Our best cruise yet!

I have to start with a negative.  The port at Galveston is a big mess with disembarkation of the ship which just arrived and then passengers arriving for the next.  They do not let you go park upon arrival.  You must wait in a LONG line in order to drop off one passenger and all your luggage.  So I was standing along the curb trying to get a porter (in 90 + degree heat) and his reply was you will just have to wait.  We are working on taking care of the passengers arriving.  This is around 11:30 a.m. and we were told boarding began at 11 a.m.  After my husband got to the parking lot and boarded the shuttle bus, they had to again wait in the LONG time of cars trying to get to the terminal.  Just very unorganized.  Disembarkation wasn't much better.  My advice is to wait in the line to get a porter because you then go immediately to customs.  The people taking care of their own luggage had to wait in a very LONG time in order to get through customs.  I again had to wait on the curb for like 30 minutes or more with all our luggage for my husband to go get the car and return!  Just seemed like something could be done differently.  And yes, the arriving passengers for embarkation were having the same problems I did the week before.

Now for the cruise (8/23 to 8/30).  It was just great.  We really enjoyed our room (9229).  Our room steward did his job.  We did not see much of him, but if we had a concern he addressed it, in his own time.  Room was interior and very adequate.  We did not even use all the storage provided.  We used the "My Time" dining and did make a reservation time for each night before we left.  We were always seated immediately.  I think those who either did not make a reservation or had a different reservation time each night found out they had to wait for a table to become available.  We had a 6:15 reservation, but were told the table was ours so free feel to come at anytime.  We came as early as 5:45 and one night at 6:30.  It usually took us close to 1 1/2 hours to eat, which afforded us time to relax before the 8:30 p.m. entertainment show for the evening.  Our waiters were fabulous.  They brought is everything we wanted and option came out with an extra appetizer, extra entrée and extra dessert each evening because they wanted us to try something featured for just that night.

Entertainment was good.  The ice show in studio B was amazing.  The Quest was as crazy as ever.  We did not participate in as many games as normal, but it did seem like others were having fun.  Casino was adequate for that size ship.  Slot machines were up-to-date.  Table games were always full.

We booked 2 excursions through Royal Caribbean.  Grand Cayman we went to the Turtle Farm and enjoyed some fantastic snorkeling (equipment provided).  Oh, BTW you can check out towels from the ship so don't bother bringing along big beach towels in your luggage.  In Jamaica we did the Green Gotto cave and the Dunn River Falls.  In Cozumel we enjoyed a dune buggy tour all around the island which we booked through .  Just fantastic.  Included some beach time, guided snorkeling tour, lunch, and stop of some small ruins.  The whole tour was 5 hours and just wonderful.

A little wordy, but I hope some of my information will help you.