I really enjoyed myself even though we didn't experience all of the activities offered.
Embarkation
5 out of 5
Embarkation was easy. Boarding time was pushed back to 2pm. The cruiseline sent several texts and emails to inform us about enhanced cleanings that were taking place due to the previous sailing having numerous passengers come down with gastrointestinal illness. We actually arrived prior to 2 pm as our rental car had to be turned in. We rented with Alamo which is located right outside the port. Even though we arrived early we were still able to check-in and we waited until 2 for them to open the doors to allow boarding.
Ship experiences
Food and Dining
3 out of 5
We only dined in the main dining room once, on Day 3. I had the Royal Shrimp Cocktail for an appetizer, broiled lobster tail and the 3 cheese tortellini as my main entree and the baked alaska for dessert. All were delicious.
The other nights we ate in the Windjammer as my daughter preferred not having to dress up to go to dinner. It was always a hit and miss eating there. We ate breakfast, lunch, and dinner there. Outside of breakfast and a few other times, most of the food was room temperature or cold. For lunch and dinner we mostly got there as soon as they opened.
Boleros Lounge
5 out of 5
Anytime I wanted a drink I always went to the Boleros lounge. The bartenders there were very friendly and I noticed that there were a lot of regulars there as well. The drinks were always good.
Onboard Activities
5 out of 5
The ships offered a lot of activities. We didn't get a chance to do them all bit of the ones we did we thoroughly enjoyed. I wanted to go to the fitness center but could never find it. I never asked either - I just walked on the outdoor track and took the stairs to get my exercise in. My daughter went to the arcade and enjoyed herself.
Entertainment
1 out of 5
My only complaint is that they only performed Grease on one night and didn't announce that it would only be performed that one day. We went to see Strings on the first sea day and they were having 2 other performances on the next sea day so we assumed that they would do the same for Grease but they didn't. We know this now so we will make sure that we see it on our next sailing.
Strings was wonderful. The guest violinist was amazing. Having a musical background I can really appreciate her talent. That and the fact that she was able to walk in heels on ice. Pure talent!
Children's Programs
My daughter is 13. She didn't go to the teen lounge but had fun on her on.
Service and Staff
5 out of 5
Juan Cruz in the main dining room was very friendly. He noticed that my daughter didn't really like anything on the menu so he asked her what she liked to eat and was able to get it for her. My meals came out quickly. They were hot and very tasty.
Good in the Windjammer was hit and miss, but mostly it was cold. There were a few times that I was able to find something that tasted good and was at least warm. We mostly went as soon as they opened so not really sure why it was cold. One night I got lucky and everything I had was warm and tasted good.
We ordered room service twice. Both times the food arrived cold. The first time we ordered chicken tenders, the Philly cheese steak, the chocolate caramel cake, a fruit platter, and a cheese platter. The bread on the Philly was extremely hard. I couldn't even bite into it. The chicken tenders and fries were cold as well but my daughter ate them anyway. The chocolate cake was good, as well as the fruit platter.
Ship Quality
5 out of 5
The common areas were very clean. The previous sailing had an outbreak of norovirus so they were constantly cleaning. I guess it worked because I didn't hear anything about anybody getting sick.
The layout and design was typical for an RC ship.
Cabin / Stateroom
4 out of 5
I had a promenade stateroom on Deck 7. We were right about Ben and Jerry's. We could see the related stage area from our window. Dispute this, we really didn't have issues with noise. We only really heard what was going when they had a band playing outside our window. Even then all we had to do was turn up the TV and that took care of it. The room was small in comparison to the interior room I had on Carnival. After seeing the balcony rooms across the hall we decided that we will get a balcony next time. We barely had room to walk around and the balcony rooms looked very roomy. I think if they removed the second couch and the glass table they will be able to arrange the beds better and have more room.
Ship tip
If you want to see the ice show make sure you get your ticket on the Embarkation day. They were handing them out in front of On Air. Also, they only do Grease on one night even though they do the ice show on two nights. The second sea day is a different production show.
Not much to do outside the port area so I would suggest an excursion at this port. Shopping was typical for a cruise port. Most shops had the same thing but you can negotiate the price. They didn't hassle me. A simple "no thank you" was all it took. I did like the fact that the dolphin experience was in the port area. Even though they advertise that you can't take pictures, we didn't see this enforced. There were lots of people taking pictures.
Loved this port. I like that we were able to walk outside the port area and explore on our own. I didn't go downtown, but according to the info given onboard a taxi is only $3 each way. You can bypass this and go with the port shopper with the ship to avoid having to pay for the taxi.
Tip: If someone else takes your picture in front of the sign, make sure they actually took it. I just noticed that the pictures that I had a fellow passenger take of my daughter and I were not there. Next time I will make sure they took the picture before we leave.
Process was easy. Once they called you number you were able to walk off the ship with no wait. The wait came once we had to wait in line for customs. Tip: If you have a passport download the mobile app. The line for using the mobile app was very short. You could walk through in a matter of minutes. We got on the elevator at 7:49 am and were outside waiting for Lyft at 8:20 am.
Thanks for your extensive review! Great tip on the passport app! Those customs lines are BRUTAL! With so many people that enjoy the freedom and flexibility of the windjammer, I am surprised cold food is a common theme across their fleet...
*Cruiseline.com is not a booking agent or travel agency,
and does not charge any service fees to users of our site. Our partners
(travel agencies and cruise lines) provide prices, which we list for our
users' convenience. Cruiseline.com does not guarantee any specific rates or
prices. While prices are updated daily, please check with the booking site
for the exact amount. Cruiseline.com is not responsible for content on
external web sites.
Contact us
Submitting...
Need help from a personal vacation planner?
Loading...
Find the perfect cruise with weekly tips and cruise deals for as little as $30/night!
Sign up for weekly cruise deals
Join other subscribers and get the best
cruise deals of the week in your inbox every Thursday.
