This cruise line, or at least this ship, appears to have an identity issue. They position themselves as a 4 star cruise line but deliver a 2 star experience. To begin with, the ship is huge! This isn't really a problem except the ship does not have enough restaurants/services to support the overwhelming number of people on board. There was one primary breakfast/lunch buffet restaurant and it was madness during breakfast and lunch. It was rare to find a table if you chose to eat at peak times. Furthermore, the food was not good, which is often a redeeming quality on many cruises.

Going to the gym and trying to find a chair by the pool were also bad experiences. The gym was nice but twice there was a line of 1 - 2 people behind each machine, waiting for their turn. We couldn't use a machine for more than 30 minutes. There is a running track on the top deck but there were people and chairs everywhere. If you're used to jumping hurdles during your workout you may not mind the obstacles but that's not my thing. My husband got up at 7am to reserve chairs by the pool...kind of a pain when you're on vacation. There were 2 pools outside and 1 indoor pool. The outdoor pools were the size of my pool at home (and I don't have a huge pool). They were entirely too small for the ship! If we wanted a cocktail, we had to stand at the bar for a minimum of 20 minutes each time we went up. Be warned, tipping them doesn't give you priority. Believe me, we tried...a lot! There were servers by the pool but that took even more time than going to the bar.

Another thing I found odd is prior to the trip, all of the literature included information about dress code for dinner each night. I think most people expect to dress up for dinner on a cruise ship and this was no exception. The dress code was clearly stated. On the "formal" night, there was a woman in a bathing suit and cover up sitting next to us. We also saw someone wearing a tuxedo t-shirt and jeans. These are certainly not things that would negatively effect my experience but I did see it as another example of the inconsistencies on this ship. Read more