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People are too critical here! Good grief folks, what do you expect for a couple of hundred dollars? The bang for the buck is awesome!
We are not first timers. We have cruised with several cruise lines for the past 8 years. We took a TA from England to Ft. Lauderdale in October 2012 (fantastic) so I believe I have an unbiased objective viewpoint.
Yes, the ship is old, but still maintained fairly well all things considered for a 22 year old ship! I was amazed at the layout. The public areas were abundant! Deck 7 (promenade deck) was HUGE! The Pool deck was nothing short of fantastic as well! HUGE with 2 pools. Even though most staterooms are inside rooms, (we had an ocean view), they were adequate, clean and for the most part comfortable. (bed was hard for me)
The staff was nothing short of outstanding in all respects! All of them! Everyone was very accommodating and went out of their way to help you no matter what was needed. Our dining room waiters were terrific! I can't say enough good things about the ships officers and staff.
One of the BEST things on this cruise (and there were many) was the Musical talent aboard! The (Canadian guys) band from Vancouver BC was phenomenal! I am in my late 50's, these guys played music from many era's as well as up to date stuff. What was so impressive was their skills with guitars and vocals~! WOW! These guys played during the initial sail away and had the house Rockin"! It was one of the best sail away's I've seen. They continued to Rock the House during the whole trip and had quite a following. No wonder!
A Piano man named Kelly was another incredible performer. He was in the schooner lounge, and had that WOW factor as well. There isn't a song he doesn't know the words to or how to play. He did a fantastic rendition of "Bye Bye American Pie" by Don McClean. AMAZING! What a joy to be a part of.
Anna the pianist was good.
One of my favorites was the Calypso band that played poolside and around the ship. VERY talented men and a joy to listen to.
When cruising the Caribbean, out on deck, THERE NEEDS TO BE MUSIC! And Royal Caribbean REALLY CAME THROUGH on this aspect of cruising. I've been disappointed about this with other cruise lines. They don't seem to get it, that music is what makes the difference between an OK cruise, or a GREAT cruise!
The food was over all VERY GOOD! What the heck do people expect on a cruise for $60.00 per day, per person?!? It was outstanding! Quit your bitchin' you bunch of stuck up snobs. :)
Coco Cay was EXCELLENT!!! I can't believe someone here trashed Coco Cay. They obviously have NO knowledge of Bahamian or Caribbean culture. There were tons of chaise loungers for hundreds of people! The beach and water was crystal clear, the weather was PERFECT! They catered a FANTASTIC lunch that would make the best picnic offerings look mediorcre. It just doesn't get any better folks!!!!
This was the cruise on Feb 4th through the 8th, 2012.
Nassau was also as expected if you've ever been to anywhere else in the Caribbean. I've never been to Nassau and that was whey we decided to take this trip. We were both born and raised in South Florida. Never been to the Bahamas and have always heard mixed things about Nassau. I am glad that we did.
I had THE BEST, Freshest, Conch Salad made right before my eyes. The guy removed the Conch right out of the shell! It was amazing. Talk about fresh! Right down the street from the gauntlet they run you through before getting to the street where the cabbies hang out, a little hole in the wall place that had cold beer, GREAT streetside atmosphere and friendly cruisers to chat with. As they say, "That's What the F%&* I'm Talkin' About!"
Overall, a great day in Nassau. We didn't go to Atlantis or any of the touristy places, didn't even take a tour. Just enjoyed walking the area near the port (Straw Market area) and had a great time. Went back to the ship and enjoyed the rest of the day.
This cruise was about relaxation for us. We accomplished our goal. The best part of all this is this:
The Cruise FAR EXCEEDED our expectations in so many ways, and when it fell short, we took it with a grain of salt. Life is what you make it folks! Stop taking this stuff so seriously. ;)
RCI, You did great! Keep it up because we'll be back!
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