Incredible time. We had the ultimate drink package, which served all of us very well! It was my first cruise and I was really worried about being on a ship with so many people, but honestly, it was not as crazy as I thought it would be. I never felt trapped our claustrophobic. Just had a ton of fun in the super hot sun. Yes, it was extremely humid, which for someone like myself got to be pretty brutal since I sweat so much and can feel embarrassed. Regardless, the staff was phenomenal, the drinks were flowing, and all of my friends enjoyed ourselves to the fullest. I really have no regrets. Spent a week on the cruise, and I really did not get tired of being on the ocean. There is so much to do on the ship. You can party, relax, party, see shows, party, eat a ton of food, party, have quiet time in your cabin watching the ocean, party, exercise and play games, did I mention party? It was a blast. I especially loved the fact that I could just wear resort casual to all the restaurants if I wanted to and did not feel like a heel for doing so. That was huge for me. I enjoy being comfortable on vacation and not having to stick to a schedule.
Ship experiences
Food and Dining
5 out of 5
I think all restaurants should be included instead of having to pay extra for some restaurants. Sometimes, it was only 30 bucks extra to cover, while other times it was just full price dining like a normal night out. I did not like the fact that the buffet seemed to have the same stuff at times as the normal restaurants included, but it was not that big a deal. Brazilian steakhouse was not as good as I expected, but the service was good. The one real issue I had was we paid extra for teppanyaki restaurant, but when I asked for wasabi, the waiter acted annoyed and mentioned he would have to go upstairs to get it. Yet, the Brazilian steakhouse had wasabi just waiting for me. Made no sense. I also heard people complaining about how there was no lobster for free any more. I am not a lobster fan, so it did not bother me, but apparently it's a pretty big deal. I did like the fact that the restaurants included in the cost allowed you to order double entrée, double sides, double desserts if you wanted to. That was pleasing.
Onboard Activities
5 out of 5
There is stuff CONSTANTLY to do. The cruise director and assistant, Tyler and (can't think of other name) were great. Lot's of fun things to do at all times of the day/night. Only issue I had was sometimes it would happen too early after drinking all day and all night, and that I had to choose between partying with my friends or doing some of the interesting activities like trivia games, shows, bingo, auctions, etc. I guess it's a nice problem to have though.
Entertainment
5 out of 5
The only entertainment I really saw was the comedy show. One guy was from Chelsea Handler show, and other two guys I had never heard of. The whole show was great. For the adults, be sure to catch the one at night, like 10 or 11. It's a free for all, since no kids are allowed. I had doubts but I was really happy we attended. Excellent.
Service and Staff
5 out of 5
Ganesan, my cabin housekeeper, was amazing! He made me feel welcomed every time I saw him in the hallway. He was extremely attentive and always took care of our needs. He was my cruise hero for sure. Can't say enough about him. I loved the towel animals he would make, and that he was always genuinely happy to say hello. Wonderful staff member. On another note, the staff members singing the "Washy washy, happy happy" song each morning was hilarious. That song sticks in my head until this day. They were always so cheerful and fun.
Ship Quality
5 out of 5
Ship quality seemed great to me. It was my first cruise, so take it as you will. Only issue I had was there were some areas where there was very little air ventilation, so it would be REALLY hot. Like some restrooms. Sometimes the restrooms needed cleaning, but I understand it happens. The staff were definitely on top of everything for the most part, especially if they were alerted to any issues. I do have a big complaint. The smoking room next to Tobacco Road bar was HORRIBLE! IF you are going to force smokers to only be able to smoke in two or three places on the entire ship, maybe a cigar smoking room should have REAL ventilation. You should not walk in and feel like you are breathing nothing but tar and cancer. Did not like that. Fans should have more power to suck out air in that room. Having an air filter machine sitting on the ground paired with weak ventilation is a joke.
Cabin / Stateroom
5 out of 5
Very nice. Bed was comfortable, balcony had great ocean view. TV had a few channels, like MSNBC, FOX News, HBO, and a couple more. I got tired of that damn Sofia First show coming on. Why would I want that over and over? Other channels included seeing view from bridge, onboard activities, dining options and reservations, excursion options and reservations, stuff like that. Only real issue was that I did not know where we could put or luggage. Ended up putting all the luggage on the couch, so could not sit on it the whole cruise. Our friends said we were supposed to put it under our bed, which seemed strange to find out. I loved the fact that the bathroom had good soap, like pump from the wall soap. The shower had built-in body wash and shampoo pumps as well. Shower temperature was crazy good, pressure was fine. Shower is pretty tight, but it worked out well. AC worked great, closet had a lot of hangers. I did not like the fact that there was NO iron. Clothes were incredibly wrinkled all the time. They offered a pressing service, but with a lot of clothes, it's a LOT of money. Same with laundry service, a lot of money. They had a deal where you could fill a bag of clothes for laundry and they would wash and fold for I think 25 dollars? I can't remember. I got desperated and needed clothes washed, then realized bag was not as big as I would have expected, so I would have had to fill two or three bags. Not going to pay that much money to wash clothes. I would have been happy if there was an iron though.
Ship tip
Don't be afraid to ask if there is something you need.
Ya gotta have Cuban food. It's amazing. South Beach is CRAZY FUN! If there for a couple of days, you at least have to go there or Miami Beach to hangout. Phenomenal. Busses come literally every few minutes and are about $2.25 a person, so if you plan it right, you can just grab one or two and get where you need to go. There is a free trolley too!
Get the air conditioned vans for shuttle around island if at all possible. You will not regret it. Not great for taking pictures, but the open air jeeps provide little relief from the humidity, and can be a nauseus experience when going through traffic. If you go the place at the top of mountain where they sell daquiris, you have to try one. They are pricey, but full of rum and incredibly good. Don't go to the really popular beaches, unless you don't mind the crowds. Morning Star beach was close to dock and not too crowded at all. Just beatiful.
We walked to beach somewhat near dock. Mistake. Farther walk than I wanted, should have taken cab. Traffic is crazy. Once we finally got the beach, was a little crowded. At least there was food and drink available, and restrooms at entrance. Order buckets of beer and just enjoy yourself.
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