We have no regrets taking this family cruise, but was slightly disappointed about the overall staff (maybe they were understaffed?). Compared to my previous experiences, this was probably my least favorite cruise, but I am happy with the memories my family made and would cruise again.
Embarkation
4 out of 5
Ship experiences
Food and Dining
4 out of 5
Only 2 of the specialty dining were exceptional food-wise, the others were ok. Buffet was good and offered a decent variety. Bars were always crowded with few bartenders, so getting a drink took way too long.
Onboard Activities
4 out of 5
Spa was great (staff was only ok). Fitness center had a good variety of offerings. Slides were fun for the family. Arcade was good, but pricey. Don't buy the arcade package until you look at what is included, most arcade games are exempt, so you'd be spending more. In the end it made sense for my family to use the games a la cart versus with the package.
Entertainment
5 out of 5
Six and Burn the Floor were fantastic! Very entertaining for my entire family. The musicians and comedians were excellent. The DJ during the glow/white party was ok, but kept playing slow songs (hard to dance) and transitioned quickly between songs (so you'd just be getting into a song and then it would change).
Children's Programs
2 out of 5
We brought our 2 kids on the cruise, 15 yrs old and 12 yrs old. The 15 year old enjoyed Entourage and had a blast. Our 12 year old tried splash academy once, but was with much younger kids and did not have a good time. There was also a waitlist MOST of the trip, so she wasn't able to get into the club. There really needs to be a 10-12/13 year old club, so the mid range kids aren't stuck hanging with parents all day due to limitations of the splash academy. We did try to get our daughter the option to switch and join her older brother in Entourage, but was told this is not possible unless she was turning 13 while on the cruise (she will be 13 in just over a month). I found this very unfortunate, as she is very mature and was looking forward to hanging out with her brother during the cruise while in the teen club. *please note, we did inquire prior to the cruise and were told it shouldn't be a problem, so we were not expecting to be told no while on the cruise.
Service and Staff
3 out of 5
Compared to other cruise experiences, the staff was not as warm/inviting on this cruise. We were rushed to provide our food orders during our specialty (we had 4) dinners and then the dinner would last 3+ hours because of slow service. Getting drinks always took a while because of the lack of bartenders. In general, crew was not as friendly as I am used to.
Ship Quality
5 out of 5
Having the large atrium was awesome (and definitely missed on newer ships). Being able to hang out and watch movies or enjoy the games (deal or no deal) and live music was wonderful.
Cabin / Stateroom
4 out of 5
We had 2 rooms, were told they were adjoining, but they were not. Cabin size was good for 2 or 3 people, having 4 in our family, I am glad I paid extra and got 2 rooms. The magnetic walls is genius, make sure you get heavy duty magnets and hooks to help with storage.
Ship tip
Wait to book if one child is 12 years old and another child is 13+ as they will not be allowed in the same teen space. My 12 year old did not want to hang out in the Splash Academy as it was always full with MUCH younger kids, so no fun for her.
Sorry your kids couldn’t be in the same kids club. As with anything when you are asking to break the rules, sometimes they will let you and sometimes they won’t. Obviously, the agent who told you it shouldn’t be a problem, has no idea and is just assuming. It’s up to the actual staff and circumstances at the time. We have been allowed at times and not allowed at others. It’s fine to ask but you can’t be upset with a company following their own published rules.
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