This was our first time sailing with Norwegian. We had a great time and were impressed by both the food and service. We were spoiled in the Haven and elsewhere on the ship. It will be hard to return to reality.
Embarkation
2 out of 5
Ship experiences
Food and Dining
5 out of 5
Pleasantly surprised by the food when compared to other cruise lines! From the buffet to the Haven restaurant, most of the items were well prepared and tasty.
Cagney's was above average. My kids enjoyed the Teppanyaki show, but prefer the buffet. O'Sheehans had great bar food 24 hr a day and Shanghai Noddle was yummy!
Skyy Vodka Ice Bar
5 out of 5
Totally worth the $15 cover charge (which includes 2 drinks)!
Onboard Activities
4 out of 5
Plenty of activities onboard for all ages! My kids loved the waterslides, movies in the atrium, and Christmas time activities.
Highlight of our trip for my husband and I was the Skky ice bar.
Entertainment
4 out of 5
Shows were well performed! Limited availability.
Children's Programs
3 out of 5
My kids enjoyed Splash academy, activities and the counselors! My 6 year old daughter loved the crafts with Ms. Ice Cream; whereas, my 9 year old son loved the video game tournaments with Ms. Chicken.
Only negative...Splash academy quickly and frequently reached capacity each night. So much so, that people were lining up 30-40 mins prior to the 7 pm opening time. The line would wrap up and around the nearby staircase. Once the kids club reached max capacity, you had to enter the virtual que. When someone left SA, another would be allowed to enter. You had 15 mins after receiving a message from the virtual que to arrive or they would move to the next person in the que.
We did receive a notification prior to embarcation that they were expecting this to be a problem on this cruise, being a holiday cruise. However, I've never experienced this problem to this extent on any other holiday cruise.
Service and Staff
5 out of 5
Excellent! We were spoiled!
Ship Quality
5 out of 5
Ship was clean and well-maintained. Loved the layout and size of this ship!
Cabin / Stateroom
5 out of 5
Cabin is a great set-up for a family of 4 or 5. It could easily become cramped with more than 5 people, especially if there are more than 2 adults in your party.
Ship tip
Luggage arrives late in the evening on embarkation day. 2 pieces of our luggage arrived around 6:30 pm, while the remaining 2 arrived some time after 7:30 pm. So I would recommend placing your outfits for night 1 dinner in your carry-on, if it matters to you.
They are attempting to make this port the next Cozumel. Booked Jeep Safari tour thru NCL. Not as advertised. We drove enclosed Jeep Renegades through town and down a dirt road riddled by pot holes; then turned around and returned the same way. Participated in the obligatory tequila tasting and had lunch. We were supposed to drive around for another after lunch but the entire tour decided to return to the ship early.
We booked the Dolphin All Inclusive Swim and Ride thru NCL. We had a full 40 min with Marina and Leo, the dolphins. Tour was organized and dolphins appeared to be well cared for. We could choose to snorkel and/or kayak too, but did not. Photos are pricey but I was able to negotiate.
Booked Turquoise Bay over the water bungalow, all-inclusive thru NCL. Resort was nice, service was great, but I would not repeat. 45 min drive to the resort due to heavy traffic, 25 min ride upon return.
Thanks for sharing. Sorry your children had a less-than-perfect experience in the children's club. Unfortunately, it is nearly impossible to achieve that exact balance of age-appropriate accommodations when a ship's passenger mix can vary by ship size, time of year, length of cruise, and itinerary.
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