This was our first post-covid cruise, and will be our last for a while. It was missing the magic of a relaxing, all inclusive vacation. Most of our complaints may seem small, but when added up, it just made for an overall stressful week.
Embarkation
2 out of 5
Traffic at the terminal was horrendous, as there were people picking up disembarking passengers as well as dropping off. Once inside, agents kept people moving to the point of being rude. Small children struggling with their bags were yelled at to move along. Our party got separated and when we tried to wait for them, they sternly told us that we're all going to the same place and there was no waiting. We ended up missing out on the embarkation picture and seeing the ship together for the first time.
Ship experiences
Food and Dining
2 out of 5
Main dining food and service was abysmal. Waitstaff was inexperienced and chaotic. Bread was cold and hard as a rock. Seafood was off and the steak were likely reheated. The Windjammer was basically school cafeteria food. Offerings were left empty and you had to wait awhile for them to be restocked. Highlights of the included options were El Loco Fresh and the Doghouse. Both were very good, for fast food. Pay options like Chops and the suite lounge Coastal Kitchen were slightly better, but you shouldn't have to pay extra for a decent dining experience. Room service also messed up order 5 out of 7 mornings and we had to call them back for missing items.
Onboard Activities
2 out of 5
Pools and waterslides were great, but we found that the Abyss slide, flow rider, and rock wall were hardly ever open. They had reduced hours due to weather, but they could've opened longer in the nice weather to compensate. Most of the games in the arcade were out of order. 90% of the activities were aimed at getting you to buy something. Spa sales pitches disguised as pamper parties, jewelry seminars with cheap free gifts. Bingo was expensive.
Entertainment
2 out of 5
The Aeromyth cover band was fantastic, but that was about it. Aqua80 was closed due to a malfunction and Cats is dated. The ice show was never at a date or time that we could attend. Glitches in the reservation system made it nearly impossible to smoothly reserve show times and we just gave up. We'd make plans for the day, and then a show time would be changed and we'd miss our opportunity at something else.
Children's Programs
2 out of 5
Kids were in the kids club for about an hour and never went back. Not a lot of kids on the boat, so it was pretty quiet.
Service and Staff
3 out of 5
The staff tried really hard, but to be honest they all seemed new and generally unhelpful. Absolutely nothing went smoothly. I understand they had to do a lot of restaffing with covid, but we didn't feel like we were in capable hands. The vibe wasn't friendly and fun. The highlights were a few really good bartenders.
Ship Quality
5 out of 5
I will say that the ship was stunning and everything was spotless at all times.
Cabin / Stateroom
5 out of 5
Perfect size for 2 adults and 2 preteen kids. Bed was amazing. Bathroom was spacious. Suite was definitely worth the added cost.
Ship tip
Go in not expecting much. Any vacation is better than being home, but it felt like more work than fun. Be prepared to use the app for everything, but it not working so you're left frustrated and wasting your time. I didnt gain a pound because I couldn't find much worth eating. If the ship is full, be prepared for crowded elevators and no one social distancing.
None of the excursions appealed to us and we were only there for a short time. We heard from other passengers that due to an accident, they were late getting to Disney/Universal/SeaWorld. They only had an hour in the parks. No thanks.
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