First off, kudos to Princess Cruise Lines for another fabulous cruise experience, this one aboard their spectacular Royal Princess. For those who have cruised on the Crown Princess class of ships but haven't tried the Royal/Regal yet, imagine all the things you love about those ships, only more open and airy in all the public spaces. Great ship and crew.

Our favorite ports this cruise were St. Kitts and St. Lucia; both islands have lush, beautiful scenery and friendly people who appreciate the tourists who want to share their home for the day. Highlights included a motorized catamaran tour to the Pitons, St. Lucia's most postcard-worthy natural features; and a charming narrow-gauge railway tour in St. Kitts, tracing the route the old sugar cane trains took from plantation to processing. Nowadays, the train is a comfortable double-decker tourist vehicle, with splendid views of this tropical island, friendly guides and narration of the islands scenic and historical treasures.

Embarkation and disembarkation were a breeze, even with 3500 guests; in 25+ cruises we haven't found anyone who does this better than Princess.