As a first-time cruiser, I really didn't know what to expect, other than lots of food. As it turns out, I was very happy with the overall experience. My husband and I were traveling in a group of eleven adults and two children, and had arranged for six balcony cabins in a row. Our cabin steward unlocked the doors between balconies right away, and so were able to enjoy down time with as many of the group as were available.

Embarkation was a fairly smooth process, with much shorter lines than we had expected. We were able to board, find our cabins, get a feel for the layout of the ship, and have a relaxing lunch before the safety drill. Shortly afterward, we returned to our cabins to find our luggage had been delivered. This was typical of the efficiency we experienced throughout the cruise. All our needs and requests were satisfied quickly and completely.

We found the food to be very good overall, with the exception of the eggs at breakfast, which were inconsistent. Obviously powdered eggs, they had a strange consistency on several mornings; eventually, I chose to wait for an omelet instead (real eggs taste better every time!). The buffet always had plenty of options, but even if we didn't find something appealing there, the food at the grill and the deli was also good. We were very pleased with the dinner selections, and had no complaints about them at all. Service in the dining room was excellent, as we had been told to expect. We did not try the Mongolian Wok or the Tandoor restaurant. Read more