I've sailed on a number of cruise lines/ships, including several prior voyages with NCL. The 6/17/12 voyage to Bermuda was (without a doubt) one of the best cruise experiences I ever had. Getting on and off the ship was a breeze, perhaps in part because I handled my own luggage. And although my cabin was small (inside, midship), it worked for me since I was traveling solo, and picked a location that was not above or below a public room(s). I found the staff on the ship (with only one exception, after I requested a shrimp cocktail in the Aqua restaurant) to be top-notch. I received it, but the server was a bit surly. By and large, the cruise staff and management seemed to care about passenger's on-board happiness, and just about everyone was very pleasant and good in their respective roles.

The food (I ate mostly in the dining rooms, and infrequently at the buffets) was quite good too, and the variety on the menus was fine. I found the soups and deserts especially good, too. The dining room service was also very efficient, and the staff were anywhere from pleasant to very, very nice. The evening entertainment was quite good, in all of the venues. The ship itself, while not top-of-the-line, was nice and seemed clean. And since the weather was almost perfect (sunny and 70s and 80s pretty much every day, it was hard not to have a good time.

The only somewhat negative comments I have pertain to NCL cut-backs. Specifically, in the past, passengers would have more than two no-charge main restaurants to eat in, and certain menu items (such as the aforementioned shrimp cocktail, filet mignon, and cherries jubilee, to name a few) were standard. And bread used to put on the table at lunch. So it appears that changes have been made for the sake of profits, which is somewhat understandable, but a bit disappointing. Of course, for a first time cruiser, the aforementioned changes would not be notices. Final grade: A-.