Our first cruise ever and we loved almost everything. We will definitely sail Norwegian again.
Embarkation
5 out of 5
Quick and easy.
Ship experiences
Food and Dining
5 out of 5
Almost everything was delicious. Our favorite complimentary place was The Local. The food was always very good, fresh, and fast. The buffet was also very good and had a great variety. I did notice that lunch and dinner at the buffet tended to be better than breakfast. Breakfast was hit and miss. We went to Cagneys and Onda for our specialty meals, and both were incredible. The service and food were spectacular. I ate at the main dining room a few times and found it to be always just "ok". I typically preferred other venues to the main dining rooms which surprised me a little.
Cagney's Steakhouse
5 out of 5
I had filet mignon with house steak sauce, lobster bisque, sautéed mushrooms, and tuna tartare. I loved everything except the tartare. That was not Cagney's fault, I chose to try something new and it wasn't for me. The steak was tender and perfectly cooked, and my other dishes were also great. Tip: Cagney's is extremely popular, for good reason. If you want to eat here, reserve early.
Onda by Scarpetta
5 out of 5
I had pappardelle bolognese, short ribs, sautéed garlic mushrooms, and tiramisu. All excellent. The bread basket and dips they give you are also delicious. Service was good also.
Onboard Activities
5 out of 5
I mostly only used the pool and went to a few events in The Atrium and Encore Theater. I also played slots in the casino and came out ahead! I liked everything I did. However, I missed a few things I would have liked to try because they sold out quickly, or I didn't want to pay an extra cost. There is a lot of free stuff to do.
Entertainment
4 out of 5
Royal Flush, the onboard cover band, were awesome! Full Coverage was also very talented. We also saw Fred the magician, but I found that show to be really cheesy even for an all ages magic show. Would not recommend.
Service and Staff
5 out of 5
Everyone went out of their way to give great service. It was really a surprising and welcome change from the indifferent and slow service I typically experience on land.
Ship Quality
4 out of 5
For the most part, everything was beautiful and spotless. The ship is gorgeous and I loved the decor. Some furniture in the public areas is well worn and should be replaced.
Cabin / Stateroom
5 out of 5
Well designed and comfy with lots of storage. The bed was extremely comfortable to the point where I took a few unplanned naps. :)
Ship tip
Plan and make reservations to the extent possible before you embark and on day 1. I missed a couple restaurants I would have liked to have gone to because I didn't reserve early (Teppenyaki, Good Republic).
I did a shore excursion that drove around the island and to a lovely beach on Beef Island. However, the extreme and visible poverty of this island left me feeling guilty for even visiting. It felt like driving through Haiti or a third world country. I would not visit here again. The beach was nice but it could not overcome my feeling that I was selfishly vacationing while people around me were living in ramshackle, dilapidated buildings.
Magen's Beach was very fun and pretty. I also took the skyride to Paradise Point which is beautiful. I did a shore excursion which I think was Best of St. Thomas and Beach. You will probably love it if you don't get Percy as your driver. He drove poorly and erratically, at a high speed around blind curves and steep hills on narrow winding roads. I was on the outside seat of an open air safari bus and I had to cling on for dear life to avoid falling out. My water bottle fell out of the vehicle on a particularly rough turn and was left as a gift to the residents of St. Thomas. Sorry!
The Taino Bay port area was lovely. I bought larimar jewelry, went to Monkey Island, and used the free pools. Monkey Island is an exhibit where you can interact with adorable squirrel monkeys. They climb on you and you can get photos taken with them. They seemed happy and well cared for. We loved it and would strongly recommend it.
Pretty smooth. I had never cruised before this, and I had a little trouble figuring out where to go for my tour after disembarkation. I felt Norwegian could have explained that better.
Welcome to the wonderful world of cruising. Appreciate your detailed feedback. Many drivers in the Caribbean are more aggressive than we might be. Glad you enjoyed your first cruise.
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