I guess it is my fault that I did not keep up with the changes in cruising options since I have not cruised in 5 years. Prior to this cruise on the Breakaway I cruised at least 10 prior times with Carnival, Royal Caribbean, and Princess. I was used to the set time for dining and even enjoyed meeting other couples at dinner. Also loved how we bonded with our waiter and one of my favorite events of the whole cruise was the gala event where all the dining staff entertained us at the final dinner --------none of that happened on this cruise.
So part of our gratuity went to people I had not met or worse to people who were seemed disinterested in us in the Manhattan dining room.
I also had a hard time that the big artistic feature of the ship was a simple elongated light fixture that added some color for a bit of drama at night. Everything fell short of my expectations except that the shows were about equivalent to what I have experienced in the past. I knew that they had eliminated lobster night unless you paid extra, but the dining menu at the Manhattan dining room was limited and only saw creme brulee offered once compared to other cruises where I found it every night.
Nice enough for me. Seemed a bit retro like the cars of the 60's with the slick wood-grained paneling on cabinets. No drawers----just shelves and a closet.