This was our first cruise for our 25th anniversary and it could not have been better. We absolutely loved the ship, the cruise personnel and the port of call.

We sailed from Galveston on a Thursday afternoon and left almost exactly on time. There was a late lunch prepared on ship in the Funnel Bar & Grill which we took advantage of. The food was good there but nothing compares to the quality and service we received in the Bordeaux dining room three times a day for the rest of the cruise! Our maitre'd Bimal, head waiter Banbang and busboy Putu were outstanding, friendly, service oriented people. The food was outstanding and came in huge amounts.

There was always plenty to do and the shows were good too. The Jubilee dancers and singers were top rate as was the cruise director. We are going to have a hard time taking any other cruise after having Mark Hawkins for a cruise director. He was funny and entertaining every time we saw him. Not just anyone can turn a Cozumel shopping tips talk and a debarkation/immigration talk into a standup comedy routine but Mark can.

Our room on the Empress deck, E208, was first rate, always cleaned faithfully several times a day by Jose.

The seas were relatively calm when we sailed, just the normal rocking back and forth of the ship and the rumble of the engines. Weather was fantastic too...mid 70s & 80s the whole time and windy.

We will definitely cruise again and may even take the same cruise again we liked it so much. There so much to do while at the same time you can do as little as you want to. A very relaxing vacation!