My first cruise - sort of a trial run to see if this sort of vacation is for me. Turns out, I think I'm ready to book another. But probably not on this boat.

I booked the five-night cruise to Bermuda out of Baltimore because it was convenient and value priced. Live and learn. Departing Baltimore means a significant portion of the trip is transiting the Chesapeake Bay: a bit of a snore. The Baltimore Port feels rudimentary and cumbersome to get through, and during the span of time we were at sea, another ship took out the gangway, which made disembarking a tedious process. Not the cruise line's fault, to be sure.

I was surprised to see that Royal Caribbean gave the ship a facelift as recently as 2012. If so, they concentrated on kitschy public spaces rather than the staterooms, because the cabins feel tired and dated. For that matter, so does much of the rest of the ship. Clean, to be sure, but basic and not especially current. My stateroom was adequately appointed, with decent storage, but shows the ship's 20+ year age. Read more