This was our 3rd cruise together. We were traveling with 2 other couples. The upside is that we had a great time, food was good, and entertainment was awesome. The down side is that because this ship is so big the lines were long everywhere. This fact did not take away from our vacation though. The ship can be a little confusing, and this is the first ship that we could not walk from aft to forward on the 3rd & 4th decks. RCCL does a couple of things better, like a free cocktail on embarkation, Adult area "solarium" that is tranquil and great for reading areas. However this boat is new, clean, and well decorated. The Amber palace is big and well configured, but a little gaudy.
We departed Saturday evening. The life boat drill was long and unorganized, but that is not the ships fault, it was the passengers' fault. We had to wait a long time for our fellow passengers who thought they were better than the rest of us, and their need to feel like they did not have to attend. This caused the drill to last close to 45 minutes, it should have taken 20 minutes.
Dining room food and service was great, if you can not find something good to eat there, you are never happy. The Lido deck dining buffets were a big disappointment. The breakfast food was limited in selection and the eggs tasted like they were powdered eggs. If you are used to the generous selections on a RCCL buffet you will be disappointed, our recommendation is to go to the seated breakfast. The fish and chips were great but expect long lines as there was always only one server.