Christmas Pastries

While not necessarily a Premium cruise line, unless you are in the Yacht Club (I was not this cruise); I didn’t want skip reviewing our 8 night sailing over Christmas 2022.                
I will begin with I am always leery of traveling during the holidays on a line that has child friendly inclusions.  I am NOT anti-children traveling, FAR from it, I just prefer to not travel with them unless my grandchildren are there. Or as I have said to many clients, “I adore my grand kids, I don’t want to travel with everyone else’s.”  So let that statement guide you through this journey...                 

The embarkation went relatively smoothly for a megaship, I was actually impressed.  We had the group just behind Yacht Club, and I do find it (always) amusing how many people apparently forget their ABCs and 123s when it comes to boarding a ship, but I digress… We found a spot to perch just beside the Kids wristband table - people watching is always a favorite pastime, this was an interesting point of view… and made me realize QUICKLY that we had a LOT of children on board! I never asked for final numbers (I didn’t want to cry, perhaps) but based on observations – I am guessing over half of the people sailing were 18 and under.                

So let me start with the huge negatives so I can leave you with how this line shines, rather than where they fail on a scale that tips them into my “if I must” category for future sailings.               

Enforcing the age restricted rules: they don’t. In a nutshell, the adults only area was merely a suggestion for this cruise.  Literally, most bars had kids sitting in the stools with their parents, so the adults that wanted a drink couldn’t get close and I do not recall a single time when I was at the adults only pool area where there were not kids in the pool, taking up loungers and sitting at the bar.  I mean, if you don’t want to upset the parents, remove the adults only restriction.

Main Dining: Just don’t.  I have encountered their main dining room before and to say I was underwhelmed would be an understatement… this sailing did nothing to convince me I was wrong. Hot food was tepid, cold foods were tepid…. The entire meal was tepid, at best.  Breakfast and Lunch offerings in the Main Dining rooms are adequate, not terrific, but better than a buffet swarming with kids (and adults) and their unwashed hands.               

Crew: with a few exceptions, where is the joy? Of all the sailings I have been on since the world shut down (yes, there have been several, and I will eventually write about all of them) this crew was the first that I have encountered that looked like the Grinch stole their Christmas.  Now, perhaps they were feeling the crush of miniature humans – I could understand that – but when you are in a customer service role… fake it baby.  That is the rule!               

My fellow Passengers:  OK I know the cruiseline doesn’t control this fully, but I am adding it here because well, it needs to be said.  People have lost their minds!  I had a fellow passenger say to me, did everyone leave their manners in the car?  I must agree they did.  It was as if the zoo opened the animal cages and said, “you are free.”  Please, thank you, excuse me… they are not words heard from most passengers to anyone.  People say I thank people too often to people “for doing their job”; you know, maybe I do but I am truly appreciative of someone doing their job with passion, care, and enthusiasm.  And seriously, what does a simple thank you cost you, 0.5 seconds?  Simple appreciation of service was lost on this cruise. And I am just going to say, PLEASE don’t ever be the person that stood at the bar and berated a bartender for not having a specific brand of ____ and then when he finds it at a different bar, and says it is not covered by your complimentary beverage package you begin all over again about how that is all you can drink and they have to make a special accommodation for you… for an hour, at the top of your lungs.  Everyone at the bar was embarrassed FOR you… And when the officer shows up you started all over again until he simply stated, you can upgrade, or not drink.  The round of applause received was louder than most of the shows!

This is a great transition to what was done well – we will start with that particular officer!  That was done well!  Please read Part 2 to hear what the line does well enough that I am going to cruise one more time in a non-yacht club category, NOT over a holiday to give them another chance to prove me wrong.

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