This was my first cruise and Amy's 2nd. We actually arrived at the port just prior to the ship leaving (due to our idiot travel agent). We found the lines very short, because we were about the last ones on the ship.
I had no idea what to expect as we entered the ship. My only exposure to cruising was watching the Love Boat as a kid. I found the interior decoration of the ship a bit gaudy. I felt like I was a guest of a circus. I don't consider this necessarily a bad thing. For me a cruise was a once in a lifetime experience and I was glad that things were a little over the top.
Our room was great. We were in a cabin with a window. The steward staff was extremely nice and kept our room exceptionally clean. It was a nice touch to find a towel animal and a chocolate on the pillow at night. The bed's could have been a little more comfortable. The bathroom was quite large and comfortable. Someone should warn a guy about the first flush of the toilet. I thought that for a minute that I was going to be sucked in to the bowels of the ship.