We chose this cruise because we had never been to 3 out of the 4 ports of call. We've been to most of the other Caribbean Islands. So here's my honest review: Embarkation did not go smoothly. We were told to head upstairs to go through security. When we complied, they said that since we didn't check our luggage, we would have to carry it with us. The ship is one of the smaller and older ones in the fleet. It has been refurbished and they did an excellent job. It is well-maintained with the exception of some sewage smells in the elevators and in the Schooner Bar.

We opted for the Jr. suite which was surprisingly spacious and well-appointed. I did notice the light switches were dirty though. We chose the flexible seating option for the dining room. This turned out to be a mistake. I tried calling multiple times for a reservation but no one answered. When we arrived at the dining room, we had to wait 20 minutes for them to find us a table. They asked if we would mind sharing. We said we would share, so they took us down a floor but seated us at a nice window table. However, the service that first night was less than amazing. The waiters were overwhelmed and understaffed. We ordered wine and coffee both of which never came. I asked for steak sauce and never got that either. Fortunately after that first night, they assigned us a dining time of 7:30pm and from then on we had our own table with a very attentive waiter. The food in the dining room was very good. We ate lunch in the Windjammer Buffet. Good selection but got crowded at times. Again, since this is a smaller ship, there are limited dining venues.

My husband purchased the top of the line drink package. Once on board, we read the fine print that said it included any drink up to $12. Of course, many of the drinks and wines were priced at $14. I don't think we will purchase the drink package in the future. We also paid for wi-fi so that my husband could keep on top of his work emails. Again, I thought it was overpriced and the performance was spotty at best. My 16 year old son was disappointed that there is no basketball court on this ship. He attended the first "teen" program but said it was "lame". I think that 12-17 is too big of an age range. I too was a bit disappointed with the variety of activities on board. I did however enjoy the free Spa Pamper Parties. Read more