We had the best time. Such a beautiful ship and wonderful crew. So much to do no matter what your age.
Embarkation
5 out of 5
Very fast and well organized. Had to ask for help to find the right entrance at the port…RCCL staff was very helpful.
Ship experiences
Food and Dining
5 out of 5
We really enjoyed the food and drinks. Hooked Seafood was amazing as was the Izumi Hibachi Experience. We also enjoyed the Solarium Bistro and Main Dining Room for dinners (reservations are required)…nice environments and great food. Only went to Windjammer a couple times. The food was good and although it felt very busy (it was a fully booked holiday cruise), we were able to quickly find a table. We liked the convenience of Johnny Rockets and Playmakers. Food was great and reasonably priced. El Loco Fresh was okay…only tried it once but it was a long line and the pre-made burritos and quesadillas were basic. Loved Dog House for a midday snack and Sorrentos for late night pizza. We went to most all the bars too. We primarily found ourselves at Schooner Bar, Copper and Kettle Pub, and Playmakers. Really great vibes and service. Pool bars were top notch too. Bartenders were routinely stopping by and we were well taken care of. The staff at all the restaurants and bars deserve special recognition. They delivered excellent and speedy service. Man do they work hard. We made sure to give extra cash tips to those who stood out to us. So many great people. Overall A+ for our dining and beverages experience.
Onboard Activities
5 out of 5
Pools were great fun, although it was difficult to find a lounge chair at the pool level. The chair saving game is crazy…most chairs had towels on them with no people. While RCCL has a no-chair-saving policy, it is not enforced. We could usually find lounge chairs on the upper deck, which was suitable and good for viewing the hysterical pool contests. Only one day we struggled to find two chairs together on the upper deck, but we had gotten out there late that day (11am). I enjoyed the escape room (cost was $35 per person). You do it with other people unless you have a large enough group. It’s challenging and fun. Fitness center was great. Line at Vitality Cafe was too long for me so I never tried anything from there. Lots of activities available to do. Although my favorite activity was pub crawling.
Entertainment
5 out of 5
The entertainment was spectacular! The shows were top notch. If you are a show person, you should see them all. Hiro (Cirque-type show), Hairspray, Flight (an RCCL musical), 1977 ice skating show, adult comedy show, pianist in Schooner Bar…and so many more. If you’re not a show person you should at least see Hiro which is kind of like a Cirque du Soleil show with some extreme sports. Such high caliber talent and shows on Symphony…among the best shows I’ve ever seen. I was beyond impressed. If you find the shows are sold out, just go 30 minutes early to wait in the standby line…many people are no shows and you can usually get in. They had a Q and A session with some of the entertainment staff in the morning on the last day of our cruise…really interesting to learn about some of the behind the scenes stuff and ask questions of some of the performers and stage staff.
Children's Programs
We did not travel with children but sure looked like kids were having a blast.
Service and Staff
5 out of 5
The service was top notch throughout the ship. I put most of my comments related to service under the food/beverage topic. The crew works incredibly hard and I was very appreciative of all their efforts to ensure we were having the best experience.
Ship Quality
5 out of 5
Everything was clean and well maintained. Some of the public area restrooms could have used more frequent cleaning during our cruise. But overall beautiful, well-designed, and well-maintained ship!
Cabin / Stateroom
5 out of 5
We had a Central Park view balcony room. It was a good size room for two of us. I prefer an ocean view balcony but was trying to save money. This room was fine. It was quiet and peaceful. Had to keep the curtains closed since other cabins are across from you can easily see in. But it was clean and comfortable. Mattress is quite firm, which is fine for me. You could probably throw extra blankets on top of the mattress to make it softer if that’s your preference.
Ship tip
I recommend taking cash to recognize the staff you find who are contributing to your enjoyable experience. Also take cash to the ports since many places do not accept credit cards.
Enjoyed the day before the cruise at the Courtyard Marriott Fort Lauderdale Downtown. They have a great rooftop pool and pool bar (Easton Rooftop Pool and Lounge) with surrounding area restaurants and speak easy. Didn’t do any excursions.
I suggest booking an excursion. We just ended up walking around St. Kitts which was small and crowed. Plan ahead and book something outside St. Kitts. BRING CASH!! Most places were cash only.
Met a local who let us join his catamaran outing for $80 per person. It was the best day! All inclusive excursion with food and beverages, including alcohol (they introduced me to Caribbean BBD rum). Went snorkeling, visited a beach and met some amazing people. A wonderful family owned business: Happy Sailing SXM. Their website is www.HappySailingSXM.com. Leroy, David, and Daniel were the absolute best.
We rented the floating mats and hung out by the floating bar. Chairs were plenty on the beach. Food and drink were fantastic. Locals working in addition to the RCCL staff were very friendly and helpful.
We disembarked at 9:30 am and were to the FLL airport by 10am. Very quick and well organized. They didn’t advertise the service that will take your luggage right from your cabin door to your flight. You have to go to the service desk to request the form. It’s $60 per person. We did it on a previous cruise and it was great. Since it wasn’t advertised on this cruise we didn't realize it was available so we missed out. A nice option if you can afford it.
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