Public rooms - Piazza, library, Internet cafe shops PUBLIC ROOMS - As mentioned previously, the Piazza is the main hub of the ship and always full of activity. There are 5 shops on board with the normal cruise stuff. Duty free booze and smokes, fragrances and stuff you forgot to pack or run out off. If I remember correctly there were 25 computers in the Internet cafe so there's never really a wait to get one to use. But be aware that it can be expensive and slow. For all the readers you're in for a treat. Not only is the library gorgeous, but also it's fully stocked with a good assortment of books. If you're into board games, this is where you'll find them as well.

STATE ROOMS - our thinking is that the only time we spend in our room is to sleep or get dressed, so we always book adjoining inside staterooms. In this cruise we were not lucky to get the adjoining rooms so we had to settle for rooms a few doors apart. The inside rooms were very spacious and we never had any problems with getting into each others way. From the pictures in the ships album of the site, you'll be able to get a better idea of the room's layout. Our room assignment was that my wife and eldest daughter were in one room and me and the 2 younger girls in another. This meant we had to use one of the bunks that came down from the ceiling. Every night while we were at dinner our room attendant would take the bed down and attach the ladder so our daughter could access her bed. Again, I must mention that Princess used mirrors to make the room seem roomier and at no time did we feel compressed into a small space. BTW any rumours you may hear that the rooms can get hot due to the lack of proper air conditioning is false. Just ask my daughters, I had that sucka cranked to mega cold!

DRESS CODE - overall everyone was dressed according to the occasion and/or the part of the ship they were. So by the pool they were in swimsuits etc and public areas they were casual to well dressed. On formal nights everyone came out in full glamour and I must say that my girls (wife and daughters) stole the show. Well done ladies!

FITTNESS - Entirely new is the addition of The Sanctuary. It's a lovely space, featuring a tent canopy over most of it (there are a handful of loungers in sunny places), an astro-turf carpet, and fabulous Italianate chaises and chairs (with decadently thick cushions), covered with the plushest, thirstiest towels. An interesting (and lovely) aspect of the Sanctuary is its service element -- waiters are on hand and a spa menu is available (with a mix of healthy fare, such as tuna pate, and most decidedly unhealthy, a cheeseburger), and you can order drinks (again, everything from fruit drinks and smoothies to a bottle of beer). You can also rent Ipods (with Bose headphones), which have a variety of types of tunes downloaded onto them, for $10.

There is a cost of $15 per person per half day and the Sanctuary is open from 8 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. and 1 - 5:30 p.m. Is it worth it? For anyone who wants a respite from all the "energy" -- absolutely. And while there's no pool here, the fact that the Lotus Pool is downstairs is just fine.

The Sanctuary also has two massage cabanas. Book the massages through the Lotus Spa.

The fitness facility has all the usual pieces of equipment (stationary bikes and treadmills are topped with flat screen televisions). Open from 7 a.m. - 10 p.m., it offers classes; some, such as "stretch and relax" and step aerobics are free while others, including yoga and Pilates, are $10 apiece.

Spa treatments run the gamut from hydra lift facials to hot stone massage, and from ocean wraps to acupuncture. I had heard reports from other passengers of the famous Steiner sales pitch (after your treatment your therapist will strongly "advise" you that you need a myriad of beauty products, all of which are sold right here!). If you want to buy, go for it. If you don't, simply say no. They can become a bit pushy.