This was our 12th cruise, but our first one to not be in the Caribbean. We have cruised in the past with Carnival and Norwegian, as well as Royal Caribbean. Our very first cruise was ten years ago on The Grandeur, and it is still as grand as it was then. Granted, it doesn't have some of the dining options of the bigger ships, and the activities aren't as widespread, but for this cruise with five ports keeping us quite busy, we appreciated the two sea days on the end with not much to do!

Embarkation in Baltimore was a breeze. We drove from Mississippi and stayed two nights pre-cruise at a Holiday Inn near the airport on Aero Drive in Linthicum Heights. We made an excellent choice with them. Our bed was comfy, our room was perfect, but not fancy, and the price was fantastic. We had a great breakfast, and we were shuttled to the port, and picked up afterwards. We basically parked for free. A great value! We were on the boat by 11:00am and in our room at 1:00. Disembarkation went just as smoothly, and we didn't do the self-assist this time. Our luggage was easy to find, and going through customs was hassle free.

What drew us to this cruise were the ports. Being from Mississippi, we had never had the opportunity to visit this area. We were awed with the beauty. Read more