The best cruise I've been on. However the 1 item that was disappointing is the smokey smelling Casino. Was the only ding in an otherwise perfect cruise/ship/trip.
Embarkation
5 out of 5
It was a very smooth process, however had to wait about 25-30min. It was better sitting than standing in line so that was a good process all in all.
Ship experiences
Food and Dining
5 out of 5
We got the 3 specialty meal upgrade and internet package which were perfect.
With adding the illusionarium Cirque Dreams show then we only had 4 other dining nights
in 1 of the 3 main dining rooms. They were all great. Top notch food and the staff was awesome.
I've been on Carnival and Royal and this was the best so far.
Onboard Activities
5 out of 5
Great activities for mature athletic adults, maybe a little tame for teens or hard core athletes.
But the rope course, rock-climbing wall, slides were a blast. Very nice gym with separated cardio and weight rooms, plus a spin and speciality fitness rooms. My wife said the spa was amazing and it wasn't bad prices given the on-board credit our room included.
Entertainment
5 out of 5
The "burn the floor" show was crazy, they were so good. The Cirque show was very nice, a little loud, but a great dinner is included and the banquet seating was fun to meet other guests before the show. The comedy shows were very good, really funny guys. I feel like the talent is a very high quality that they bring on board.
Service and Staff
5 out of 5
Our cabin service person was super. Everyone on staff was smiles and would be happy to help if they can. Don't be shy, if you have a question be sure to ask, they are excited to talk with you. It was great not having to carry tip money everywhere, but on the last day if your servers have done a stellar job, maybe have a few 10s about just to give them that extra boost to say "you were great". Don't forget about the bartenders if you are grabbing drinks. I don't recall if gratuity was added on the drinks, but they don't get a cut of the room service charges at the end. However there are a lot of folks drinking so no need to go crazy.
Ship Quality
4 out of 5
Unfortunately it's only by the last day or two that you will finally get a grasp of where everything is. However the ship's design, location of services and especially cleanliness is top notch. WITH THE EXCEPTION of the casino. While clean looking they unfortunately allow at some points smoking. That is also the level that you have to walk through to disembark which makes that event rather unenjoyable. This is the ONLY thing that was a disappointment on the cruise. That the center of the main entry way is a smoking area and inside detracts greatly from being in that area.
Cabin / Stateroom
5 out of 5
The cabin had good storage, little areas to place stuff, and don't forget under the couch storage or the foot stool to keep extra items. balcony was a little small but for 2 it was nice to sit on and watch pulling into or out of ports and a late night look at the sky to finish the day.
Our cabin service person Nike (e is silent I believe) was a really great guy, always happy and a joy to see. I felt very safe with our room in his hands. I had left the safe open a couple times and then realized I had nothing to fear. Only he and the 2 officers to check the rooms are the only ones ever to be in your room. But it's still best to remove temptation and just secure your stuff.
Ship tip
Pre-register as much of the activities, dining and entertainment as you can, they fill fast.
The Vibe is ok (from what I saw I didn't get in) but Spice H2O is great for port days and only crowded on sea days. But even at that not bad. It's good for the adults without kids to just relax and get some sun and a drink without a large crowd. I will say only the first, last boarding, and emergency drill were the only times I felt there was a crowd. It's amazing that around 5100 people (crew/cruisers) are on board. You would think there was a few hundred with so much open space and few lines.
Went on the BOSS underwater adventure and it was GREAT!!
The port was nice, and going out in the town you saw you were not in Kansas anymore (well having lived in Kansas... yes there are a few places just like this, unfortunately) But on the West End side we saw nice homes that ex-pat have built (with large razor wire topped walls, says a lot about the people behind them). Then the water and sea life here was the best of the entire trip.
Welcome to Downtown Disney. :( You are on the private Norwegian island where everything is staged cleaned 3 times and you get absolutely no sense of Belize. I've been to Belize City and while it has poverty, I think it is good to take a real look at the people and were they live. Also on the mainland there was a great bar that I had seen years ago. I wanted to see if it was still there and say hi to the owner. But unfortunately we didn't leave the island. The beach was beautiful, and the day was relaxing, but I live in Florida so it was a typical beach day for me.
The segway tour was awesome. It took a while to get everyone trained and feeling good about driving these, but then we were off for a great tour of the city. Here you really got to take the back streets (to stay away from traffic) and saw the real Costa Maya and Mahahual. You need to watch were you are going but be sure to go slow enough to look around and see the beauty of this area. Nice people, but as with any 100% tourist supported area you are where the money is coming from and they are focused on you. However they are not pushy, just say no thank you with a smile and they will move on.
The ATV and snorkeling was very fun. The ATV let you blow off some steam for the guys and let the gals get dusty and show the guys they are more than just a pretty face. (watch out guys, they are gunning for you.)
The snorkeling wasn't as good as Honduras, but for me a day in the water beats any day on land. But after the ATVs it was good to rinse off and take a splash into the ocean to relax. Strong currents made for a nice little workout before back to the boat and buffet. ;)
Sad to have to leave, but will organized. Be sure to pick up your luggage tags and pick your time to get into the line (yes that line that goes through the smoky casino). Luggage tags are on the stand next to the customer service desk by the information screen starting the last day at sea (maybe the night before even).
Grab your last breakfast before 9am and then you will be off the boat by 11am. If you have a flight out be sure to get with customer service to figure out how to make your transfer and bag setup so you don't miss your flight. That last day sneaks up on you.
Also you have to have your bags packed and out in the hall the night before so don't spend all day on deck and then go into panic mode that night. Plan a little time to pack up that last day and really enjoy the last day at sea.
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