We had been looking for a Panama Canal transit cruise for some time and this cruise seemed like a good fit with the various ports of call and ending in Seattle (it was actually a 17 day cruise not a 14 day). We had sailed on NCL many years ago on the Majesty for what was also an unusual itinerary - it was 14 day repositioning cruise up east coast to Boston. We loved the itinerary at the time and our only complaint was the tiny size of the inside cabin we booked - very tiny. Surely, we felt, that issue has been taken care of on the newer ships..... Unfortunately that was not the case. Our mid ship inside on Deck 9 was the second smallest cabin I've ever sailed in during approximately 30 cruises.

Embarkation in Miami was not the best we've ever experienced - in fact I'd put it in bottom tier. Checking in was not bad but then they herded everyone up the escalator to what could only be described as a mad house. They jammed 1,000 plus people into a space that would comfortably accommodate 500. Add to the press of humanity all their carryon bags they were toting and you and imagine the chaos. When we went up the escalator we were handed a boarding number (23). They had not yet even begun boarding and there were 23 groups! Eventually, they would go to (I believe) 30 groups and then start over again at 1. Once they started boarding it still went very slow - not sure why but I do remember our group was halted 3 times on our walk to the enclosed walkway - each time it was to let wheelchair guest go ahead of us and waited until they completed the walk before we were allowed to continue. After standing for more than an hour and tripping over bags every time we moved around, I have to admit I found it irritating to have someone who had just arrived and was seated skip over the boarding numbers and jump to the front of the line. At the risk of sounding shallow - I really think they should be gathered to a special area and escorted all at once.

Other than the small size of the cabin and the embarkation process, we found very little to complain about. We loved the stern outside eating area, the bar staff on Deck 6, the variety of "quiet" places we could sneak off to, the size of the library, the flexibility to eat where and when we wanted to. We never stood in line at either the Indigo or the Summer Palace for more than a couple minutes. My husband enjoyed visiting the Observation Room on Deck 11. We don't get involved in trivia and bingo but there was plenty available for those who do. The cruise director's staff put a lot of effort into coming up with activities for all that wanted them - Wii sports, Origami, Napkin folding, cake decorating and bread making, dance lessons, game shows, etc. etc. etc. Read more