My last cruise on RCL was an 11-day cruise on December, 2012 in the Southern Caribbean. First off, I traveled alone for the first time since I booked this cruise on the spur of the moment. My DW did not wish to accompany me on such short notice..

I drove to Port Canavaral from North Carolina, spending the night in Ormand Beach, Fl. I used off-site parking that whisked me to the terminal quickly. Aboard ship by 11:10 AM because I'm Emerald class of C&A. The ship, though aging gracefully, was spotless. I was immediately impressed by the genuine warm greetings of all the staff. Lunch in the Windjammer was the same fare as in the past. A buffett was set up on the pool deck for two lunches, including grilling steaks over real glowing briquets. Wind was a problem, blowing plates, etc. across the deck. Even deck chairs were blown about one afternoon. The Solarium, on the othe hand, was peaceful. The one intrusion by children was quickly squelched by staff. I should mention that, although there were many children, they were well bahaved.

i saw a portion of the Welcome Aboard Show in the theater. Did enjoy the listing of nationalities and numbers of each, including newly-weds [always good for a chuckle]. I attended Haynes Magic show as well. Presentation was excellent though many of the tricks presented were ones I had seen more than once. Read more