Sky - 5/21 - 5/25

[luvcruzing]

I know that some of you are anxious to read a review of the Sky. I don’t think I have much to offer, so I hesitate to call this a review, but here is my experience. I want to preface this by stating that I’ve never had a bad cruise, but the weather on this cruise was not good. I’m a sun and beach gal. I didn’t get to wear my bathing suit at all on this cruise. I did consider it on Day 2 after seeing many people at the pool, even though it was a very cloudy day. Glad I didn’t - it started to rain about 20 minutes later.

 

This was my second trip on the Sky. I also sailed on her two years ago. Day 1 and 2 are from notes I had taken. The rest are from memory. It's an older ship, but I have no complaints. My cabin was very comfortable, as was the bed. Loved the bed!

 

Day 1

 

I arrived in my cabin about one o’clock expecting to find a Freestyle Daily for day one on the bed. It wasn’t. Seems to me that has been the normal practice on my previous cruises. I went down to guest services to see if I could obtain one, but as usual there were long lines, so I went over to the wall that has slots containing Freestyle Dailies. Only German, French, and Spanish were available. So, I asked one of the staff who was directing people to where they wanted to go if she could get me one. She walked into the back room and then told me that they didn’t have any, and that I should have been given one upon boarding. So, I went out on deck 6 to see if I could get one. They didn’t have any either. I finally went back down to Guest Services and picked up a couple of the foreign language ones and between the two I was able to determine when the dining venues were open and what time the show would take place. So, be warned.

 

Received a plate of cookies and welcome note from the casino hosts (booked through CAS), but no player’s card or drink card which I was also expecting to be on the bed when I arrived.

 

Ate lunch in the MDR Crossings - my usual embarkation lunch, fried calamari and Cobb (or Caesar sometimes) salad. Very good, as usual. Nice relaxing lunch.

 

Went to the safety drill at 4:30. Then stopped at the bar to get my sail-away drink and passed the barbeque buffet lunch - hamburgers, hot dogs, corn on the cob, etc. Watched sail away from my balcony.

 

Before leaving for dinner, I left a note in my cabin to have the refrigerator unlocked. Thank you CC members for informing me that my cabin had a fridge.

 

Dinner in Crossings (lobster night). I asked for three tails (because they’re halves of small tails) and got four. I enjoyed them very much (and don’t care what anyone else thinks). Also, the potato and lime shrimp starter was excellent.

 

Went to the casino and got my player’s and drink cards. Then went to the show at 9:30. Only one show tonight. Comedian was pretty funny.

 

Back to the casino and hit a jackpot. It all went back plus by the end of the trip. Upon leaving, I had forgotten my sweater hanging on the back of my chair. One of the waiters caught up with me at the elevator to tell me. How nice of him.

 

By the way this reminds ome f something. I read on a previous thread that the Sky (in that person’s opinion) had the most unfriendly staff that he/she had ever encountered. I totally disagree. Whenever I passed a crew member, I always got a smile and some sort of greeting - without fail!

 

Midnight and time for bed. Welcome letter from the casino hosts and casino cards on bed and also a ticket for the 6:00 p.m. drawing in the casino on Day 1. Someone messed up. Fridge was unlocked.

 

Day 2

 

Freeport

 

Woke up at 7:25 after leaving breakfast request for 7:30. Called Stateroom Services at 7:45, 7:46, and 7:47 and received no answer. Called again at 7:54, finally reached someone and said my breakfast hadn’t arrived. Decided to finally use the bathroom, and sure enough at 7:55 there was a knock on the door - breakfast (coffee and juice) had arrived. The tomato juice was more like tomato slush. Put it on the balcony to thaw. Went to breakfast in Crossings - very nice, attentive waiters.

 

For several weeks I had researched the perfect beach to go to. Decided against it. Very cloudy and cool. Went ashore and walked through the shops in port - just about the same stuff in each shop. Started to rain, so went back on board. Room not clean, so I took a book to read in the Atrium. A side note - I’m the only person sitting at one of the tables in a wicker chair and would you believe that several different groups of 6 to 8 decided to stop and have long, animated conversations right there. Might have been interesting if I could understand what they were saying. So much for finding a quiet spot.

 

Went back to the room, and cabin still is not made up. So, I went out on the balcony and saw something I never got to see before (because I'm usually in port doing something) - lifeboat exercises by the crew. Wow! All I can say is that I hope they’re better at lowering the lifeboats than they are at raising them.

 

Went to dinner in Crossings again. I believe I had the steak. It was pretty good.

 

Went to the show to see the Gloria Estafan Tribute Show at 7:30. Only stayed a minute. The music was so loud, that I really couldn’t handle it.

 

Day 3

 

Nassau - rainy day again. Walked into Nassau and saw rows and rows of white uniformed people standing in the streets and the sidewalk mobbed with onlookers dressed in their fancy Sunday-go-to-meeting clothes. Walked through some of the shops - not interested in buying anything. Further along, there was a band dressed in their finest standing in the street getting ready to march. Pretty impressive. Wouldn’t you know it, I didn’t bring my camera figuring there wouldn’t be anything to take pictures of. I stopped one of the saleswomen standing in front of her store and asked her what was it all about. I thought perhaps it had something to do with the Queen’s Jubilee celebration. She told me that it was like the inauguration that we have in the States.

 

Decided to take the jitney to the casino at the Sheraton for a $1.25. The beach that I had planned on spending the day at was Junkanoo Beach, a short walk from the terminal. The jitney happened to drive right past it. Some people wrote that it was a dangerous walk. I wouldn’t hesitate to walk there if I ever get the opportunity again.

 

Spent about an hour at the casino - payouts are much worse than even the bad payouts on the ship. Raining pretty hard by now - glad I had my umbrella with me. A bus happened to be driving by just as I got to the street, and he stopped to pick me up and take me back to downtown Nassau and back to the ship. Cabin was not made up. The cabin steward happened to by in the hall, and I told her I had been gone all day and was hoping that my cabin would be cleaned by the time I got back.

 

Went up to the buffet to get a small salad and brought it back to my cabin. The cabin steward was just entering my cabin to clean it. I told her to just give me a few minutes to eat my lunch. Then she came in, and I told her that I would just sit out on the balcony until she was done. It was still raining, but the balcony stayed pretty dry.

 

Then I watched The Help on the small TV. I’m not a movie goer but had been wanting to see this movie. Glad I did. I thought it was great.

 

Went to dinner and then the show - The Action Comedy of Barry John, comedian/juggler. Watched for about a half hour. I thought the show was just okay. I was expecting a comedy show, but the show is mostly juggling.

 

Back to the casino and then to bed.

 

Day 4

 

Great Stirrup Cay, and it’s pouring and the sea is rough. They do eventually start the tender process, but why some people actually decided to go to the island is beyond me. I watched the tenders leave very, very slowly for the island, trying with great difficulty to keep the boats as steady as possible. I understand that NCL did set up the barbeque on the island. Perhaps some people didn’t care if they got wet since they had plans to go snorkeling. I don’t know. I do know that the parasailing was canceled. So, I really can’t tell you anything about the improvements that have been made on GSC. The cruise director had new sheets printed up with additional rainy day activities scheduled.

 

Went to dinner in Crossings again. I rarely eat dessert, but had decided that on my last night, I was going to splurge and have a banana split (not on the menu). No problem. I asked for a small one, and the one that came could have easily served two. I ate the whole thing, and it was delicious. Went to the show at 9:30. Only one show tonight. It was supposed to be “Elvy Rose with JC Crazy & the Bomba Band along with the action comedy of Barry John.” Well, the show started with Barry John doing his juggling act, so I left.

 

Went to the casino (where I spent most of the day). Not a good day.

 

Day 5

 

Disembaration - Woke up early (too early), went out on the balcony (first blue skies since leaving Miami on Monday) and marveled at the orderliness of the taxi staging area. These guys know what they’re doing. Went to the MDR for breakfast. Terrific waiter again. Actually, I never had a bad one. Back to the room to pack, and walked off the ship with my rolling carryon by nine. Stood in line for a cab and decided to ask the couple behind me if they were going to the airport and would like to share a cab. They agreed. Great! Saved me $13.

 

All in all, I have no complaints. Stuff happens. NCL can't control the weather, because I know that if they could, they would. The shows in the Stardust are not great, but maybe because I've seen so many good shows on previous cruises that I set the bar high. There is entertainment all over the ship. You just have to find what interests you.

[bahrain_not_dubai!]

Thank you for the review :)

 

I had a cruise on the Sky, and we had some bad whether too, but I think shes a nice ship and for three or four days, well, not bad at all!

[luvcruzing]

Bahrain??? I would love to hear your story!

[PathfinderEss]

Thanks for posting your review, sorry there was no sun.

[vivavegas]

Nice review! Thanks for posting... Hopefully you'll have better weather for your next cruise!:)

[spacepotatoes]

Thanks for sharing. I'm sorry the weather didn't cooperate. We were on the Sky last March and we loved the crew. They were extremely friendly and helpful. Glad you got to experience that as well!

[tweekster]

Sorry your weather wasn't too good.

 

We were on the SKY from May 25-28th, and the weather was great and i have to say, some of the calmest seas I have ever been on.

 

The staff again was very friendly and helpful

[Tom-n-Cheryl]

...

Then I watched The Help on the small TV.

...

 

SMALL tv is right.... WOW!

 

Sorry your weather wasn't too good.

 

We were on the SKY from May 25-28th, and the weather was great and i have to say, some of the calmest seas I have ever been on.

 

The staff again was very friendly and helpful

 

On the same sailing -- yep, weather was very nice (other than some 10 AM showers in Nassau) and the seas were smooth!!

 

Tom

[luvcruzing]

I'm jealous.