I'll do it again, and just pack less - and not book any excursions until I'm onboard. I'll also see more shows and participate in the games onboard more. Just so much to do, and not enough hours in the day!
Embarkation
5 out of 5
No snags or SNAFUS, they board you in groups, so no long lines - and you get to wait in a holding area where there is seating, A/C, restrooms and a vending machine. Only took maybe 45 minutes total.
Ship experiences
Food and Dining
4 out of 5
Ate mostly at the buffet (desserts are sketchy at lunch, so get five and you'll find ONE you like), but Cagney's and the Brazilian Steakhouse were spectacular.
Onboard Activities
5 out of 5
Extreme Napkin Folding seminar - seriously, folks, don't miss this. I mean it - it was a HOOT. Also attended a few fitness center seminars (free) and learned some cool stuff that I'm very grateful for. The pool is small, so don't plan on doing laps, but it's good for soaking/floating and cooling off and getting to know folks. The ice cream is best at the bar near the pool. The stuff they call ice cream in the buffet is frozen yogurt. Fitness center was well-equipped, the staff was very friendly and knowledgeable, and it was never crowded.
Entertainment
5 out of 5
All the musicians/bands at the pool were great and energetic/upbeat, they sometimes get you out of your chair to do the macarena, the stage shows were phenomenal. Just not enough time to do it ALL, so I'll have to go back!
Children's Programs
I didn't take kids, but it looked like the 12 onboard were enjoying the kids areas.
Service and Staff
5 out of 5
Staff was so friendly, you couldn't be in a bad mood - EVER. They just wouldn't let you.
Ship Quality
4 out of 5
Ship layout was great, the fish on the carpet told you which way was fore/aft (super helpful), but the room really needed a good wipe-down of the walls (which I think maybe happens annually, based on the film/goo I saw).
Cabin / Stateroom
5 out of 5
Twin beds was a bit of a surprise, I was expecting a king (was never advised what size it would be, and I didn't really care). The beds were super-firm, not much to my liking. Pillows were feather, which I also didn't care for (I'm a big-fat-poly-fill pillow person), but I slept well.
Ship tip
Buy about 20 magnets. The walls are metal. On Amazon, just type "cruise magnets" - you'll see.
We did a snorkeling excursion that was a lot of fun, but I had heard from other people that there was a better selection of excursions onboard than what was on the NCL.com website. I was really bummed to find out later that I could have had a turtle excursion. It was never offered on the NCL site, but was available onboard. Too late for me.
Just did the beach day here. Needed a day to relax. A large Jeep-type vehicle takes you from port to the other side of the island (big-ass hill to climb was super-fun), so you see a lot of the island before parking at the beach. Beach has umbrellas (and chairs without), as well as cocktail delivery to your chair. Tell Tony Baloney to give you a good deal on a Painkiller. They're only $4, and delicious.
Excellent shopping, but a TON of walking for anything you wanted to do. Two weeks post-op on knee surgery was not a good idea. We did the private "Blue Lagoon Beach Day" excursion, which keeps the locals off your back (and it's safer), but you don't get the "Bahamian Experience" there at all. Nobody offering to braid your hair or sell you conch salad, and those were actually two things I was really looking forward to. Found both back in port, however.
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