All I can say is wow. What a wonderful vacation for my little family. For us to book a cruise only three weeks out was unheard of, but this deal was simply too good to pass up. The price was right and we sailed from Baltimore instead of NYC. Baltimore has built a new passenger cruise ship terminal since our last sailing from there a few years ago and it was just perfect.

Embarkation was a breeze and probably the most efficient we've ever experienced. We arrived at the parking lot shortly after 11am and were on the ship between 12 and 12:30. However, I need to throw in there that something happened at the gangway that delayed us by probably a good 15 to 20 minutes. Couldn't really tell what happened, but I did hear mumblings later that someone had fallen on the gangway. Which is entirely possible since the entire day Saturday, including the drive there, embarkation and clear through bed time it was like a monsoon outside! So that could explain it, and is of course no one's fault, but regardless, Baltimore currently gets my vote for best terminal.

More on the weather, man, was it bad Saturday. It was probably low to mid 40s at best, windy, and pouring rain steadily all day. Snow on the ground through the mountains on the way there in the morning. You talk about a nasty day to set sail! Not that it mattered to me of course because any day I set foot on a cruise ship is a good day in my book, regardless of circumstances! Once we sailed, I wandered around the promenade on deck 5 for a while to admire the "scenery." Brown water, dense fog, cold rain and wind. It was lovely. Meanwhile, up top on deck 9, the smokers were huddled starboard in the covered areas and beautiful pool just sat there empty with steam rising from its heated water. Very, very weird embarkation day atmosphere. Read more