When myself and Husband and two friends had booked our cruise with the fantastic "Getaway" price, but remember this was non - refundable - I think some disgruntled cruisers may forget or not know this - so you do take a risk. we were concerned about the negative reviews, I now wonder if they were all on a different ship to us. we had wonderfully clean, bright cabins with a balcony, champagne, chocolates, flowers and of course the gown and slippers and excellent toiletries The White Company. Pleasant and helpful cabin girl, who could not do enough and remarkably never forgot our names. We, all four, must have been guests from heaven for her, not messy, untidy or demanding, respectful of her culture and human sacrifice of being away from her family for many months and years, we noted many cabins with doors open and "jumble sales" going on inside!! Unless you are with children or a smoker, the main pools are to be avoided like the plague. Noisy, with loud music. Hence the need for your own balcony, if this is not your idea of a good time, for some it is, I just wish they were on a different cruise.  That is my only complaint, except the lack of sunbeds, when at sea.

The food was really good, our waiters charming and chatty, and friendly when on other duties during the daytime and you saw them, two lovely boys. Breakfast in the main restaurant is a very nice start to the day, lunch or high tea in the self service area after a day on shore "perfect" The evening entertainment was more than adequate for our different tastes, we particularly enjoyed the Kenny Rogers impersonator and the Tamarind Bar, the shows in the theatre were most enjoyable. Finally walking around the deck late in the evening with the warm Caribbean breeze "wonderful " The islands are a delight, take the tours waiting at the cruise terminal, much cheaper and they are the people who need the money. In all a wonderful, cruise, which will be repeated. I have cruised before with Royal Caribbean and much prefer P&O.

Barbados airport was a complete nightmare, no organization, our plane The Dreamliner, on the way out was a perfect flight, plenty of leg room, most comfortable seats I have ever had on a flight. In Barbados it was grounded for some reason, so, our boarding passes issued on board the ship (good idea) where all incorrect and had to be re issued with different seats, even when, as we had, booked and paid for seatin g of our choice. This was not broadcast over the tanoy, no one walked the queue explaining the problem and re issuing - nightmare. The cabin crew were dreadful, rude, unhelpful, we are still waiting for coffee/tea with our breakfast. They were missing for the first 1 1/2 hours of the flight. But the cruise readers, was fabulous.