Royal Caribbean - Oasis of the Seas event day feedback thread: find out how the non cruisers got on onboard! NOW CLOSED

[AngelieMumsnet]

This is the feedback thread for the MNers and MN bloggers who attended the MN event onboard Royal Caribbean Oasis of the Seas in Southampton on October 15.

The event was specifically for folks who had considered a cruise with their family but never been on one as Royal Caribbean wanted to showcase what they can offer for a family holiday.

Royal Caribbean say: "Thank you so much for coming along to join us on one of the world's biggest and most innovative ships for this one off event. We know there are lots preconceived ideas about cruise holidays and we aimed to show you what a holiday with Royal Caribbean is really like by inviting Mumsnetters who have never been on a cruise before to come onboard to see for themselves and discover the seven incredible neighbourhoods, each home to countless unique activities and experiences."

So attendees - please share generally with other MNers your experiences of the day and also answer the following questions.

Please also post your photos to the thread!

• What experience or facility did you find onboard that you didn't expect?

• What were your highlights of the day?

• You chatted to lots of people onboard. Now imagine you and your family are going on holiday on a Royal Caribbean cruise - what facility / experience would your children be most excited about and what would you be looking forward to most?

• What did you think of the facilities onboard for families: please think about food, drink, relaxation, kids etc?

• After your experience on Oasis of the Seas, would you consider going on a cruise for a family holiday? If so, why? If not, why not?

• Overall, if it came up in conversation, would you recommend going on a cruise to your friends and family? If so, why? If not, why not?

Please note quotes from the thread as well as from the day, along with your photos and video may be used by Royal Caribbean on their website, on their blog, on social media and possibly elsewhere.

Thanks,
MNHQ

Here's Oasis as she docked at Southampton.
More to follow

I will compose more detailed feedback shortly, but in meantime, I have another question for the Royal Caribbean team.

We saw a lot of the ship yesterday, but as its so huge obviously didn't see all of it.

I'm very much an introvert and bookie and on holiday like a lot of quiet time to sit and read and I was wondering today if there are inside quiet seating areas for people to use. Obviously lots of deckchairs and space outside to sit but didn't see much in the way of seating areas (outside of bars and restaurants) inside for colder weather.

What experience or facility did you find onboard that you didn't expect?

• What were your highlights of the day?

The food was really good particularly the fantastic fillet steak. The wine was also excellent.

The zipline - fantastic novelty. I am so glad I had a go

All the staff on the Oasis of the Seas were very welcoming and very professional. This made the whole day a pleasure from beginning to end.

• You chatted to lots of people onboard. Now imagine you and your family are going on holiday on a Royal Caribbean cruise - what facility / experience would your children be most excited about and what would you be looking forward to most?

For me as my dcs never join in with the kids clubs, I would probably spend most of my time around the pool as this is where they would like to be. I imagine the pools would look lovely when accompanied by sunshine and blue sky. On a foggy, wet day in Southampton, they weren't so appealing.

My older dcs would also love the zipline, the Flowrider and the climbing wall. The indoor play area looked like it was suitable only for very young children.

I would be most excited about eating all that lovely food again!

• What did you think of the facilities onboard for families: please think about food, drink, relaxation, kids etc?

I thought they were excellent. The children's club seemed to be very well organised with attention paid to safety, security inclusion etc. It's a pity I dont think e would make use of it. As I said before, the food and drink was excellent as was the service. A quiet lounge for reading/relaxing would be a bonus

• After your experience on Oasis of the Seas, would you consider going on a cruise for a family holiday? If so, why? If not, why not?

Yes, I would consider it. Definitely. As a family of 5, I would love to see more family rooms that can accommodate 5. Dh and I usually end up in adjacent bedrooms, him with ds and me with the dds. A family room that accommodates us all would be a huge selling point.

Price wise, the holiday seems to work out a bit more expensive than our usual holiday - we do like to go 4 or 5 star and dine well so family holidays are always £££ for us anyway. The huge appeal of a cruise is the ability to visit and explore different places.

Will come back to answer further and to post pics/film.

Can I post pics of the people who participated?

My prawn cocktail - wish I could eat another one right now.

And a car - not sure what type but it's better than my zafira.

I'll post my feedback later but wanted to quickly add in response to Pp that the deck plan says on deck 11 there is a library with comfy reading chairs and books and guides to borrow.

We had a fantastic day and I can't praise highly enough the Royal Caribbean staff who looked after us. They were extremely professional but still very friendly and approachable. We gave Megan a real grilling over lunch and she answered all our questions brilliantly.

Here's a shot of the main Opus dining room - there are 3 floors to it. We didn't eat there but the food - and the wine - in both Giovanni's Table and the Chops Grille were excellent (see pic of my beef carpaccio).

More later - I've got to work now!

- What experience or facility did you find onboard that you didn't expect?

I really loved the carousel, didn't expect that to be there but thought it was lovely! The bar that moved up and down- gimmicky but I thought it looked great and a different experience. Also although I knew about the kids club I was impressed at the addition of the other spaces like the art studio and science lab.

- What were your highlights of the day?

I loved the show, it was very entertaining. It was the type of show you'd expect from portrayals of cruise entertainment but it was so well done and would suit a range of ages. The food was also amazing. Some of the best food I've eaten in a long time.

- You chatted to lots of people onboard. Now imagine you and your family are going on holiday on a Royal Caribbean cruise - what facility / experience would your children be most excited about and what would you be looking forward to most?

I was so impressed by the kids club facilities and the staff attitude there that I know these would be right up my kids street, they'd love it. The pools were smaller than I thought but they look really nice for kids to enjoy. They are not very in to Madagascar films so would not be terribly excited about the characters but I think there is more than enough other stuff for them to enjoy. They love diners too so they would look forward to visiting Johnny Rockets for dinner one night. I'd be looking forward to some chill out time while my children are so busy- I loved the solarium area so would like to have time to relax with my husband there. I also thought the gym was very nice so I could happily spend time in there working off some of the food I'd be unable to resist!

- What did you think of the facilities onboard for families: please think about food, drink, relaxation, kids etc?

I kind of covered this above but I thought the family facilities were great- there is enough different things to be active but also plenty of spaces to relax and have some quiet family time and that's without even considering the ship stopping at ports and the excursions.

After your experience on Oasis of the Seas, would you consider going on a cruise for a family holiday? If so, why? If not, why not?

I absolutely would. I was so impressed by the ship. The staff were absolutely lovely and so professional. The room they showed us was a lovely size and not poky like I imagined, the balcony definitely helped the feeling of space so I'd probably choose this kind of room. I love the idea of seeing lots of places in one holiday while also having time to relax. For our family needs it's a no brainer really, it's perfect and I'm so grateful for this opportunity to see the ship and have this confirmed. I'm hoping to book for 2016 (I've annoying already booked our main 2015 holiday otherwise I'd like to go sooner), probably on a Quantum class ship. I also wanted to add that I know some people have found the website difficult but I haven't had this experience, everything was easy to find for me.

Overall, if it came up in conversation, would you recommend going on a cruise to your friends and family? If so, why? If not, why not?

From what I saw on a rainy Wednesday- yes! Im aware that it might not be everyone's cup of tea, some people might find some of the features a bit tacky and some people might think it expensive but I loved it and i would be happy to pay for what they showed us- and we didn't even see half of what the ship has to offer!

The carousel, the rock climbing wall and the Aqua Theatre.

Overall I felt it was a good day. I didnt get to see all I wanted and was interested in. Understandable for security reasons and there were rather a lot of people boarding that day. Plus I think some people got to see more of some areas whilst others of us were doing activities or waiting around for our turn.

When we were shown the facilities for children it would have been better to split us into 2 separate groups. Some of us do not have young children so would have been more interested in seeing the facilities for teens rather than the rooms for children up to 11. Though the rooms seemed very well equipped and the staff enthusiastic. The ratio seemed quite high re children to adult. I know it complied with the regulations but it seemed to be far more than some of the kids clubs we have used abroad. Not all of us got to see the outside childrens area such as the merry go round and the play toys. The only way we could see it was from looking down over a balcony. The ice rink was off limits as well though I understand that was being refurbished.

The stateroom we saw was good though it would be a tight fit with 3-4 of you in there. But it had everything you needed in there and I suppose they work on the basis that there is so much to do on the ship you are only in there to sleep anyway.

We were well fed and watered whilst on the ship but it was in restaurants where you each pay a large supplement. I would have liked to see the food offered in the buffet area or the choices in a restaurant such as Johnny Rockets (where you only pay a small supplement) as I would be more likely to use those if I was cruising with a family.

The gym facilities were very good and an excellent range of equipment and classes (some of which are free). They just need to get rid of the cigarette smell when you walk in. I know my DH would love it in there and it was a great view from the treadmills.

The evening show was excellent and far better than I expected. The theatre is very large and gave you a good view of everything going on and would appeal to all ages People cleared it quickly after the show finished and there wasnt too much of a bottleneck as they all tried to exit at once.

The Royal Promenade could have been any hotel in Las Vegas and had an enclosed feeling (yes I know it is enclosed but it was a bit oppressive occasionally) may have been due to the lighting. Whereas the Central Park area was lovely, it was nice to have some fresh air though it would have been improved if they lost the fake bird noises. I know the majority of the smaller restaurants were off that are but it would have been nice to have a few benches dotted around so that you could sit there and enjoy the peace.

I would go on a cruise but not on a ship this size. I would rather have less people and slightly less facilities such as the zipwire (especially as you can be queuing for ages when they operate in the Caribbean). I can see why some families would love it and it would appeal to a family travelling with several generations. My in-laws and DD would have a great time (just to need to send them without DH and I ).

Will try and add some photos soon.

Thank you Mumsnet and Royal Caribbean for the opportunity to see the ship. Everyone was so helpful and friendly - even when it was a bit chaotic.

As you can see from my user name I am a bit of a fan of Royal Caribbean. Although I have only been on one cruise I have done lots of research!

Great to read these reviews here - keep them coming.

Kissme - we stayed in a family Ocean View room which was unexpectedly reasonably priced for the size - can accommodate up to six people with a separate bunk room for two of them. Oasis I believe has inside, ocean view, balcony and suite rooms for families of 5 or 6.

• What experience or facility did you find onboard that you didn't expect?

I didn't expect the show to be so well choreographed, I was expecting little more than a Butlins show but - WOW it was impressive, very much like going to the West End for a show. I was also dazzled by the kids facilities - I have a 15yr DS, 8yr DD & 2yr DD and I would feel no guilt in the younger 2 spending time in the adventure zone. From a science lab to an art room and everything in between my kids would be happy. I would also feel secure allowing my 8yr old to mooch around the ship if she met up with some friends, knowing that all staff are fully checked and trained to at least degree level is reassuring.

• What were your highlights of the day?

The food, the wine, the spa, the service, the show, the attention to detail - everything was pristine, everyone was friendly and attentive without being overboard. I felt special

• You chatted to lots of people onboard. Now imagine you and your family are going on holiday on a Royal Caribbean cruise - what facility / experience would your children be most excited about and what would you be looking forward to most?

Having children of very different ages, it is usually a challenge finding a family holiday that everyone enjoys, the cruise ship had everything from sports for my son, water park for my 8yr old too the biggest place to explore for my littlest. The idea of a relaxing multi destination journey where you can take in as much as possible with the least amount of packing, preparation and travelling would be blissful.

• What did you think of the facilities onboard for families: please think about food, drink, relaxation, kids etc?

I liked how you could divide the time up between doing what the kids wanted, doing things together as a family but also having the occasional meal just adults. The food selection for both children and adults (who quite like a bit of fine dining) was immense and of the best quality.

• After your experience on Oasis of the Seas, would you consider going on a cruise for a family holiday? If so, why? If not, why not?

Absolutely. Our UK holidays are always multi destination with the last one being in Ireland. We had 3 stops at 3 very different parts of Ireland and Northern Ireland to get the most out of our time away, but the hassle of 3 different accommodations, 3 lots of packing and unpacking and 3 lots of car journeys make it rather a lot of hard work for the adults. The idea of doing multi destinations on a cruise would be heavenly and would mean i would actually feel like i was on holiday rather than doing the same work but in a different place.

• Overall, if it came up in conversation, would you recommend going on a cruise to your friends and family? If so, why? If not, why not?

Definitely, I know many people I work with go on cruises and as a family with young children I believed cruises to be something to look forward to once the kids had grown up and flown the nest, but after visiting the oasis of the seas, I am assured that there is plenty for young families and those who are travelling as couples, with friends etc..

Thank you so much mumsnet and Adele, Karen & David at Royal Caribbean, I had a fantastic day and felt thoroughly spoiled

-What experience or facility did you find onboard that you didn't expect?
Rock-climbing walls. 2 of my DCs have done this in the past, and loved it.

People would be hard-pushed to think of something that isn't on the ship tbh.

-What were your highlights of the day?
We didn't have time to see most of the ship unfortunately. I would like to have seen the library for example.
But the food and wine were excellent quality. And the pool / zip wire / flowrider area was very attractive.

- You chatted to lots of people onboard. Now imagine you and your family are going on holiday on a Royal Caribbean cruise - what facility / experience would your children be most excited about and what would you be looking forward to most?
The children would be most excited about being allowed to go off for hours on their own! Aside from that, the pool area. They would also like to see the aqua shows too.
For me, it would be sitting on my balcony watching the sea flow by. Looking forward to a lovely, large glass of red wine after I'd run round the jogging track.

- What did you think of the facilities onboard for families: please think about food, drink, relaxation, kids etc?
Excellent facilities. hot dogs and burger options for the kids for a change from fine-dining. I didn't see a salad bar but I'm sure there was one somewhere!

Scient / art / children's clubs looked fantastic. (Please admire the photo of my 'volcano' I made all by myself in the science class!)

I would also have to highlight the staff here. They were clearly highly-qualified and experience and obviously got a lot of enjoyment from their work.
Staff everywhere were great - very helpful and professional.

Spa and salon facilities for the ladies (and men!)
Evening shows

The stateroom with balcony was a very pleasant suprise. It felt very luxurious and was exceptionally well designed. I would strongly recommend paying extra for the balcony. (Though we didn't see any of the other staterooms.)

- After your experience on Oasis of the Seas, would you consider going on a cruise for a family holiday? If so, why? If not, why not?

It's not for me I'm afraid. I can absolutely see why people love it and why it's a great choice for families but it made me realise just how much of an 'outside' person I am. I would have to spend all my time on deck (though in the Caribbean I guess people do this anyway).

Megan suggested a small ship would be more enjoyable for me and I think she was right there.

- Overall, if it came up in conversation, would you recommend going on a cruise to your friends and family? If so, why? If not, why not?

I would thoroughly recommend it to friends and family. For those who want some peace and whose children are old enough to entertain themselves. For people who want a 'hassle-free holiday' and for honeymooners... lots of reasons to like cruising!

Thank you for the opportunity to see this amazing ship.

The filet mignon for dinner

I just wanted to comment about this- at the Q&A someone asked what age is classed as a child and the answer was given as 16 and under (I think in the context of prices but I might be wrong). Just on the website looking at things and child prices are for 11 and under. That's a big difference.

What experience or facility did you find onboard that you didn't expect?

I didn't expect to find so much for teenagers. And was definitely impressed by the amount of outdoor space and seating.

• What were your highlights of the day?

For me the highlight was arriving and the overwhelming size and grandeur of the ship. I can see my kids being blown away by that. My favourite parts of the ship were the outdoor areas, but I am an outdoors kind of person. I loved the area with the real trees and the area with the climbing wall(see picture)

• You chatted to lots of people onboard. Now imagine you and your family are going on holiday on a Royal Caribbean cruise - what facility / experience would your children be most excited about and what would you be looking forward to most?

My kids (boys 14 and 11) would be most excited about the surf simulator, the climbing wall, the zip wire, the restaurants that are included in the package, the shows, and probably the teen den and skating, although that was being refurbed so we didn't see them

• What did you think of the facilities onboard for families: please think about food, drink, relaxation, kids etc?

Regarding food I would say that was a bit hard to tell. We had wonderful food, but that was in the restaurants with cover charge, and as a family we would probably not eat in them much. The accommodation for families was a bit of a stumbling block for me. I am afraid with a son well over 6 ft and another catching up fast, we would def not fit in one room. So I need to understand how much it would cost for two cabins or a family suite which sadly we couldn't' see as they were all occupied.

• After your experience on Oasis of the Seas, would you consider going on a cruise for a family holiday? If so, why? If not, why not?

I would definitely consider one of the shorter cruise experiences (2 or 3 nights) to see how it worked for us as family.

• Overall, if it came up in conversation, would you recommend going on a cruise to your friends and family? If so, why? If not, why not?

I would say they should really consider it. I can see it working very well for families with little ones who could go in the creche. In fact I wish I had know about it when they were little! Now I can see it working for teens as they could expire the ship quite safely, you could know they would not be served alcohol and could have the freedom of the ship :)

Oh I forgot to say, message to the lovely ladies I sat with at dinner, I came home to the really good news that my son had passed his 11+ - phew - a great end to a very good day. Thanks to Royal Caribbean and Mumsnet

booface you sat next to me! I was on your right handside during dinner So glad to hear your ds passed the 11+. I wanted to ask but I didn't know your MN name!

Regarding the last question, would I recommend a cruise to family and friends? Well they have put up with me gushing about it since yesterday and all want to go on the Oasis of the Seas now. I would recommend a cruise, yes.

Serenade, thanks for the comments re large family rooms. There do seem to be a few available but only if you book early! Im planning to do a bit of research this weekend.

Regarding the comment one person made during Q&As with the MD, I don't find the Royal Caribbean website at all difficult to navigate. Works much better than most of the holiday ones I have tried.

I've written my blog post review of our visit : chocolateisnottheonlyfruit.blogspot.co.uk/2014/10/its-not-exactly-howards-way-is-it.html

Will answer the questions separately, but would like to thank Royal Caribbean and Mumsnet for inviting me on board to have a look round. Really enjoyed the day and am still full from all the food !!

• What experience or facility did you find onboard that you didn't expect?

I was amazed by the news Oasis had an ice rink, that's something pretty amazing. Sadly I wasn't part of the group who saw the aqua theatre, that sounded spectacular and if I was somewhere warm & dry I'd love to see a show there. I liked the outdoor space in the middle of the ship, near Giovanni's where we had lunch & Chops Grill where we had dinner. From looking at the floor plans I'd like to see the two storey staterooms, I think it would be wonderful to be able to look out at the sea from such a height.

• What were your highlights of the day?

The show, Come Fly with Me, was really good - there was a mixture of gymnasts, dancers & singers and the songs flowed really well from one to another. I missed Mississippi Mud Pie & more wine for it and it was better than the pudding would have been. The other mumsnetters were great fun and it didn't seem as if we were random strangers at all.

• You chatted to lots of people onboard. Now imagine you and your family are going on holiday on a Royal Caribbean cruise - what facility / experience would your children be most excited about and what would you be looking forward to most?

I think the children would enjoy exploring the ship, my children are all teens and I had a look at the teen programme. I think my youngest child, who is 13 would enjoy it most as she would enjoy meeting up with other teens and having the freedom to eat & drink whatever she wanted whenever she wanted. I would look forward to waking up in a new port each morning, that is the main attraction to me. I can't see my husband being willing to spend any holiday in such close proximity to other people - the tube is enough for him.

• What did you think of the facilities onboard for families: please think about food, drink, relaxation, kids etc?

The facilities for younger children seemed really well thought out, the science labs and playrooms seemed well lit and very well resourced. I think they would have enjoyed spending time there when they were younger. The art room was fabulous with drying racks, different clays, cut outs, so many well thought out activities. I would be worried that the children wouldn't eat any fresh food - the meals we ate were tasty but they were very short on vegetables and fruit compared with how we normally eat. We didn't go into any of the main restaurants so I don't know what the menus there are like but I wouldn't be happy if I couldn't eat more fresh food. The ziplining was fun & I would have tried the surf rider activity if it hadn't been raining & October in Southampton, that looked like fun & I think my children would enjoy that. The mini golf looked cute. We didn't see the courts and some of the other outdoor activities. I thought it was a great shame that the gym is positioned above a staff balcony/smoking area, it smelled very smoky to me as a non-smoker and that would really put me off using the equipment. The lady who gave me an arm & hand massage was really good, thank you. I liked the fresh apple juice in the Vitality Spa café, it was delicious and juiced in front of me.

• After your experience on Oasis of the Seas, would you consider going on a cruise for a family holiday? If so, why? If not, why not? I would like to go on a cruise but I don't think I would go on such a large ship, although the facilities are amazing there are lots I'd never use (like the casino) so I think I'd rather go on a smaller ship without so many people. I can imagine going to the Antarctic or to Alaska. I found being inside so much oppressive, I think this was magnified by the rainy weather, normally I would just go about my everyday business whatever the weather & we couldn't really do that.

• Overall, if it came up in conversation, would you recommend going on a cruise to your friends and family? If so, why? If not, why not? I think that for the right family it would be a great way to spend time together, especially if you were travelling with grandparents as everyone would have their own space. Lots of my friends have been on cruises so I was intrigued to see what it was like.

Adele, Karen (or was she Megan?) and Dave were great hosts and made a big effort to answer all our questions. I have lots of video footage but I don't know if we can put that up on here? I am very happy to send it to Royal Caribbean if they'd like it (

What experience or facility did you find onboard that you didn't expect ?
I wasn't expecting there to be a kids club with so much to do for small passengers.

What were your highlights of the day ?
Really enjoyed the meals (of course) but also the activities were great and we only did a few of them so there would be plenty to keep occupied on sea days. I especially enjoyed the spa treatment and the zipline was fab and great fun !

You chatted to lots of people onboard. Now imagine you and your family are going on holiday on a Royal Caribbean cruise - what facility / experience would your children be most excited about and what would you be looking forward to most ?
I would look forward to the spa and the sports facilities - especially yoga on the helipad which I think I managed to talk James in the gym to employ me to teach My son would be so overwhelmed by all of it, but I think he would love the crazy golf and the swimming pools. We love being outside so all the outdoor activities would appeal to us as a family.

What did you think of the facilities onboard for families: please think about food, drink, relaxation, kids etc ?
There was a variety of places to eat and drink which would be great to keep things fresh and different on a long voyage. Trevor made us wonderful fresh fruit juices and the meals we ate in the premium restaurants were lovely if a bit rich for daily dining.
As I've already said I had no idea they catered for small children as much as they do and it wouldn't have occurred to me to book for us as our son is 4 and I didn't know there would be specific activities and facilities for him to enjoy. I did wonder where the 'quiet spaces' would be for calming time and to just unwind as there are times we just like to chill out as a family and the rooms didn't look that roomy so I'd like to see a space for that. We did only see a small amount of the ship though so it may just be something we didn't get to on the day.

After your experience on Oasis of the Seas, would you consider going on a cruise for a family holiday ? If so, why ? If not, why not ?
I would consider a cruise, but it would have to be a short one with daily stops so that we weren't at sea for too long. I also would want to do a 'tester' one to see how our boy copes before we would think about a longer cruise. It definitely changed my mind about what a cruise might be like for a family though.

Overall, if it came up in conversation, would you recommend going on a cruise to your friends and family ? If so, why ? If not, why not ?
I would talk to friends with children about the facilities on board as I certainly didn't know anything about what was available for small children. My in-laws are experienced cruisers who prefer not to be around children on a cruise so I would probably not talk to them about it as it's not their idea of a fun holiday.

Hi everyone!

It was lovely to meet you all on Wednesday! Booface- great news about your son!

My responses...

What experience or facility did you find onboard that you didn't expect?
The spa was vast, and the amount of staff there meant that there wouldn't be a huge waiting time for treatment. That really impressed me. Also, I was amused to see a carousel on the ship!

• What were your highlights of the day?

The food was incredible! So, so nice! And the staff were lovely. Friendly, professional and very approachable

• You chatted to lots of people onboard. Now imagine you and your family are going on holiday on a Royal Caribbean cruise - what facility / experience would your children be most excited about and what would you be looking forward to most?

The kids club sounded great. Ladybug (the woman who showed us round) seemed enthusiastic yet reassuring so I know my kids would be in capable hands. Also, the activities and facilities made it stand out from different kids clubs that I have seen in the past.

• What did you think of the facilities onboard for families: please think about food, drink, relaxation, kids etc?

Great. All of a high standard.

• After your experience on Oasis of the Seas, would you consider going on a cruise for a family holiday? If so, why? If not, why not?

Definitely. I am not sure if I would want anything longer than a weeks cruise but I could be persuaded! I love the idea of checking in in 15 minutes, the safety aspect, the variety of food outlets. I didn't see the show (the dessert was too delicious to miss!) but the others who saw it said it was fab so that would definitely be a pull, as it is rare to find a holiday with decent evening entertainment for the family. However, it is a once in a lifetime holiday due to the cost, so I would really need to factor in so much, for example, ports of call, quality of food establishments, entertainment and kids clubs

• Overall, if it came up in conversation, would you recommend going on a cruise to your friends and family? If so, why? If not, why not?

Yes, to certain groups of friends and family. It would be a convenient option to most

Photos to follow!

@Eve

I'm very much an introvert and bookie and on holiday like a lot of quiet time to sit and read and I was wondering today if there are inside quiet seating areas for people to use. Obviously lots of deckchairs and space outside to sit but didn't see much in the way of seating areas (outside of bars and restaurants) inside for colder weather.

Hi - response to you from Adele "Great question Eve! We do have a variety of areas around the ship where you can enjoy some quiet time and read a good book, for example the Solarium is partly covered and is adults only, the cafe in the Vitality at Sea Spa offers a nice relaxed area, but there are also places such as Dazzles and the Card Room".