This was our first cruise experience and I was a bit anxious about some long-held perceptions of cruises. Would there be a lot of intrusive activity? Would we feel like one of thousands on a floating hotel? Would we really get a sense of where we were traveling to? Fortunately, several people recommended HA, and we couldn't have been more satisfied. Everything was just as we'd heard.

Excellent service, super-friendly staff, wonderful accommodations, great meals, and a schedule that allowed us plenty of time to explore the ports of call and take shore excursions. Now, of course, we're primed to take another cruise. What would we do differently? I took my travel agent's suggestion and upgraded to a veranda suite. It was very nice, but frankly, a regular veranda room would have done just as well. In the suite we could hear the chairs scraping on the Lido deck above us during the day, a minor annoyance.

The extras we got with the suite -- use of the Neptune Lounge and concierge, special receptions, preferred check-in and disembarkation -- all were great but not really worth the extra cost (to us). A somewhat pleasant surprise was the connections we made with other guests and dining companions. Everyone was warm and friendly, even though we were among the younger of the passengers (and we're in our 50s!). All in all, a fantastic experience, and one we would love to repeat!