One more time - Kudos for Yogesh and Charito, table 471 in Panoramic Dining room. They did a great job. Treated us like close friends although we hardly knew each other. Wish them all the best.
Embarkation
3 out of 5
It was just OK. Took about an hour to get onboard. Seemed like everyone was told to show up at the same time.
Ship experiences
Food and Dining
4 out of 5
The food was pretty decent... even in the Marketplace buffet. We particularly enjoyed our evening meals though. A party of 14 with 8 children, we were given a reserved table for 14 in the Panoramic dining room that worked out great. All of our folks really loved our servers - Yogesh and Charito Alonzo. Our table number was 471. They both helped make our dining experience very special.
Onboard Activities
3 out of 5
Just okay although our kids loved all of the activities they were able to participate in. Our daughter and her husband both had a massage. They said it was just ok. The biggest issue we saw in this area was that the ship was very crowded. Probably because we were sailing over the Thanksgiving holiday.... this made it a little difficult to get around and enjoy the ship the way we would have liked.
Entertainment
4 out of 5
All of the shows in the Broadway Theater were really outstanding. Some of the best talent we have seen on cruise ships. We also paid for a couple of shows - Houdini and Rock Circus. Only 45 minutes each, both were pretty expensive and not all that family friendly. I personally really enjoyed the Rock Circus.
Children's Programs
5 out of 5
They loved it. So much to do onboard for them. They loved the splash pool, arcade, kids areas, etc...
Service and Staff
3 out of 5
This was the bi-polar part for us. The service staff was really outstanding. Room was kept immaculate. I already mentioned Yogesh and Charito. We all felt a positive, strong connection to them. We wish them all the best. The midlevel management team, processes, and software was lacking though. I don't want to go into all of the issues we had but there were many - to include all being double charged for hotel service fees that we had already paid, excursions being cancelled with virtually no notice, difficulty in changing excursions, etc... Was told at one point that I never had a credit card in their system although you had to have one before you could print out your tickets. Also had issues with accessing their internet through the ship's wifi as I had to 'reset' my password. Made no sense to me but seemed to work. Lots of other issues too. Dealing with all of these problems was the part of the cruise that I didn't much care for.
Ship Quality
4 out of 5
Great ship. Loved deck 6! Layout was a little confusing but worked once you figured it out.
Cabin / Stateroom
3 out of 5
Cleanliness was really outstanding. I wish I could remember the stewards name... but he did a great job. But the cabin seemed smaller that what we had on other cruise ships. The bathroom was very tiny, with the shower being the smallest I had ever seen (yes we lived in Europe and Asia for a few years). The closet was awkward, small, and hard to get into. I liked our bed but my wife said it was too firm for her. Balcony area was small. Sofa was made into a bunk bed the whole time. Worked out great at bedtime but did not give us any place to sit during the day (although we were rarely in the cabin).
Ship tip
Keep an eye on your bill, and don't hesitate to go to deck 5 customer service to get it corrected. Also be aware that everything is by cabin, not by passenger. So, if you have a large party like we did... 14 of us that rented 4 cabins... be sure to keep family units together when you book.
This is where we boarded. Parking garage is ok but is a ways from the cruise ship. Also, paying the parking on the way out is a bit confusing as there is a sign that says to be sure to pay before going to your car. Nope....
Really enjoyed the Mayan ruins. Be careful eating off ship though.... bought tacos for the 14 of us and got a bill for $380 before tip. Definitely not worth it!
We were express walkers. Had a 15 minute delay for 'technical' issues. The facial recognition at the port was cool and quick. Again, long walk to get to the car.
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