Once we arrived at the port, things moved pretty quickly. That wasn’t the case traveling on I-10 near New Orleans as all lanes were crawling with police escorting Mardi Gras floats to a parade. Ah, the joys of traveling from the Big Easy during Mardi Gras. The bathrooms were closed in the terminal and I get the impression that happens a lot. Also, although we arrived before noon, the first available parking at the cruise terminal was on the roof. Nevertheless, once we were inside, everything moved quickly and smoothly and we were on the ship for lunch.

We had balcony cabins on deck 8. Mine was adjacent to the bridge and the other was 2 cabins down. I was worried about noise, but it was never a factor and we all slept comfortably. Our steward Ibarra was attentive, friendly and kept us supplied with ice and daily towel animals.

I am impressed with how stewards and dining room attendants excel at memorizing guests’ names and make points to greet them. Everyone was very friendly and pleasurable to be around. Read more