I had a wonderful time, even if my purpose of visiting US Virgin Islands National Park was disappointing. Everyone I met were lovely, the staff did an excellent job, food was yummy, drinks were good, Choir of Man was a highlight, and my balcony room was perfect. I will definitely consider NCL for my next cruise vacation.
Embarkation
5 out of 5
I took the NCL shuttle from my hotel in Orlando. Because of traffic, it took us 2 hours to go 45 miles. But because we arrived around noon, we walked right onto the ship.
Ship experiences
Food and Dining
5 out of 5
I gained 5 pounds,if that tells you. I tried to avoid the buffet because of the crowds. The dining rooms were excellent, as well as O'Sheehan's. No reservations and no waiting. My specialty dining was at Le Bistro and Tepanyaki's, both of which were excellent as well.
Onboard Activities
5 out of 5
I went to H2O Spice one day, which was lovely. Got a lounge chair and no waiting at the bar. O enjoyed the main pool on a port day. Also plenty of space. Water was too cold for me so I did not swim.
Entertainment
5 out of 5
I saw "Choir of Man" which I thoroughly enjoyed (had a reservation). Went to an early comedy show which was good. Again, no reservation and was able to walk in. I do not stay up late so I didn't Howl At The Moon. Would have liked an early show of that.
Children's Programs
I did not travel with a child. But I had no problem with the amount of children on board. They all seemed very well behaved.
Service and Staff
5 out of 5
All the staff was so hard working, friendly and professional. I was very impressed. These folks are trained exceptionally well. My room steward, Romeo, was so nice and cheerful. I was travelling as a solo and was grateful for Patrick, our Solos host. He met with us every evening and made sure we sat together at dinner, helped us get into shows, answered our questions and helped us get to know one another.
Ship Quality
5 out of 5
Everything was very clean all the time, including the public restrooms.
Cabin / Stateroom
5 out of 5
My room was perfect for just me. My balcony was my favorite part of the ship. I could feel the movement of the ship, but it helped me sleep. Shower was great!
Ship tip
Think about how you like to travel and do you. I don't like crowds particularly, so I managed to avoid the most crowded parts of the ship and did just fine. Stay positive and leave the grumps back home.
I enjoyed Taino Bay very much. The pool was beautiful, perfect water temperature. Poolside entertainment was fun. Wait staff at the pool was very much appreciated.
I did an excursion to St. John (bus tour). I collect National Parks, so this was the main reason for my cruise. The bus driver was hard to understand and only let us out to take a few pictures. I understood from the description that we would visit the Annaberg ruins and have some beach time. Neither happened. By the time we were dropped off at Cruz Bay, the Visitors Center was closed, so I had to buy my souvenirs online when I got home. Also, there was no opportunity to have any food on a 4 hour excursion that left right at lunch time. If I hadn't snuck off some snacks I would have been extremely hungry.
I took a taxi bus to Cane Garden Bay, which was lovely. The port shopping was also very nice. More local offerings. Just not enough time, since I didn't get off the boat until 9. My tip would be to get up early.
Too crowded. Lines for food and drinks were long. Water was too cold in March, but lovely to look at. Was not interested in any excursions. Shopping was nice. I went back to the ship and enjoyed the empty pool area.
I had arranged the NCL shuttle to the airport, which was wonderful. No trouble at all. People just have to chill and wait for their group to be called. It looked like the people handling their own luggage were having a miserable time.
I had a cruise when it was winter break in 2014 on the Norwegian Breakaway and there were so many children. The pools were so packed and it is hard to be in an area like that.
All in all I'm glad you had a good time and sorry you couldn't get the souvenir that you wanted on your cruise but hopefully you will get it online.
Appreciate your detailed and informative review. Didn’t know that there is a solo’s host. Glad you enjoyed your cruise in spite of your missed opportunity at the National park.
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