Overall we enjoyed our cruise. We had up to 40 mph winds on the first day of the cruise across the Gulf of Mexico. Even though the ship was rocking due to the wind and waves we were not overly affected. We did have to skip the port of Cozumel on the outbound because it was still rough and unsafe to dock. That gave us two consecutive days at sea. We did enjoy our other ports of call but did not go to Costa Maya so that we could make a stop at Cozumel before we returned to New Orleans.
Embarkation
3 out of 5
Was orderly but crowded location in long walk to get onto the ship
Ship experiences
Food and Dining
4 out of 5
The buffet was a bit underwhelming seemed inconsistent.
Sit down dining rooms were very nice. Staff was excellent. Food was better than the buffet again a bit underwhelming and inconsistent.
Specialty restaurants, particularly Cagney's had a wonderful filet mignon but my wife had the seafood platter which was disappointing. Seafood platter calamari was close to garden hose, consistency and scallops seemed undercooked. She did have the crab cake which was the best that she's ever had and she is a crab cake lover.
Onboard Activities
4 out of 5
Our outside activities were a bit limited by weather. I did have an opportunity on two occasions to enjoy the water slides. They were a gas!
Entertainment was too loud much of the time and attracted from the quality of the content. One group in particular was very good but always too loud. General relaxation seating within the the atrium area was uncomfortable and relatively limited.
Big show Entertainment in the theater was limited to a dance company and a comedian.
During the day the theater was used for bingo.
The casino was nice and we generally enjoy them as we did on board.
Entertainment
3 out of 5
Has previously stated shows were limited. Performers were good. Some very good but often one in particular was too loud to be around.
Children's Programs
Did not have children with us. Your senior citizens.
Service and Staff
5 out of 5
Service in every area of the ship was phenomenal. Our cabin steward was excellent beyond our expectation. Call this by name before we even got to our room. Attended to our every need
Weight staff in the restaurants were attentive and friendly. Supervisory staff was always alert to our needs.
Bartenders were many times dealing with large crowds and yet were always cheerfully getting to us as quickly as possible in meeting our needs. Management could be more attentive to adding additional bartenders at peak times. It would have helped reduce their load and decrease passenger wait time.
Ship Quality
5 out of 5
All areas of the ship were constantly being attended to for cleanliness. Particularly noticed after a couple days that there was staff regularly attending to public restrooms. This was very encouraging.
At the buffet area, there was a very cheerful young man who sang a washy-washy song encouraging everyone to wash. Before going to the buffet line. There were others that sang the song as well, but one particular fellow was really into it.
Cabin / Stateroom
5 out of 5
As first time cruiser I felt the cabin was adequately sized and comfortable for my needs. The attention of the cabin steward you gave us a good clean environment. The the furnishings were all top notch in appearance and the carpet seemed pretty new. Made for a comfortable stay. The bed was very comfortable with nice coverings.
One issue we had was on day two of our journey. Our toilet was plugged up as well as much of that area of the ship. It was resolved for us within that day as it was functional when we were back to our room that evening. It was an at sea day so we were in and out of the cabin. That made it a bit of a nuisance.
We did talk to someone in the airport waiting area after the cruise? Who said her toilet did not work for 4 days? She had spoken to guest services and it was said that there would be no reimbursements. We spoke to our concierge who booked our cruise when we got home. She indicated that if something of that nature occurred, we should refuse to get off the ship until some compensation was given.
Ship tip
It was a nice ship overall, but I think I would look to sail on a different ship in the future.
We love the city of New Orleans and have been there before. We happen to be there at the peak of Mardi gras this year. Not the best time to be trying to navigate the city. The embarking and disembarking area is a bit like a cattle shoot.
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