Overall it was a good cruise but we were expecting excellent. The pros: good food, staff and shows. The cons: ship design, because of size lines and horrible embarkation.
Embarkation
1 out of 5
We used the NCL transfer to the ship thinking that it would ensure quick access on board. It would have been quicker to get our own transportation. We had to wait an hour and a half at the airport for our transfer, then once at the terminal, sat in the bus for a half hour, to then be dropped off at the end of the line which took another 2 hours. This was our 5th cruise and we have never experienced any embarkation like this one.
Ship experiences
Food and Dining
5 out of 5
All the dining rooms and food were excellent. The specialty restaurants are nice but the dining room food is just as good.
Maltings Whiskey Bar
5 out of 5
Joseph was a wonderful bartender. He was quick and attentive.
Atrium Bar
5 out of 5
This bar is right in the heart of the ship where activities happen. Javier and Tony were terrific!
Onboard Activities
4 out of 5
There is plenty to do on the ship. The fitness center is very good size. The H2O pool was a little small.
Entertainment
5 out of 5
Burn the Floor was as good as a Broadway show. There were some fun game type shows that kept us laughing. The Beatles show, the magician and all the other shows we saw were all very entertaining and upscale.
Service and Staff
5 out of 5
All of the staff was friendly. If you needed something, they were very helpful.
Ship Quality
4 out of 5
We didn't love the layout of the ship. The Atrium got a little crowded during main events. We also didn't love that the casino was in the middle of everything and you had to walk through it to get to most events. The main elevators were always very crowded.
Cabin / Stateroom
3 out of 5
It is European style cabin which means there is not a separate bathroom area. Our room did not have a lot of storage. It had no draws.....only a couple shelves and a closet. The balcony was not that clean.
We traveled on the Carnival Magic less than a year ago and it had 2 closets and lots of draw space. The overall setup was more spacious on the Magic.
Ship tip
Take advantage of all the ship has to offer for entertainment. You receive the itinerary the night before the next day's events. Read it over or you may miss something you want to do. Make a reservation for the tender or you will be waiting a long time to catch one. If you are not traveling with children, go to the H2O pool. It is a little quieter, but still fun. The pool is a little small. You can get lunch here too.
We did the Reggae Party Sail and Dunn's River Falls. It was a lot of fun. The staff on the catamaran were friendly and attentive. The Dunn's River Falls should probably be rated harder than it is. It is a tough slow climb to the top where you are linked hand in hand with everyone in your group. Morris was a wonderful guide. There was lots of rum drinks flowing on the catamaran back to port.
The 7 mile beach is beautiful. Go to the left of the main beach and it is a little less crowded. Take the air conditioned bus there for $5. A taxi is about the same cost but not always air conditioned. There is plenty of shopping outside the port if you want it.
This was our second time doing the Fury Catamaran Snorkel & Beach Party and each time was excellent. The staff is great. It was a windy day and we thought it would be rough but it was a pretty smooth sail. When snorkeling the staff is very attentive and puts safety first. The beach was fun with plenty of water activities. It includes drinks (beer and margaritas) and you can buy a burger for a decent price.
There was a line again but it moved a lot quicker than embarkation. I would highly recommend using the porters as they bring you to the front of the line to go through customs.
Good review. FYI - There is a sizable storage area under the bed and, at least in the mini-suites, over the curvy couch. We loved the Epic, but weren't a big fan of the curved walls.
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