With vacation time at a premium this year, we decided to splurge on a 3-night introduction cruise for this brand-new ship for Labor Day weekend, and were excited to try a new cruise line. The good:

Sailaway from New York This experience alone was worth the entire price of admission. Since it was the first journey for the ship, we received police helicopter escorts and a special fireboat tribute, as well as a spectacular sunset sailaway. Those things on top of the usual spectacle of sailing from New York with the eye-to-eye view of the Statue of Liberty and the breathtaking sail under the Varrazano Bridge made it an unforgettable night.

Our stateroom (mostly) (See "plumbing problems" below). Stateroom was nicely appointed with toiletries, tub, DVD player, comfortable mattress and bedding, and other niceties. But it was much smaller than other comparable balcony rooms we've stayed in, and the layout was weird - if someone was asleep in the sofabed, it was nearly impossible to get on the balcony. Read more