Honest Review - Royal Caribbean Radiance of the Seas We…read morerecently took a cruise on the Radiance of the Seas with Royal Caribbean International, traveling from Fort Lauderdale to the Bahamas for 3 nights and 4 days. As Hindu (Krishna/ISKCON) devotees, we follow a strict vegetarian diet--no onion or garlic--and we also offer our food to the Lord before eating. Because of these dietary restrictions, we were honestly very hesitant and nervous about booking a cruise. However, our experience turned out to be absolutely wonderful. To our surprise, there were several Indian chefs onboard who took exceptional care of us. They personally came to our table for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, spoke with us about our dietary requirements, and prepared fresh meals exactly according to our needs. We were expecting that we might have to survive on fruits for the entire trip--but instead, they provided a variety of freshly cooked vegetarian dishes made specifically for us. The level of service truly exceeded our expectations. For any Jain or strict vegetarian devotees who are hesitant about going on a cruise due to food restrictions, I can confidently say that Royal Caribbean is a great choice. Just make sure to inform them of your dietary requirements (such as Jain vegetarian or no onion/garlic) at the time of booking, and they will accommodate you throughout the trip. Overall, the cruise experience was excellent. The service was outstanding, and we had no complaints at all. We were even provided with a quiet conference room where we could perform our daily prayers peacefully. I would give them 10 out of 10 for their service. Thank you--this is our honest review.

my husband and i had the best time on the march 13, 2026 cruise to cabo. the staff are all amazing…read morebut i have to say that some really stood out. Dani and Kyle from the art gallery were phenomenal! we are now fine art collectors and i think they have made us addicted to collecting. we bought FIVE pieces and i can't express the joy they bring me. they sat with us and took so much time to focus on exactly what made us feel something we never felt before. they know literally everything about every piece and it felt so safe to put our trust in them. we even got to see real picasso. up close! even if you don't plan on buying, go to the auction. you will probably change your mind. now for dining. Nadia was our assistant waiter and she was so bubbly and sweet. she was on top of her game and made the dining experience so amazing. she talked to us and joked with us. we learned about her and she about us. she knew our names and what we drank. she just really was a kind girl with a huge heart. we had open dining but insisted on being in her section every night for dinner. lovely girl.

A Great Cruise With Some Gaps -- But The Haven? Game‑Changer…read more Norwegian Cruise Line delivered a really enjoyable vacation overall, but let's call it like it is: this isn't the most kid‑centric cruise line out there. If you're expecting wall‑to‑wall family programming, this isn't that. That said, the Kids Academy was an absolute hit--the staff was fantastic, the activities kept the little ones happy, and it quickly became the go‑to spot. And the arcade? Total blast. Easily one of the highlights for the kids (and, let's be honest, the adults too). Entertainment-wise, the shows could use a little more spark. Nothing bad, just missing that "wow, we need to see that again" energy. A bit more excitement or variety would go a long way. Now... the part that bumps this from a 3.5 to a solid 4 stars: The Haven. We scored a deal, and if you know, you know. Private restaurant, priority everything, a butler who somehow appears exactly when you need them--it's a different world up there. The Haven experience smooths out every rough edge and turns the whole trip into something special. Overall, Norwegian delivered a great cruise with a few areas that could level up, but thanks to The Haven, it felt like a truly elevated getaway. Would absolutely sail again--especially if another Haven deal pops up. Bon Voyage

We are spending Spring break with some of our kids and grandkids this year on the NCL Aqua (party…read moreof 8). We have three different categories of rooms, including one in the Haven, a family balcony cabin and a regular balcony cabin. The Haven cabin is gorgeous, super comfortable bed and we have plenty of storage. We have a butler and a concierge team and they are taking great care of us. We love our nespresso machine as well for our morning routine. The Haven restaurant is nice as well, MUCH quieter than anywhere else on the ship. The Haven Bar is also a quiet retreat in the evening. The bartender's know our names and are phenomenal at what they do. We've been to several specialty restaurants so far and Sukothai's red chicken curry has the 'win' as well as the Sole from Palomar. Don't miss these. The Starbucks on the 7th floor is a hopping place and we've enjoyed a taste of home daily. There is SO much to do- between the pools; the aqua coaster, activity center with mini golf and such, the kids are happy.

I needed my US Passport renewed and Miami Passport Agency is the closest to me to get same day…read morerenewal. I highly recommend filling out the paperwork online and making an appointment to make your experience much smoother. Once my first thing in the morning appointment time came a group of us were let in the appointment side. They also take walk ins, through a different side of the building. However if you have an appointment you go to the front of the line for security screening and get to the processing windows first. Security screening (think airport screening) was quick and I was off to the processing window. They reviewed my paperwork and I was told it usually takes about 2 hours to be processed. The procedure for picking up my renewed passport was explained and they also told me a text message would be sent when it was ready. After exploring Miami a little bit I was texted and I got my new passport. Very efficient process and the employees were great.

Miami Passport Agency is great for in person passport renewals, new passports or any last minute…read morepassport needs. YOU MUST HAVE AN APPT!!! No walk-ins. Appointments only. They are located in the Omni Center on the 4th floor in Suite 400. You can park across the street at the Trinity Episcopal Cathedral for $15, cash or Zelle only. It's legit. Somebody told us about it. The park meet at Omni Center building is pricey at $15 for the first 60 minutes, eight dollars for each additional minute and $50 maximum daily rate. We had plans to travel to the Bahamas on Thanksgiving day. On Monday night, we realized we didn't have passports for the kids!!! No, seriously. Our two oldest have expired passports our youngest never got one. Oh man!!! This slipped our mind as we travel to Bahamas often and just forgot that you need a passport for travel there. We jumped on the computer and went to the passport website. Very secured site as they ask for email and phone verifications. Good for us! They literally had one appt open at 9:30am on Tuesday morning, the next day. We snagged the appt and got all paperwork together, completed necessary forms and gathered proof of documentations. Woke the kids up the next day at 6:30am and went to Walgreens to get passport photos at 7am. Walgreens hustled and got us 3 passport photos within 15 minutes. $16.99 for each passport photo. Amazing! Worth every penny. Drove to Miami in the morning rush hour, funnnnn! Made it there by 9am for our 9:30am appt. Found out they have a passport photo service on the first floor. They charge more at $24 per passport photo. It's worth it for the convenience being in same building as Miami Passport Agency and a quick solution. There's also World's Smallest Café on first floor across from passport photo service. Coffee, tea, empanadas, small pizzas and pastries. Went to 4th floor for Miami Passport Agency. Lots of security. They check your printed confirmation of appt. Then they check your documents before you go through the security check. Once inside, it's massive. Quite efficient and smooth actually. You wait in line for them to check all actual documentation, they input into computer and give you a number. You sit and wait for them to call your number and which window to approach. Once we got called, they get everything together, confirm all information, check that both parents are present for kid's passports, confirm kids match passport requests, double and triple check everything and then you pay all the fees (application, expedited fee, etc). They print a receipt and let you know you can return the same day between 12-2pm to pick up your passports. My return time was 1pm. They emphasized that you must be here before 2pm or you don't get in!!! We arrived at 9am and everything went smoothly. We left around 10:30am. I came back at 12:30pm for passport pick up. The first line before security was super long, about 30-40 people deep. Waiting to get through security. Once you get through security, the room I was in before was PACKED!!! Everyone that came back to pick up their passports. Almost every other chair was full and still more people coming in. Although my pick up time was estimated for 1pm, they didn't call me until 1:45pm. Keep in mind, if they did call your name and you weren't there, they will repeat your name. Got the passports!!! Yayyyyyy!!! So freaking happy. All in all, I have to say Miami Passport Agency was incredibly efficient and such a smooth process. Of course it was a waiting game. But if you have everything they ask for, it should flow pretty smoothly. Thanks to everyone who helped us here! We are so grateful this worked out and we can travel to the Bahamas in less than a day now!

We love NCL and have cruised countless times with them . We just recently took a four day cruise…read moreout of Jacksonville Florida to Great Stirrup Cay and the Bahamas. We were not pleased with our room choice. We had the balcony club balcony suite. The TV was the size of a computer screen, and we had trouble all week with the the door to the balcony, we had to call three times before they finally sent someone to fix it. We also were not impressed with the bathroom. I've never been on an NCL cruise line that had a tub and not a shower and not just any tub but a tub that was extremely high. See picture below as usual. The entertainment was great and the drinks were plentiful and the food was great. We would have to rate this cruise ship the Gem in need of some upgrades. We love NCL and will continue to cruise with them

Spent a record 10 days at sea on this ship for their inaugural transatlantic cruise that got…read moreextended and changed right at check-in for a different disembarkation date and port. The captain handled it well. The service staff did the best they could, but it was obviously stressful for everyone to make such big changes last minute before sailing. All of our plans still worked out. Overall a fantastic experience on a brand new ship, specially designed for Caribbean or warm weather cruising with extended outdoor deck spaces for lounging and pools on lower decks in addition to upper deck so you can love the shade or the sun depending on the time of day. Fun rides and games great for older kids and adults like the Tee Time Mini Golf, Drop Dry Slide, Twin Racing Aqua Coasters, Glow Court Interactive Games, and an entire arcade with Duck Pin Bowling. Dinner options are spread out across two main dining rooms, a buffet, an Indulge food hall with international cuisine, local pub & cafe, and 6 additional speciality restaurants. Casual clothing is welcome everywhere on ship and all nights. The current cruise director likes to theme nights according to decades, plus a glow party night- main late night activity after main stage performers is dance party with DJ or sitting in a lounge listening to musicians or comedian. Excellent thermal spa worth the extra spend for the trip if you need quiet spaces to escape and relax, but doesn't offer any true hydro-massage, mostly heat therapies and cold contrast therapies.

Got a few hours before your flight and need a place to store your luggage? You may want to consider…read moreusing Hold My Luggage's luggage concierge where you can book your reservation online or at the kiosk. Located at an outdoor kiosk at the main entrance of Bayside Marketplace, you can conveniently drop your luggage off while you shop, grab something to eat or go on any of the tours within walking distance. It's also a few miles away from the Port of Miami. Being able to walk around Bayside with our luggage was so convenient. It was a good way for us to kill some time after our cruise and before our flight. Pro tip: Ask your Uber or Lyft driver to drop you off at the main entrance of Bayside Marketplace to find Hold My Luggage (across from Starbucks).

Great place to store luggage. I wasn't sure what to expect because it was my first time in Miami,…read morebut the place was super convenient to get to after my cruise. I needed somewhere to store my luggage before heading out to the airport. It was a little hard to find from the google map, but it's towards the back of the second floor of the marketplace. The storage is actually just a small part of a luggage store that is at the end. The lady that worked there was one of the nicest in the planet it was really reassuring given our anxiety about the safety of the luggage. I think this is the perfect place to leave luggage and it was really inexpensive. I would use it again in a heartbeat.

Jared was great to work with! He was extremely considerate, efficient and cared for my needs. My…read moretrip turned out amazing! I look forward to using Picky Up Traveling for my future vacations.

I had such a memorable trip using Pinky Up Travel. Very accommodating and reasonable to work with…read more I will definitely be using Pinky Up Travel for future trips!

I've been on a few cruise lines before and came to the conclusion that cruising just might not be…read moremy thing. But after seeing the ads and reviews for Virgin Voyages, I was intrigued, especially by the adults-only concept, so I decided to try a solo trip. I sailed on the Scarlet Lady for a 5-night cruise out of Miami, with stops in Key West and Bimini. Pros: - Virgin really puts thought into the solo traveler experience. I received a welcome note in my cabin with details about a solo meetup on day one, which made it easy to connect with other travelers and dedicated crew members. - Black Friday deals made it possible to book without paying a double occupancy supplement, which is a huge win for solo trips. - The option to bid for a cabin upgrade was a nice perk for securing more space and a better location. - Dining reservations for the more popular restaurants can be secured once you board. If you miss out initially, you can still join a waitlist directly at the restaurant. - Being able to go straight to your cabin upon boarding was super convenient, and my luggage arrived within a hour. - The sail away party, complete with unlimited champagne and high-energy music, really set the tone for the trip. - The food options were a highlight. Between the rotating ice cream shop, late-night pizza spot, Opa Hour tapas, and The Galley (the avocado toast and desserts had a serious hold on me), there was always something good to eat. - The PJ party was a whole vibe. The DJ kept the energy up with a diverse playlist that had everyone engaged. - The balcony hammock in the cabin is elite. It's the perfect spot to unwind, and a nap is almost guaranteed. Cons: - The pools are on the smaller side and not very deep. - The music playlist can feel repetitive at times. I noticed the same songs playing in the same order two nights in a row. - The complimentary Wi-Fi is inconsistent. It worked fine for scrolling, but streaming apps like Spotify were a struggle. - While most of the staff were great, a few interactions felt less than welcoming, which stood out. - The beach club in Bimini was overcrowded. By the time I arrived around noon, finding a lounge chair was a challenge. Overall, there are clearly more pros than cons when it comes to sailing with Virgin. While I'm still not fully sold on cruising as a whole, this experience definitely shifted my perspective. I'm already considering another Virgin trip; it just might be the one that converts me.

This is my SECOND Virgin Voyages cruise as a SOLO and it was the best time…read more One thing about VV, if you are SOLO, you will never feel alone. They have a Solo meetup so you can meet other solo travelers and you will never feel pressured to hang out with anyone. The food is SO GOOD. There are so many options and you can never go wrong with any. The pizza place closing late is also prime. It is is the hotspot after you go clubbing. The restaurants are incredible Gun Bae is a good time with Asian cuisine. The Virgin is yummy Italian. A little Razzle Dazzle. The galley for 24 hours food. The shows are GREAT and HILARIOUS. The parties are fun. The casino is always a moment. Virgin Voyages will always be the top cruise line. It is just a great moment. I sailed out of Miami both times. i can't wait to go on the European cruise.

Sailed on Carnival Celebration for the first time from February 21-March 1st, 2026. The ship itself…read moreis very new, well kept and has multiple restaurants and attractions for everyone. The restaurants that were unique to this ship compared to the last one I was on were the " Chi-Bang", Cucina del Capitano, Teppanyaki and the steakhouse. I also really enjoyed the pizza from the " pizzeria del capitano" as it was very thin and had fresh ingredients! We did eat at the " cucina del capitano" one night for free, but it wasn't anything special, so I wouldn't go again for $8 per person. The rest of the cruise food was the average meals that you get on all ships--- a bit on the heavier side and tough on my digestive system, but it was nice to have the opportunity to skip the seated dinners to eat a quick salad at the buffet or have other lighter meal. In regards to the layout of this ship, I felt that it was a bit confusing and I definitely missed having the central atrium that was present in all other ships. However, we were fortunate enough to have a room in floor 16 so we could be close to the Lido and serenity. Speaking of serenity--- on previous ships, this was on the back of the boat and thus made for a less windy experience, whereas this time it was located on the front of the boat and you were lucky if your food or towels didn't blow away. My other critique of Celebration is that many attractions required an additional cost--- if you're going to advertise a " roller coaster at sea!" , then you shouldn't be charging guests an additional $15 per person to ride it ONCE. Our local 6 Flags has better deals than that. Furthermore due to the high winds and chilly temperatures during our cruise, the " Bolt" rollercoaster was closed more often than it was open. As a result, when we tried to book a ride, they were all sold out. The ropes course and the water slides are free, thankfully, but one of the slides was broken during our trip, so that was a bummer. In regards to the shows and entertainment on this ship, Carnival Celebration blew all the other ships out of the water ( pun intended). Color my world, We Are One, Noche Cubana, and the circus show were absolutely AMAZING. I felt like I was watching some " cirque du Soleil" shows on the cruise ship, and was very impressed! As usual, their Punchliner comedy shows were also hilarious, and they were always a great end to the evening. Overall, due to the greediness of the owners of the ship in making us pay extra for random unnecessary things, I give the ship a 4/5. That rating also includes the fact that, despite advertising " Celebration Key" as a Carnival owner island, all the activities one would want to partake in cost money. I wish cruise ships would stop getting greedy and instead focus on keeping their customers happy by avoiding extra unnecessary charges.

Overall the seven day cruise was fun and relaxing. What I like about this Carnival cruise was the…read moreparty atmosphere and the variety of food options that we enjoyed without additional costs. The suite life was definitely not as great as Royal Caribbean! The things that we like were the spa shower, the Loft deck (for suite guests use only) and the complimentary bottle of wine. The best perk for booking a suite was the nice size of the room. Unlike Royal Caribbean there was no suite lounge or daily reception. No concierge for booking spa treatments, fine dining etc! There was no coffee available in the suite. There were no treats left by the room attendant. There is reserved seating at all events on Royal not Carnival. Carnival only allowed one meal on their private island Celebration Key (after that you have to pay) Royal provides an endless buffet. There was no private area for suite guests like on Royal Caribbean's private island. The thing I disliked the most about this Carnival cruise was the presence of so much security they were three or four deep everywhere on the ship. In the Limelight club the DJ stopped the music, the lights were turned on and security addressed cruisers with drinks in there hands and no shoes on the dance floor (this happened 4 times while we were there during which the DJ scorned the crowd) It was so tacky. Didn't go back there again. We ate most nights at the Lido Marketplace ( buffet). I like having choices and the food was generally good with the exception of the chicken three times we found it undercooked. The ChiBang restaurant was underwhelming. The appetizers were good the dinner entrees so much. Guys burger joint was delicious just a little salty. The coffee offered in the Lido Marketplace was weak. We had to buy coffee everyday to get a decent cup. The cruise staff were really friendly. The New Year's Eve event was okay. (I like the two Royal Caribbean new years cruises better.) We skipped visiting St. John and Amber Cove ports opting to enjoy the quiet boat instead. Disembarking the boat was quick and easy because we got to the staging area very early and carried our own luggage. Though the walk pushing my luggage back to the car was no fun.

Currently the largest passenger ship in the world, the Icon of the Seas (more than any other cruise…read moreship) is not just a mode of transportation, but a destination in itself. My brother and I spent a week on an infinite balcony room in early Feb '26, me tagging along as his +1 on another casino offer (only paying port fees). It's an exceptional ship. The first of its class, the 7,600 passenger capable ship entered service in early 2024. Its godfather is futball superstar, Lionel Messi. It sails from Miami year round, on normally week long trips around the Caribbean. The normal stop of Coco Cay had to be abandoned on the last day because of high waves, refunding all passengers $50.75 in port fees (didn't realize it was that high to go to an island owned by RC itself). Composed of neighborhoods, it has two like the previous Oasis class (Central Park, Royal Promenade), one similar (Surfside Family replacing Boardwalk), and four new ones (Thrill Island, Chill Island, Hideaway, Aquadome). Central Park continued to be a favorite...kinda crazy to be in a plant filled 'park' in the middle of the ocean as the ship goes through a rain storm. Room/Bathroom: Pretty similar to the newer ships, including having USB and electric outlets near the bed. Plenty of clothes storage space. TV had typical RC channels, including various BBC channels including Britbox (no on-demand though). The shower stall is a bit bigger than previous RC design, with OK pressure and the same crappy all-in-one shampoo/body wash (learned to bring my own). The best part of the room for me was the the infinite balcony. It's a floor to ceiling window that allows opening half way. The space around it is typically filled by the balcony, so the interior of the room is quite a bit bigger ...one benefit was that we were able to move one bed right against the window ,facing it...it was a new experience waking up in the morning and seeing the sunrise directly from your room. I know the room type has not been a hit, with prices for these going for considerably less than normal balcony rooms on Icon cruises. Three more tech things to call out: The Pearl - the light filled 3 deck sphere in the Royal Promenade. It's the first thing you see when you board the ship, and it's quite a sight. It's marketed as the world's largest kinetic art structure. It was the sight of many formal photographs, since it was so unique to the ship. The destination dispatch elevators are a marvel. With 11 elevators on each side of the ship, lettered A - K, one calls for the destination floor from many touchscreens throughout the elevator atrium. It will then tell you which elevator to take by its letter. It also has weight sensors to know when an elevator is full. We had a chance to see its full effect after a show from the royal theater when 1,000 people tried to leave. And it worked well, allowing us to board immediately after a wait. I always skip elevators on embarkation and disembarkation days..it just really frustrating with large luggage. Unfortunately, it was the same case again (can't be avoided I guess when 7,000+ people are trying to enter/leave). But for normal days, it actually made me want to use them whenever I could, rather than my normal routine which are stairs. The Aquadome is the largest glass and steel structure on a cruise ship and weighs 363 tons. It completely encloses the AquaTheater, allowing all of those high wire/high altitude shows to be performed without fear of wind interference. It's a great place to hangout during the day. There were a lot of risks taken when designing this ship. RC is known as the line that builds the largest passenger ships. But it's not only about putting as many passengers as possible onto one boat. It seems to be me that the technological marvels mentioned above, were things that RC wanted to put on their floating city...and the number of people that could be housed, was a byproduct of that. RC seems to be the leader in the cruise industry in pushing these changes out, and imo worth seeing once, especially with a family, even if not really interested in the cruise ship life. No different than going to a major tourist attraction. Super happy that I had the opportunity to cruise on this ship at least once, thanks to my brother.

Wonder if the Seas is now ported out of Miami doing 3 and 4 day sailings…read more This was my favorite ship until Icon came out. Love the Suite Sun Deck and nonsmoking casino. If you've been on Utopia, this ship is the same except for the elevators. Book your comedy show early because they fill up fast. The water show on Wonder is the best out of all the Royal ships.