OK, a little background here. This was cruise number ten for me, the third with RCL. This was a special trip to New Orleans for Mardi Gras. I enjoyed it last year on the Nordic Empress and wanted to do it again.

This was the first time I boarded from Galveston. The embarkation was strenuous, took almost ten minutes. The port staff were friendly and the bus driver from the airport to the pier was almost worth the trip all by himself. I had communicated with many people on cruise critic via the boards before the trip and we had an unofficial get together for sail away. One of the members had made little name tags which helped to break the ice and get ourselves introduced to many nice people. The party started right at sailaway and set the tone for the rest of the trip. If you are reading this review, it is probably because you are considering a cruise. Sign up for a roll call on cruise critic. I met so many nice people from around the country by chatting on line then meeting in person. Had friends before I boarded.

I found the ship to be adequate, as compared to some of the newer larger ships I have been on. The cleanliness and helpfulness of the crew were up to the high standards I'm used to from RCL with the exception of the smoking area on the pool deck. For some reason the tables were always sticky and the ashtrays seldom emptied. Do I expect too much? On other lines, I put out a cigarette, and the ashtray is emptied before I can notice it. Read more