Kam's Cruise Review
-Your Guide to the Ultimate Cruising Experience-
Let's Get Reviewing!
Celebrity Reflection
Overall Experience: 4/5
Let me start out by saying that the Celebrity Reflection is absolutely beautiful. Launched in 2012, this Queen is over a 1000 feet long, boasting some of the highest quality service on the seas. When I started this 7 day Eastern Caribbean cruise 2 years back in March, I was slightly skeptical because it was my second time sailing with Celebrity and I just didn't know what to expect from a newer ship with a mixed crowd. All I can say is that I was more than pleasantly surprised with the entire trip.
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Embarkation was a breeze. I was on the ship literally within 15 minutes of walking to the port. Granted, I definitely got there earlier than I was told, but the staff was incredible with getting people on in an efficient way. The port itself when I went wasn't amazing or didn't wow me to death, but I'm more interested in the cruise than the initial embarkation port!
The Appearance and Interior may have been my favorite of any cruise I've ever been on (and that's saying a lot). I think It had more to do with the fact that it had a very classy look to it. Generally speaking, there seem to be some VERY harsh critics out there who tend to dwell on the slightest imperfection, but I don't even think they'd be able to pick this one apart. The ship itself looks brand new even though it's now 2019. It looks elegant yet unique with its all white appearance which makes the balconies look like a long wall of glass. When I first walked into the ship I remembering thinking how classy it looked, which worried me that it would be lacking some fun activities or a lively crowd. Once again, the Reflection surprised me! Every public space was well maintained and looked so tasteful. If you're a stickler for a ship with a perfect looking appearance all around, I would 100% recommend the Reflection to you.
My Cabin was well done, and a typical size for a standard balcony stateroom on deck 7. The design of the cabin was very nice and probably nicer than half the cruises I've been on. I think Celebrity has a "thing," for chic designs because that's the vibe I got. The downsides of the cabin I had:
1. Water pressure in shower was terrible
2. Not enough storage compared to other lines I've sailed on.
Dining and Bars onboard the Reflection were great! (At least the ones I went to) The Buffet was what you'd expect and slightly better. If you've been on similar lines, such as Royal or Norwegian, and enjoyed the buffet, then you'll probably like this one a little more. The crowding wasn't a big issue and the food just seemed to be more fresh than what I've experienced before. The Main Dining Room was absolutely amazing! Service was impeccable (as usual with Celebrity), and the food was great. There was one night that the food took way longer than usual to come out, but that was just one little hiccup.
Overall I would give this cruise a 4/5. Have you been on the Reflection and think differently? Think the same? Let me know and leave your review!
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Until next time!
Independence of the Seas, Royal Caribbean
Overall Experience: 5/5
This cruise was AWESOME! I feel obligated to say that I have a big bias toward Royal. I personally think that Royal Caribbean is the perfect mix of fun, class, and value for money. Everything from the ship's appearance to its' activities and staff, made this trip amazing and memorable. (Oh, and definitely the crowd- a bit more rowdy, but made the night life fun for people watching and dancing).
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Embarkation, as usual with every Royal cruise I've been on, was more than a breeze. We literally walked in, got our keys, walked on. There was no hold up what so ever! I wish I had more to write here but I truly don't- it was that simple.
The Appearance and Interior of Indy was B.E.A.U.T.I.F.U.L. The ship almost looked newly painted even though we went on it pre-refurb which was surprising to me. When you've been on a bunch of cruises you start looking for things if you're really into it, but I didn't find anything wrong with the outside. I love the look of Freedom Class ships because they just look like huge glass walls that go on for dayssssssssss. When we first walked in the ship, I thought it was just amazing. It reminded me of the Voyager class ships, but no surprise there because Freedom class is basically an extended Voyager class ship. As soon as we walked on we were immediately greeted by a bar where I got my first Mai Tai (fyi, I get a Mai Tai every time I walk on to a ship for the first time). The bartender really set the stage for this cruise because he took time to ask us our names and to remember our faces and drinks. Nonetheless he was amazing throughout the cruise as we became his regulars before dinner! Every public space was well taken care of. NOW, with that said, if you're a very picky person/cruiser (which is ok), you may think this ship looks slightly dated in terms of old carpet and some pieces of furniture. However, the refurb happened pretty recently, so I'd like to go back on and check it out. I'm sure it's gorgeous without a doubt.
My Cabin, a deluxe ocean view with balcony, was abnormally spacious in my opinion, possibly because we had a room on the hump of the ship. My ONLY problem with the room was that it looked dated to me. Yes, they do little things like add pops of color, and change the seating, but it's hard to look past that old carpet and ugly wall color. granted, this was so minor and I didn't care at all. I'm more pointing it out for the reviews sake.
Dining and Bars on the Indy were great, People are very critical of cruise food sometimes, but I truly truly thought it was amazing! I ate in the Main Dining Room and Giovani's Table. I'm a total sucker for the Main Dining Room because the service is always flawless. The staff always amazing, and food always great and consistent.
Activities on this ship were a huge stand out! All of the usual pool activities were there and then some. The night life on this ship was incredible. Hands down the best I've ever seen on a cruise ship. The music was great, in the clubs, bars and on the pool deck, and there seemed to be something for everyone. Props to the cruise director for making the cruise fun and exciting, because it was just so much fun. there's no other way for me to describe it.
Debarkation was a breeze. I highly recommend downloading the mobile customs/immigration app. I flew through customs at the end of the cruise because of this app (probably because no-one knows about it. You get to skip the long lines and simply need to scan your phone which you'll pre load passport info into.
Overall, I would recommend Royal AND Indy any day. Had such a fun time and that is definitely what it's all about.
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Let me know what you think of the Independence of the Seas! Send me an email thecruisereviewer2@gmail.com OR Direct Message me on instagram @kams.cruise.review
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Thanks everyone, hope to see you on insta and on the open seas!
Disney Dream
Overall Experience: 4/5
This was my second Disney Cruise and my favorite out of the 2! This cruise was a 7 day Eastern Caribbean cruise and was actually Star Wars themed, which was a really cool aspect. This cruise was definitely memorable because of the Disney experience! Disney is known for the magical and enchanting experience, and that's exactly what we got!
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Embarkation was a breeze. As soon as we got off the airplane we had the Disney bus shuttle pick us up and take us to the port. What a nice touch!! When we got to the port we were through security and on the ship within 15 minutes. Something I really enjoyed was walking on the ship to some of the crew introducing and welcoming us by last name! No other cruise line does that, so hats off to Disney there.
The appearance and interior was really fun and well maintained. The grand stair case is awesome; however, I wish there were more to it than a stair case and open atrium type feel. It seemed a little boring to me but it also seemed very classy and magical. Give and take there! The pool deck may have been my favorite pool deck of all time, simply because the amazing waterslide runs throughout the entire deck and over the ocean. If you end up going on the Disney Dream or Fantasy, you NEED to try out the slide! Another beautiful part of the Dream is the theater. It's unlike any cruise ship theater I've ever seen. There is so much detail and the thought, it's just an incredible space. Overall, the Dream is just beautiful. The sleek design makes it look like a huge cruise ship-yacht hybrid.
My cabin, a deluxe ocean view balcony stateroom, was VERY spacious as far as cruise staterooms go. A few things I loved about it:
1. Tons of space under the bed
2. The bathroom is in 2 separate rooms! One has the shower and sink while the other has a toilet and sink. That's a GREAT feature.
Dining on the Dream was probably the best part and the most fun of the entire trip! Disney has a great concept where guests go to a different main dining room each night while keeping the same waiters every night! I love having the same dining staff every night, so the fact that I can go to different restaurants and experience different food while having the same waiters makes it a lot of fun! I didn't get the chance to eat at Remy, but if you go I would highly recommend it. I have heard nothing but amazing things about Remy, so I would recommend it to anyone going on a Disney cruise in the future.
The activities and experiences on the Dream were incredible. We booked a Star Wars themed cruise which was a lot of fun. Storm Troopers walked the decks, Star Wars movie played every night on the pool deck, and there were loads of gatherings and shows based around Star Wars. If you like Star Wars and you like Disney, go on a Star Wars themed Disney Cruise! Aside from the theme, there were also a lot of activities for adults on the pool deck and inside. My favorite thing was the spa! Disney has an AMAZING spa with different sections to enjoy (for a price $$). If there's anything I want you to take away from this review, it's that the overall experience was just amazing and magical as Disney should be.
Debarkation was a breeze! I know I've said that for my past 2 reviews, but if it's a breeze, it's a breeze! No hiccups what so ever there.
Overall I would recommend this to families. In all honesty, the downside is the price. Disney cruises are generally double the price of a normal cruise. To put it in perspective, a 4 day Disney cruise is the same price as a 7 day cruise on Carnival or Royal, and THAT is why it's not a 5/5.
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Let me know what YOU think about this review, or what you think about the Dream! Send me an email at thecruisereviewer2@gmail.com OR send me a message on insta @kamscruisereview , Link below! If you haven't followed me yet, please do!
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THANK YOU CRUISERS!
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Freedom of the Seas
Overall Experience: 5/5
This cruise was one for the books because it was the first spring break cruise I went on with a big group! Typically I travel with family or 1-2 close friends, but this time around we were a group of 8! W were on a 6 day Western Caribbean Cruise and we had so much fun!
The appearance and interior of the Freedom was amazing, you would have think they built the ship yesterday. There's something about the white ships with hints of other color that make Royal ships stand out of a crowd. Initially walking on to the ship I was really surprised because the staff was greeting us as if it were the first time they've seen guests in forever! We must have caught them on a good day, lol! As always I got a Mai Tai as soon as I walked on board and introduced myself to the amazing bartenders at the R Bar (one of my favorite royal Caribbean bars!) After that we walked through the ship and checked everything out, and I must say, I was impressed! Everything looked so clean and gorgeous. We went up the the Windjammer for some lunch, got the big round table and just enjoyed being on another cruise! The windjammer was very clean and not crowded at all, so that was nice compared to most lines I've been on. Even though I always wish Royal would put pools on the back of their ships, the pool deck on the Freedom was very spacious and I never had a single problem finding pool seats! The pool bar on the Freedom was also different than other Royal ships and I'm still not sure why, but I think the bartenders were just much more friendly this time around.
So on this cruise I was in an interior cabin with 2 other people. Now, typically I go for a balcony or higher but I was on a budget and needed to save some money. The interior itself was ok, nothing amazing. It was clean, definitely small, and came with an amazing steward!! One thing I really liked about the interior cabin was that it kept the sun out and didn't wake me up. Granted, I'd always pick a balcony cabin over anything else!
The dining experiences on this ship were great and fun! On night one we went to Sabor, which I HIGHLY recommend. It wasn't that expensive and the food was so good! If you like Mexican food then definitely give Sabor a go and get a Margarita and Guac!! We also went to Giovanni's Table which was very good! We got a lot of apps to share at both places which was a great call. Just a fun way to go about dinner! The rest of the meals we ate in the main dining room and the windjammer, all being fantastic!
If you go to Cozumel and enjoy drinking in an upbeat environment, go to Mr. Sancho's! We had the BEST time and still talk about it to this day. Another thing I would recommend is checking out the bars in the Promenade. At night we would go to different ones and they were a lot of fun, sometimes having different performers or karaoke!
I think the best part about this vacation was the crowd, crew, and dining experiences! I can't say enough how good Sabor was, and Givovanni's was a close second for sure. I honestly can't think of one bad thing. If there was anything that was a little off or different, I would tell you!
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I know this is a short review, but it was honestly one of the most perfect cruises for me. If you're going on the Freedom anytime soon and have specific question you need answered, please feel free to email me at thecruisereviewer2@gmail.com OR Direct message me on instagram @kamscruisereview . Also available to help with bookings!!
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Until next time cruisers!!!
Crystal Symphony
Overall Experience: 5/5
Where do I start!? This cruise was spectacular. I guess I should mention where I went and for how long, so here it is! On this beautiful cruise on the Crystal Symphony, I had the pleasure to visit New Zealand and Australia for 14 days! This was my second longest cruise seeing as I have gone on a 16 day Baltic, but this by far beat that one!
We embarked in Aukland, New Zealand, and I was in awe. Crystal Cruises are VERY nice, even luxurious. The ship was small at first sight, but Crystal does not have huge ocean liners like some of the lines you always hear of, such as Royal or Carnival. However, this ling makes up for the missing size in the service. The service on Crystal Cruises beats out any other cruise line I have ever been on. Now, thats not to say there isn't better out there, but I personally feel like the service is unparalleled. The ship had attention to detail like no other. There is a beautiful atrium that has art work that's almost museum like, and has a bustling restaurant and shop vibe. The pool deck was absolutely gorgeous. The designer furniture and white/colorful scheme goes wonders with the scenery around you. It is truly a beautifully designed ship.
Foodies- If you love food, Crystal is your line to go on. It Is more expensive, but it is of the highest quality. I took this trip with my dad, a foodie himself who DOES NOT like cruise ship food, and said this food was unbelievable. The main dining rooms were even better than you'd ever expect because of the food, and the buffet food was basically like the main dining room on a family line. I'm telling you, if you like food, and love to cruise on smaller ships, you need to try Crystal once in your life. There are also specialty restaurants onboard, but I will aways recommend the experience where the chef cooked right there in front of you!
This cruise went down the coast of New Zealand, and then went across the Tasman Sea (which was incredibly rough), and went to Sydney, Australia where we debarked. I would recommend doing any anime tour in New Zealand, for instance I was able to stand 30 feet away form will Sea Lions and Penguins. I would also recommend clinging the harbor bridge in Sydney if you ever get the chance. It is an experience you will never forget and you will always have that memory of taking a picture at the very top!
The Balcony stateroom was nice and slightly nicer than a family cruise line cabin. A little more marble thrown around, a little more design detail, it kind of felt like a little upgrade in itself. The balcony was standard size, so nothing different there, expect the nicer chairs! Always nice to have some fancy chairs out on the balcony!
I think the best part of this trip was the service. I can't explain how impeccable service was on this cruise. If there is anything Crystal is known for, it's that you're getting what you pay for. An amazing and perfect experience. The crew is lovely and will go above and way beyond your wildest expectations, and I would recommend this to anyone who is willing to shell out some extra $$$ for the experience of a lifetime.
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That's it for now, thanks for reading. If you haven't already, follow me on instagram to see daily content and tell your friends! Keep cruising!
Adventure of the Seas
Overall Experience: 5/5
FUN, FUN, FUN! Here we are again with a new review! The Adventure of the Seas was unbelievable. I know I have said that about most Royal ships, but it's just so true! This cruise was definitely interesting because it was a repositioning cruise. The AOS was cruising through the southern Caribbean out of Puerto Rico for quite a while, and Royal then decided to make her new homeport in Bayonne, Nj (My home state!) Well, prices were a bit cheaper so we decided to go and enjoy 5 days on the beautiful Adventure of the Seas. We only went to St Maarten and from there we had sea days up until getting to Jersey. Definitely an interesting cruise and itinerary, but in my opinion, any cruise is a good cruise! I went on this trip with close friends who I travel with often, so that also made this cruise special and exciting.
Embarkation was very easy. We flew from Newark to Puerto a day before and stayed in a lovely hotel with an awesome rooftop pool. We spent the night exploring, eating, and drinking, and just had a blast. I went with two close friends, one of which I travel with often, so it really was a fun time. The port at Puerto Rico wasn't anything to run home about, but I personally never think much about ports. I go, I check in, I move to the ship. But, I know some of you like nice embarkation ports, and the one in Puerto was underwhelming, simply because it almost seemed like a big empty warehouse. But again, definitely not the important part! Getting on the ship was a breeze and it truthfully took a few minutes!
The ship was absolutely gorgeous! It recently went through a semi big refurb, so we were able to see the new royal WOW features, such at watersides and upgraded staterooms. As always, the Royal Promenade was great. I just love the promenade. Some people think it's useless or think it's nothing more than a big shopping mall, but there's something about it that gets me every time. I know I'm on an awesome cruise when there's an awesome promenade. I know some people who review cruises are picky about certain things like carpets and normal wear-n-tare, so in that respect, there was a little rust here and there on the outside, but nothing that shocked me. It's a ship people! The pool deck on this ship was great- lots of chairs and lots of drinks! The sky bar is one of my favorite spots to grab drinks on Royal, and it was running in tip top shape as always. To sum up the overall appearance of the ship, it was simply beautiful!
The stateroom we had on this cruise was unbelievable. We originally were booked in a junior suite which wasn't a bad price due to the repositioning aspect of the cruise. But as always, we called several times until the cruise until we were finally able to get upgraded to a GRAND SUITE! This was my first cruise in a grand suite and it was amazing. The room was huge, balcony was huge, and the suite perks are some of the best parts about the cruise. Cocktail hour, private pool seating, and early embarkation were some of the many impressive perks we were given as suite guests. If you're ever able to, definitely try to get into a suite because it's definitely worth it for a once in a lifetime trip!
Food was good, but I wouldn't say as good as I've had on royal or other lines. I have a feeling it has to do with repositioning and being a cruise to get things ready for its' new home port, but nonetheless the food was ok! We ate in the main dining room every night, but I would recommend trying specialty restaurants if you can swing the extra cost. This ship did not have many specialty restaurants, so if you're a big foodie, I would suggest trying a different ship or possibly a line like NCL, where there are several food options.
The best parts about this cruise were definitely the people I traveled with and our routine. When we cruise, we aways have routine. Get on the ship, get a drink, head up to the pool, and. wait for the room to be open! We had so much fun enjoying eachothers company and definitely loved going to the champagne bar before dinner every night. Who you travel with is often the most important part of any trip, so make sure you have a travel buddy by your side on your next big trip!
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As always, if you have any specific questions about cruising or need help booking, send me an email: thecrusiereviewer2@gmail.com OR send me a direct message on insta @kamscruisereview. Thank you so much for your support and KEEP CRUISING!
Norwegian Getaway
Overall Experience: 4/5
Nothing says a getaway like the NCL Getaway! This ship was gorgeous- is anyone else obsessed with the art work on the NCL Hulls? There's something special about taking a cruise with Norwegian and seeing the hull work as you board the ship. Definitely something I'll always remember! This cruise on the Getaway was a 7 day eastern Caribbean, visiting St. Maarten, St. Thomas, and Nassau Bahamas. I traveled with 2 of my best friends and we had such a good time. Let's just dive into the review!
Embarkation was a breeze. We flew in the night prior and stayed in a great hotel right on the ocean which was a nice start to our vacation. Getting to the port was a quick Uber, probably 15 minutes tops- really wasn't an issue at all. In terms of the port, Port of Miami is always a breeze for me in all honesty. It's fast, efficient, and always getting people in and out. So let's give a thanks and shoutout to the awesome workers there!
The Ship itself is honestly beautiful to look at. The bright colors and art work on the hull make it a conversation piece and I think anyone traveling with NCL would say the same. The ship also looks brand new! Granted this was about 3 years ago, but even then it was still a semi-new ship. It's really cool seeing it from far away because you can see how massive it is, especially with the water slides and everything hanging off of it! Walking onto the ship was exciting because it was my first NCL ship and I was pleasantly surprised! The Getaway is very colorful and has a beautiful atrium with amazing lights and a grand staircase. With that being said, I did feel like it was slightly closed off. Beautiful, but closed off. Public spaces were great. Always clean, looked gorgeous, and never felt crowded. I thought it was cool that there was a small bowling alley onboard! This is something I randomly stumbled upon and had a "wait, what?" kind of moment. Very cool. Possibly my favorite public area on board the Getaway were the bars outside. Walking around on the lower decks outside, we found awesome bars that were great to grab a pre-dinner drink at. I won't lie, I'm all about the bars!
Our stateroom was very nice, but a little tight with 3 people. We stayed in a balcony cabin, but the 3rd bed was actually the couch- surprisingly comfortable. The one thing I'll say that could have been better was balcony itself- it was really small compared to other cruise balconies. Anyone else find that to be true themselves? As far as design and layout of the stateroom, I personally thought it was gorgeous. Plus we had an awesome steward who made the room that much better.
Food on Norwegian is actually really cool and fun, especially on the Getaway. So if you're not an avid cruiser, I'll give you there short details here. On a typical cruise, you'd go to one main dining room each night and sit at the same table at an assigned time- unless you go to specialty restaurants. On NCL, the "Freestyle Cruising" lifestyle comes into play, which basically means you eat where you want, and when you want. There were 3 main dining rooms on the NCL Getaway that had a different feel, style, and food. So instead of going to the same dining room at the same time each day, we rotated between the 3! There are also several specialty restaurants on the Getaway, so if you can splurge, I would definitely recommend doing so!
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The best parts of this cruise were definitely the bars outside on the lower decks, and the night life! The dancing and music on this ship was incredible for a couple of spring breakers. We were dancing outside on the top deck every night and just had the best time- there's no other way to put it.
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Why did I give this 4/5 stars? My major downfall with this ship was the layout. The ship did not feel open to me, and the pool situation was not good. There was one main pool for a huge ship, and that's a no go!
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As always, thank you so much for following my instagram account, checking out my blog, and just supporting in general. I hope that my followers grow with me, and I look forward to the future with all of you. So- LET'S KEEP CRUISING!