This trip was definitely worth the money. The ship was excellent, well-maintained, and spacious; the food was excellent. I'd do it again in a heartbeat!
Embarkation
5 out of 5
Embarkation was a BREEZE... we checked in around noon with about 2,000 other people. From the time we dropped off our luggage until we were on the ship, it took about 45 minutes... that included going through security, checking in and receiving our SeaPass cards, and boarding the ship. All rooms were ready when we arrived on the ship.
Ship experiences
Food and Dining
5 out of 5
The food was EXCELLENT (except Sorrento's - it's just your basic run of the mill pizza). The main dining room (we did MyTime dining on deck 3) and Windjammer were great. We also tried Park Café, Sorrento's, Café Promenade, Johnny Rockets, and Ben and Jerry's.
Onboard Activities
4 out of 5
The pools were great, especially on port days - the first and last days on board were a bit crowded though. There is an area specifically for adults well away from the main pool area. The general activities were ok - bingo, Pictionary, trivia, pool parties, etc, etc - there's always something to do.
Entertainment
5 out of 5
CATS was excellent (although I recommend getting at least a basic synopsis of the plot before watching - otherwise you'll be lost quickly); the dive shows were great; the ice skating show was excellent!
Service and Staff
5 out of 5
Kevin was our stateroom attendant - he was excellent and QUICK! He was always around.
In the dining room we had Albert and Sapayian - they were awesome! Never had an empty glass, nor a crumb on the table. The head waiter on 3 (I didn't catch his name) was also excellent - always stopped in to find out how our day was, recommend the best dishes of the day, and recommend wine pairings.
Ship Quality
5 out of 5
I have never seen as much cleaning on a ship as I did on this one. They cleaned the backs of door hinges...! The overlaps of glass - they were not content until both pieces of glass were spot free, even if that meant some weird cleaning angles. This was even true up on the pool deck. We spotted the crew cleaning the windows on the pool deck about 30 minutes before a huge storm came through (we were in Cozumel at port at the time) and as soon as the rains left, the crew re-cleaned all the windows they had just cleaned... I thought it was really impressive.
Cabin / Stateroom
4 out of 5
Our room was nicely appointed and roomy (we had a boardwalk balcony stateroom). Temperature was easy to control; balcony was quite nice; furnishings (including TV) up to date. Our only complaint on this ship was the bathroom design - not the space itself. In the bathroom, the shower is next to the toilet. In most ship bathrooms we've ever had, the sink / counter area was across from the shower/toilet area. In this bathroom, however, the sink/counter area was right next to the toilet. This wasn't so bad for me, but my husband and his long legs - well, he didn't have the most comfortable experience.
Ship tip
Don't be afraid of sailing on a big ship. You don't feel the ocean at all (the technology used in cruise ships these days is amazing!); the crowds aren't as bad as you think. Yes, you'll wait in some lines - it happens on any ship. But the space is incredible and yes, you can find nice quiet places to be alone on the ship. The features on this ship are worth it! And see my comments on disembarkation!
Been to Labadee three times now... it's like a fancy beach resort. I don't get off the ship anymore for it. But do try it at least once - go to Dragon's Breath Point.
The port itself is beautifully done and the shopping is nice (there's even a Dairy Queen!). If you do a shore excursion, it's definitely recommended to do one recommended by the cruise line.
The new changes at International Pier are nice - you don't have to go down to the Forum anymore to go shopping unless you really want to. But be advised - the shop employees are definitely pushy! Vanilla and rum cakes highly recommended. From an excursions perspective, there are definitely several - try the Atlantis submarine, the dolphin encounter, or the tour of the ruins.
Quick quick quick! Two big hints: forget about the luggage tag number and go whenever you are ready - all of the luggage is already ready for pickup (they just call by number to control crowd flow); and when you do get your luggage, get a porter and have him take it for you! The biggest reason for the porter: you bypass the customs line into an express line. You tip the porter $2 a bag for the fastest disembarkation possible - it's definitely worth it. From the time we stepped off the ship until we were at our car: about 15 minutes (the walk to get to the luggage is at least 5 minutes).
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