As I stated in the cruise critic website...my family and I sailed from sept 5th to sept 13th. The…read moreinternet package they sell falls way far below what they advertise with slower speeds and connection yet they can only refund 10% what a joke and didn't use 2 beach mats due to jellyfish at coco cay yet their employees failed to make a refund after he said he will. What a joke. Never again though!

Top-notch VIP experience from the moment my family stepped onto the ship on Friday, August 28,…read moreuntil we stepped off on Saturday morning! The buffet was excellent, and so was the service from all 10 of the waiters we encountered. Everyone provided exceptional customer service, especially Roswell, Norielyn, Melo, and Kriselle. Thank you for making our dining experience so enjoyable! We also spent every evening after dinner hanging out at **Deck 14**, and the experience there was absolutely unbelievable. A huge shoutout to **Johnny** for providing such amazing customer service! **Kudos, Johnny!** You truly went above and beyond. Royal Caribbean is so lucky to have you on board!Your kindness, attentiveness, and outstanding service made our family's experience even more memorable. Thank you to the entire crew for an unforgettable VIP experience! We truly appreciate all that you do.

Experienced top tier food & reception. Butler Mini Putt…read moreputt golf, visited eastern Caribbean islands- safe clean nature - sharks, seals, Various restaurants from French To Thai To Mexican. Staff Introductions, Arcade Games from bowling to arcade. Game Shows, Opportunities to increase points

Extremely disappointed with Norwegian Cruise Line--not only because of what happened onboard, but…read morebecause of how difficult NCL makes it to report serious employee misconduct. The employee involved was Duvan Felipe Beltran Acevedo, Cruise Consultant in NCL's Sales Department. I was onboard as his guest. After Guest Services replaced my malfunctioning room key and specifically told me Duvan's card was still valid, I later came downstairs to let him into the room when he said he was locked out. After I let him in, he deliberately locked me out with my belongings inside. Security had to restore my access. He then locked me out a SECOND time, requiring another security call and roughly another 30-minute wait. While I was gathering my belongings to leave, he threatened to throw them into the hallway if I didn't turn the lights off. I felt unsafe enough that I stayed in a public area until disembarkation. Separately, on August 30, he used my card for a $42 transaction I did not authorize. I disputed it with Guest Services, yet I was still charged. Now I'm trying to formally escalate this and NCL does not provide an easily accessible HR phone number for guests to speak with someone about employee misconduct. Their online Guest Experience form also would not successfully submit my complaint. For a company this large, there should be a functioning, direct way to report serious safety concerns involving employees. I expect NCL to investigate Duvan Felipe Beltran Acevedo, review the security reports, surveillance, room-access records and unauthorized transaction, and provide me with a case number confirming this has actually been escalated.

Wow. This government agency is super organized. I drove a friend there to pick up a last minute…read morepassport and I thought it would be a wasted day. WRONG. IT WAS ALL Timely and organized Kudos!

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.

I did a 3 day solo Christmas cruise to the Bahamas (NCL's Great Stirrup Cay & Nassau) on the…read moreNorwegian Pearl. The ship was beautifully decorated for Christmas, and there were fun, holiday-themed activities all day long each day. My room was bright, clean, and cozy. Most of the food on the ship was very good. My favorites were the Irish pub and the French restaurant. You can skip the Chinese restaurant. I highly recommend get an all-you-can-drink and wi-fi. NCL has sales all the time, so you can usually find a deal with extras included. Service ranged from fine to excellent. As for guests, it was a good mixed crowd of young and old. If you search FB, you can probably find a group for your cruise date and get to know people in advance like I did. I booked a Nassau harbor cruise excursion which I really enjoyed. At Great Stirrup Cay, I stayed on the ship and enjoyed the ship's amenities. Tip: this is a smaller ship, so you'll feel some ship movement. I took a couple Dramamine each day and felt ok.

Extremely disappointed with Norwegian Cruise Line--not only because of what happened onboard, but…read morebecause of how difficult NCL makes it to report serious employee misconduct. The employee involved was Duvan Felipe Beltran Acevedo, Cruise Consultant in NCL's Sales Department. I was onboard as his guest. After Guest Services replaced my malfunctioning room key and specifically told me Duvan's card was still valid, I later came downstairs to let him into the room when he said he was locked out. After I let him in, he deliberately locked me out with my belongings inside. Security had to restore my access. He then locked me out a SECOND time, requiring another security call and roughly another 30-minute wait. While I was gathering my belongings to leave, he threatened to throw them into the hallway if I didn't turn the lights off. I felt unsafe enough that I stayed in a public area until disembarkation. Separately, on August 30, he used my card for a $42 transaction I did not authorize. I disputed it with Guest Services, yet I was still charged. Now I'm trying to formally escalate this and NCL does not provide an easily accessible HR phone number for guests to speak with someone about employee misconduct. Their online Guest Experience form also would not successfully submit my complaint. For a company this large, there should be a functioning, direct way to report serious safety concerns involving employees. I expect NCL to investigate Duvan Felipe Beltran Acevedo, review the security reports, surveillance, room-access records and unauthorized transaction, and provide me with a case number confirming this has actually been escalated.

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 three cruises now, and this was my first time sailing with Virgin Voyages. I won't…read morename the other cruise line, but Virgin absolutely blew it out of the water. We sailed from Miami to Puerto Plata and Bimini, and I was impressed from start to finish. THE FOOD was the biggest surprise. It was genuinely incredible. We tried most of the signature restaurants, with Extra Virgin being a standout. Even The Galley impressed me...ramen, tacos, burgers, sushi, ice cream, bagels, everything felt fresh and elevated, not like a typical cruise buffet. The ship itself was beautiful, modern, and spotless. They were even doing maintenance while in port. The shops, casino, entertainment, and overall vibe were all excellent and very social. The cabins were also amazing. Everything is controlled through a tablet, lighting, temperature, service requests, dining, maintenance...super convenient and modern. Embarkation and disembarkation were shockingly smooth. Getting on took longer than getting off. Disembarkation was especially impressive--we just walked off the ship with no lines or stress. DRINKS: Virgin uses a Bar Tab instead of drink packages. I bought a $350 tab with bonus credit and it lasted about three days of fairly heavy poolside drinking. Cocktails were $11-$16, which felt fair. It also covered non-alcoholic drinks, and I had great coffee and iced lattes every morning. I basically lived by the pool. The bartenders were fantastic, and the pool deck had a great energy all day. Scarlet Night was a highlight, super fun club night, though the DJ definitely needed to read the room a bit better. I also did three spa services (haircut, facial, massage), all excellent. My only complaint is that spa treatments don't include access to the spa facilities unless you pay extra, which feels like it should be included given the price. In Puerto Plata, we did the waterfall excursion, about a 40-minute drive and 45-minute hike, then sliding and jumping into waterfalls. Lunch was included afterward. Definitely worth it if you don't mind a bit of activity. Bimini was beautiful, and I loved that the wristbands worked at the beach club bars. The only downside was timing...the DJ didn't start until 1:30 PM, so we spent hours waiting in the sun and left before it even began. Starting earlier would improve the experience a lot. Overall, Virgin really nails what they're going for: great food, modern ships, fun entertainment, and a social, energetic vibe. A few small tweaks, but nothing that takes away from how much I enjoyed it. I'll absolutely sail with Virgin again.

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.

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.

August/September '26 was the second time on Icon of the Seas, this time with my wife, her mom, and…read moremy brother, stopping through the Eastern Caribbean. My brother used his casino offer to get a balcony room that my wife and her mom shared for the 7 night cruise. My brother and I shared an Interior Room, which was fine, especially since it was their first time on the boat. There were 3 stops on this roundtrip from Miami: St Thomas, San Juan, and Perfect Day Coco Cay. Port fees ended up being $175.60 per person. The cost for my interior cabin was $1,463 per person (including the aforementioned port fees), which I booked through Chase Travel. One change since I last sailed on the Icon was the ability to board with Suite customers because of my brother now has the RC Royal One Plus Visa card. We got personalized check-in in a dedicated room before being allowed to board, and it was nice to get away from the hustle/bustle. Will seriously think about getting this card for ourselves in the near future. I like lobster, so having AYCE lobster tail (along with other seafood like chilled stone crab claws) at the lunch buffet on embarkation day was a big plus. They also served lobster twice at the main dining room during the seven night trip, one for each diner with additional tails costing extra. As for the rest of the ship, my previous review still holds. It's a beautiful ship, and my favorite one I've sailed on.

Wow! What a ship! I…read morehave been on prior cruises with Royal Caribbean and Icon is the biggest one I have been on so far. Our family of four was blessed and fortunate to have the opportunity to be able to experience the ship. We departed Miami, had two days at sea, with port days at Costa Maya, Honduras, and Cozumel. It was a fantastic week sailing in paradise! It was quick to get on since we went a couple hours after it first opened to the guests. We were able to leave our luggage to be brought to our room before going through the terminal. The staff practiced safety and made sure the passengers got through the check-in process quickly. When we walked in, we were amazed on how big it actually is. Seeing pictures and watching videos prior to going on board doesn't do justice like being there in person. The ship is absolutely stunning and we received phnemonal service throughout the entire journey by all the staff members. The junior suite we stayed in was kept clean and the beds were made neat when we were out of the room for a few hours at a time. The stateroom attendant greeted us daily and we had a good amount of space for each of us. The extra storage in the closet made a huge difference. The bathroom was nice with a shower and tub combination along with a vanity with drawers and shelves for items. It was so nice not to have water flowing from the shower since it happens in an outside cabin with a smaller bathroom. There was plenty to eat and drink on board. Calories do not count! There was an endless buffet at the Windjammer Cafe that we stuffed our faces at most of the time. We ate in the main dining room, Coastal Kitchen, and had room service a couple of times to the room. The Grove, which is only available to suite guests, was lovely. It had bites and drinks for us to enjoy at certain times along with a pool and a hot tub with less people. If you are able to afford a suite, I highly recommend it since it was more private and the staff members were really accommodating. There is a "compass" for each day of the itinerary, which lists the schedule of activities and times of restaurants will be open. We could play at the casino, eat, go swimming in one of the pools, watch a show, drink, play bingo, eat again, explore the ship, duck hunting, shop until you drop, and other countless things to enjoy while you're on board. We chose to bring our luggage with us for the early departure since we didn't want to have to wait to be called by number on the last morning of the trip. The staff members were extremely helpful with the questions we had and guided us to where we needed to go if we were lost. A cruise ship is one of the best vacations you can go on with the transportation, room, food, and entertainment included in the price. It's cost effective and the things you have pay for is the additional services they offer, such as the spa, adult beverages, photography, specialty restaurants, shops, and excursions. Loyal to Royal!