The good news is that we just finished a fabulous cruise on the Vision of the Seas. The bad news is that she's about to be replaced by Mariner (aka Monster of the Seas). My husband and I are Diamond members. This was our 3rd time to do this cruise in three years. We prefer the smaller ships and will sail the same itinerary several times in order to avoid the big ones. Ports don't matter to us that much. We want sea days on a ship that is easy to navigate and caters to people who want a more relaxed, intimate atmosphere. We flew into LAX a day early and stayed at the Crowne Plaza in San Pedro. We were given a large corner suite with a view to die for (thanks, Crowne Plaza!). We were able to see our ship come into port the morning of our departure. A great way to start the day. We took the free shuttle to the pier and waited briefly in the Priority Lounge. Embarkation was a breeze and we were on the ship by 11:45. Our cabin was a large interior on deck 7 - a convenient location, close to the pool, Windjammer upstairs and to the theater and casino downstairs. We rarely took elevators which was a blessing compared to the long waits on Mariner. Movies were shown in the theater in the afternoons and we enjoyed our time there. The weather was perfect all 7 days for sunning at the pool or at the beach if in port. We didn't go to too many of the evening shows since we've seen them many times. The ventriloquist, however, was very good. Production shows not so much. They tried hard, but they are what you'd expect. My husband and I love to gamble and spent time in the casino. The staff there was absolutely wonderful. They introduced themselves the first night and called us by name after that. Even when we lost we won because of their friendliness. We've been to the ports many times and only ventured off the ship in Puerto Vallarta. This time, after reading about the Krystal Hotel on Cruise Critic, we booked a couple's massage at their spa. The massages were done in a villa instead of in a tent near the beach because it was quite warm that day and there is a high rise being built next door that contributes a lot of noise. After the massage we spent time at the hotel pool. It was glorious! And the $5 margaritas weren't bad, either! My husband and I do not eat in the dining room because we don't want to dress up, we can't get a table for two, and we do not want to be forced to dine at a set time (Please, RCI, give us an option here!!). That left room service and Windjammer. Room service was quick and professional. Windjammer staff couldn't have been more gracious. The food there was average at best and pretty much the same thing for the entire week. But I don't go on an RCI cruise for the food. Disembarkation was delayed for 2 hours due to dense fog at the pier. We had a late flight home so decided to book a Los Angeles tour. Because we'd booked the tour we were among the first off the ship. The tour was fun - Beverly Hills, Grauman's Chinese Theater, and lunch at the Farmer's Market. Our tour guide, Alan, was funny and full of information. All in all, it was one of the best cruises we've been on. We'd do it again in a heartbeat, but not on Mariner or any of the other megaships - too many people crammed onto one ship for a week. Yuk!!!