We really enjoyed this cruise, especially for the value. This was basically a "fun and sun couples cruise" for us and we had very light expectations outside of enjoying ourselves. I was hoping for some snorkeling and pina coladas, and my husband was looking forward to trying some mocktails and exploring the island. We got exactly what we hoped for. The weather was perfect, the staff was incredible, we enjoyed the food and drinks, and simply can't believe what we got for our money.
We booked one of the specials that included the Easy Plus drink package and wi-fi for each of us to use on one device. My husband does not drink, but truly enjoyed trying all the non-alcoholic options. Not a single time did they mix up our drinks, which was something I watched for. He was happy to find that they offered sugar free red bull, and I was impressed how easy it was to get waters to carry around with you. We spent a lot of time outside and/or by the water, so didn't really do the shows or casino. For anyone with kids, this ship has a really nice water park/play area and the ship was very good at being kid-friendly as well as adult-friendly (areas truly separated). The area for the kiddos at the buffet made us both smile. And the waterslides looked like so much fun!
Overall, we would highly recommend this cruise for anyone that is looking for a beautiful, relaxing, and engaging getaway.
Embarkation
5 out of 5
As-expected. We showed up slightly before our check-in time. Line was in the shade, luckily we had a nice breeze. Chatted a bit and no time we were moving. The whole thing took about 1-1.5 hours from shuttle to ship.
Ship experiences
Food and Dining
5 out of 5
I am truly not sure what all the fuss is about with MSC's food? Between Carnival, RC, and HAL the buffet on MSC is now our favorite. I did wish they had a second ice-cream station open, the line was usually a bit long, but it was not awful. We enjoyed trying drinks from the mocktail menu. We only did the dining room one time, but the food was good and we enjoyed the experience overall. I will say, the aesthetic of dining room itself was not great.
Onboard Activities
4 out of 5
There were a lot of activities that people may enjoy overall, but I sure missed having more Arts and Crafts activities. Otherwise, lots of things going on all the time from morning into the night. The hosts were fun. Lots of trivia, great to see a variety of subjects.
Entertainment
Nothing bad, we were just feeling a bit more into the outside thing versus the inside shows this trip.
Children's Programs
No kiddos for us, although they kept sending us coupons. Their "water park" was amazing, haha.
Service and Staff
5 out of 5
We thought the service was excellent. On MSC/this ship the room stewards were more in the background and our room would be "magically" cleaned/turned down around our schedule, we thought it was nice. For us, it seemed like they really paid attention to what we liked. I was resting on deck in a different area then usual (busy because of sail away) and suddenly a nice crew member asked me, by name, if I would like a drink - she even knew what I had been ordering most frequently. It was her first time taking my order for anything, it was so nice. We also really enjoyed the Uptown Cocktail Lounge. The bartender was creative, fun and passionate about his job. The Sky Bar was beautiful with a great atmosphere, therefore popular, and they were fast and attentive (although they simply ignored blatantly rude guests, which we thought was great). Wonderful experience, nothing bad to say.
Ship Quality
5 out of 5
Clean and beautiful ship, as described. Sometimes tricky to navigate. The elevators/lifts, like most cruises we've been on, were one of our least favorite parts of getting around and we used them as little as possible. Everything was immaculately clean. Loved the shiny staircases.
Cabin / Stateroom
5 out of 5
We like our little inside cabin-cave for resting, overall we don't spend much time there. Nice and cold, bed was good (not great), and we liked the layout - felt like we had plenty of room for our stuff and to move around. Recommend a night light unless you like really, really dark. Their TV automatically turns off, and only the key card worked for the lights (no substitutes). Room was clean for us, although I noticed some fingerprints on the TV. No significant problems.
Ship tip
Plan for a messy disembarkation. Later flight and/or open day as applicable, so you can have a drink and relax during the chaos.
We loved Ocean Cay! We had heard so many good things, and it still surpassed expectations. Snorkeled two spots, the best one was at Lighthouse beach. Love that the drink package works on the island. Enjoyed the souvenir shops. Not bad getting on and off the ship, we decided to eat at Lido (cannot comment on the island's buffet). Watched the light show from the ship and enjoyed it very much. They had bonfires and a dance party on the beach during and after sunset. Super great all around.
Not our favorite port, but some good excursions to choose from. The kids seemed to really enjoy getting their hair braided, and we saw lots of braided heads around the ship. Cute items for sale, including large and fun drinks (don't expect to bring carved coconuts or pineapple on the ship, they will say no). We got off the ship to explore the new port a bit, but did not stay too long because everything was free on the ship versus paying at the port...
Only thing I cannot give a high rating to. It was pretty bad. No communication, people pushing through crowded stairs. This process seems to be difficult for most ships, and unfortunately this was our worst one so far. Next time, we might plan to leave our room and find a place to sit and have a refreshment until it settles down. Although, it felt worse than it was and we were able to get on one of the first shuttles back to our car (beat all the traffic by getting in the horrible line early). Good luck!
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