We're in our 60's and have cruised on many lines over the last 40 years. Favorite cruise ship right now would be Celebrity Equinox. We booked Oceania Insignia for its smaller intimate ship size, highly recommended cuisine, and itinerary to Hamilton and St. George Bermuda. We truly miss the ability of the newer mega ships to dock there. They are too large to fit in Hamilton, and much too large to enter St. George through "the cut" - a very small entryway into the harbor and one of the best views you will see. Docking in Hamilton is perfect because you walk off the ship onto Front Street - where upscale shops and restaurants are plentiful.

We choose an outside cabin on deck 3 with only a porthole - like the ocean liners of yesteryear. We had looked at other cabins, but the price increase for a picture window or a veranda cabin was not worth it to us. Cabin sizes were no larger and you were at most only a few floors higher. Cabin was nice enough, but the porthole was recessed into the hull, so the views and daylight were impacted. Beds were very comfortable, but the bathroom and shower were the smallest I can recall on any cruiseship. The toilet was angled towards the door because it wouldn't fit any other way. The shower was glass enclosed by 2 swinging doors, but you could not turn around in it.

We loved the small size of the ship - 30,000 tons or so. Our fellow cruisers were mostly seniors and very well behaved compared to many other lines we've been on. The highlight of the ship experience for us was the ambiance of the dining room. Tables were spaced out enough to give you privacy - you know how other cruise lines put tables so close to you that you can't have a private conversation! Not so here. And tables for 2 were plentiful and placed around the perimeter of the dining room, affording beautiful ocean views. Did I mention Versace china and stemware (for both red and white wine) were always waiting for you? Service again was excellent. The atmosphere was beautiful. Not so the food. And this was the biggest disappointment of the experience. It was certainly edible for the most part, but no WOW factor. The lobster tail was soft and mushy with little taste. Texture is important and I like my tails crunchy and juicy. Steaks had no wow factor as well - certainly not up to what you'd get in any upscale steakhouse. Even their Polo grill NY strip was sent back. It was served medium rare as requested, but lacked any taste and strangely lacked any juice oozing out of it just a little. It was also only about 1/2 an inch high, and steaks need to be a bit thicker to properly sear and retain juiceiness. The Queens Cut prime rib that replaced it also appeared to be medium rare, but again had no moisture in it and was quite chewy. I'm guessing grass fed which is a cheaper option. The lemon chicken for lunch on the last sea day was inedible - tough. The pieces had the look of meat that had been reheated too many times. Again they were quick to bring a second plate, but the result was the same. Those were my 2 sendbacks. On the other hand, there was a leg of lamb entree that was delicious and full of flavor, but those entrees were few on this voyage. I was truly astounded that the food quality was subpar because this was, after all, Oceania! I wonder if this sailing was just one of those off weeks? We may try Oceania again to see if that's the case, because the atmosphere and table spacing in the dining room are huge plusses. Toscana served a very good veal osso bucco. Overall, I'd give the Dining 5 stars for how it's setup and 2 stars for food quality, so a generous 4 star combined.