This was the largest ship and most expensive cruise we've taken. Last year we cruised on the Rhapsody of the Seas which seemed like a smaller clone (2000 passengers versus 3000). The dining, cabin and service was exceptional.

To accommodate 1000 more passengers, obviously the dining and theater areas were larger, but I felt that some of the public areas were actually smaller. The solarium and the pool area were much too small to accommodate so many more passengers and the entertainment area amid ship was definitely smaller with no grand staircase and a much smaller dance floor which translates to fewer chairs and tables.

Entertainment was also poorer IMO. The two comedians were very funny, but everything else was decidedly poorer. The crew's entertainment troupe were pretty bad and after their first "performance" we avoided any others. The entertainment director was a cross between a forty year old Phyllis Diller and Cyndi Lauper and her assistants had to try much too hard to be enthusiastic. The director, Sue I believe, thought she was talented enough to put on her own half hour show, she wasn't. We anticipated this and sat at the back of the theater so as not to disturb others when we left early. Read more