My husband and I took our first cruise in April 2008 on Norwegian Cruise Lines the Gem. We enjoyed it so much we immediately put a deposit on the Gem's sister ship, the Pearl, to Alaska in June 2009. Wanting to experience another cruise line we booked the Explorer of the Seas to Bermuda.

Embarkation - Cape Liberty leaves a lot to be desired. While boarding in NYC for the Gem was a breeze, Cape Liberty was chaotic. First, there are no clear signs to direct you to the terminal. The staff taking luggage and directing traffic are rude and abrupt. Arrivals and departures are located in the same place with people and luggage everywhere. However, once inside the terminal, processing went smoothly. We arrived early and were on the ship by 12:30 pm.

Ship - The ship was amazing. The Promenade is very impressive and for an older ship, the common areas were in excellent shape. We booked a balcony stateroom and although very spacious, it did show its age. The bed was not nearly as comfortable as NCL's. If you plan on booking a balcony stateroom, I suggest book above Deck 6. Our balcony had a solid railing rather than glass so you had to be standing to see the ocean. We found our room steward was not as attentive as NCL's even though we gave him a generous tip at the start of the cruise in addition to the suggested gratuity. Read more