We took this cruise because of itinerary, perks and price. We travelled with a group of 13. It was a nice January getaway in the sun and a good value. Experienced cruiser and was expecting an average cruise. It exceeded my expectations. Nice ship, has been updated. Kept very clean. All staff are VERY FRIENDLY, kind and accommodating. Entertainment was excellent. Drinks were excellent. We had free drinks and took advantage of our perk. It was nice to have options for dining. Both of the main dining rooms were nice, food about a B, very good but not high end. Service in both dining rooms inconsistent. No organized protocol for service....waiter recommendations, ladies served first, courses served at the same time, needs some work. The pub was open 24/7 and was a nice change for a good pub meal or snack with good service. The Lotus Garden was exceptional with good food and service. Disappointed with specialty restaurants which is very unusual. Italian was a C, Brazilian was a D, French was an A. Could not get reservations at the Steakhouse, full. Make your specialty restaurant reservations b4 your cruise. This was our 4th on NCL. I think NCL has improved over time and has a niche in the marketplace.
We had a forward inside cabin near the forward elevators. It was an unusual configuration of the room. When the door opened, the bed was right there on the right. You could open the door and fall in bed. Anyone in the hall could see you if you were in bed. I much prefer the usual configuration where the door opens and the bed is on the far side of the room. There is no way to tell the configuration of the room from anywhere I checked. Others in our group with inside cabins had the usual configuration.
We were only in SJ a short time. Walked around the Old Town. Some nice local crafts.