For our family, a trip is about the destination, not about “getting there.” This cruise turned out to be a whole lot of getting and very little “there" on a ship lacking in family-friendly amenities and things to do.

We booked two cabins on this cruise and really looked forward most to our day at Coco Cay. This was supposed to be our Caribbean beach vacation, and for us it was all about the day on Royal Caribbean’s highly touted private island. While we arrived at Coco Cay on a beautiful, sunny day, the seas were too “high” to operate the tenders. We understand the need to maintain a margin of safety, and that itineraries can be subject to change, but what really surprised us was that Royal Caribbean apparently gave no thought to an alternative port that we could call on as a substitute. Instead, they just turned around and we had to look forward to three MORE long days at sea with three kids to entertain on the Grandeur, which is, compared to the modern fleet, seriously lacking in family-friendly amenities.

The other ports of call in this itinerary were inconsequential to us; Port Canaveral, and a few hours in Nassau, which many reviewers say is not worth getting off the ship, and having done so, we can see why. Without Coco Cay, this was basically a cruise to nowhere. Read more