Considering the effect covid has had on the world, it was a JOY to be on a cruise again. Some complained about having to wear a mask all the time but overall, I'd do it all again in a heartbeat (our next planned cruise is 3/2022).
Embarkation
5 out of 5
Boarding at Athens was about as expedited as could be. Large tent had heat/ac so could mitigate adverse weather. We heard that this cruise was intentionally limited to about 1/3 of normal so no huge crush attempting to board at once. Antigen test required 20 minute wait but we were still on board by 13:00. Cabin was available almost immediately and luggage arrived within an hour.
Ship experiences
Food and Dining
4 out of 5
All our dining was limited to the included venues. We liked the Tropicana although a little disappointed that there wasn't a lobster night. Garden buffet was typical and had a nice variety.
Garden Café
5 out of 5
Staff was great and very attentive. Minor, minor disappointment were the eggs Benedict (that I only ever get on a ship), the muffin was too tough to cut with a fork - like I said, very minor.
Onboard Activities
4 out of 5
Weather was mostly 50s & 60s so only did hot tub once. I wanted to do the STEEP water slide but wasn't allowed since I was unable to remove ALL rings so only did the gentler "twisty" slide.
Free Fall
4 out of 5
Must be able to remove ALL rings to do the steep one (my wedding band hasn't come off in years).
Entertainment
4 out of 5
Main nightly show in the theater was par for course. Some my wife liked a lot and I preferred others.
Burn the Floor
4 out of 5
Wife admired hard work and talent of the dancers.
Getaway Theater
5 out of 5
Really liked the British humor and magic of Peter H(?). I attended all of his shows.
Service and Staff
5 out of 5
Outstanding! Everyone on board seemed dedicated to providing the best possible service. Rosita our cabin steward was so attentive and did excellent job. ALL waiters, servers, cooks worked so hard to get things just right.
Ship Quality
4 out of 5
I thought overall, excellent job. Although wife thought some of the main venue carpets needed replacing.
Cabin / Stateroom
5 out of 5
King bed was comfy, blankets just right.
Ship tip
COVID requirements TIP! Do as MUCH AS YOU CAN AT HOME ON YOUR COMPUTER to study various requirements. Since we traveled ORD to ZRH to ATH, there were forms for Switzerland, Greece, & the EU that I could at least start or complete at home. Made the various entries much easier. Also suggest providing as much info to your airline as possible (covid vac, passport, etc) before you go.
Relax, don't complain about items that NCL has no control over, and ENJOY the cruise!
MUST VISIT POMPEII! Although it was drizzling rain, still worth the visit. We used the audio necklaces instead of a live tour guide to economize. Audio content was good but difficult to match up locations on their map. Audio guide 8 euro each, entrance to Pompeii, 16 euro each.
Didn't do NCL excursion but did arrive 2 days early to ease the jetlag. However, we should have stayed at hotel in Athens instead of near airport. Airport hotels are 30 - 45 minutes away.
Excellent! We used NCL shuttle to the airport. Since we had a flight at 13:00, they had us off the ship at 07:30. Luggage was easy to find and easy to get to the bus. We arrived at airport with plenty of time to spare.
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