We sailed on Royal Caribbean's Liberty of the Seas from December 15 - December 22, 2007 out of Miami, on its Western Caribbean itinerary - Haiti, Jamaica, Grand Cayman and Cozumel. 8 of us gathered to celebrate the holidays together - my husband and me, my sister and her husband and their 3 kids (ages 13 and twins 10), and our mother. It was our second cruise together, and we all had a very nice experience, finding plenty of activities and relaxation to keep each of us entertained.

The ship was full, about 3,900 passengers, including 850 children. Amazingly, there were very few times that we felt like we were in a crowd. For such a huge vessel, the ship seems designed as a series of small, intimate spaces, so it was rare for us to be in a group of more than 100 people. There must be 20 different drinking establishments, each with its own personality and atmosphere, each inviting in its own way. Lounges and gathering places are sprinkled throughout the ship, although the flow of people from place to place is smooth. Even the biggest areas where you might encounter a crowd, like the Windjammer buffet and the Platinum Theater, feel welcoming. The only times we felt herded was during tendering, which was significantly unpleasant.

Accommodations We all had cabins near each other on Deck 10, which we managed to achieve by booking our cruise together last December while still aboard our previous cruise. My husband and I got a Grand Suite, with 387 square feet of floor space and 89 square feet on the balcony - basically a double-wide cabin. The others in our party got regular inside staterooms across the hall from ours, one for 2 and one for 4 people. All the rooms were clean and comfortable, and we were well taken care of by our fantastic, hardworking stateroom attendants. The rooms seem well designed, with lots of storage built in, and the furniture and decorations are pleasant and functional. The beds are terrific - very comfortable mattresses and luxurious bedding. Read more