My wife and I have taken two additional cruises on Princess, and with us taking our son (15 yo) with us, we wanted one that had a more kid friendly environment (arcade, wall-climbing, slides, and a club for his age (Entourage)) and others who had taken Norwegian recommended them as a kid friendly company. Check in at Miami was great. We had a small amount of waiting time, but once we passed through, we had a great time touring the ship to locate where things were at. The layout of the ship was significantly different than the other Princess ships we had been on. I wasn't sure how I was going to like the layout, which in my opinion, never did grow on me. We arrived at the boat at 11 am. Once we got access to our room at 1pm, it was nicely set up, about what we expected with a Balcony room. Our bags arrived shortly there after. However, not all of our bags arrived. We went to Guest Services to locate them, and they could not find them. We proposed the idea that they may have been placed in my fathers room. They called his room and verified that the bags were placed in the wrong room. Upon finding the bags, I verified that the tags put on the bags were identified to my room, solidifying the conclusion that the staff had made a mistake with our bags. On board activities fill up fast, and being as some of them need to be made when you arrive, it should be on your list of things to do as soon as you get onboard. There is difficulty on setting up reservations when you don't know your schedule 3 or 4 days in the future. When the daily schedule does come out every evening, it may require you to shuffle your schedule to meet obligations on the cruise. That part was very irritating. Our first show reservation did not go as planned. We had "Burn the Floor" scheduled on the first evening, but when we made it to our room, we found out that our reservation was moved to the next night at a different time, requiring us to shuffle our evening as we already had a dinner planned with family. We had to leave the restaurant early to make it to the show. When we arrived to our reservation at 7:27 pm for a 7:30 pm show, we were told our reservations that we made months in advance, which was changed to the following evening, had been given away to others as we didn't arrive 10 minutes prior to the show start. We were told it was standing room only. The Box Office staff were very unhelpful and rude, and asked us to leave the Theater. We did not know about the 10 minute requirement, which made us reschedule the show 5 days later. The mobile app and NCL.com doesn't mention the 10 minute requirement as well. Our first excursion port was in Roatan, Honduras. Roatan seemed very cluttered and not very picturesque. We bought the Ultimate Big French Key excursion. The excursion included either a snorkeling or boat tour. We decided to do the snorkeling. My wife an I wanted to document some pictures underwater, so we bought one of the phone bag/selfie sticks onboard for $40. When we bought it, I was skeptical on its protection of the phone in water. We all jumped into the water, and my wife told me the phone had come off the stick and fell into the water down to the bottom. We told the tour guide and he managed to dive down ~50 ft and retrieved my wife's brand new iPhone 11 Pro from the reef. We never expected him to do that, and this impressed us greatly. The phone bag maintained the seal from water and protected my wife's phone from water. The tour guide received a great tip from that. Once we returned to the beach, we relaxed for another couple of hours and the food was great. Overall, the excursion was great, and the tour guides turned our crappy vacation into a great one. We would definitely recommend this excursion to others. The next day, we went to Harvest Caye, Belize. It sounds like a legit name, however, this is just a name for Norwegian's private island. You don't actually get to see Belize's mainland. That being said, my family purchased the Villa's for $700 a pop. I was skeptical on the quality for the price. We arrived to the Villa by cart, and found a beautiful room and our own private beach and amenities. This part surpassed my initial thought. It was definitely a nice experience, but I don't think it is worth the $700 as you still have to buy your own drinks and food on top of it. Even though the island is owned by Norwegian and we had the beverage/alcohol/food packages, everything you buy is for an additional cost. We did the paddleboat excursion, which was far more activity than we expected, but it was good for the $29 my wife and I paid as a whole, not individually. Next up, we had a parasailing excursion at 1pm. The staff were very helpful and nice. When we got out to the parasailing site, we were told that it was cancelled due to inclimate weather (lightning). We were bummed that it was cancelled, but we knew we were getting our money back. We had a nice relaxing part of the day. Our concierge assigned to our Villa heard about the excursion cancellation and expressed sorrow. However, later in the day at 3pm she came and told us there were openings for the parasailing, which we capitalized on. The excursion went well, and my wife has a newfound likeness toward parasailing. Overall, a very good day in Harvest Caye. Would definitely recommend the parasailing and the Villa. Paddleboat maybe not as much. Next up, Costa Maya. Back in 2003, my wife and I took our honeymoon and this place had just opened up. We did not have a very good experience and were dreading visiting this place again. This time we decided to take the Maya Waterpark excursion. Upon arriving at the meeting area, the area is much bigger and full of more activities than we remember. There is a dolphin adventure, more places to eat and drink, and more shops to shop in. The meeting area was difficult to locate, but we found it. We took the bus to the park and went in. The park looks bigger than it actually is. The park has a large man made Mayan temple to which all of the water slides are attached at different levels. They also have zip lines over the park, but we didn't do that. The bad part, they only have 2 elevators for the multitude of floors. making elevator wait times bad. The alternative is to climb the stairs to the level you want. Of the slides we went on, they were very good. We did get tired of climbing stairs, so we went to their lazy river which was very nice, with the exception of another day of inclimate weather (rain/lightning). We didn't spend much time at the park due to the weather, but we felt we got our money's worth and we returned to the main area of Costa Maya. We walked around a bit and returned to the ship a little early. Overall, a nice day and the area is significant improvement from what we experienced in 2003. Excursion is worth the time and money, as long as the weather plays nice. Final excursion port, Cozumel, Mexico. In the past, this had become my wife's favorite port due to the activities and the shopping. We decided to do the Xel-ha all-inclusive water park. This was scheduled in advance for $129 a person. All three of us were booked. This excursion was different than the others, as we had to meet up in the Breakaway Theater where other excursions made us meet up on the pier. We didn't understand that part. It wasted a lot of our time. It was at this point that we found out we had to go to the mainland for the excursion. Once our group was called, we exited the ship and made our way to the ferry, which was about a 40 minute ride to the mainland to Playa del Carmen. Once we arrived, we had to find the right tour. Once we found it, we waited in line about 20 minutes before we started to mobilize. We moved further up into a shopping center, where again, we waitied about another 15 minutes. More time lost. We mobilized once again to walk to the bus which was to take us to the park. We boarded the bus and rode it for another 35 to 40 minutes to reach the park. Keep in mind, our day started at 7:50 am in the theater. We arrived at the park at 11am and were told we had to meet up at 2:30pm to leave for the ship. This was only allowing us 3 and a half hours for an all-inlcusive excursion! The tour guide told us we couldn't use our sunblock due to natural concerns in their park, so we had to buy theirs which was a small aerosol spray for $17. It was very expensive. We felt rushed through the park. The food and drinks were very good. The river tube and snorkeling were fun, what we had of it. We met up at 2:30pm to leave at the entrance, where we waited another 20 minutes for everyone to arrive. We took the bus and the ferry back to Cozumel and arrived 15 minutes behind schedule. Guess what though? No shopping. My wife was very upset about the excursion and the time wasted which we could have used to buy gifts for others. We would definitely not recommend this excursion to others. This is something best for an all-inclusive resort in Playa del Carmen and not for Cruise takers. There is just not enough time to get all you want done with the transit times being so long. For a place we looked into visiting once again, it turned to be a complete disappointment. Upon arrival back at the ship at 4:45 pm, many of the Xel-ha excursion proceeded to the Guest Services desk as the Shore Excursion desk was vacant. Guest Services told us that there was nothing they could do because it fell on the Shore Excursion desk, which wasn't going to be manned until 6pm. Many of us were upset. Guest Services would not get someone from Shore Excursions to alleviate our concerns. It seemed as if they were hoping we would go back to our room and cool down and forget about going to the Shore Excursion desk as a group. My wife caught one of the Officer's attention which happened to be the General Manager. We expressed our unhappiness, and he called the Shore Excursion manager up to the desk. The General Manager remained until the Shore Excursion manager arrived. As a group, we expressed our concerns and unhappiness to the Shore Excursion manager. He looked into it, and we did receive half of our money back from the excursion. Now the overall cruise comments. Food at the specialty restaurants is exceptional. Food as the Main Dining Rooms (Manhattan, Savor, and Taste) can take quite a long time with larger groups. We had a party of twelve, and our dinners were taking on average about 2 hours. When we had a party of three, we were finished within an hour. I understand it will take a little more time and coordination with the larger party, but it was an extra hour. When we did eat at Margaritaville, my wife's chicken had an unexpected bone in it. Other than that, Margaritaville was great. Garden Cafe Buffet has a great selection of food, but the quality is noticeable when compared to the other restaurants. Onboard shows were great. had a good time at each one we went to (Burn the Floor, Rock of Ages, and Wine Lovers). They also had a "Deal or No Deal" show frequently during the cruise. It was a good time. Every ticket is $25 and lasts for that days show in the Atrium. Even though you may not be called up to the front, you still play along and have a potential to win something. A couple of nights we went to Syd Norman's Pour House. If you like Rock music, that is the place to go. Good atmosphere and great music. We did do the Skyy Ice bar. For $15 a person, you effectively go into a freezer, have a couple of included drinks with ice sculptures around you and leave. Not a bad experience for the cost. Some subtle things were different when compared to our previous cruises with Princess. At no time during this Norwegian cruise did we have animals made out of towels or mints on the pillows as we did with Princess. Pools and jacuzzis close at 10pm. At that time, nets are put up, preventing access until the next morning. Kind of irritating as that is the perfect time to relax after a busy day of activities. Now the conclusion. All we have to compare it with are those we took with Princess. We did have a good time and the days were busy with activities. The beverage and food packages assisted in maintaining the cost low, but there is still some money to be spent even though everything was prearranged before the cruise began. At the end, we ended spending an additional $300 which is quite low. With the experiences we had, my wife and I would not recommend Norwegian to others, and will more than likely go back to Princess Cruises. Read Less

the staff was great, food was good, ports horrible and worst of all was the casino is on floor 7 open to 6 and 8 by the 3 story open staircases. This allows all the smoke from casino to filter up and down to the major gathering areas. It is so bad that it stings the eyes leaves you smelling of smoke. I am a former smoker and could not stay in casino for more than a few minutes. The library and game room was closed and no other choices were provided. Every seat we sat in in the theater was broken slating down to floor and very uncomfortable. The staff was very good the food was good cruise food a good selection we stay with the included dining and was pleased we did not like the Manhatten room it was very noisy. The garden buffet was good but was growded. Read Less

We thought this would be a nice cruise with great ports for my 76 yr old mom and handicapped sister for a girls getaway. I also use a cane. Food was ok, nothing special. Buffet was limited at night to one type of cuisine, main restaurants took very long for the three courses, which were very small portioned. (I am glad my husband wasn’t there, he would have had to order two entrees!) I expected more out of the cuisine, The ship is nice, clean, but very crowded. Common spaces were always full. And the main customer service area always had a long line. Difficult to get a deck chair. Entertainment lacked any interesting premise. Felt like watching high school entertainment, although the singers had wonderful voices, the shows were juvenile. And the stand up comedy shows needed some better comedians. Activities were the usual, bingo, trivia, music at the pool. I never saw the cruise director except when he introduced himself at the beginning of a show. And they were always selling raffle tickets at every show. I found that everything revolves around how much they can get you to spend onboard. Our room was sufficient and clean, although the step up into the bathroom was higher than anticipated and mom tripped into the bathroom one night. The step should have a light up or glow in the dark strip not just a small notice near the door the same color as the wall. The crew is very nice and helpful. This was my second cruise this year with Norwegian and I didn’t find the first one much better so I will not be using Norwegian for cruising again. Read Less

On the vista all the buffet food was so terrible we couldn't eat it, it was either over cooked or just plain bad. the dinning rooms food was better but most of the nights the food was not excitable. this was the worst ship I have ever been on, most of the time they closed one buffet line and everyone had to go to the other line, which the food was so terrible we didn't eat. all the other ships I have been on had excellent food on the buffet, so what was their problem. Also they need to have one elevator just for the handicap cause people are so rude to them. we had to wait for 6 times to get my sister on an elevator cause people were so rude and wouldn't let us on they would cut in front of us. the dis embarkment went well cause we talked to the cruise director and she told us how to get my sister off in a faster way. Read Less

Because of the hurricane Dorian our 7 day cruise was delayed leaving from the Port of Miami. This resulted in us missing the first 2 days of our cruise. Other than that everything went perfectly. Boarding went very well. We had requested 2 wheelchairs to board and after 10 minutes the chair pushers arrived and very carefully pushed up the jet away to the ship. This was the first time we were in a fully air conditioned jet away. It made it very comfortable. We were taken directly to the buffet and seated at a reserved table for handicapped passengers. As soon as we got in line a crew member immediately came over and asked if they could help hold the plates. We thought that was very caring and thoughtful. After eating we went to our cabin and checked with the front desk to see if any handicapped cabins had opened up since when we booked none were available. We were told they had to check with the guest services manager, Chanel, and call us back. Since we had an outside cabin moving us to an inside handicapped cabin was a downgrade. After seeing the other cabin we immediately agreed to switched since it gave us so much more room for our walkers and no steps into the shower. We noticed there was no note in our cabin with instructions for the Meet and Mingle Party so we called the front desk and they were able to tell us the information. They said the letter would come later. We went to the life boat drill and were relieved that we did not have to stand for an extended time. Since we were. Black Card Members we were able to dine in the Surf and Turf Restaurant one time at no charge. The service was excellent as well as the food. Food in the main dining room was okay and the service was excellent. Our cabin had a small TV with remote that had a built in sleep timer. The air conditioner was very strong so we asked for more blankets. The cabin stewards were always dressed in very elegant uniforms. They did an excellent job in keeping the rooms neat and clean. We were able to get room service every morning and had breakfast in bed at no charge. The pool was wonderful, it was salt water. They had a fully automated chair lift to help handicapped persons in and out of the pool. The pool temperature was just right. Nearby the pool was a Gelato Bar which was free and delicious. There also was a pizza bar which had several different kinds of pizza. There also was a hot dog, sausage and burger bar near the pool. Every day they had at least 3 Trivia games which we enjoy. We love to play so we can expand our knowledge and also for the competition. Maverick was our favorite Trivia caller. Their game of Quest was a lot of fun. Their shows were excellent. The movie theater was very spacious and comfortable with a nice sound system. We loved all the Ports of Call. We were fortunate to be invited to have dinner with the Captain and the Hotel Director Robert. The Captain had a great sense of humor. He also was very informative. The food was excellent and the service was elegant. When it came time to debark we had to get up early and were wheeled off the ship quickly. Special recognition to Chanel from Guest Services, Maverick from Cruise Directors staff and Joice , translator, who was an all around angel. Thank you for making our cruise really special. Read Less

the trip started out badly when we got a notification that our credit card was hit for $200 by Carnival before we even left on the trip. What! Called and told this was 'normal'. Requested a handicap cabin for spouse, It was a standard cabin with a normal shower stall but had a pull down seat. Had to take handles off scooter to get thru door. A foot high step to get into bathroom and a step (normally a ramp) to access balcony. Had to get a chair removed so we could even move in cabin with scooter in cabin. You'll love this one. the cabin safe require a credit card or drivers license to open/close. No, they didn't charge for use, but if we used my license and wife wanted in safe and I'm out on the ship somewhere, she would have to hunt me down to open safe. Instead of using the cabin key (used for everything else, rigtht?). Oh, and lockers in the gym were keypad, 4 digit open/close. DUH@ New rule: ship can't leave until all CPAP users verify they have them in their possession. They called the cabin 7 times asking if we had the CPAP. Each time the answer was the same, haven't received luggage yet we'll call you when it arrives. Oh,, and be prepared to pay for the needed distilled water. Good luck for lunch. The Lido buffet is not open for lunch. Also, stops serving dinner at 9:30 PM So no cookies/desserts post show time. Grab em early and put in room. Grand Cayman is a tender port which is usually no issue, especially if you have a carnival booked excursion. Wrong. We were on our own to catch a tender in time to meet our excursion on the dock. Crazy! Okay, good stuff. booked excursions at all three ports and everyone of them was wonderful. The dining room experience for dinner was very good. Never had to wait for a table using anytime dining. Service was excellent. variety of food was exceptional, Quality of food was good. Cabin service was excellent. However, the one time we ordered breakfast, it arrived an hour early. Somewhat inconvenient, but better than an hour late. Read Less

This was our second time on the Majesty of the Seas , so we knew what to expect. What we did not expect was 2 FREE days added to the back end of our cruise, Because of hurricane Dorian 2 extra days were added to the back end of our five day cruise, I have to say the the captain was on the P A system sometimes twice a day letting us know that because of the hurricane RCCL would stay out 2 days longer than planned and there would be NO added cost to passengers and Drink packages and internet packages would also be extended at NO extra charge. The only thing I wondered was the room attendants and waitstaff would be shafted on 2 days of gratuities because of our FREE days?? The ship is small and compact with easy access to everything, There are literally No steps so mobility issues are no problem, Food was good and drinks were a bit expensive if you don't have the drink package ($17 for a Mojito at the pool bar) Shows and entertainment were typical for a cruise ship and even the extra days there were production shows and performers. Overall Nice cruise , the only downside was downtime in the cabin the TV was TERRIBLE There were almost NO movies or TV shows , Everything was taped loops and cartoons or sports that most people don't follow. Royal you really need to improve your stateroom entertainment.. Read Less

I chose MSC Armonia in the middle of August because I had a discount left over from MSC Seaside last November that expired at the end of August. Since we had already been on the Seaside and the Divina, that only left the Armonia in the Caribbean. Being a smaller and older ship with not as many amenities, I was pleasantly surprise as to the condition of the ship and the quality of the food and nightly entertainment in the theater. The crew was very friendly and helpful. Our cabin steward was the most helpful to us. Navigating the ship was easy and there weren't as many passengers to collide with. The most problem we had on the ship was the buffet. Very busy lines and we often had a problem finding a table. Getting off and on the ship in ports of call was an easy process. We didn't book shore excursions on the ship as they seemed too expensive as there were 4 of us traveling together. We found trips at the pier after we got off the ship, which were less expensive. MSC Armonia is a ship I would consider again. We had perfect weather which made for a pleasant cruise experience. Read Less

We just got off this excellent ship after a six day cruise. Both my husband and I have physical limitations, he used a scooter the entire time, and I used a cane. This was the first cruise I can remember where when you went to get on the elevators, people held the door for you, stepped off to let you on, and helped you in ever way they could. No pushing and rushing in front of you to get on! A much different attitude. In the Windjammer, people were polite, and the crew always tried to help you in carrying your food to your table, and then even once you were seated they came over to see it they could go and get you anything. I can't remember a nicer, caring crew. When I spoke to one of the supervisors about the attitude, he told me that because it is a small ship, the crew is like family and like working together. You could tell! Yes, the cabins are small and do not have a lot of storage. Lacked a refrigerator,but would supply ice if you asked. There were a lot of hangers in the cabinet, but wished there were more drawers, also the handles to open the drawers were on the bottom, so in order to open the bottom drawer, the handle was on the floor. The bed was very hard, and was a problem after a couple of days. The bathroom was small, and the shower was the smallest ever, but the shower curtain was heaver so it did not stick to you. The entertainment was good, a nice variety with two comics, a magician, and one night of a variety show of dancers and singers. i did like that Royal Caribbean on this ship did not hound you to buy things. In fact there was never any announcement of BINGO, the only thing was a listing in the activity paper, also there are NO Art auctions! We cant wait to go back on this ship, and would book the same cabin, we were on the 4th floor, right at the elevators, but did not hear much noise. Also the only time I smelled anything smelly, was when we had to go out on deck six for the life boat drill. and then there was a sewerage smell. Read Less

The Good • Room Steward service was actually very good. He asked us up front if wanted our rooms serviced once or twice per day. That was the first time I had ever been asked that question. With three people in our smallish balcony room we requested twice a day. Both ice and towels were replenished every day. • Bar service was also very good. We got the Cheers package, and certainly didn’t break even this time. Carnival has a decent cocktail menu that is worth exploring. The crowds on the ship sometimes made getting up to the bartenders a challenge. You just have to horn in and raise your voice a little. The Lobby Bar and Casino Bar stood out for us. • Main Dining Room service and food quality were certainly decent to very good. I was a little disappointed that the traditional surf and turf on the more formal night has been completely replaced by the upcharge menu. This is a noticeable cut to us veteran cruisers. You can get a hanger steak and some sort of seafood any night on the menu, but it is not quite the same thing. Expected more from formal night menu. • Both Embarkation and Debarkation were painless. Since we didn’t have a car, and we checked our bags with the stevedore downstairs, it almost seemed like a walk on and walk off situation. Using the express option, we showed our Passport, got in a cab, and left for the airport. Limiting luggage to a roller board and a personal bag helps tremendously. • Scarlett’s Restaurant was as good as any premium dining experience I have had on Holland America or Royal Caribbean. Steaks were expertly prepared. Art for the Table desert has to be experienced to really fully grasp. Delicious and entertaining. Service was 5*. Sadly, the restaurant never seemed fully booked on the whole cruise. • For the first time in 15 cruises, I actually had to use the Ship Hospital when I developed a case of pneumonia. The very kind female physician from South Africa could not have been better. Steroids, nebulizers, and antibiotics were ordered exactly as they would have been at home by a good family physician. She made a point to call and check on me after one very rough breathless night in a hot room. The Bad • The ship was crowded. With 3,700+ passengers on board, the 800 people above typical double occupancy could be felt all over the ship. Lots of lines for just about everything including the elevators. Mid-ship pool was a mob scene that I totally avoided. Carnival just does not do as great a job as RCI at dispersing the crowds with activities of equal draw in different parts of the ship simultaneously. • The Lido Buffet for breakfast was absolutely the same every day. On Day One, I was satisfied that it was the quality of a decent cafeteria. If you are going to eat here every day mix it up with the omelet station or eggs cooked to order. They are almost hidden along the side walls as you approach the buffet. This buffet pales in comparison to any one of Holland America’s. Sometime you just long for a pastry and a bowl of Muesli - not the strange pale sausage covered in onions, reconstituted eggs, and frozen hash brown patties. No problem finding corn flakes and fruit loops if that is more your speed. • Some of our party were smokers, and this meant that we all spent a good deal of time in the smoking areas. Tucked away on an obscure portion of the starboard side of deck 10, Cocktail service was really very sparse in the largest smoking area, and a simple trip to the bathroom requires a trip to another deck. Though clean, public bathrooms seemed fairly scarce overall. Another more agreeable choice is a small area on deck 3 starboard exterior deck – at least it was convenient to the Lobby Bar. Non-smokers would have to go out of their way to be offended here. Lastly, 4-5 bar stools jammed into the casino end of the Dream Bar is the only interior choice for smokers. I guess this is good news overall for non-smokers, but don’t complain when smokers are five deep behind five bar stools in the casino. • Though I did not think the ship was in bad shape at all, the overall design was not my favorite. Decks 3 and 4 present you with the “You can’t’ get there from here” dilemma if you dine in the Washington Dining Room. Back up to deck five to cross over. You will repeat this maneuver many times. • The muster drill was a bit of a mob scene. Cruise Director, Kevin’s very acerbic voice booming over the loudspeakers did not help lower the temperament or the temperature. It certainly wasn’t a great introduction or welcome being jammed onto another obscure exterior deck on level four that I never saw again. The Ugly • Our room was way too WARM. Any sailing out of New Orleans in August will come with heat, but did not expect this in my stateroom. It was reported twice and we received four pre-printed cards that stated that our room met Carnival standards for temperature control. I witnessed one of these inspections. Indeed, the vent was 72 degrees. The only problem was that it did not blow sufficient air into the room. The two letters received from guest services stating that it was important that we call them immediately to make sure our issues with our room temperature were resolved - not helpful. These phone calls just resulted in two more pre-printed cards. It just pissed me off even more when I was told that fans were reserved for those with medical problems. Alas, out of the blue, they did provide a fan. It did help a great deal, but the room was still very hot for a person who is sitting on the side of the bed all night long with a full-blown case of pneumonia. Having never experienced this myself, I have a new respect for my patients who suffer for respiratory problems. • Others reported that their room was a bit cold. Avoid the whole block of rooms that include stateroom 7396 back toward mid-ship if you don’t want a hot room. Many of our neighbors said the same thing. Too warm, but I am sure it meets Carnival’s standards for climate control. Would I do it Again? Nope. Not this time, and that is a first time ever saying that in 15 cruise reviews from RCI’s old Song of Norway to Cunard’s QM2. This ship did not meet my personal standards for comfort. There are many varieties of “Fun”, and I am not swearing off Carnival as a whole, but I am the entire crowded Conquest class of their ships. DONE! I will also stick to longer cruises outside of summer or any other holidays, as I am more compatible with that Journey’s crowd and I am not even a senior yet. There are things that really shined about this ship, but I am afraid that the bad and the ugly outweighed the good on this trip. One last note. The Shore Excursion to Uxmal is worth every penny. This is a world class heritage site that would definitely use Carnival to tour. Progresso is a great stop if you don't go to Progresso. Too logistical to do on your own, but they do a great job for less money. Read Less

Elevator system on the Horizon was HORRIABLE. We took the stairs most of our cruise. They also need to have a separate elevator for the handicap and scooters. my mother had to spend most of her time in the room because of the lack of working elevators on the ship.Our stateroom was only cleaned once day after asking for twice a day am/pm. Food was not that great. Mike the cruise director was excellent he made the ship experience a little better. Also they need to start breakfast at 6am instead of 7:30 some folks get up early. Guest services employees need to be a little more friendly to there guest and not have attitudes. I have cruised on Carnival several times this was the worst. I do plan on crusing again on carnival to give them another chance and if no improvement I will be going on another ship.. Read Less

We booked this cruise (for my mother and me) about three weeks prior to embarkation, leaving few cabin options. We ended up in an ocean view balcony cabin, which would not have been my first choice (I usually book a Junior Suite), but it was fine -- more on that later. Embarkation was surprisingly smooth. I use a wheelchair, which always complicates matters. But we went through security quickly, then, having checked in online, the rest of the process was quick. I made my way to the area where the scooters were, and was given the option of leaving my wheelchair at the port and just taking the scooter onto the ship. This made a lot of sense (space being at a premium on board), and my mother and I boarded within a few minutes. No one took our photograph at embarkation, setting up a pattern on voyage. We boarded hand luggage in tow, and headed for the Windjammer, where we proceeded to have lunch. As per usual on embarkation day, the Windjammer was packed. As per usual for the Windjammer, lunch was uninspired. Service was good. After lunch, we made our way to our cabin (7592), and proceeded to unpack. Now, let me explain something. I packed a (European) carry-on sized Samsonite and a personal item. My mother went old-school cruise, packing what she calls a "medium" suitcase (bigger than my large suitcase) and her carry-on suitcase (larger than my carry-on). Somehow, she still complains about my packing style, because I, "Carry too much." Anyhow . . . I placed my packing cubes into a drawer in the cabin, and my formal night dresses (knit) I placed into one of the closets. I was unpacked, basically. My mother's unpacking was much more complicated, and her suitcase took up quite a bit of room in the cabin, especially given how much room the scooter took up. There was no room under the bed. Sigh. The balcony had bits of food that had not been cleaned up from a prior occupant still lying about. As to dining: We went to Chops, Izumi, and 150 Central Park (we had the 3 night specialty dining package). Chops was very good, as usual. The food was very good, as was the service. It is a solid choice (if you are a steak lover). At Izumi, we went to the sushi side. The food is excellent (obviously, you have to like sushi). However, service is on the slow side. The emphasis here seems to be on the hibachi side, and the sushi restaurant gets shortchanged. This is a real shame. They simply don't have the staff for the number of guests coming in. We had to wait to make a reservation. We had to wait (a remarkably long time) to be seated. The wait time for our food was unacceptably long (we ended up missing a reservation for a show that night). In contrast, 150 Central Park was a delight. Excellent food. Excellent service. The highlight of our cruise. I am still salivating over the pumpkin bisque. The MDR (American Icon for us) was kind of a mess this time (this was our second time on HOTS, FWIW). Very long lines in spite of reservations for dining, every single night. Disorganized waitstaff that often seemed to take exceedingly long to fulfill simple orders for things like soda and sparkling water. We missed reservations to another show due to slow service in the MDR. The Windjammer was terrible. I just will never understand. So much food there, and so much of it cold when it is supposed to be hot, completely unappetizing, and just . . . blech! One day, in despair, I asked for a cheeseburger. One of the gentlemen behind the counter rather dismissively told me there were the burgers, then pointed to the squares of cheese product. Fine. I made myself a cheeseburger. Arrived at my table, and found. that the burger, which had been sitting under heating lamps, was somehow cold and greasy. I set it aside after one bite. End of meal. We were disappointed to find that little things had changed, too: If you were dining in a specialty restaurant, there were no photographers to take your picture. The Shrek and Madagascar characters who had roamed the ship are no longer around. Bingo (one of my mother's favorite activities) was sometimes in the afternoon (yay!) sometimes late at night (making it unlikely that my mother, a senior citizen and avid bingo enthusiast, would partake). Our cabin attendant was terrific -- he went above and beyond, every day. Both my mother and I had our hair done at the spa by different people, and both of us had good experiences. Overall, we enjoyed ourselves and had fun. However, it sometimes felt like the ship was understaffed. Read Less

Our extended family cruises together every other year. This was the first time cruising NCL (we previously did Carnival and RC). We booked travel and transport thru NCL. My aunt is disabled and we also registered her with the Access Desk at NCL. Upon arriving for our transport to the port (at the Miami airport) we were informed that they did not have handicapped transport for my aunt. We called the Access Desk (they were closed on Sunday). The NCL workers at the airport informed us that they did have access equipped vans. They had us carry my 80 year old aunt up the narrow stairs of the regular bus. Upon arriving at the terminal we were told that we had to carry her from the bus location to the terminal-it was a bit of a walk. We refused and thankfully had an understanding onsite manager who made an exception and brought a wheelchair from the terminal to the bus. We did not bring my aunt's chair since it does not comply with NCL guidelines (which is normal-we have rented scooters on some of our other cruises). However, the rental chair that we received did not work-and we had to argue with guest services that it didn't (was actually asked if we knew how to use the chair) They finally sent a tech, who discovered/agreed that it didn't work. He found a replacement-but it wasn't the type we had paid for. The ship is nicely appointed and the family room I was in was the most spacious that I have been in. I especially loved the larger bathroom (a must for young children). In general, the dining is the best of any cruiseline. Lots of options and the staff is generally thoughtful. BOOK OCEAN BLUE. If you go, book this restaurant as soon as you are able-the slots went first. It was amazing-went with my husband and our baby (DD was is kids club). Staff here was the BEST of the ship. We booked Cagneys for our group of 12. Food was good-staff was overwhelmed. Had to request multiple times for water and they forgot appetizers for some of our party. We also booked Teppanyaki-if you have children this is a must. Most entertaining staff and food was good. We visited every included restaurant-food was really good. Make sure to do one night at the Manhattan-they include a show and it was amazing. My 8 year loves the apple pie at OSheehans as well. And the staff at SAVOR adored my 1 year old. Entertainment was okay-but not as good as RCL. Activities were okay-best one was the escape room (sign up early). My daughter said the kids club was the best one of any cruiseline. Our room porter (Ariel) was the best. Lost and found was easy to navigate. Gym was much smaller than we have experienced on other lines. The ropes course and zipline were fun-my 8 year old adored it. My 1 year could not get in the pool (even with a cover or swim diaper). For a ship of its size, the lack of pools is shocking. Both times that we tried to do the water slide-it was closed (but it looked fun). Ports-Honduras did an encounter at the monkey sanctuary and beach. Fun. The beach was clean and kid friendly. Animals (monkeys and sloths) were a welcome surprise of fun. Belize-its a private beach which is fun. Lighthouse was closed when we came-bummer since that is what my daughter most wanted to see. Ferry to the mainland is $25 roundtrip. Costa Maya we booked the Mayan Ruins. It was a lot of fun and both of my kids enjoyed it (bring something to entertain them for the 45 min bus trip each way). In Cozumel we booked a horse buggy tour off ship ($60) which was fun. Please note: NCL does not have a separate disembarkation line for access needed guests. Lastly, the day before we departed I went to Guest Services to make sure my aunt's departure would be seamless. Most of our travel group was flying out of Fort Lauderdale while my aunt and cousin were flying out of Miami. We were also leaving earlier than they were. I wanted to ensure that the issues that plagued our arrival would not happen for disembarkation (especially since the bulk of us wouldn't be there to help carry her). The staff verified for 30 minutes and assured us that everything would be okay. On our disembarkation day-while waiting at the airport-we got a frantic call from my aunt that the same issues were plaguing her. She had to complain and get management involved. I would only go on this cruiseline again if it was my family only. If you have an access needed traveling companion please look elsewhere. Read Less

I chose the cruise based on the price I was able to get as a single in a handicap room. As I use a mobility scooter, I was happy that I was able to get off in Grand Cayman as they tender at that port, The entertaiment was so so except for Travis. The food at dinner was nothing special. The food at the Oceanview cafe buffet was good and they had loads of variety. The staff on board was very good. The ship's Captain Kate was a very personable lady.I wish ships would put in stairs in the pools to make it easier for people to get in the pool instead of ladders which are hard to use. Except being charged for using the mini bar which I did not use. They of course did refund it. The meet and mingle was a wash as far as I was concerned. Everyone was in groups when I came in. Read Less

Food: the main complimentary restaurants are mediocre at best. If you have the funds do at least 3 nights of speciality dining. Chaney’s was the best. The buffet was standard and we alway enjoyed it. They do seem to lack in tasty desserts but the ice cream is yummy and always available. Room: prefect we had a balcony. Plenty of storage. Nice size and almost noise free. (White noise machine helps at night) we had room 8170 and loved it. Excisions and Ports: Amazing. We saw monkeys in Roatan, Mayan Pyramids in Costa Maya, and snorkeled in Harvest Caye (tip get off the ship early at Harvest Caye to get a good seat and swim in a empty beautiful pool. By 12 the place is packed. If you like to shop cozumel is for you. Second tip bring your own water bottles and bring them every where you go. We used our the time. Amenities: slides, rope course and pool is nice but the pool is full by 10. Chairs gone by 9:30. Get up early if staying on board and stake your claim with towels and clips to keep them there. Entertainment. Not a fan. Tried. It was either not good or more for teenagers. We brought movies downloaded on iPads as the tv has Minimal to watch. Is it a Disney Cruise? No it is not but we still had fun. Last tip plan on spending more than you think as many things cost extra. Without the drink plan plan on spending 9-16 dollars a drink. Also bring an air freshener for you bathroom. It helps. Service can be slow, staff nice but not really knowledgeable, and get to embarkation early if you can. First people there get on the ship first and parking at the port is tricky. We got there by 9:00. On by 11:00 Read Less

My family traveled on the Norwegian Breakaway to the Western Caribbean from 7/7/19 through 7/14/19. The following outlines issues we experienced leading up to and during the cruise along with recommendations to prevent these issues from arising in the future. This was our first family cruise and at this point I cannot say we intend to repeat the experience. Multiple issues outlined below. No communications starting with post-booking 5/15/19 through submission of this feedback on 8/7/19 has been received. At this point I have filed an ADA complaint and a BBB complaint against NCL on 8/20/19. Awaiting any response. Update (no response received so BBB & DOJ complaints filed 8/21/19). 1- Food Allergy a. My eldest, age 13 at the time of travel, has Celiac, an immune system deficiency that causes extremely violent physical reactions if she ingests wheat/barley/rye. Typically referred to as gluten intolerance. b. 5/15/19 The cruise was booked via the NCL.com website. Nowhere in the booking process did I see an indication of where to mark if any “guests” in the party had a food allergy. For a vacation where the majority of the meals are taken onboard that seems to be a miss and is a relatively standard question on most travel websites I have booked through in the past whether it be a hotel or amusement park. c. 5/20/19 I received my first of many emails from my “personal cruise consultant” trying to sell me additional items but offering little in meaningful information. d. 5/30/19 I found a note on NCL.com advising that if my party had a food allergy I needed to make NCL aware 30 days prior to embarkation. No noticeable information was shown online how to make NCL aware, so I contacted my NCL consultant via email at 9:09am. In this email I asked how to note the account, what steps needed to be taken by us when dining onboard and how allergies were handled for excursions booked via NCL where meals were provided. To date (8/20/19) no response has been received from him in regard to these questions. e. 6/3/19 Getting closer to the 30 day window, I then attempted contact at the phone number/extension provided in the email (1-877-416-9722 ext 44252). I was placed in voicemail where I reiterated the prior questions and the urgency since I was 4 days outside the 30 day window. To date (8/20/19) no response from him has been received. f. 6/5/19 Still having not received any form of response, I called the number again but without the extension so I could find a live representative. The rep who answered the phone still first attempted to locate Vmy consultant despite my protestations but fortunately was unable to find him so this rep handled the call. The rep was able to note my account as Celiac, but was unable to answer any of the additional questions regarding dining both onboard and on shore. He provided a phone number to “call closer to the time of sailing” to get additional information (1-866-584-9753). g. 6/26/19 After booking our excursions through NCL my wife called the number we had been provided. This number, as I’m sure you are aware, is NCL’s main number, not any form of information line in regard to dining or food allergies. After 22 minutes on hold someone answered the call. He was unable to provide any usable information and placed her on hold again for an additional 3 minutes before transferring her to Shore Excursions. She was on hold an additional 8 minutes with that extension until another rep came on the line. The only information he was able to provide was that “the allergy info should carry over to shore excursions but check with the shore excursion desk once on the ship." My goal was to get all this taken care of before vacation so I wouldn’t have to waste vacation time chasing this so that wasn’t a very good response in my estimation. h. 6/27/19 Whilst again combing through the website for any usable information I came across a webform to contact the Access Desk. I again filled out the form with all the above questions and was thrilled to get an autoreply from the Access Desk informing me that Case: 02729318 had been opened and I would hear from them within 72 hours. To date (8/20/19) I have not received any additional reply aside from the autoreply. i. 7/7/19 We boarded the Norwegian Breakaway at approximately noon EST. As rooms were not yet available we were advised by staff to “go get some food”. We approached the first restaurant we came across at 12:18pm, O’Sheehans, and upon reaching the front desk advised the woman seating customers of our need for GF. She then called for a manager who advised us that we needed to provide our meal choices 24 hours in advance so they couldn’t serve us at this restaurant. They directed us to Savor, one of the main dining halls, instead. This response was a tad confusing as we had only been aboard for 18 minutes and had been provided with no access to any menus beforehand so how could we have provided them a meal option and dining location 24 hours in advance? This behavior is what is referred to as a Denial of Service when it comes to the Americans with Disabilities Act which recognizes Celiac as a disability. We proceeded down to Savor where we were seated without issue and enjoyed a good meal. The waiter, was knowledgeable in our needs and did ensure the soup my daughter ordered was prepared GF as in the standard preparation it contained Hoisin sauce which generally contains a wheat extract. Great job on his part. The maître d did come out to our table and again mentioned the 24 hour notice item again. Given that we did not know at this point day by day what our dinner plans were for dining location or time we were still unsure how this would work. NCL very much stresses the “freestyle dining/freestyle cruising” experience and this certainly seemed to deviate from that expectation. For dinner we went to the Buffet and had a fine experience more akin to what I have found to be the norm in most locales. We approached each station, asked what was GF, were advised what she could eat and had no issues. No 24 hour notice was required for the buffet so that was a tad confusing. j. 7/8/19 We went to the buffet at Moderno for breakfast and had a similar experience to dinner, station by station asking for options and having a fine meal. At 11:15am we knew what our dinner plan was, so we approached the restaurant desk to see that night’s menu. The menu was provided and after reviewing the options my daughter made her selections. Upon stepping back up to the desk to place our order the representative attempted to call a separate line to convey our order. When no answer was received on that line the rep advised us she was unable to help us further and directed us up to the buffet to place our dinner order…the buffet 9 floors up from where we were currently standing. Just another example of the lack of ownership for any problems/issues by many of the staff I encountered. If security cam footage is reviewed for 7/8/19 at approximately 11:20am you will see me standing by the door to said desk debating if it was time for me to just walk through the door and stand behind the desk until my issues were resolved, though I opted instead to continue to do NCL’s job while on vacation. You may also see the look on both my face and my family’s face as we took the elevator up to the buffet. Those looks will tell you that 24 hours into our vacation we were most assuredly not having a very good time. Upon reaching the buffet we found anAsst maître d. She was as confused as us as to why we were sent up 9 floors to place a dinner order for a different restaurant but she took ownership of the situation and took down and sent in our dinner order. Since we were already up there we decided to have lunch at the buffet and again no issues. Prior to heading out to dinner at 4pm we called the allergy line we were provided in a letter when we got in our stateroom the day before(28704), where it rang incessantly and eventually disconnected, called another line that did the same(26363) and continued back and forth in this fashion for 15 minutes until someone answered at ext 28704. After my wife explained our issues the rep agreed to meet us for dinner at Savor at 5pm, advising us to request at the desk that they page her upon our arrival. Over the course of approximately 45 minutes we requested the desk at Savor to contact her 3 times and my wife even walked out to Guest Services to try and get assistance. On the 3rd attempt to communicate that the rep was supposed to join us it all finally clicked with someone and she was at our table a few minutes later. She did a wonderful job of listening to me lay out for her the same items I have noted above for 10 minutes at which point she apologized for the confusion and provided us our first detailed information on dining with an allergy on an NCL ship in 39 days. She was concerned with the constant push off given with the phone reps and very concerned we were denied service on 7/7 and not assisted at the Reservation Desk on 7/8 asking for times and descriptions of the individuals involved so she could better educate them in the future. She also gave us the rundown on the 24 hour notice, advising us that our dining location and time were not necessary as the meal could be sent anywhere on the ship at any time we requested it. That would have been fantastic information to have had prior to boarding. She advised that breakfast dishes could be ordered for items not readily available at the buffet and brought up once requested. We later did this with pancakes, eggs benedict and French toast and my daughter was delighted. She advised that certain items such as GF pasta were available in the buffet area and could be requested at the counter (more on that later). However, the most important bit of information she provided was that, despite booking excursions via NCL, NCL had no knowledge of what items were being served and what may or may not be gluten free. She also indicated no food could be taken off ship at any of the ports which meant we were essentially on our own in foreign countries trying to explain a gluten allergy to folks who did not necessarily understand all the nuances associated with cross contamination. To the credit of the 3 establishments we dined at on shore, my daughter had no reactions. Any reaction would have disabled her for approximately 6 hours and would have inevitably resulted in our missing departure for a particular port. Though 2 of the 3 were booked via NCL which guaranteed they would not leave without us if we booked an excursion through them, it was best not to put that to the test as I had seen little from NCL to this point to make me feel confident in that guarantee. After speaking with the rep I can say our vacation did finally begin. We enjoyed dinner, saw the comedian and I enjoyed my first adult beverage 31 hours after boarding. The process of pre-ordering was not especially cumbersome as we just took the next days menu while we dined and made selections before leaving from dinner the night before. We did encounter one final issue regarding dining that evening when we went to the buffet later in the evening. We had previously been informed that GF pasta was available but upon approaching the first pasta station were told it was at the other pasta station. Upon reaching the other pasta station we were informed the GF pasta was at the first pasta station. We stated that’s where we started so the person looked around for a maître d. None was readily visible, so the person informed us they could not help us and my daughter had to do without her preferred option for that meal. This was the only negative instance we had at the buffet, but I wanted to make sure it was called out. On a side note, the maître d at Savor was our constant companion for the duration of our trip and did a wonderful job taking care of my daughter. So hats off to the Savor staff. Their assistance was greatly appreciated. However I would have to give a failing grade to the others mentioned above. This issue was by far and away the biggest detractor from the trip. That I spent hours and days chasing information before the trip with no response and was met with a refusal to serve at our first restaurant was inexcusable. 2- Excursions a. Roatan, Honduras trip to Gumbalimba Preserve and Tabyana Beach booked via NCL i. Tabyana Beach, while very beautiful, needs to have some items addressed and since NCL supports this location via their offerings/bookings then NCL can be a point of contact. 1. The shore vendors were no problem and the meal was very good and we found a person who understood GF and walked us through the offerings. 2. The individuals working the snorkel kayaks that are employed by the beach resort are a different story. a. I was approached at my seat and asked if we wanted them to take us out further to snorkel and have them feed the fish to draw them in. I advised no and the individual went back to his area. b. Upon entering the water and gearing up the same individual approached the 4 of us and I again advised we were all set. c. 10 minutes later, while snorkeling 100 yards or so from shore he again approached on a kayak and circled us until we surfaced and again asked about taking us out further where we again indicated we were all set. d. Shortly thereafter my wife and my eldest child went off in a different direction on their own as my eldest was uncomfortable near the fish. Another Tabyana Beach Resort employee kayaked over and after being advised they were all set, proceeded to drop fish food into the water anyway, attracting a large number towards my daughter that was already uncomfortable. i. Under no circumstance do I want myself or anyone I know to be associated with food in regard to wildlife. Feeding fish causes them to associate people with food. The smaller fish come in, quickly followed by the larger fish until eventually you end up with a large aggressive fish coming after you…or worse case…a shark. This behavior is inexcusable and needs to be addressed. In reading reviews, I am clearly not the first person that has experienced this. b. Harvest Caye, Belize i. This will be a discussion on a communication failure and the negative impact it had on our day. 1. Prior to departure I researched each port of call and looked for points of interest. The main call out on this island was the Flighthouse, a lighthouse located about ¾ of a mile from the ship with ziplines that carry you over the beach and other areas. 2. In the Freestyle Daily for Day 4, Wednesday July 10 2019, left in my cabin the night before there was an insert on Harvest Caye with bullet 4 calling out the Flighthouse. I retained a copy of this paper for this discussion, not an action one who is truly “on vacation” would need to take. 3. In the Atrium the morning of Day 4 the slide show for Harvest Caye included a slide on the Flighthouse. So at this point all indications are that the Flighthouse is an option when we arrive, yes? 4. That morning I discuss options for the day with my children. Since they wish to partake of the zip lines and they figure it makes the most sense to do this first when they’re dry, we exit the ship in full dress (shirts/shorts/sneakers) carrying all the swimming/snorkeling gear in 2 beach bags and 2 backpacks and exit the ship. It is a pretty long walk to the Flighthouse in full sun much of the way, but we followed all the signs and continued past all the other Harvest Caye attractions. The closer we got the more concerned I got that, not only did I not see anyone ziplining, I didn’t even see a zipline cable anywhere in the sky. But we carried on because there was no indication anywhere that this was not a viable option. Upon reaching our destination I wish I could say I was surprised to see a chain across the entrance with a closed sign attached. At this point we retreated to the beach nearby to figure out next steps. My wife and kids went off to change into swimsuits while I remained at the beach watching as one family after another reached the Flighthouse only to find it closed. I located a staff member wearing a Flighthouse nametag and asked if this was closed just for a bit or if it was closed for the day. The person then indicated that it is undergoing renovations and has been closed for a while and will be closed for the foreseeable future. This leads me to understand this wasn’t a last second cancellation and that instead NCL had operated in bad faith by continuing to promote an attraction that was not available thereby costing my family an hour of travel time and time spent changing into suits we would have worn off the ship had we known beforehand. So instead of carrying just the 2 bags, we were stuck with 4 for the day. c. Algae/Sargassum i. The Western Caribbean is currently inundated with a massive algae bloom the evidence of which was clearly visible both on and off the ship. Any south or east facing beaches are covered with mounds of rotting algae that is surrounded by flies. This algae reaches out several feet from shore that must be waded through to get to any sort of open water for swimming. 2 of the 4 beaches we visited were covered to a point where utilizing the beach for any water activity was greatly inhibited, one of these was the beach in Cozumel booked via NCL. 1. Under no circumstance am I holding NCL responsible for the algae problem, however I would note that I found no mention of this anywhere in regard to NCL’s website or Excursion listings. This problem has existed for 5 or so years apparently but is a guarded secret. That is again unacceptable. Communicating these issues ahead of time allows people to manage expectations and make more informed choices for excursions. It wasn’t until I returned home 2 days later and saw a story on MSN.com outlining the issue up and down the coasts of Mexico and Central America that I was truly aware of the scope. 3- Onboard a. An inclusive list of items in need of addressing onboard. i. Climbing Wall 1. For all amenities onboard I would recommend a whiteboard listing the hours of operation for that day posted early in the morning. There were times when we approached an activity during the timeframe called out in the Freestyle Daily and the activity was not open. 2. Specific to the climbing wall and the “ropes” course, have an assortment of socks available for purchase at or nearby these attractions. I was aware of the restrictions as I always research ahead of time. However, on Day 2 while we were awaiting our turn to do the rock wall a young girl ahead of us was turned away as she did not have socks on. She immediately broke down but there was no available remedy. I did step in and offer her my younger daughters socks and she and her father accepted and averted a meltdown. This is something that bowling alleys have had for decades and would be a relatively easy implementation and would result in better customer experiences as well as a small revenue source. ii. Spider Wall 1. As noted above, a few times we went to this attraction during its scheduled operating hours it was closed with no indication of why or for how long. Simple enough to add a whiteboard and post hours and messages if items close unexpectedly. Set the expectation. iii. Bungee Trampoline 1. This attraction was not operating at all during the duration of the cruise. That was disappointing to my children. No reason was given for why it was closed. Again, communicate and set the expectation. iv. Main Pool 1. This attraction was also closed a couple times when it was listed as open. In addition, when kids then went over to the adult pool to swim they were chased out. That’s not acceptable. As above, whiteboard with hours and any updates for why it’s closed and when it’s expected to reopen. And if it’s closed unexpectedly, especially on a sea day, allow the kids into the adult pool. v. Waterslides 1. From a safety perspective, this was the first place I had ever encountered waterslides where there was not a staff member present at the exits of the slides to assist anyone that may be having an issue at the bottom. Both sets of tube slides had very restrictive access should someone need assistance since there were plexiglass walls around them. I would certainly address that before a real accident occurs. vi. Shuffleboard 1. We went to the shuffleboard areas every day during their scheduled operating hours and pucks were never present. Over the course of the cruise the condition of the sticks deteriorated as folks unable to find pucks began using the sticks for swordplay and such. Finally on Friday, Day 6, I sent my wife to Guest Services to request the pucks while my children and I played “shuffle phone” with my Samsung. I only had 1 phone though so it didn’t quite work. The Guest Services rep was confused by the request but did call it in and a few hours later we were finally able to play. After the pucks came in you can see that the courts were occupied consistently so we were not the only ones waiting. Both courts are in a very highly trafficked area for crew, so that this was missed for what easily could have been the duration of the cruise had we not brought it up is disheartening. I would expect that someone is responsible each morning for getting these loose items like shuffleboard/chess/ping pong/foosball set up. vii. Casino 1. Only issue here was in utilizing the machines. There is no information posted on/near the machines telling you how to set up an account and then transfer money onto the machine. I did successfully load money onto my card Saturday morning, Day 7, but was then unable to place bets. Nobody was around to assist so I came back later to the main desk in the Casino and the staff member handed me a card that gave the instructions on loading to the card and then transferring to the machine. These cards need to be located in multiple locations, most notably near the machines. viii. Toilets 1. For a billion dollar cruise ship I was surprised by the number of low level maintenance issues I encountered. Most notably the near constant signage for restrooms being out of order. In some instances there was no signage, but upon entering the facility it inevitably encountered an issue. There are 2 key examples, but multiple other times we ran afoul of the restroom. a. One morning I entered the men’s room by the Manhattan on Deck 7. Upon entering the first stall I noticed that the stall had been recently cleaned as the toilet paper was still folded as they do when they replace it. However, upon lifting the lid of the toilet I was greeted by someone else’s leavings. I did attempt to flush but the toilet did not respond despite numerous attempts. This tells me that a staff member actually went into the restroom to clean, found the offending item, continued on their cleaning and left the mess without any effort made to resolve the underlying issue or put up signage that that stall was Out of Order. I then went to the next stall and, upon completion, found that this toilet also would not flush. This toilet also had the blue cleaning solution still in it so this tells me the toilet wasn’t tested during cleaning. On a ship where toilets were constantly out of order I would recommend adding the step of checking the flushing mechanism during each cleaning and having signage to warn customers of any that may be in need of repair. Repairs also need to be swifter in coming. b. On the morning of debarkation the toilet in our stateroom decided to act up. We had no issues for the entirety of the trip with out restroom until this day. Unfortunately this issue resulted in my having to leave a mess behind for the cabin steward. I was very appreciative of the work he had done for us during our cruise up to and including having to come up and retrieve a match I had found in an elevator lobby on the 9th floor. I did not want him to think my decision not to flush was an indication of my feelings toward him or the service he had provided so I was left scrambling to write a 1 page note to leave him apologizing for the mess and making sure he did not perceive it as a reflection on him in any way. All while trying to get everyone and everything off the ship in a timely fashion. This was a sad conclusion to our trip. ix. Trash cans 1. Over the first 24 hours I was surprised by the amount of trash customers were leaving laying around and I would pick items up as I came across them (cereal boxes, napkins, etc). What I soon discovered though was that, while there were recycling containers around the main decks I could not locate a trash can anywhere but the restrooms. As such I stopped picking up garbage as I found it. a. I’m not sure if this is a standard cruise ship issue or if there’s some maritime rationale for not having them accessible, but if there is not then I would set some up by the recycling bins. x. Touch Screens 1. These were a great idea and very useful the first couple days, but like so many other items they quickly fell into disrepair. By the midpoint of the cruise I would estimate 50% were out of order in some way or another. Particularly the card scanner when making show or dinner reservations. xi. Bowling Game by O’Sheehans 1. Almost constantly Out of Order. When we finally found it working we paid the $6/person for the 4 of us to play and by the 3rd frame it was offline again. There was no phone to contact maintenance, so my wife had to go down a level to guest services. While she was away someone did happen by and fixed the issue, but my wife was not back yet and the game immediately resumed with a countdown so she ended up missing a frame. My feeling here is that ship phones or call buttons need to be installed in many of the areas around the ship so that a quick call can be put in when an issue is found. Make it easier to report issues so hopefully they get reconciled faster. xii. Phone calls 1. Frequently our calls to the operator or specific extensions rang until the call would disconnect unanswered and would require multiple call backs to finally get someone to pick up. That was not a great experience. xiii. Contacting NCL online while aboard without paying for wifi 1. Several companies provide a way to access their website and download their app while onsite. NCL needs to provide a way for all customers to access while aboard and provide pertinent updates like attraction closings or storm warnings on that site. As can be interpreted from this write-up, this was far from the relaxing vacation I thought I was booking. There were positives, the food was great, the shows we saw were wonderful, the bed was comfortable, and the steward was magnificent, however the negatives far outweighed the positives making me rate this vacation a 2/10 and perceive it as a waste of my time and money. Read Less

We live in Florida so we didnt explore the port town. The process getting on board was normal and smooth. The staff on board were pleasant but it wasn't as lively as other Royal cruises I've been on. The hallways to room had a mildew smell that seem to come and go through out the cruise. We were on level 5 which seemed to be perfect location to everything and not too bad to take stairs if elevators were busy. There were few options for food outside of dining times. The windjammer had very little hot food and seemed to always have leftovers from main dining the night before ( cold squid, shirmp, scallops and whole fish eyes and all!) YUCK!!! Also the variety was terrible. With the exception of the pizza place the other places had the same exact food. The water was pretty good but the tea had a funky taste and the coffee was like drinking oil. I love strong coffee but you could add enough creamer or sweetener! Absolutely the worst food! The last shows were ok but the last one was the only one we thought was a good job. Maybe they were new together but there was a ton of technical difficulties. The band was impressive but the shows were just not that good compared to other cruises. Also I would have bought more photos if the photographers would have taken time to say hey your bra strap is hanging out or your necklace was sideways. I was really looking forward to a good photo of our family. :-( Also the drinks were so stinking weak!!! 2 drinks was 25.00. It just blows me away I could spend 75.00 and not even get tipsy and I'm an occational drinker! The rest of the cruise was typical with funny game shows, and contest. I liked that smoking wasn't allowed everywhere. I only smelled it when I went to the bar by the casino. The kids club was my favorite part. My Daughter loved the teacher Ms Salsa! My daughter has TYPE 1 diabetes and I was concerned it would be a problem but they didn't seemed phased by it. They took instruction called us with any questions, gave us a beeper and only charged 7.00 per hour if she stayed later. She had so much fun she begged us to go! We could pick up any phone around the ship and check on her. Absolutely our favorite part. I will probably never go on this ship again. It just wasn't that good. Read Less

Cruised with 27 others. Had family, friends and Niece and Nephew 17&18. HOTS june 2019. We all felt the free food was excellent except for Solarium poor service & food. I reserved two times for free dinner every night, Solarium 6pm and then also My Time Dining 8:30 since we had no idea of show times & did not want to miss since dinner service is alloted 2 HOURS every night. The room attendants and food staff that we saw or spoke were almost all exceptional. There is an 18% tip already paid, we paid an extra 10 to 15% on top and could charge to our room. RC constantly nickel and dimed during the entire pre cruise, items that stated would be included were not get everything email led to you if they tell you something. Voom almost NEVER worked, no way to communicate with rest of our group, RC should atleast put dry erase boards on doors so we could tell everyone where wewent and in four hours where we will be. Print out your entire daily planner, to prove what you paid for and time you scheduld since their app hardly worked. I had to fight to get 1-arcade $ back, since card did not work( had already worked with attendant night before), 2- $ back from cancelled port RC excursion, 3- proof of dinner reservation # reserved and time 4-i have limited mobility and diarrhea was noted on my reservation and RC could not confirm where the $1200 Chill Island Cabana i paid for was..of course 2nd in line on Day one excursion CS had my reserved cabana the farthest last one as far away from bathrooms as possible to walk in 4 inch sand THANKS RC for working with me . 4- got $ back on voom since down so many days. 5- got $ money off cabana since items that should have been included were not - combination locking lid, speaker, usb outlet all none Existant. 6- Got bottle of wine since CS sold me personal Flowrider for my Fam of 3 (my Ipad blocked some drop downs for some reason and i never could read the excursion notes) but not the personal whole hour one on one, was only personal with 12 other guests. 7- RC sponsored excursion start time changed weeks ago, noth Ng noted on my stuff, noone informed us i guess they dont know how to pick up phone or knock on door but willing to interupt my meal to ask me to change my dinner time to 9pm for the remainder of the cruise. Oh the biggy, the weather was crummy, the second largest ship in the world swayed all day and night the first 3 days - in bed, during day, durring dinner, on top deck on bottom deck while walking, everywhere. It was not killer, but i have vertigo so it affected me more than others, but everyone was talking about it. Cool to watch the water swaying out of the pools though. So when it rains no Flowrider, mini golf, rockclimbing or ofcourse pool..could use hot tub since under cover. Since voom did not work, dinner reservation for everyone went out the porthole, first three nights instead of 2 hrs, took an extra 30 to 45/min to seat, so turned into 3 HOURS for dinner. Which dominoed into evening events , that were cancelled. Bummer again. Ps RC luggage tags are competely different, confirm size and shape before buying the cutesie tags. We had an okay time, expectations were high, being let down could have been avoided. Check out Rcblog to get good tips. Read Less

This was our 5th cruise but our first MSC. We chose this cruise because it was a new ship and had many activities for our 2 boys (11&13). But did not know that there was an extra cost for zip lining, bowling or arcade room! We had the Aurea pkg, which was a higher end pkg that they do not provide any longer so there was a lot of confusion on board. From the moment we stepped onto the ship we encountered small issues but were annoying. Staff was very pushy as we took our first steps on board in regards to specialty dining and drink pkgs! and continued through out the week. Ship was very understaffed, private functions constantly held at the sports bar and we could not enter. sports bar only had 4 draft beer out of a list of 17!!! Some staff were rude, if you spoke Spanish or were European you were treated and served quickly. Ship was very crowded, poor service at bars. My boys were turned away at captains dinner night because they were not in long pants(nice dress shorts and button up dress shirt) we later found out people were at dinner wearing shorts and jeans! My boys were last ones served at bar for ordering pop because they were kids, only served quickly when I was present. We were on 14th floor with balcony, nice room but very small bathroom especially shower. Entertainment was a mishmash of dancing, singing and acrobatics...no real theme. Michael Jackson night was better. We witnessed someone in a scooter be denied access off ship because too difficult to visit Island....so wrong! as well they have no priority disembarkation protocol for wheel chairs, people just pushed forward to get off. Thermal spa was fantastic. Embarkation & disembarkation was quick only because we had priority in both. MSC you are a beautiful ship but boy do you have a lot of learning to do!!! we have decided to take a break from cruising and once we return it will Be ROYAL CARRIBEAN. Read Less

This cruise itself, along with the itinerary was fantastic. We had quite the hiccup, at the very beginning at the dock, while checking in, we had to wait for over 2 hours, while various people were telling us that they were on the way. We were in terminal C, and we found out later that all of the wheelchair personnel were over at terminal B doing nothing. Other than that everything on and during the cruise was amazing. The food was plentiful and beautiful. All the staff were extremely friendly, and there were always things to do, or chairs to lounge in, and just do nothing! Shore excursions went off without a hitch except one was cancelled, andwe were not informed of this, until we left the ship, and arrived at the boarding area. Fortunately, they had another boat ride we could go on, instead! The service at every restaurant was outstanding, and the food was a treat to the eyes, and tastebuds....... There is something to do for everyone, regardles of the time of day, 24 restaurants, various parties going on, I only wish the pools and hot tubs could stay open for at least another hour, and not close at 10. Read Less

Third time on the NCL cruise line. One tends to get hooked when you’ve Enjoyed one cruise...what vacation can you go on and wake up in a different country every morning, eat unlimited food, enjoy entertainment at your leisure and just relax on land or shore. Plus, meet people that are always happy and without all their daily cares? I went with my 87yr old mother and her best friend from College. We stayed in a balcony suite (which, is always nice to have when you're anywhere and want to see God’s beautiful and serene calm in the morning and sunset in the night). Embarkation was a breeze with my mother in a wheel chair. But even without it’s been a breeze and quite organized on all my NCL cruises. Disembarking took just a little longer but because we used their wheelchair service it was much faster. By the way, there were lots of people in wheelchairs and elderly. So, if your parents or grand parents would like to tick something off their bucket list - don’t hesitate. They will have great fun and get a renewed sense of not feeling that getting old means staying home. Since they had no interest in the Western Caribbean (Honduras, Belize, Costa Maya and Cozumel) - we did no tours but, we did leave the ship in Belize, Costa Maya and Cozumel. Ports were lovely and in the first two you could use their pools, free of charge and buy food/drinks, and it had shopping. Cozumel - we hired a taxi for $18 one way to Playa del Mia, paid $28 to use their pool, beaches and water slides. I think it was just a bit cheaper than purchasing a shore excursion on the ship. Food/ drinks, massages and motorized water sports were for an additional fee. There were also other choices that we could visit but my family and I always enjoy going there when we visit Cozumel. Entertainment was varied and always fun. I had been on the Getaway exactly a year before and the Bliss in December of 2018. All very similar and with great entertainment. Burn the Floor was an exquisite show. It felt like I was watching a $500 show for free. It was well choreographed, sexy, tasteful, professional and the outfits were beautiful - it was very elegantly done and extremely Then, we attended their comedy night - well, it was funny but could have been better. I had seen better before on the Getaway. The Atrium always had very entertaining events with guests as the entertainers - always a hoot. Even my mom enjoyed it! Newly wed couples, and the Perfect couples, karoke, etc. Then, since I was solo, I decided to have a little fun... so I attended the sólo meet up the first night but prospects were quite disappointing for women (ranging from 25-70). Not enough men that would be a catch or worth compromising your relationship for. Maybe because it was low season. MSo, there definitely was something for everyone. However, the evenings had fun entertainment from 10pm (salsa dancing, line dancing, glow night, pure Finally, staff were great, food was good not Disney great but acceptable - always lots to eat so one could always find something. And you’d never need to spend a penny at the specialty restaurants. Just don’t bother with the Shanghai Noodle complimentary restaurant - better food elsewhere on the ship, especially in the Garden café. And to work off the food, there were Stretch, Abs and Yoga classes every morning at 7:00am -8:00am, as well as, a great gym. After, one could relax in the Breakaway’s Thermal Spa, using their sauna, steam room, thermal lounge chairs and bading for some alone time before you set out to a smorgasbord breakfast and day of fun or just more relaxation and sun. ALL in all a fun time. Just one last thing - get a porter to help you through the lines and immigration (if he knows the ropes). Don’t know why people chose to self assist with their luggage and not use the luggage system on the ship the night before. It made getting off easier the next day and without having to wait for an empty elevator with lots of Luggage. Finally, if you intend to rent a car - I highly recommend using Enterprise car rental with their free shuttle bus going to and from the Miami airport. But you must have a confirmation to show the bus driver. NCL gets to be addictive and looking forward to another cruise before summer is over. Read Less

This cruise was so wonderfull. The first time I went in the carribeans. Stops were so fabulous. About the ship : I have already cruise on the seaview, and it's exactly the same ship. It was plenty but, because of his design, you don't feel there are too much people. Just sometimes at the buffet or restaurant. Embarkation and disembarkation wasn't a problem, except at Grnad Cayman where we should take a boat to go to he port, and it was a bit longer but not too much. It was a little bit long to be serve at the bar, depend on the server. But this is the same problem on the other boat of MSC. I have the "My choice dining", so we went dining all days at 9h00, after the show (8h30). And it was allways simple to find a table, no waiting. We can ask for the same server all along the cruise. For the breakfast we went 4 times to the restaurant, and it was great. The others time to the self. Finally, I have no little children, so I can't critik the children installation. Read Less

I took this cruise because I bought the hype and video while on another Celebrity cruise. This was going to be a whole new way to cruise. A new angle on the cruising experience. The Magic Carpet, Infinite Verand, computer design, state of the art. Wow. What I found is that the ship is an Ikea budget design with delusions of grandeur. Upscale pricey shops, ridiculously overpriced dining venues, And even more (but more that is not good).... Here are my thoughts while they are still fresh in my mind. I got off the Edge this morning. In over 35 cruises and many happy ones with Celebrity, this was easily the worst cruise of my life. To put this into perspective, I have never written a negative review in 20 years of cruising. So what is so terrible about the Edge? 1. There is no access to the front of the ship for passengers under Suite class. Want to see where you are going? Anticipate that next port? Dream a little? Suite class right this way, here's your private pool, hot tub and bar, careful getting on the deck lounger. You are not Suite class? Oh, be glad that we allow second class passengers to look out the side or stern. Who do you think you are? 2. The ship looks like it was designed from stem to stern by Ikea. Plain to the point of starkness. A passenger I spoke to described it as Motel 6 at sea. That's not fair. I like Motel 6. 3. Elite passengers get free drinks from 5 to 7. That is unless you pay $100 extra for a Private dining experience, then your drinks are 18 dollars each at the table, or you can bus your own table from a bar on another floor. So you are telling me I get free food, drinks, and waiters in the buffet but if I pay $100 extra for a couples dinner I have to bus my own drinks to the table? Yes, you got it. 4. Buffet food is good. Rest of dining experiences are slow service and mediocre food. Do not think you will eat and go to the show. You will not have time for dessert unless you miss the show. 5. Speaking of shows, if you enjoy second rate lounge singers and tribute bands this is the cruise for you. The one show that took advantage of the wonderful holographic experience available in the state of the art theater was acted like an 8th-grade drama club production. It was horrid. Ditto for the Eden big show. 6. Furniture across the ship was designed with 3D glasses and no concern for ergonomics. There is barely a place anyone can find to sit comfortably. 7. Big Screen movies are behind lamp posts from the seats so you have to peer around the poles to watch them. Curiously most of the seats face away from the screen anyway. Smokestacks are too close to the deck of the ship so you will often find yourself breathing diesel fumes while you try to watch the film. 8. There are signs on the ship with white letters on a white background. Can you read white on white? I can't. 9. We were on 3rd floor, behind the Secret Door. What ship has a secret door for staterooms? It's a secret door that is manual. If you are older or in a wheelchair you will not be able to open it due to the doors spring pressure, even after you find it. 10. The ship apparently was designed by committee. Areas are chopped together with no sense of flow or logic. I was recently on Symphony of the Seas. In a couple days I had most of the venues down. After a week on Edge I was still clueless. So there are ten reasons why Edge is NOT a GOOD VALUE. I could give more but you get the idea. EDGE is a four letter word in my book. Avoid it if you can. If you are booked already, eat in the buffet, and hideout in the solarium. Read Less

We wanted a longer cruise that was affordable, so we could choose some excursions. We enjoyed the hot tubs and the decor. Our cabin was perfect; fantastic location. except not enough room for my wheel chair.(The handicapped cabin was more expensive).Our room's caretaker was excellent. No room for improvement there either. She was a kind sweet young lady, very thorough. We even enjoyed chatting with her. The food was fantastic anywhere we went we were well accommodated in the DR.The main complaint we had was the constant loud music videos on deck, never any quiet time. We found this a bit distressing. Service was great all the way around with one exception, when I needed a break in the line at the cafe they would not accommodate me. I cant wait in line and I needed a snack.All the other food venues were closed. This was a concern. Outside this complaint the service was excellent.. Read Less

This was my first Royal Caribbean cruise with Carnival being the regular cruise line I go on every year. When I first got on the ship, they had a huge welcome cake in the Windjammer with two guys who were playing different songs getting you to wash your hands (really catchy and they could sing really well)! I was impressed by the amount of food they had although some of it was bland wish it had more flavor or was more sweeter ( red velvet cake). The activities they had on board were amazing and really fun to participate in. I went to the Living Room which is a teen club for teens ages 12-17 and it was way better than the Carnival teen club Club 02, with more people in it and a lot of activities. Although they didn't let you in if you were wet and you couldn't eat in there. The woman who cleaned my room always put my pajamas on my bed folded and was really nice when talking to her although I wasn't in the room often, I do wish I had a TV guide for when I was up late night and nothing was open. The ports we went to ( Labadee, Haiti & Falmouth, Jamaica) were beautiful and nice with music playing in Haiti and a shopping center in Jamaica. The excursion I did in Haiti was the Dragon roller coaster was very fun but scary at times going down fast on the turns. This is a very great family cruise for all ages including babies (my one year old went with my family and I). This is also great if you are wanting to do so much and learn so much from the activities. I definitely want to go on another Royal Caribbean cruise soon. Read Less