Overall Score

BERLITZ'S RATING
	Possible	Achieved
Ship	500	417
Accommodation	200	155
Food	400	242
Service	400	282
Entertainment	100	83
Cruise	400	309

How this score is created

There is a wide range of 22 cabin price grades, in four major groupings: Premium ocean-view suites and cabins, interior (atrium-view) cabins, Ocean-view cabins, and Interior (no view) cabins. Note that many cabins are of a similar size (good for incentives and large groups), and 300 have interconnecting doors (good for families). Price depends on grade, location and size.

A total of 138 interior (no view) cabins have bay windows that look into an interior horizontal atrium – a cruise industry first when the ship debuted. Regardless of what cabin grade you choose, however, all except for the Royal Suite and Owner’s Suite have twin beds that convert to a queen-sized unit, television, radio and telephone, personal safe, vanity unit, hairdryer and private bathroom. However, you’ll need to keep the curtains closed in the bay windows if you wear little clothing, because you can be seen easily from adjacent bay windows (Bay Watch?).

Royal Suite (Deck 10): The Royal Suite (there’s only one), which measuring approximately 1,146 sq. ft (106.5 sq. meters) is the ship’s largest private living space, and is located almost at the top of the Centrum lobby on the port side. It is a nicely appointed penthouse suite (whose occupants, sadly, must share the rest of the ship with everyone else, except for access to their own exclusive concierge club).. It has a king-sized circular bed in a separate large bedroom that can be fully closed off; a living room with an additional queen-sized sofa bed, baby grand piano (pianist not included), refrigerator/wet bar, dining table and four chairs, expansive entertainment center, and a reasonably large bathroom.

Royal Family Suite: The four Royal Family suites (two aft on Deck 9, two aft on Deck 8, each measuring approximately 574 sq. ft/53 sq. meters), have two separate bedrooms – the main bedroom has a large vanity desk (the second, smaller bedroom also includes two beds and third/fourth upper Pullman berths). There’s also a lounge with dining table and four chairs, wet bar, walk-in closet; and large bathroom with Jacuzzi bathtub, washbasin, and separate shower enclosure. The suites are located at the stern of the ship and have large balconies with views out over the ship’s wash.

Owner’s Suites: Ten slightly smaller but desirable Owner’s Suites (approximately 468 sq. ft/43 sq. meters) are located in the center of the ship, on both port and starboard sides, adjacent to the Centrum lobby on Deck 10. Each features a bedroom with queen-sized bed ) or twin beds); lounge with large sofa; wet bar; bathroom with Jacuzzi bathtub, washbasin and separate shower enclosure. There’s also a private balcony, although it is not very large.

Standard Outside-View and Interior (no-view) Cabins: All cabins have a private bathroom, as well as interactive TV and pay-per-view movies, including an X-rated channel. Cabin bathrooms really are compact, but at least they have a proper shower enclosure instead of a shower curtain – so you won’t have to dance with a curtain.

Some accommodation grades have a refrigerator/mini-bar, although there is no space left because it is crammed with “take-and-pay” items. If you take anything from the mini-bar/refrigerator on the day of embarkation in Miami, Florida sales tax will be added to your bill.

Cabins with “private balconies” are not so private. The balcony decking is made of Bolidt – a sort of rubberized sand – and not wood, while the balcony rail is of wood. If you have a cabin with a door that interconnecting door to another cabin, be aware that you’ll probably be able to hear everything your next-door neighbors say and do. Note that bathroom toilets are explosively noisy, based on the vacuum system. Cabin bath towels are small and skimpy. Room service food menus are very basic.

Berlitz Guide © Apa Publications 2008

Berlitz Guide © Apa Publishing 2008