This was my very first cruise. Embarkation in Fort Lauderdale took much longer than I expected. Other passengers in line commented that it was taking longer than they had experienced before. Disembarkation was pretty smooth.
But once we were on board, it was smooth sailing! I LOVED this ship and this cruise!
Entertainment: The newly added Rolling Stone Rock Room was hands down my favorite evening entertainment on the ship, in fact a highlight of the cruise as a whole! Relaxed environment, incredibly talented musicians in the Rock Room Band, and a diverse audience dancing and enjoying the shows. I was also very impressed with the BB King All Stars performances. Having those solid options to enjoy almost every night was great. The Billboard Pianos were not my cup of tea, but I saw others enjoying it regularly. The Crow's Nest was also a favorite hang-out spot for me - wish the coffee shop in there was open earlier, but it was a good place to play cribbage or other games available, or just watch the scenery on a comfy chair in a spacious area with a modern, peaceful vibe.
Stateroom VB 11031 is a standard-size verandah cabin on the Sun Deck (deck 11). My mom and I had it set up with two twin beds. We were very happy with the configuration, the space seemed maximized efficiently and the decorations were neutral and pleasant. Plenty of closet space and drawers for storage. The balcony is just the standard size, which was fine for us but some might prefer one with more room to lay down lounging. The bathroom was great - we didn't have any problem with the angled toilet, and the shower was very spacious and included a string to hang wet swimsuits. Before the cruise I was nervous that the elevated location on Deck 11 would cause more rocking and rolling, but to me there was no noticeable difference from the lower decks I explored. Loved the location for being able to take the stairs up to the Crow's Nest and Explorations Cafe just one floor up, or down to the Lido Deck two floors down in no time.
The white sand beach and clear blue water were spectacular. Tenders to deliver passengers to/from shore aren't ideal, but obviously it's worth it to get there. The island barbecue was pretty crowded and disorganized, and the food was just OK. Enjoy the beautiful beach and don't expect much at the barbecue. Didn't have to spend a penny at this port!
View from the ship was beautiful. Did the Panoramic City Tour booked through HAL. Glad we did it - if you stay in the cruise ship center, you will not really see the culture of the Dominican Republic.