We chose this cruise to get far away from the winter cold and because Baltimore is within a reasonable drive from our house.The small size of the ship helped establish a good rapport with the crew and other cruisers My wife and I both enjoyed this cruise very much. The ship appeared to be in great shape for its age and the crew kept it very clean. The staff were polite and very helpful with any request we had. Our room steward Satish was top notch. He worked hard and kept our cabin clean while exhibiting a warm and friendly demeanor. Our dining room waiters Toni and Airy did everything possible to make dinner enjoyable. They were very attentive to all our needs. The food in Park Cafe was tasty but had a very limited selection. The buffet had a giant selection of foods and a focus on different cuisines every day. If you like to be served then the main dining room is the place to be. There were an adequate number of choices for each meal that gave us a nice variety at lunch and dinner. However, the menu descriptions did not always appear completely as described. The overall quality of the food and preparation was good considering the number of meals being served from the same kitchen. The food did not taste bland but some dishes and soups bordered on being too salty. Room service had a very limited menu of good food. We did not dine in the three specialty restaurants. Our cabin, #3112, was sufficient to meet our needs. I feel that there was plenty of storage space for clothes and other small supplies. Our suitcases stacked between our chair and the beds. The bathroom was small as was the shower. We had a very good supply of hot water, but no electrical outlets in the bath. I'm glad I brought extension cords and a strip outlet. The cabin has two US outlets and two Euro, all by the desk top in the cabin. We has a strange odor in the bathroom near the start of our cruise. It was mostly resolved after a call to Guest Services, but never totally disappeared. We had four follow-ups with two in person and two by phone to make sure all was well. A hairdryer was supplied. I hope new mattresses are included in the April refit. The casino was very smoky and it spread out to the Centrum on deck 5. The entertainment in the Centrum was enjoyable most evenings. The theatre had one or two good shows. Movie selections were pretty good and the TV had something for everyone. Of course, the sales pitches never ended like on most cruises. Overall, we had an excellent trip.
Check in moved right along. Less than 1 hour from arrival to being aboard.