My wife and I along with another couple flew into LAX the day before we were to sail. We stayed at the Crowne Plaza which was very close to the port. It was a very nice hotel, and the location and free shuttle were great.
Embarkation: We arrived about 1/2 hour early, got checked in and waited for our turn. I was nervous because I'd heard how hectic the process could be. I was pleasantly surprised. The organization was a little confusing at first, but everyone we talked to was very helpful. We got on the ship and were eating in Versailles within the hour.
Cabin: We shared a mini suite with another couple. We were all nervous, but it really worked out well. We had plenty of room for all of our luggage and belongings, and the curtain divider was nice to split it into two rooms. Our steward was fantastic. We called on the first night and had him remove everything from our fridge so I could store my Mountain Dew. He also brought us egg crates for both beds. We didn't see him very often, but our room was always immaculate when we returned for the day. We were located next to the elevator which worried us at first, but we ended up liking it. There wasn't very much noise, and it was nice to have the elevator right next to us.
Great location close to elevators, very little noise, and more spacious than expected.