I went on a 3-day sailing with my husband to Nassau, Bahamas. We had a blast onboard. The Conquest…read moreis an older ship which doesn't have a lot of the newer bells and whistles. Embarkation- We embarked out of Miami and it was a mad house it reminds me of pre-pandemic. We arrived at our scheduled time with through screening. There was a lot of people on this cruise. Social distancing was a thing of the past. All of the Carnival people wore mask not so many of the cruisers. It was crowded and a bit confusing because groups of people were holding up the process. Even it was a bit hard to spot the porters to check-in your luggage with all the people standing around. The gangway is hot so take your time. Onboard/cruise- Once onboard we went right to our room 6348. Our room steward was Min. We only spoke to him twice because we didn't have any issues. We told min that we would like evening cleanings, some tp, a box fan, and 2 robes which we got the extra tp. He advised us that the fans would come from guest services. Unfortunately, I never received our robes. The bathrooms do not come with bar soap only shower gel in the shower which we used to wash our hands. Bathrooms use to come with some additional cups but I guess that is newer ships. Steakhouse- I love going to the steakhouse. I wish the servers were a bit understanding and even ask me how I want my steak seasoned. I do not put salt on my steaks I prefer garlic, onion, and back pepper on my steak. I wanted the salad with spinach with no salad dressing. Instead of the traditional salad dressing I wanted red wine vinegar and olive oil. Salad dressing has a ton of sodium which I am trying to avoid. It seem complicated to ask for red wine vinegar. I was able to get olive oil. Comedy Shows- Moni, was ok. I did not think she was funny. My husband love Alan C... I can't remember his last name. I really enjoyed Nery S.. something. Carnival misspelled his name on the sign. We never saw a server to order drinks but no biggie the show was only 30 mins. We ordered drinks before and after the show. Dining- We had Jeffery and Bada who were amazing! I can tell Jeffery has a passion to lip sing. The dining team was very friendly and accommodating. Excursion- We purchased the Balmoral Island Stingray excursion. Do not book this excursion! The 3 out of the 5 bathrooms were out of order. There was no running water in one of the bathrooms they just gave us hand sanitizer. That can not be hygienic! The did not serve Bahamian food or food to Carnival standard. Our burger patties were burnt and did not come with condiments (I.e., lettuce, tomato, honey mustard). One burger cost $15 and a small bag of chips is $5. You can pay with your card but can't tip the wait staff on your card. No need to worry they did not have enough wait staff to serve. I sent a complaint to Carnival Guest Services due to the substandard conditions. I assumed we can purchase one photo similar to what you can do on the ship. Unfortunately, the excursion required you to purchase all of the photos for $80. Disembarking- We purchased an excursion through Carnival Top Ten of Miami around 4pm on Sunday. We were supposed to receive luggage tags but did not get them. I called Guest Services and did not reach anyone. I swung by Guest Services and the line was looooonnnnngggg. My husband had to carry our heavy luggage downstairs. I love cruising so this will not make me stop. I hope this info provides fellow yelpers tips.

We get what we pay for and it can't get more true for this cruise ship. We had sailed on carnival…read morepreviously and though it wasn't the best of the cruise lines it was decent enough to prompt us to book with them again for The Bahamas cruise. From the minute we entered the line to get on the ship it was a madhouse. I kept convincing my family that it was ok to forgo our payment and skip boarding altogether. Situation got worse once we got to the lido deck to get some lunch. The lines for the food were insane and the settings didn't look tidy. The crowd wasn't great as well. I couldn't be more unhappy in this setting and didn't know how to survive on the ship for the next four days. Luckily for me, the situation got better with each passing hour. Maybe my expectations were low and hence everything seemed better starting from there. We didn't dine at that lido deck at all for the rest of the cruise as they offer restaurant dining for dinner, breakfast and brunch. And on port days we had lunch at the islands. This cruise line stops at half moon cay which a tiny island owned by carnival. There is nothing much on the island except for around 5-6 beaches for swimming and a large stop for lunch. The other cruise stop is grand Bahamas, carnival has a water theme style port there. The entertainment is decent, the cruise director is crude but funny. The elevators reek and a musty odor greets you as soon as you exit the elevators. The staff is decent though, they did a good job with our room cleanup every day and at all the restaurants as well. Food will depend on the cuisine, some of the chefs are good and we stuck to their cuisines for the most part.

The Celebrity cruise line arranged our visit to Machu Picchu. Daily only 4,100 visitors are…read moreallowed into the 15th century "Lost City of the Incas", 8,000 feet above sea level. We had fascinating English speaking local guides that broke us into groups of twelve to present us with background information , tours, personal stories and invaluable information about the sacred valley, Inca Empire and arrival of the Spaniards. Machu Picchu is 1 of 14 Peruvian Historic Sites, a UNESCO World Heritage Site & in 2007, was voted one of the new 7 Wonders of the World. Pottery excavated at Machu Picchu has been dated over 1000 years old, prior to the Inca's. The names of the buildings, their supposed uses, and their inhabitants, are the product of modern archaeology based on physical evidence. The tombs at the site were built in the classical Inca style, with polished dry-stone walls, locked together like Legos. The 3 primary structures are the Temple of the Sun, the Temple of the Three Windows, and the Intihuatana. From 1929 to 1971, Machu Picchu underwent extensive restoration and conservation work, including structural stabilization & artifact excavation. Archaeologists believe Machu Picchu was constructed as an estate for the Inca emperor Pachacuti from 1438 until 1472. The Inca's built the estate around 1450 but abandoned it a century later, when the Spanish conquered. According to the new radiocarbon dating, it was occupied from about 1420-1532. Historical research published in 2022 claims that the site was probably called Huayna Picchu by the Inca's themselves, as it exists on the smaller peak with the same name. Current excavations are taking place in 2 different sites. The hotel is closed and will become the new Machu Picchu Museum documenting its history & found artifacts. We climbed up site, one for endless views above Machu Picchu. We walked along many of the man-made terraces that were engineered with good drainage, fertile soil that were well protected. We spotted where hundreds of years later there was a landslide. I understand that approximately 750 Inca's lived here, farming about 12 acres of mostly corn & potatoes. Once they had enough food, they built their strength and became warriors. Those in high status lived inside the Empire. The workers and the peasants commuted by foot daily to work. If they were good workers, they could move up the hierarchy. Bingham, from Yale University, arrived in 1909, the ruins were covered by vegetation but the terraces were visible so he couldn't observe the extent of the site. He took preliminary notes, measurements, and photographs, noting the fine quality of Inca stonework at several principal buildings. His photos are visible inside the sanctuary restaurant on site. His works were published and shown to the world via National Geographic. There are two ways to get to Machu Picchu either by train or by foot . We saw colorful tents with climbers and their porters; spending at least three days getting to the site. We went up on the Vista train with snacks and a fashion show and came down on the Bingham train with a live band, Bar, white tablecloths and three course dinner. Our day started at 6 AM and ended at 10 PM. Breathing at the high altitude was difficult, we had smoke from Bolivian fires, and the grounds were very dry and dusty. We spent four days in the Sacred Valley visiting the holiest site of the Incas and seeing the Spanish church that was built above. Explained were the ways the Spanish conquers converted the Inca's to Christianity. We went to the main square surrounded by a cathedral, churches, restaurants and shops. We stayed in the monastery hotel, and explored all around town, visiting shops and restaurants. The hotel provided a daily lavish champagne breakfast buffet, opera, dinners, art tours, and magnificent grounds.

I had an excellent experience on the Magnifica, traveling in July to Key West and Ocean Cay from…read moreMiami. I have cruised MSC twice before on Divina and this experience far surpassed those experiences. The ship is smaller and older, but is very well maintained. The public spaces are cute and the nightclub is very large with a beautiful ocean view. It offers a basketball court, mini bowling, and an arcade. Unfortunately, there is no movie under the stars, but they offer an excellent kids club and even some limited baby care! They will feed your kids dinner, and do a lovely job keeping them engaged and entertained. Kudos to the Kids Club staff! The pool area has two pools and a few jacuzzis. They were decent sized. I've seen smaller pools on cruises, and while these were not large pools, I wouldn't call them small, either. The cabins are nice enough. I actually find the bathroom to be slightly more spacious than other cruise lines I've traveled with. The staff were superb all around. Very helpful, polite, and kind. Our room attendant Giri was really kind and wonderful. He made a cute little animal to greet my girls and me one day, which was a sweet touch. This is not standard for MSC, unlike Carnival who does this routinely, so that was a kind touch from Giri :) Personally, I enjoyed the food. We did not do the included restaurant as it was just faster and easier to do the buffet, plus more variety, so I can't speak to that. We really did enjoy the buffet, though. A nice variety of different foods, with some healthy options, as well. My daughter and I really liked the Ethnic Corner section. Each night there was a different specialty. Ramen bowls one night; another night was chicken and steak fajitas. Both nights it was really yummy and something different from the usual meats and potatoes :) Flavor of food was good. Buffet was kept clean, stocked, and organized. Great job, MSC. Ocean Cay was enjoyable. It is a work in progress. MSC purchased the island a few years ago and has been slowly making improvements. They have two coves, and three beaches to choose from. Unfortunately, the main beach - Lighthouse Beach - was closed for renovations during our visit, so we made use of Seekers Cove, another cove nearby (can't remember the name), and Sunset Beach. Seeker Cove is new, from my understanding, and it's a shallow cove- perfect for families with small children who aren't strong swimmers yet. The parents can relax on the beach and let the kids play without too much worry while keeping a watchful eye from the comfort of their chair. My complaint would be that the water had some patches of sea grass and that was unpleasant. I'd like to see them remove this, if possible, and then it would be perfect. The next cove area was much larger, and went much deeper. There was a large float in the center that you could swim to and jump off of. Fun! Lastly, there was Sunset Beach. This beach needs some TLC. It is very rugged and untouched still. VERY rocky, both on the beach area and in the first several feet of water. Just a couple of chairs scattered randomly about- one here.... one way over there. Weird. I sought this beach out as I am not a major fan of coves, and wanted a real, open ocean beach. Since Lighthouse Beach was closed I sought out Sunset Beach. The water was beautiful and this beach has a lot of potential, so hopefully MSC will turn its attention here soon. Buffet on the island was delicious, in my opinion. They had a very nice variety of food. Jerk chicken (delish!), pork ribs, Mahi Mahi, along with red beans and rice, macaroni & cheese, pasta salad, and a bunch of other cold salads. They also had hamburgers, hot dogs, and fries. Lemonade and water to drink complimentary. Lots of dessert choices, too. My family and I were all very pleased with taste and quality. Lots of bars around the island, and if you aren't near the buffet they also have food trucks around the island offering burgers, hot dogs, fries, pasta salad, and brownies. That is a very nice touch to make things easy and convenient for those who might not be situated near the buffet. Embarkation and debarkation went smoothly, and MSC has improved their muster station requirements to allow you to watch a video in your cabin at your leisure (by 4:30 pm), dial in a code, then proceed to the muster station to have your card scanned- again, at your leisure but by 4:30 pm. This is new and more in line with other cruise lines and a great improvement. Overall, it was a lovely experience, great for a short weekend cruise, and I would cruise again.

First off let me just say that this boat was very nice and the crew were mostly very personable…read more But the crew looked tired and we found out that they work for 8 months straight under their contracts. We opted out of the automatic $60 a day per person gratitude as we prefer to tip cash directly to the crew members and this also ensure they get the full cut. Our wait staff were simply amazing and they did everything they could to make things right when the kitchen failed to deliver on the quality and taste of the food. We had several issue from the lasagna that had very little sauce and tasted like hamburger helper was used, to under cooked prime rib that was several under cooked vs what was ordered to the final meal which 3 of all had the same reaction too when the grouper that was listed in the menu as not having any sauce came out with Ragu Sauce covering it and the vegetable medley when it said lemon butter. Who puts Ragu Sauce on anything let allow the grouper? As far as the meal ashore at Ocean Cay (pronounced key) it was wheeled off the boat in 20 gallon food grade containers and taken to the buffet station on the other side of the island. The food was bland and in the case of the rice and beans they were not even cooked fully. The worst part of the dining area is the flock of terns that swoop down on unattended tables nearby and destroy any and all food. They fly mere niches above your head as they descend on the forgetful passengers who left their food or in some case trash on the tables. The bathrooms locations are also like finding an Easter egg as they are not labeled with signs that stand out easily or are not really illuminated to show there is a bathroom entrance there to begin with. The pools are very small and this would probably be due to the fact the ship was originally designed to sail in the Mediterranean and not the Caribbean. July is also not really a good time to take this itinerary from Miami, to Key West, then to Ocean Cay and back to Miami as we also fell out from the heat and humidity both days as we would return to the ship by 12:30 to seek out some AC. Ocean Cay however was an amazing stop and we look forward to seeing the future developments of this private island as it would appear to be heading into the private resort stage where guest can disembark for a couple of days and jump back on to another cruise days later. The shows were all enjoyable and well done especially the circus themed one on the last night. The games that were held were also enjoyable and allowed us to meet up with several people that we would then say hello to the rest of the cruise. We had a balcony at the front of the boat which gave us amazing views in the keys and at the ocean cay as my pictures were taken from that vantage point. Our friends had a balcony in the middle of the boat but there view was lessened by the string of life rafts one deck below them and the could see around to the front due to their retracted position from the edge of the boat. Their room however was much larger then ours and had a full couch and desk where we had a single seat and a small makeup table. Our cabin crew didn't make any fun animals our designs out of the towels and our interactions with him were limited but he seemed burnt out and who could blame him. I couldn't do that job for 8 months straight without a break. The drink package was responsible but you have to buy for both occupants so if one person doesn't drink alcohol it will still cover Red Bull and cappuccinos. While I enjoyed this cruise I wouldn't go back on this ship as it didn't hit the mark like some of the other cruise especially since it only had 1 out of plan dining option unlike other cruise ships that have multiple other options.

This cruise line is outstanding in every way imaginable. The ships are small, well organized, have…read moreeverything you would want on a cruise ship, and the room design is perfect in every way. The service is an A++ without exception. Cruise ports are well Fourt out in a smaller ship gets into places that larger ships cannot do in many instances. The food is exceptional, including breakfast, lunch, and dinner. On board entertainment is very good as well. We recently were passengers on the Seabourn Quest. Shout out to Captain Ryan Whitaker and all of the officers and the entire crew and staff. Nicely done!

We booked our 1998 honeymoon cruise through Holidays in Motion, and sailed on Enchantment of the…read moreseas. This year we sailed on Oasis of the seas, again booking through Holidays. Obviously they do a great job if we're still using them 27 years later. We have only booked cruises through Holidays But I wanted to point out that when we docked at Coco Kay, we happened to park next to Enchantment of the seas. In 1998, Enchantment was considered a mega ship.....

Jace and Gloria are always getting us the best price and OBC. They take care of things in a timely…read moremanner and we really appreciate that.