I've been on Olivia cruises to 4 destinations - Alaska, Eastern Caribbean, Western Caribbean and Mexican Riviera (that's the Pacific coast, for Nor-easterners like me!) and one resort vacation, at Turkoise last fall. What's great about the resorts - the beach is ALWAYS right there!! You don't have to go on an excursion to find it. Also, traveling alone, it seemed easier to find a table of friendly people to join for meals than it seemed on board ship. Smaller group was nice -- more likely to run into the same people every day. Tea dances around the swimming pool - especially with that free bar flowing -- those were great! Also, where we were, you could sign up for scuba lessons and be around for several days to follow up on the training with the same people. (And Olivia will probably tell you - that resort week was FAR from the best!) I didn't like it at Turkoise that the evening shows were in a covered but outdoor arena, so it might be hot and sticky or very damp on the days it rained. (Should note that Turkoise is an older Club Med, not yet refurbished, and not lots of public hanging-out places. I think the upcoming vacations are at larger and more recently refurbished resorts - yes, Olivia?)
OK but I truly love the ships. I love the motion of the sea. I love it when it's rocking me to sleep, or when you just feel it walking around or sitting in a show. I love Holland America's new Explorer Cafes, with GREAT ocean front lounge chairs, espresso, library, computer lab all in one. I love just sitting and reading or relaxing quietly on the promenade deck (NOT just for walking laps!) I love hanging out on the Lido deck -- always something to do. I love my stateroom-with-verandah, very important to me. I love hearing the captain saying on the PA: "Ladies of Olivia!" I love going lots of different places with your bedroom and all your belongings going right with you. I love choosing from a variety of (sort-of) adventurous shore excursions. What I don't care for -- the IDEA that you have to be dressier. Olivia, you used to be clearer about the freedom to NOT dress up, not even for dinner, and in fact, I still don't. I'm on vacation, darn it, I don't want to dress up! But people I met who were on their first cruise last month really thought they HAD to dress for dinner. I didn't even bring dress clothes last month. My uniform is shorts and a tee, or swimsuit and cover-up, and I MIGHT put on white jeans to go to dinner -- but I don't even always go to dinner - it's kinda nice and relaxing but also takes at least 90 minutes out of the day. There's always food available somewhere. I hope Olivia is still making that deal with Holland-America (that we don't have to "dress" for dinner unless we feel like it) and then making the same thing clear to all the "Ladies of Olivia." The other thing about the cruises: there are ALWAYS so many different things going on at the same time, whether at sea or in port, so there are LOTS of announcements, and a REALLY long schedule of activities every day. Olivia does this, I assume, because there are so many womyn with so many different ideas of fun on a cruise ship. You have to REALLY decide what you want out of the week, and NOT do too many things - NOT go to ALL the meetings or excursions. And you certainly don't have to get off the ship at every port! You can just hang by the pool on the Lido deck, or whatever! I think you should plan on making time to just hang out on board. A cruise ship is a wonderful floating dream, with SO many places on board to either find a beautiful private place, or find company and fun. Gotta try it at least once.