This was our second cruise and we brought the family this time - 2 girls, ages 11 and 12 and 1 boy, age 14. We decided to try the biggest cruise ship in the world because we had heard that the kids would absolutely love it and because we enjoyed cruising on the Explorer of the Seas in 2008. The ship did not disappoint. It was at capacity (at least they had no rooms for upgrades), but it rarely felt crowded. I'll split this review into little sections so it's easier to read.

Embarkation:

We arrived at Fort Lauderdale port around 10:30 via a free hotel shuttle (Rodeway Inn Airport/Cruiseport - highly recommend staying their the night before) and were through security and check in by 11:00, if not sooner. They had you wait in sectioned areas based on your cruise level and when you arrived so getting on the ship was fair and orderly. I don't think we waited more than a 1/2 hour before we were on the ship. It was easy and stress free. We went straight to the customer service desk to get some kind of phone/walk talkie/iphone to have for us and our kids. We managed to get the last 3 deck phones that were available. So, if you get on the ship later than 11:30, you're unlikely to get a phone. We went to the Solarium and snagged lunch next. It was good food, and on the healthier side. It wasn't necessarily my kind of food, but we decided to try there rather than the Windjammer since it tends to be busier. We were able to get in our rooms before 1pm. We got changed and went up to the pool deck for the afternoon. it was lovely. I highly recommend arriving at the port early. Read more