We were aboard the Orchestra for the 1/24 - 1/31 sailing of the Western Caribbean, which included the ports: Key West, Cozumel, Cayo Levantado and Grand Cayman.

Embarkation We arrived in Ft. Lauderdale a day early and stayed at the Candlewood Suites, located just minutes from the port. Nice accommodations, but don't bother waiting for the "first come, first served" shuttle to take you to port. A $10 taxi ride was well worth it, as several folks waited for over an hour for the shuttle. We arrived at the port at around noon. Our boarding pass said 4 PM, but after reading reviews on CC we decided to go earlier. We were quickly processed and on the ship and enjoying a delicious lunch buffet in less then 30 minutes. We were told our cabin would be ready by 1 PM. Cabin My husband and I traveled with our two 15-year-old teenagers, and our cabin consisted of two twin beds made into a king, a pullout couch and an upper berth. The cabin was smaller than other cabins we've had in our past 7 cruises, but the available space was well appointed and well lit. The cabin contained a mini bar with space available to place our own beverages. There was a small flat screen TV. The bathroom had plenty of shelving for all of our toiletries. MSC furnishes small hotel-sized shampoo and body wash. One very odd thing: There were no washcloths. A request to our cabin steward quickly remedied that and we had washcloths the rest of the cruise. We learned from the Europeans on the cruise that washcloths are not typical in Europe. There were 4 large, soft & thirsty hand towels and bath towels. Our balcony was larger than we thought it might be and contained two high quality chairs and a table, not the cheap plastic variety we've had on previous cruises. A unique feature was the slot just inside the cabin door where you place your card that turns on the cabin lights upon entry. Placing your card in the slot also turns on a small light above your cabin door on the outside that alerts your steward to the fact you are in the room, thus no "surprise visits" from him. Our cabin contained two terrycloth robes. We had a bowl of fresh fruit replenished daily. The room contained a safe for storing valuables. About ice: Americans love it, and the Europeans do not have the same affection for it. Our cabin steward, at our request did replenish our ice twice a day, but you may have to ask for this.

The Ship On our initial exploration of the Orchestra we were struck by the classic beauty of the dEcor and the cleanliness of the ship. Crew is always cleaning and polishing. We've sailed with RCCL, Carnival, Celebrity and HAL and this is the cleanest ship we've sailed. It's easy to find your way around on the Orchestra. On the public decks, rather than long straight hallways, Orchestra's passageways take gentle turns inviting a casual stroll rather than the straight beeline "gotta-get-to-the-other-end" feeling on other ships. The Savannah Lounge is African dEcor at it's classiest, while in contrast the disco is brushed stainless steel and contemporary colors reflecting the reverberating beat of the music that tended to be way too loud for us old folks, but totally enjoyed by our teens. Read more