This cruise, from April 11th through April 23rd, caught my eye because I liked the idea of starting in one port and ending up in my home port of NYC. I flew home immediately after cruising Alaska and will never do that again; it's too jarring to go from a relaxed state to the levels of anxiety and stress that are the "new normal" of an American airport. Catching a cab home sounded wonderful.

I booked directly with NCL and when I received the email confirmation, I immediately called customer service to tell them they had mistakenly booked a RT ticket. When I was assured that was the price of a OW ticket, I told NCL I would book my own ticket. That is how my friends and I got to Miami for $120 USD instead of the almost $300 NCL would have charged me. A word of caution: If you book your own air, NCL has no obligation to wait for you if your flight is delayed which is why we flew in the day before departure. As a member of a hotel rewards program, I was able to book a free night at the South Beach Marriott.

Once on board, we had a great time. Our stewards, Willie and Eileen, were the sweetest, most efficient and friendly people. There were 3 of us in the cabin and they always anticipated our needs regarding extra towels, TP, tissues, glasses, etc. Additionally, even though he was not our steward, Ray was a bright light on deck 9. He would see us in the morning and greet us warmly. He made me feel like a rock star! Read more