Good Things and Bad Things

We really enjoyed this itinerary with a mix of days at sea to relax and ports that were new to us.  We especially enjoyed Bonaire.  The ship was the largest we have sailed on to date and we enjoyed it for the most part.  We especially enjoyed the Promenade in the middle of the ship where there were shops and bars.  On several evenings they had entertainment on the street and parades which were fun.  Even though its been a while since the ship has been updated, it was in good shape.  The ship is due to go into drydock soon for retrofit of several new cabins and other updates.  For the most part the entertainment was pretty good, but the outstanding show was the ice show.  It was first class and as good as anything you might see in Las Vegas.  One downside for us was the fact that when we first boarded the ship there were no staff to greet us and direct us to our stateroom.  We were on our own to search the ship.  We had selected anytime dining and did not pick a specific time online at home.  So we went to the dining room shortly after boarding the ship to make arrangements for dinner.  We were told to come back after the mandatory drill.  We did that and there was no one available at the dining room.  So when we arrived at the dining room that  first night for dinner, the line was a mile long and we told that the only times available were late in the evening.  It was a similar situation the second night.  By the third day we finally got a reservation for 7:30 each evening and everything went smoothly after that.  Very good dining room staff, but the food is really mediocre.  All in all it was a good but not great cruising experience.  Our cruise line of choice is still Princess overall.