We flew into LAX on Saturday and stayed at Renaissance Monturi hotel which is close to airport on club level - small room but nice hotel. Free shuttle to hotel. Misleading add on their website when we booked (now it's gone) about a free shuttle to Manhattan Beach but for a few $$ there is a trolley. Took shuttle and spent evening on beach and pier - bought cheese and wine at a store nearby and watched sunset in the haze of the fires. Quite a bit of ash and haze from the fires. On Sunday, took shuttle back to airport and took Prime Time shuttle ($16 pp)to San Pedro Pier. Longest embarkation we've ever had but still not bad - we got there around 1:20 and on ship by 2. We'd already signed up for wine and dine and our excursions from home, so went to check out our dinner table (1st seating) and then unpacked. This was our first time ever in an inside cabin and it was fine - enough room and actually loved the total dark-great for sleeping. We never did meet our cabin steward, (another cruise first) but he or she did a fine job of keeping ice bucket stocked and room in perfect order. Went to the sail away party then off to dinner to meet our other 8 dinner guests. Our headwaiter Pavel was great, but he had very big tables and had a hard time keeping up some nights. Nothing that changed our good time though. Great company at dinner. Food was good but not grand - I don't expect grand as I'm an RCI groupie but do know their menu by now.First day at sea was my 52nd birthday and I just soaked up the sun and 84 degrees on our way to Cabo. Had our meet and mingle Hi Rich and Sandy if you're reading! Good turnout and nice treats provided. Next day was Cabo and my favorite port. Took a snorkel and beach catamaran tour while husband took dive trip (funny aside - nice couple on catamaran asked me if I was cruising alone - I said "no, my husband dives". She seemed so concerned for me and they both kind of hung around me through the snorkel and beach and made sure they kept me company (DH and I always split up so he can dive, so I'm quite ok on my own). I was asked late in the excursion how my husband "died" and once I clarified, they must have been a bit embarrassed because after that they never even looked my way - LOL).My tour was not with the ship and I never feared I would not get back on time and paid less than half ship prices. Next day was Mazatlan. DH and I took private tour to city of Copola and visited different craftsman on the way (brickmaker, bakery, pottery and stone tiles) This was arranged through Mazatlan Frank who was not available but set us up with an associate, Tomato (yes, you read correctly), and made sure he met us personally before we took off. Ate at a great restaurant in Copola, then returned for shopping in Golden Zone and watched the cliff divers and had tour of the town and local church with a drive throughout the ritzy neighborhoods as well. The downside to this port is the horrible begging by little children at virtually every stop, even the restaurant. P.V. I did not see as I took off on a 7 hour tour for snorkeling, Yelapa island and beach excursion. We got back and shopped for my requisite magnet (the only souvenirs I usually get as I collect them and display on fridge as my travel "brag board") right at dockside; chose to have mucho margaritas and fajitas tacos and rellenos at a restaurant right there (again, the children hawkers and beggars whilst trying to eat)but good food and didn't have to dress or go to dinner onboard. Without dinner to attend we went to early show - comedian and singer who was so hysterical we went back for his second show too. Next day at sea was another 85 degree sunny day at the pool (2 books read on my kindle this trip!!) Saturday, our last day, hubby played in a Texas Hold-em tournament that I signed up for and chickened out of at the last minute. I was a bit queasy that day and don't know why. We have never been on such a calm cruise. We never saw a white cap the entire week, but on Sat. there was a gentle swell and maybe the "new" motion got me going. Still, I had my scop patch on so not sure what was up. Stayed in the solarium all day and relaxed. (DH made it to heads up at his table and then went all in on a pair of jacks. Other guy called on a 5 and 6 of hearts and flops a flush!) Went to our last dinner and had all the requisite table pictures exchanged and taken and exchanged our cruise stories for the final time. It was a very pleasurable dinner group-we've never had bad company at our dinner tables on RCI cruises. We did have a group on board (some of you are probably reading this) who live an, how shall I say, "alternate love-life style". They were frequently the talk of our table as some of their poolside activities and after dinner coziness was "interesting". We attended both the welcome back and captains gala; the wine tasting (wouldn't of had it not been free to loyalty members). We are pretty easy to please and are not high maintenance. Never had room service, didn't go to all the shows (comedians funny and magician good; missed 2 of the production show nights). Didn't play bingo or get to Quest. Love and Marriage show good as always (the longest married couple always makes the show don't they?) Disembarking was a breeze - we carried our own luggage off ourselves, so we had priority disembarkation time at 7:15 and we were checked in at LAX by 9:10 for our 12:30 flight. Random thoughts I didn't include yet: Ship very, very clean. Staff very polite and friendly -plenty of bar service (didn't use much). Hate their wine list, always will. Not worth the worry or stress of trying to bring own on board, but did have my own plastic flax with my DiSarronno Amaretto for my p.m. drinks. Husband had disappointing dives and wants to stick with the caribbean from now on (we've been on Navigator, Adventure, Legend and Serenade also. Enjoy the smaller ships but miss ice skating show and parade on the bigger ships.

Hope I've covered some of the things that matter to readers. I think your attitude is what makes a trip, and the mediocre RCI food is part of the package - I will continue to wish I could bring my own wine (even if they improved their list the prices would be so jacked up it would be ridiculous as right now the low-end bottles I could get for $8.99 at home were running $35-$30). We are off to the Caribbean on our first NCL cruise Jan. 10th, so it will be interesting to see how we like the "freestyle" after all these years of RCI.