This was my first cruise and overall a great time was had by myself and 8 family members. I read from other reviews and completely agree that the embarkation and disembarkation process needs to be handled differently, both took HOURS so be prepared for that! I read hundreds of reviews before going on this cruise and one very important tip- If your children do not have the same last name as you make sure you have proof that you are their parent!! (i.e. a birth certificate, insurance card) I felt since I had a drivers license and a passport and both my children had passports we were ok. I was shocked when the woman at the terminal wouldn't let my children on board until I called my ex on the other side of the country and had him write/fax a letter saying it was ok for me to take the children out of the U.S. Part of me thinks that's a good security measure but I was never told I'd be required to have this type of documentation which made me extremely upset. My sister also had her son with her (with a different last name) and his father passed away- they made her provide proof! After just going through all this paperwork to get the passports we had no idea it would be required again at the terminal and wasn't a pleasant way to start the trip.

Once on board we let it all go and were ready for a great family vacation. There were always activities going on, my daughter attended kids club everyday and loved it, my son tried entourage (teen club) on the first day but decided he rather be on his own. My husband and I enjoyed the casino, karaoke, shows (Rock of Ages was excellent), and activities with the kids. We purchased the Thermal Spa pass which we used a couple hours each day for some quiet alone time (highly recommend!). The thermal spa worked out great for my husband because he is 6'7" and too tall to fit in the shower in our mini-suite so he showered each day in the rain showers at the spa! Both of us had a massage, I also had a facial (Jamie is the absolute best!) We also got the unlimited drink package as one of our promos which was awesome.

Food in the buffet was OK great for breakfast and snacks during the day, for dinner we enjoyed the Manhattan room, we were disappointed in Taste and Savor (the other free dining rooms). Next time I would definitely upgrade to the upgraded dining package. We did pay a la carte for Cagney's and the hibachi restaurant and they were well worth it! We also paid to go to Margaritaville for lunch one day- very reasonable $6 for a cheeseburger and very good. We found ALL of the staff to be very pleasant and helpful. Read more