My wife and I aren't "frequent" cruisers per se, but we have been on four now, so we have some frame-of-reference. Are we 'button-wearing, battle-hardened Platinum members"? No, but we've been around the block enough to know good cruise etiquette and service. We're also not newbies who expect to be fawned over at every corner of the ship. We're realistic, we understand that vacations are never perfect, and we notice slights on both parts... from ship's service and vacationers alike.
Our last cruise was on Vista in May '16... an excellent time on a new ship with hardly any children aboard.
We chose Magic for this adventure, as we were meeting family (my mother-in-law and husband, and brother-in-law and his new wife) and it was close to their hometowns. The ports also seemed inviting, as none of us going had been to any of them.
Amber Cove is a newer cruise port, and it shows... but, once you get out of port, the destitution of the Domican people shows itself.
Easy-to-navigate port and shopping.
Well laid-out, secure, easy access.