Joined about 70 friends from a boating group aboard the brand new Encore out of Miami for a 7 day Caribbean Cruise including Puerto Rico, St Thomas and Tortola - all nice stops though I have been to each in the past.

On the positive side, the ship is brand spanking new and beautiful with a really nice passenger mix. Check in at the Miami port was the smoothest I have experienced and I have been on more than 15 cruises. From the moment I was dropped off at the curb I was to my room in under 20 minutes. Food on the ship is very good and the mix of entertainment is excellent. Kinky Boots and Choir of Man are top notch productions and should not be missed. In addition, WT Greer is an excellent piano/lounge singer that you will want to see over and over.

I spent a lot of time on the 15th floor observation room as well as the spa where I bought the one week pass for an additional $269 giving unlimited access to a private indoor pool, sauna, steam room, ice room and heated lounge tables. This was well worth it as the pool area seems very limited for a 4000+ passenger ship and gets crowded quite quickly. I took advantage of the two water slides and the race track, all lots of fun even for a guy in his mid 50’s. Live your inner child, overcome fears and jump on these rides. Tonight I will do the virtual reality room and play laser tag. Read more