We have lived in Ft Lauderdale for 30 years, 5 minutes away, but this was our first cruise. One of our kids dropped us off after 2PM and we were soon on board.
As a retired dive boat captain/divemaster the first thing I wanted to do was explore this huge ship. The Emerald is a class act. She had just returned from dry dock maintenance and was looking good with new paint and was tastefully decorated for the Holidays.
Our mini-suite was D716 which was spotless and large enough for us first timers. We didn't feel cramped at all. The large balcony area was a plus. We could sit and relax, read or just wake up there with morning coffee. I recommend the mini-suite for first timers. My wife commented that the closet space was perfect for what we brought...never heard her say that before about any closet, :-).