Cabin Plusses and Minuses - location

#3016 Ocean View Window - Portside Forward - While a balcony is our first choice, this ship and cabin were chosen for the following reasons:

• We saw an opportunity to combine trips - for 15 days total - while getting exposed to one ship we’d never sailed and another we had not been on in years (Oasis), along with a couple new ports
• We have previously selected window cabins, and the cost was attractive (we switched to balcony on the Oasis).
• The casino offer (taxes and fees only, about $300) was for an interior cabin; we upgraded to the window for an additional $300.

Plusses:

• It’s relatively quiet on the third deck, with just one deck below with cabins.
• I’ve read reports of cruisers hearing engine noise on the low decks, but perhaps that would be more pronounced toward the rear of the ship.

Minus:

• When at port, you may need to keep your curtain closed if you are directly facing the dock and fellow travelers.
• I prefer to have standing space next to the window; we did not have that choice in this cabin, as you can see below.

Crowded?  Kid Friendly?

• Never crowded
• Late January is not a school-age time for travel, along with the length of cruise and the lack of varied venues for youngsters and teenagers made for a decidedly older (i.e., retired) vibe.  Not a bad thing, but different than the norm.

Entertainment

Every ship has something for everyone.  As an older and smaller Vision Class ship, fewer entertainment options were “must-see.” However, there were several enjoyable shows, along with a few musical ensembles in the Centrum (deck 4 with overlooking seats above).  We also enjoyed:

• Broadway production - very professional, but smaller and simpler props
• Singers and juggler (not together)
• Comedian and comedian/magician
• Tango - I’m sure it was good stuff, but it must be an acquired taste
• Las Vegas Tenors - maybe the highlight of cruise entertainment.  They told a funny story about how they missed the ship at an earlier port and had been making the new connections over the past 48 hours, with little sleep or food.  Fortunately, their misfortune did not negatively impact the performance.

Dining (also, see Tips)

• We enjoyed the Main Dining Room (MDR) for most dinners, and regularly visited with two couples who traveled together and were in sync with our dining schedule.  We compared notes regarding ports and casino fortunes.
• Check your Ship App for up-to-date venue hours; breakfast or lunch times vary between port and sea days.

Vitality Fitness Center

• The gym is open early to late.
• Compared to other ships I’ve cruised in 2025, ……..

Ports

On this trip, we made several stops, on days 4 through 8:

• Philipsburg, St. Maarten - 
• Roseau, Dominica - 
• Basseterre, St. Kitts & Nevis - 
• San Juan, Puerto Rico - 
• Puerto Plata, Dominica Republic -