With the Paradise being the last built of the Fantasy class ships, and having had taken two cruises on the Fantasy itself previously, we knew that the ship was likely going to be somewhat dated and also knew what to likely anticipate. Call that lowered expectations if you will, but we found this cruise to be very satisfactory for the price paid.

Embarkation: The Port of Tampa is, in my opinion, the best place for embarkation we have experienced, having also utilized Port Canaveral and Miami for previous cruises. The ease of arriving early and having great lodging options either close to the airport or the Port is very convenient. We chose the Embassy Suites Downtown next to the Convention Center, but the Marriott it faces would also be a great option. The streetcars make it easy to explore Ybor City, and you can easily walk to Channelside, or even the mile-or-so to the cruise terminal if need be. The embarkation process itself was expeditious and efficient. Cruising from Tampa will definitely be a consideration for the selection of future voyages.

Cabins: Exactly what was expected in terms of cabin layout and amenities, with the exception of delivery of ice to our daughter's cabin. They stayed in a cabin adjacent to us, and for whatever reason, we got ice from the steward and they did not. Unfortunately, they did not bring this to my wife's nor my attention until the last day of the cruise. Not sure what the outage was here, but I certainly would have found out, had we have been aware of this. Read more