First of all, I traveled with my 2 daughters, ages 14 and 15, and we stayed in the Haven in a 2 bd/2 bath suite. This was a pretty big upgrade but worth every penny. This ship is big and crowded, so having a separate pool, sunning area, and restaurant made it seem much less crazy. You also get priority seating at most shows and can get into restaurants a little easier. We also had ultimate dining plan and ate at specialty restaurants every night.

We boarded at Rome which was a little weird because 70% of the cruisers get on in Barcelona. Most of the introductory talks/parties/etc happen after Barcelona (several days after being on the ship for us). It does make getting on/getting off easy though!!

Room was awesome. Small balcony but very nice to sit out there esp in the evening. Beds were hard but comfortable. Do not have the bizarre bathroom arrangement in the Haven so had privacy. Shower with glass wall was very cool. Our room steward was amazing and very friendly. Saw him all the time. The butler was great (especially Richard). Finally the concierge was also able to really help out a lot. In fact, almost all the staff we dealt with were very nice and friendly. The ship seemed more like a hotel than a cruise ship because not a lot of outside access. Most restaurants had good views of outside though. Read more