This was our 4th Cruise with our entire family, DW and two sons 14 & 18. For our last 2 we sailed the E Caribbean on the Norwegian Jewel and RCI Jewel of the seas, so I will include my comparisons throughout. As for the Cruise Critics Roll call, I found RCI does the most to accommodate a meet and mingle and with both NCL and CCL you're on your own.

We have used the Cruise air on all occasions and have to travel the day prior due to being in Winnipeg Canada. Both RCI and CCL provide the hotel at no charge and NCL had us pay. This time we were booked at the Sheraton Airport hotel. It's a very nice hotel to stay at to recover from an early flight but there is nothing around it, so if you plan to go to the beach, or eat elsewhere consider somewhere else.

The transfer to the pier went fairly and well and we arrived at about 1PM. Then we entered the long cattle lines to get through security and then checked in. The lines were long and event though they were constantly moving it took us about 1 ½ hour to get through it. It was our first cruise with CCL but I was surprised that we didn't see a VIP line for previous cruisers. Read more