Backround info...40 something parents with a 13 year old daughter. This is our 2nd cruise, our only point of comparison is RCL. We chose this cruise because we wanted a spring break vacation, and it was extremely convenient to our home. No flying - just drive 30 minutes to the port. We approached this cruise with the mindset that it would not be as good as RCL; we had heard that Carnival was inferior to RCL. Honestly, the cruises were around the same price, with RCL being cheaper but we had to fly to Miami, and it was a 4 day cruise. This is a 7 day cruise, so you could say it was a better value. Ships that depart from Baltimore are not as large as other ports because of the bridges on the Chesapeake - so the RCL Navigator out of Miami had a few more amenities (ice rink, rock climbing wall, interior promenade...just full of features) I'd also like to add that we are not vacation snobs, and we are laid back. We could also afford to go anywhere, but we like value and convenience.

Embarkation: arrived at cruise terminal at 1:30. It could not be easier to get there. It was Easter Sunday. From the moment we entered the lot, it took 1.5 hours to get on the ship and have a drink in my hand. Everyone at the terminal was extremely friendly, helpful and organized. It was Easter week, so there were a lot of kids and families embarking. If I had to do it over again, I'd probably have someone drop us off to skip the parking/baggage drop line, and save $100 in parking. In short, super smooth great experience.

Our room: 8J class, room 5121, extended balcony, two twins put together, and a day bed for our 13 year old. Very comfortable, clean beds - and my husband is like the princess and the pea...even he liked it. I think this room is probably a little more spacious than what we were in on the RCL Navigator. Bathroom - small, but a good vanity. No glass enclosure on the shower, just a curtain. Balcony had paint chips on it from somewhere. The glass railing had pollen on it. The ship needs its windows cleaned, but I am not sure when they would get an opportunity to do this. We really enjoyed the balcony. We got the sunsets on this side of the ship, and sunrise on the way back. We brought a bungee cord for propping the door open - you just hook it around the handle and then to the diagonal piece that divides your balcony from your neighbors. We loved having the balcony door open and hearing the ocean. Overall, the room was quite nice. I brought tons of clothing because I was unsure of the temps. I wore all of it. I also brought the clothing on hangers and I am glad I did that because there are not that many hangers. As others recommended, we brought a power strip - and we needed it for charging mobile phones and laptops. I used the hair dryer in the vanity. I think that if I had long hair, I would have brought my own. It is not much of a hair dryer. Some wine managed to find its way into my checked baggage also. Read more