This was my very FIRST cruise! So needless to say I was full of anxiety especially after reading all the negative reviews. I was really afraid that it was going to be so crowded on the ship that we couldn't do anything. IT WASNT! Embarking was so quick! We were on the ship within 15 minutes of arriving in Miami! When I first walked on board, I was mesmerized at how HUGE and Beautiful this ship was!! Our rooms weren't quite ready yet so we went ahead to have some lunch at the Garden Cafe. My first taste of cruise food was DELIGHTFUL!!! I couldn't believe all of the options~! Everything was relish! After eating, we headed to guest services to find out how to log-in to wireless, as I was a bit leery about not being able to get in contact with my kids at home once we left. We purchased the unlimited internet package with our on-board credit. I was perfectly at ease when I realized I could FaceTime my kids ANYTIME on the ship and at all the ports! It was cool letting them see the ship and scenery too by phone! The connection is a bit slow but definitely served the purpose.

We got a balcony suite. I LOVED our room! lots of closet space, cabinet space and the bathroom was way more roomy than i expected.One of the things that really stood out about this cruise that i didn't expect was how extraordinarily comfortable these beds were!!!! OMG!!! I didn't want to get out of bed in the morning!! LOL!! The bed and pillows made me feel like I was sleeping on a big ball of cotton! I tried to think of ways to take the bed home...but...it just wasn't feasible. The view from our balcony was intoxicating!. I sat on the balcony every morning with a fresh cup of coffee and just soaked up the view! There a coffee maker in your room with cream and sugar, and 2 cups. We had a stateroom right next to my brother and sister so we could just chat on our balconies :) There are enough plug-ins to use your phone chargers and a fan if you like. there is also a hidden blow dryer under the cabinet that i found helpful. When we left our room, we would just stick my library card in the card slot next to the door to keep the air conditioning running otherwise it turns off when you leave. It will also turn off as long as you have your balcony door open (thats just common sense).

I don't know who took care of our room because no one ever introduced themselves. I do know they were very courteous in the hallways. Whomever cleaned our room ever night did a wonderful job! Everything was always so neat and smelt fresh! They really keep this ship CLEAN!! One thing i thought helped a lot in finding your way around was the little fish on the carpet. They swim in the direction to the front of the ship! Read more