This was our first cruise in twenty years--it was even better than I remembered. We live in Texas so we chose to cruise out of Galveston to make everything less complicated and less expensive. I booked through an online travel agency and regretted it later when there was a major mix-up when my father had to cancel due to medical reasons.

The ship is beautiful. The openness of the Promenade added to my enjoyment. I loved the feeling of being on a real street with shops and cafes and a pub. The pools were a bit too chilly for me but I enjoyed sitting in the hot tubs. The Solarium, which is adult only, was very attractive and comfortable. The lounge chairs had a thick padding that I didn't find elsewhere. My husband and I spent at least part of every evening in the casino. I don't usually drink or eat when gambling but I think the service was a little uneven. Although smoking is allowed in Casino Royale I was rarely bothered by smoke.

Originally my husband and I had a Promenade room but since we still had my father's balcony room that is where we stayed. I loved sitting out on the balcony reading or napping on the (very comfortable) bed with the door open. Our kids enjoyed the Promenade rooms, they seemed larger with the bay window and it was fun to watch the parades from their window seat. All the rooms were very clean and well kept. Our room attendant, Mariana from Montenegro, was fantastic. She did a great job keeping our rooms clean and neat despite our weird schedules and my kids fell in love with her. She was always available and ready to help. Read more