Being aboard Symphony before we enjoyed the ship and all she has to offer but that was in 2018. They do the same shows and have less food choices we noticed, a big disappointment for what we expected. The Windjammer has basically the same food everyday, only minor changes. Even the main dining room menu only changes slightly night to night. Very disappointed. The staff really are great which help make the trip worth the price. The ship is starting to show its age.
Embarkation
5 out of 5
As always, smooth embarkation from Bayonne.
Ship experiences
Food and Dining
2 out of 5
We have sailed on Symphony before and really enjoyed it. Seems the Windjammer has thinned down their food choices and serve basically the same things every day. By our last day I was ready for a different menu.
Onboard Activities
4 out of 5
Pools were warm for this late in the year but as with everything on this ship, crowded!
Entertainment
3 out of 5
The shows were great but again, we have seen them before, FIVE YEARS AGO!!!
Children's Programs
4 out of 5
We had our three year old with us but didn’t feel comfortable enough leaving her with the kids club but there was a lot for her to do.
Service and Staff
5 out of 5
All the staff was superb, waiters and our room steward, even the staff at Johnny Rockets and customer service desk were excellent.
Ship Quality
5 out of 5
The ship is huge and well cared for but showing its age, some issues with the sensors on the sinks, inside our stateroom some trim was faded and the finish worn away. Time for a refresh???
Cabin / Stateroom
2 out of 5
The comfort and size are as well as any other, however we tried a boardwalk balcony room. It was loud when the aqua theater was doing a show, there was no view to speak of except for the rooms across from us and what they had on their balcony. Leaving port and returning to NJ the exhaust smell was overpowering. Like being behind a stinky diesel truck in traffic. Never again.
Ship tip
Everything is crowded, shows, Windjammer, main dining even the little kids show was packed AND not with families with little ones. Arrive early to get a good seat and understand it’s a big ship with lots of people. If crowds bother you, this isn’t for you.
Again, crowds and poor explanation of what was available and where on the island it is and we weren’t the only ship there. Self guided ourselves to the beach which was nice.
Self guided shopping trip to town. Everyone was nice, a lot of locals offering taxi rides or excursions and lots of spots for shopping. Prices were a little high however.
We disembark after a quick breakfast and do the self guided luggage, always quick but at times tricky. The ship and port have it down pretty well, follow the directions and it goes fast. Parking is $30 a DAY!!! If you can price a suitable ride it may be worth it, we were almost 2 hours away so it was cheaper to park there.
Thanks for sharing your cruise experience. Sorry it didn’t meet all your expectations. Royal does not change the main shows on their ships. If you want to experience different shows, you’ll have to try different ships. We were on the same sailing and enjoyed our cruise so much so that we have our third cruise on Symphony planned for next year.
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