This was our second cruise with close friends and we had a blast the last time so we looked forward to this cruise alot, especially since Cruisin4jewels was constantly telling us how much better RCL was. After the trip, I will reserve judgment until i try a larger ship. I think the smaller size of this ship definitely affected our enjoyment. The kids program however was phenomenal and our 8 year old triplets and even our 15 year old daughter had a great time. I feel that when the weather is cold, and the outdoor pool is out of the question, that the smaller ships limit your options. That being said, this was a once in a lifetime trip and we had a great time (except that I was ill (not seasick) from day one and Prince Rupert was terrible). The scenery, especially in Tracy Arms, made the trip memorable. BRING EXTRA MEMORY FOR YOUR CAMERAS. Also, the temperature was normally pretty cold for us SOuth Floridians so I am glad we brought Parkas (I would highly recommend the Storobags to shrink wrap them).

Embarkation was easy. We got to Seattle a couple of days early and explored. We arrived at the Pier at 11:00 and were aboard in 30 minutes. The only reason it took that long is they had screwed up the Seapass account (recurring theme). There wasn't much to do the first day until after dinner, but it gave us a chance to explore. We were disappointed to be told on the first day that all the spa treatments were booked solid except during the maid dining seating, which did not work for us. Keep trying though as they do have cancellations and we were able to get massages if we wanted. We had a Junior Suite and an inside cabin (7 of us). The Jr. Suite did not really impress me much as other than a tub (not really used) and a little wider balcony, it did not seem like you got much for your extra money and I really see no reason why the gratuity was higher. Our friends had the next door suite so communication was easy (too easy given one particular photo that I mistakenly got of Cruisin's hubbie - YUCK). Our stateroom attendant was excellent and the kids really looked forward to the towel animals every night.

Dinner every night was nice and fun. We had a loud group and our waiter seemed to enjoy us. Great service from all. The head waiter was very involved and i felt good about giving him a gratuity at the end. Food was sometimes very good and sometimes average. Kids had alot to choose from and found food they liked. Waiter always brought lots of desserts to try, even if not ordered. Read more