We had an all around nice time. If they could just do something about the chair hogs and the unexpected early closing of H2O, I would've given higher ratings, but those things really took some of the enjoyment away, which should never happen when you're on vacation!
Embarkation
3 out of 5
We got to the terminal at our embarkation time, but still had to wait around for over an hour. Wasn't the worse thing in the world, but no one likes waiting...
Ship experiences
Food and Dining
4 out of 5
We didn't go to any of the specialty restaurants, and actually, we never needed to. There were always enough choices at every meal, particularly dinner, to keep the 4 of us satisfied. Sometimes ordering a second appy, and sometimes splitting a second entree with one of the family members.
The only times we went to the buffet, was when we needed to get to our excursions early and didn't want to waste time waiting for our food. Even then, I'd go to the chef who'd make your eggs to order.
Onboard Activities
4 out of 5
While most of our cruises have been with Norwegian, I don't recall the other cruise lines having the same "Seat Saving Hogs" problem that Norwegian has. On the last sea day, I was all set to sit out on the deck, but could not find a single chair without a towel, or some sort of personal belonging on it. Finally, in a far corner at H2O, by one of the hot tubs, there were 2 empty chairs. It shouldn't be that hard to find a chair. I was under the impression that the workers would remove towels if they noticed a chair unoccupied for over an hour...wish they'd follow through with that...it's very unfair...
Another thing that bothered me, was that same day at H2O (adults only until 7pm), and the day before, I got out there around 4:00, and by 4:45 the workers began moving the chairs out, and making people get out of the hot tubs, as they were making room for a private party. There was no warning, nothing written about it in the daily itinerary. I had my day planned around spending the late afternoon there as the sun isn't as intense, and then to throw everyone out without a work ahead of time was wrong! I always enjoyed a late afternoon at adults only H2O, whether it was the Getaway, Breakaway or Escape. Really felt short changed when they did this....TWICE!!!
Entertainment
4 out of 5
Loved the Comedy at Headliners...could do without Howl at the Moon, but that's just me.
Million Dollar Quartet was pretty awesome as well!
Service and Staff
5 out of 5
Always top notch service all the way around. Our cabin steward, Allister, was amazing! Only positives here!!
Ship Quality
4 out of 5
Cabin / Stateroom
4 out of 5
Was a bit crowded with 4 adults, but never got uncomfortable. Wish those balconies were larger though.
Ship tip
If you're looking to get a drink, take note of the time of day, as certain bars are more crowded at certain times than others. We usually found bar 21 to be less busy, and after 10pm, behind it is club Bliss, which starts out slow, and up until around midnight, it's usually not too crowded.
Costa Maya is an Island built specifically for cruisers. Things were a bit overpriced, and food seemed almost Americanized Mexican food. That said, we left this area and took a tour of the Mayan Ruins independently. This worked out well.
Harvest Caye is also a private island, though I believe it is owned by Norwegian. Unless you book an excursion through Norwegian, there's not much to do here, other than take a water shuttle to Placencia, which we did. I pre-booked a golf cart, which worked out well, as they were all sold out. We were able to tool around the island at our own leisure. Unfortunately, you only get 3 hours, as the shuttle can only hold so many people, and you can't have everyone waiting to get on the last boat, as there wouldn't be enough room for everyone....
Took a private tour from here all around Roatan. Saw the good, the bad and the ugly, but that's what we were looking to see. How different cultures live. Our private guide did a great job showing us all around. He took us to a beach on the west side, which was beautiful! Then to a local restaurant for some authentic food from the Island. It was really amazing! Wish we could remember the name of the place!
We did the "Amazing Race" scavenger hunt excursion here, and this was about as close to the actual TV show, without actually being on the show....and of course, it all takes place in Cozumel. I don't want to give anything away, but it also includes a ride on a boat...highly recommend good walking shoes/sneakers, and a bathing suit!
The down side of places like Cozumel and all the street vendors that are constantly hawking you, trying to get you to come into their store. "hey whatever you need, I got it here"....just got really annoying....
We were an "all carry-on" luggage bunch, so there was no packing the night before, and no waiting for our stuff once we got off the boat.
I can't believe we got off the boat a week ago....wow!
I agree about the chair hogs! We didn’t get to enjoy the pool as there were no chairs! Next time I will be removing towels. It’s not right them hold them up for hours while they go eat or something else!
If I see a towel on a chair and no one around I remove the towel, and use that chair. I do not care if they come back oh well. I agree this should not happen with these people hogging the chairs.
*Cruiseline.com is not a booking agent or travel agency,
and does not charge any service fees to users of our site. Our partners
(travel agencies and cruise lines) provide prices, which we list for our
users' convenience. Cruiseline.com does not guarantee any specific rates or
prices. While prices are updated daily, please check with the booking site
for the exact amount. Cruiseline.com is not responsible for content on
external web sites.
Contact us
Submitting...
Need help from a personal vacation planner?
Loading...
Find the perfect cruise with weekly tips and cruise deals for as little as $30/night!
Sign up for weekly cruise deals
Join other subscribers and get the best
cruise deals of the week in your inbox every Thursday.
