We chose this cruise because it sailed from Galveston, TX and didn't require an additional airfare expense. We had been to Galveston before so we didn't spend much time there, just went straight to the cruise port. My husband dropped me and our 2 teens off with the luggage. A cruise representative with a baggage cart took our bags right away for check-in. My husband went to park at a nearby lot and met us back at the port. We got there early (about 10:45am) and embarkation was really quick. Our really only negative was finding our luggage was wet and had been sitting in and sprayed with water at some point before getting delivered to our room. (There was no rain, so I'm assuming they got wet while part of the ship was being cleaned/sprayed with water.) We had to hang up a ton of clothes to dry them out. Plus, an evening dress bled on 3 other dresses in the hanging bag because it was wet about 4 inches up into the bag. Didn't set a great tone for the start of our vacation but we made the best of it. The ship was beautiful, very clean and well laid out. Most of the dining was on one end of the ship and most of the entertainment on the other. Although, there were other snack options and bar/lounges all around the ship. Considering the large size of the ship (approx 4000+staff), the ship really didn't seem crowded at all. There were specific times (some popular shows, ice skating, events in the promenade area, and contests at the pool) that were crowded. Cabins, bathroom and shower are small but the space is well used. There are cubbies behind mirrors, space under the bed, quite a bit of space in the closet for clothes. We used suitcases under the bed for folded clothes and dirty clothes storage. Also, a hanging shoe organizer with hooks fits great on the outside of the bathroom door to hold everything (sunscreen, cell phones, extra bathroom essentials, etc).

Dining was very good. Listen to the waitstaff, ask for recommendations. They really helped us make the most of our dining selections. Loved that I could order 2 appetizers (salad and soup, etc) and we ordered extra entrees and desserts to share many times. Our dining waitstaff (Cristiany and Ruben) were amazing. The warm chocolate molten cake with vanilla ice-cream was exceptional. Plus, we loved lobster night and many other options. Breakfast in the dining room was a more limited menu. Toward the end of the week, we opted for the buffet in the Windjammer just because the dining options were getting a little old. Buffet options were good. I'm not a big buffet person (too many hands, etc) but it serves it's purpose well and there are many people that eat there every meal. Johnny Rockets burgers were very good for a fee ($6.95 per person - includes burger, fries, onion rings and soda....malts are extra). This was a nice treat for lunch one day!

We took advantage of all the shows in the Theatre as well as the ice show. They were all entertaining and well done. Loved the rock band, Private Stock! Laughed way too hard at the Adult Comedian and Quest game. Saturday Night Fever was really good. Even the Disco night, Newlywed Game, Trivia contests and karaoke were a ton of fun! Service was really good everywhere we went. Staff were always helpful and available to assist when needed. Read more