This was our third cruise, but our first on NCL. Embarkation in Los Angeles took far longer than it should have, with no real reason ever given for the delay, although rumors were flying among the passengers all week. Once we finally did board, we were in our cabins within an hour or two, and our luggage was delivered without too much delay, so that we could unpack and get settled. Our balcony cabin, though small, was very clean and cheerful and had plenty of closet and drawer space for our belongings. The bathroom also was clean and had a nice shower with sliding door. Our cabin stewards were friendly and helpful, and took care of a couple of small problems we had in a timely manner.

We found the food in the main dining room and the buffet to be not the best. Since we were expecting the same quality of food that we've enjoyed on previous cruises, that was disappointing. We ate breakfast in the main dining room almost every morning, and thought that breakfast was good. The fruits were very fresh and good, and the breads were always good. Other than that, the food was very marginal most of the time. However, the service was generally excellent, and the wait staff very professional. We did not eat in any of the specialty restaurants. We did eat in the buffet a couple of times, and found it unimpressive, both for food and ambiance.

Our shore excursions were very good. We went on snorkeling trips in both Cabo San Lucas and Puerto Vallarta, and enjoyed the trips very much. The only negative was the water temperature - a brisk 70 degrees. Having snorkeled in the Caribbean on other trips, we were expecting slightly warmer water temperatures. In Mazatlan, we took the tram to the terminal, and took a trolley tour of the city. Read more