We never liked the crowds on larger cruise ships and have been using smaller vessels. The passenger count on our last five cruises ranged from 14 to 480. We heard that you didn't get the crowded feeling on the Solstice class ships and thought we'd give it a try. We sailed the Solstice Western Caribbean in a Sky Suite on deck 12. The cabin was 300 sq. ft. with plenty of storage space; at least ten large drawers, a desk drawer, two clothing cabinets that included shelves. The bathroom was well appointed including a rain shower head in a full bathtub. There was a simple hand held shower too. We prefer a handheld with multiple features that provide a more intense spray. Overall we'd rate the room a five. The only time we had a crowded feeling was right after the lifeboat drill when everyone was returning to their cabins. The pool area and the adults only solarium were not completely full on sea days. The theater always had seats and the piano bars were not full. The entertainment was excellent. The production numbers from the resident cast were clearly of Broadway quality and the "Cirque de Soleil" tribute was as good as the original. Lindsay Hamilton was outstanding, even though under the weather. The illusionist needed a smaller venue. It is hard to see card tricks past the first few rows in a 1400 seat auditorium. There was an enrichment program which normally we would enjoy, but the speakers did not capture our imagination. We ate in the buffet restaurant for breakfast and dinner. There were plenty of serving stations with a variety of items. There was never much of a line at any of them. The stir fry, Indian and Mexican stations had excellent tasty food that was served at the right temperature. We never made it to the hamburger grill on deck 15. We had select (open) seating in the main dining room option. We were able to wander in at any time we wanted and had options to sit at a table for two or larger. We found the food in the main dining room to be good, but not great. Service was good but sometimes we felt rushed. The wait staff were attentive, just the courses came one right after the other. That may be the price for doing open seating; turn the tables quickly. We ate in Murano, the continental specialty restaurant one night. The food a service was markedly better than the main dining room.

We did not take any of the ship's tours and opted for local companies. We took Captain Crosby's catamaran to Stingray City on Grand Cayman. Very pleasant day. From Puerto de Maya we took Native Choice to the Chaccoban Mayan ruins. Went out in a small van and the guide gave us some history. He stayed with us for a tour of the ruins, so we had a small group. The groups were combined for a bus ride back to the ship. In Roatan we took a Victor Bodden private car tour for two. You could do whatever you wanted for the day. Roatan struck us as being like the British Virgins were in the 80s. Beautiful scenery and beaches and not very crowded. We were the only ship in but I gather in season there may be four or five boats. Not sure how the island will stand up under than onslaught. Bodden seems to be an agent for private contract drivers. Our driver Keijla was very nice and gave a good tour. The internet satellite connection was about the slowest I've had in a long time. Embarkation and disembarkation was a breeze at every port.