We sailed away on the Epic on February 9, 2013. Having traveled from New York the week before, we missed the snow storm by days, unlike some of the travelers who had to wait for flights and meet the boat later. Embarkment was easy, even with my cane. We gave the porters outside the bags, walked up, and within minutes were on our way to Taste for lunch. Miami's handicapped parking situation is a nice addition, and I wish other ports would follow that idea.

We seldom get off the ship during a cruise, so I won't go into the destinations. DH got some great pictures, then came back on board. However, fellow cruisers seemed very happy with the ports of St. Thomas, St. Maartin and the Bahamas. It was gorgeous weather the entire week. Our focus for a cruise is on the ship itself and the service we receive, as well as the fellow cruisers we meet and enjoy.

We always book an inside cabin. I sleep in total darkness, so a window is counter productive, IMO. The Epic inside was spacious. We had plenty of room to hang our clothes and the three deep drawers fit all of the other items nicely. We did a cabin crawl through Cruise Critic connections and I saw no advantage getting a balcony suite. We just are not in the cabin enough to spend extra money for a couch. The walls being magnetic helped me not miss the grandchildren as much, as my husband always brings magnetic frames for me. Read more