Herd about from word of mouth. Wanted to do a cruise, had not done one in the past. Thought that this would be a good start, not too long and fairly close to home. The overall experience was great and thought it was excellent value for money and non-stop entertainment if you wanted. Thought the staff were very friendly and the service was second to none. The embarkation and disembarkation worked very smoothly, definitely streets ahead of any air travel that I have experienced. The dining experience was excellent, and at times very entertaining. Thought that the drinks and beverages were quite reasonable. Ports and shore excursions were well done. Would have like to stay longer in some or maybe at least two days in one or two of the major ports. Could not complain about the on-board entertainment. Plenty of variety and definitely copious amounts of it. If you just needed a quiet spot to get away from it all, plenty of those places to find on-board. Gym facility on-board was excellent also. Overall the cruise was really a worthwhile experience. I would be more than happy to recommend it to anyone, especially for a first time around.