I romanticised the idea of a cruise ship with all the entertainment, places to eat, exotic ports of call etc, and the reality was simply much different for a first time cruiser.

The reality is you are camping in the mall for five days two days before christmas. You are completely alienated from the rest of the world because there is NOTHING but water and the boat under your feet to look at which takes about an hour to see everything it has to offer. You get hustled 24/7 to buy buy buy and all this trouble is so you can step foot in a place like delapidated run down progresso or beautiful georgous cozumel for a mere 5 hour port call where the hustleing still coninues but is alot more fun if they havent already bled you dry on the boat. (14.50 for sunblock)(every drink is $10)(beach bag $20) you can even take the towels out of your room for $22 and robe $40, pictures are $16 a piece and someone is taking your picture atleast 5 times a day. So with $80 for parking, about five drinks total form my wife $50, soda card for me $35 shopping $$$$ we spent between $350 and $400 in what I will call hidden fees(no excursions).

I will say that the food was pretty good no complaints at all here. and the dining room staff was great. Anna Marie from Romania was awsome and we love her. Our room stewards were also fantastic. we spoke with them daily and they were always smiling and asking about our adventures. Now the bad part was the rest of the crew. Anytime I ordered anything other than the $10 alchaholic mixed drink every waiter I came into contact with looked horribly appauled to be in my presence. a few times they didnt even come back with the drink at all and I just went to the bar and got it on my own, where by the way the same attitude was witnessed without exception. At one point I had to go to medical due to severe dehydration which was another $50 just to get them to take my BP and tell me I needed to drink water. No problem I went up top feeling horrible and asked one of the waiters for some water. His response" how about a bucket of beer instead" no thank you just some water please I am dehydrated and feeling poorly. his response " no problem I will make sure the beer is cold" No thank you some water will be fine I can go get it myself from the bar if you would rather I did that. "no I will get it" he said. I never saw him again. and ended up just aking the luke warm bottle from my room $3.95 Read more