We booked this cruise in June 2013 because I thought February break would be a good time to get away from the cold and get some extra sun--I was right about that! We were worried the weather might foul our plans but we made it to Florida just fine. We flew in to Miami, spent the night at a Comfort Inn and Suites near the airport then took the TriRail to Fort Launderdale. The train was $5.00/person, clean and almost empty on the weekend. If you have time and not too much luggage, I would recommend it. From the train station, we took a taxi to the Port. The taxi driver dropped us right near the departure building (in an area I think was actually reserved for buses). There was a line to board but it was moving constantly and before we knew it, we were on the Royal Princess! I thought the staff from the departure agents to the crew on board were very friendly and efficient. My other recent cruise experience was on the Oceania Regatta and I thought the crew on the Royal were just as friendly and accommodating as on the Regatta. We thought the food in the anytime dining room, Symphony, got better every night. I only ordered off the "always available" menu the first night, after that I tried one of the specials each night and I was very pleased. The only night I didn't eat in the dining room was when Horizons was having a Brazilian churrascaria night! I enjoyed the lamb and sausages the best. The turkey gyro meat was also very tasty, but there were too many choices to try everything. Curried shrimp salad from the International Cafe was delicious. We were quite happy with the meals. I appreciated the attention to hygiene in Horizons even though it must be difficult for the crew to ask us to wash our hands when all we want to do is attack the buffet. Eventually most people complied without being reminded. At the end of the cruise, no one was stationed near the hand wash areas any more--we were allowed to share our germs again on our way home.

We also enjoyed the Movies Under the Stars on several nights, the magician and the grand finale performance in the Princess Theatre.--One small comment, the stairs leading down from the upper part of the theatre change to a different height and color scheme on the last step. We stumbled there and I saw other people make a misstep because of it as well. Changing the lighting or the carpet on that small area might be a good safety investment. There was so much to do! The entertainment staff was mostly Australian = very funny. I enjoyed the game shows. I think the Newlywed Game was probably the most popular, if you want to participate or watch you should get to the venue early because it was packed! I borrowed a book I had wanted to read from the ship's library. It had lots of recent publications as well as checkers and chess games. My kids loved Shockwaves and Remix. They preferred dining by the pool: hot dogs, pizza and burgers! My older son ordered breakfast in bed every morning but the rest of us were eager to get up and explore. I love how you can tailor the vacation to what you enjoy.

This was such a relaxing, fun vacation. We're looking forward to another cruise next winter!