Embarkation was quicker than we'd expected - less than an hour after we first got in line at Long Beach (around 11:30), we were aboard the ship, filling our plates on the Lido deck! Our rooms were actually a nice surprise. We'd booked inside cabins to make traveling with so many affordable. Much was my delight to discover that the curtain in the room actually hid a balcony-sized door that opened to the fresh ocean air and... a lifeboat! Well, you can't have everything! We had a little view of the ocean, and certainly the sounds and fresh air as well - all for the price of an inside! My MIL had spent big $$$ and got a balcony suite nearby: aft starboard corner. The balcony was HUGE, and the suite was very nice - fairly roomy, with a jetted bathtub. Still, for the price, I think I'd be as happy with a regular balcony. All in all, the interior of the ship was very pleasant, well kept up, no real signs of wear and tear that we've seen on other ships. The prints of classic art were a little over the top sometimes, and my MIL was offended by the many nudes depicted, but I don't think my kids even noticed. We enrolled the youngest in their respective Camp Carnival groups, but they didn't participate in very many activities. There seemed to be lots of fun things planned, but my kids don't get out a lot. My 15 year old daughter, quite a bit more social, spent a lot of time with her group. Not much adult supervision, though. My older daughters and I partook of the gym experience quite a bit. The gym itself is great, lots of cardio and weight machines, very clean and bright. The Pilates classes with Draggan were a blast! He's a great motivator and VERY flexible! We spoke with him the first day, and he remembered us throughout the cruise every time he saw us. We did a couple of combo spa treatments which were very luxurious and a fairly good value, I thought. Dining was, as expected, a delight! Our waiters, Promma and Phillip were awesome - always attentive, courteous, and friendly. By the end of the cruise, Promma would have my youngest son's dessert (warm chocolate melting cake, what else?) ready before he ordered it. The food in the dining room was always delicious and beautifully presented, the service impeccable. Last but not least, our room steward, Noli, was exceptional! Of course, we got the highly-anticipated towel animals every night, but also everything else he could do to make us happy. He kept our ice bucket full, kept our cabin fresh and clean, and ALWAYS greeted us with a big smile and "how was your day?" when we saw him in the hallways. If we wanted it, he got it for us quickly and cheerfully. Disembarkation was extremely quick. We opted to carry our own luggage out, so we not only had everything we needed up to the last minute, but were off the ship before everyone else, basically no lines to wait in, maybe ten minutes from when we left our rooms until we were through customs and in the parking garage. This was probably my favorite cruise. The ship exceeded our expectations, service and food were better than prior cruises, and just FUN to be with the family. The perfect venue - as much time together or separate as we wanted, relaxed atmosphere, everyone could eat whatever they wanted and I didn't have to cook!