We were all underwhelmed with this particular cruise line, the ship, and the itinerary, which our family had chosen primarily for the planned stop in Cuba. Unfortunately, that port got cancelled due to the current political situation, and the second most-anticipated port, Costa Maya, where our grandkids were especially keen to see Mayan ruins, got cancelled at the last minute—with the pier in sight—due to wind and high waves.

We’d also chosen this cruise for its “kids go free” policy, which made the whole trip affordable, and for its kid-friendliness. As it turned out, our grandkids didn’t want anything to do with the “kid’s stuff” on board. Our grandson tried to get into the teen room, where he could play foosball and do other fun stuff, but was turned away because he was only ten. (The kids all have to wear identifying wristbands during the cruise, which get scanned at entrances, so there’s no sneaking in.) The “kid’s pool,” with its audaciously colorful figures and water squirting everywhere, seemed to appeal to very few except maybe the ad brochure photographers.

The hallways were noisy into the wee hours, the music in every outside area throbbing and inescapable. The only deck that looked attractive to this sailor, the one above the bridge, was cordoned off for passengers willing to pay a lot more for a little peace and a marginally better slice of real estate. Read more