The fact that it was a small ship cruising all around the country of Cuba and it was a cultural learning experience appealed to us. Also important was that the weather the time we traveled was supposed to be warm and sunny but not hot and sticky. The small ship experience did not disappoint as our room was quite nice and especially roomy, our balcony was nice and the decks on the 6th level were wonderful with nice comfy furniture and a combination of shade and sun seating. The cocktail hour on the 6th floor at least twice during our cruise was especially nice. There is exercise equipment and several lounges (both inside and outside) that we enjoyed. There is a nice library and rooms for playing cards/games. There is only one restaurant but it is huge and could easily accommodate the number of guests on the ship. Their was not a lacking of food offered (although there was not food available 24 hours a day which I liked but some of the passengers wanted that service) as the ship offered early continental breakfast in the lounges, breakfast, lunch and dinner in the main dining area; afternoon tea with snacks, and a pre-dinner cocktail hour. The crew were very polite and accommodating. The excursions for the most part were quite interesting (especially the ones that took us through more of the countryside as that was of interest to us), and the buses used were very modern, clean and comfortable. The opportunity to eat some of our meals in the comfort of Cubans' homes or restaurants in port was a plus. All the tour guides were knowledgeable and willing to take questions about their country, culture, and personal experiences which made the connection to the Cuban people more real. The fact that the cruise director offered 1/2 day or full day excursions was very nice considering many of the passengers were of advanced age. My husband and I appreciated that as it gave us an opportunity to meet many veterans from WW II through the IRAQ Desert Storm/Desert Shield wars. We especially liked the fact that we had a Veterans' Appreciation event one afternoon before cocktail hour to be able to thank our veterans. The previous reviews about this ship having a good number of advanced age guests is true and that is one of the thing that I appreciated about this experience...just meeting these great people and seeing how well Pearl Seas took care of them was endearing. We found this to be a plus despite the fact that we were younger than the majority as it was our pleasure to get to interact and learn from them. Because all our ports were in Cuba where the food supply is not plentiful in selection, the food during the trip primarily comes from Fort Lauderdale. Dining was by menu selection with at various selections for a 4 course meal each time. During breakfast they ask guests to pick selections for lunch and dinner. It is my understanding that was done so that the chef could plan adequately for the rest of the day and not waste food. We were also given the option of doing 1/2 size meals. The food was very good and plentiful (if passengers wanted more they were brought more). Many passengers like the 1/2 portions but others didn't. We would definitely take a Pearl Seas' cruise again.