I appreciate your vote of confidence, Ngaire.

I have posted reviews and guide information/referrals here on LCT since LCT's inception. A great number of LCTers have expressed appreciation and thanks for this and my candor.

When asked, initially, if I would post an AMA review, I wrote back to those who requested that I do so, stating that I thought it best to defer to you, Ngaire, because you have a group cruise planned. The emails kept coming asking that I post my review, regardless, because those who have asked, appreciated reviews previously posted. I decided to post my findings because all who asked that I do so, I consider friends. Some time ago, you and I were emailing about our impending cruise and you were eager to hear our assessment, as "AMA guinea pigs."

I have nothing to gain or loose in posting an honest and even-handed assessment of our personal AMA experience. I will not back-pedal what I feel is a genuine and candid review.

I am far from an expert, but I feel I am observant and even-handed in my assessment of the entire experience. Travel and cruising over the last several years, working in the hotel industry and my work within restaurant marketing has given me the experience and insight into weeding out, for ourselves, what we feel is good food, good accommodations, good service, etc.

Ours was not an isolated experience. Miriam had the very same experience a year prior, on another AMA vessel. After returning, I had written to several others (through CC) who recently cruised AMA, on various AMA vessels, and many concurred that AMA did not meet their expectations in several key areas. While trying to not make a blanket statement on AMA, in general, the issues cited seemed to all bear common threads.

We did not have a totally negative experience, as I stated in my review. Rather, it was an experience of inconsistencies and a dislike for their dining room arrangement, as a whole. There were several aspects of AMA that we enjoyed and were worthy of higher marks; several aspects you indicated and included on your score sheet.

I sincerely hope that Helaine, as well as you, Ken and Todd, and your LCT group, experience otherwise.

I do have a question for you, Ngaire. When you go on a cruise such as the one you are going on in November, is the cruise line aware that you are a TA? The reason I ask is because there was a TA from Canada who worked with Carlson Wagonlit on our cruise. She made it very, very clear to our Cruise Director, as well as other crew members, that she was a TA. The Cruise Director and crew appeared to be extremely attentive to her needs. Unfortunately, I did not have the opportunity to ask her for her assessment of AMA. Because of her status, as a TA, perhaps that somehow shaded many aspects of her overall experience.