As a first time cruiser, I was unsure of what to expect. I sailed with my boyfriend and his parents (who are frequent cruisers, this was his mother's 14th), so I had to set expectations based on their experiences, friends', and reviews on Cruise Critic...

Embarkation:

Being 21 and antsy, I was exceptionally excited to board the ship. The wait to board was lengthy, but nothing unbearable. Many folks lack patience these days, so an hour-and-a-half wait to get through security, receive Sea Pass cards, get your photo taken, etc. is really not that steep. Our luggage arrived a few hours after we boarded, as I was told it would. Read more