I just returned from a Bermuda cruise on Aqua. The ship is visually stunning from start to finish and has become my favorite in the fleet.
The main issues were the venue sizes, especially the theater and Surfside buffet. We arrived about 40 minutes early for the Prince and Fleetwood Mac shows, but both were already full.
At the buffet, crowds were generally manageable except on the second sea day when the line stretched into the aft lift lobby. The selection and food quality were good, but the layout causes congestion since walking paths and food stations overlap. The need to walk through the buffet to reach the back of the ship is also inconvenient, though not a deal breaker.
Main dining room food was very good, and the staff were excellent, but service was slow, likely due to reduced staffing. Specialty dining, however, was well timed.
I really enjoyed the variety of smaller spaces onboard and different seating areas. I spent more time around the ship than expected, whether near Starbucks seating, Ocean Boulevard, Bullseye Bar for quiet drinks, or other lounges like Metropolitan, Whiskey Bar, and Swirl.
Some attractions like the Slidecoaster were mostly down due to repairs, but when open there was no wait. Other activities like Drop, Tee Time, and Bullseye were easy to access even on a full sailing.
Overall I enjoyed the cruise enough that I ended up purchasing two future cruise credits. I still prefer NCL and hope to eventually take a South Pacific itinerary, though previous trips I booked were cancelled due to redeployments.
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