We cruise several times a year and this was just a quick decision to escape the cold of a Phoenix winter in favor of something tropical. We both enjoy the British TV drama Death in Paradise and this was about the only cruise that got us to Guadeloupe where the show is filmed and the water is spectacular.
Embarkation
4 out of 5
It was good. We did NOT come early so when we arrived the lines were short and the operation efficient.
Ship experiences
Food and Dining
2 out of 5
We're mostly buffet people for the variety and similar to our last HAL cruise the the food was served at the buffet and guests did not serve themselves except to take prepared plates. But unlike that last HAL buffet the serving stations were oddly arranged and the servers appeared to have too many different tasks to handle effectively.
But the most annoying thing was the replacement of hand sanitizer with hand washing machines that took 13 seconds to was each persons hands. Few people used them more than once and I'd have preferred hand sanitizer since condiments are still shared by guests.
Onboard Activities
5 out of 5
Fitness center for the machines and occasional class. The showroom - especially the singers and dancers.
Entertainment
5 out of 5
Excellent equipment in adequate numbers.
Service and Staff
5 out of 5
Our room stewards were terrific, attending to our need while remaining unobtrusive. Some servers were overworked but all seemed to try hard despite what seemed to be a case of under-staffing.
Ship Quality
5 out of 5
It was all good. Everything was clean and still looked fresh. The design was convenient for our activities but the emergency drill was like watching a Saturday Night Live skit. I took forever and those of us with rooms on the top decks were confident that we would NOT Survive a real emergency:)
Cabin / Stateroom
4 out of 5
It was nice but felt smaller than similar size balcony rooms on other ships. However, the main room was smaller because the washroom was the most spacious we're ever had in a comparable room. The full size shower was worth ever inch of the space it took.
Ship tip
People wandered around a bit when looking for a pier or tenders. The signs are small and only on the ends of the lower staircases.
You have to give these people credit for the amount of recovery they have managed in face the massive hurricane damage. Half the homes still without electricity.
We did our own trip at the port in order to visit the town where the British crime drama Death in Paradise is filmed. We drank some beer at Katherine's beach bar and can attest that the island is every bit as beautiful as it appears.
We did a short boat trip to St John and then toured the Island and National Park. A beautiful place but again a place badly damaged by the last hurricanes. People are making due but all of the big resorts are closed and will be luck to open in time for Christmas. There were power trucks all over trying to rebuild the grid.
We didn't stay long but the island is flat and rather boring. We disembarked here and flew to Providenciales for an overnight visit before flying home. There was more to do and see in Provo although half the airport was still damaged from the storms.
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