Embarkation:About a 45 minute wait for us.  The building was VERY hot and humid but once we finally got up front we asked and the cruise rep said RCI was notified practically last minute that their regular embarking "building" was occupied (??) and unfortunately the A/C unit had konked out in this building.  They tried the best they could to facilitate everyone quickly.Stateroom/Location:We were in 3120 (outside stateroom) which I picked on purpose (about 8 staterooms away from stairs/elevators so it was far enough not to hear any late night noise, and easy to get to for checking out the other decks).Stateroom was very clean and the beds were ULTRA comfy (hard to get up in the morning!) The bathroom had tons of storage shelves/ample medicine chest.  Shower head was the hand/held optional kind, and it was GREAT that you could position the shower head higher or lower on its stationary "pole" (if you will).  It wasn't until the second morning that I realized I could push the shower head away from me while soaping up since it was a small stall in the first place.  (Yes, it is true, the semi-circular cloth shower curtain kept trying to envelope my body !)Stateroom Steward:I took the advice of another reviewer and paid the cabin steward almost right away in order to facilitate excellent service.  He was kind and replied "That really isn't necessary".  Still, each morning when I shook his hand, I indiscreetly would place $10 in his palm.  (It is my first trip out of town AND my first cruise so I told him "My first vacation in three years, so I am sharing the wealth!"Welcome Aboard Party:Fantastic!  You are having so much fun you don't realize you have started drifting off to sea!If you venture up to the "covered" pool bar, be sure you stop by and tell Patsy hello.  She was the greatest!She would often say, when I would go by for a cocktail, "Talk to me baby!"If you indulge in alcoholic beverages, be careful as the cost DOES add up quickly.  I had such a great time, that I got a bit carried away with the tip I would give above their mandatory 15%.  Smile. 

Dining:We had already signed up 4 months ago for the 6pm seating, unaware of the MTD option.  We decided just to enjoy the Windjammer 3 nights out of the 4, visiting the Main Dining Room only once.  My Fair Lady was a beautiful space.  I ordered the steak medium, not knowing how ultra thin it was, so it was slightly chewy.  Looking back now, I wish I had ordered the "special offering steak provided to your table from Chops Restaurant" for $15.  Oh well.The Windjammer's food was good, very good selection EXCEPT for the veggies.  I am mainly a meat/potatoes person, however I try and consume a good amount of veggies at least every other day, and I found the veggie selection slim at the buffet (salad was plentiful, but who wants just salad with your entree every night?)  Tons of carbs aboard.Show:Went to one of the shows.  It was very good.  Forgot the actual name of it, but it boasted song titles from movies/TV over the years, such as Shaft, Men In Black, etc.Casino:I don't gamble (although it is tempting).  My cabin-mate played roulette and lost her $20 (yeah I know, not a big spender) in about 5 minutes.  smile.  It was a nice set up though.Boleros:Great latin-based band.  Very good music.Viking Crown Lounge:Great 70s/80s music early on to get "some" people moving, then after DJ played "Don't Stop Believin'" by Journey (which, at the time I thought was odd to mix with dance music) he changed the tunes to more house/hip hop (my time to exit!) smile again.  But, for the two hours I was there, it was a blast.  BEWARE:  This lounge is ultra smokey (even during the daytime when we "stumbled" upon it).  I am a smoker, but they should have some kind of ventilation in there, or be able to open a window or two "someplace".  You had to grin and bear it.Disembarkation:We waited in stateroom as our steward said it would be at least 10 am before our "number" was called.  At about 9:50 we went to Boleros where we were assigned to go (different locations on ship for different sections of cabins).After awhile we were told to begin leaving ship.  We noticed a long line ahead of us on Deck 5 so we simply sat and waited (opposite from guest relations) for the line to thin out (we could see Deck 4 and the line from where we were sitting on 5).  By the time we got down to Deck 4 to exit, it took about 10 minutes to wait, so that was the best part of disembarking.All In All:I waited 4 months, and read about 100 reviews, before finally going on this trip.  I wanted to thank everyone who "got me headed in the right direction as far as their input but returning this favor to the rest of you "first timers".  I cannot WAIT to go on another RCI cruise.

GO SEE PATSY AND TELL HER HI FOR ME !!!  Bon Voyage!