I rate experiences on the following scale:
Last edited 12/2/2024
Introduction
This trip was a 7 night stay at the all-inclusive, adults-only Sandals Royal Barbados from July 14, 2024 - July 21, 2024 for our 5th anniversary. Family attended this trip as well.
I should note that even though we stayed at Sandals Royal Barbados" The other resort Sandals Barbados is right next door and connected by a Sandals shopping area.
The two resorts have different check-ins, gyms, and spas but share the same exact beach area and you honestly won’t be able to tell the difference from being on one and the other. You can book and go to any restaurants on either side and there are no restrictions from going back and forth from one to the other. For all intents and purposes, it’s the same resort.
Rooms and Accommodations
We choose a swim up room in the far "South Seas" area.
Room Type: SSUP – South Seas Swim-up Club Level Ultra Suite with Patio Tranquility Soaking Tub.
The room was secluded in a perfect location for privacy. The grounds in the entire resort were well manicured and you can tell they put a lot of effort into keeping it that way.
The only issue I would note with the room was the strong mildew smell. I do get that it's difficult to get rid of that type of smell in rooms like these but I have been in swim up rooms at other resorts that didn't have this (shout to to Xcaret Arte).
Rooms and Accommodations 7.5/10 (good to great)
Dining Options
The best thing about this resort was the large variety of food options. Even with 7 nights I wasn't able to try them all.
Reminder, this is an all-inclusive resort so (most) everything is without extra charge, keep in mind which restaurants require a reservation however (and get them in early!).
Below is the rankings of the ones I did try, ordered from Best (1) to Worst (14).
There were other restaurants (i.e. Kimono’s Japanese Teppanyaki and the other Butch's steakhouse) that we didn't have time to go to. The variety of food options here is definitely the strongest thing about this resort.
As the drinks go, these were all great for the most part (there was one oddly terrible Bloody Mary). The Bob Marley drink is a must try!
Honorary Mention: Candlelight Dinner for Two
We did this for our honey moon. It came with steak, a side, dessert and a bottle of wine. This was a pretty cool experience but is an extra charge and a little pricey. I do recommend doing it at least once at one of the Sandals resorts if it's a very special occasion but otherwise I'd say skip it
Dining Options gets a 9/10 from me! (truly wonderful)
Service and Staff
The service here was just flat out not good. This is not to say that there weren't friendly, helpful or nice workers on the resort but the percentage of un-helpful to down-right rude workers on this resort was alarming.
There were far too many times where we'd be waiting for help and a worker would just completely ignore us or a worker would look visibly annoyed when a question was asked. It seemed like maybe 1 in 3 workers were not pleasant to deal with, so even though it wasn't a majority, 33% is too many.
Others who were on this trip with us also agreed with my sentiment especially compared to other Sandals resorts that they've been to (i.e. St Lucia).
The service and staff get a hard 3/10 (very bad)
Shows/Entertainment
Every night the resort had entertainment. These were extremely mediocre and fell flat for the most part
None of the DJs were particularly impressive either and it seemed like the entire resort more or less closed around 11pm.
Shows/Entertainment 2/10 (laughably bad)
Beaches and Pools
Outside of the food, the second thing this resort does best is its pools. It's hard to count how many pools are actually encompassed in both Royal Barbados and Barbados (it's a lot) and you can go to any of them no matter which resort your room is in! There is a very large infinity pool in the Royal side where most of the activities happen, there is a swim-up bar on both the Barbados side and the Royal Barbados side, there is a rooftop pool and hot tub next to the French restaurant and many many more. This is not to even mention our swim up pool that wraps around our building!
I will need to split pools and beaches up because pools will get a 9.5/10 (not 10 out of 10 since the infinity pool didn't have a swim up bar which I think was a miss).
The beach on the other hand would have to get a 6.5/10 for me. Unfortunately there was just too much sargassum (a type of large seaweed) on it that kind of ruined it for me. I understand that this has been an issue in Barbados for a while now and they do do their due diligence in trying to clean it up but I just can't give the beach a high rating because of this.
Overall Beaches and Pools get a 8.5/10 (great to truly wonderful)
Excursions
We went on two excursions on this trip which I will rate separately since they're vastly different.
The Catamaran and Snorkeling was one of the highlights of the trip and a must do. We did not even snorkel and had a great time just riding on the catamaran and talking to the crew. The crew of the boat we were on were some of the friendliest people we met on the island!
They dived into the ocean to retrieve a phone that someone dropped off of the boat and actually got it!
If you're big into snorkeling you get taken to some cool spaces including a spot to look at sea turtles as well as an old ship wreck. This excursion also came with food and drinks. I can express enough how worth it this excursion was
10/10 (amazing, highly recommend
This is a very highly rated excursion and you'll hear at least once that you should purchase this if you are going to be here on a Friday night. Overall, I found it to be a bit overrated but not terrible (I'll explain).
This excursion is essentially a bus that takes you to the Oisten's Fish Fry area where there are 30+ vendors selling you fresh fish and other seafood. It is a pretty interesting site to see.
The issue with this excursion for Sandals is they only really give you around 3 hours to experience this and it can get very crowded so if you want to grab a bite to eat with a group that's all you really have time to. Of course, this is a public event so you could simply just take a taxi out here and a taxi back if that's what you choose instead of booking it through Sandals.
Another issue I had with the event was the mediocre talent. There was one pretty good Michael Jackson impersonator....followed by a guy in a Spiderman suit doing a couple of flips (if I'm going to be honest)...followed by a not so good Michael Jackson impersonator. Let's just say, they really love Michael Jackson on this island...
This excursion will get a 6/10 from me (very mediocre)
Overall
This resort does some things really good but has some really extreme lows that put a damper on some parts of the experience because of this I'll have to rank this resort as 6.5/10 (teetering between very mediocre and good). It was a good time overall with great food and drinks but not a resort I would be dying to go back to.
Overall Final Score 6.5/10 (between very mediocre and good)
By Brandon Wagner
Last Edited: 10/28/2024
Introduction
This trip was a 7 night cruise with 20+ family members during Christmas of 2023 (Dec 23, 2023 - Dec 30, 2023) on a Carnival Eastern Caribbean itinerary.
Ship Information
Cabins and Accommodations
We purchased a standard balcony room on the 10th floor. The balcony was nice and spacious enough but the room felt very narrow and the bathroom felt small. Nothing interesting to write about on this one.
Cabins and Accommodations Rating: 7/10
Dining Options - 8/10:
Mardi Gras does an amazing job at classic American food. Carnival as a whole is great at this (this is the 5th Carnival ship I've been on). The best places by far are Guy’s Burger Shack and Big Chicken (by Shaquille O’Neal). Guy's has delicious burgers that never disappoint. Big Chicken has delicious chicken sandwiches that would give most quick food option restaurants a run for their money.
As for the dining room experience, we only went on Christmas Day and I have to say that it seemed to lose its luster from years past. It was the "elegant" night for the cruise there seemed to barely be anyone in the dining room, the service was incredibly slow, and the food was average at best.
I remember these rooms used to be packed in my pre-COVID Carnival cruises. It seems like all the speciality restaurants and other food on board make this an after-thought for most people.
I unfortunately did not get to try the barbecue at Guy’s Pig & Anchor Smokehouse | Brewhouse but people that I came with who did were not a fan. Suzelle did the Indian ‘Tiger Masala’ cooking class and said it was one of the highlight of her trip that she recommends.
One speciality dining that I can personally comment on was the Chef’s Table. You will pay a pretty penny for this experience but if you would like a special, behind the scenes experience, this will not disappoint. We started by being taken to the back kitchen for appetizers where you can see just how busy it is. We were then taken to a private “Chef’s Table’ room and served a variety of well plated and tasty entrees and desserts. This also came with wine pairings. There was even a magic show during the “intermission” of our meal! This is definitely one of the most unique experiences on the boat.
Overall, the food is hit or miss. You really just need to know the places to go for the best food. I wouldn’t ever recommend going to the Lido Marketplace for lunch over Guy’s or Big Chicken. I can’t speak to any other speciality dining but the Chef’s Table was great.
Dining Options Rating: 8/10
Bars
The Mardi Gras definitely has it’s fair share of unique bars, it’s important to know which one to go to however if you’re like me and appreciate a good cocktail. I’ve had both the worst dirty martini I’ve ever had on this boat and the best one (with blue cheese olives too!)
There is a brewery on board in the sports bar that brews it’s own beer and isn’t half bad. They even have my favorite whiskey, Uncle Nearest!
I would definitely encourage you to take advantage of the Cheers! Package, especially if you’re in a solo room (keep in mind that each adult in a room must purchase, if you are not). Get it before the cruise and you’ll save 10% off. I was debating this until I was on the boat and regretted not getting it ahead of time!
My top 4 locations to order drinks (Should be noted that I'm primarily a traditional cocktail and whiskey drinker).
Bars Rating: 9/10
Shows/Entertainment - 6/10
I can acknowledge that we did not go to as many shows as we went to on past cruises but the ones that we did see were average at best. There was a magic show that didn’t seem interesting enough to stay at the entire time and a show called “Liar’s Club” which wasn’t very funny in my opinion.
Where the entertainment really shined (outside of the music venues) is the comedy shows. There were at least 5 comics on the boat rotating throughout the cruise for non-stop laughs. I was able to see each comic at least once (and one guy twice). Overall, I really enjoyed 3 out of the 5.
Overall, the shows we saw could have better and have been better on other ships.
Shows/Entertainment Rating: 6/10
Music/Clubs - 10/10
This is where the Mardi Gras really shines. Most of our time was spent either at the Brass Magnolia bar which had a live Jazz band every night, around the Fortune Teller which had a live electric guitarist, at the Piano Bar with Robbie the pianist, or at the Limelight Club which even had a silent disco night but would always play pretty recent bangers after midnight.
The Limelight Lounge was probably one of most basic looking clubs I’ve been in but it’s at least tied (and probably beat) the club I went to on NCL in 2019 as the best cruise club.
There were also 90s, 80s, and 70s themed nights. I went to the 90s one, and though I’m not huge fan of 90s music as a whole, people seemed to really enjoy that one.
The Havana Bar would have Latin music and the sports bar would have a country music band.
Overall, there was a great mixture of different genres. You can easily hear Chief Keef, Dolly Parton, Nirvana, Bad Bunny, Darius Rucker, Backstreet Boys, Kodak Black, and Chris Stapleton all within the span of 2 hours.
Only thing they could have done differently is sprinkle at least a little EDM.
Music/Clubs Rating: 10/10
Boarding/Debarkation - 9.5/10
I was surprised by how easy the boarding and debarking process ending up being, especially considering how many people were on this boat.
We were able to board in less than 30 minutes after arriving to the port (even with a 14 month old baby).
The debarkation was definitely organized chaos but for the amount of luggage we had and how many people were there, we were able to get out within a reasonable amount of time.
You don’t even have to show your passport, they will simply scan your face and you get your checked luggage and be on your way.
Boarding/Debarkation Rating: 9.5/10
Overall — 8/10 - This is a good boat that has a lot to offer. For me, where it shines is the music, cocktail bars, and the comedy shows.
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By Brandon Wagner,
Last edited: 10/22/2024
Introduction
This trip was for my thirtieth birthday between March 3rd, 2023 to March 8th, 2023 on the Dominican Daze itinerary out of Miami, FL. All Virgin Voyages ships are adults-only (18+).
Ship Information
Cabins and Accommodations
We stayed in the Sweet Aft Suite which is a Rockstar category suite. This is the second highest VIP category, only below the Mega Rockstar.
This room was massive and definitely the highlight of the trip. It included a wet bar stocked with liquor, beer and wine, a record player, a bluetooth speaker, large bathroom and a gigantic balcony that you’d have to see to believe. The balcony comes with a hammock, a table and 3 chairs. There is so much ample space that you could have your own party out there with 25 people.
Cabins and Accommodations Rating: 10/10
Rockstar (VIP) Amenities
Because we booked a Rockstar suite, we received the following:
Rockstar (VIP) Amenities Rating: 10/10
Dining Options
The way Virgin does dining is very different if you’re used to the large dining halls found on cruise lines such as Carnival and Norwegian, spoiler alert, those don’t exist on Virgin. There aren’t any extra-cost speciality restaurants since every restaurant is a speciality restaurant included in your fare.
You will want to book dining times as soon as restaurants become available because they’ll go quickly! Even if you don’t have a reservation you can show up and get a table but may experience a wait.
Here is my restaurant rankings from best to worst. (1=Best, 6=Worst)
The generic small food halls were not great compared to other cruise lines in my opinion.
This includes:
Richard's Rooftop was probably our favorite place to go to for food that wasn’t one of the premier restaurants. The menu was very limited however and it is VIP only.
Lastly, I do feel like this boat needed some more traditional cruise/beach options like the classic burger, hotdogs and fries.
There was only one burger place and no variety in burgers.
Dining Options Rating: 8.5/10
Entertainment and Activities
I highly suggest going to shows on this boat. The shows are very engaging with a lot of acrobatics and talented performers. The Scarlet Night events are interesting and action packed (Make sure to bring red).
The casino was relatively small, especially if you’re used to the ones on the larger sailings of boats like Carnival or Royal Caribbean.
If you’re someone who enjoys fitness, this is definitely the boat for you! There are multiple gyms and a litany of fitness classes to sign up for as well as a walking track around the entire boat.
The pool on the Lido desk, which ends of being a staple of other ships, is not much to write about on this one. If you’re someone who enjoys large pools you’ll be disappointed on this ship.
One of the biggest weak points was the music. It was very hit or miss. The main DJ would start of strong and teeter off pretty quickly.
In my honest opinion, current top 50s music should have been played more. There were certain songs that we heard about 5-6 times over the course of the cruise so it would have been nice if they mixed up the playlist a bit from day to day.
Even in the “New York/Miami/Berlin” club night wasn’t very “New York” or “Miami”. To be brutality honest, most of the club music felt like it was only for those really into the European house music scene. It’s sad because the club (The Manor) itself is actually gorgeous and the best I’ve seen on any cruise ships to date. I’m a fan of good EDM and it was even a bit much for me.
Entertainment and Activities Rating: 7.5/10
Service and Staff
The staff was very friendly and accommodating. Our Rockstar Agent was very helpful, especially when we had an issue with our Sailor Loot (onboard credit) being removed from our account by mistake.
The only issue we had was with the Virgin app itself. It’s heavily relied on for booking things and communicating with staff but was extremely buggy at time and the WiFi (even though free) was just bad most of the trip. This is something that Virgin needs to work on more if they want the app to be relied on so heavily.
Ports of Call/Excursions
In Puerto Plata we did an excursion where you ride ATVs in the jungle and then spend time at a beach. It was interesting if you like adventure but the ATVs are not nearly as nice as what was advertised. The time at the beach after was also too short. There is a restaurant nearby but you essentially have to choose between seeing the beach or eating.
At Bimini Beach Club we mostly stayed in the Rockstar area but overall the club was really nice the sand was soft the water was blue but not the best we’ve seen. The food is the reason why this isn’t at least a 9. The beach food was extremely mediocre.
Ports of Call Rating: 7/10
Extras
We got a relaxing 3-part couples massage. There is also there is a general area you can pay for with a bunch of different rooms like a salt room, sauna, mud room, cold tub, hot tub, steam room etc. The day we went here was our favorite day. Definitely something to do on a sea day.
The shops had a decent amount of jewelry for women. Things for men were not as great but we ended up getting clothes for me and jewelry for Suzelle. They did seem to have less of the gimmicky clothing that you’d see on other cruise lines, for us, this was a good thing. The coolest thing about this boat is the tattoo parlor at sea! (A place where I got my first tattoo)
Extras (Spa) Rating: 10/10
Extras (Shops) Rating: 8.5/10
Final Thoughts
Overall, it was an awesome trip!
Highs include: main restaurants food, Rockstar vip is very worth it, shows and entertainment, quality of ship, spa (must visit).
Lows include: buggy app (some obvious growing pains), food halls not that great, club music and post-11pm party scene lackluster.
Would we go again? Definitely (but on a different itinerary). Since all Virgin ships are sister ships (exactly the same) it doesn’t really make sense to go on the same itinerary even if it’s a different ship. Our next goal would be to go on a Mediterranean cruise with Virgin.
Overall Score 8.5/10
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