Better than staying at home.
Cold weather cruises are not as enjoyable as warm ones.
Older ships in the fleet seem to be training grounds for new employees.
Bring documentation of OBC's in case they do not show up.
"Diamond Plus", and/or "Jr. Suites" that used to make you feel special, seem to be just as good as "Gold" sailing in an inside cabin.
Embarkation
5 out of 5
Fast and Efficient, however, employee holding "The Key" paddle was clueless on the benefits, she just wanted us to report to our muster station.
Ship experiences
Food and Dining
3 out of 5
Food was average at best. Very few meals were served hot. Apple blossom dessert,... one of the reasons we sail Royal,... was replaced with their apple pie offered many years ago...and I think it was the same pie. Buffet was ok, nothing special, however the Indian dishes were very good. Waitress Charmaine in main dining was a gem, made up for sub-par food quality.
Onboard Activities
4 out of 5
Participated in most trivia games...life changing prizes...because of the cold climate cruise, outdoor pool activities were few. A little too cold for rock climbing and flow rider.
They did celebrate the unveiling of the Icon with nice prizes, including a free cruise on the maiden voyage.
Entertainment
4 out of 5
Same old song and dance....
Ice show was good, but has not changed, it was the 4th time we have seen it.
Service and Staff
5 out of 5
All staff was outstanding except for guest services. We had a missing OBC from Shareholder benefit, and they were clueless. Had to get the Guest Services manager involved to correct the issue.
As mentioned previously, Charmaine in main dining room was remarkable.
Ship Quality
4 out of 5
Some furnishings are showing some wear and tear and should be replaced. Rust was beginning to be noticable. Carpets on stairways were brand new. Cleaners were ever present, but not to the extent during the re-start.
Cabin / Stateroom
5 out of 5
We had a Jr. Suite on deck 9. Nice space, outdated colors. Hinges on most doors needed to be replaced or tightened. Cabin steward kept the room very clean and provided us with everything we needed.
Jr. Suites no longer have the clout they had years ago. It is nice to have the extra space, but many of the previous perks have disappeared.
Ship tip
Be prepared for minimally trained staff. Some were incredible (Charmaine), others were clueless (guest services staff).
Bring documentation of any OBC you are supposed to receive...seems many are not credited, we saw pages of missing OBC requests when we inquired about ours.
Ship arrived 1 hour late due to fog. Shore excursions were adjusted. Our afternoon tour went to Peggy's Cove and the Titanic graveyard. Guide was outstanding. Downpour and fog at Peggy's Cove. Great to see an angry ocean in the fog, but probably would have been more enjoyable in better weather. When we finally got to the Titanic graveyard, it was dark.....Guide had some good history and stories about the over 100 souls buried there.
Took the pink hop-on-hop off bus....3 times. We were able to see the reversing falls in all 3 phases, from high tide...when the Bay of Fundy causes the river to flow backwards, to slack tide...the only time you can navigate that part of the river, to low tide...where the rapids are forcing the water back into the Bay of Fundy. Local guides on the buses were informative and funny.
We also stopped and bowled a few games of "candlepins" at the local Bowl-a-rama.
Boston is working on the tunnels that connect the airport to the cruise port. Taxi cabs are metered, so sitting in traffic because of a closed tunnel adds to your fare.
Walked over to Bar Island during low tide. Be aware of the tide schedule, or you will be stranded. Tides come in fast and water is too cold to swim if you get stuck. You can call for a boat to rescue you for $$$$.
In the afternoon, we took a nature boat cruise through the harbor and neighboring islands, saw many bald eagles.
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