My wife and I thought we would take a cruise to celebrate our 25th wedding anniversary but thought that the price would completely dissuade us. As an internet aficionado, I found a site with last minute bargains that fit my budget, and upon checking airline prices from Kamloops to San Diego, it became apparent that we would be able to afford to take a cruise. Upon consultation with our agent, we decided upon a 7 day trip down the Mexican Riviera with the Dawn Princess.

We arrived at the cruise terminal around 11:00 and we were onboard at around noon. Smooth as silk with short lineups and fast moving. We were taken straight to the Lido deck to start eating, but I wanted to check out our stateroom and drop off some of our carry on stuff. We were delighted to find that our stateroom -- the least expensive of the lot -- was completely adequate for our needs, and best of all, since it was an inside stateroom, it was dark whenever we turned out the lights. This was a great asset since we tended to stay up and dance till there was no more music, and then have a snack afterwards. Waking up with the sun would have been a hassle for us.

The food was fantastic. We took the "anytime" dining option. Our first night we dined in the Florentine Room and our waiter was Jose Urbano, and his assistant was Fritz. These men took such good care of us that I asked the maitre d' to seat us at their table every night and we were accommodated for every night but one. Jose's and Fritz' service never waned, and in fact improved as they recognized us on subsequent nights. Read more