We (DH and I) booked this Mexican Riviera cruise more for the ship than the ports, because we had to cancel a Caribbean cruise on Radiance last year, and I was really wanting to sail her after reading all the great reviews. We were not disappointed at all. We flew into San Diego the afternoon before, just to be safe, and stayed at the Hampton Inn (Seaworld/airport location). Aside from the seedy neighborhood, we had a comfortable stay and the free shuttle service from the airport and to the port saved us some money. We arrived at the ship at about 11:45, and breezed right through check in. As you have read in many other reviews, the ship is beautiful and has so many different places to walk, relax, or just gaze at the ocean. Once we figured out how to get to the bow (via the deck 5 promenade) we went up there often, and even spotted dolphins one day.

We were very satisfied with the dining options and quality of food on this ship. We are fairly health-conscious eaters, and there was never a shortage of fresh fruits and veggies, salads, fish, and creative "light" dishes to choose from. We would have enjoyed a bit more variety in the dessert department though. The Solarium Cafe had the best fresh fruit plates, and hummus with freshly toasted pita bread, great for a light snack. We had dinner in Portofino one night, and it was beyond our expectations. The service was excellent, however you must go there expecting a dining experience, not just a meal. I think we were there about 2.5 hours, and it was just right. The portions were perfect, but there were so many good things to eat, DH could do nothing afterward but lay on the bed!

I was determined not to gain weight on this cruise, so I usually wore my pedometer wherever I went. Between having a cabin at the stern and generally only using the stairs, I managed to clock at least 10,000 steps a day, up to 13,000 a couple of days. I also worked out in the well-equipped gym several times. We did not attend very many activities, however the belly flop contest and cake decorating demo were both very funny. Our favorite band was Music Magic, which had an excellent female lead singer. I also liked listening to the pool band. I only went to a couple of the theater shows. The comedian the first night was very funny, and I was very impressed with City of Dreams, the production show the last night. Read more