We sailed on the 5 day IOS cruise that left on Feb. 27. Overall we enjoyed ourselves. We stayed at the Renaissance Cruiseport the night before so getting to the ship was simple. Embarkation was easy as well and by 11:30 AM we were in board, exploring the ship and eating at the Windjammer buffet.

In all, the food was good and service both in the dining room and Windjammer's was excellent. On board we frequented the gym, including a nutrition seminar, the pool area, the Casino and the lounges (especially Schooner's where music trivia was a blast). We attended five shows and liked the ice skating and comedian shows the best. We had a balcony room and most of all we liked spending time on the balcony reading, watching the ocean and especially enjoying morning coffee. We found the cabin to be spacious enough, well organized and very functional. Needless to say, service in the cabin was outstanding.

As for excursions, our best day was in Cozumel where rented a car on our own and explored the beaches, finally arriving at a cliffside restaurant called Coconuts for lunch. It was a spectacular day. Our first port was Belize where we opted for a ship excursion, the one to the Altun Ha ruins. Our guide was fine, informative and occasionally funny and we learned a lot about current day Belize and Mayan culture. The bus ride though was long and not especially scenic. Read more