Overall, I enjoyed my cruise but I'm not sure I will sail Royal Caribbean again. Several in my group have sailed other cruise lines and stated the same thing.
Embarkation
5 out of 5
No issues with embarkation. Arrived around 12:30 and was on ship by 1 - dropping off luggage with porter and going thru security and such (8 of us in the group)
Ship experiences
Food and Dining
3 out of 5
Food was okay. Felt overlooked often in the main dining room due to group size (8 adults). Trying to find where to fill water bottle/mug was difficult as the bars were not helpful/didn't want to provide the water/ice. The 'free' tea/lemonade could only be obtained in the Windjammer buffet dining area.
Onboard Activities
4 out of 5
Pools were good/crowded. Slides were fun but staff was not consistent in ability to ride. Had to weigh and was cleared; rode the slides several times; staff change and then staff said were over weight limit.
Entertainment
3 out of 5
Entertainment was okay. The "family friendly" shows still obtained cursing and inappropriate comments so be prepared for that.
Children's Programs
There was no one younger than 20 in our group
Service and Staff
3 out of 5
Most of the staff made it appear that we were an inconvenience for them when asking for assistance. My room steward was good and kept the room clean but struggled with English so obtaining information was difficult.
Ship Quality
3 out of 5
Ship was clean. Layout was a struggle trying to get to dining areas from lower levels because it wasn't a straight shot. Had to go up several floors and then back down. Smoking section outside the pool area was frustrating as it was near the children's area and when the other side of the deck was closed down for a private event, meant having to walk thru it, which triggers my asthma.
Cabin / Stateroom
4 out of 5
Cabin was comfortable and size was okay. It met our needs for the week. Heard a lot of carts being pushed and footsteps constantly above/around the cabin during all hours, which made sleeping difficult.
Did Mr. Sancho's all inclusive. Enjoyed our time but struggled with getting the waiter to the table for orders. Had a massage which was WONDERFUL! Parasailed and enjoyed it as well. Port area was clean but was constantly harassed about not coming into shops to shop.
Did the SeaTrek Helmet Dive. Truly enjoyed this as I have to wear my glasses. Staff was wonderful and helpful in acclimating me to the helmet and depth. Would have liked to see more fish variety but it is the sea. Tender issues caused some headaches. I didn't do to much walking around the port due to being by myself on this excursion and not feeling safe.
Did the Thrill Seekers Adventure. Some confusion on the ziplining and river tubing scheduling but enjoyed it. Bus ride to and from the excursion was fine. Port was clean and many shops available.
Time schedule provided by the ship was not accurate as they started disembarking an hour earlier than anticipated. Getting off the ship was quick and easy though. We used a porter due to the number of luggage we had for 8 of us.
Service, food and entertainment quality has dropped on most cruise lines in an attempt to keep costs low. Unless you move up to a more premium line (Oceania, Regent, Symphony, Crystal, etc), I’m not sure you will find things any better on the other mainstream lines.
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