I booked Princess because of the reputation of service and quality I am not kidding when I say the majority of staff had attitude our room was Dirty, found shoes in the bathroom (not ours). Work Was done on balcony they left a mess and the steward did not clean it. We are also nickel and dimes for everything We also had a prepaid dinner in the paid restaurant. We went to book in the steakhouse and was told they were all booked and we could eat in the seafood restaurant. I asked to speak to a manager and was told there wasn’t one and I didn’t have a choice Princess, I DO have a choice. There are many other cruise lines out there. If you think Princess will give you great service, think again. Chose Celebration The rooms are great. We had a mini suite Other passengers felt the same as us Read Less

GREAT ENTERTAINMENT, BAD SERVICE AND MEDIOCRE FOOD THE BAD RC has gone to new depths to encourage you to spend money. There is no comfortable seating anywhere in the ship, including your cabin, except in the bars. There is no place to sit and read a book. Indeed, there is no library on board. The only half decent food is in the specialty restaurants. So if you do plan to go, despite my warnings herein, add the cost of specialty restaurants to the price of the cruise and make your reservations early. Their on ship app is awful and frustrating, it has limited information, doesn’t always work, and doesn’t notify you if you get a message. So....you will have to buy the WiFi package. The upsell is constant and they must be under a lot of pressure to make quota because they won’t take no for an answer......so very annoying. The shops are over-priced, you can get the same thing in the overpriced tourist traps on shore cheaper. One thing of note, an 18% tip is added to all the bills and called a “service charge”. . So when you are contemplating a tip keep in mind that you have already given them 18%. For myself, I don’t appreciate the deliberate deception. Give great service for a great tip. THE UGLY MEDIOCRE FOOD. Looking forward to great food on your cruise? You won’t find it here. This ship falls way below standards. In main dining the chef does a decent job of cooking the meat properly, but the meat is of the poorer cuts and such low quality that it is tough to cut and chew. The sauces are watery and served skimpily, perhaps a tablespoon. I can’t say if they are tasty as there is not enough served on your plate to make a determination. I don’t know what the eggs are, but they are not real eggs....powder maybe? Note: if you still take a cruise on this ship, there is a fried egg station hidden aft ..... we found it on Day 6. OJ is simply disgusting, not made from oranges. I could go on. Most of the alternatives for lunch, such as Johnny Rockets, aren't worth paying extra for. BAD SERVICE. The wait service in main dining is non-existent. They are quick to take your drink order and charge your account, but you can wait up to 17 minutes (we timed it one night) to have your food order taken. THE GOOD WONDERLAND SPECIALTY RESTAURANT In contrast, we ate at Wonderland one evening and experienced the best meal we had of our life. We have traveled around Europe and the US to some of the best restaurants, so that is saying something. The creativity, the imagination...and I’m talking about the food, not just the surroundings. Bread made into foam, clear tomato juice, meringue dessert in the shape of toadstools. The explosion of flavors as they hit your palette. I won’t spoil the awesome surprise with the smoking eggs and chocolate dessert. Don’t let the menu dissuade you, this is an experience not to be missed and be prepared for the gastronomic experience of your life! THE GOOD GREAT ENTERTAINMENT. I was very impressed with the variety of entertainment and quality of the performers. The ice shows were spectacular. We saw 1887 and the iSkate show, the latter being one put together by the performers themselves. They are world class champions skating for your entertainment pleasure. The aqua show was equally outstanding. The stage rises and falls, the choreography is wonderful.....high divers, tight rope walkers, and a guy who twirls for 10 minutes. We asked, because we had to know, but apparently he meditates and that’s how he can do it for so long. The thing to keep in mind is that they are doing all this on a ship that rocks back and forth! There is also a lot to be said about the cool things on the ship. Imagine the elevator doors opening up and there before you in the elevator is a funky guy with a funky hat, singing and playing the piano.... a piano in the elevator! I rode up and down with him and had a jolly good time. So cool! Or you can order a drink and watch a robot make it for you! Too cool! Or you go sit at a bar in Central Park to have a drink and the entire bar rises and falls three stories! Or ride a carousel....on a cruise ship. Or how about watching a replica of the kinetic sculpture of Kafka in Prague (a silver head that turns around in sections). Hard to describe. Zip lines, water slides, this ship has it all. For us, this was our first and last RC cruise, even if they did improve the service and the food. In addition to the things discussed above, there is music everywhere. You cannot get away from it. Music in one area competing with music in another area. Then on top of that, the many passengers trying to talk above it all. Waiting long periods of time for the elevator because of the masses of people waiting for one.The lack of comfortable seating. The void of a place to go an sit quietly and talk or read. The awful food and service. I can spend my money on a ship far more enjoyable that doesn't confront you with a sales pitch at every turn Read Less

This was a family trip with my Dad and Sister. Every bit of it was perfect. I enjoyed the serenity pool and hot tub. My room steward was very nice and prompt. The room was clean and comfortable. Best sleep I've had in a very long time. I wanted to take the mattress home. The shows were very good...we saw movies on the deck, comedy shows and variety shows. I was unable to book any excursions due to an injury prior to the cruise, but there was shopping and swimming right off the ship. I have to admit, I had all but given up on Carnival's food before this trip, but they did a fantastic job. It was definitely up to par this time. I would book on this ship again as the staff was very welcoming and attentive. The only complaint that I could muster is that the shower did not maintain temperature throughout. It would go from a little too hot to a little too cold. Read Less

My son, daughter-in-law, two granddaughters, wife and I sailed on the Harmony of the Seas departing on June 9, 2019 returning on June 16, 2019. The itinerary was Perfect Day at Coco Cay, day at sea, St. Thomas, St. Maarten, and two additional days at sea. Our staterooms were 7630 and 7632, adjoining Jr. Suites. Note that my wife and I are experienced cruisers with more than 20 cruises, most with Celebrity and Royal but with others as well. This cruise vacation is summarized below. We live in Orlando so getting to Port Canaveral is an easy drive. We left the house at 9:45 and arrived at the port about an hour later. I dropped off our bags passengers and parked in the onsite garage which was very convenient though a little pricey. Check-in was very quick as we used the Royal App and had all information on our cell phones. I purchased the digital photo package on-line prior to the cruise so we had numerous photos taken on boarding. The on-line price for the package was $249, onboard it was over $300 (although Royal had different promotions for it throughout the week). Our rooms were obviously not ready so we headed to Park Café for lunch and to make our home base until the rooms were opened up which occurred at 1:00 as advertised. While others were getting their lunch I headed up to Country Kitchen to make our dinner reservations for a party of 6. This was my first disappointment on the cruise. I asked for reservations at 6:00 each night but was informed the restaurant opens at 5:15 so I could have 5:15 or after 7:00. They told me that they only had two tables for 6 so that was my only option. After much haggling they gave me 5:45 for the first 3 nights but 5:15 for the remaining nights. I chose to chill and explain the situation to my son and daughter-in-law but they were not happy as 5:15 as it was way too early for them. 5:15 was too early for my wife and I as well for that matter. Getting two young children (5 & 23 months) and themselves ready by that time would significantly eat into their afternoons. In hindsight I should have bumped up my issue to a higher authority above the restaurant manager. This situation resulted in much stress each afternoon but we all coped the best we could. I am not sure why they couldn’t accommodate my request as the restaurant was half empty each night and they easily could have created a table for 6 as they did one night. After lunch we headed to staterooms and met our stateroom attendant. As always the rooms were very nice and spacious with lots of storage space. If within your budget I would highly recommend booking a Jr. Suite as it just makes the cruising experience a little more pleasant. We had the divider opened between our two rooms making it essentially a two room suite. The grandchildren enjoyed being able to come over at will. Our stateroom attendant was friendly and did a great job doing his job. I would say he exceeded my expectations for service. Day two was supposed to be our Perfect Day at Coco Cay. It turned out to be anything but perfect. I bought tickets to the Thrill Water Park for all (the 23 month old was free) paying a little over $300 on-line prior to the cruise. I did my research and both my son and I clearly understood the restrictions for the 5 year old and what she could ride. However once inside the park what we thought the 5 year old could ride she could not even though she was well over the lower height restriction. The problem, we did not put a life preserver on her, our bad. But the life guards did not advise or direct us to do so either. They simply said she could not ride. Also for the adults the wait times on the rides were anywhere from 1 to 2 hours. They also closed the rides for 2+ hours do to lightening in the area (10 mile radius) although it never rained on site. Bottom line is that in a best case you could get maybe 5 rides in. In our case after taking time out for lunch and letting the kids play in the areas outside the water park none of the adults rode any of the thrill rides. The next day I received a message asking me to review the Perfect Day at Coco Cay and I gave it a very negative review. Subsequently I was contacted by guest services to clarify my review and in that conversation I requested compensation for my dissatisfaction. At first they offered 25% refund, which they were refunding everyone because of the weather closing, but I was adamant that I received zero value for my money. After two additional conversations with guest services and the manager of shore excursions they refunded me my total amount. I am happy that Royal eventually took my complaint seriously and did what I believe is right but I am disappointed that it took so long to do so. Bottom line is make sure you are willing to wait on long lines and maybe get only a few rides in. Also if you have a young ones over 40 inches but not yet 48 inches put a life vest on them (note though I only saw a 48 inch height gauges no 40 inch gauges). Also RCL should figure out how to accommodate chaperones who do not ride on the attractions such as older grandparents, why charge someone who is not using the facility. Will I use the facility again, maybe, but at least I will go in with full knowledge that I am just giving Royal my money with little value in return. Other ports were essentially noneventful. Getting off and boarding at each was easy and quick. We didn’t take any tours and simply made them beach days. In St. Thomas we took a taxi to Emerald beach which worked well for us. In St. Maarten we took the water taxi to town and rented chairs and beach umbrellas. We also had a great lunch in town in a restaurant along the boardwalk. The water taxi worked out well so I would recommend it if it works into your plans. On previous cruises to St. Maarten we simply walked into town which is an easy walk. Our dining experience onboard was mixed. We only used Windjammer for breakfast and lunch a few times. I was very disappointed in the breakfast served there. In the past on Harmony you could get eggs benedict there but not on this cruise. Also in the past you could get omelets made to order, no more, only pre made omelets. Pancakes and waffles were also pre made and were cold and dried out. You could get fried eggs to order though. Lunch in Windjammer was a little better. Windjammer food quality and choices though are simply declining. We went to American Icon twice for breakfast and it was ok but not great. I ordered eggs benedict and the eggs were over cooked and the Hollandaise Sause was dried out on top. Second time I simply ordered eggs over medium and they came out as you would expect. They also had a very good French toast that I enjoyed. In short I would say everyone in our party enjoyed their breakfasts in American Icon. The best breakfasts we had on the ship however was at Johnny Rockets, killer omelets with nice country fried potatoes in a nice location on the ship. Also Johnny Rockets had plenty of seating and service was quick and friendly. We also used Mini Bites a few times for lunch and snacks and were pleased with the offerings there. We ate dinner the second night of the cruise in Wonderland as my wife and I enjoyed it on our last cruise on Harmony. No so much this time. We simply remember the dining experience being much better. The meal was ok but nothing to write home about. We used a specialty dining coupon we had from our TA and in retrospect we should have eaten at Park 150, we have never been disappointed there. All other dinners were in Coastal Kitchen. The reservation times aside the staff there was spectacular. They honored our every request including asking for several items from the MDR. They were great with the children. The food offerings there however were not as good as I remember it on past cruises. One of the reasons I book a Jr. Suite is to dine in Coastal Kitchen. In the past we found it better than any specialty restaurant on the ship, but not on this sailing. We found the menu selections ordinary, nothing special. The head chef came by each evening and one night I asked him if the menu was his or Miami’s, he said Miami. Too bad, I think in the past the chef may have been given more flexibility to use their creativity in creating dishes. The food was not bad, just not the exceptional dining experience I have become accustomed to. One big mistake serve what is on the menu, one night they said they had Pear Salad but when it was served it was apple salad with a different dressing. The server should have known that the Pear salad was not available. No killer nightly dessert either, just ho-hum. As with Windjammer dinner in Country Kitchen appears to be on the decline, at least on this ship. The nightly entertainment was enjoyable. We have been on Harmony in the last 18 months so the shows have not changed. Make sure you make reservations online well in advance on line, we did and it worked out great. Although we enjoyed the shows we look forward to RCL rolling out some new shows on Harmony. I found the musicians on this cruise to be outstanding, better than I have been accustomed too. The two comedians onboard Nery Saenz and Heath Harmison were fantastic, very funny guys. The Headliner Showtime act, Tribute Band, Private Stock, was ok but not a great show although many in the audience enjoyed them more than I. Another new item I did not appreciate was the large number of reserved seats for suites (Grand and above), Diamond Plus (not there yet, maybe never) and Pinnacle as well as seats for those that purchased The Key. It used to be that the first couple of rows were reserved for Suite guests, now 2/3 of the seats in the center section are reserved for the above, very disturbing. It simply means getting in line early at the front so you can run to get your seats when the doors open. This simply creates more stress and watch watching during dinner. Guess it is just another indication of the cruise line going back to the class system; regular paying customers are not as appreciated as they were in the recent past. Daytime activities onboard were very good and what have become accustomed to. Note however a change in the procedures on the Flow Rider. My son is a very experienced Flow Rider having sailed on Freedom, Independence and Harmony. He signed the waiver, got his wrist band and was in line for about 30 minutes for the standup Flow Rider when the attendant told him he needed to ride the knee board Flow Rider first and get a different colored wrist band. So this cost him about an hour of wasted time in total. He should have been advised of the change in procedure when he signed the waiver. He complained and they began making announcements to this requirement, it would have been nice if they were making announcements prior to his complaint. Apparently this is a new procedure implemented a few months back, not sure what its purpose it has. I do not like writing what is mostly a negative review, particularly since my past sailings on RCCL have been outstanding. So what is my take away, will I sail with Royal again, sail on Harmony again? Probably yes to both depending on value and the itinerary. As I live in Orlando I will likely sail on whichever Oasis class ship Royal is sailing from Port Canaveral, not sure it is worth the drive to Fort Lauderdale or Miami for me. But given the value of the cruise and itinerary driving south is always an option. Will probably only sail RCL though with grandchildren, for me Celebrity is still my go to cruise line and ships. But I will also be looking more closely at Princess as I have had good past experiences with them as well. Read Less

We were looking forward to this cruise being we had cruised Celebrity 12 times before and were always satisfied with our cruise. This time was a real let-down. We had an Aqua class room and ate at Blu restaurant. The quality of food was not good. We sent back a number of dishes. The staple salad (Caesar) came to the table limpe. As if it was laying out for some time. The strip steak was uneatable! One morning the bacon was so greasy and dry that it stuck together and was unable to cut. The service in this restaurant was also not up to par. Recommended to us one night what to order and then came back after we took her suggestion, and told us they didn't have it. Took a creamer off a table next to us that they were cleaning and placed it on our table. I could go on and on. Our room was always kept immaculate!. Our steward name was Francisco. Excellent job all week. Didn't do much activity on port days being we were there before. We had cruised 29 cruises and always returned to Celebrity. Sorry to say, we don't think we will again. Read Less

Departed out of Ft. Lauderdale which I LOVE. So much easier than Miami. We live in the area so we just drove down that morning. This was our 9th Carnival cruise (gold). With two kids (13 and 6) we go for the ocean suite and it makes priority embarkation/debarkation worth it. We bypassed all the long lines and we were on the ship in about 15 minutes. Our room was already ready by 12:30. The cabin itself was good (7277). To keep the lights on, you do need to keep a card in the slot upon entrance. I had no idea, until reading another post, that we could literally use ANY card to do this, including business cards! Ah well. Now you know! The room balcony is my favorite place on the ship. I read out there for hours. Keep in mind that on this floor (well, 6 and above), your balcony won't be directly above water. You will be looking at the edge of deck 5. Some rooms had a view of the hot tub on deck 5. I would have not enjoyed that at all, but our room just had lounge chairs and it was always quiet and didn't obstruct my view when sitting and looking out to sea. Bring a ship approved adapter so you can have more outlets. I also bring a travel fan and digital alarm clock. The muster drill was much better! We just met in a specified room based on our muster station and heard the safety instructions. No standing in rows in the hot sun on the decks! I thought the ship was clean. There's always someone cleaning something. It never felt exceptionally crowded, except the first day on the lido when everyone's scrambling for lunches. After that, I never felt overwhelmed with people. We spent most of our time near the water slides which my kids absolutely loved. We mostly had breakfast in Northern Lights (sit down) which service was VERY slow, but we kept going because it was a nice way to start the day without the chaos and heat of a Lido breakfast., We ate lunch at Guys our the taco place (or deli) which is great. We did early dining. The first couple of nights in the dining room were awful. Either they didn't take our drink order, or they did and they never came. Felt completely ignored. We even wondered if they were short staffed. Slow service. I'm talking 30 minutes to get the dinner rolls! And that's if we got to pick them. Sometimes they just handed you whatever kind without even asking you which break type you wanted. I know, it's little stuff. But we were so annoyed that for the first time, we booked a specialty restaurant (the Italian place) for the third night just hoping to get better service. The service was great at the specialty restaurant, though the location is a bit odd. I think the basketball court is right above it so there was a lot of banging. Anyway, when we went back to the dining room the 4th night, service improved greatly and for the first time, everyone at the table got their drinks! Each night after that was perfect. The food itself is very good too. I gained 7 pounds! (Currently down 4 of those pounds tho!) We never used the kids club even though I sign them up every time! I actually thought the shows were pretty good! Especially compared to the last couple Carnival cruises we've been on. The director was great (British guy), the staff was great too! Having kids, our fav was the movies at night on the deck. You can get popcorn and rent a blanket. St. Maarten: we did the Golden Eagle Catamaran tour and loved it! Very organized. Smooth ride. First stop was snorkeling. Even my 6 year old loved it. Second stop was a beach. Beautiful waters. They served a lot of beer and rum punch. The punch was awesome! Of course a few passengers over indulged (there's always a few!) but luckily they were happy drunks and nothing got too crazy. Would def do that excursion again. St. Kitts: meh. To be fair, we didn't book an excursion because the only ones that interested us, the min age was older than 6. We just walked around the port and then tried to navigate the town a bit and it was just a little too much for us. The roads/drivers made me too nervous with my younger one. I didn't find it to be very friendly there, but if we were to ever go back, I'd def book an excursion because I am interested in the history of the island. San Juan: We've been here a few times but it was the first time for my youngest. We always visit the National Historic Site. We read everything and explored. We also walked around the city/shops. It's such a cool city! We've never done an excursion here though. Grand Turk: my husband's favorite. Honestly, we just enjoy the beach/Jimmy Buffets. Bring your water shoes and snorkel. We saw the most amazing fish just swimming on their beach. Rainbow parrot fish being our fav. We want to go back to Turks for a week just to snorkel! Overall it was a great vacation and we were lucky to have amazing weather! I would def go on this ship again. Read Less

This was my 3rd cruise, but first time with Carnival. We went as a group of 9 for a family vacation. Five in my group were new to cruising. The 5 children ranged in age from 6 y.o to 14 y.o. Unfortunately, everyone in the group returned extremely disappointed. The pools were remarkably small, barely larger than hot tubs, and were nowhere close to being able to accommodate the number of passengers on board. My husband and I weren't even interested in using the pools although we usually like to jump in. The casino took up an extremely large space and made the entire 5th floor smell like stale cigarette smoke. The casino actually took up more space than all THREE children's areas combined! My kids were so bored when we dropped them off at the child area, that they refused to go back. It actually took me 20 minutes to drop off my 2 kids, and another 20 waiting in line to pick them up an hour later. It was disheartening to not be able to drop them off to have fun so we could do "adult time". The lines for food were equally as frustrating. After our first stop in Amber Cove, hungry, exhausted passengers returned on board to find that only pizza and burgers were available to eat; resulting in lines that were excruciatingly long. This was pretty much the recurring theme each time we wanted to eat. This was even true for the buffet lines...when it was open. It is like they purposely timed the food areas to be shut down or at half staff during the most inappropriate/busy times. We had never experienced lines like this on our other cruises. Activities were mostly limited to sales, raffles and Bingo to encourage additional on-board spending. Two soccer tournaments were offered, but were limited to 18+. The one craft we attended was so short that the workers were actually taking supplies out from under my 6 y.o. daughter's hands to put them away. How disappointing. We enjoyed the live music, especially Liz and Lucas, who were AMAZING! I wish there would have been more on board to do other than just sitting in a bar listening to music. Even though we loved the band, we would have liked more family time on our family vacation. The 2 teens in our group actually enjoyed hanging out with new friends. The 13-15 y.o. teen area facilitated the opportunity for them to all meet, but after 2 days they preferred to spend most of their time as a group outside of the monitored area. There were some positives on our cruise. As I mentioned before, music by Liz and Lucas was amazing. Our group all liked the port locations; especially Grand Turk and San Juan. We would have loved to spend more time in both places. Despite frequent long lines, Guy's Burgers, the BBQ place, 24/7 ice cream and the pizza place were delicious. We also liked the burrito shack. Red Frog pub had board games available that entertained us for an hour or so. My children liked the water slides when they were available, but they were always done within 30-45 minutes. The adults used the workout area and were pleased to find plenty of cardio and weight lifting equipment available during both visits. Overall, the combination of minimal pool space, constant lines for food, lack of activities and boring childrens' areas, we will NEVER consider returning to Carnival. The negatives outweighed the positive by a HUGE margin. Our cruise was pretty much only enjoyable while we were off the ship or listening to Liz and Lucas. Read Less

We just got off a week-long Eastern Caribbean cruise on the MSC Seaside. This was my third cruise (I’ve done Holland America and Disney previously) and my husband’s first. I’ll break my review into categories to make it easier to find what you’re looking for. THE SHIP The ship is absolutely immaculate. It is easy to navigate, super clean, and glamorous. There are TVs all over that have an interactive map, allow you to book shows, and show you daily activities. There are tons of lounge areas and bars, a little something for everyone. We never felt the boat rocking (our room was on the 14th floor). There are several pools. We actually had the best luck at the jungle pool. We also enjoyed the adults-only South Beach pool. The Miami Beach pool is packed most of the time. My husband and I both with there were more hot tubs, ESPECIALLY in the adults-only pool section. Hot tubs are typically overrun by kids. I also wish they stayed open past 9! FANTASTICA EXPERIENCE AND ROOM (14th FLOOR INTERIOR) With the loss of the 12 drink vouchers, Fantastica basically gives you the option of “better” rooms and dining time choice. However, our room location wasn’t anything special and we requested early dining and were assigned a 9:30pm dinner time. Yes, we could have changed that, but who wants to wait 45 minutes in the dining room to change their dinner time when you just arrived? Not us. Unless you REALLY care about your room location. Speaking of room, we were in interior room 14044. I thought our room was great. It was cleaned twice a day. We utilized some storage hacks (like the over the door hanger and pop-up laundry hanger) and I suggest doing the same. Water pressure was amazing. Splurge for a balcony if you can, but don’t worry if you can’t. Having an interior room makes you get out and explore the ship. FOOD As is pretty typical of cruises, the food was good, not great. I know a lot of people complain about the buffet options, but honestly there are TONS of options, they just don’t change very often. The pizza is AMAZING. I also loved the cinnamon rolls at breakfast. The Marketplace buffet (deck 8) is way bigger than Biscayne Bay (deck 16). Plenty of places to sit; we liked to sit outside and enjoy the view. I wish drink classes were bigger; the cups for water were practically shot glasses haha. I would suggest bringing your own bigger cup. We only ate in the MDR once. We dressed “smart,” but there was literally a guy in a tank top and hat…so clearly not strict on dress code. The food, again, was good, not great. The couple sat along with us at our table said they also had the fantastica package and requested the early dining time and were also assigned the latest time. DRINKS ON US We received this package as part of an Expedia promotion. Be aware: despite what you may have read in this group, this is NOT the “old version of the easy package.” It includes different things. The good part is it includes a wide range of beers (which Easy doesn’t.) My husband was happy about this. But it only includes basic mixed drinks made with well alcohol (vodka soda, rum and coke, etc.) and absolutely nothing blended. If you want blended drinks, you pay full price. You will pay a 15% tax on all drinks (even ones “included” on DOU.) MSC would be smart to just change over everyone’s DOU package to easy to avoid this continuous confusion. SERVICE We were blown away by the MSC staff. There are over 2000 staff on board and they all work VERY hard literally all the time. There is never an idle worker. There is a reason the ship is so immaculate. They will go out of their way to help you. One thing that bothered me is that on several occasions I saw the crew members dressed in the white official looking outfits (I have no idea what their title is) harshly reprimanding staff members for minuscule things. I saw one of them yelling at the poor kid who makes pizzas for 29384 hours a day because he had the tongs in the wrong spot and then at this super adorable, fun kitchen worker who was laughing (along with us) at the birds coming on the boat and trying to take the food. I understand that they are trying to make sure the boat is pristine, but I also don’t support that type of management of people who work incredibly hard, especially in front of guests. I will say that bar service is very slow. However, this is NOT because the servers/bartenders themselves are slow. They work their butts off! They just need WAY more people working behind the bar. Often times during prime pool hours there were only 1-2 bartenders responsible for all at-bar orders AND orders placed by bar maids. MSC needs to put more bartenders behind the bar. Good news is that their pours were VERY heavy  THERMAL AREA/SPA We booked the experience that included two 30-min massages and week-long passes to the Thermal Area. The massages were nice (my husband had never had one and was VERY skeptical, but he said he would do it again) but not the best I’ve ever had. We visited the Thermal Area 3 times. It was nice, but honestly I probably would have been fine with one day. It was nice to get away from crowds and relax. I loved the steam room with the cold showers. It felt SO refreshing, as did the showers with the “rain storm,” “cold mist,” etc. The snow room was unbearable to me, but neat. The Jacuzzi honestly wasn’t worth it because it was more warm than the hot Jacuzzi experience I was looking for. There is a private deck area with a small hot tub and some sun chairs that only Thermal Area-goers can use, which was really nice. We were always the only ones out there. However, again, for some reason the hot tub out there was also just slightly warm. ENTERTAINMENT I thought, overall, the entertainment was great. There were a couple bands and some solo singers that all sounded great. The only thing I’ll say is that it got kind of repetitive by the end. The entertainment staff who put on the parties and lead the dance classes were AWESOME. You MUST go to the White Party dance party at Miami Beach Pool. They put a cover on the pool and have an awesome party until 1am, and TONS of people go. This was the only theme we dressed up for, and trust me…you want to bring your white outfit! Everyone dressed up. As far as shows, we went to the R-Rated Beerprov show and Starwalker. We were DYING laughing at Beerprov. We wanted to go to the other shows they put on but it just didn’t work with our schedule. Starwalker was very good as well. I feel very conflicted because, well, I’m not about to be cheering for Michael Jackson after all that has come out, but I just decided to appreciate the music and dancing, which was awesome. The entertainment staff CLEARLY love their jobs and make sure everyone has a great time. PORTS OF CALL Puerto Rico – This is kind of an odd day because it is a basically a sea day combined with a port day. We got in at 5:00 and walked up to a nearby fort. However, all of the forts closed at 6:00, so if you want to see them you better hurry! We walked to dinner and had a pina colada (they were invented in PR, you have to have one!) and then strolled around. Although charming, this was probably our most boring stop. St. Thomas – We did the Sail and Snokel experience on Castaway Girl 3. We had a great time! We didn’t see many fish and not other aquatic life, but it was fun nonetheless. On the way back you are given rum punch and we leisurely return to the port, just enjoying the ride. After that we went to the Fat Turtle by the port and drank beers and chatted with locals. If you want a beach you will need to take a taxi. Sint Maarten – Ugh, such a gorgeous port. Leave the shopping area, take a left and keep walking until you reach the sign for the beach. About a 10-15 min walk. Beautiful beach, lots of shops and bars/restaurants. Find a deal for lawn chairs/umbrella. Most about $20 for 2 beach chairs, umbrella, 5 beers OR 2 frozen drinks, and wif. We got that deal sans the alcohol for $10 a ways down the beach. Do be prepared for lots of locals trying to sell hair braiding, massages, bags, etc. Just say no thank you and they will move on. This is a short port day (7am – 1:30pm) so I suggest just making it a beach day. Nassau – If you want to pick a day to spend on the boat while in port, this is that day. If not, I suggest finding an excursion or riding to another beach. We went to Junkanoo Beach, and….well, it has Junk in the name for a reason. It’s a very rocky beach with lots of glass, at the top of the beach there is lots of trash, and the drinks and food are crazy expensive. We stayed for a short while and just took a dip and then walked to the Twisted Lime for some delicious cold drinks and then went back to the boat and enjoyed some breathing room while others were in port. INTERNATIONAL EXPERIENCE As many have mentioned, this is a very diverse boat. Having lived abroad, I loved being immersed among all of the different language and cultures. The ONLY drawback is that many things we consider polite or appropriate behavior is not the case in other countries. Lots of cutting in line, lots of talking/talk-yelling in public areas, and just what seemed to be a general unawareness of anyone besides themselves. This, of course, is not the fault of MSC, but is just a reality to be aware of. BILLING I highly suggest hooking up a CREDIT card to your account. You can easily do this on a kiosk the first or second day there. If you use a credit card, you don’t have to settle your bill at guest services. I can’t even imagine waiting in that line to settle my bill! I know some people have had charges on their account that were wrong. We didn’t have that happen, BUT we did have on two occasions the bartender pass us their little machine to sign only to see that they were charging us for four drinks instead of two (remember, we had the DOU package so each drink had about a ~90cent service charge added.) When we refused to sign they took it off, but it was still sketchy. Read Less

After not cruising for 7 years, I went on a cruise for the first time on NCL to try out a different cruise line. Last year, I thought NCL was terrible but after experiencing Celebrity Equinox it's really put that cruise line into perspective. Just to give some clarification, I've been on two Celebrity Cruises but it's been over ten years since I've cruised with them. Our family was a loyal RC cruising family until we decided to branch out. So without further ado, let's jump into the review: Positives: • Honestly, what made my cruise enjoyable was the dining staff I had in the main dining room. Our waiter was Reynaldo. M. and Carlos at table 166. Those two were fantastic waiters and were on top of everything. They were friendly and it was nice to form a bond with them. Reynaldo always made sure we were pleased and happy with everything from food to service. Carlos was overly friendly and accommodating to our table and was a laugh and joy to have. We will miss them dearly. We had no issues in the MDR. The food was excellent on board. I always looked forward to eating in the MDR. I actually prefer Celebrities' chefs more so than the Moveable Feast chefs that came and prepared dishes that night. I found on the Moveable Feast night I greatly disliked the appetizers and main meals created by those two chefs. The only redeeming quality was the desert. If you do the MF again, get better chefs. • I had no issues ever finding a seat on the pool deck to tan or sunbath. This is usually a common problem with cruises, but I did not have this issue. The pools were well kept and not crowded and were set at nice temperatures. • I really enjoyed having Capt. Kate as our captain. I've been on at least 20+ cruises and I've never had a memorable cruise captain, but I can honestly say Kate is a memorable and fun one to have. I enjoyed listening to her morning riddles and hearing her sense of humor. There was something so humble about that and humanizing. Loved it. • Our room steward was fantastic. He was super lovely and very consistent. He always had our room cleaned quickly and efficiently. I could see he worked super hard and wanted to make sure we were taking care of. Negatives: Bars/Bartenders: • I spent a lot of time in Sky 14 and I'm sorry, but the bartenders up there have to be some of the rudest people I have ever met. Day 1, for sail away, I went up there to get a drink. There were only two people at the bar, one who already had a drink, and another gentleman who was waiting to get served. There were two bartenders cleaning/stocking the bar and ignored both of us for eight minutes. Eventually, they acknowledged us after that time but seemed bothered by the fact that we wanted to order a drink. Then another bartender from the pool deck came down and got my drinks made. What made it worse though is that then he berated me about why I wouldn't want to get the drink package. I don't drink that much, in fact, I only had one drink the entire cruise, so why would I want to spend $50 a day only to drink once?? Basically, I found that most of the bartenders were rude anyway. They tended to look over your head and act like they didn't see you, which only further turned me off from utilizing them. I also hated that they were desperately trying to shove the drink package down our throats. If we didn't want it, we didn't want it! Activities on board: • There were not enough activities to keep people entertained on board. I would have loved to see more game show type of games on board. The last sea day was the most boring day I have ever experienced on a cruise. We had one trivia game at 10:15 AM and then a huge gap where nothing but seminars or paying ($$$) activities were available until 3:15 PM. I found that absurd because on NCL I was never bored with the entertainment. They always mixed up the activities or game show ideas, but on this cruise I found myself being bored many times. Why are there so many activities where you need to pay additional money or listen to people talk? We're already paying a lot as it is. (Most of the seminars are to get you to spend more money, like on wellness products) Speaking of activities...I found the entertainment group to appear to look like they don't enjoy their jobs very much. They always looked super melancholy and would rush through the activities they did happen to provide as if they had better things to do. They'd speed through the trivia questions or show up late, etc. Darren and Charlotte were my favorites out of the group, but as a whole, they didn't look like they worked as a team. Also, the locations where they'd hold the activities were not suitable. I still don't understand why they'd host the interactive game shows on Deck 4 in that small entertainment court. It got too congested and there weren't any seats. Room Temperature: • I really enjoyed the layout and location of our room. We were located in room 8277 and it was right near the elevators. It was lovely and cool during the day but at night it felt like a sauna in there. Every night on board, my mother and I would wake up around 3 AM- 4 AM sweating like pigs. We did not have the duvets draped over us, just the mere thin sheet. It was terrible and we complained to guest relations and our steward and they said nothing could be done. Needless to say, I did not get the best sleep on board. Another thing that was kind of annoying was the fact that the walls were paper thin. I could hear conversations from either side of my room. I would hear when people sneezed, coughed, or snored. Internet: • Internet was pretty spotty most of the cruise. It wasn't great and would disconnect often. Medical/Infirmary: • So one thing I was not planning was getting some sort of allergic reaction while visiting a beach. It happened the 4th day in and I was covered in an itchy, blotchy, red rash on my arms. I went to the infirmary to see if there was anything they could to alleviate it. I was greeted by one of the nurses or doctor, but I'm not sure since she didn't even introduce herself. She said, "What do you need?" I said, "I have a rash I got from the beach and--" "--What do you want me to do?" she cut off abruptly. I couldn't believe how short she was with me. She didn't even bother to look at my arms and proceeded to say. "Take some Benedryl." "Um, I don't have any. I came here to see if I could get some." "You want me to sell you some??" That was the type of service I received... Basically, there were some aspects I loved and some I just really did not care for. I will say this though, this does not make me want to run out and book another Celebrity cruise line. I will probably return to Royal Carribean next time. Read Less

This was a great trip - better than we could imagine! We did not do aqua class and were perfectly happy in Main Dining Room. Clean ship, great staff, lots of activities on board ! One complaint - people hold chairs with towels so on sea days all poole chairs saved by 730 am EVEN though that is not supposed be allowed. People put a towel/stuff and don’t come back for hours . This is really infuriating and I wish Celebrity would at least try to help/prevent. Excursion 1 - San Juan - walking food and culture tour - it was amazing- small group and actually joined by Michelle Bernstein. Perfect excursion! Excursion 2 - bus tour St Thomas with 2 hours at beach, 2 hours shopping, and ride to top. NEVER AGAIN Unfriendly, rude, not safe, too long -ugh Excursion 3 - escape to Tortola PERFECT. This was early 730 am but that meant crowd low we got there before crowds. We sat at Hendo hideout because as long as you eat/drink there chairs and umbrellas free. We liked this less crowded area more than Celebrity area provided. No excursions at Nassau - barely off ship for an hour - not clean or friendly - maybe good excursions available that we missed ?? Read Less

We choose Royal Caribbean Anthem of the Seas because we were traveling with a multigenerational group three adults in their fifties and two children in their mid twenties This was a perfect itinerary 9 days and it was in driving distance to port. This was not our first cruise. We have also sailed on Princess and Celebrity and it's been nearly 20 yrs since we sailed with Royal Caribbean Embarkation was a snap. We arrived at port around 10:00am but didn't check in until 11:00am because we were waiting for the rest of our party to arrive. Had we checked in sooner we would have only been waiting in the waiting area to board. By 11:00 we just check in and walked onto the ship. We avoided Windjammer and headed to the Solarium Bistro. They had a small buffet but it wasn't crowed and there were enough choices for a quick lunch in a relaxed area. After lunch we stopped by Boleros for our first cocktail on the ship and purchased the Royal Caribbean wrist band so that we wouldn't have to always carry our sea pass around. Anthem has a nice selection of eating venues. 270 was my favorite. There they had a nice choice of sandwiches and salads and they also made specialty coffee. I quickly became addicted to the blended mocha creamice and the strawberry scones. We ate breakfast in the MDR anytime it was open. It was quiet and pleasant to enjoy the first meal of the day. We only ate breakfast in the buffet one time because of port time. The food wasn't as good. Eggs were cold unless you ordered an omelet and the pancakes were soggy. The nice thing about the MDR for breakfast is that they also had a small buffet so if you wanted to grab something quick you could. They had good selection of fruits, cereal, waffles made to order with a variety of topping, pre made omelets, danishes, pancakes assorted meats. There really wasn't anything missed by not going to Windjammer. We had dinner My time dining in the MDR 7 of the 9 nights. We made reservations and never had to wait to be seated. The other nights we went to Wonderland and Jamies Italian restaurants which were very good. The food was excellent with the exception of the rubber lobster tail on formal night. I have experienced this on other cruise lines and also ordered the Prime Rib as a back up. Meat was tender and cooked to order. The side vegetables were fresh and crisp. Nothing tasted like it was over salted the way cruise food usually does. As good as the food was I can't say the same about service. Everyone was racing around and getting a beverage was an issue every night. On the second formal night they didn't even take drink orders. Coffee and tea were never offered with dessert. One night I was so aggravated waiting for a refill of wine for my wife and a bottle of water for myself that I just went up to Vintages in the middle of dinner and got my own drinks. I mentioned this to the head waiter that night but nothing changed for the rest of the cruise. On the second formal nigh they just rushed us through. They handed out the menu and before we could read it they were taking our order. To my surprise bar service around the pool, adult solarium, and in the bars and theater were excellent. I figured that since the drink packages were so popular that it would be difficult to get a drink. Waiters were always walking around asking you if you wanted a drink. We enjoyed all of the entertainment from the comedians to We will Rock you and Spectra's Cabaret. Overall I enjoyed the cruise and would book the Anthem again. Although the ship is larger than what I prefer it did have some beautiful public venues with beautiful views like the Adult Solarium and Club 270. The Royal Esplanade was always crowded so we avoided it by walking one deck up in order to get from one end of the ship to the other. Read Less

Our first cruise on the Anthem was March 2018. In a little over a year, there has been a general decline. Coordination was poor in several areas. We had Anytime Dining. When asking for a table for 4, you would have thought I asked for nuclear codes. Some nights, it took 4 or 5 staff members and several radio discussions to get a table assignment. One night, they sat us at a table in the hallway used by wait staff. We even had other cruisers sitting on a sofa next to us. Another huge step down was the Cruise Director. Last year we had Clo, this year Mitch. I know people seem to love Mitch, but I just don't see it. Mediocre Mitch. The CD Entertainment Staff was also a big step down. Last year, they were humorous and engaging. Not so this year. Technical difficulties appeared everywhere -- multiple shows rescheduled due to technical difficulties; Name that Tune only had 7 of 10 contestants due to technical difficulties; Royal IQ app that couldn't connect many times; the North Star didn't work in the 9 day cruise. But the big problem was in our friends' cabin (8222). Bed bugs were found on day 6. After one night, they had itching backs and thought it was soap. Looking past the huge miss on turn over day 1, Royal handled this horribly. A general message was left on their phone. What??? Someone should have met them when they came back on the boat or in their room, not a phone message. They were downgraded from their suite to a balcony, all their clothes and belongings taken away in clear plastic bags down the hallway. Royal dropped the ball again when NOTHING was offered to them. Show empathy, guest services, and throw them a specialty restaurant dinner while you figure out the next step. Throughout the days ahead, the only thing Royal offered was a future cruise credit for their original amount. Everything else was asked for by my friend. They did comp a cabana at Labadee and a specialty dinner, but only after they asked for it. Royal offered an onboard credit for this cruise. When my friends asked for the money to be changed, lower future credit and larger current cruise credit, corporate turned them down. They then received a form letter describing how they were unhappy that their cabin did not meet their expectations. Since when was a bed bug free cabin an "expectation". Read Less

Well just got back today from my second RCL cruise and definitely my last. I have been on 14 cruises and this was the worst one I’ve ever been on. My husband, son and I had a balcony room on the 11th floor. I will say the room was nice and stayed very cool throughout the whole voyage. That was great. There was nothing else positive. Food was just ok in the buffet. Very little variety. A little better in main dining room. Coffee horrible. Our toilet overflowed 5x during the 9 day cruise. They had to come in and replace the whole toilet and it still overflowed. Water was clean but flooded whole bathroom. This was happening to a lot of people on the ship. The North Star was broken all week and actually was broken before we got on the ship I found out. Nobody ever got to go on at all. We had 2 reservations for it which meant nothing and they never informed anyone it was broken. It’s literally the main attraction of this ship and one of the reasons I booked it. Everyone was very disappointed. We had reservations for the We Will Rock You show. 1000 people in the theater waited an hour for the show just to have a guy come on stage to tell us to leave because the show is cancelled due to technical difficulties. People were not happy. Another show also cancelled due to technical problems. The entertainment on this ship is the worst I’ve ever seen. The few shows I did get to see were boring and lackluster. The goodbye show was so so bad. I feel bad for the crew on this ship because they do not look happy at all. Overworked and underpaid and it shows. Nobody bothered with us unless they were trying to get money. They nickel and dime you the whole cruise to the point where you want to hide somewhere. $3.00 for a little bag of popcorn for the show.....which gets cancelled anyway. The wait lines for any of the activities were way too long. Bumper cars, flow rider. The bigger ships just mean more people. This benefits the cruise line not you. They keep touting how great these huge ships are but more cabins don’t mean more fun for you. I’ll stick to smaller ships from now on. When I voiced my issues and concerns with guests services they did absolutely nothing for us. This will definitely be my last RCL Read Less

I wanted to see how the big ships work. The check in and off ship was fast and easy. I thought I would be standing in lines but I was not. Maybe the ship wasn't full but there were still loads of passengers.I loved having cruise documents on the app and knowing cabins would be open at 1:30 (they were). Sea Pass was on my door.The storage seemed a little space but I was by myself so had room. My android phone did not fit in the charging station. I still wish there was music in the cabin (brought my own CD player). The entertainment choices were wonderful. From the shows to individual musicians. It was hard to keep on top of what I wanted to hear. Make reservations for big shows if you are a group. It will show up on your app and remind u that u have them. Food was good enough. I especially liked being able to have Indian curry when it was not on the menu. The buffets had big assortments of food. I would have like to have more gourmet cheese like brie to take to my room. Being a Diamond member I liked the free cocktails at bars during cocktail hour. That way I didn't need to go to a specific area for them. Loved the quiet of Central Park. Have booked another cruise in this area.The pools were crowded and water warm with all the bodies. I went to the solarium and kids pools to get in cool water. I loved Momma Mia and saw it 3 times. Read Less

Our first cruise ever was on our 25th wedding anniversary in 2002 on the Soveriegn of the Seas. My DW and I had never been treated so good. We did 2 other sailings with RCL as well as 2 with Disney, 2 with MSC, 1 with Princess. For this year's cruise we wanted to get back on RCL, so we booked the Allure. Never having been on a "Mega-Ship" we had concerns. We did our homework on the ship. DW and I watched TONS of You Tube videos (Thanks to all that posted!) and I studied the deck plans so we both felt comfortable with moving around on board. WELL ....... the ship was much larger than we could have imagined and even with all our homework we thought "Oh No, we're gonna be lost!" Not the case. Moving about the ship was so simple! The ship is simply beautiful! We loved the "Neighborhood" concept. We booked a Boardwalk Cabin with a great view of the Aqua Theater so we could see the show anytime we liked! John, our cabin steward was AWESOME!!! He treated us like we were the only people in his section! We absolutely loved him! The room itself was great plenty of storage space. Also I let RCL know that I had a CPAP for my sleep apnea and they had an extension cord and a gallon of distilled water for me to use during the cruise.How great is that?! The food was FANTASTIC and our wait staff of Andre(the giant) our assistant waiter, Marlon(Brando) our waiter and Aton(no nickname) our head waiter were absolutely wonderful! We were never in need of anything, anything we wanted we got! They were also just plain great to be around! Wonderful people. RCL's entertainment is top notch. Ocean Aria, Mamma Mia, Earl Turner (Headliner), Blue Planet and Ice Games ...... ALL AMAZING! We also went to comedy live and never laughed that hard in quite awhile! The entertainment staff is funny, engaging and just plain FUN!! Jimmy Rhodes (Cruise Director) and Flavio (Activities Manager) are the best! Jamezy and BeBe are great! We've never had that much fun playing trivia!!! Ice Skating in Studio B, The pools, hot tubs and "The Current" (not giving that one away), rock climbing wall, zip line sport court miniature golf, Flow Rider total thumbs up! The service is simply off the chart! The staff on RCL just can't do enough for you. Cristan (bartender at Sorrento's) and Iris (bartender at the Pool bar) are just the greatest! Other cruise lines do these same types of things and, although I've had good experiences with other lines, it's RCL's people and Customer Service that set it well apart from all the rest! I know I've left some things out but I'm at work writing this and, unfortunately, I need to get back to reality! Read Less

The Breakaway was very clean, the staff on board was pleasant. The dining experience was exceptionally well. We dined at Cagney’s, which is one of the ala carte restaurants. I definitely recommend booking a reservation here. They have options for everyone. We also ate at the French restaurant Le Bistro. Small and romantic- dress code applies. The other nights we ate between Taste and Savor. We chose this cruise because of the destination. All 3 ports were amazing. I had no expectations, but it was very enjoyable. Nobody was pushing you to buy things, and everyone was so nice. We did a non NCL tour in San Juan, PR. it was with a company called "Taste of San Juan." We walked and ate on our tour. Our tour guide was very personable and he explained everything, and gave us the history if he knew it. St. Thomas we did the skyride and then the Champagne Cataraman snorkel on the dancing dolphin - through NCL. that was an awesome experience as well. if you like to check out the beautiful landscape/ocean/and ocean life. this is the excursion for you. Tortola we just hung out and did the island beach break. our taxi bus driver was cool, he told us alot of the history and answered questions people had about the island. once you get to the beach you pay $5 per chair and umbrella and swim in the ocean or catch some rays. You are pretty much on your own until it is time to leave. There are resturants and bars along the beach and water activites you can do for a price. Read Less

I am a fan of Carnival cruise line. I have sailed on multiple cruises with them. The Breeze is one of the best ships I have been on. They offer a good selection of entertainment and activities [we really enjoy the karaoke and trivia and were disappointed that we missed some trivia games due to being in port while they were taking place :(]. The staff are very pleasant and attentive to guests’ needs. The food is high quality and Guy’s restaurants are delicious, which is one of the top reasons I prefer Carnival cruise lines. On the Breeze I would avoid balcony stateroom #6406 if you are a light sleeper (which unfortunately I am). The room is right above the Redfrog pub and most evenings you will hear loud music until midnight or later. You can also hear the music from the Liquid nightclub even after the pub has shut down for the night, which is a constant bass beat and can be quite annoying. The lanai promenade and corn hole game is also just below the outdoor balcony and you can hear when people are playing the game(even while inside the stateroom)it is a constant thumping sound and is sometimes played late in the night as well. People outdoors on the lanai promenade can be very loud at times. The balcony view is also not ideal due to the lanai promenade obstructing the view. Read Less

We choose the carnival Breeze this year because we heard it was an incredibly ship, and it was. Our cabin Stewart was Great she was very friendly and made us feel welcomed. The lines on the lido deck were long but hey we’re on vacation, not a big problem for me. I enjoyed the chance to talk and meet new people. We Loved the 80’s Rock and Glow night, we just wished they had the 80’s trivia game the same night. We enjoy dressing up in our costumes. The ports were beautiful and breathtaking, the water was so blue. The staff was also extremely friendly and really helpful we never needed anything. Our waiters in the Dining Room were incredible, they remembered our names and what we liked to eat and drink. Thanks Carnival for the wonderful memories Read Less

We are a late-60s couple who enjoy cruising. This was our fifth cruise, first with Disney. We were traveling with a large family party. We had a very good time, but I thought I would write this review slanted toward older adults who are trying to decide if a Disney cruise is right for them. First the bottom line, then the good and the not so great. Bottom line: it was great for an extended family gathering. I am less energetic than my younger relatives and could enjoy quiet time in the adult areas while they were off doing fun family things. We got to gather as a family at night at dinner and enjoyed hearing about their adventures. Are we glad we went? Absolutely. Would we do Disney again just as a couple? No. See below. The good... We thought Disney Fantasy was great. It was spacious, spotless, very well run. The food was great both in Cabanas and in the dining rooms. * Food - We didn't have a single bad meal. We thought it was far superior to Carnival, somewhat better than Norwegian. Not as good as Windstar but Windstar is much smaller and more expensive. The bars were great, bartenders efficient and friendly. * Cabin - Our deluxe oceanview cabin was larger and better organized than similar cabins on other cruises (except, again, for Windstar). * Entertainment - We didn't do any of the shows but our family members who did seemed to enjoy them. We thought pirate night was a lot of fun. * Embarkation - Embarkation and debarkation were efficient. We used the 'don't see your bags until your home airport' option and loved it. * Adult space - Disney did a good job with providing quiet adult-only space. The deck spaces especially were much better than either Carnival or Norwegian ships we have sailed on. The not so great... although I would give Disney high marks overall, some things don't suit everyone. * Disneyfication - we enjoyed seeing the characters and all the branding on board, but for adults without children it is something we wouldn't want to do again except with family. Unless you are a Disney fanatic, once will probably do it for you. * the 'go figure' category - some things just didn't make sense. We were staying at a Disney Resort, which you would figure would get you on the ship at a reasonable time. Not so. We had to have our bags packed and ready at 8:00 a.m., but our transport didn't get there until 12:30, which meant we didn't get on the ship until close to 2:00 p.m. Bummer. * the dining rooms are unavoidably very noisy. Lots of kids, lots of noise. If you are adults sailing alone, probably not your atmosphere of choice. * lack of activities for adults. One of the main reasons we wouldn't do Disney again is that the activities for adults without children was distinctly lacking. A bit of trivia (ok), bingo (been there, done that), and tasting/mixology classes that were booked long before we got to try to sign up for them. We were a bit bored during the day. * the excursions were oriented toward active families. Fair enough - that's the market. But we were disappointed in the range of excursions available. Other cruise lines have done a much better job. * prejudice against first-time cruisers. See above. It seemed to me that Disney was much worse about this than other lines we have used. I know you have to give preference to loyal members, but you should balance that with giving some opportunities to first-timers. So, again, glad we went. Good value, great fun, excellent food. Read Less

We did a lot of research as both my wife and I haven't cruised for at least 20 years as so much has changed. We wanted to make sure we saw the new features so were looking for a newer ship. This ship had so much to offer with the zipline, rock climbing wall, water slides, basketball court, numerous pools and hot tubs as well as being a new ship. We watched a number of videos and attempted to create a packing list of what we thought we needed which were very helpful. The only two things we missed was Aloe (had to pick some up in Puerto Rico) and a package of straws. We didn't realize they use paper straws so attempting to drink a frozen drink from a paper straw is a frustrating experience. We'll make sure to pack some straws the next time. For the on-boarding process I thought it was absolutely fantastic, granted I don't have experience with other cruise lines but I couldn't have pictured this going any smoother. We parked in the parking garage at terminal A, mostly because this was our first time in the area and knew we were going to pay a premium for it. We got to the terminal at about 10am mostly because we were excited and couldn't wait any longer to get there. Our boarding time was slated for 12pm. Once we parked someone came right over and took our bags away (we had the tags already on them). Then it was just us and the carry on bags which was simple to navigate. We entered the terminal and there was always an agent telling us where to go next. We walked straight into the security area with no wait at all. Certainly not like an airport. Then entered the waiting area. Once they started calling groups (key members, layers of loyalty members, etc...) we were in the first group they called and they called a bunch of groups right after each other so people could enter the ship pretty quickly. We were on the ship by 11:30. We knew not to go to the windjammer as it would be packed so instead went to the boardwalk and got a couple hot dogs and started to explore this beautiful ship. The rooms were available at 1pm right on the dot so certainly a well organized machine they have going on here. We immediately unpacked as our luggage was there, something else we learned from videos. I tried to find a room with bunk beds for the kids but I couldn't find one in the balcony area. They may exist but I just couldn't find one. So we had a couch with a pullout for my son. It was fine except in the mornings you can't make it to the balcony without stepping on the bed waking him up. Magnets work great on the walls but use the rare earth magnets. I had a combination of cheap magnet hooks as well as rare earth ones and there was a significant difference. The dry erase board was also a big winner as we could leave notes for each other when we left and where we were going. The bathroom was fine and there was enough room for one person and on occasion we had a couple people in there but not for long. Standard balcony size is good. Didn't need any more space out there and the chairs were comfortable. We signed the kids up for their respective kid areas but my son never wanted to go and my daughter (16) really only went the first night then hung out a couple times with a friend she met. When signing up Royal didn't really communicate with either one of them what they would be doing, or could be doing there so our kids hung out with us which was fine, just think though they lost a fun experience with the kid events. Service was excellent all the way around. We had my time dining and had is scheduled pretty much at 6:30-6:45 each night. Something we noticed quickly was that when we left there were long lines trying to get into my time dining on deck 4 (around 8pm or so). Might be something people should consider when using my time dining, to get their time slated for 6-7pm to avoid some waiting. Another really nice touch I thought should be called out was that we ended up having the same server for dinner each night. I didn't expect that because we were in my time dining and not the set time of the main dining room. I thought that was a nice touch that they were able to organize that so you can build a relationship with the staff and learn a little about them and where they are from. I think the thing we had work on was the elevators on the ship. I don't think they are optimized or something. We would see elevators cruise by us (the clear glass ones) in the direction we were going but it didn't stop, then when one did arrive it was packed. I would say 80% of our elevator rides were packed. If we were on decks 5 or lower we would catch an elevator going down to go up. If we were on the 14-16 we would go up to go down. It would allow us to get on the elevator before it got packed. We also noticed that the elevators were always moving floor to floor. Some stay on a floor for a very long time so there seems to be something with optimization that could help with this problem. We also used the stairs more as the cruise went on. The fitness center and track around the ship are excellent. We spent a lot of time walking the track and really enjoyed the occasional game of shuffleboard hidden away along side the track. The ping pong on the other side was really difficult as their are open areas that allow wind in, and the ping pong ball would go flying due to the wind. The shows are pretty good. We really liked the Hiro diving show the most. Hairspray and Flight were okay but not our favorites. I thought what they did with Flight was really cool technically being able to accomplish those effects on a cruise ship. The comedians were okay. The ice show was really good from our perspective. We booked a kayak adventure at RC's Labadee, Haiti port and I wish I had thought about that more. If you aren't experienced with Kayaks or a canoe, it may not be a fun experience. Also this is not a real short trip so it could be tiring if you are out of shape. Our biggest complaint though on this excursion was that they stop half way through on a beach then subject you to locals pushing their merchandise. They were pretty aggressive and it was uncomfortable. There were ample opportunity to buy the exact same items in areas that with the main shopping areas. There doesn't seem to be a need to have this here and they were much more aggressive then in the main areas. Also keep in mind that lunch is 11:30-1:30 and our excursions were back to back so we almost missed lunch. Ooops. Watch out for the watch sales on the ship. If you want to buy a watch, make sure you have the internet package so you can price shop. The alcohol prices were pretty good especially if you buy in 2-4 bottles to get the discounted prices. I ended up buying some rum in Puerto Rico which I was happy with that wasn't available on the ship. It was delivered to my room the last night of the cruise. We found an advantage using the parking garage for disembarkation. When entering the area where the luggage is located there is a line of helpful guys ready to take your luggage to your vehicle. This was a no brainer. We tipped the guy $2 a bag and he navigated all the way through customs and to our vehicle. I also think they allowed us to bypass some of the line since we had them helping us. Not sure about that but there were folks that had their own luggage and we walked right by them. I called out a few of the things we learned on this ship to help others on their adventure. We had a great time on this ship and everything on this ship met our expectations. The food was top notch, the facilities are practically new and fully functional, the crew was fun and we were really pleased we chose this ship. The bar is set pretty high for our next cruise. Read Less

We chose this ship because I like big ships! Symphony is certainly that. We had smooth seas, but the ship is so large, i don't think i ever felt a movement in the week. This ship is truely impressive. Sooo many things to do for adults, children and everyone in between. i'll highlight a few of the things we particularly liked: - Don't miss the show Hiro. very well done and reminded me of "O" in Vegas. - The mexican "loco Fesco" eating area in the aft of the ship was very good for burritos, taco's and mexican breakfasts. Very good salsa bar (chili Verde especially) - if you like Jazz, the "Earth Wind and Fire" jazz band performs several times in the Jazz bar and the talent of those guys are simply amazing. - Playmakers sports bar is a big hit if there is a sporting event you want to see (Boardwalk) - Chops....im not exaggerating when i say i believe this was the best filet i've ever had. (and i traveled all my life) -Jaime's was outstanding. get their meat plank for starters! - Importantly, The size of the ship and the numerous things to do make it seem less obvious there is 6000 people on board. a real plus RC! - RC has embarcation and debarkation down!!!! The smoothest i've experienced yet with RC in their new Miami Terminal. Very Very well done. - If you enjoy "anytime dining" i recommend you reserve a time on their site. it makes is much nicer for you than winging it when you want to eat. - The Pinel Island tour was alot of fun. A very little slow paced island on the french side of St. Martin. We really enjoyed that. - Solarium is always nice when you want to dodge the Windjammer for eating. - Trellis Bar in Central Park is a wonderful way to relax with a cocktail (which i particularly like to do) and listen to guitar music. (come to think about it, we did this alot) enjoy your trip! this is truely an amazing ship i can't wait to go on the new Spectrum when it gets here, Read Less

I have cruised with Princess many times and not been disappointed. But This was the best ship ever on Princess, Great Activities, shows, music, food, many pools to suit everyone. quiet pools as well as kiddie pools and music pools spa pool hot tubs deep pools shady pools. Easiest embarkation ever. Luggage delivered to my room 2 hours before scheduled Front Desk handles all request, fun parties, wonderful kid programs - get the kids to join you won't be sorry. Buffet is awesome. Hard to believe the number of breakfast items to suit all tastes. Burger shop, pizza shop Gluten free, sugar free desserts every day. Best service ever at the buffet. There were 186 teens aboard and they were kept very busy. St Marten 10 best sites excursion is well worth $49.95 and if you are lucky enough to get "Ash" you'll see and learn more about this Island than you knew existed. Have fun and Don't hesitate Read Less

We went with family/friends. The ship is beautiful but is run very poorly. My room was dirty and I always bring Lysol wipes with me so I cleaned it myself. We saw the guy maybe 4 times and he was nice but not very thorough when cleaning. (He left a plate with food on it for two days on the dresser). We were told out room was to have a see through balcony with glass and it had metal on the bottom so we couldn't see out unless we stood up. Very few people to help you navigate the ship and the signage is almost non existent. The maîtred in the ship restaruant was very good as was the mgr of the ship's buffet. The food was just okay; sometimes good and sometimes not so good. The ship has many drink packages and they screwed up most of them. The people on the ship including the employees complained where ever we went. More complaints than compliments. No need to get a drink package unless you plan to spend more than what you pay in drinks. Both with and without alcohol. The non alcohol package came with soft ice cream which they gave to anyone and it was rarely available but when the machines where working, it was very good. This package was supposed to come with flavored water etc... and they had no idea what this is. In other words we got screwed royally. The entertainment was good but very repetitive; acts were repeated each night to a different stage ie... lights, costumes etc... Some of them were very good and some seemed to need more practice as they were out of sync a lot when dancing. The stingray excursion in the Cayman's was excellent and I highly recommend it but it is less expensive going on your own than booking through the ship. The last day in the Bahamas was terrible as the ship failed to tell us that it was their labor day and most everything was closed so after walking around in the heat we went back to the ship's swimming pool. The pools are not big enough to accommodate the amount of people on the ship and not enough pool seating. The casino was just okay and I never saw all the games up and running at one time. Few personnel to take drink orders and fix machines when necessary. Not enough slot machines overall compared to other cruise lines. The bars were so understaffed that you had to wait and wait to just get a bottle of water. The people working there tried their best but they are so understaffed I can't express this enough. You wait forever to get someone to answer the phone when calling down to the desk. This ship is not ready for the American market. They cater to the European market. Americans expect to see people smiling and being nice, cleaning all the time and making sure you keep the germs to a minimum. This is not expected the European market I was told. I spoke with many people on this ship and only one person had all nice things to say. I am being very sincere and not exaggerating. I love to cruise but this is my first and last cruise on this cruise line. Read Less

We arranged this cruise to celebrate our 50th wedding anniversary! We were a group of 9, ages from 3 to 72. Everyone had a fabulous time! The kids programs for ages 3, 6 and 12 were really wonderful. The food was some of best we've had (we've sailed on Norwegian, Princess, Carnival, Disney, and Royal Caribbean). Our whole group ate at Giovanni's to celebrate our anniversary and I would definitely recommend it. The entertainment was amazing and we went to all the shows! We had a balcony cabin and the cabin steward was great. We didn't do any excursions through Royal Caribbean and did our own thing in ports. Our favorite port was St. Maarten. We reserved chairs and umbrellas ahead of time with Nik at Lazy Lizard Beach Bar which was an easy 15-20 minute walk from the dock. The chairs and umbrellas were right on the beach and all set up and waiting for us when we got there. We got 2 chairs, umbrella, use of a locker and restroom, Wifi and bucket of 6 beers or 2 cocktails for $20. Best deal anywhere! Nik and his wife were super nice and helpful and the food and drinks were amazing! Really the only thing I can criticize about the whoe cruise is all the upselling and charges on this ship. Charging for popcorn, really?? Also, the drinks were crazy expensive. Read Less

My husband, daughter and I just got off of the Allure on Sunday. We had the best time on this beautiful ship. Everyone from the cabin steward (Norman, room 6280) to our waiters (too many to mention) to the nice people that we met, including a family that lives about 10 mins from us, was wonderful. Our room (ocean view balcony) was very roomy and we had plenty of room to store all of our clothes and "stuff". There were 3 adults in the room, so we thought that would be difficult, but to our surprise, it wasn't at all. The shows were fabulous as well. We saw "Ocean Aria" and the comedy show (twice) as well at the headliner show. We didn't get to Mama Mia though and I'm sorry that we didn't. The pool games were all fun and the staff was energetic and entertaining. We thought the cruise director was very good and fun too. We especially loved him dancing in the "70's show" on the Promenade. All of the food was very good as well. We had my time dining and enjoyed different locations with different waiters every night. The buffet was delicious, hot and diverse too. We enjoyed all of the ports, but Labadee the most. We did the Orient Beach/Maho Beach excursion at St. Maarten and the traffic was a nightmare. We probably wouldn't do that again. We just shopped and walked around a bit (in the drizzle ) in San Juan. Getting on and off of the ship was a breeze too. We did expedited dis-embarking so we could pack our "beauty aids" with us in the morning and it wall went as smooth as clock work. Really the only thing that we didn't like, was having to say good-bye to this fabulous ship, but we will definitely be back. Read Less