This was our first RCCL cruise, we've also done Princess and Carnival several times. I liked the cruise a lot, but probably will not sail with RCCL again.
PROS:
- The crew was extremely friendly and the service was outstanding.
This cabin was the second to last cabin in the back of the ship on the port side. It was very stylish and plenty big for two adults and two kids. The balcony was also plenty big to stretch our and relax. The shower was also nice and big. The toilet was too small and uncomfortable to sit on. The bathroom has a small light that is on all night, making it useful if someone needs to use it in the middle of the night without having to wake up everyone else when turning on the light. The beds were comfortable, but the pillows were not. The attendant was really friendly. The walk to the aft stairs took a couple of mins, and it was about 10 mins to get to the front of the ship where the kids club was. However, the buffet and MDR were at the back of the ship, so all else equal, I'd choose the back of the ship over the front of the ship, ideally as close to the aft stairs as possible. The cabin was generally quiet.
Sailing out of Port Canaveral was easy. It was a Sunday, so there wasn't much traffic. We hired a shuttle service (U-cruise) for $100 to take us in a private van from MCO to the port. They were on time, clean, and friendly. We rented a car from Alamo for the return to MCO for $50. It was pretty quick getting from the boat to the rental office and into a car. I would do that again.
The food here is great, better than on the ship in my opinion. The sand was a little bit rougher than I would have liked. I've been to other beaches in the Bahamas that have had more powdery sand. There was also next to no sea life in the ocean for good snorkeling. I think the construction chased the fish away. We did not participate in the Thrill side with the water slides due to the cost of entry. The beaches were free however, so if you don't want to spend any money, that's no problem.
This was a disappointing stop. There are much better ports, I don't think I'd choose another cruise that has this port on the itinerary. We got off the ship for about an hour and then got back on it.
We went to the Paradise Beach Club. It was a $15 cab ride one way, about a 10 min drive. The pool there is excellent and warm. We spent most of the day in the pool. The beach there was not great, the water was a bit cold (in Feb) and not very clear. I would not go there for the beach. The food at the club was pretty good too, especially the taco truck. It was only $3pp to get in, with a minimum $10pp for food and drink. I would go to that beach club again for sure and it's a lot more affordable than the other places on Cozumel.