SHIP - I had always wanted to do a Mediterranean cruise but the joke was on me since this was a mainly Adriatic Sea cruise. We chose NCL because we wanted to experience NCL, the price was eye-catching and the itinerary round trip from Venice included a couple of stops I wanted to visit.

CABIN - We booked an inside cabin just below LaCucina which I was concerned about because of the restaurant noise. Thirty days out, I placed a minimum bid on an ocean view room which we "won" for $50 per person. Room 5018 has a king-sized bed but there is a bunk bed jutting out of the wall about 8" so getting into and out of bed you had to be aware of it. On the other side, there is a very narrow area between the bed and desk. Hubby and I thought about getting them separated into singles to avoid these obstacles but took no action. If you want to sit, there is only one small ottoman stool or the bed. This room is near the stairwell/elevators and one floor down from the theater and casino but we never heard extra noise - just the usual loud ship creaks and bangs and that wonderful sound of the ship cutting through the waves. I did not even know we had next door neighbors until our last evening when we heard them briefly speaking loudly before heading back out. There is plenty of storage for two people - 7 drawers, many open shelves, 2 bedside tables, etc. The bathroom was fine for one person at a time. There is a door between the toilet and sink but doesn't offer any privacy. The sink faucet was made for a kitchen sink. There was always super hot water and strong shower spray.

DINING - Our first night we ended up at O'Sheehan's by chance. We went straight there from the safety drill and got a window table and was very fortunate to view Venice from this vantage point for sailaway. They offered prime rib after 6pm so we ordered soup and appetizers until it was time to order the prime rib - it was pretty good. The service was odd - one guy took our order then we saw him serving across the room, another delivered our food and then a girl removed our dishes without asking if we needed anything else. It was our first and last time in O'Sheehan's. For some reason, we at most of our meals in the Garden Cafe buffet. We would stop in to see what was being offered then pick up a few munchies and end up eating a full meal. The people-watching here was also the most entertaining and the young men clearing the tables were always clearing and wiping in an unhurried manner. We ate in Aqua one evening but our waitress was silly and her service was slipshod (bringing the coffee cup then forgetting to bring the coffee until prompted, bringing the bar drinks for the table next to us but not bringing our until prompted, she took my keycard for my bar drink and I did not get it back and had to get a new one the next morning). The tables for two are very close together and lined up against the wall. We ate at Topsiders once but did not care for it. A hamburger and hot dog are just a hamburger and hot dog but when the bun is hard or the meat looks like it's been sitting a while well, it's time to take a few steps over to the ice cream bar or a few more steps to the alcohol bar and all three are next to each other next to the pool (so convenient). We did not eat in Versailles until our fifth night of the cruise and fell in love. We ate dinner there two nights in a row - why oh why did we not eat here sooner. This is the most beautiful restaurant offering the best service and delicious food. We did not eat in any of the Specialty Dining restaurants-did not feel the need to. We had the UBP and it was very convenient that you could pick up two drinks at a time but my liver is now is detox. Some bartenders mix drinks slightly differently than others so you'll hopefully find your favorite - you can tell by the friendly greetings between bartenders and passengers that this connection was made. Read more