I was impressed! I was a bit scared of the "older ship" but the Oosterdam did not disappoint! She was stylish, glamorous, and artfully appointed. Food was stunning in the Lido Market, the Vista Dining Room, as well as The Pinnacle (specialty restaurant). The cabins (we sailed in a Signature Suite 8073 with larger veranda!) was very comfortable. Bathrooms were new and well equipped. The service and smiling crew were the crowning achievements of HAL. There was not a grumpy team member to be had. Shore excursions were well organized and well planned for the "more mature" audience. Missing on board was karaoke (maybe a good thing!) and the big boardway show (comedian was excellent, magic show fun, and trio songsters were fun!). The boys at Billboard (piano duo) were stunning and had a very solid fan base! Definitely recommend the History Of HAL presentation and The Talk With The Captain. Jonathan, the Cruise DIrector / Entertainment Director, was very low key and effective. With the threat of on board disease, the crew were constantly wiping surfaces, handing out Purell before your arrival in dining room, spraying down shore excursion trolleys after each journey, and encouraging elbow bumps as opposed to hand shakes. I felt the cruise was a big success and I commend the HAL team for their work! I will be back! Read Less

Warm weather cruise in both the Pacific and Atlantic. Staff was ...as usual, outstanding. The ship was set to be refurbished at the end of this cruise. It needed it. Really could have been discounted because of the needed repairs. Carnival has really fallen off in quality since we started with them nearly 35 years ago. Food quality and entertainment need upgraded. It would have been good to have had an expert on board or a movie prior to going through the canal to tell the story of the canal. The company needs to cater more to the group on the ship...only say two families with children as most folks were at least 55. Having the comedy start at 11 was past many bed times. Hate the game show entertainment...cheap. Wish the frequent cruiser program crossed with the sister company lines. Making everyone wait for the emergency drill at the start of the cruise while trying to roundup a few is wrong. Freeze their cruise card and then they have to attend later or assess a fee. Do not like the excursions for shopping when the only places allowed to shop are specific and no time to shop on your own. Love to have more big screen movies and in room movies. Get Fox News and ESPN in the rooms. Read Less

I chose this ship for a short family vacation and trial run with the kids and my husband at cruising. We took the 3 day Ensenada cruise out of San Diego. The ship is old, the food is not fantastic, there are not a lot of things for kids to do as on the newer ships, and they seem short-staffed. We did manage to make the most our of the experience and make memories. However, I couldn't imagine being on this ship for the Alaska or Hawaii itinerary. We had one of the Vista Suites and the kids had an interior room. Our room was just old and outdated looking, the closet doors didn't slide, the drawers weren't easy to open, and the balcony was pretty dirty. On every cruise I have ever been on, steak and lobster are included in the dinner on formal night, apparently this is not the case anymore. If we wanted that it was a $20 up charge in the main dining room, very disappointing. We also got the Bubbles package. I drink but my husband doesn't drink a lot of alcohol or soda; however, he does drink Propels. Carnival was supposed to switch the Pepsi products in January so I bought the Cheers package. Our cruise was on January 3rd and was the last cruise with Coke products...lucky us. There were no sugar free/low carb drinks offered other than sodas and energy drinks. Our kids (boys) spent most of their time on the basketball court. We tried to play a game of darts in the Red Frog but there was one dart left...kind of makes for a boring game. There were a few "big" football games on during the cruise and the Sports Bar was the only place that had them on. It was packed, stuffy, and only had one bartender! Not sure why they couldn't have turned it on in more places? Service at the main dining room seemed to be slower on this cruise than I had experienced in the past. It didn't matter if there were 11 people at our table or 2. I sat at several bars without even being acknowledged and eventually got up and left. I've never experienced this before either. Needless to say, my husband hated it and will never cruise again. I'm looking forward to booking more cruises in the future with the kids and I doubt I'll be cruising with Carnival. Read Less

As we live on the east coast, a cruise out of San Diego might not have been something we explored seriously. At a charity event, an Oosterdam cruise was on offer and we had the winning bid. We (my spouse and I, and eventually my sister) decided on the December 28 sailing. We had not spent any appreciable time in San Diego before so it seemed an attractive idea. We met in Los Angeles first and spent a great night there. Enjoyable, but the drive to SD was not fun--should have taken the train. San Diego is a lovely city, and we had a great dinner with cousins. San Diego is quite beautiful and a walk downtown along Broadway was interesting. The train station is beautiful and is the meeting point of several transportation options. We spent a night on Coronado after the cruise that was equally wonderful. Boarding was completed easily enough--the usual hubbub but all went well, very quick and welcoming. It was nice to hear that the cabin was ready when we boarded at 1:30. We boarded in the forward part of the ship so it was a long walk to our aft-facing cabin.The ship itself was quite nice inside--lovely carpeting throughout, interesting (mostly) artworks, and cleaning was ongoing. Good to see at this germ-y time of year. The exteriors of the ship needed tending, however. Our deck was dirty (the deck below was worse), windows were grimy and difficult to see out of (not just salt water), and posts were rusty and flaking. The cabin, #5190, was spacious with a very large L-shaped deck, and plenty of closet space. A nice two-sink bathroom, with a separate shower and tub. The shower was very small and leaked, so we had to use many towels to keep the floor dry. The cabin had attractive lighting and the bed was extremely comfortable. My sister said that the sofa bed was perfectly fine and even cozy. The cabin was made up early every morning, which I appreciate as we're early risers. We explored all dining options, I think! The Lido Market (buffet) was not the most comprehensive and the food was a bit bland, but it did have some of the best breads I've ever had at sea, especially the rye bread. The usual fare, all of which were fine if not memorable. Dive In, the poolside burger and hot dog place, was very good and much less chaotic than I've seen on other ships. You place your order and get a buzzer to let you know when your order is ready. That kept people from milling about and bumping into one another. Nice looking taco and nacho bar, too. The MDR was really nice, with great service and friendly people all the way around. I loved the food and we spent many nights there. The Pinnacle Grill was exceptional for breakfast. It was open for suite guests only, and the service was remarkable. Canaletto, another restaurant with a surcharge, was fine, though nothing special. Drink packages were only available if everyone in the room purchased one. As one of our party doesn't drink except for a few glasses of wine during the week it was not worth it. I guess it says more about the other passengers that HAL suspects a lot of cheating would be going on. It happens, but it made things less easy for us. The bartenders were all nice, but they measured every drink (fine) but did not always clean the jiggers (not fine). Ordering a vodka drink and then tasting other liquors is disconcerting. An Irish coffee was lukewarm with a drop of whipped cream because on the last night of the cruise they ran out of cream(!). We did not partake of any of the shore excursions. There were some attractive options but after a big Christmas I am glad that we were more self-directed. The casino was surprisingly generous--not just to me, but to everyone around me. I saw many large payouts and received a few big payouts myself. I do not rely on casinos to give me a return on investments, but it was nice to win occasionally on slot machines that were fun to play. We did not attend any shows, though the Lincoln Center shows were well-attended, and the B. B. King club was always hopping. The dual piano show, by two extremely talented young men, was too close to the loud casino. Their repertoire was a lot of ballads and romantic songs, performed well, but the clash with the ding-ding-ding of the casino was unfortunate. Service was expert all the way around. The Retreat was staffed by Marvin and Conrad, who couldn't do enough for you. The cabin was expertly maintained by Toni. The Neptune Lounge had two kind and helpful concierges, Claire and Erszebet. The MDR had great service, too, though a bit lagging on the Gala Night, which is understandable. The Pinnacle Grill had the best service of all, with Betty, Dwi, and Aurora being standouts. Our first night in the Grill saw good food, but amateurish service, including a post-it note on my steak noting it was the Rare steak. He also asked us to order dessert with our dinner and seemed put out that I didn't want to do so. The Retreat was nice, but maybe not the best time of year for it--cool and quite windy. Also, a bit sparsely decorated but there is a shower and restroom nearby. Great service! We enjoyed a sunny day in Cabo San Lucas, though with so many ships in port there were so many people on the dock at once. Mazatlan was a charming city, with a nice walk into the historic center. Puerta Vallarta was odd--we were docked in the center of the city, with a Walmart and a Mall across the 6-lane highway. It poured rain that day and I thought it would be a relaxing day in the cabin. The constant honking and traffic sounds ruined that idea, however. Not HAL's fault about the weather, of course, but its proximity to the city was somewhat surprising. People may enjoy having shopping nearby but it's not easy to get to--you have to take a tram to the exit and then walk a long way to the stores. One thing to mention--it being a holiday week--was the number of children on board. Frankly, I have never seen so many strollers and the pools were constantly filled by kids jumping in and out. I didn't particularly mind it, though I only got into the pool once, but if big groups traveling together aren't your cup of tea, you should keep an eye on the dates you travel. I like HAL, and the service and food is of a high calibre, generally. I would book a HAL cruise again with no problem, but I think I'd look for a newer ship. Read Less

This New Years cruise met every expectation of a fun filled and beautiful holiday. The ship itself is an antique lover's paradise. The statues, the paintings, the sculptures, the murals,were startlingly gorgeous and so rare to find on ships other than Holland America. The food was excellent.Menus in the dining room included those of celebrity chefs-David Burke and Rudi Sodamin. Rudi-Holland's Master chef usually has seafood offerings in the Pinnacle Grill but this cruise unfortunately not. However his creations of coconut shrimp and pot roast served in the Vista dining room were exceptional. The music especially the BB King band brought the whole ship to life in the evenings and the New Years celebration with all the ship's musicians was memorable. The passengers were a wonderful mix with many young families with children on holiday as well as multi generational families.Beautiful to see! The children's clubs must have met the children's needs as they did not seem to want to leave the clubs. Mexico was a happy holiday itinerary and San Diego -what a beautiful port to leave from. Always the service on Holland is wonderful and the bartenders and the housekeeping staff made this cruise such a pleasure to be with them. Now for the star of the show-The Captain!! Captain Rens van Eerten was so visible around the ship-even picking up glasses,talking to everyone,humourous and engaging,. His spirit and presence around the ship was 5 star!!Thank you for contributing to a memorable New Years Cruise! Read Less

With 15 previous Holland America Cruises I thought I knew what to expect when taking my wife, daughter, and three adult grand daughters on a New Year's Eve cruise to Mexico. Boy was I wrong. The entertainment was sparse. No dance venues, no enterainment in the Crows Nest at all. No disco for the young ones, The span of responsibility for wait staff in the dining room was so great the service lagged to a near unacceptable level. Getting the Sommelier to our table was a major feat. Room service breakfast was VERY good and PROMPT ! Other room service was unreliable, twice our orders never came. Food in the dining room was quite good however down sized from previous experience. On Gala Night, the filet accompianing my lobster tail measured 2 inches by 1 1/2 inches. I thought it was a joke. With nearly 400 days of cruising on Holland America, this was the first cruise where several staff appologized for the service level. It is truly a pity to witness such a decline in a once great cruise line. Read Less

My wife and I picked this cruise despite the fact we swore we wouldn’t sail with Carnival again after our last trip a couple years ago. Compared to NCL and RC, we just weren’t impressed with our last cruise. But we booked because we wanted a quick weekend getaway on the cheap. Well we got what we paid for. First off, if you have even slight concerns about motion sickness, avoid this ship at all costs. It has no stabilizers so you can feel every wave. Even with my bonine pills, I still had occasional moments of queeziness. The ship is relatively small compared to others I’ve sailed. So the entertainment options were kind of limited. The pools are not really that kid friendly and there aren’t a lot of things available to entertain kids, so it’s not an ideal family cruise compared to others we’ve been on. They had a water slide but it’s not accessible from the main pool deck so you can’t keep a close eye on the kids if you want to sun bathe while they slide. The dining was mediocre at best. The main dining room had pretty standard options each night. The “Featured Vegetarian” entree was the exact same dish all three nights. Not great for my wife. Seriously? They couldn’t come up with 3 different entrees? I had a pork chop on the first night which was tough and dry. The other dishes were decent but nothing compared to the elegant dishes I had on NCL and RC. Breakfast room service was a bit of a joke. We normally order it out of convenience but their offerings were extremely limited if you didn’t want an extra charge. We could get fruit, cereal, danishes, yogurt cups, juices, and coffee. Basic Continental breakfast. No hot plates. One of our bananas was half mush and the melons were all under ripe and flavorless. We went to the main dining room after the first morning. Much better options, which were quite good. The stateroom was clean, with the one exception of a leftover sock in one of the cabinets. The air conditioning was impossible to adjust. We had a thermostat but it didn’t appear to do anything. Always chilly in our room. And it was incredibly noisy. Constantly sounded like we were on an airplane. It was that loud. The ship is in desperate need of a makeover though. Lots of salt-wear on deck rails, chipped paint, etc... The mandatory safety briefing was not great. They communicated relatively well but never gave us a warning for when the alarms would sound. They just blasted in our tiny stateroom and scared us to death! Just give us a heads up. My one real complaint was regarding their prohibited items policy. We have packed a small power strip for every cruise we’ve ever taken, including our last Carnival cruise. This time they confiscated it before we embarked. I pointed to their website policy that says power strips are an exception (they said with careful use, whatever that’s supposed to mean) but they refused to return it until the end of the cruise. They had no explanation for why I was allowed to use it on our last cruise, nor why it was such an objectionable item. They basically just said, sorry not sorry. The stateroom only had one US compatible receptacle. How are we supposed to charge two phones and two watches at night? Again, the ship is out-dated. With regard to entertainment, the only show we saw was one of the comedians. We went to the PG show so it seemed he felt restricted in his act considering there was a 10 yr old in the front row. He wasn’t all that great to be honest, but in fairness he had a pretty quiet crowd. We did listen to a few musicians at random times. They were alright. Nothing spectacular. Found it funny when we went to a bar that advertised “acoustic jams” and were greeted by a blues musician playing electric guitar. Must be that “new” acoustic all the kids are talking about! He wasn’t bad though. As usual, there was lots of attempted upselling for photos, drinks, art auctions etc... Pretty typical in our experience. We did actually buy a couple of photos from the studio photographer on the Cruise Elegant night. She did a nice job. The prints were overpriced but good quality. Speaking of Cruise Elegant night, the dining room was not strict on the dress code for that evening. There were plenty of guests in T-shirts and jeans. We took one excursion but it wasn’t booked through the cruise line so I’ll rate it separately. Overall, we made the most of it. Easily our least favorite of all our cruises but for the price it wasn’t awful. We spent plenty of time relaxing. Not much on deck due to chilly temperatures but still pretty comfortable. If you are a local resident to the Miracle’s embarkation point, it might be a nice weekend booze cruise. But not worth an expensive flight and long term vacation expectations. Read Less

Upon hearing that Carnival was beginning to leave from San Diego, my family decided it would be a great first cruise for 5 year old twins. We took a New Years cruise to fit in winter break. My husband and I have cruised previously (including on Carnival). Embarking was pretty quick and straightforward. We had one of the first embarkation times and made it fairly smoothly on. Getting off the boat was unexpectedly quick if you checked luggage. We were off the boat hours before we anticipated we would be. Spa To take advantage of a discount emailed to me, I had booked a massage for 3pm on embarkation day. Well, turns out kids club does not open on embarkation day until 8pm. There was no way of knowing that before getting on the ship. Then I go to the salon to find out that since the 3pm was in the middle of the safety drill, the massages had to be rescheduled. As I was at the desk, I was not the only one who had prebooked online showing up and being rescheduled. Why would we even be allowed to book at that time if they could not perform services? The staff did work to find a time that evening for the massage, but it was at a higher rate than what I had prebooked for. I was not told that at the time of booking either. The massage was nice, but I really disliked the sales pitch before and after. I stayed away from the salon the entire time following that. Kids Club The kids club was honestly what we were most excited about. Problem is, the hours were always varied. We'd drop our kid off and be told that it closes at a random time for an activity (that was not previously posted). It was a little frustrating in that regard. I had my kids there for one late night (New Years) and picked them up close to 1 am. Instead of droopy kids calmly watching a movie or something, they were running and jumping around. It was hard getting them to sleep that night. My kids had only warm feelings about the kids club. They made a request to not go one day, but when they went they had a good time. Overall, I'd say it was an average experience for them there. Food We ate in the main dining room most nights with some buffet trips. We never did any specialty dining (partly because of the lack of information for when I could drop my kids off prior to sailing). I was really disappointed that my kids received the same menu every night. The adult food was fine, nothing too special. But if the adults have tacos on the menu, how hard is it to make a kid's special of a taco? Hamburgers, hot dogs, spaghetti, and chicken nuggets were pretty much their only choices. One night we walked by where the kids club was dining and they had better meal choices for kids there. I was not impressed. We also did the Green and Ham character breakfast. The characters coming in were fun, but we also saw them for pictures later in the cruise and would not have had to pay for it. The meal options were pretty much the same thing you'd get on the buffet, except "green eggs and ham". That was buffet scrambled eggs dyed green and Canadian bacon. My husband ordered it, and it was meh. Pretty much I paid $20 for my kids to eat cereal and take pictures with characters they saw again for free two days later. For something we were excited about, it was a disappointing experience. New Year's Celebration The party was pretty fun with fun wearable giveaways (like light up glasses) and complimentary toasting champagne. They did combine all the parties at the end which made for a packed lido deck for a count down. Overall Impression I had some specific criticisms that I pointed out, but overall it was an okay cruise. They kids had fun. Their favorite items were all you can eat soft serve and the mini-golf course. They also really loved the on board Build-a-Bear activity, complete with Carnival themed clothing options for the dolls. If you do that, line up early. My husband and I were able to enjoy some peace and quiet, which is what we really wanted from the trip. It was a budget cruise and felt like it. Read Less

I just got back from Mexican Riviera my 3rd time on this particular cruise and second time on the Miracle. Since it has been 2 years cruising with Carnival I don't know if it was the Ship or if Carnival has just gotten majorly cheap but this wasn't my normal Carnival experience. The food was horrible, the selections in the dining room were sad, our service was deplorable and the ship was dirty. I have been a Carnival supporter for 20 years and I had to eat my words this time which is very sad to me. Like I said I don't know why it was this bad, I would like to say it was the Ship is old and they put the worse people on it but I have no idea. Someone said it was going in for repairs soon that is why they moved it to San Diego but the repairs we were told that they were going to do by the crew wouldn't make any difference in what I saw. If Carnival is changing practices by cutting crew and the food to try and save money then we have a problem because it showed. This ship is going all the way to Hawaii and I feel really bad for those people they will be starving by the time they get there and bored out of their minds. Fun Ship this wasn't! If you are going on this ship soon be ready, you will need to eat in the fine dining steak house if you want a decent meal and good service, when you get ready to come back on board from a port day they only have 1 line and 1 scanner so you will be standing in line for 30-45 minutes with no place to sit down. Everyone that serves you has a bad attitude and they literally have nothing to shop for in the tiny store they have on board. 2 weeks before Christmas even zippo! Read Less

We were visiting our son in San Diego and decided that instead of renting a place, we would all go on a Mexican Riviera cruise. The embarkation and debarkation were smooth and fast, even with no FTTF available. The shows, food in MDR, ports, and entire experience was amazing. Our favorite was the Rhythm of the Nights in PV. We loved it so much we booked another cruise on the Miracle for next December. The service was phenomenal. I loved the layout of the ship. You didn't have to walk up over and down to get to the dining room! We ate in the steakhouse and the food was superb. We especially liked the Alchemy Bar and the drinks and service there. It is a good place to wait before going in the MDR. There are many places to sit quietly and get away from the crowds (although in my opinion there were no crowds). The casino was smoky though, so be aware when walking through. I highly recommend the Miracle if you like a small, cozy atmosphere for sailing. Read Less

My mom wanted to cruise with Holland because of an excellent experience she had on another Holland ship years ago. She too was very disappointed with the overall experience of this cruise. Dining room waiter was a highlight of the trip. The portions for dinner entrée were very small and took a fair length of time to receive our meaL There was never an option for requesting more even if we had wanted it. Food was so-so. Our waiter ordered extra desert our last two evenings and had delivered to our suite. That was an unexpected surprise. We never saw our room attendant with exception to day of arrival. Our suite was not clean upon arrival and we had to ask for several items:towels,robes, sharps box, and distilled water for my moms CPAP. I had requested the box and water before we embarked the ship. Having traveled on several cruise lines I didn't think it was crazy to expect a vacuumed-clean and equipped suite. There were no visible people wiping down the public places like door knobs, bathrooms, elevator buttons....No required use of hand sanitizer upon entering dining room and buffet area. Again a standard I have come to expect on my other cruise experiences. Shore excursions were misrepresented and were not as fun as the trip we took with a local in Puerto Vallarta. Would not pay to do their excursions again. Entertainment was so-so with exception of the illusionist: Leon Etienne who was great and all of us enjoyed his show. The positive: the ports were lovely and God blessed us with lovely temperatures to enjoy our time together off the ship. They offered wheelchair service for my mom once we arrived in port for disembarkation. Read Less

1. Lack luster entertainment. The cruise director was extremely boring. Trivia games were not entertaining. Overall, there was nothing to do on the ship. DJ the comedian was good. The magician Leone Ettien was good but tried to sell his magic kit which was very tacky. The friday 7p show was terrible. 2. Staff was unfriendly. Wait staff Cleaned dirty dishes on dining tables instead of going into a private area. 3. Gala nights were not at all exciting to the extent that we didnt even dress up for the 2nd gala night. 4. Timing for dinner was very inconvenient. Main meals (lido market) stopped at 2p and 8:30p for dinner which was very odd. 5. Club Hal was cancelled? The kids room was a pathetic little conference room. Unclear as to why the arcade space was limited to 7-17yr old kids during most of the day. Having at least that space for all kids would have been helpful but let's be clear, the arcade was limited and ultimately boring. With 300 kids on board, one would think more of an effort would be made to entertain them. Staff did not change duvet covers even if they were stained. We had chocolate stains on our bedding throughout the cruise. The shops were over -priced and lacking in style. The Thanksgiving sale was a joke. This experience was terrible and we will never go on HAL. Read Less

We are a family of multi-star Mariners, and for some in our group, this was our third time on this ship. For our children, it was their second time on this ship, with our previous sailing in 2018. Our children always look forward to their adventures with Club HAL, the Holland program for children and tweens but when we boarded the ship, it was abundantly clear that their beloved Club Hal was replaced by a dirty and dark room on the third deck with children playing on the floor open from 9-12 and then 6/7-10 every day for those 3-6. SEE PHOTOS. In lieu of their beloved Club Hal, there was "High Score," a new gaming area only open to 7-17 year olds during the day, and then, after 6pm, younger or older guests could enter. So, Holland, not only are you good with kicking parents out of High Score during the day time and letting my 8 year old roam around a ship alone (a BIG NO from me as a parent), you negate younger children playing in there (with supervision) and have no alternative option? Not only that, you made the decision on October 15 to close Club HAL after you had received our payment in full and did not communicate to us? We honestly would have declined the trip and travelled to Hawaii or similar. Instead, you took our money and pulled a bait and switch on us. This will be our last cruise with Holland America, and I sincerely hope they rethink their age and activity policy for children. Parents, beware: there are better kids clubs on other ships (Hello, Royal Carribean!) and better communication about what your children should expect. Read Less

We booked this cruise thinking that there was an amazing area for our 3 year old to enjoy her vacation while on the ship. We saw pictures and read the HAL website noting theme nights and activities for her to do. This was not the case! My daughter's play areas was a left-over conference room 20x12 room (give or take a few feet) with some games, Play-dough and some Legos. There wasn't any sort of planned activities and and when asked about theme nights, we were told there wasn't anything planned. The staff looked to be perplexed about what was actually supposed to happen in ClubHal. The false advertising of ClubHal was a huge shock to us and we would have NEVER booked this cruise knowing what we would actually get when on board. I found out from other parents who have cruised with HAL before that the liner knew that ClubHal wasn't going to be available for our sail and did nothing to let us know prior to the cruise we would not be getting what we thought we were paying for. SHAME ON YOU HAL. Apart from the ClubHal "experience", the staff was great to us and the food was great. I would suggest having more entertainment on board, but we did have fun at what was available. If you are expecting over the top, not going to happen on HAL, but it was fun and we got to spend time as a family together and that was the point. Would I cruise this liner again, NO! Simply because of ClubHal and the false advertising to families thinking they were going to get an amazing area for their kids and that doesn't exist. Read Less

We’ve sailed in HAL and I find they have excellent service. This was no different. I really loved the itinerary (Mexico, Guatemala, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Panama, Colombia and the Bahamas) and they had great choices for shore excursions. It was a lovely way to experience the canal and parts of Central and South America. Delicious food too. The ship is a little dated. Wonderful entertainment (classical Lincoln Center quintet, dueling pianos, singers, dancers, comedians, magicians, musicians). My only quibble: terrible internet (no streaming and only one device at a time per payment). They shouldn’t be charging for internet which is now like charging for AIR and especially without streaming! Also they charge their employees for internet and I think that’s wrong when they work so much and need to stay in touch with family. Loved all our shore excursions which I went on with my active 81 year old mom: swimming with dolphins (Puerto Vallarta), snorkeling (Huatulco, Mexico), Lake Atitlan (Guatemala, beware 2.5 bus ride each way plus 2 hour round trip boat ride), equestrian show at a ranch in Nicaragua, crocodile nature boat ride in Costa Rica, food tour in Cartagena, Colombia, surf horseback riding / kayaking in Bahamas and great Panama Canal experience. Read Less

Embarkation at San Diego was not a problem, and we were onboard for 12.30 and had nice lunch and a couple of drinks. Got to our room for 1.30 and bags arrived soon after. The ship looked in reasonable condition, although you can always pick faults if you wish to. Food was very good, plenty of choice, both in the Oceanview and the MDR. Never needed to wait long before getting served at any bar. All staff were pleasant and helpful, in particular our steward Gusti, and a lad called Panda who worked the Pool bar. Entertainment was mixed, but we went to a few shows, and enjoyed the Buddy Holly tribute, Shades of Buble, and a Hits of Broadway show by the Infinity cast. I also attended some talks by Bill Fall on the Panama Canal and he was very good. We did four trips with Celebrity and enjoyed them all, it was good to know that the ship would be waiting for should you be late back. We enjoyed all ports of call, and the Panama Canal was the highlight, it helped that the weather was sunny and very warm. Disembarkation at Miami was a bit of a lengthy process, taking us until 11.45 to get through.. We thoroughly enjoyed this cruise and the ship and would recommend it to anybody. Read Less

Choose this cruise to commemorate our 65th wedding anniversary & My 90 birthday. Boarded the Oosterdam Nov.6th. Nov. 9th severe coughing, Nov.14th after ships doctor did two tests said I had Bronchitis & bacteria infection & a bill for $227,08. Disembarked ship Nov.23rd @9am, by late afternoon Nov.23rd after being transferred by ambulance Doctors @ Highline hospital I.C.U. ward diagnosed me as having Sepsis Pnuemonia & Bacteria infection. While on this cruise my wife, son Michael & daughter inlaw Jo-ann also experienced coughing & sickness. Apart from our illness we found this an boring & uninteresting cruise, food was pretty much the same. The only time my wife & I were able to leave the ship was in Honolulu, just too ill the rest of the time.Holland America declined our request for some form of reimbursement, but did say they were sorry that I was unwell during the cruise,how compassionate can you get. Our first night in the dining room soup was served hot one hour & 15mins. later our dinner arrived stone cold, we ate in the Lido for the rest of the cruise.Music for dancing was hard to find nothing in the Crows nest or the Ocean bar long time favourites in past years,acts in the show room far below usual standards. the only thing for us to be positive about was the CREW as always, hard to beat. Read Less

No one does it better than Disney! After the terrible experience of taking my first cruise on Carnival about 5 years ago I was real hesitant to go cruising again...least to say I'm very glad I gave Disney a try because they changed my perspective on the whole cruising industry. Our cruise was a 7 night to the Mexican Rivera with stops in Cabo, Mazatlan and Puerto Vallarta. Room: The room was great! We had a family balcony stateroom which was very spacious and could sleep up to 5 people with 4 beds in the room. The split bathrooms on Disney ships are genius, especially for getting ready in the mornings. Our room steward Lorenzo was amazing! Entertainment: There was never a down moment aboard the Disney Wonder! They always had something going on. We saw 3 stage shows which were all amazing and they also had a Ventriloquist, Magician, comedian and hypnotist aboard doing shows daily. Being 23 I was concerned that there would be annoying kids all over the ship and that all entertainment and activities would be geared solely to children. Despite what I thought, the only time I really saw children was a breakfast in the buffet and at night at the stage shows. For the most part they stayed in the kids clubs and the children pool. There were plenty of adult areas to relax in, and the entire front of the ship in filled with adult only clubs and lounges. Food: To me the food aboard the Disney Wonder was a bit of a disappointment. The appetizers, soups and desserts always blew us away but the entres were somewhat lacking in flavor and constancy. I feel this is one area they could definable improve. The buffet was good, they had a great variety of food and rotated their menus which I appreciated. I really enjoyed the rotating dining that Disney does, my favorite restaurant for food was Tritons and Tianas Place for the atmosphere. Service: The service aboard the ship was incredible! Our servers were amazing and really boosted our experience aboard the ship! Tati and Ikadek were our servers and they treated us like kings. The cruise line lost our bags on the first day, we went to guest service and they located them within hours and sent chocolate covered strawberries and a hand written apology for the inconvenience. Spa: I spent alot of time (and money) in the spa and was pleased with the service rendered there. On day one of the cruise I won a raffle for a $50 spa certificate. I ended up getting a rainforest pass which for $129, I don't feel was worth the money. Also had my teeth whitened what I was very pleased with (they honestly did a better job than my dentist), I received an acupuncture session (waste of money) and a great massage! They always tried to sell you stuff after services which really got annoying after a while. Ports: Highlights Cabo: we didn't do any excursions here, just walked around the pier. Extremely touristy! Mazatlan: Probably our lease favorite port. We did the Best of Mazatlan tour which was a complete waste of money and time. They took us to see a light house (which was a couple miles away from the look out point the bus stopped at) Then took us to see a old church (which was pretty) Their "golden zone" was super trashy and full of street vendors that get really annoying after a while. We ended the tour with a nasty fiesta lunch filled with store bought taquitos, overcooked rice, and other gross, non authentic food. There was supposed to be a folkloric show that mainly just consisted of drinking games. Don't go on this tour. Puerto Vallarta: Our favorite port. It's very jungly here and lest touristy. We did a cooking class which consisted of visiting a local market and tortilla factory where we bought masa, then took a bus ride through the mountains to a rural village where we learned to cook amazing authentic mexican food. I highly recommend this tour if you are looking for an authentic mexican experience. Altogether the cruise was amazing! I booked another cruise while onboard and can't wait till my next one! Read Less

This was a special cruise called HALLOWEEN ON THE HIGH SEAS. San Diego, Cabo, Mazatlan and PTO Vallarta/San Diego return. My first-ever holiday sailing. Cabin 5012 was forward and located on deck-5. A excellent location with great access to everything. This is a outside stateroom with the large picture window/porthole. The ship is in pristine condition. As in the cleanest ship I have ever sailed on. Both in stateroom and public areas. Embarkation was classic Disney with perfection in line/group control but Disney was using the older San Diego cruise terminal that is in dire need of refurbishment. Escalators and elevators were broken so it was the stairs for all with the exception of one elevator. It's dark, cold, poor seating and with limited restrooms. Once aboard, it all turns to Pixie Dust and I will never know how Disney accomplishes such crew perfection but they do and with ease. Every single employee/cast member/crew member was amazing 24/7. I was never so impressed. Cabins are larger than most at-sea with a two-bathroom concept that takes up way too much space in the stateroom/cabin. Serving no purpose as only one bathroom has a toilet. Stateroom TV's are ultra small at 22"-26" and guess what? It's all Disney programming! ABC, FOX and CNN can be had but that did not occur when at-sea. The most disappointing aspect of a Disney cruise is the overall dining quality (my third Disney sailing). That said, expect 'Theme Park Dining' at best. Catering to families and kids mostly. You'll need your own salt & pepper shakers. The food is bland, boring, basic in presentation and uneventful in every single course. Disney incorporates what is called 'Rotational Dining' in that that every night you change dining rooms (keeping the same waiter) which are themed on a different approach each night. We had ANIMATOR'S PALATE, TRITON'S and TIANA'S PLACE as our dining venues. Tiana's Place is new to Disney with a Mardi Gras theme and it is exceptionally loud. Very loud. It is a dining room floor show experience in a sense. It can be impossible for the waiters or the guest to engage in conversation. There are Quick Service dining venues also aboard The Disney Wonder but they all failed. The only exception to any dining experience onboard is the buffet area called CABANA'S. That saved us all! Yet Disney closes it for dinner making it a sit-down venue instead serving the same basic and bland offerings as found in the dining rooms. Unlike most other cruise lines that offer 24/7 dining options, Disney has a very rigid schedule of openings and closings. Room service is 24/7 thankfully but on par with Arby's Roast Beef if not worse. Disney is all about its movies and shows and expect only the best because that is the rule for any Disney showroom presentation. We were entertained for FROZEN, THE GOLDEN MICKEY'S and DREAMS. There were also several guest performers for a 7 day cruise but all were 'VERY SAFE' because we are a family cruise line first and foremost. Because this was a holiday sailing involving Halloween, candy was passed out Halloween night and most passengers dressed in costume for the event but activities were very limited. Menus that night never addressed Halloween. This isn't a cruise line for just kids. There are many 'adult-only areas' (never enforced) and on this sailing the amount of kids never felt like it exceeded 40-50%. What I will remember most about the type of passenger aboard a Disney cruise was the morning we were dining outside (at Cabana's) and on the table, next to the drink station for beverages, was a mother changing her baby on the table while we all dined for breakfast. Several Disney cruise staff walked by the event but none ever addressed it... There was a bathroom just inside the doors some 30 feet away that the mom could have used. That said, it is a family line. It's a Disney product and it's always 'Pixie Dust'. Sometimes boring. Unless you are a kid or a pure Disney fanatic. Read Less

Summary of our trip: If you ever traveled on one of the larger Disney boats, the Dream or Fantasy, you will be somewhat disappointed on the Wonder. We traveled with our adult children and their children ages 8, 6, 2-1/2 and a 10 month old. My husband and I had connecting rooms with my daughter who has two babies. The connecting rooms helped with the small cabin size as we freely went back and forth. We had all their junk in our cabin so they could accommodate the pack and play comfortably. I don't know how they could have managed with all their kid stuff....stroller, diapers, formula, diaper genie, etc...if they had only their cabin space. Embarkation was fine. We arrived at the Port of San Diego about 10:45 and people were already checking in. We were number 21 for boarding and that happened about 12:45. We headed for the Triton sit down restaurant, but it was already full and there was a 30 minute wait. So off to the food court, Cabanas, we went. What a mad house as everyone was there since the cabins were not ready. Your first impression is ....holy cow....how crowded is this small ship. It took some ingenuity to find a table for nine. Once we could go to our cabin at 1:30, we received our bags about 45 minutes later. The first night of dining was at the Animator's Palace, early seating. They had a cute show on the walls and Mickey makes an appearance in Fantasmic fashion. Our servers were Jen from the United Kingdom assisted by Angelina from Poland. They could have not been more helpful especially since we had two kids in high chairs making a mess every night. Out of the many cruises that we have been on, the food delivery was the quickest that we have experienced. Tonight's show was the Golden Mickeys in the Walt Disney Theater. Note that this theater is only on one level....versus the larger ships that have a balcony. Go early if you want a decent up front seat. We never arrived after 8 for a 8:30 show. (First dining at 5:45, shows start at 8:30) We spent some time the next day in the Oceaniere Lab during the open house....the only time the toddlers could be in the Lab. The two year old thought it was fun, but the 8 and 6 year old loved it. We did not get off the ship in Enceneda....others felt the same was as it was full of people for a shore day. Pirate dinner in Tiana's Place. Servers walked around in pirate gear. It was pirate night and here is where the difference between a large ship and a small old ship is highlighted. On the Dream last year, there was a detailed pirate show that lasted a full 15 minutes with about 30 actors. On the Wonder, it's basically a dance party for pirate night. Mickey and a pirate go down the zip line, but there is no show to speak of. What a disappointment. Fireworks at sea lasted for about 90 seconds. It was not worth keeping toddlers up to past 10:15 when the fireworks happened. Before the pirate and firework event, there was a magician in the WD theater. We saw half of the show then left to save seats on the pool deck for the non existent pirate show. Day three was a sea day. Our impressions....the food at Cabanas is fine. Nothing special but it is convenient if you want to be at the pool area. There is also an average burger and pizza spot. Daisy's food area has salads and sandwiches and fruit, so we enjoyed that area. We went to Triton's for a sit down lunch most days....nice to be out of the crowded pool area. Speaking of pools....the pool area compared to the Dream is about half its size, which is also a disappointment. BTW. Kids must be potty trained...swim diapers not allowed. A kid pooped in the baby pool and it had to be closed for three hours. If not potty trained, there is a very small splash pad area....again, half the size of the Dream. Not worth the hassle with the toddlers. We played bingo with the kids....$40 for the cards. Dinner again at Tiana's Place where she made an appearance and they had a New Orleans style parade around the restaurant. The show was Frozen. Fabulous production. The actor playing Elsa is amazing with a really solid voice. Again, if you want center, up close seats, get in line early....for this show, earlier than 8 pm. Next day was Cabo. There are tenders in Cabo....a royal pain with kids in strollers. We went to the Dolphin area where the older kids swam with the dolphins. They enjoyed themselves...they should for the price of this excursion. Cabo by the port is very touristy...bars and tee shirt shops. Next time, I won't get off the ship. Dinner at Triton's Place...the most boring restaurant of all. Forgot to mention that the cabin stewart, Omar, made sure his services did not interfer with nap time. He was great dealing with that dreaded diaper genie. Thanks, Omar! The highlight for the 8 and 6 year old granddaughters happened on the last full day. The Princess Royal Tea. Very expensive for the girls, but well worth it. It is done so well. The girls were showered with gifts only available at this tea....a doll, jewelry box, charms, crown etc. The Princesses came to each table and spent time talking to the girls. A cute show with the hostess and baker....two very good actors from the ensemble. I can't recommend this tea more....worth every penny if you have girls that love the Princesses. The show tonight was Believe which was fabulous. It's snippets of many Disney movies. Don't miss. Back to Animator's Palace. No show by the servers. Disembarkation was chaos. We had breakfast in Animator's Palace....they rush you through. We had first seating at dinner....so first seating for the last breakfast at 7:15. They servers make it very apparent that they want you out for the next group. You get off the ship on level 3 and the elevator spills out to the area where those waiting for Tiana's Place are lined up. It was gridlock. Plus, most people are with all their luggage ignoring the night before drop off. There is luggage everywhere, wall to wall people on level 3 and no where to go. I'm so surprised that Disney has not figured out a solution to this problem. Getting off was easy if you do not need an elevator in the port building. We carried down the stroller or we would have had a 20 minute wait for an elevator. Customs was a breeze and cabs were plentiful. Again our total impression....we will not cruise on the Wonder or Magic, the smaller ships, again. Just too crowded, not as technically advanced, more of a wall to wall people feeling. Give us a newer, larger ship any day. Read Less

It was my husband's fall break from school and my dad and his wife could fit this cruise into their schedule so for the first time we were able to take a cruise together. We had been looking forward to it for many months. We flew into San Diego a day earlier and got a night at the nearby Best Western prior to embarkation. Embarkation went smoothly. After checking in, we had to wait about 40 minutes before we could get on the ship but they had a decent waiting area with plenty of seating so it was not a big deal. Once we boarded the ship, we were able to go right to our rooms to check them out. We got side by side balcony staterooms and had our room steward open the balcony partition between rooms so that we could enjoy each other's company during the cruise. Our room stewards were Rohman and Ron and both seemed fine. One thing I didn't really like was that I felt a little shamed for asking for an extra towel to be inside our bathroom at all times so that if needed, I wouldn't have to ask for it. I got the lecture about how they want us to re-use the towels to save water. I get it but I'm also asking for one extra towel and shoot! I'm on vacation. If I want to use an extra towel, can't I? What I did learn super quickly though was an extra hand towel was needed to keep the sink area dry because every time we reached between the soap and the faucet, water dripped everywhere. They really should use hand soap dispensers - kind of like they do in the shower with shampoo, conditioner, and body wash. If the dispenser was right over the sink itself, there would be no mess of drips everywhere. We then went up to lunch in the Lido Cafe otherwise known as the "buffet." I would give it an 8 out of 10 for lunch. I found the desserts to be lacking in flavor though. And, the ice cream was good but twice I wanted a waffle cone and twice they said, no more. Wait until next time. I think whoever makes them needs to make more if they are this popular. I liked the salad station though. It was nice to be able to have salads made up however I wanted them. We pre-purchased a soda card and a drink card before boarding and they were both very useful. In fact, I don't think we actually zero'd out the soda card by the end of the cruise. The dining room was nice and we had great waiters. Supardi and Eki where wonderful and always greeted us with a smile, and gave us what ever we asked for. And, my thing is Creme Brulee. I asked for it every night but one and I got it every night but one. Thank you for that!! Now that is an awesome fulfillment of a request! The options for appetizers and soups and salads were a little bit lacking I thought. Maybe they have cut down on choices over the years? We also enjoyed our wine guy. His name was Ron and he was great. I only ordered wine once but my dad and his wife got a wine package and he was super friendly and not pushy which is what I like!! These 3 got extra tips from all of us! Entertainment...well, I hate to say it but I was totally bored by the HAL performers on the ship. That is the first time in 11 cruises (other lines as well as HAL) that I've ever had to say that. Too bad. We opted to skip the second night they performed too. Now, the hired help - Comedians...they were awesome! Both kept me laughing and left me wanting more. Went to all three shows of theirs. The entertainment in the lounges was good, however seating was lacking if you got there even one minute after it started. That actually annoyed me. The four of us did enjoy the game nights in the different lounges though. We originally pre-purchased two shore excursions from HAL but ended up cancelling the one for Cabo because it was a beach/resort day and we found out it wasn't even on a swimmable beach and to see the pictures online left a lot to be desired. We went out on our own and purchased a resort day online before leaving - for a whole lot less, and at a nicer resort on a swimmable beach! In Puerto Vallarta we also purchased HAL's resort/beach day and it was actually very nice! My only complaint was that it should have started and hour or two later so that it ended later. Many in our group never got to eat lunch in a restaurant at the resort because the seating was limited and we had to get back on the bus at 1:20 and the restaurants didn't open for lunch until noon. If you weren't there waiting in line right at 12:00, you didn't get a table. The excursion should have gone from 10-3 or something along those times. The resort itself though was super nice with multiple pools and a private beach with kayaks to use. The all-inclusive aspect at the resort was nice too. They had nice towels and free drinks! In Mazatlan, we caught a taxi to go to the Golden Zone to shop. It was SO HOT though that about 1 hour into it we had enough. Sweat dripping down your back just isn't fun. In the future, I would do a water related excursion - at least this time of year. We also went to the newer Wal Mart and picked up some extra bottled water and a few other little items. My husband likes to bake so picking up about 5 bottles of Mexican vanilla was "the thrill of the hunt" for him! I think he ended up with different brands too. So this next part is why I gave this cruise 3/5...On the last sea day, my husband started feeling sick in the morning. Not the ships fault, but what made it really hard was that our stateroom flooded! We were away from the room, and when I came back to change, the door was open, there were huge fans all around as the water had come out into the hallway, and our room was flooded almost all the way over to the balcony. No one could tell us why and how it happened but something about the pipes in the bathroom. So my husband went to Guest Services to tell them what had happened (Rohman had told him to since he couldn't handle the catastrophe) and they followed my husband down to the room, looked at the situation and then said, "well, we'll wait and see!" Ok, our bed had been upended. Our luggage which had been stored under the bed, was next to the balcony and every item of furniture was pushed over to the door of the balcony. All the water had been shut off. It was totally unlivable! And they say, "let's wait and see????" Nope, not good enough! So we were basically displaced outside of our cabin for a few hours while they decided to "wait and see." Finally, they found us and gave us a new cabin to go to which was nice because it was a suite. Great! But at this point my husband was really feeling awful and slept the day away in the suite which meant I had to get out of it so he could rest. Moving all of our stuff to the suite was all up to us too so that was all kinds of fun. I entertained myself the rest of the day - outside the new cabin and by 10:00 that night...I was now sick! Not a fun way to end the cruise. Disembarkation was quite chaotic and both of us felt awful and had to look forward to the journey home feeling that way. ***on another note, we heard from other cruisers onboard that the ship had an issue with A/C in multiple cabins. There was none!!! Why didn't they get moved to available cabins?? These people went all week with no A/C and many of them were elderly people! That seems unacceptable to me! Many had to beg for fans! And there weren't enough! Maybe it had something to do with just coming from Alaska but even so, these systems should have been checked out before getting to the Mexican Riviera where for the most part it was extremely hot in every port! If it had happened to us, my husband said it would have been our last cruise!! Read Less

We are experienced cruisers (12 +), second time with Celebrity. We selected this itinerary for the Pacific San Diego to Vancouver route. My brother & his wife traveling with us, first time on Celebrity. Concierge cabins 2138 & 2140 on deck 12. We picked these so that we could have a combined balcony which worked great the first day. Until the trouble started with the excessive noise above us from the oceanview café - intolerable. Requested a move for both cabins. We are elite members (celebrity), diamond (RCCL). We were moved to a down graded cabin, we should have been upgraded. Moved to a far forward lower cabin away from our family & we had to ask for everything promised to concierge class. Concierge totally dropped the ball & when we complained to him personally, he was very defensive. Finally offered us $200 toward future cruise - big deal - not. Concierge class is a joke, a few amenities thrown on a standard balcony cabin, not worth the money. Canopes every day were no better than seagull food, which we did throw to them. We were embarrassed because we convinced our family to try celebrity for the first time. They usually sail Princess. Food is very average. Again these cruise lines are pushing you to use specialty dining. Big mistake. The shows were very boring and disappointing. Cruise director Alexandro was the only highlight. The ship is beautiful, the crew very pleasant, the captain very accessible. The embarkation process in San Diego was very disorganized. Shore excursion staff very good. The eclipse was the most rocky ship that we had every been on (12 cruises on other ships). The pacific was very rough so that could account for it, or maybe an unstable ship, not sure which or both. Celebrity makes big distinction in price & amenities for suites vs. all others. We did book a future cruise to take advantage of the offers but may cancel it. Biggest highlight - beautiful ship. Biggest disappointments - Cabin 2138 & 2140. C2 Concierge. Lack of respect for Elite class member & moved us to a down graded cabin. Read Less

Have just disembarked the Celebrity Eclipse following a 9 night Pacific Coastal Cruise from San Diego to Vancouver. We chose this cruise because we had sailed on the Eclipse 3 time previously and liked the itinerary. On embarking the ship we were greeted with the customary glass of champagne (make the most of it as it’s the last freebie you will get). The first thing I would say is that the Eclipse is not the ship it once was. The ship is looking a bit tired and does not seem to be as well maintained as it once was. Previously every time the ship was in port it was being painted, not so anymore! The soft furnishings have scuffs, rips and tears. That said, our cabin steward Salvadore was exceptional and kept our cabin tip-top. Be aware that every drink you order, be it tea, coffee or alcohol will be subject to the addition of a 20% Service Charge which is added automatically so the staff have no incentive to offer a good service. You have to wonder how much of this 20% is passed on to the staff! Maybe the American market is different to the European market and is geared around giving a low entry price and then charge for everything you can as an “extra”. The onboard shopping experience is poor with most shops selling over-priced tat. The Qsine restaurant concept has been changed, and whilst it is different, the menu is very limited, the old concept was much better and offered more choice. Murano continues to be the jewel in the crown when it comes to the speciality restaurants. The food and service here is exceptional. Tuscan grill is a good second choice. The Oceanview buffet restaurant offers a good choice but the food is only ever luke warm at best. Moonlight Sonata, the main dining room is OK but the quality and choice of food has declined. The staff here aren’t particularly attentive and seem to be lacking experience, there seemed to be a changeover of staff occurring during our trip. The entertainment is more East End than West End, maybe the Americans are easily pleased. We missed our stop at Monterey due to bad weather. Astoria has nothing of interest to offer and seems to be a stop for the sake of a stop. San Francisco was well worth it and the additional overnight in port due to us not stopping at Monterey was a welcome surprise. Victoria and Vancouver were both nice places to visit. Having travelled on Eclipse three times previously it was my favourite ship and I would have recommended it without reservation, unfortunately I can’t do this anymore. The Staff only seem interested in up-selling everything they can at every opportunity, even the bottled water in your Stateroom is now charged for. Eclipse is no longer a 5* experience it’s now 4* and declining experience. Hopefully the re-fit next year will restore Eclipses former glory. Read Less

We chose a Disney cruise because we thought it would be an ideal vacation for a couple with toddler. It’s a tough age to keep actively engaged. While the character greetings and related events were spectacular, experiences for toddlers overall were really quite limited. That being said, this alone was not why the magic was missing for us. The stateroom was not in the best shape when we arrived. The safe lock had not been reset (we had to wait for maintenance to reset, which was fine if that was the only issue), the clock alarm had not been reset (getting us up much too early the next day), there was hair on the shower curtain, and a pair of eyeglasses were lost in the cabin (?). The cabin and ship was especially creaky the whole trip. This was not our first cruise...so found it annoying. It negatively impacted our sleep. The restaurant food was good but too hot for our toddler, every time. One would assume that this would be tested before plating. While the service itself was especially friendly, off-putting was the constant requests night after night for an “excellent” rating. It left us feeling soured. We didn’t need to be pushed so much. Maybe just say it once and leave it. As for the food quality outside of the restaurants and buffet, it was really bland. We needed cash for one of the excursions and guest services would only take personal checks (in 2019!). My son and I caught a bad cold by the last day! On balance, this was not the vacation that I hoped for and expected from the magical Disney. Read Less

THIS IS MY SECOND DISNEY CRUISE. The first one in the carribean to their private island. It was so good that we decide to go on another one. This time is was from San Diego to Cabo and Enesanada. Checking on in San Diego was so smooth. No line up. As soon as I arrived in cabin after lunch in buffet, I phoned the conciege and asked for a robe since I was sharing with my daughter and her boyfriend. The bathrooms are super small and there's no where to put your clean clothes after you take off your dirty clothes to shower. I was told that the robes are only for conciege class. I explained about the situation in the bathroom and when I cruised on Disney before they supplied robes no problem. So I went to the desk to ask again, this time for someone in charge. She left me standing there while she went to the back for 10 mins. I told the other person standing there , that "This is a waste of time, how long does it take to ask about a robe". Also there are no slippers. Good thing I bought it from my hotel. I said I gotta go for dinner, I will come back for an answer. I stopped by the room after dinner and surprise, There's a robe. One of the drawers was stuck and after pulling it out it will become jammed. I told the room steward and he pushed it back in and said: It's fixed. Next time I pulled it out, it got stuck again. I informed the steward again when I was heading out and he said he will fix it. Next time i pulled it open , it completely fell out on my foot. This time I phoned the conciege and they sent a maintenace guy to fix it for real. I'm lucky I didn't break my foot. The day before we arrive in Ensenada, we wanted to go to the place where margaritas were invented. I looked it up at home but we didn't have internet on the ship, and I couldn't remember the name of it but I recall the ship did offer a tour there. She told me she didn't have that info and there's no such tour. She told us to find a Starbucks to get internet and we could google it. After walking a couple of miles to find the Starbucks, we found the place. It was right across from where the ship was docked. We were sitting there enjoying our drinks in the courtyard and wondering why the ship doesn't support this place. And surprise the tour arrived from our ship. Do not take the shuttle from the ship in Ensenada. It's supposed to take you into town but we saw it stopped a couple of blocks down the pier. There is not a town and not much to see except the place where we went to. There was a museum which charge $2.00 and then bar which we got margaritas. There's a small market. We got fridge magnets. There's a beautiful cactus garden. But everything else there is not worth to see cause there's nothing to see. We did eat some corn and some pancake, at the little booths that were on the walkway. Nobody spoke English. Lucky for us, my daughter's boyfriend spoke Spanish. Be aware that the charge to use the washrooms. The food on ship at the buffet at lunch was good and the dining at night was very good. Loved the shows. Got to see the lastest Disney movies in 3D if you want. The live shows are really good. Service in dining room was good. Over all the Disney experience was evident on the cruise but the price was triple other cruises to the same places. I expected better service and larger washrooms. We had a cabin at back of the ship on 7th floor. There was so much creaking and weird banging noises that it was extremely hard to sleep. It was every night. This cruise had a lot of kids on it because of spring break. There was an adult only area but there were kids in this area too. Be careful not to trip over them, they run around through you to try to be first in line to see their characters. Don't take this cruise unless you love Disney a lot. If you want to see Mexico, use Holland America. Read Less