Embarkation: 1:00p.m. Our party was separated because we were traveling in two different cabin categories. Even though I am a Latitudes Member, we did not yet qualify for express service. That is only for Gold level and higher. It took about 30 minutes to get through the line and on board the ship. I knew the champagne and OJ would be waiting for us, from our previous NCL experience. We quickly found our party and headed to the buffet. Dining: Between the 7 of us we managed to eat at just about every dining venue on the ship. First, of all, the buffet was a big hit with every member of our party. There is a wide variety and a nice presentation. The area is much larger than on the Sky and the traffic flowed smoothly. We ate in the main dining room, The Summer Palace, the first night and we really liked the atmosphere and the presentation. If we did not choose to spend extra money for alternative dining, we would have been perfectly happy with the dining room food. We did choose Cagney's Steakhouse the second evening. The lobster tail is an extra surcharge, but well worth it. The next night we opted for the Lotus Garden and the kids really loved it - they are huge fans of asian food. There was a debate of where to go next - My children lobbied for Teppanyaki, so I had to wait an extra day for Mambo's. The Hibachi experience was very similar to restaurants back home and the food was delicious. Mambo's did not disappoint with complimentary margarita's or non-alcoholic smoothies. Our extended family went to Le Bistro and couldn't stop raving about the escargot. The Blue Lagoon has comfort food 24 hrs. we managed to fit in a lunch there - the fish 'n chips, wings, and tuna melt were thoroughly enjoyed and all for no extra charge. The final evening we headed to the buffet and my sister opted for Sushi up at the Sushi Bar. Activities: I know it seems like we must have spent all of our time eating, but we did manage to fit in lots of other activities. Of course my mom and I went to the Pizza Making Demonstration. The chef was entertaining and the pizza and calzone tasting was a success. We also enjoyed making demonstration. The chef was entertaining and the samples were delicious. We really enjoyed the lectures on the Mayan ruins, pirates of the caribbean, Marc Chahuly - famous glass artist, Second City, and especially the virtual tour of the ship. We went bowling - don't forget to pack socks, rock climbing, WI on a giant screen, to the Spa, to the gym, to the pool, up and down the slide (countless times), to bingo, to the kids club for a pajama party, and my son spent almost every waking moment on the basketball court. We went to the Latitudes Members reception - that was one of the nicest we have been to. My daughter and I danced the night away at the White Hot Dance party - she couldn't wait after going to one on the NCL Sky in the summer. There was only one thing missing - a decent movie. Not one movie all week - this is something we really like on other cruise ships. Even on the Sky, my daughter and I spent an afternoon relaxing in air conditioning and watching 27 Dresses in a lounge. Entertainment: Speaking of entertainment, the Cruise Director, Simon is top notch and we all had a smashing good time. We loved the comedian, Shark Bait, Second City, and Fountains by Simon and the Crew. We did not like the Garden of the Geisha as much as we liked the shows by the dance troupe on the Sky in July. Disembarkation: About the same as usual - once through customs, the luggage was easy to find. I like the freedom to choose my disembarkation time.