Overall, this was a very enjoyable trip. This was only our 3rd-ever cruise, the first two being on the Carnival Glory in the Caribbean. So we have only a little to compare to. My wife and I seek value for our travel dollar, so we did not take any optional drink packages or pay for the optional restaurant meals. We organized our own shore excursions, renting a car on two islands, to do our own touring.

First off, we do not recommend waiting till near departure time to book, as there appeared be few rooms available in the last month. We booked 8 months ahead at a slightly cheaper rate to not guarantee a room, and were assigned a nice inside room on a side branch of the 8th floor (little traffic in our corridor) 4 months from the travel date. The room was clearly bigger than our Glory room, with a sofa and more spacious bathroom. The service was adequate, although the cleaner did not close the door fully one time.

For a TA (transatlantic), one needs to book 2 one-way flights; do not use the regular airline booking sites, as they charge too much. Read more