BingoBoy

We did a Mediterranean cruise on the Viva last month and loved it. This was our fourth cruise in the past two years and absolutely the best. While the Viva is a big ship, for some reason people seem to be able to spread out a lot more. My wife and I both noticed how often we weren't in crowded elevators or hallways. I like the addition of the Indulge Food Hall. It's a nice compromise between the food court and the restaurants. There's a good variety and I was shocked at how quickly the food arrived after ordering. Yes, the buffet is smaller, but it still has plenty of food. Our secret was to get our food and eat in the Food Republic. More space without the hectic sound of the buffet. We had a balcony cabin and it was great. The bathroom is just slightly larger and you will notice that. For the free dining we preferred Hudson's over Commodore because it has bigger windows and doesn't seem as dark. We liked the modern design and fresh style of the ship. We'd definitely book another cruise on the Viva!

We just returned from Alaska after taking the second Bliss cruise of the season. During our day in Glacier bay we split our time between the sun deck on level 16 and the observation lounge on the 15th level. It was a chilly day, but the skies were clear and we enjoyed being outside on the deck. When we wanted to go inside, we didn't have a hard time finding a spot in the observation lounge.

Just did the Bliss in April. Both Jersey Boys and Six are amazing. Jersey Boys equaled a tour performance we saw a few years ago. Knew almost nothing about Six, but thoroughly enjoyed the story about the six wives of Henry the XIII. The one tip I have is to read the lyrics for the Six songs before the show. The music moves pretty quickly and it helps that you understand the context. Having said that, our friends didn't do that and they also enjoyed the show. We did see one lame comedian the social comedy and night club. Just not funny.