I didn't have a lot of expectations for my 4 day cruise out of Miami on Norwegian Sky. This was my 6th cruise, never having sailed with Norwegian before. I've cruised with Carnival, Princess, and Royal Caribbean.
Embarkation and Debarkation was easy. My wife and I carried our luggage on and off the ship; you can pack extremely light for this cruise so carrying our own luggage on and off the ship was the way to go. With Norwegian, you don't have to pack formal wear--AWESOME!
We kicked off our first day by doing the Pub Crawl, which I'd read good reviews about online. It was fun and a great way to meet fellow travelers. I'd recommend it to those who want to socialize. For $25, you get 5 drinks which isn't a bad deal.
Definitely splurge for the balcony. Do this every time you cruise.