BOARDING - was a breeze! There was a separate area for suite embarkation but everyone was going through rapidly.We were on board in less than 15 minutes. We were told to go up to the Windows Cafe for our lunch-the cafe was nicely appointed and the food enjoyable. When we arrived at our suite-we found it very inviting,although not as large as our suite on the Noordam.

SAILING- We went up to the pool which had very comfortable chaises but the hot sun on the dark blue cushions just held the heat-definitely a towel required to sit on. Although the pool is too small for the size of the ship, it still is extremely refreshing. Late afternoon we met up with our butler. He turned out to be a wonderful asset to the line but we felt he was overworked in his position of room attendant plus butler. Throughout our trip on the Journey, we found the staff excellent and the restaurants to be top draw. However, we do feel there are some kinks in the running of the hotel part. On our entrance to our suite,our phone had a message for an earlier passenger and for 7 days nobody could fix it. The shower did leak because there wasn't enough enclosure. A shower curtain or an extension of the panel is needed.On our last full day of sailing with a full ship-passengers didn't have enough teak chaises and the older ones had been roped up so people couldn't find chaises. We helped untie some and move them for some of the passengers but no staff was around to assist.A glaring error was made by the Purser -unbelievable that our bill was placed on our door for anyone to read. It was placed that way for our mid-trip bill and our final bill. It wasn't even put in an envelope! In all my times cruising this was a first.Evidently-they feel that your bill can be placed outside your door for anyone to read. It wasn't even in an envelope-in all my cruising I have never seen it done that way! FINAL THOUGHTS- My experience on the Journey with the crew from the delightful Captain to the Maitre' D to the staff in general was excellent. I do believe that with time and maybe more experience by the Hotel Manager and Purser that this will be a ship definitely worth going on. I know I will most likely be on it again and look forward to an wonderful time.