We've chosen Norwegian for the past 12 cruises. Friends from Fort Wayne, Indiana, Chicago, Illinois, Indianapolis, Indiana boarded this one. (Our friends from DC and Ottowa Canada will not book Norwegian with us after the Bliss debacle). We selected this particular cruise for the stops in Bonaire and Curacao. We have visited Curacao in the past and enjoyed the beauty and colors of the island. More specifically Bonaire because the 'B" has always been missing in our island visits to the "ABC" islands.
Norwegian pulled Bonaire from our port stop. I was unhappy and wanted to cancel. We were taking my Grand Nephew on this cruise and decided he wouldn't know it was missing so we remained booked. Then the Curacao hit...Who ever heard of a Caribbean port call from 6:00 am until 12:00? Raw deal Norwegian! Then St. Lucia. 2:00 pm to 8:00pm. Lousy. No beach hours there either. We booked a four hour tour, had a great guide and made it memorable no thanks to Norwegian.
We are HEAVY casino players. Two of us were "blessed" with balcony cabins so small the beds couldn't be separated. I"m 6'4 and my cabin mate is 6'0. The beds were far too short and we hung over the ends the entire trip. Made for erratic sleeping. Now the balcony critique i enjoy laying with my head on the foot of the bed looking out over the ocean. Not this trip. My balcony had a window cut from the ships steele, and a solid steel wall below the cut out. The room was extremely tight. If my cabin mate was in bed I had to walk sideways to pass between his feet and the cabinets. And having a bucket of ice filled twice a day was ALWAYS appreciated. No more. That stunk of staff shortage.
Cabin was extremely "tight" and had to maneuver. The balcony with a cut out window was a slap in the face. The cabin steward was excellent.
We have always loved Palm Beach and enjoy it if on a day stop during a cruise or a vacation to Aruba.
We hired a driver to take is around the island so my Grand Nephew could see it. Thats because our port time was the wirse and the excursions that changed schedules sold out minths before we sailed. Thanks Norwegian.