My family and I are first time cruisers and we were a little worried about what the cruise would be like after reading all the reviews on this website and others. A little background about the reviewer. I am a physician in San Diego and my family and I are very well travelled. While we have the means to travel first class, which we do quite often, we also travel frugally at the same time. Our vacations range from camping in the desert with our toyhauler (dirtbikes) to staying in various hotels from Motel 6 to four/five star hotels around the world. In other words, I am a discriminating traveller but definitely not stuck up.

Anyway, we loved our cruise!!!! We stayed in San Juan one night at the Courtyard by Marriott San Juan Isla Verde. Pretty decent hotel on the beach with a casino. The bar and disco were happening the night we got there. We got in late and had dinner at their nice restaurant on the beach. A little pricey, but there other restaurants were closed at 10:30 pm. The hotel was 285.00 for the night.

We checked out at 11:30 am and got to the embarkation terminal at about noon. Check in was a breeze. We were on the ship at about 1:30 pm. We head to the Lido deck and had their buffet lunch. More on food later. The condition of the ship is very good. Of course it is an older ship and has a Vegas-like interior, but they do take good care of the ship and are always painting and doing maintenance. I had trepidation about our room before getting on the boat. My kids are 16 and 14. The room was excellent. We all were very comfortable. There was a queen bed, with tons of storage underneath were all the suitcases were stowed. One pull down bed that came out of the ceiling and a fold out couch. We left these out the whole time. VERY comfortable beds!!! Very clean room. A little rust at the corner of the shower....who CARES!!!! We loved our room and balcony (remember I have stayed in the finest hotels on the planet). Very quiet. Our steward was Francis, nice guy and took care of us. Read more