Embarkation "Arrive after 1 p.m. for faster embarkation." What a joke! We arrived at 1:15 and couldn't believe the lines! After standing in line for about 30 minutes (and barely moving), someone came around and asked, "Are there any Captain's Circle Members?" My husband and I jumped out of line and into the Priority Embarkation line. We were on board less than 10 minutes later. An hour and a half later I ran into the people we were standing in the original line with...they had just embarked! Once onboard we were impressed with the condition of the ship. We cruised on the Grand 7 years ago for our honeymoon and she did not age one bit. The maintenance they do on the ship on a daily basis is incredible. Our cabin was immaculate (the bed was wonderful!) and the ship was in top shape. We had an "obstructed view" cabin (E618). I looked at the deck plans before booking a chose a cabin in between life boats. With the exception of a couple of wires, our view was perfect!

Sunday - Sea Day Cold, cold, cold! I figured Saturday (sail away) would be chilly in Texas but thought that by Sunday the temps would have warmed up. We were certainly able to keep busy on the ship but there was no lounging around in the sun to be done on Sunday. Formal night was nice...interesting to note that really the only people wearing tuxedos were the waiters! Suits are MUCH more common.

Monday - Costa Maya We booked a tour with David and Ivan to the Chacchoben Ruins. We met David and Eliu in the Tourist Center and took an hour long bus ride to the ruins. The ruins were very interesting and involved a lot of walking. Eliu was a great tour guide who provided a lot of information. I enjoyed it, but didn't love the big group we were in. I thought that by booking outside of the Princess excursions we'd have a smaller experience, but it was still an entire coach bus full of people. I generally don't enjoy being part of a gaggle of tourists, but all in all it was a good way to see the ruins. Read more