We had a sort of family cruise. Ended up only being 5 of us. This cruise was a good value for 11 nights, onboarding very easy, although I arrived on a red eye so first in line does help. First cruise with Holland, 10th overall, Princess, NCL, Carnival, Royal Carib.I'm mid 50s but it was like an Alaska Cruise, I felt young and thin Manicure/pedicure was great. Young gal said this was actually the youngest group she'd seen in 4 months. I did miss the energy of the other boats but Everyone was super friendly, staff and cruisers. Room was large. Ship is going in for refurbishment and that is good. It's needed. Now to food. Honestly, it was ok. I didnt like the Lido because there was a line for everything. I get cutting down on germs but it was a pain waiting to ask for most anything hot. Not just omelettes and waffles. Dining rooms always better. My favprite breakfast dining room is still Carnival, go figure. Dinners were nice, but not as good as Princess, Carnival or Royal. Similar to Norwegian. Workout area was also subdued machines weren't individual tv/music, so not at nice. Would I go again. Entertainment was nice. Not as lively again and not as much to do, but you can only do one thing at a time anyway. Would I go again. Sure. What's not to love about doing whatever you want , someone cooking for you and chocolates at night. Read Less

My husband and our two kids decided to take our family vacation on a cruise this year... after much research and obviously not enough reading of reviews, we chose to sail on the Norwegian Breakaway. We prepaid all the service fees and pre booked all our excursions so that we could relax and not have to worry.... wrong! We booked with several promotions included in our trip...or do we thought. Our $50 onboard credit was nowhere to be found on our bill so after several trips to the customer service desk, sand two other people beside us having the same issue, we left disappointed!! $50 is not the end of the world but we expected the cruise line to honor their promotions..beware of these promotions. We all had the drink packages....my husband and I the liquor package and the kids had the soda package... what a joke. We could have at least saved the $70 we spent on the kids because they couldn’t get a drink from the bar without us... and well let’s face it... this ship is nothing but bars. Speaking of bars, I hope you like standing in line... the service is atrocious! These employees avoid eye contact at all cost. And you pay a heavy service fee for no service. Even the sit down restaurants leave everything to be desired... cafeteria food at its best and again atrocious service! The excursions were amazing... after we waited in line for 30 minutes at guest services to get our passes that were supposed to be left on the room since we prebooked. The service of our room was touch and go... out room was always cleaned but we had to search the hall for someone to get us toilet paper... there is never anyone available at the housekeeping number and it will tell you to call back.... very frustrating! We preordered water bottles... yes you should do this since only a couple of the bars actually have water bottles... but they are warm... and no need to have them empty the mini bar to store your water like we did because the refrigerator was room temperature. All in all this was the most disappointing family vacation I’ve ever taken... thank the lord the islands and people there were amazing! Read Less

Took my 83 year old father on a cruise. We flew into Miami, stayed at Cambria Blue Lagoon (very nice) and took a $10 pp shuttle to the port. We opted for The KEY which gave us a lot of nice perks (internet, choice seating, free lunch at chops grill day 1, etc. Got dad a balcony room (8582), and myself a Promenade Interior (8583) directly across from his. My father loved his cabin ... the fresh air and views. My cabin, however, was awful. Terrible toxic, chemical, mothball-like smell. I asked housekeeping to help twice. Two different staff members agreed it was unbearable, but offered no solution, no other cabin, no sympathy. (See more in my cabin review). The cruise and excursions we're enjoyable for my father. He enjoyed the food, the shows, the waterslides, the staff, and his cabin. I found the shows, the cruise director and the performances to be a bit cheesy and annoying. We loved our two excursions booked through the cruise ... The Dolphin Swim in Nassau and the Dragon Zip Line in Haiti. Incredibly professional and worth every penny The cruise staff was friendly. And the ship overall was clean. Read Less

To get away with my mom and sister. The cruise was nice but things on the ship or dirty. All of the people that worked on the ship were so nice very helpful and just great overall. The ships furniture was dated and old our cabin was grimy with the couch that was worn, had holes in it and just needed to be changed and updated. Stateroom attendant worked hard and was great. The entertainment was great and the destinations were wonderful. We loved our balcony and seeing the sun rises in the morning. The excursions were nice and the locals on the islands we visited really try hard to please the tourists. We didn’t want any excursions that were too physical because our elderly mother was with usWe were very pleased with that. Overall it was a nice cruise. I would like to see the rooms updated for the money you pay for that cruise. Read Less

We were a group of eight, but knew 40 people on this sailing ranging from Elementary school to adults and grandparents. Everyone had an amazing time. We were in adjoining rooms 11286 and 11288. Room 11288 was larger with an angled balcony. I believe it is considered a hump room. It was set up for our children with the couch in the front and their beds in the back. I much preferred that set up, to the king bed in the front of the room of 11288 because it made the room feel smaller than necessary. By my measurements room 11288 has about 5 extra inches in width. The balconies can be partially connected, but there is still some portion blocked. But having both of them was really a nice feature. Our dining staff were exemplary and went out of their way to assist with our allergies. At no time did it feel like I inconvenienced them, and they always took my concerns and needs very seriously. I do wish they had better dessert options for dairy allergies, but I know the chef tried to come up with items. It would have been nice if they had dairy free desserts. Overall the food was good, and the service impeccable. We did the ifly and the north star. Both were really fun. Our ifly instructor was incredibly calming and funny. He helped us go beyond the basics for those that had done it before, which was really appreciated. For those in our party that were afraid, he helped them overcome their fears and succeed in creating amazing memories. We took RC excursions to NASA. They used a company with yellow shirts, although the man on our bus said we could ask any guide with a yellow shirt questions in the park, when I tried to do so, a woman with the company said I did not pay for her tour guide services, merely to ride on their bus when I asked what the best attraction for children would be. I had no idea that there were two different tour options, but that was not a pleasant response. She had not begun any tour as I would not have asked that of someone giving a tour, since we were all congregating around the main entrance I figured a question on where to go was appropriate. So be forewarned that they don't give advice. Coco cay was lovely. It is a long walk on the pier, so wear comfortable shoes. The beach is beautiful and there are plenty of chairs. The pool is fantasy. I loved the white chairs in the water, as well as the swim up bar. There are plenty of chairs with umbrellas to use. The shops have decent souvenirs. Be mindful of the trees as they are planted in cement and I unwittingly stubbed my toe on one. The Atlantis is huge. It really helps if you know where you are going. Please look for a map before going to really understand the resort layout. They have dole whips which are great, near the kids pool play space. Because of height requirements I would recommend going with children who really exceed the limits. The rides are a lot of fun, but I saw kids who were too small denied access to the slides quite miserable. Please make sure to look at the height and weight of your child to not disappoint them. I have to speak about the shows on board. While the acting, singing, stagework, anamatronics, musicians, lighting all did an excellent and amazing job, the overall stories of the shows were confusing at best, and disturbing at worse. If you have a dying family member, skip the gift. The story was terrible. We sat next to someone who saw it 10 times and still could not figure it out. It was just a terrible plot and unnecessarily sad. Spectra's Cabaret was very loud, please bring ear plugs to save your hearing. The TVs were cool, and the stage work was excellent. I enjoyed the music and the showmanship. The bumper cars were a huge, huge hit with my family. I wish we got towel animals daily, but only received two. What we did get were interesting, a frog and a dog. My in laws got a peacock. The one issue with the ship is that the elevators were always going out of order in the aft section of the ship. I spoke with maintenance in person after we were stuck inside the elevator. From speaking to numerous other guests, our experience was not isolated. The elevators would stop on floors and not open doors until someone outside of the elevator would push for the elevator. Sometimes, even when you had a floor pushed and the elevator was going in that direction, it would stop and change directions missing your floor, or not taking you to a higher level floor. The forward elevators seemed to work properly, but with a room in the aft section it made traveling slightly difficult. Overall the ship was great, the staff excellent, and the weather wonderful. We already miss being on board. We were sad to see no April 2020 ships from NJ, except a transatlantic ship which does not fulfill our spring break needs. Read Less

This year 3 members of my family are celebrating a “Big 0” Birthday. To celebrate these milestones we decided to have a weekend together. What better way to spend time together than on a cruise. Having previously cruised with Princess, I suggested a short cruise. The Golden Princess had a 3 night cruise from Melbourne to Sydney. Perfect! With 13 passengers and an age range from 3 to 69 we boarded in Melbourne for what proved to be an amazing way to be together. With so much to see and do, everyone was treated to some activity they really enjoyed. Kid’s Club provided magical experiences for the little ones whilst Wine Tasting and night life were enjoyed by the adults. The live shows and movies were enjoyed by all. The gym junkies in the group were pumping in the early morning at the very well appointed Fitness Centre. The food was sensational. So many choices and every meal was delicious and beautifully presented. There was something for everyone. Half time pies at the AFL footy telecast, pizza and icecream at the pool, High Tea and late night snacks after Dancing the night away. We also got together for Buffet breakfast and fine dining in the evenings. The staff were excellent and so attentive to all our needs. In every area of the ship our requests were cheerfully attended. Each member of the group gave our trip a 10/10 rating and we are already planning our next cruise. Read Less

Had good responses from people using P & O. Having had Cruises with Royal Caribbean & Cunard, we thought we would see how they compared. Firstly, the boarding chaos was never explained by any P & O official. (It took over one hour & 30 mins TO check in). You were left in your car outside the dock for 45 mins WITH NO EXPLANATION before being herded into a chaotic receiving hall where we were given Numbers & told to take a seat (There were none) until your number was called. Cabin & Steward was excellent, & kept spotless during the voyage. Dining was very good in the Saffron Restaurant & waiters were brilliant. We also used the Self-service dining areas which were pleasant & fairly spacious & well staffed; However, the buffet area was quite small & crowded. There are activities but they are fairly low key & mostly appealing to children. One activity in the main Atrium was a display of how to make a Bed in under 2. 30 secs?! This actual drew a sizeable crowd, I think primarily because of disbelief that this could be a judged an 'activity.' People on holiday actually took part! The trips/excursions were a shambles. Oporto was called off because of rough seas, with the Captain sounding less than sympathetic! Spending an extra day in Lisbon. Then two full days at sea?! Until Our visit to Guernsey!! Where to begin... 21/2 hours queue to get a ticket to get into the 'Actual' queue for the Tender. 3hrs.20 mins set foot on Guernsey! Then, a 3-hour queue to come back. You couldn't invent it! The Ventura left 2 Hours later than the original 'back to the boat' They have no concept of how to organize any large gathering & Officers are nowhere to be seen. Finally, 2 hours to disembark! I shall leave the tale of Two ships there. Good Cabins & Good food vs laughable organization skills. I leave you with final Bon-Mot. An Illusionist was booked for the Area theater but couldn't be found? Read Less

We picked this cruise because DW, niece and nephew had never been on a cruise and we wanted to make sure everyone would be ok locked in on the water. Embarkation went very smooth in spite of us being late (or maybe because of it, the world may never know) we had 11:30-12:00 check in but didn't arrive till about 1:00 and walked right on. Well after going through security and all of course. Guy's burgers were real good and the kids liked the hotdogs from the deli. Lido buffet seemed to be lacking in my opinion. Oh the food was good just seemed to be less verity than what I remember from my last Carnival Fantasy cruise. This could be from 1) my failing memory, 2) there really is less verity or 3) a combination of the two. We had anytime dining in the Golden Olympian and it was great. No lines, no waiting either night. Sorry if I offended anyone wearing my jeans on elegant night but we had decided while we were packing that we would eat on Lido that night but DW decided otherwise on the night of. Good thing it was cool the morning we left home or I wouldn't have had any long pants. DW did keep saying "I just don't understand the allure and all the hype of cruising" but as we were sitting discussing what we were having for dinner last night she said "too bad we can't just go to lido and pick up something, I miss that ship" so I think she is hooked. I see more cruises in our future! We only saw the America Rocks show which was pretty good, but if you go to the Venetian Palace to see a show, try to avoid the back seats on deck 3. The overhang from deck 4 will block part of your view and you may not be able to see the entire performance. Not sure about deck 4. The kids, 5 and 13, loved the kids clubs and didn't want to leave. Even the very shy 13 year old made friends. Now the 5 yo can make friends with a signpost so we knew that wasn't going to be a problem. Most people say not to take a 3 day weekend cruise, it's just a party cruise with a bunch of rowdy drunks, but I didn't see a lot of that, just pax having a good time and mostly respectful and polite to each other. Overall great cruise I just don't think I will do another short one. Just to much work (packing, driving, unpacking, etc) for the amount of relaxation time. Read Less

Old, Smokey, nothing to do but sit. This is by far the worst ship I’ve ever been on. DONT GO. I’ve been on many cruises. Horrible experience. You will get nickel and dime to death. The ship is very very very dirty and old. Chairs are plastic and uncomfortable and the tables are wobbly. The passengers are below working class. Lots of tattoos and smokers. This ship actually has an unpleasant order. Extremely boring. Cannot understand the PA system. This I was a trip from hell. Get ready to spend more money than they advertise. There are better ways to spend your money and have more fun. The only good thing about this ship is when we got off. The prices of the drinks were outrageous unless you think $15 fior a bottle of beer acceptable. You can purchase coupons that reduceses the beer price to $10 a bottle - what a great deal. They also want you to pay extra money to cook your own food at your table. Read Less

This was our first cruise with MSC, had been on Carnival, Royal Caribbean and Princess before. We chose this cruise for the Itinerary, Havana. We also found this cruise less expensive than other cruises to Havana. We came with our children and small grandchildren, age 1 and 3. First, the Ship: It is a smaller ship to be able to get in the Cuba port. We chose the Fantastica Package which put us on the 8th floor with a Window. I liked that the window had a bay and right over the bed so nice to look out in the morning with our coffee. Room was spacious, similar to most of the cruises we were on, bed exceptionally comfortable. Had frig with mini bar. We bought the Easy Package for alcohol which is worth it, included well drinks, Heineken and Miller beer, house wines, bottled water, fruit juice and cappuccino. The pool area was very nice with plenty of chairs. They had a splash pad for the kids which was same area as pool so it worked to enjoy the pool and stay with the kids. The Food: We found the food to be very good. We ate in both the dining room and the buffet. Nice variety of options for dinner. The grill was very popular. Enjoyed the pizza, hotdogs and hamburgers. I had lobster the last night which was additional $20.00, was not that great. Would probably just stick with the regular menu next time. The Service: I found the service on the ship exceptional, everyone smiling and helpful. Our cabin steward Carlos was excellent. We did not find any wait getting drinks as I saw in previous posts. The waiters in the restaurant exceptional. The SHOWS: We saw two shows that were probably the best we have seen on any ship. In Havana, a local band and dancers came on the ship and the music and dancers were exceptional. The Itinerary: We came primarily to see Cuba. The ship arrived around 2:00 pm. We had pre-booked a tour with MSC, the Cultural Sightseeing & San Jose Market. We book in advance which saved 20% which is worth it. We chose this because we had read so much about taking the MSC tour versus on your own. You do not have to do an MSC excursion but I feel this gave us a very good view of the city. We were on a bus all through the city with several stops for picture taking. Very nice large air conditioned and well organized. After the tour we stopped at the market which is walking distance to the ship. We could have stayed out till late but chose to come back after the tour. The next day, we were pretty oriented to the area and our group of 6 got in a 1955 convertible taxi for $25.00 to the city center. We walked down Obisbo street which was loaded with shops, tourists, restaurants and found this the highlight of Havana. The people in Havana are very friendly. It is a very poor country but residents can now own businesses so we enjoyed supporting the people. Overall, this was a top rated cruise Read Less