We have always wanted to cruise out of NYC since we live in NJ and thought it would be nice not to have to travel first to get to the cruise ship. However, Princess leaves from Brooklyn and I had read that getting on board could be a hassle. We arrived at the Brooklyn terminal about 11:15 am (a tip I learned on cruise critic) and were in our cabin by 12:00 pm one of the smoothest embarkations ever. In fact I expected problems with getting on and off the ship at every port (especially the tendered ports) based on what I had read about Caribbean Princess being so large, but this was not the case. The crew was extremely efficient and well organized and even the tendered ports went smoothly. However, you can not wait to the last minute for anything you need to plan and allow for sufficient time to get ashore, attend a show or any other activity.The food on the Princess was what we expected, but we did eat at the specialty restaurants on three nights and they were outstanding. On our actual anniversary we went to Sabatini's and the staff was very attentive and we had a great time. The food was especially good and getting to try all the items on the menu was a special treat. They told us just pick out an entree and they would do the rest. We got to sample all the appetizers, the salads, antipastos and pastas. By the time we finished the entree there was little room for dessert, so they brought us a small cake with a candle in it to celebrate our anniversary (they also sang off key but that was part of the fun. The Crown Grill was also very good and we ended going there two nights once to try the steak and once for the seafood. Both were excellent. Newport was the most interesting port of call and we toured the Vanderbilt mansions. The Breakers was our favorite. Having been to Boston many times we opted for the Princess shuttle over to Quincy market. Since it was labor day it was very crowded but there was a lot going on so it was a fun day. At Bar Harbor we just walked around town since it is small and close to the dock. We did find out that they had a free bus that would take you to Arcadia Park and you could save the excursion fees. All you needed to do was pay $5 to enter the park. The bus left from the town square and returned you there. It was only a 5 minute walk from the dock. In Saint John we took an shore excursion to the reversing falls. Not really much to see in Saint John. In Halifax we went to Peggy's Cove a quaint fishing village about an hours drive. It was very foggy the morning we went so we had a limited view of the scenery. The best part of the cruise was being on the ship itself. It was a very relaxing cruise and there were enough activities to satisfy everyone's needs. The only negative if you consider this a negative is that they were constantly trying to sell you something on the ship. If not jewelry or cloths in the piazza it was additional services in the spa or close out sales in one of the restaurants. Over all the trip was delightful and made our 40th anniversary very special. We arrived back in Brooklyn and disembarkation went as smoothly as every other aspect of the cruise. We were scheduled to disembark at 8:15 am and were off the ship and through customs by 8:45 am. (suggestion if you have a lot of luggage they have porters standing by with dollies to help you through customs)