Booked this cruise as a way to bring family together and *hopefully* stage a successful proposal to my fiancé.

While embarkation was challenging, as it took almost two hours to go from curb to ship, when I'm more accustomed to a 30 minute process, I cannot think of a single complaint about this 7 night voyage.

Where to begin? Sailing out of Baltimore is great. For new cruisers, as we had 4 traveling in our group, you're all but guaranteed an easy first night as the ship transits the Chesapeake Bay. We began our first night with some pre-dinner drinks at the Alchemy Bar. Up to that point, and since we returned, I have yet to visit a more incredible drinking establishment. The liquor was ultra-premium, the mixologists sublime, and the quality of the beverages incomparable. While Alchemy Bar has a handsome menu, we opted, at the encouragement of the mixologists themselves, to forego ordering off the menu and offer our our favorite flavors/liquors/aromas/etc. and let them work their magic. Let me tell you, I never once had an even "eh" drink. Every cocktail was better than the last. The mixologists were not only talented, but extremely entertaining and engaging. Within an hour, we were all on a first name basis, sharing stories as if we were old friends. A member of our group who has traveled the world and frequents Las Vegas for work admitted that the Alchemy Bar was better than any establishment he's been to. Read more