My family of four (including two teenagers - 16 and 19) drove to LA from northern California the day before the cruise and spent the night 30 minutes away from the port at an Embassy Suites. Sunday morning we arrived at the port at about noon. After mistakenly standing in the wrong line for 10 minutes, we checked our bags and were on the ship within 15 minutes. So easy!!!

We had decided to splurge and get two separate rooms this time, a balcony stateroom and a Promenade room across the hall for the kids. It was a wise choice as we all had plenty of space to relax.

We went to the M & M but the crowd was a little overwhelming, and we spent the entire time talking to a lovely Australian couple that we subsequently met again and again over the week. Read more