Key West and Bimini Island

Scarlet Lady Cruise Review

Cruises: 7+ cruises
Reviews: 2
Helpful Votes: 37

Overall rating:

4.2 out of 5
Scarlet Lady

4 Night Fire & Sunset Soirees (Miami Roundtrip)

Sail date: December 18, 2022

Ship: Scarlet Lady

Traveled as: Singles/Friends

Reviewed: 1 year ago

Review summary

Boarding and getting off the ship was simple and quick. There is no cruise director. There are no announcements. We didn't use any of the specialty restaurants. The Galley food was good but I prefer a buffet. There was a nice smoking lounge at the back of the casino. I didn't use the pool or hot tub but I didn't hear anyone complain either. We didn't attend any shows. The ports were beautiful.

Embarkation

5 out of 5
Embarkation was a breeze. You stand in the line with your boarding time and they call you in. The check in process was simple and quick.

Ship experiences

Food and Dining

5 out of 5
The breakfast was always delicious. We didn't order anything complicated and not sure if anything like that was available.

Hot off the Press

4 out of 5

The freshly made sandwiches were delicious. They are served with tortilla style chips. There is no self service. Find a table, wait for a waiter/waitress, place an order and wait for the service. I prefer self service which is why I didn't give it 5 stars.

Gym & Tonic

4 out of 5

Upon returning from an excursion on Bimini Island I went to Deck 16 to enjoy a cigar. I stopped at the pool bar. It wasn't open yet. This was around 130 in the afternoon. I found this to be odd. It did open about a half hour later.

Draught Haus

2 out of 5

Stopped here soon after boarding. I checked the menu in search of an IPA. I found they had 3 on the menu. After trying to get each of the three I was told each time they didn't have what I ordered. So I asked what they did have and then I would choose from that list. I didn't return at all during the cruise.

Burger Bar

5 out of 5

The burger and fries were delicious. I had my favorite which is with just cheese. You can also build your own burger. The down side is that there is no self service. The best way to guarantee quick service is to choose a table or booth in the center of the Galley. We choose a table near the windows on 2 occasions and found the service much slower.

The Sweet Side

5 out of 5

This is one of the few self service areas on the ship. Since it's dessert, freshly made, it's awesome. There is also fresh bread to the left of the sweets also freshly made.

Lick Me Till...Ice Cream

4 out of 5

Easy access near the pizza parlor. Several flavors to choose from. I had coffee ice cream. You get to choose a cup or cone. I think there were 3 different type cones.

The Galley

4 out of 5

Breakfast was always delicious. I'm not a big fan of table service as I prefer the buffet available on most cruise lines. We also enjoyed the Burger Bar. The burger and fries was also delicious.

The Pizza Place

5 out of 5

This was a favorite stop for us. There are about 5 or 6 choices available. It's a self service venue so I liked that. It's on Deck 7. It was our first stop.

Onboard Activities

5 out of 5

The Casino

5 out of 5

The casino was rather small but included what we wanted since we play slots. There were a few table games and a bar, all the essentials.

Entertainment

2 out of 5
We didn't attend any entertainment venues.

Children's Programs

2 out of 5
There were no children in our party.

Service and Staff

3 out of 5
The entire staff was friendly and ready to serve. Our room was always cleaned early. The bathroom was large enough to not feel closed in. The wait staff in the Galley was good but not necessarily great. I didn't use any of the specialty restaurants so can't comment on those.

Ship Quality

5 out of 5
The entire ship was clean and safe. The layout was much different from any of my previous cruises (25). The electronic controls in the stateroom was pretty amazing. From the tablet on the desk you can control the lights, TV, and curtains. It was impressive.

Cabin / Stateroom

5 out of 5
We very much enjoyed the cabin and balcony. The hammock on the balcony was a nice touch. The electronics were controlled by a tablet. It controlled the lights, TV, and curtains. There were endless movies available.

Ship tip

Don't expect to hear any announcements. There are none. There is no cruise director. I found it hard to tell which bar I was at because there were no signs. I had to check the menu to know where I was, other than casino of course.

Ports of call

Key West, Florida

5 out of 5
We took a trolley tour purchased on the ship. It lasted about an hour. The driver was professional and funny. He made us all laugh and he easily described all the trip highlights. Highly recommended.

Disembarkation

5 out of 5
We had carry on luggage only. We were off the ship in about 15 minutes, to include customs.

Traveler Photos

Key West icon. Sloppy Joe's never disappoints. Hogs Breath is better than no breath at all. Another Duval Street favorite
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4 Comments

MountainMama08    1 year ago

Thanks for sharing

javawoody    1 year ago

Thanks for sharing your experience

CruzeFan    1 year ago

Sounds great. No announcements would be good.

AuntPinkie    1 year ago

Appreciate your detailed review. Glad you mostly enjoyed your cruise.