Great cruise and a much needed break from our winter blizzard season.
Embarkation
5 out of 5
We arrived at 10:45 and were on the ship by 11:00. Seamless!
Ship experiences
Food and Dining
4 out of 5
Not a huge fan of the new menus, but Gregg thought they were okay. Our waiter must have been new to his role so service was painfully slow. The waiter did the job of the bar staff and assistant waiter, often leaving the assistant waiter standing around with with nothing to do. Our waiter frequently got our orders wrong, also. He was kind, but unexperienced. Not a deal breaker for us. We are patient people. The buffet had a consistent breakfast and good dinner selection for the two nights we chose to eat there. Main dining room for lunch was relaxing.
Onboard Activities
5 out of 5
There is so much to do on this ship. We paid for the extended North Star experience and thought it was well worth it. We enjoyed the bumper cars, the solarium hot tubs, and the Sky Pad. Our only complaint is that there was not a deck chair to be found on a sea day. Not a deal breaker for us since our cabin had a balcony and was 5 doors down from the deck 13 entrance to the solarium. Easy enough to use the solarium and go back to our own balcony to lounge. It is specifically why we picked that location.
Entertainment
5 out of 5
We were VERY impressed with all of the entertainment on board. The technology used in the sets were top notch. Impressive costuming for Showgirls. Impressive acrobatics, violinist, contortionist, and drummer in The Book (even if it lacked a cohesive storyline). Effectors had great technological sets and was performed by the same cast as Showgirls. The Journey Tribute band was a lot of fun. We attended a silent disco. It was a blast despite our mature ages. Arrive early for everything to get good seats!
Service and Staff
5 out of 5
Tempted to take a star off for the inexperienced wait staff we had but can't. Our cabin steward, Richard took great pride in his work. Our cabin was spotless and well cared for. Maria, in Playmakers learned a new drink recipe for Gregg and made them for the remainder of the cruise. The coffee service in Cafe 270 was exceptional. Every bar, every venue, staff work hard.
Ship Quality
5 out of 5
Super clean ship!!! I don't think we would book this class of ship again just because the layout did not do a good job of dispersing the crowds the way an Oasis class does. It felt very cramped and was impossible to find any deck space on a sea day. I think an extra pool in place of the indoor Seaplex would be beneficial. These are nitpicky things. We still LOVED our cruise.
Cabin / Stateroom
5 out of 5
Large, bright, modern balcony cabin with a ton of storage. Very relaxing.
Ship tip
Get to the pool deck early on a sea day. Go to all the shows, and arrive early for best seating.
This was an AWESOME day. We took the Casabao Beach excursion. Nice bus tour to and from the beach with plenty of time to snorkel and enjoy the beach on our own. We would do it again. Great snorkeling to the left when you enter the water. I even saw a moray eel.
We spent our time relaxing and swimming at Columbus Cove. Bar tenders came by every 15 minutes so easy to overdrink if you have a drink package. Such a relaxing day. We are never impressed with the food choices on Labadee (not like Coco Cay), so we wait to eat on the ship at the end of the day. It's not like we're suffering. 🤣
First time in Aruba, Gregg was held hostage at the end of our private excursion while I ran back to the ship to get money (they said they would take a credit card before we left on the tour and then wanted cash only at the end). We took no chances and booked a ship excursion this time with 2 snorkeling sites including a WWII shipwreck. Excursion was too crowded and the currents were strong the day we went. We still enjoyed being out in the sun, having some water time, and meeting new people. Certainly better than shoveling snow back home!!!
Would recommend Hyatt House Fort Lauderdale before your cruise. Lovely new shopping area, very safe in the evenings, and several dining options. You can book a shuttle to Port Everglades but we took an Uber. Super close.
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