Nothing but good things to report from this cruise. It was wonderful!
Embarkation
5 out of 5
Suite entry but no one in line so had a speedy experience then to the waiting area with some snacks. We arrived early at the Port around 10:15 and had to wait about 15min for the dock worker's to begin accepting luggage. We were escorted to our suite in good order and in the room by 11:30am
Ship experiences
Food and Dining
5 out of 5
1 meal in MDR was good food with very slow service, I must have ticked off the server who was from Russia with a bad joke about Hillaries email so probably my fault. 2 meals in O'sheans were terrific and the other 5 nights were specialty restaurants all with great food and very good service, quick turnarounds so we could get on with our evening plans.
Onboard Activities
5 out of 5
Enjoyed the entertainment and a few talk presentations, but this cruise is high port intensity so not much time to use the daily events.
Entertainment
5 out of 5
Alex the comedian was super, I loved him from a prior cruise on the Dawn in 2017 and was happy he was back.
Service and Staff
5 out of 5
All service was super except the timing in the Aqua MDR as noted earlier. That meal took forever and the tables on both sides came and went while we waited. Poor followup on drink refills also.
Ship Quality
5 out of 5
Love all the smaller ships that have similar layouts - Dawn, Star and the 4 Jewel class ships all make you feel at home when you know one you know them all! Tip for the handicapped - the Aft MDR could be a problem for handicapped people to get to. Only one aft elevator goes to deck 6 and the main entrance off deck 7 has stairs to enter the restaurant. I suggest the scooter passengers use the forward MDR off the midship elevators.
Cabin / Stateroom
5 out of 5
This suite was huge! Separate shower and very deep bathtub. Lots of floor space making it very comfortable. No Balcony but the entire exterior wall is floor to ceiling windows making a very nice view. I do a lot of work in the cabin so setting up my office on the table by the windows was a great place to work. If you gotta work, the view is certainly better than the office!
Ship tip
Excellent Hotel Director, very easy to talk with so if you have any problems make sure you let Alain know! The Asst Matre D who was in the Moderno at breakfast and Le Bistro for dinner was our favorite star of the ship, great conversation!
Zip lining for the first time for me! Had a ball, but did have trouble keeping forward facing to the target LOL. I seemed to like turning, which was fine.
We went Parasailing from the Saphire marina, another first for me and loved it! So smooth, I was hundreds of feet in the air before I realized we were off the boat. We also did the Skyride at the port which is a must see, lots of good pictures from that lookout. Make sure you try the Bushwacker at the bar up top, very good!
I did a full day with 2 tours, first was the land and sea tour which gave us a nice overall view of the island and off the coast from the port. 2nd tour was the ultimate tour on a high speed RIB - rigid inflatable boat that stops at Jost van Dyke for over an hour so you can visit the Soggy Dollar bar, have a pain killer (love the crunchy fish sandwich) and a nice swim in the beach. The RIB then continues around the Island stopping at various spots to discuss the history of each. The trip completely circles Tortolla. This ride is a bit bumpy so if you have any back issues be prepared for some aches when you return. Lots of Ben Gay for me LOL but I love the smell so not bad.
Tip - In San Juan use the porter service and they go thru an expedited customs line. This port has been consistently the easiest, fastest port to disembark of any we have done.
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