MY PERSPECTIVE: I see cruises through the lens of a frequent traveler, having retired in 2008 following 20 years of work that required air travel of 60,000-80,000 miles a year and more than 100 nights in hotels each year

EMBARKATION: We arrived at Port Everglades at 10:30 am and traffic was very congested; if you are driving note that the signage and directions are very poor. Miami is much better. At that early hour check in for both VIP and general passengers appeared to be going very fast. Ship boarding began about 12:00 noon. We were on the ship in a matter of minutes, our cabin was ready and we were having lunch by 12:30. We love the self-assist option for passengers with only carry-on luggage. It makes embarkation and debarkation much faster.

THE SHIP: Having read the reviews before this cruise I wasn't sure what to expect. Some folks react strongly to the color pink; I overheard one man at an elevator say he felt like he was stuck in bottle of Pepto-Bismol. Actually, we liked the colors on the ship; not that I would use them in my living room. Carnival ships tend to be glitzy, like Las Vegas on the water. Ironically, I don't care much for Las Vegas, but I enjoy the Carnival ships. Among the the new features we enjoyed on the Splendor was the adult-only Serenity area on the 12th deck at the front of the ship. Read more