Cruise Comparison

I was extremely fortunate to have the unique opportunity to sail on three cruises in the span of a year. These cruises were all Caribbean-based and took place on three separate cruise lines - Princess, Royal Caribbean and Celebrity. There are clear perks when you stick with one cruise line and keep sailing with that company - and due to that I wanted to do a personal comparison with my thoughts and opinions. Looking at a number of categories, I have listed my personal favourite out of the three ships. 

Staterooms: Princess 

Princess by far had the nicest staterooms - but that was likely due to our sailing on the mini-suite category. The sofa provided some extra space, and the overall room never felt cramped. As the bathroom had a tub, it provided additional space and I never felt claustrophobic as I have in other bathrooms. The balconies were a bit of a disappointment though, as people could lean down and over and see in. Celebrity is a close second as their balcony staterooms were great. The balconies were covered and private, and the inside of the staterooms also had a sofa making them roomier. The bathrooms were nicely decorated, and while on the small side, still not horrible. 

Royal Caribbean's stateroom bathrooms were awful. Very cramped, and plain. They seemed more like a bathroom from a medical or army ship - very sterile looking and not comfortable. The actual staterooms were also cramped and the walls thin enough you could hear the rooms beside you. The balconies were semi-private as people could look in if they leaned a bit. 

Staff/Service: Princess 

Everyone was incredibly friendly on Princess - no matter what area I was in, the staff and service was welcoming, upbeat and friendly. Celebrity's staff tended to be rude, often ignoring any requests or questions. The main waiter at dinner was awful to my mother and I, only giving attention to my father and husband. The overall atmosphere was the vibe that money talks and unless you were flashing tips around, you weren't worthy or service. Royal Caribbean had some great staff, but on the whole many seemed overworked. When we talked to our waiter and steward they mentioned staffing cuts which had left them with a lot of additional work and it was apparent. 

Pool area: Royal Caribbean & Princess 

Royal Caribbean had an amazing adult pool area, one that mom and I used daily. They also enforced the age minimum which was appreciated. The other pool areas also seemed great - there were special kids pools as well as a family one. Princess had two great main pools (the adult on was pretty small) but I found since the cruise line is aimed to older adults it didn't matter. Princess also had food service at the pool area in addition to the usual bars, that was helpful if you didn't want to go to the buffet but instead remain at the pool during lunch. Celebrity had a horrible pool area. There were just two of them, both very small, side-by-side, one adults and one all ages. Both filled up quickly, especially the all ages one, and many arguments broke out between staff and guests with children who wanted access to both. 

Bars: Celebrity 

Celebrity had excellent choices and variety. There was an entire bar devoted to beer, one to martinis, an ice bar (specializing in vodka) and a fancy wine tasting room. The other bars all offered an array of cocktail options and were decorated in various themes. The coolest bar was the Molecular Bar which had a ton of crazy cocktails - including one that had liquid nitrogen on top!  There was something for everyone - and the choices were endless. Plus the all-inclusive bar package applied to all of these areas. Royal Caribbean had some good options with different themes and decor, and they had Coke machines scattered around the ships. People with beverage packages could use a re-fillable cup and go around and get soda whenever they felt like it. The bars had a number of options and the varying bars had different options. The downfall was the beverage package which could only be purchased if everyone in the stateroom got it. This doesn't make sense as not everyone drinks liquor or soda.  

Princess was the most limited - the bars were pretty straightforward and boring and all of them included the same cocktail list and menu. There was a wine area, but that selection was also limited. They also didn't have any beverage package - besides a basic soda one. 

Ship Features: Celebrity & Royal Caribbean 

Celebrity had a large array of options - pools, casino, shops, multiple bars/clubs, art classes, and a lawn area that had a slew of activities. There were also a bunch of speciality restaurants and other classes/activities in a wide variety of subjects. However the costs attached to this was incredibly high - so many of these I didn't bother utilizing. Based on that Royal Caribbean would be my ultimate choice. They had a similar amount if these actives and features - and the costs were either low or non-existent. 

Casino: Royal Caribbean

I really liked the casino layout and variety on Royal Caribbean. They had some great choices for slot machines - and in differing denominations which is always a benefit. I don't tend to use the casinos too much - but I disliked the automated dealing of Princess and found the Celebrity casino had a ton of the multiple line penny machines - you think it's reasonable but when you play max bet (which you need to for any bonus features) it can be upwards of $4.00 a spin! 

Food: Princess 

Overall Princess had the best food - there was great variety and choice. Everything was delicious - and the main dining room, buffets, pizza area, cafe and burger place were wonderful. We didn't use any of the specialty restaurants but there were only two and it didn't seem to impact the main dining options. Celebrity however puts all the focus on the speciality restaurants which are additional costs. Many of the special dishes like lamb, lobster etc are not served in the main dining room - being reserved for the speciality dining. Royal Caribbean was  in the middle - the main dining room had good food at dinner, but the breakfast and lunch buffets weren't the greatest. We did use the speciality Italian restaurant twice which was an extra $20.00 each and it was incredible. But when looking at the food included in the overall cruise cost my pick would be Princess which was great overall. 

Activities and Entertainment- Princess or Royal Caribbean 

Both Princess and Royal Caribbean had a great mix of actives for all ages. Many of these were free or low-cost. Celebrity seemed to have more higher end actives - often which huge price tags. Bingo for example cost $45.00 for a round. In terms of Entertainment - Royal Caribbean's was amazing. Every show or act was enjoyable. There was also a variety of comedy, skating, music and dance. Princess had a good mix, and was mostly good. Celebrity however was a disappointment - I've never walked out a show on any other cruise. 

Overall: Princess or Royal Caribbean 

Going forward my first choice would be Princess as I was very impressed by them in many areas. While they do tend to geared toward an older crowd, the quieter pace is relaxing which is the main point of a cruise! I would also look into Royal Caribbean as they are a really great line as well and have fantastic entertainment in addition to newer ship designs. If it were up to only me, I wouldn't bother with Celebrity again. 

Crown Princess: A Caribbean Cruise

We were up early on Saturday morning for the 4 hour drive down to Ft. Lauderdale. We loaded into the 12 seater van, and began our long drive. Between suitcases and 8 people we were loaded to the max. I was the navigator so I got to ride shotgun which was a fantastic way to make the trip! (I did offer to be navigator in the back, but everyone was fine with me staying up front). The first thing we did once on the road was get gas, the second was to find a Starbucks (thanks in part to me being navigator!) Once the truck was full of gas, and the passengers full of caffeine we set off along the highway. Pappy sort of second guessed my navigation at first as he was looking at a map which wasn't showing the way I had us going, but Google Maps prevailed and we eventually met up with the route outlined on paper. 

We stopped a few times at rest stops for bathroom breaks and such, but we made good time. Adam, Amanda and Brian slept in the back, while the rest of us listened to country music. We pulled into Fort Lauderdale around 11:30 and were at the cruise terminal fairly quickly. Adam, Amanda, Nanny, Pappy, Brian and I got out and headed for check in while my parents returned the van. The check in process didn't start until 12:00 so we didn't have to wait too long in the lines. By 12:30 we were boarding the Crown Princess, and by 1:00 met up for lunch. 

This was the first time any of us had sailed on Princes before - and was Amanda's first cruise. My initial impressions of the ship were that it was small, and I wasn't sure what to make of that. The rooms were ready as soon as we got on board which was a treat! Usually they aren't ready until an hour before sailing, so to be able to go directly to the room and drop off carry on bags was nice. Our cabin was also a treat - it was bigger then most, and had a bathtub. The balcony was a bit disappointing as none of them were private or covered meaning people could look down/over/up at you. They also didn't allow smoking on the balcony meaning Brian had to head back and forth to smoking sections. But the room itself was great! Two TVs, a couch, a desk... It felt roomy and comfortable. Nanny and Pappy had the stateroom category below us and found their room a bit cramped. I'd definitely stick with the same category next time. 

Our rooms were spaced throughout the ship, but it was small enough everything was easily accessible.  We met for lunch upstairs at the buffet and then each headed off to our rooms for the drill. I hate the drills and usually skip them but this ship scans your stateroom cards to keep track of who does/doesn't do the drill. I figured not going could lead to a hassle so we went, as did Amanda and Adam. My parents and grandparents all skipped it without problem... However I did have to show them where their Munster station was since at Day 3 they still had no clue! 

(I love my towel animals!)

There had been a whole bunch of drama over dinner time, as we all wanted the early seating at 6:00 whereas my grandparents wanted the later one at 8:00. We switched it for them and went late, but then they wanted it switched back to early after the first night! (Apparently 8:00 was too late for them because it meant even later shows. But we stuck with 8:00 and made the best of it - with some of us barely staying awake through dinner. *cough*mom*cough*. 

While I was initially unsure of the ship, the more I explored it, the more I enjoyed it. I liked that it was a bit smaller, as it was easier to get around. The restaurants and bars on board were all great - friendly service, good selection and great quality. The pools were also nice - the adult one was really small, so we stuck with one of the main pools. However this wasn't an issue as there weren't a lot of kids/teens on the ship - so the pool was basically an adult one anyways. The shops on board were pricy as most are, but there was some good selection. I didn't use the Casino but heard that it has gone to automated card dealing at the tables - so the odds seemed to be against you.

The entertainment was enjoyable - there were a few comics and some of the typical musical shows. We went to a few - but due to the late dinner seating a few nights we just passed wanting to head to bed. Brian wasn't a huge fan of this ship for a few reasons - the main one being the lack of smoking sections. There were very few of them, and offered no seating. He also tends to stay up late, and found that due to it being an older crowd most areas shut down by midnight. I have definitely come to realize that your cruising experience really depends on the person - what features/amenities are important to you plays a role in your personal enjoyment of the overall experience. 

(Golf at sea!)

This ship also does the whole "movies under the stars" thing and Brian, Adam, Amanda and I did that one night. They were playing Despicable Me 2 and it was a lot of fun. They have fancy deck chairs, blankets, and hand out popcorn and other movie snacks. It was a fun way to spend an evening and the movie was awesome! 

I had been to most of the ports that we stopped at, but it was a great mix. None of us got off the ship at Coco Cays, Bahamas. It is their private island, and like all others is basically just a beach and a few craft vendors. Instead we all stayed on board and enjoyed the pool which was much less crowded that day with most people heading off board.  

When we ported in St. Maarteen, Nanny and Pappy did a tour, Brian explored on his own, and Adam, Amanda, Mom and I took the water taxi over to the beach we found last year. We stayed there and enjoyed swimming, cold beers and the hot sun. 

(An amazing yacht we saw in port!) 

(Love the Christmas decor!) 

In St. Thomas, Adam and Amanda explored on their own, and Brian, Nanny, Pappy and I got off and went into town. It was a different port then last year, so we had to take a shuttle into the main area. Nanny and Pappy went back to the ship after about an hour, and then I went about 30 minutes later while Brian remained. It was a nice town, but very similar to all the other ports - basically they consist of jewellery store after jewellery store, with sales people standing on the street trying to entice you to come in. Mixed in are some souvenir shops as well as liquor stores. When you have seen one, you have seen them all. I did buy a pretty awesome multicoloured hat though. It was more expensive then the typical $10.00 ones you can find on the beach, but this hat is awesome! 

Our last port was Grand Turk, which I was excited for as it was an island I wanted to visit but never had. I had always heard of the sandy white beaches and crystal clear water. We had an option of an excursion to another beach, but it was $45.00 a person. Where the ship docked there was a cruise terminal that had a beach, shopping village and a Margaritaville with a really cool pool. We opted to stay there instead - but the water just wasn't the nicest. Not very clear, with a lot of seaweed and a bit rocky. Still it was enjoyable. Pappy, Dad, Mom, Adam, Amanda, Brian and I all came off the boat. Brian explored for a bit and then joined us at the beach. Pappy went swimming for a bit which he loved. He had wanted to swim in the ocean but Nanny had been concerned because he tends to swim far out ignoring any warnings. She worried less when he chose to come with us. Afterward he met Nanny and they did a trolley tour of the island. Dad headed back to the ship, and Adam, Amanda, Brian, Mom and I went to Margaritaville. I love Margaritaville! They are such fun places - especially in the islands where they tend to include pools, live entertainment and games. I got a chance to browse around the shops for a little bit, but again it was a lot of the same stuff. 

(My awesome St. Thomas Hat!)

Our trip home was mostly uneventful. Nanny and Pappy were on a different airline so we dropped them off at a different terminal and split up. Our plane was delayed due to problems at the Toronto Airport (there had been system problems and weather delays). When we got to the check in area we had awful customer service from one of the women working. She was without a doubt the rudest and most awful woman I have ever encountered at an airport. She was yelling at everyone, cutting people off and just generally being horrible. When we confronted her on her behaviour she just yelled "my job is stressful" and that "I'm doing the job of 3 people" and stomped away. Finally we got through the check in process (an hour later) and had another 2 hour wait. Fort Lauderdale airport is probably one of the worst to be stuck in. There is hardly anything there, and the most uncomfortable seats. The plane ride home was really rough with the airline stewardesses being seated for almost half the flight. It was a huge relief to finally touch down safely at home. 

Overall it was a really great trip. The weather wasn't always the greatest - we had a few moments where it was cloudy/rainy but the sun usually came back soon. The weather did make the ship really rocky, the motion actually got so bad at times that the pools turned into wave pools with the water swishing back and forth. The service was great - everyone was very friendly and helpful. The prices for drinks, games and any extras was also reasonable unlike the cruise the year before. I would definitely cruise with Princess again. 

It was also great doing a family trip. We tended to split up and do our own things, but we'd always run into each other throughout the day either at the pool, buffet or other areas. Nanny, Pappy, Brian and I did a wine tasting one afternoon. The wine was awful, but they had excellent cheese! Nanny and I also had time to hang out just the two of us, which was fun! I loved being able to spend all this time with everyone - and hope to do it again soon. 

Freedom of the Seas: A Mom/Daughter Cruise

Way back in 2008 I graduated from University Toronto with a specialist in English. To celebrate this accomplishment Mom decided we would take a special mother/daughter cruise. However I was heading to Niagara College in the fall so we decided to post-pone. Once I finished up my Event Management program in 2009, we talked again about the cruise now having two things to celebrate. But once again, I was heading off to a different school this time for Teachers College at York. The initial plan was to finally take this trip once that was finished around May but by that time Brian and I were engaged and planning a wedding. Most of 2010 was dominated by wedding plans and in 2011 mom and I both had new jobs. We talked - actually more-so joked - fleetingly about this trip throughout 2012 but nothing came of it. I had a different job towards the end of 2012 into early 2013 and was still taking courses and volunteering in the hopes of being hired by a school board. Dad and I went on a last minute Ireland trip in Spring, and then I was off on a trip to Greece with Brian's family. Despite my disappointment over not finding a teaching job, I was very fortunate in 2013 in terms of travel. 

Dad and Adam booked a 3 week China trip for most October, and the mother/daughter cruise came up once again. We started looking into things and found some around Canadian Thanksgiving - this worked well as it meant not having to miss a full week of work. It was also good timing because it would be just after Brian's birthday on the 11th but before our anniversary on the 24th. I wasn't expecting things to actually pan out - I had traveled a lot and was again trying to get on a supply list - but mom went ahead and booked it as a surprise. 

So a day after Brian's birthday mom and I boarded a plane to Orlando. The cruise was leaving from Cape Canaveral but we went in a day before and stayed a nearby Hilton. It was funny pulling up to the hotel because it was directly beside the timeshare we had stayed at a few years back when we took a family trip to Florida with Beau, Honey and the kids. That was the trip where Brian and I had driven down stopping to stay with his dad and stepmom in Maryland and his aunt in Atlanta. It was also the trip where I - at a stop at a parade float museum in the middle of Virginia - managed to badly sprain my ankle and spend the rest of the trip (including Disney) on crutches. I am pretty convinced that after Brian and I left the parade float museum that day for the local hospital, the museum must have changed their policies and stopped allowing guests to climb up and sit on the floats. The way in which the staff were freaking out over the potential of a lawsuit would have been funny if I wasn't in agony. But seriously? I am the one who tripped on my flip flop coming down the stairs - how is that anyone's fault but my own? Well, maybe also Brian's since he suggested such a place for his accident-prone girlfriend!  Anyway, our Hilton was directly beside the resort we stayed at which made us smile remembering the fun times we had there. 

(Welcome to Cape Canaveral) 

We stayed at the hotel for the day relaxing, having a quick dinner and then going to bed early. We got up in the morning and took a walk along the beach during sunrise. I wasn't really on board for this and protested a few times, but my mom won me over and I begrudgingly went along. I'm glad I did as it was gorgeous! Some of the best photos I have ever taken occurred that morning. 

We grabbed the first shuttle to the port and were through the cruise check in and registration quickly. I believe we got on board the actual ship at about 12:30 which was great. The ship was Royal Caribbean's Freedom of the Seas and we were porting at: Labadee, Haiti (their island), Falmouth, Jamaica, Cozumel, Mexico and Georgetown, Grand Cayman.

The ship was great! It was a newer one and had a lot of different features then the last RC ship had - such as more pools, a Ben and Jerry's, Speciality Restaurants and a cupcake store. Our room was the typical stateroom we usually get - two beds, a balcony, a couch and a super small bathroom. The one disappointment we encountered was not getting the private table we had requested for dinner. I know some people enjoy the opportunity to get to know new people and love sitting with others at the dining room, but mom and I were looking forward to it just being us. You meet enough people throughout the day at the pool, breakfast, shows etc so the idea of long meals making small talk wasn't appealing. When we went to talk to the dining room supervisor she said it was unlikely things could be changed, but somehow she managed to come through for us and by the second night we had our own table. 

Mom and I have always tended to have a certain routine on cruises - and this one was no different. We would get up early and I would grab chairs at the pool. Mom would use the treadmill and have breakfast while I read poolside. She would come back and we would lay outside/use the pool all morning and into the afternoon. Our time at the pool was spent reading, listening to our iPods and jut relaxing. The pool we choose every day was the adult pool which was just a few floors up from our stateroom. There was one unique aspect to this pool, a woman that mom and I nicknamed "the mermaid". Every morning this woman would show up to the pool dressed in a full body wetsuit. She had a large hat on, scuba diving flippers on her feet, an aquatic belt and gloves. She would spend 4-5 hours every day on one side of the pool, and talk to anyone she encountered. I am all for being friendly and making conversation but this woman was always over sharing to the point it seemed to make people uncomfortable. She would ask personal questions and insert her opinions on matters like health, politics etc. By about day three people began avoiding the section of water she occupied. 

After being at the pool for most of the day mom and I would leave around 1:00 as the sun was getting the strongest. We would grab something small for lunch and head back to the stateroom for showers. We would then relax in the room/on the balcony or head to some ship activity. Then we would have dinner, participate in the bar area trivia games and possibility see a show. Our routine ensures we get to relax, rest and still enjoy the ships features. 

In the past mom has always sought out ships with a high number of sea days. She has cruised a lot so she generally has no interest in the ports. Plus years ago when she started cruising almost all the ship - pool included - would shut down while in port. However on this cruise she changed her mind as she realized that most people get off during the port days leaving the pool area pretty empty. Within the last few years things have changed so that while the casino and shops shut down when in port, the pool and other areas remain open and quiet. During the two port days that we stayed on board (Labadee and Cozumel) the pool area, gym and restaurant were almost empty. 

(Labadee - taken from the ship since we didn't get off!) 

The food on this ship was good - not anywhere near as amazing as Celebrity or Princess - but still good. RC is more a family line - they have the Dreamworks characters on board, a huge children/teen program and a lot of family friendly activities. So that's likely one of the reasons the food is a bit simpler. Cutbacks are another. Out waiter was quite open with us about the changes since we last cruised with them. Certain dishes cruises were known for have been scrapped, along with the the late night buffets and other aspects. It's not just in the food we noticed these changes - our stateroom just had a steward, no assistant to help him. They didn't do the towel animals (which to be honest is one of my favourite aspects) and there are a lot more areas/features that have a fee attached. We still enjoyed everything, but it's definitely different then the last time we cruised with them; and different from our cruise 10 months prior which was through a different line owned by the same parent company. 

We ate at a speciality restaurant twice. We only planned to once; but everything was delicious and the cost was really reasonable so we went back. The seafood and risotto at this place was fantastic. As was the waitress we had who went above and beyond to accommodate us. Plus this restaurant had my absolute favourite wine which I could only get there so I was happy! (Rose Regale needs to be available in Canada! I know of one LCBO downtown that sells it but rarely and only by the small individual bottles). 

(Butter carving) 

(Dreamworks Characters - me and Princess Fiona from Shrek!) 

We really loved the music trivia and attended it almost every night. There was on on songs from movies, love songs, 70's and something else. We never won but had fun trying. One night we partnered up with a young Dutch couple on their Honeymoon which was amusing. They were really sweet but didn't know much in the way of North American music. We didn't go to Bingo which was surprising for us since we normally do. I think the last cruise that changed like 40.00 for a single Bingo game turned us off playing it. 

We did get off in two ports - Grand Cayman and Falmouth. Years ago while on a cruise with the family and Uncle Beau and Aunt Honey, we ported in Grand Cayman and Honey and I had an amazing Aunt/Niece day shopping. Of course neither of us could afford anything since its a town of mostly gorgeous and expensive jewellery but it was fun wandering into the shops to look. We love shopping (something my mom doesn't) so even if we weren't buying we loved looking. I did buy a pretty Guess watch that day so I at least had something from the fancy island. Sadly the watch got washed a few years ago and wasn't repairable. 

Remembering how it was my favourite port, I wanted to go back for a few hours and mom agreed. Sadly, a hurricane had done some damage to the old cruise area so we were at a different one. It wasn't as nice, and involved waking though a bunch of construction to get to the shops. So we just stayed in the immediate port area visiting more of the souvenir shops. We found some gifts for family along with some inexpensive jewellery. We didn't stay long and were back at the pool within the hour. 

(Christmas store with an awesome name!)

For Falmouth it was a port neither mom or I had been to. Cruises used to port in Ocho Rios, Jamaica and that area was awful. If you wanted to go to the shop area it was about a 10 minute walk. I did that walk twice and both times felt unsafe. Locals are trying to get money off you, or sell you drugs and its easy to take a wrong turn. Mom and Adam did make a wrong tuen once on the way to meet us and mom is just thankful Adam was with her. He was about twenty at the time and was able to handle the situation. There was one aggressive guy following them trying to get Adam to buy drugs, and Adam remained calm and laughed pointing out he couldn't do that with his mom. The guy left them alone and moved on to someone else. It seems as if hardly any cruises port in Ocho Rios now which makes sense. Falmouth has a newer cruise area built right at the port and includes some shops, American restaurants like Dairy Queen and Subway, some bars and a craft market. We wandered around here for a bit and then we joined a tour. 

The tour I picked was to Good Hope Plantation a plantation that has been around for hundreds of years. We boarded a bus and the guide gave us a history of the area. Once you are out of the cruise area there is a huge difference in the area. Streets were full of garbage and debris, and seemed very impoverished. It also didn't seem at all safe. We had breakfast with a man the next morning who had opted to wander into this area and he said it was a horrible decision.  He had people following him, and calling out to him so within minutes he was high tailing it back to the port. 

The bus ride was short and soon we were at the plantation. When we first got there, we were taken to this grassy area where a woman was dressed in older-style clothing. She explained how the culture would sing folk songs and had us join in. At this point I was sure that I had made a mistake in picking this tour. It was all a little hokey. 

But afterwards we were taken up (by a another bus) to the top of a hill were the plantation house was located. It was a beautiful building. Not anywhere as big as the ones you see in Gone with the Wind or in the Southern US but for the area it was quite large. We were taken through the house and shown all the rooms, and explained the history of it. The building is has been preserved incredibly well and has a fascinating history. 

It was built in 1755 by Col. Thomas Williams for his wife who died a few years after moving in. In 1767 it was sold to John Tharp who expanded the property and helped the area prosper. For more information this website has a more detailed history of the plantation: http://insidejourneys.com/good-hope-great-house-plantation/

A few years ago during the Golden Jubilee Prince Harry was a visitor here so there were photos of his visit scattered around. One thing I loved about the tour was that nothing was roped off. While I get the reasons why most historic attractions rope off areas it was a nice change to be able to touch the furniture and linen, as well as sit on it. The view from the plantation was beautiful - lush greenery all over the rolling hills. 

After the tour we were seated in the gardens and served a traditional high tea. It was quite good and for the first time I tried jerk chicken. I don't usually enjoy Caribbean cuisine but this was delicious. When we went back down to the bottom of the hill we had some time to wander around their shops. We bought my brother and grandfather some Appleton Rum and Brian some strong Jamaican coffee beans along with a handmade coffee mug. I am glad that we did this excursion and found it really enjoyable and worth it. 

We had great weather for the duration of our cruise, and it was smooth sailing. I tend to get a bit sea sick so when on boats I wear a patch behind my ear. Usually I need one for the entire time, but the sailing was calm enough I was able to take if off after day three. All of the staff were wonderful, helpful and friendly. I splurged and treated myself to a facial and massage. Both were wonderful, but the massage was a really cool experience. I chose to try a Thai Poultice Massage which was something I had never heard of. Basically it uses Swedish and Deep Tissue aspects, but involves a large bag-like object made out of plant material that is filled with various herbs. It's applied to you as part of the massage and releases these herbs into your body. It was very relaxing and a style I would do again. During these treatments I got to have some interesting conversations with the therapists about what it was like to live and work on a cruise ship. Most operate on a 9 months on/3 months off schedule with limited time off during the week. They have a staff area which has kitchens, computers, games, fitness equipment and a TV/common area. Both women seemed to enjoy the experience but made it clear they hoped to be done within a few years. 

The shows on the cruise were great - especially the illusionist they had in (he was on Americas Got Talent) and a musical show they did mixing modern music with classic fairy tales. Royal Caribbean probably has the best onboard entertainment. We went to the casino twice and both times drew a crowd playing one of those silly coin-push machines everyone says is pointless. But this one had cash I inside and we won about 40.00 which was fun. 

Overall it was a really wonderful cruise with my mom. We got to spend the whole week together just relaxing and talking which was fantastic. Mom and I have always been close, so I loved the opportunity to spend so much time with her. We plan to do more of these in the future - but further down the road like in 5 years. I personally can't wait! :) 

(Though they weren't doing towel animals they did give us a book showing us how to do it - above was my attempt at a Koala Bear) 

(Our Steward secretly made me a towel animal!)