Living in East Texas influenced the selection of this cruise line and ship. We have only a three and a half-hour drive to the port and with this many people the expense of flying would have hurt. So, early Sunday morning we loaded up the Suburban and laughed all the way to the Port of Houston.

Embarkation was a breeze. Since we are Latitudes members we were able to board an hour early and were escorted to the Big Apple Café for lunch by the Latitudes hostess, Liz Redley. Liz also helped me with a snafu concerning our dining room assignments. (They had the girls in one dining room and us in another.) And, when I say she helped me I mean that, while the others were getting lunch, she and I went down to the dining room and reported the error to the Maitre d' immediately. Later in the afternoon we had our new and correct table assignment. At 1:00 as the rest of the passengers were boarding we were in our cabins unpacking.

I booked the cruise last October reserving category I inside cabin 6100 on the Promenade Deck for the three girls and for Phil, Phyllis and I, Category B outside deluxe oceanview stateroom 6041, just across the area from the aft elevator and stairwell. I had read reviews lamenting the small cabins on the Sea, and, being a big guy had prepared myself for the worst. Cabin 6041 had plenty of room and the pull-down 3rd person bunk was very sturdy and accommodated Phil's 6-ft. height with ease and comfort. The girl's cabin was small but they never complained, even after dressing "to the nines" for both formal nights. The only drawback to the cabins, for me, was the small size of the shower stall. (I will share my secret remedy later.)

After unpacking, we were anxious to explore and found the ship very easy to maneuver from one place to the other. We found the elevators especially handy and fast, albeit small, compared to other ships we have sailed. On Main Deck (4) the Crystal Court (a nice open area with a two-deck fountain), holds the Purser's Desk and the Shore Excursion Desk. Just aft of that is the Four Seasons Dining Room and further aft, the Seven Seas Dining Room. Both are bright and visually open with glass paned walls. The show lounges, photo gallery, shops and casino are on International Deck (5). During time in ports when the Casino is closed this deck is blocked between the two show lounges.

The Sea's bragging rights come with the Pool and Sun Decks (9 and 10.) On the Pool Deck there are two large swimming pools and two hot tubs. I tried to count the chaise lounges but I kept being distracted. Rest assured there is more than enough. The waiters on this deck must have been track stars in high school, as they seemed to be everywhere at once. They charge for the drinks, but the cool sprays from their spritz bottles are free and very welcome. The top deck holds three of the best surprises aboard. The first is the Le Bistro Restaurant, an evening alternative to the main dining rooms. The second is Gatsby's, the martini and cigar bar, and lastly, the fitness center. I'll describe the first two in detail later in the review. The fitness center is open at all hours so you can work out whenever you want. But the real treat here is the surprise I promised to reveal earlier as a remedy to the small showers in the cabins. Connected to the fitness center are the men's and ladies lockers, a sauna for each and, (are you ready for this?) two real people sized showers. After I found these, I showered there every morning after our workout. I also showered there one evening so I assume one could use these anytime.

The thing that impressed me the most was the cleanliness of the entire ship and I told Captain Strom as much at his cocktail reception Monday evening. The crew was unobtrusively cleaning something night and day.

I'll say more about specific areas of the ship later. The ports-of-call are, in my opinion, good, better and best in that order. Cancún is a thirty-year-old resort city built for American tourists and the kids loved it. We took a suburban from the tender landing to the Forum Mall where I bought Phyllis a diamond ring and we had lunch at The Hard Rock Café. Everyone was happy! The cab ride back was more exciting than any amusement park ride. There was a thunderstorm and deluge of rain as we were boarding the tender back to the ship. It was a little scary but the shore crew and tender crew handled it very well. We were all transported safe and sound in plenty of time for a shower and short rest before a martini at the no-smoking table in Gatsby's.

 "If it's Wednesday this must be Cozumel". Here we were able to dock at a pier near the center of town. Later that morning the Norwegian Leeward joined us at the same dock. It was overwhelming when we walked ashore between these two leviathan vessels. We chose to do our own thing here as we had on Cancún. The suburban drivers here wanted a set fee for an island tour so we were forced to enlist two cabs as they were small and we were large. We had some personal shopping to do so we had the cabs take us to a pharmacy and a couple of other shops looking for hats. Then they drove us to Chankanab National Park, about a ten-minute drive from downtown along the shore. The park has beautiful beaches where snorkeling gear is only five dollars a day. There is a reef right near the shore that is great for beginners or anyone for that matter. The kids even talked Phyllis and I into getting fitted with gear and joining them. We loved it! (We have already agreed that on our next trip we will sign up for one of the snorkeling excursions.) After a nice lunch in an open pavilion restaurant, we looked through some of the shops in the park. Cabs back to the pier were readily available and reasonable (eight dollars per cab, I think). The girls got their hair "braided and beaded" for thirty dollars each at a market area near downtown before returning to the ship. (They paid too much; it was much more reasonable on Roatan.) We sailed away from Cozumel in a light rain at dusk. A beautiful sight, especially from our no-smoking table in Gatsby's martini bar.

Let me interject here my description of one of our favorite diversions. Gatsby's is a very cozy little piano bar where "everybody knows your name." It's designation as a cigar bar may scare some of us non-smokers off but we never were grossly offended by cigar smoke. The ambience is very relaxing and the view is wonderful. And, yes, there is a no-smoking table right by the grand piano. After our first night at Gatsby's, our waitress, Rebecca Lleno, knew our order by heart and always addressed us by name. Watching sunsets from our table in Gatsby's is heaven.

 This itinerary saves the best for last. Roatan and its people were an absolute delight. As the ship neared the dock, Phyllis and I watched a small band of musicians and dancers preparing to welcome us. One dancer was exuberantly urging the younger members of the group to be their best. As the gangway was extended, they cheerfully began their singing and dancing and continued throughout the day urging the passengers to join in their revelry. Honduras is one of the most economically impoverished nations in Central America yet; we saw no beggars or bothersome vendors. There is a market area a short distance from the ship. It is obvious that they value and appreciate the Norwegian Sea and her passengers. We were told that only one other line calls here (Premier), and that Norwegian passengers outspend them two to one.

Roatan was the site of our only shore excursion; the dolphin encounter at Anthony's Key Resort. The shore excursion personnel had arranged for and prepaid cabs to take us on the thirty-minute scenic ride to the resort. It was an idyllic setting for a most exhilarating experience. To hug and kiss on a five hundred-pound dolphin named Rita was an encounter of another kind. Phyllis and I agreed that this was the highlight of the trip and an experience the kids will never forget. This excursion is always the first to sellout, so here's another secret remedy. As you board on Sunday afternoon, go directly to the Shore Excursion Desk, (it's right there in the Crystal Court where you enter.) There are some Shore Excursion Order forms on the counter and a large ballot-type box. Just fill out the form and slip it in the box. Excursions are filled on a first-come basis and the "box" goes first. You can stop by the desk later in the afternoon and pickup your tickets.

Leaving Roatan was bittersweet. It was the last port of the cruise, and the loveliest in my opinion, but we still had three nights and two days at sea to enjoy before arriving back in Houston. Thursday night features the Jean Ann Ryan Company starring in a production of the Broadway musical, "Grease." The script is abbreviated yet retains the essential story line and the popular musical score. Talent abounds in this small cast and our girls were agog with the choreography, especially the gyrating pelvises of the male dancers. (How did they know to get there early to get seats on the front row? Go figure.)

Entertainment offerings on other nights were well done but not the caliber of "Grease". The comedy/magic acts, while somewhat hokey for me, kept Phil rolling in the aisles.

Every review seems to call for an appraisal of the dining choices and cuisine offered in each. Even though, we all know we are going to gain seven pounds during the week, we like to hear how good that seven pounds is going to taste. In this category, as with the itinerary, I will classify as good, better and best.

 The Big Apple Café, on the Pool Deck (9), served good food just about anytime of day. Coffee, tea, fruit juices and ice are available twenty-four hours. A full breakfast is served from 7:30 am to 10:30 am for an all-you-can-eat feast of unlimited pancakes, bacon, sausage, grits and eggs. Starting at 8:30 an omelet station is open. A buffet lunch is also served and a Pizza Bar opens at 2:00pm until 1:00am. The food served here is well prepared, served hot and generally good. The downside to the Big Apple is the long lines at peak mealtimes.

I judge the main dining rooms to be in the "better" category. We were assigned to the Four Seasons Dining Room at a table for ten. Noticing some very familiar dishes, I soon realized that the menus for a seven-day voyage on any Norwegian vessel are the same. Tuesday's menu on the Norway is the same as Tuesday's menu on the Sea. On the galley tour we learned that the provisioning for all Norwegian ships is bought and flown from Miami to the ships' homeports, even those in Europe. I'm sure this practice assures uniformity and a high standard of quality, but yields a fare that lacks originality and creativity. To their credit, the dining rooms serve approximately 1500 hungry vacationers in less than four hours. I must commend the lobster. The best I've ever had. A tip to the hungry; order a double serving of lobster when first ordering. If you ask for more later you may miss out. Remember if you are not going to be eating in the dining room on Saturday night, don't forget to tip your waiter and busboy.

Again, I've saved the best for last. Le Bistro Restaurant, the other surprise on the Sun Deck (10) is one of the best-kept secrets of the "Sea." Unlike the alternative restaurants on other ships, where reservations are necessary, the Sea's Le Bistro is first-come, first-serve. But, since few seek it out, there never seems to be a problem getting a table. Sharing the aft section with Gatsby's and the Observatory Lounge, this small but elegant café excels in great cuisine coupled with great service. Our first visit there was on Tuesday evening. The girls had a rough day in Cancún, so decided to order room service, (I think they just liked the idea of room service), so Phyllis, Phil and I ventured to Le Bistro. We arrived about 7:30 and were seated immediately at a table next to the glass wall looking over the sea. Our waiter was Alejandro Arancibia of Chile. His demeanor was so cordial that I felt we were friends within minutes. The menu is totally different from the dining rooms. That night, we all had the "catch of the day"; a perfectly grilled Mahi Mahi with an ample serving of sculpted fresh vegetables, one of which Alejandro had to identify. It was a grilled wedge of pumpkin that was wonderful. This restaurant has the originality and creativity that the main dining rooms lack. This was further evidenced by our Caesar Salad with fresh baked croutons, and Phil's dessert of Crepes Suzette, both prepared at the table by Alejandro. We dined here two more times with our whole entourage. One evening the girls became quite excited as we were dining next to the male star of "Grease". One note on dining in Le Bistro; the food is included just as it would be if you were dining in the main dining rooms but, a gratuity of five dollars per person is customary. You will just sign a ticket for this charging it to your on-board account. We found the service to be so good that we tipped a little more.

Sadly, Saturday evening did arrive. So to dull the reality of a wonderful vacation coming to an end, we sat quietly at our no-smoking table in Gatsby's Cigar and Martini Bar, enjoying one last visit (and martini) with Rebecca Lleno. Then ………. (surely you know the rest), we walked across the "Sea" to Le Bistro for another wonderful meal and to bid Alejandro a "vaya con dios". We will return.