Ship: Recommended
Specialty Restaurants: Incredible
Dining Room: Great
Windjammer Buffet: Needs a little improvement
Balcony Stateroom: Large enough to be comfortable. Stateroom steward was very attentive.
Entertainment: Fair
Day 1: Depart from
Boston, Massachusetts
Security and check-in were fast and efficient, and there was only a short wait to board.
On this particular sailing, most of the passengers on the
ship were over 50, but there was plenty to do for all ages.
Our first stop was the Windjammer Café for lunch. Though the food was good and there was reasonable variety, the area was understaffed, the tables bussed infrequently, and there
was no one taking drink orders.
 |
| Windjammer Cafe |
Our balcony stateroom was clean and comfortable, and there were great views.
In the afternoon we sat in one of the atrium lounges and listened to live music. It was a bit disappointing that again, no one was taking drink orders. But it was still very pleasant and
relaxing - just what I want in a vacation.
The Tides Dining Room was a large two-level room, bright and clean, but the
decor was nondescript. However, the ship is scheduled to be refurbished, and I don’t eat
the décor, so it was fine. Royal
Caribbean just rolled out new menus, and the choices and quality were
great. I had escargot, a Cesar salad,
salmon, and Crème Brule for desert. All excellent. If fact, everyone at our table thoroughly
enjoyed their food, and the dining room service was attentive and responsive. A big
congratulations here to Royal Caribbean.
 |
| The Atrium |
Day 2: At Sea
In the solarium there were signs posted that reserving deck chairs was prohibited, and that
an unoccupied chair will have contents removed after 30 minutes. But unfortunately, Royal Caribbean’s only
commitment to preventing people from reserving chairs was to put up a sign. The solarium was crowded
with towels, books, and shoes on lounge chairs for long periods of time.
In the afternoon we enjoyed a game of team trivia. There were lots of teams playing and we didn’t
come close to winning, but it was great fun.
Formal Night: Another pleasant night aboard ship. We started with pre-dinner drinks in the
Viking Crown Lounge with some of my clients.
This is one of my favorite spots on Royal Caribbean ships and it is one of the best kept secrets. The
lounge never seems to be crowded, and there are great views of the water and
pool deck. We enjoyed our drinks and
here the service was very attentive. We then went to dinner.
Once again, dinner was delicious and the service was great.
Day 3: Halifax, Nova Scotia
We took an informative and scenic bus tour of Halifax and Peggy’s Cove, which was booked through CruiseOne’s shore
excursion partner, Shore Excursion Group.
The only problem was that our bus was supposed to be a coach but that bus hit a
moose a few hours earlier and the only thing they could find for us was an old
school bus. Well, stuff happens, I
guess. |
| Peggy's Cove near Halifax |
The Production Show: West End to Broadway
I love the shows on Royal Caribbean. From the Monarch of the Seas to the Allure of
the Seas, this cruise line knows how to put on a show. In this production, the singers and dancers were very talented,
except for one singer who couldn’t carry a tune in a bag. The musicians were also top notch. But the technical production (lights, sound,
etc.) was less than spectacular. I won’t
go into detail, but the choreography and choices of songs also left a lot to be
desired. Was it worth an hour of my
time? Sure. Was it comparable to anything on
Broadway? Not even close.
Portofino for Dinner: Some kind, generous, and anonymous
person treated us to dinner at Portofino, the Italian specialty
restaurant. Whoever did this, thank you
very much. This was an incredible dining
experience. The service was attentive,
the food was mouth-watering, and the ambiance was quiet and relaxing. A perfect dining experience. And the cost at $20 per person (if I was
paying) was well worth it.
Day 4: At Sea
Another day of eating and sleeping.
The Evening Show: The headliner was Jason Garfield, world champion
juggler. This was a great show for those
who love juggling and interesting and entertaining for those who don’t.
Chops Grill for dinner:
Another remarkable dining experience.
For anyone cruising, I highly recommend these specialty restaurants. They are an amazing bargain when you compare
the cost to a land-based restaurant of similar quality. (And there aren’t that many-land based
restaurants of similar quality.)
Day 5: Saint John, New Brunswick
We took a sightseeing bus tour of the area, including the
Bay of Fundy. We had dinner back in the Tides Dining
Room for lobster night. Again,
food was delicious and service attentive. |
| Saint John |
After dinner we went to the Coral Theater for the “Love and
Marriage Game,” a takeoff of “The
Newlywed Game.” Very funny and well
hosted by our Cruise Director.
Day 6: Bar Harbor, Maine
Another bus tour today to Acadia National Park and the summit
of Cadillac Mountain with incredible scenery
and spectacular vistas. Then a stop for
amazing blueberry pie, and back to the ship. |
| Bar Harbor |
We always like to get to know the staff,
especially the dining room staff since we have the most contact with them. Jackie intuitively knows the right questions to ask. After dinner she asked our waiter what
sort of job he would have if he wasn’t on the ship. He then spent about 20 minutes telling us
about his previous restaurant and catering experience and compared it to his experience on the ship. He described
the good passengers and the ones who make trouble (including a story of a
passenger who was thrown in the brig for throwing a steak a someone behind the
purser’s desk), and his feelings about the differences of working onboard vs.
shore side. It was absolutely
fascinating. And standing by his side
was our assistant waiter who also happened to be his wife. They were a very cute couple.
Dad 7: Portland, Maine
This was the last day of our cruise. Although we were in port, it seemed like a long
walk from the ship to the end of the pier, so we decided to stay on board. As always, breakfast in the Windjammer Café
was very good and service was fair.
Day 8: Disembarkation
Although they warned us about crowds at the Windjammer Café
for breakfast, it wasn’t as bad as expected. We
found a table, eat breakfast, and it was a relatively short wait to disembark
the ship. Disembarkation was handled
well the customs process ashore was fast. We then went to the airport to fly home.
At home there was no one to serve us dinner, no one to make
up our room twice a day, and no one to entertain us. I’d rather be cruising.
Editor: Bonnie Rosenbaum
Editor: Bonnie Rosenbaum
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