First let me say that this was our 7th cruise, but the first on HAL.
Embarkation - Although Norfolk's cruise terminal is not finished the embarkation went smoothly, just not use to getting on a ship from a tent.
Cabin - Our cabin was just forward of the aft elevators. This was great for us as I had recently injured my leg and was walking with a cane. The cabin was about the same size a a D cabin on RCCL and about 1/3 bigger than a Concierge Cabin on Celebrity. It was very clean and had more than adequate space to store our clothing. Having a balcony made for some great views right from the cabin at sea. Our cabin steward did an outstanding job of taking care of any and all problems we encountered.