorge was our cabin steward and he was awesome!!
Ship tip
During COVID, please stay clear of elevators and crowded areas. Wear a mask if you are in a crowded area. Wash your hands often. Follow what crew members tell you to do and don't give them lip. They don't deserve that nor did they cause COVID. Getting COVID in vacation was not fun...at all. We are scientists and have seen what this virus has done to poeple. It's several weeks after our cruise and we are still coughing. We are fully vaccinated and have boosters. We wore masks almost all of the time. It happens and doesn't mean you won't get sick. It just means you will hopefully be less sick and also protecting others if you are contagious.
OK so here's the thing. Went there in October 2021 on Oasis. Hated it mostly because of chair hogs and not so great facilities. However, we sailed with some friends who booked it so we decided to do give it one more go. We paid more than double what we paid in October 2021 and had a somewhat similar experience. We decided to get there as early as we could. There were was another ship in port that day. We got there and lo and behold, all the poolside loungers were taken up with towels and no people. UGH!!! Eventually people did use the loungers and they stayed there all day. Only a few of them were empty with just towels and bags the entire time unlike last time. We did find a nice seating area close-ish to the pool with decent shade and an excellent view of the beach. We did have a good time and enjoyed swimming at the beach. There were many Nurse Sharks hanging out with us and lots of little fish to see. Would love it if they made this place adults only and offered more poolside seating. The food was excellent as was the service. We had the same waiter, Jonas. He was super cool and very nice. We liked that they had complementary coffee, tea, water and juices along with pastries in the morning. They also had wait staff walking around to get you drinks. If you have the drinks package, it works on Coco Cay which is nice. The beach is lovely, the lunch is great, the gardens when you walk in are lovely and the staff was very nice. I am not too sure I would book this again. Our friends enjoyed it as well but felt the same way we did.
We only went to the cruise port area. It was quite nice to be honest. Went to Margaritaville because everyone in my party beside me wanted to go there. I would have much rather go on a tour. It was not my first time in Jamaica but it was my first time at this port. It was everyone else's first time. Next time, we will be taking a tour or doing some kind of excursion. The shops were OK. Some folks were a little push but I get that part. We went to one of the drink booths and sat outside with our refreshing beverages.
Because we were with the "COVID crew" we had to debark at 7am. We had to stay in our cabin and we were rounded up by security and had to wait in a seating area outside the ship. They gave us the option to pre-order room service breakfast. We are a few hours away so we opted out of that. Someone knocked on our door at 4:30 am with room service anyway. LOL They has us out and waiting for customs for about 30 minutes. Not fun when you aren't feeling well. Thankfully it was nice outside and breezy. Once customs came, we were free to go to our cars and go home. Those that had to continue their quarantine on land had vans waiting for them to take them to a hotel.
We are pretty sure we got COVID on the ship at some point. It's hard to say when or where. My symptoms started on day 5 of a 7 night cruise. My husband didn't start showing symptoms until the day we got off the ship. He then tested positive that day. Our guess is probably when we went to Windjammer, in the casino or in an elevator. We did the pirate ship excursion in Nassau, Blackbeard's Revenge, I think it was called. It was super crowded with tons of kiddos. We were outside the whole time but as stated, it was crowded. Yes, we are fully vaccinated and have our booster shots as mentioned in my review. I hope that helps!
We did have a good time and knew the risks of cruising
Also were y’all fully vaccinated, not crazy about being a full ship or testing...we’re fully vaccinated n in our 70’s..in 2021 went on the allure, same itinerary n had to make it a foodie cruise becuz of COVID, didn’t want this cruise to be the same 😢, bought tests from RC, hoping for a nice cruise..followed all protocols n NEVER came down with COVID since this pandemic
We’re on the harmony august 14th..when did y’all get COVID ( becuz of ship or port of call) n I saw you weren’t able to go to Labadee becuz of COVID..we booked the Zipline excursion n was wondering if it’s still a go for that excursion…where do you think you got COVID
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