Hi Vicki,

We have been on several cruises, in fact we leave Tuesday to FLL for a 15 day Princess cruise thru the Panama Canal to LA.

Where to start?

Freestyle dining is NCL's add line, and it is very nice, dinner is like anytime between 6pm and 9pm. You just show up at which ever restaurant you want to dine at and they seat you. Princess has recently adopted this option as well. Be sure to try at least 1 "fancy" dinner, we do the buffet for breakfast and lunch, but always do dinner at a restaurant, dress is usually "business casual" like first class on the flight, with a formal night or two thrown in.

Mayan ruins, we have been to them in Cozumel (actually Tulum) just a few mile south, and in Progreso on the norther tip of the Yucatan, but the really big one is Chichen Itza, in the center of the Yucatan (requires a long bus ride), dusty and HOT. about 60+ miles inland, but the cruise line will have shore excursions that you can read about and sign up for (note: it might be best to stay with tours aranged by the cruise line, others may be a little cheaper, but safety must always win out).

We are in our late 50"s so we prefer Holland America Line, and NCL -although we have been on Princess before ( a little uppity) and Celebrity (very uppity), as another said, we understand Carnival is for the younger croud, and Royal Carabian is for the upper crust. If you are really adventurous I have heard that Barefoot Cruises are really fun, and alot smaller and more intimate.
If you need an interline agent, we use Cedric, at Interline World Vacations, just tell him the George's refered you.
And have fun. The Cruizers