My husband and I were celebrating our 2nd anniversary and my brother-in-law and sister=in=law were celebrating their 30th anniversary. We had a great vacation and thought the cruise was wonderful. We took a Yankee Trails bus from Albany and arrived at Cape Liberty around 10:30am. The check in was quick with no long lines and we were in the waiting area in no time. The cookies and lemonade were nice and the bus ride to the ship was very short. We boarded the ship and went to the Windjammer for lunch. The selection was nice and the food was good. After lunch our rooms were ready so we got settled in. The room was very comfortable with lots of storage. The bed was comfortable and having the balcony really enhances the experience. We enjoyed the Promenade shops and bars. The Crown and Kettle was our favorite hangout. The bartenders Menino and Sharon were great. The sales each day were fun and I found some nice bargains. We all enjoyed the liquor tastings and the Captain's welcome reception. The promenade cafe was great for late night snacks and coffee. The pools and hot tubs were great. No problems finding a lounge chair in the sun but one in the shade could be difficult. Loved the palladium pool area. The pool band was great. nice to see people dancing out there. We ate breakfast and lunch most days in the Windjammer. The food was good and a nice selection each day. The staff was so friendly and helpful. We ate at Portofino on our anniversary and it was top notch with impeccable food and service. My time dining was the best. i am so surprised more people don't use this option. I made reservations for our group online before we left home and then we tweaked the times according to our needs. The reservation/seating girls were so delightful and accommodating. We had 2 outstanding teams of waiters. Leonardo/Mehmet(he's a riot) and Memack/Issory. All 4 of them made us feel like the most important people on the ship. The food was good and we all looked forward to dinner each night. The cruise director Mike and his staff did a great job entertaining us. There were so many things to do. The quest was so much fun. The comedians were very funny and the singers and dancers were great. The ice skating show was very good. We found the service excellent throughout the ship. Tess our cabin attendant was phenomenal. We appreciated all the attention. There was a great tragedy that happened on our cruise. One of the crew jumped overboard during dinner. Our Captain turned the ship around and returned to the area we were at when he jumped and they spent the night searching for him until the coast guard took over the search. I saw a lot of human compassion that night and the rest of the cruise. Passengers comforting crew members over the loss of their friend. Sometimes we tend to forget what people sacrifice to work on a cruise ship. It makes you appreciate all the things you do have. We arrived back to Cape Liberty about 8 hours late but no one on ship complained. The ports were filled with fun things to see and do. Do go to the port shopping talk. It is full of great tips and coupons to get some nice free stuff. We loved Bermuda. Horseshoe bay is beautiful. The Bacardi tour was fun in Puerto Rico. Great shopping in St Thomas. I like the dutch side of St Maarteen the best. We had the best time and can't wait to go again.