Our first cruise in over 30 years, so no, I was not thrilled the first time either.
However, this eastbound cruise was worse than expected. The weather certainly didn't help being uniformly grey and chilly. We only managed a half hour sunbathing on deck for the entire week at sea. The 'sail away' from New York was by far the best bit with the stirring music and wonderful views.
We had an inside cabin which didn't help either, as the low energy lighting is a bit gloomy. The bed was extremely comfortable and we slept well, almost too well, I found myself falling asleep during ther day also (I don't do this normally).