We have cruised quite a bit in the "distant" past and just a little bit in the last 15 years. I think we are spoiled with our "seasoned" experiences of cruising when there were less passengers and more service and quality.

Our last cruise (Zuiderdam) was a few years ago and just did not live up to our expectations. This year, we chose the Emerald Princess because we thought that we would try a different cruise line. Additionally, the 5 day cruise was the perfect fit for our already planned Fort Lauderdale vacation.

We flew down to FLL one day early and stayed the nite at the Hollywood Beach Marriott. Cab fare from the hotel to the cruise terminal was $15.00 without tip. We arrived about 11:30 and there was quite a few people in line ahead of us but everything moved very quickly and we were sent into a waiting area post check in for about 20 minutes before being allowed to board the ship. Everyone was very friendly and helpful during this process. Somehow, my coffee card which I pre-purchased was not included but I was given correct info as to how to get the card once on board. It is very helpful to have a pen/pencil to fill in the health questionnaire while in line. Read more