This past January, my friend and I were looking for a fun way to escape our winter weather and see another part of the world. We ultimately chose to do a 14 day cruise through the Panama Canal and it did not disappoint. It fact, it was absolutely awesome! We were very fortunate to book a cruise that was reasonably priced, included free flights and transfers, as well as a specialty dining package (complementary dinners in four of the ship's exclusive restaurants). Our itinerary was amazing: leaving Los Angeles, with stops in Mexico (Cabo and Acapulco), Guatemala, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, through the Panama Canal to Cartagena, Columbia and finishing up in Miami! I highly recommend it!! It was an excellent blend of sightseeing, history, beach life, and natural beauty. We explored some ports on our own, did a few excursions with the ship (one to Antigua, Guatemala and the other, an eco-tour in Costa Rica), and arranged a few taxi adventures with others we met on board. It worked out really well.

I was a bit worried about choosing an inside cabin, but I ended up loving our cozy stateroom. Special shout out to Arnold who was warm and personable took great care of us every morning and evening. The entertainment and the recreation team (Roberto, Phillip, Una, Marta, and others) were absolutely A-1!! Every single performance in the theatre was impressive and showcased so many excellent musicians and dancers. Morning, noon, and night, the upbeat and hard-working staffers were SO MUCH FUN!! While we indulged in a custom made omelet most mornings from the buffet, we explored various venues at midday. We ventured to O'Sheehan's Bar and Grill only once and were underwhelmed, so from then on, tended to pick and choose lunch most days from the Garden Cafe. We opted to dine at the Versailles dining room for most dinners - couldn't understand why so many went to the buffet instead. The food and service at the Versailles was outstanding, offering a delicious array of starters, entrees, and desserts. To help counter the effects of all the great food, we circled the deck several times a day, took the stairs every time we moved from deck to deck, and even went to workout when we had time. I was really impressed by the facilities, especially the gym. During our days at sea, we spent a lot of time by the Oasis pool; reading, sunning, and watching the passing parade. Things really came to life when there were groups performing there, or when the crew organized games or a bit of dancing. All 'n' all, mine was a great first cruise and I look forward to booking another trip in the near future.