Ship needs to have limited designated smoking places, like most cruise lines. Service is friendly and crew members really do care about guests having a nice experience. They have no control over the cigarette smokers. I would have given a much higher rating if that had not been an issue.
Embarkation
3 out of 5
People were nice in the terminal, but when we asked crew members where to find the Main Dining Room for a special lunch for The Key members, nobody knew what we were talking about! Bad communication.
Ship experiences
Food and Dining
2 out of 5
Restaurant choices were very limited - Windjammer buffet, Main Dining Room (3 decks), steak house, Italian restaurant and a sushi place we never could locate. Food was mediocre at best, and Cupcake place was always closed. Food counter on Deck 5 Promenade had very limited selection and it was NOT tasty!
Onboard Activities
1 out of 5
We could NOT use the pools because of all the smokers. We could not walk along the Promenade because of all the smokers sitting outside the bars. Made our allergies really bad.
Entertainment
We were too sick from cigarette smoke everywhere that we didn't go to any shows.
Service and Staff
5 out of 5
Cruz, our cabin steward, was awesome! Very helpful and did great work. Yasar in the Main Dining Room and his team also provided superior service once they understood that my husband's disability made dining at a specific time impossible, so they found us a table and we had anytime dining, after two unsatisfactory dinners in the buffet.
Ship Quality
1 out of 5
It's an older ship beginning to show its age, despite crew efforts to keep it clean. There are only TWO elevator banks, so be prepared for some hiking to get around. Also, to get to the theater, you MUST go through the smelly smoky casino. Yuck!
Cabin / Stateroom
1 out of 5
We had an interior guaranty cabin, and were assigned a cabin with a bowed picture window overlooking the Promenade. Unfortunately, the window is NOT soundproof, so we had to deal with lots of noise from about 6 AM until close to midnight when the music finally stopped. The AC didn't work but a crew member brought us a fan. That helped but it took up one of the only TWO plug outlets in the entire cabin! The other outlet was for my husband's CPAP machine.
Ship tip
If you don't like cigarette smoke, choose another ship. There was smoking permitted in the casino, all pool areas, and in all bars and tables outside bars in the public walkways. Be aware of the limited choices of places to eat.
We loved the beach at Costa Maya, and the service was excellent. The excursion we chose from TripAdvisor got us a nice senior discount! Check out La Chilangaloense Beach Club at https://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g499450-d19890698-Reviews-La_Chilangaloense_Beach_Club-Mahahual_Costa_Maya_Yucatan_Peninsula.html. The restaurant restroom facilities were old, but the beach was clean and easy to walk on, the service was very friendly and the food was really good. Locals come by to sell stuff, but move on after a polite "no thank you". I learned that this port becomes a ghost town when cruise ships aren't in town, so we did what we could to support the local economy on our budget.
We tried the VIP at Mr Sanchos and do NOT recommend it for people with walking or stability issues since the sand is extremely soft, both on the beach and in the water. We got knocked down a few times trying to exit the water. Servers and other guests helped us to our feet. Food and drinks were not good and service was slow because the place was packed. We couldn't even use the pool, so we only stayed about 2 hours - mostly waiting for the massage time. The BEST part of this beach club was the Fish Pedicure for $20 per person. At first I was hesitant, but once I got used to the idea and gave it a try, I LOVED it and so did my husband. It didn't hurt at all because the fish don't have teeth to bite you. They suction off skin cells. Then the ladies finish with a rinse and an exfoliating massage that was amazing.
Disembarkation was really nice. Since we purchased The Key, we were able to have an early breakfast in the Main Dining Room on Deck 3, and leave the ship before most people were out of their cabins. We were out of the dining room, off the ship, through customs and onto our shuttle to the parking lot in less than 25 minutes, including time to search for our one large suitcase.
I was on the same cruise. I never smelled smoke except for the smoking area on the port side deck 11(pool) and the casino. Also on the port side deck 4 outside. Easy areas to avoid.
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