I was dissapointed in the staff overall which makes a hugedifference. They really set the tone.
I'm not a big shopper so the focus on shopping wasn't for me. I would rather have more fun, scheduled activities. I had way more fun on Carnival and the staff was way more attentive and friendly.
I do like that it never really felt crowded (except the buffet). There were always open chairsaround the pool. The food was good. Awesome stuff for the kids to do. Kids club, parties on the Boardwalk, specific areas for 12-17 years olds, and activities/get togethers for them. I loved being able to use the kids club so that my husband and I could have time to ourlselves.
Embarkation
4 out of 5
The lines were long, but everything seemed pretty smooth. My 5 year old was super restless waiting in the lines.
Ship experiences
Food and Dining
4 out of 5
We only ate at the areas that were free. I felt like there were lots of choices throughout the day.
Café Promenade
4 out of 5
I got the specialty coffee card. I def recommend this if you drink even one drink a day. You get 15 drinks for $31 (I think). I do wish there was more of a selection for what you can choose from. You get the choice of lattes, chai tea, americanos and Caribbean dream (which is just a coconut latte I think).
Onboard Activities
3 out of 5
We watched some of the shows, went to the parties at the Boardwalk (which were a lot of fun for my 5 year old). He especially loved the face painting and balloon animals. I was disappointed that there weren't more activities going on around the pool deck.
Swimming Pools
3 out of 5
I liked that there were several options for the pools. And I really like that there are lifeguards. In the kiddie area, it is a lot of fun for the kids, but really hard to see them unless you are in there next to them the whole time. There are a lot of different structures. So it's nice that there are lifeguards.
Day Spa and Fitness Center
3 out of 5
My massage was AMAZING! However, once she was done, she was incredible pushy trying to get me to buy more products. Which is a huge turnoff! The products were nice, but super pricey and the massage itself was already expensive (expected on a cruise).
Entertainment
4 out of 5
I really liked the aqua show and the comedian, Paul.
Children's Programs
5 out of 5
My 5 year old LOVED the kids club!!!! The staff was so fun and high energy! The shows the kids put on were really cute and funny. I especially like the pirate show. My son especially liked Mr. Aladin (Chicken Nugget), Ms. Bubbles and Mr. Happy. When my son saw them outside of kids club, they always remembered him and spoke to him. That was a really big deal for him.
Adventure Ocean Theater
5 out of 5
One of my favorite things all week was the shows the kids put on in here. Especially the pirate show. If your kids are in the kids club, go watch their shows! Don't forget your camera!! You're going to want to video :)
Service and Staff
3 out of 5
There were a handful of standouts for me, but overall I was disappointed with the staff. A lot of them would look another direction when I ordered food, the seemed uninterested. One server at the ice show asked if we wanted any drinks. When my husband asked for a soda, he pointed outside where he could go get one himself. A lot weren't friendly and just seemed unhappy to be there. That being said.. there were a few really awesome people!
Finlay was our room steward. He was very attentive to when we were in and out of our room. My son loved his towel animals. He was very kind and personable when he saw us in the hallway.
Lorenzo was our waiter at dinner. He was fun. I loved how he was always dancing around. He and Euyan always kept our drinks full and made sure we had everything.
Sam at the Café Promonade was so attentive. She overheard me ask for something that they didn't have and she came over and gave me other suggestions. She always remembered my name and how I liked my drink. Alston was so friendly and sweet.
There was a girl in the shop next to Sorentos that was always super friendly and always made conversation.
There was a sweet little Asian girl that I ran into in the bathrooms on 3 different occasions. She always had a smile on her face and stopped to make conversation every time. She was always cleaning the bathrooms and was one of the friendliest people I talked to all week!
The staff at the kids club were AMAZING!! Specifically Mr. Aladin! He was so much fun and high energy. If more of the overall staff were like him, I would have had a lot more fun on the ship.
In my experience, Carnival service and staff is hands down, way better. Mr. Aladin reminds me of what most of the Carnival staff is like.
Ship Quality
5 out of 5
I was impressed at the attention to cleanliness and hand washing.
Cabin / Stateroom
5 out of 5
Ship tip
I feel like there was a huge emphasis on high end shopping. If that's you're thing, you will love this ship. I think it was missing the "fun factor". So depending on what you're looking for, this may or may not be the ship for you.
My husband and son did the aqua park and the slide. They really enjoyed the aqua park but my husband said he thought the slide was way overpriced for what it was. I enjoyed lounging around and the lunch was good. I did not like going near the shopping area! I really wanted to look but when I tried, I was bombarded with guys trying to get me to buy their things. It was not enjoyable at all!
We wanted to do a beach excursion, but it was way overpriced. I think it was $30 a person and it was literally just going to a beach and getting free wifi. We asked about a beach our waiter recommended (who was from Jamaica) and she told us that beach was closed. Our waiter later told us he saw people on that beach that day. I'm assuming she lied to us because that beach wasn't part of her excusions.
We rented a jeep and toured the island ourselves. We really enjoyed this. There was an awesome spot off the road where we ate lunch. It was right on the beach and had a pool, hammocks, shopping, etc. It wasn't crowded at all. It was so peaceful and my son loved swimming in the pool. If you go around the island clockwise, a little ways after the Mayan Ruins, you will make a right turn. It's shortly after that on your left. There is a boat (on land) next to the parking area. Awesome place to stop.
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