I actually relaxed on this vacation. I want to become a serial cruiser.
Embarkation
5 out of 5
Embarkation was a breeze but I was traveling with people who are VIFP members so we skipped the line. I’m probably not a good judge on this one.
Ship experiences
Food and Dining
4 out of 5
The buffet was a 2-star but it’s buffet food, ya know. The main dining room at The Palms was a 3-stars. The service was excellent and the food was pretty good but it certainly wasn’t as tasty as specialty dining. Cucina del Capitano was a solid 4-stars. It was still free on our cruise. We ate there three days in a row. The arancini was to die for. Now for the rest of the included food like the street food, the pizza, paninis were a solid 4-stars as well. Honestly, when I sail again on the Mardi Gras I’ll be very content filling up on these latter food options. As a side note, do yourself a favor and buy the cheesecake from the JavaBlue Cafe.
Onboard Activities
4 out of 5
This ship has so much because it’s so big. First off, the fitness center is small but it has everything you need. There are so many pools and spas on this ship. Though if you’d like some uncrowded time in the water, I recommend checking the pool hours and go while everyone else is eating breakfast. We didn’t watch movies on the lido deck but they played some good movies. My favorite activity was the ropes course. The beginning of it is a zip line. SO MUCH FUN. If you go when it’s not busy you can keep going around and around. If you have trouble booking the Bolt ride, make sure to check your folio to see if you got charged multiple times. I’m still waiting on corporate to refund me. Holiday delay and all that. Guest Services can’t process the refund for that.
Entertainment
4 out of 5
Their shows are spectacular but lack story substance. They are mostly all musicals without a story line including the shows in the big theater. The music performances in the bars were just perfect. They provide the perfect ambience. Don’t stress out if you miss shows. By and large they are mostly the same with different looks and feels. Keep an eye out for ones that are unique. On our cruise there was a Christmas performance and it was so much fun! The String Trio played common Christmas songs and crew handed out Santa hats and jingle bells.
Service and Staff
5 out of 5
Our waiters and room steward always remembered our names on sight. That’s skill! Our steward kept our room clean. I had an issue with the soda dispenser and I was directed to the closest bar where they gave me a whole can of soda to replace my drink at no cost. All crew and performers wore masks like to the point that taking the mask off and putting it on was part of the performances. I had only good experiences.
Ship Quality
5 out of 5
The ship was so clean. Honestly I can’t tell if part of that is because the ship is so new or they are just that good. I LOVE how touchless the doors are. We’ll except for those in between doors where you have to touch the green button for the door to open. Pro tip I picked up from a crew member: the back of your hand works perfectly. No need to use your fingers!
Cabin / Stateroom
5 out of 5
I love the clean, modern look that the rooms have. My interior room was basic but it has everything you need and is easy on the eyes. I love that the rooms don’t have that wood cabin look. There are 3 US plug outlets, just FYI. I LOVE the thermostatic valve in the shower. I wish we had these in the states. Set your ideal temperature once and forget it. The shampoo and body wash in the shower smells like watermelon bubble gum. I used the shampoo and then used my own conditioner. Worked well. The room fridge comes empty so you have tons of room to fit your own drinks. Bring a small usb powered fan. The night lights have usb plugs and that extra air flow would have been nice. The room temperature was great but I like a little air movement when I sleep.
Ship tip
Make a plan of what you want to do on the ship after embarkation. Google it.
Went went on a shore excursion to the Damajagua Waterfalls. So my fun! Amber Cove itself is very clean and pretty but we spent so little time there. If you like sending post cards like me, you can buy post cards AND postage stamps are the Turquesa Gift Shop. They have a box for outgoing post cards too! The international postage stamp is $2.00 USD.
I’m a National Park geek so naturally my quest for San Juan was to get my National Park Passport Stamps. We visited the forts and the areas in between. Castillo San Felipe del Morro has a serious iguana population. Love it.
My experience was different because traveled with Silver VIFP members. We carried our bags off. Silver members went to the Mardi Gras Theater. I felt that the whole process was orderly in the way that it was intended.
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