I knew going in that this "last minute" deal, on this ship likely was not going to be the best cruise I'd ever been on. The old saying "you get what you pay for" held true in this instance. The cruise did give me some sun and relaxation at a low price which is what I signed up for, and it included a very pleasant surprise in MCS' private island. I wish, I had another day to relax on that island...it's beautiful. The employees I interacted with onboard were very pleasant and professional. That being said, someone who is looking for a first cruise or is a cruise regular should likely try another ship and/or line. The food is edible but not exciting at all. I only had two dishes during the entire week I would want to order again (and I am not a "foodie"). Soups were decent flavor wise but offered very little chewable/solid contents. Breakfast was boring and repetitive. Salad bar was lackluster at best. etc. etc. Getting a drink from the deck bars took a very long time. Cabin Steward service wasn't great. I think service suffered based on their no tip (we instead do a hotel service charge) policy. I also miss the towel animals. It's a little thing but having a policy which precludes them is just a bummer. The entertainment/shows were not great (low production value and dancers who could not dance in unison). Gymnasts/Acrobats are the exception- they were great. The amount of time allotted at some stops was not adequate. The shops were fine and I did do some shopping on board and on the island and was happy with my purchases. Generally, the public areas are just so-so. I found the customer service before boarding the cruise was poor. I had a terrible time getting a hold of someone despite numerous attempts and then the woman I spoke with had a tone not meant for customer service. So the cruise worked for what I was primarily looking for in this particular instance but I had limited expectations. As long as you go in with open eyes you should be fine.