First time cruiser

Norwegian Sky Cruise Review to Caribbean - Bahamas

Cruises: 1 cruise (first)
Review: 1
Helpful Votes: 66

Overall rating:

4.4 out of 5
Verified Review
Norwegian Sky

4 Night Bahamas (Miami Roundtrip)

Sail date: February 03, 2020

Ship: Norwegian Sky

Cabin type: Inside

Cabin number: 0347

Traveled as: Singles/Friends

Reviewed: 4 years ago

Review summary

Great casual experience! Norwegian does not require fancy dress for any events, and everything was about comfort and relaxation. I was a solo cruiser and while the ship-sponsored solo cruise meet n greets weren't amazing, I lucked into an amazing group of fellow solo travelers that definitely improved the experience overall.

Embarkation

3 out of 5
Unfortunately embarkation was day-after-Superbowl in Miami, half the staff called in sick and the process took several hours. Repeat cruisers tell me that was unusual.

Ship experiences

Food and Dining

5 out of 5
Food selection and availability was great and quality was much better than expected. I especially loved that in the main dining room the portions were reasonably small - so that you could enjoy app, main and dessert without being too stuffed (and the staff never blinked an eye if you ordered multiple dishes or double portions)

Onboard Activities

4 out of 5
Sky does not have as many activities as some ships, but the pools and hot tubs were great, and plenty of indoor and outdoor spaces for lounging, either quietly or near live music.

Entertainment

4 out of 5
Great mix of music options, comedian was awesome, dancers were OK (talented but maybe need a new choreographer).

Service and Staff

5 out of 5
Staff was all pleasant and happy to assist. They definitely made an effort to know guests by name, remember preferences in the bars or dining areas.

Ship Quality

4 out of 5
Everything was clean and well-maintained. At busy times elevators were full/long wait (but taking the stairs is a good way to walk off the free food. :) )

Cabin / Stateroom

4 out of 5
This is one of the extra small singles cabins. If you do not need a queen bed and can sleep in a single, I recommend having the beds seperated - that will give you a flat surface to set luggage on, and about 20 inches between the beds. As a queen bed, you could not walk around the bed, and the desk (which had paperwork and a phone, etc) was not quite big enough for my (airline carry-on sized) bag, so it was on the end of my bed. Bed was comfortable, everything was kept spotless, and the cabin was quiet. This cabin is near the back of the ship - a quick walk up one flight of stairs to the buffet, but a bit of a walk to many other areas of the ship.

Ship tip

Although there was a kids club, this ship does not have things like waterslides, climbing walls, miniature golf, etc. It may not be the ship for your family.....at the same time, if you prefer fewer kids around the pool or whatnot, this is a great option.

Ports of call

Freeport, Grand Bahama Island

4 out of 5
I did get out and walk the port area - expected touristy shops and bars with wifi. Freeport itself is a bit a haul away, so plan more time.

Nassau, Bahamas

4 out of 5
I did the snorkel and catamaran tour and it was great! About an hour snorkeling at a coral reef, then sailing around, seeing the giant mansions, Atlantis, the port filled with cruise ships, etc. Much more to do at this location just walking in from the pier (compared to Freeport)

Great Stirrup Cay (Cruise Line Private Island), Bahamas

5 out of 5
Just a nice relaxing day at the beach. Meals provided as if on ship, drink package applies, etc. A nice shallow bay of clear water perfect for swimming, snorkeling, or simply standing in the water with a drink.

Disembarkation

5 out of 5
I did not check luggage so it was as smooth as leaving an airplane. Parking garage is also close to dock so just walked across the street to my car.
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2 Comments

cruisereckoning    4 years ago

So glad you enjoyed. I think all the ship are becoming more casual.

hunny68    4 years ago

I wouldn't call myself seasoned at all. I've done 2 cruises on NCL out of Miami. One on Sky and one on Dawn. For Sky, the check-in process took less than 10 minutes and we walked right on the ship. For Dawn, it was 30 minutes max from the time we were dropped off at the port until we walked on the ship.

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