I chose this cruise for a few good reasons: perfect length for a short girls getaway, great pricing, great booking perks, and prior experiences with NCL. However, to my surprise, this cruise did not meet my expectations. I was hoping embarkation was not going to be a preview of my cruise, however, I was totally wrong. Embarkation started in a tent without air conditioning and boarding never started until after 1230. Needless to say, the tent was very crowded, people standing everywhere possible, patience being thinned by the heat and inconvenience as well as no communication from NCL explaining what was causing the delay, and the lack of inside restrooms. If you needed to use the restroom during your three hour wait to board, you needed to leave the tent, go outside and then return through the main entrance and security and hope you had a place to stand once you returned.The nightly entertainment in the Stardust Theater needed more diversification, where were the cruise line's traditional welcoming show with singers and dancers; the two comedians and a magician along with one singing trio were mediocre as far as variety. The Uptown Trio was by far the best entertainment available during this cruise.

Usually, I'm not an advocate of beverage packages and chose this option on the spur of the moment as one of my booking perks. Happy was I to have this option; once onboard, I realized NCL increased their alcohol pricing immensely over the past year. No longer available free of charge with the drink package are certain favorite martinis, such as, chocolate or espresso, I asked for a key lime pie martini and was informed it's not part of the menu anymore and even though the bartender knew how to make it, he told me he was not allowed to provide this cocktail to me. I was also informed by a bartender on the pool deck bar that he would not provide me with a Grey Goose vodka over rock with an olive as martinis were not made there. As a former owner of a bar, I know that was just poor customer service.

The menu in the main dining room was comparable to the past, which is the main reason I purchased a three night dining package. I was looking forward to surf and turf at Cagney's only to be disappointed once again. Lobster is available in the main dining room as well as Cagney's, for an additional fee. Also, I noticed the lobster was removed from Le Bistro's Fruits de Mar and substituted with mussels. Read more