DW and I just got off the Destiny. I read the conversations the past few weeks about the ship, and I am happy to report that we had no propulsion problems, no strange smells, and thoroughly enjoyed ourselves. We also experienced quite a range of weather and sea conditions. Our itinerary was Nassau, Half Moon Cay, and Grand Turk.

We traveled with another couple who were first-timers. We are in our mid-50s and live in the high plains (our house sits at 7400 feet in elevation), so a cruise is quite different for us. For one thing, we discovered the lower elevation means it's easy to consume an extra DOD without ill effects, so we did.

We flew into Miami the day before the cruise and stayed at the Holiday Inn Port of Miami because of its convenience. It is close to the port and across the street from the Bayside Market, which has restaurants, music, and shops. We were there on Halloween, which was a treat (no pun intended). Bayside Market was packed with kids and adults dressed for Halloween. It was an entertaining way to start the trip. Read more