This was my third cruise. However, the last cruise I took was 25 years ago with my parents when I was a teen. My husband arranged this cruise from an email advertisement he received. It was a surprise for my 40th birthday. It was also Spring Break for our children. Our three sons, ages 18 and 16 year old twins, accompanied us. We drove to Pt. Canaveral from our home in Wilmington, NC. It was a 10.5 hour drive. We drove to Jacksonville, FL, spent the night and then had a short two hour drive on departure day.
We arrived at the terminal around noon. There was virtually no line. We were aboard in a matter of 20-25 minutes. I had filled out the online 'fun-pass' weeks before. We had birth certificates for proof of citizenship. I would recommend getting a passport, though. We plan on taking care of this before our next trip. We completed the sign & sail forms prior to arrival, as well.
I searched many cruise reviews before this voyage. I wanted to have a good idea of what may be encountered. I tried to have no expectations. I had read good and horrible reviews, and just prayed that all things would be enjoyable.