Margaritaville At Sea ISLANDER Review - NOT AS ADVERTISED!

[@CruisingKat]

Have you sailed on Margaritaville At Sea Islander yet? If so, what did you think?

[@tlewis3372]

@@CruisingKat It appears to be the dollar tree of cruising, we’re not boujee but all the reviews I’ve seen I think we will pass.

[@dayanekaulfers8412]

Yes worst cruise experience I’ve ever had! I’ll stick with royal!

[@CruisingKat]

@@dayanekaulfers8412 Sorry that you shared the same experience we had. I’m hearing a number of people saying it’s getting better and I sure hope it does for those who love this brand. I’m with you though. Currently on Utopia and it feels like home 🏠 🚢

[@ryanloucks8689]

Our room key did not work for our cruise. We went to IT and they fixed it. Much shorter line than the customer service line

[@CruisingKat]

@@ryanloucks8689 On our cruise, the IT line was just as long because WiFi wasn’t working half the time 😂. Sounds like it’s working better now!

[@MB-uy5kh]

Thank you for another great cruise ship review. I am a major fan of yours because of your honesty, sense of humor, and excellent video editing skills. It’s refreshing to have a non paid for cruise review, so you don’t have to pull punches. I recently sailed on a similar age ship - Celebrity Millennium and it had some issues, but nothing close to what you encountered on this ship. The lack of AC and toilet issues are a non-negotiable. Not that I had this cruise line / ship on my bucket list, but it’s now a hard NO. Understaffing seems to be a problem for many cruise lines after the restart, in talking to crew staff, they lost many of the experienced staff to other careers and many did not come back to working on cruise ships.

[@CruisingKat]

Thank you so much for your kind words! It really means a lot to me. I'm with you on the non-negotiable items! I'm amazed at how many comments I got on this video saying "you get what you paid for." I expected worse food and less entertainment, but I definitely expected toilets and AC to be working no matter what I pay for a cruise, lol.

[@letyrubio1220]

Great, honest review!

[@CruisingKat]

Thank you!

[@BeanieBabyTrader]

Given the reputation of the Margaritaville at Sea Paradise I am not surprised by your review. Thank you for your honest and thoughtful review and don’t worry I wasn’t planning on going on Margaritaville at Sea even before I saw your review.

[@CruisingKat]

@@BeanieBabyTrader Thank you! I was hoping a new ship may be different. But after going on it, I feel that there are other options that are still better.

[@BeanieBabyTrader]

@@CruisingKat honestly when I saw the new ship, I was hoping they were gonna make it a step up, but this is their business model.

[@kirkbrunson1967]

I am coming from NYC with my wife and almost 13 years old son. Our 7th cruise and 6th in 3 years. Can't wait!

[@CruisingKat]

@@kirkbrunson1967 Have a great cruise! 😁

[@sandrag1962]

Didn’t even need to finish the video to decide I will not be cruising with this ship, even with the good things you mentioned. The AC problem with toilets problem are a big no will not deal with. Too many other cruise lines to pick from

[@CruisingKat]

Exactly! I feel the same way. I'm surprised by how many people commented on this video saying "you get what you pay for." I feel like plumbing and AC should be included in any cruise, no matter what you pay for it. And at the end of the video, I show price comparisons to 3 other cruise lines where it cost the same to sail on other newer and larger ships.

[@wraithrateunknown]

I'm sorry you all, but you get what you pay for. I think it's fabulous that a cruise line makes cruising affordable for everyone.

[@CruisingKat]

@@wraithrateunknown But that’s the last point of the video… we paid more than we would have for a 4 day cruise on Allure of the Seas - and that’s the second largest ship class in the world (after Icon just came out), along with amazing entertainment and food options from Royal Caribbean.

[@BeanieBabyTrader]

@@wraithrateunknown I feel like they’re pricing is kind of bait and switch. The fuel surcharge that they charge if oil is over $40 a barrel. The last time oil was less than $40 a barrel (except for the pandemic) was 2002.

[@MB-uy5kh]

@@BeanieBabyTrader I did not know they did I that. I actually read the cruise contracts - goes with the territory of having been married to attorney for 30 years. The majority of cruise lines have the option in the contract to charge a fuel surcharge, but few do so, or they adjust the cruise price to build it into the fare. How much extra is it per day / cruise?

[@BeanieBabyTrader]

@@MB-uy5kh on the paradise at sea West Palm Beach Freeport Bahamas cruise it’s $15 a day per person

[@pw-sz6ds]

I also want to say, your videos are so good! Your humor is actually funny, not over the top and very relevant to what you are talking about. The information is very good with a touch of originality so that it does not sound like the other 50 million cruise vlogs I listen to😂. I look forward to seeing your subscriber number grow as more people begin to discovery your channel.

[@CruisingKat]

@@pw-sz6ds Thank you so much for such a nice comment!! It means a lot. I’m still new to all this and leaning so feedback really helps 😁

[@flowers9933]

We cruised on July 7th and the issues you stated must have been fixed. Our room was way too Cool, we had to turn temp down. We were on the 6th floor

[@CruisingKat]

@@flowers9933 Thank you for letting me know! This ship has a lot of potential so I’m glad to hear the issues are getting fixed!

[@CruiseAM-t7i]

@@CruisingKat They truly have fixed a lot in a short time. For a 24 year old ship it is Crazy Nice. The vibe was very Chilled. We will go on her again.

[@SilverHonda0767]

Thank you for being honest upfront and disclaiming that your cruise is not paid for by Margaritaville at seas. Other channels are paid for Margaritaville at sea and are not trustworthy.

[@CruisingKat]

@@SilverHonda0767 Absolutely! I want to be very objective in my reviews 😊

[@SilverHonda0767]

@@CruisingKat thank you 🙏

[@KevintheTerrible]

I just got off of this ship and I think they have fixed a lot of the problems. I never saw a long line at guest services and everything seemed to be fairly well staffed. The buffet was lacking options but, I am not a fan of buffets. The burger bar and taco bar were awesome though and Fins was great. In the mornings, the burger bar and taco bar were omelet and breakfast burrito stations. Our AC in our room wasn't all that great and we did also have a toilet problem that was fixed in an hour or two. I was disappointed to find no draft beer because they weren't working at the time. No Landshark on draft....Ugh.... I agree that they didn't have many shows but, I'm more of a music person anyway. Music was good most of the time. I did like the themed bars and the drinks were good at most places....Not all places. The green pools looked gross. I get that they were supposed to look like a Margarita but, I couldn't get in them...Mostly because the pools were packed all of the time. We had fun and would recommend it if you like music and buffets aren't that big of a deal for you.

[@CruisingKat]

@@KevintheTerrible Thank you so much for a detailed update on the ship! I’m so glad to hear that they are fixing some of her things. Hope the toilet issue will be fixed completely soon. That’s the biggest deal breaker for me 😂. I’m glad you enjoyed your cruise!

[@KevintheTerrible]

@@CruisingKat Another thing that I forgot to point out: On the first night at Fins, the server asked about allergies. My wife can't eat garlic. The let her pick her meal from the following night's menu and cooked her something without garlic. They also noted it in the system for our room and they asked every night about that. Definitely unusual treatment for us.

[@deznerds7607]

Those darn burgers and fries were good as hell haha

[@CruisingKat]

Yes! The burgers made it all a bit better 😁

[@jackredmond6023]

I love the clips you put into the video! 😂 Thank you for the review.

[@CruisingKat]

@@jackredmond6023 Thank you so much! I always enjoy them in other people’s videos so I figured I’d add them to mine to make it a little more fun. 😁 I didn’t realize how long it would take to find the perfect clip for each situation. 🤣

[@jackredmond6023]

@@CruisingKat I’m sure it is time consuming, but a really great touch! Thanks again.

[@CruisingKat]

@@jackredmond6023 Thank you for the feedback. Since this is all new to me, it really helps to know things like this.

[@afroheaven.7462]

Good afternoon everyone, what she didn't tell you is that the date she gave the inaugural ceiling but she didn't give you the dates they sold out which was June 14th 2024 weather for plenty people have taken the cruise ship and most of the things have been fixed and service has been a little bit better and food has been upgraded a little bit remember one person experience may not be your experience so it will be good to just make the best out of your trip dtay well best thank you 🙏🏽

[@CruisingKat]

@@afroheaven.7462 I am definitely hoping that this ship will continue improving because I think it has great potential, especially for people who love Margaritaville brand. I’ve been watching other reviews of the cruise since then, and I see that some of the things got better while others are still a problem. With that said, I think it’s very important to understand what you are getting for the amount of money that you are paying because for people who are simply looking for a great deal, there are other options that may work better for them. Ultimately, I feel that the more options we have as cruisers, the better so that everybody can choose what’s going to be the best cruise for them. 😁

[@afroheaven.7462]

@@CruisingKat Good afternoon blessings, we just returned from our trip it was amazing I everything was too good for me. The the Carter to me others it was unimaginable from the CEO captain, customer service support, housekeeping. Children centers, teachers, activities and all staff and guests. I tried to hide me and my child on the ship thinking the security wouldn't find us. That how they treated me and let me know is about me and my daughter to be pleased with anything I desire 😉 I tell you know lie just as people. I had no problem with water, air conditioner, food and drinks. Back to me hiding what I didn't know is the security this company has they came in like amy soldiers I did not see this coming I pleased with them crying 😭 it's the boat magic it was 🦜 talking to me and telling me to stay and I did just that. I saluted the soldiers and my little one did too and was marching off the ship they were laughing at us and told us just come back when I can that being said I did not want or need anything it was given with grace I can write a book on here another day and time. I decided to go without electricity for the rest of the year just to save funds to return to Margaritaville 🦜 Uncle Jimmy cruise ship. Not even my family satisfied me like this cruise ship company done for me and my daughter everyday and everywhere they saw me without they asked about her the love her and other children parents were stopping me as if they knew me because their children knew my daughter in their daycare schools and told me how beautiful my daughter is and their children played with her and had a blast. The children program and activities was on another level to the point when retired home I wrote the cruise line to thank them for everything no one and I mean no one is providing the service they are extending. As I said on other phatforms I have a feeling that people from other cruise lines will start marging to this line not just for the price but the first class service you will receive which is more than enough other cruise lines you would have to be wealthy, rich or have a lot of money 💰 no else can compete with them I am waiting to see. It a day it felt like I had the whole ship to ourselves I was giving orders for where other lines say Uncle Jimmy cruise said yes all things are possible as I desire 😉 I replied really for real all from woman to Men told me to make myself comfortable give them a minute half a minute later they deliver my eyes was not telling no lie. I couldn't talk I stayed quiet sit back and honor them with greatfullness. The spot that was found for me in that hot sun because I had a serious headache so badly I cried she was too much that day. They entertain her and told me to rest be easy Madam. Love, respect, appreciation with a small blessing that was not even ask for I made my business to bless them 14 people that was their for me around the clock don't matter where I was they was second away. I don't lie am not gaining anything maybe it is just me I know what I experience sufficient pleasure like real family should behave because they care and love you much. I am do apologize for being long here I need to express how great 😃👍🏽💯 it all was for me. Shows were good 😊 thank you may you stay bless🙏🏿

[@sandrag1962]

I would not take a chance with the AC problem alone. If I couldn’t sleep comfortable

[@ship_facts]

I'm sailing on her this Friday! This was an amazing review/video. Keep up the great work!

[@CruisingKat]

@@ship_facts , Hey, Preston, thank you so much! I love your channel. Hopefully you’ll have a great cruise and they have fixed a lot of these things! 😁

[@joanclare9788]

Getting on when you get off! . Have fun

[@richarddeason1845]

In fairness royal Caribbean is different class of cruise line When you have new cruise line It takes time to grow and learn from mistakes

[@CruisingKat]

@@richarddeason1845 I agree. I love the Margaritaville brand. As far as quality goes, they really messed up with their first ship, Paradise, but I really hope that they will continue to improve with this new ship. More choices for cruisers is a good thing 😁

[@MattJohno2]

I actually saw this ship when it was being refurbished from Costa Atlantica when I visited Belfast! It was being refitted by Harland and Wolff!

[@CruisingKat]

That's amazing! I'd love to visit a ship yard one day. The engineering behind these ships is mind blowing.

[@joanclare9788]

Going on Tuesday for 5 nights. I live in Tampa so easy access. This will be my 25th cruise. I have zero expectations, so no disappointment! Lol.

[@CruisingKat]

@@joanclare9788 That’s a perfect attitude! Hopefully they have fixed some of these things by now. Enjoy your cruise!

[@andreaharris4683]

How was it

[@joanclare9788]

@@andreaharris4683 honestly other than going alongside the storm it was amazing

[@andreaharris4683]

@joanclare9788 the experiences are all over the place. Ill be a 2nd time cruiser next May when I go, so unless it's outright awful, I'm sure I'll enjoy it.

[@CruisingKat]

@@andreaharris4683 I agree! I think, newer cruisers will like it a lot more than people who have cruised a lot. Also, by next May, I’m sure this cruise will get a lot better. They’ll have a lot more practice under their belt. I think they just weren’t ready when they started sailing in June.

[@themrs0827]

Yep! The inaugural sailing had a lot of issues. It was still a decent cruise. It’ll take a few months to get everything settled.

[@CruisingKat]

@@themrs0827 I agree 😁. It should be a lot better cruise in a few months

[@damentomassi8353]

Thank you for sharing your experiences. It’s highly unlikely you got food poisoning within an hour after eating. Food poisoning takes 8-48 hours to “kick in”, as the bacteria in your gut need time to multiply.

[@CruisingKat]

You're probably right. "Food poisoning" may be a wrong term. Whatever we ate basically made us both sick at the same time. I figured that it's highly unlikely that a virus (like noro) would hit us at the same time. Thankfully, we got over it by next morning.

[@lanamorris6536]

We leave on 8/27..hopefully most of these problems will be fixed by then. Thank you for the video!

[@CruisingKat]

@@lanamorris6536 You have another month so hopefully things will go a lot smoother for you. Have a great cruise!

[@TWSmith42]

Great review. I like that you provided examples. I might still do this cruise if the price is right.

[@CruisingKat]

@@TWSmith42 Thank you so much! I think the ship just wasn’t ready yet, but it’s a great brand and I hope they will fix these things to make it a better cruise.

[@johndefalque5061]

It's all too bad because the ship really does look great. Just a licensed ferry. Should the ship be scrapped?

[@CruisingKat]

It definitely looks great! I don’t think they should scrap it. All problems we had appear fixable. Except for the crazy loud balcony door we had. Hopefully, they’ll keep working on it to bring it up to the standards of the Margaritaville brand.

[@johndefalque5061]

@@CruisingKat Canada sucks from coast to coast to coast in Jan Feb. I'm sure if nothing else I would enjoy the weather. I was happy with my weekend in Saguenay but the journey really sucked. There is 100km of lush forest and wilderness I didn't get to see.

[@johndefalque5061]

@@CruisingKat Rebrand it as the Sloop John B! Give it a beach Boys vibe!

[@FireandWaterTravel]

the pool was filled with water from Tampa Bay.. it was NOT supposed to look like a margarita.. LOL!

[@CruisingKat]

@@FireandWaterTravel Oh, that’s scary then! 😳

[@jimmyrants4342]

Not to be mean or anything, but I think I would rather step on a nail than take that particular cruise. Thanks for your great video.

[@CruisingKat]

@@jimmyrants4342 😂😂😂 Glad you enjoyed it!

[@pw-sz6ds]

I would be bothered. I want no issues on my cruise. Knock on wood I’ve been cruising since 2008 and have not had any minor or major issues🙌🏼 Thank you for the heads up. Although the chances of me ever going on a Margaritaville cruise ship is the same as my chance of winning a jackpot lottery ticket😂

[@CruisingKat]

@@pw-sz6ds Thank you for the comment. I’ve watched a lot of glowing reviews of this ship and I kept wondering, was I on the same cruise? 😂 I do hope they fix these issues because the ship has potential. I would definitely wait before sailing on it though.

[@pw-sz6ds]

@@CruisingKatyou are right! I watched many videos saying it was great. I didn’t believe them😂. I believe you 😂

[@motaz1975]

why keep comparing a mega line like RCI to a small budget friendly up start cruise line? i mean your only paying like 5 times as much to sail on RCI so i would hope it would be better in most respects! also just an fyi, i have sailed carnival and rci many times and ALWAYS find cocktails varying in taste and quality all around the ships.

[@CruisingKat]

Very good question! This is actually a very important point that I added as my last point in this video. At minute 12:44, you can see where I priced several 4-day Bahamas cruises on Margaritaville At Sea, Royal Caribbean, Celebrity and MSC. You can cruise on RCCL's Independence or Allure of the Seas (the second largest ship class in the world) cheaper than on Islander. So they are marketing it as a budget cruise line but you can find a lot better ships that offer a lot more for the same or less price. If it was, in fact, a lot cheaper, it would be a different story. With that said, I also mention in the video, that for some people who absolutely want a Margaritaville brand experience, this cruise is great. But for people who are simply looking for the best deal, I would encourage them to do their homework and compare the pricing vs. what they get on a cruise. For me, it was not a cheap cruise.

[@SilverHonda0767]

No tier points status like Royal Caribbean, toilets, and Wi-Fi not working, luke warm foods. I think I’ll wait another year or so before I spend any money on margarita at sea.

[@jess.van7]

This is such an amazing review! Keep up the good work!

[@CruisingKat]

@@jess.van7 Thank you so much! I’m glad you enjoyed it 😁

[@beronicad.2580]

Sounds like you're advertising royal carribean

[@CruisingKat]

Not advertising them but we do love them. None of my videos are sponsored. We’ve cruised on most mainstream cruise lines and we, personally, like Royal the best. However that doesn’t mean that we don’t try out cruise lines. We have trips planned on MSC and Norwegian next. My goal is to give objective comparisons so people can choose what’s best for them. Even though we did not like our Margaritaville cruise, even in the video, I mentioned that there are several groups of people that this cruise will be good for. Thank you for watching! 😊

[@beronicad.2580]

@CruisingKat to your point, I did research best and worst cruise lines. Thank you for your feedback

[@monsG165]

This is a great review! The actual things that would annoy me and impress me when travelling or on a cruise. Can’t believe this isn’t getting much more views!

[@CruisingKat]

@@monsG165 Thank you so much! I’m so glad it’s helpful 😁

[@wengeance8962]

thanks for keeping it real

[@CruisingKat]

@@wengeance8962 Absolutely!

[@ShellyBridges-z8w]

Just got home a week ago from this ship and was VERY DISAPPOINTED IN MOST ASPECTS of the ship. Will never again book this ship,from rooms to so many things not working limited eating places and paid top notch for it all and then when getting check finding out tips were not included,could only eat in a specialty restaurant 1 nite and the food was good in the Steakhouse,the AC was not working on one of the hottest and humid days and the waitstaff was very unfriendly. I could go on & on bit just would Never Recommend this ship to anyone ,It's good for first time families I suppose but not if you are used to Great Experiences on other so much better ships.

[@CruisingKat]

@@ShellyBridges-z8w Thank you so much for sharing your experience! Many people comment that my experience was not good because it was an inaugural cruise and that things are fixed now. I think it’s important for people to know that there are still issues happening on the ship. Sorry you had all that trouble. I agree that if it’s somebody’s first cruise, they may enjoy it. For people who are used to cruising on nicer ships, this one may be a big disappointment, like it was for you and me.

[@langejdenny]

What if it was free?

[@CruisingKat]

@@langejdenny Yeah, I’d go if it was free. Who needs toilets when you get a free cruise! 🤣

[@christopheradkins9724]

We are leaving in mid August. I hope some of the mechanical issues are resolved by then. That toilet seat looked nasty BTW. Thanks for the notes.

[@CruisingKat]

@@christopheradkins9724 , I think the ship just wasn’t ready to sail yet. There is still some time before you sail. Hope you have a great cruise!

[@mtmadigan82]

Unless they somehow conjured the ghost of jimmy buffet to play a few times a day, I'd never step foot on there😂

[@CruisingKat]

@@mtmadigan82 Good one!! Thank you 😊

[@scottblish766]

If you are expecting Holland America quality for Margaritaville prices, you are setting yourself up for disappointment.

[@CruisingKat]

@@scottblish766 It’s not really a cruise line level comparison. At the end of the video pointed out several larger and nicer ships that I could cruise on for less money than Margaritaville. That’s the part that the bugs me the most. They are marketing themselves as the “budget cruise line” but when you compare actual prices, there are many other choices from different cruise lines that offer more for the same amount or possibly even less. So the whole point of the video is just to make sure to look at all available options.

[@jamestosches8553]

Awesome review thank you!

[@CruisingKat]

@@jamestosches8553 Thank you so much!

[@5881ciscokid]

Thanks! I was about to book 😅

[@CruisingKat]

@@5881ciscokid Sure!

[@davidtavakoli5858]

You are so good! Don't stop doing what you're doing - you will excel! And no, you are not overreacting. You are fair and unbiased. To me, this ship looks miserable - I would never consider sailing on it. It's very interesting that I watched another review of this ship by a couple who had their cruise gifted to them and they kept making excuses for everything. Although they kept stating that their review was unbiased, it obviously was not - I had seen so many of their other reviews and it was not the same. Your review was truly honest - thank you for that! ❤

[@CruisingKat]

@@davidtavakoli5858 Thank you so much for the kind words and the encouragement! 😁 I was actually nervous to put out this video because there are so many glowing reviews of this ship so I thought people would think I’m just complaining or being negative. But I figured I need to show some of these things because this cruise was not cheap by any means (like it is on Margaritaville Paradise) and people need to get all sides of the story to make a good decision about it.

[@dandychiggins6802]

Good review and editing

[@CruisingKat]

@@dandychiggins6802 Thank you so much!

[@Jxcksn.on.controller]

I must’ve been on the ship on the same time as you isnt that pretty cool. I was also on deck 6 and our toilet wasn’t working properly.

[@CruisingKat]

@@Jxcksn.on.controller Well, look on the bright side… Now we have a badge “I survived nonworking toilets on a ship.” 🤣

[@monkeyb1820]

overall, this looks lousy. I really hate a hot dank (wet muggy) room. I think the concept of 'margaritaville at sea' is great, a natural type of idea. It would have worked better had Carnival bought the concept and maybe applied it to some of their ships. We do not live in FL and would never venture to FL to take MAS.

[@CruisingKat]

@@monkeyb1820 You’re right. An established cruise line would’ve probably done a lot better with the Margaritaville brand concept (which I love by the way). This cruise line’s inexperience is hurting their product quality. We’ll give them a few years. Hopefully they’ll learn and get better because the concept is very appealing.

[@johndefalque5061]

Wow-discomfort! No AC, plumbing problems, wind noise, locked out of suite-that's roughing it. Jimmy Buffet monotony and getting sick. I hear the Islander is far better than the Paradise. I wouldn't want to go on this cruise! Games roon amd library still empty? Go to a thrift store and fill those shelves FFS!

[@CruisingKat]

@@johndefalque5061 Yes, it was the most unpleasant cruise we’ve been on. After hearing horrors about Paradise, we didn’t even think about going on that ship. This one is definitely better but it’s still not something I would sail again given all other available choices at the same price range.

[@johndefalque5061]

@@CruisingKat I'm going to assume it was as disappointing as my bus ride to and from Chicoutimi (Saguenay) from Quebec City. I could not enjoy the journey both ways as the windows were muddy. I couldn't see any thing of Jacques Cartier National Park.

[@CruisingKat]

Yes, that would definitely be disappointing.

[@UberManTampa]

You get what you pay for

[@CruisingKat]

Well, we paid more than we could have on Allure of the Seas, which an Oasis class ship and is the second largest ship in the world. I added some sample pricing for 4 different ships sailing this fall (as of the time of filming) and the Islander was the same price as all these other larger ships.

[@elliotcox3357]

The wind thru the door would drive me crazy.

[@CruisingKat]

@@elliotcox3357 Yes, it drove me crazy. I ended up downloading a brown noise sound that I could play the whole night in addition to using earplugs just to get some sleep 😴

[@jaysonbortz3420]

For $40 a day you cant really expect much.

[@CruisingKat]

It was closer to $100/person per day when this ship started sailing. In the video, I priced several other cruises on larger ships that were all similar in pricing but had more to offer. I just checked the prices and I see that they did drop them for early next year. There are some interiors at $50 per day per person in January. However, I would still want toilets and air conditioning to work at that price. Hopefully it’s getting fixed up as they continue sailing.

[@UberManTampa]

Ship is 30 years old

[@CruisingKat]

True. They actually did a great job with refurbishing it cosmetically. It’s a beautiful ship right now. It’s the functional things that we had issues with.

[@4444mrjason]

It’s 5 o’clock somewhere

[@CruisingKat]

@@4444mrjason yes, it is!! 😁

[@calebgaddi1428]

Wow! I stopped when you said your review can be influenced by the cruise paying you. Yikes!!

[@CruisingKat]

@@calebgaddi1428 Well, mine isn’t because I pay for all my cruises so I can speak freely. But for many big influencers, travel industry wines and dines them and the law of reciprocity works subconsciously. I’ve seen so many cases when good objective video creators would suddenly “go soft” because It’s hard for them to be objective when someone gives them an all expenses paid vacation. Also, many times, they get treated differently so when someone stays in a complementary suite and gets concierge service and included specialty restaurants, their experience is going to be a lot better and they don’t see what the rest of passengers have to deal with. So, when I watch cruise reviews from other channels, I do take into account whether it was a cruise-sponsored trip or a trip that they paid for and reviewed afterwards.

[@alexkim9917]

Its looks complain reviewed

[@CruisingKat]

Sorry, not sure what you meant 😊

[@jasonburkhardt8092]

Not a budget cruise then why is my cruise 1578.00 for 2 rooms jan 5 till jan 10. Thats 8 people for 1578.00 sounds like a budget cruise to me

[@CruisingKat]

I agree, that's a good price per person. The point I was trying to make is that there are many other cruises in the same price range and gave a screenshot comparison of a few. So when people say not to expect much because it's a budget cruise line, I just wanted to point out that you *may* find better deals on larger/newer ships that offer more things to do. Now, if you are going mainly because it's the Margaritaville brand, then it's a great choice no matter the price. But if you're choosing it only because they market themselves as the cheap cruise, I would say double check other options too before booking just to make sure it's the best deal out there. Enjoy your cruise! ☺️

[@maryharbrecht1802]

This cruise is awful

[@CruisingKat]

That was definitely our experience 🙁

[@VinceRoche-s4c]

Hah the middle pool was green and we just hung out at the adult pool. Overall the cruise was fun. Some food questionable and we ordered a pizza that never came but they off course charged us. I’d say the entertainment was decent the first night but going to comedy show second night was mood changing. The guy was funny at first then picked on this lady that increasenily felt self conscious and uncomfortable. As if that wasn’t enough, he then went into a rant about politics and how everyone must vote for Kamala Harris. People left, he attacked them. Guy yelled out stop talking about politics and he insulted him.he lost majority of the arena with everyone talking about what was he even thinking doing all of what really was a self serving pos. People stared at him afterwards when he surfaced but he seems like a narcissist and confrontational. Overall just speaking with those around me they wouldn’t want to attend his show again. Not family friendly at all.

[@CruisingKat]

@@VinceRoche-s4c Wow, that’s interesting that they would have such a divisive comedian on a vacation cruise that’s supposed to be lighthearted. There are plenty of raunchy comedians on cruise ships, but usually they’re not nearly as bad as what you saw.

[@吳秀珍-r9z]

Next time don't forget the Pepto

[@CruisingKat]

Yes, absolutely!! 😂

[@AlexS-ei7kp]

Helll no lol if that was a balcony room imagine how shitty the interior rooms must be. People talk smack about carnival but I’ve never seen one of their ships this many issues. They need to Stick to overpriced drinks at universal Citywalk lol…

[@CruisingKat]

@@AlexS-ei7kp The funny thing is that I decided to get a balcony room because I’ve heard so many horror stories about poop smell in cabins on the first ship. So I figured, if it stinks, I can at least open the balcony door and get some fresh air. Little did I know, this balcony door will keep me awake the whole cruise 🤣

[@rzz9594]

Scrap it . Old worn out pee yellow toilet seats ? 😮

[@CruisingKat]

@@rzz9594 Yes, that was a surprise 😂

[@rzz9594]

@@CruisingKat Thank for your reply. I watch your videos and dons vacation cruise videos. Maybe next year 2025 inside alaska passage to Ketchikan . Any suggestions?

[@CruisingKat]

There are so many great choices for that itinerary next year that it's hard to suggest something specific without knowing your preferences. You have Quantum and Serenade of the Seas from Royal (each providing a very different experience), several Princess ships that are all nice and elegant (and Princess does great Alaskan cruises), a couple of Celebrity ships if you want that more "adult" classier atmosphere, and a couple of Norwegian ships with their Freestyle cruising (if you like to have more flexibility for your sailing). Personally, those would be my first preference, but there are also cruises by Carnival, Holland America and Disney doing that itinerary next summer. Also, for Alaska, I would definitely start by looking at all the ports and decide what you really want to see. For Caribbean cruises, many ports are similar. I mean, you usually have a tropical island so you get to experience similar things - breach, snorkeling, dolphins, zip lining, local food tours, etc. For Alaska, there is a lot more variation in what you get to see in ports and the places you're sailing by. So I would start by looking at the ports first and then find a cruise line and a ship that goes to those ports that still fits within your preferences as far as cruise line, size, age, amenities, etc. Our personal preference is for newer larger ships for Caribbean vacations so we can have more activities. However, most Alaskan cruises use smaller ships due to port sizes. We sailed on Royal Caribbean Explorer of the Seas on our last Alaskan cruise and loved it. But, again, it's all about the itinerary vs. the ship on those cruses. If you would like any help planning this vacation, feel free to contact me via CruiseAndTravelNetwork.com. Enjoy planning!

[@aynrandfan7454]

Can’t be worse than Costa lol

[@CruisingKat]

@@aynrandfan7454 Ha-ha, haven’t been on Costa so I can’t compare. Heard some bad stories though… 😂

[@tlewis3372]

Went on several Costa never had an issue, but it’s been over 15 years too

[@CruisingKat]

@@tlewis3372 Glad to hear that! I think Costa currently ranks as one of the worst cruise lines. But I’m sure there are still many people that enjoy it or they wouldn’t be sailing on it.

[@tlewis3372]

@@CruisingKat I’m not surprised, it was very European 15 years ago and food wasn’t the best. When we had kids at home we used them because kids sailed free. Last 30 cruises all NCL, very different from Costa

[@CruisingKat]

@@tlewis3372 I like Norwegian too 😁. We mostly cruise on Royal because we get some really good perks with our diamond status but all these new NCL ships are very tempting so we’ll be adding them to our cruises going forward.