We will probably go on and NCL cruise again in the future but we will be looking for a more of an adult type cruise ages 21 and older. Will look for the outdoor facilities designed just for adults. Will plan better for meal times to avoid the "Golden corral" buffet area .
Embarkation
2 out of 5
I was very disturbed pointed at how lengthy and complicated the embarkation process was for everyone involved. I thought the E docs, passports, baggage check and check in time requirements would have eliminated what we found when we reached the cruise terminal. There was no obvious organization and as we approached a maze of lines leading to the huge counter of check in employees which took us about 90 minutes. Baggage, large parties and lots of children held up the lines. Some of your employees did not expedite the process quickly and there did not appear to be any accommodations for people with medical issues to avoid standing in this line. Going through TSA was more enjoyable than this was and I have many suggestions to remedy the problem but not enough space to list it here.
Ship experiences
Food and Dining
5 out of 5
Every place we ate was wonderful with the exception of the garden café because it was constantly crowded and many passengers were not conscientious or courteous in their movementsin the lines, passing through the hallways and in the seating areas. Also the breakfast food seem to be very greasy and the bacon was not bacon.
Onboard Activities
5 out of 5
The howling at the moon shows at headliners was our favorite. The service was exceptional the entertainment was so fun and engaging. We enjoyed their area reserved for adults on deck 17 called spice H2O. Our only regret was there was not an adult pool separate from the thousands of kids on board. The entertainment in theater options in the atrium on deck six more wonderful and everything else that we attended was very fun.
Entertainment
5 out of 5
See answer above
Children's Programs
We didn't bring children with us and we were doing our best to avoid them because their behavior was not excellent and even when their parents were around they did not seem to teach their children how to behave in public.
Service and Staff
5 out of 5
Excellent everywhere.
Ship Quality
5 out of 5
Great!
Cabin / Stateroom
5 out of 5
Perfect!
Ship tip
Definitely get the ultimate dining and ultimate beverage package. If you are hoping for an adult trip ask before you book. Take the first day to explore every way here to discover locations and see what your eye is attracted to. Use the information on your TV in your cabin to help you see what's going on and read your news bulletins from the ship every day. There was so much to do on the ship we love the variety but did not have the time to do everything we would have liked to have done. Inspect the details of the excursions you're interested in to see if there might be hidden cost or activities that may be publicized greater to be than they actually are. NCL does not make you aware until the last minute about their private islands and the fact that your packages and ship card do not work there… Also make sure you take cash and Visa or MasterCard credit cards so that you'll be able to purchase things… Not all information was completely or correctly shared before going ashore. Be prepared to walk and expect to be given directions by the locals that are not straightforward…They want to lead you around all the shops instead of telling you how to get directly to where you want to go... look for shortcuts through the stores.
It was fine but the same tourist stops/traps, same type of locals just watching another herd of people coming throughthere port… They were polite but not truly welcoming. There was no one to assist with taxi or shuttle service so we were at the mercy of the aggressive drivers and their pricing. Our excursion was described as Yaya beach club which was just one section of the beach which was part of a neighborhood of "beach clubs" along the same body of water. The Yaya service was very kind and helpful and came through with their food and beverage promises.
The best of all ports but then again you have to consider that Cozumel has been doing this for a long time. Our only disappointment was in finding the elongated pathway to the street where the taxis were lined up and they were very discouraging about taking us to our chosen excursion. I will admit that I did not look at the FinePrint to see how far away from the port it was and so it was an hour drive each way and cost us almost $100 total. However when we got there it was the beautiful soft white sand and aqua blue waters and the beach was extensive and the service was wonderful and we loved Papito's secluded beach excursion. We will go there again but we will arrange for her own transportation like we saw a lot of other cruise people doing so we won't be at the mercy of the taxi drivers and they're dangerous driving habits.
It was a piece of cake compared to the process of coming on board. Still a lot of walking and no accommodations for people who had physical or medical issues that we observed. However it was so much easier and faster and we wish for all cruise lines to figure out how to keep the coming and going equally pleasant.
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