My husband and I were first time cruisers. We left on the Escape out of Miami the day after Christmas. We had a midship cabin, which though very small was adequate as we didn't spend a lot of time there and did enjoy the balcony. We had the dining package so had 4 of our dinners at the al la carte restaurants. I will give you my positives vs negatives.
We did have a great time, but I will know better what to look for next time.
Positives: