This was our 6th sailing with RCI, with the previous 5 on the Liberty and Allure. We had many hesitations prior to sailing due to the negative reviews. I am happy to say that with a few exceptions, we found this so called smaller, older, darker ship to be quite charming.

Our departure from the port was seamless. Not a single minutes wait from the moment we parked. In less than 10 minutes we were on the ship, enjoying a beverage. If you are looking for a BIG ship with many options for bars and lounges, this is not for you. As someone who has sailed the Allure, I can see where some may find the lack of options disappointing. For me however, it was somewhat comfortable to be able to get to a location in relative quick fashion. As it is a smaller ship, it certainly felt less crowded and we spent far less time waiting in lines. Most bars and lounges served us within minutes and remembered our names and our favorite drinks. The elevators were relatively quick and being a smaller ship, it was more than possible to utilize the stairs for a little more exercise. :)

The experience in the MDR was better than our last experience on the Liberty. We were served quickly and expertly. The food, well it is cruise food and if you accept that for what it is, you will be more than pleased. Our head waiter made a point to come speak to my husband as they are both from the same country. He even sent a complimentary gift to the table which was a nice touch. We also dined at Giovanni's Table which was excellent, absolutely excellent. On our last night we dined at Izumi and it was some of the best Udon I have ever eaten. If you are a fan of sushi, I highly recommend as it is very fresh, very good and quite reasonably priced. Read more