I was traveling with a large group, 9 in all, including 2 teens. We had the best times of our lives. We sailed out of Galveston and the cruise recommends getting there before 2:30 so we were there by noon. We parked at Lighhouse and we had no problems catching a shuttlebus. The ship was late coming into port due to fog so we did have to wait a few hours before we could board. Once on, I was very impressed with the ship. I read reviews that said the decor was awful or there was a strong sewer smell, but I didn't encounter any of that. There was no smell and the decor was fine. My husband and I shared a queen bed in our stateroom and we didn't have windows but did have a porthole. The size wasn't a problem and it wasn't clausterphobic at all. If you keep the room neat, having 2 or 3 people share a room will be no big deal. There was plenty to do on board everyday, so boredom is not a factor. I strongly recommend bringing 2 way radios for communication. Using cell phones as a way to communicate is not recommended as most companies will charge you an outlandish fee. Our group brought 6 and we were able to keep in contact with everyone. I spoke to lots of families that ended up wasting so much time looking for each other every day. Save the time and spend the money on them. You won't be sorry. The service staff was exceptional. Everyone was so friendly and professional.

The food is the best part. I go to alot of restaurants, but usually nothing fancy. So it was nice to have fancy dinners and 3 course meals every night. Since the food is already pre-paid, you can also try out stuff on the menu that you normally won't pay for, like escargo, veal or lobster (if you're not a big seafood fan like me). If you're more of a buffet person, just go up to the Lido deck for all your meals. They'll have just what you're looking for.

Don't book your excursion thru the ship. My husband wanted to swim with the dolphins, but the ship was asking $250 for that excursion. We paid $10 for a cab ride and went directly to Chakanuab Park in Cozumel and saved over $100 and he got one on one time with the dolphins. I went snokeling at the park and only paid $30 for an all day pass. Half my group went to Paradise Beach in Cozumel and they had a lot of fun swimming, snorkeling and playing on the giant water playground. I recommend Paradise Beach for all around more beach fun, but Chakanuab Park if you want to swim with dolphins. We even squeezed in a quick trip to downtown Cozumel. Lots of vendors hawking their stuff, but if you just say no thanks, they leave you alone. Then is was just another $10 cab ride back to the pier at the end of the day. Read more