I have cruised about 12 times however this is my first review. There were four girls traveling with two to a room for an after Thanksgiving cruise. Hoping to soak up some sun and relax before the frenzy of the holidays. Our husbands stayed home to care for kids and pets and off we went for what we hoped was the vacation of a lifetime. We flew to Miami on Saturday and took a taxi to the Miami Intercontinental Hotel in South Beach. The taxi ride was $25 for the four of us and took about 30 minutes. The hotel was beautiful and decorated nicely for Christmas. We were located within an easy walk to Bayside Market which is an indoor/outdoor venue filled with shops, restaurants and bars. This was a nice area and we were able to kick start the vacation by relaxing at one of the bars after our flight. Some of us turned in early while others tried out the area nightclubs. The next morning we took a cab to the ship for $7 for the four of us and arrived at 11am.

EMBARKATION: Getting on the ship was without a doubt the easiest I have experienced. After swiping our passports and boarding pass into the kiosk we waited in a short line to get our sail and sign cards. After receiving our cards we walked right on to the ship and up to the Lido deck for lunch. The lines on the Lido deck were very long however this was the only day we dealt with long lines. Our rooms were ready as promised at 1:30pm. Our luggage arrived by 6:00pm.

DINING/FOOD: We had anytime dining and would arrive between 6pm and 6:30 pm every night for dinner. We never had to wait for a table although there was always a line, it moved quickly. The dining staff wrote your names on cards to give to the waiters as we had a different server every night. We usually requested a table for two as only two of us utilized the dining room. We never had to wait but be warned when seated at a table for two there is another table next to you with only a few inches to spare. You are therefore forced to talk to the people next to you or appear rude as you can hear all conversations. Service in the anytime dining room was somewhat slower. A meal would take a minimum of an hour and a half, sometimes longer. Service was fairly prompt however for some reason we always had problems getting our water glasses refilled. We found it easier to order a soda from the bar service so we could be assured something to drink during dinner. Food in the dining room and the Lido Buffet was consistently lukewarm to cold. We never had a meal that was served hot. Food in the Deli, Mongolian Wok and Pizza were always hot as they fixed it while you waited. As far as the new menu - it is a personal taste. Some that I would order again include the Bacon Mac and Cheese. Some that I would never order again would be the Southern Fried Chicken. The chicken had bones that looked like Cornish game hens and a taste unlike any chicken I have ever had. Again, this is a personal taste so I will not spend a lot of time critiquing the food. One last word of warning - the menu is not posted outside of the restaurant. It is available on your interactive television however on two nights the wrong menu was posted. We skipped what we thought was an unappetizing meal to find that the menu was incorrect and the meal we thought we skipped was served the next night. Room service was speedy and always as ordered. Coffee was somewhat bitter but better in the dining room. Read more