I must be a curmudgeon because I didn't take the ship the way that the cruise critic review did. In fact, pun intended, I took the ship to ferry me to Martinique and back. I've been to most Caribbean ports far too many times to care about, but I was to Martinique only once before and that was twenty five years ago. So it was Martinique that made me make the final decision to make the final payment to go on this cruise.

I found a lot of lines at the embarkation but they all moved fast and there was always someone to tell me if I was on the wrong line. I was in Group B and I quickly did a summary walkabout of the ship,which almost gave me the thrill that I get when I buy a brand new car. I surveyed the two seventy but the two seventy café wasn't open yet. I checked out the Via, but, of course, the shops weren't open yet, and neither was Jaimies Italian for lunch. Nope for Vintages, either.

I found an exit door at the upper level of the two seventy and the cabins on the sixth deck seemed all ready for occupancy. A quick elevator ride to my cabin deck:deck twelve. Couldn't go anywhere because the doors to the passageways were closed. Waited around for awhile and a few fellow passengers seemed to be having a discussion with a hotel crew member. Not clear from then on when the cabins on the twelfth deck would be available or if the shipboard computers were broken down beyond repair. A refrain I heard many times during the eleven days:"Sorry sir but the computers are down and we are waiting until they come back up" Read more