Cruising last January meant missing all of the NFL playoffs and the BCS Championship Game....tough times for a football fan. What a treat to have NCL stream all the playoff games as well as the BCS big game! These were available both in the sports bar on big screen and in our cabins. When others say they can't, NCL delivered!

We booked this cruise for two reasons: Mayan ruins and an offer we couldn't refuse from one of the online agencies we use. It was our first inside cabin after having others from porthole to penthouse. We thought a Caribbean cruise in January for seven days was a good trial as we'd taken a similar itinerary five years ago and knew we wouldn't be missing much in the way of scenery and would be out in the ports for four of the days. We had no problem being inside and actually slept better than ever before. Our cabin was tinier than we'd anticipated, having seen insides on other ships. Storage was very limited (one closet instead of the two we're used to) and no couch. Part of the storage that was there was taken up with the extra bedding and supplies for the bunk bed we weren't using. After the first night, we had the steward separate the beds. This created walking space in the middle of the room and made the cabin much more comfortable to use.

Our ship's excursions to the ruins did not disappoint. In Belize, we chose to go to Lamarai. This was an excellent choice. Our Mayan guide, Gilbert, was extremely knowledgeable. It's somewhat of a trek to get there, including a beautiful boat ride of over an hour. On the way, the boat stopped for us to get crocodiles, iguanas, and bats. We saw many birds as well. Read more