Just returned from a 7 day cruise to the Western Caribbean on the NCL Pearl with my husband and our 5 year old daughter. My in-laws and husband's grandfather also travelled with us. We got an inside cabin (on the 5th floor) and in-laws got a balcony on the 9th floor.
Background - this is our 4th cruise, having cruised once previously with Holland America and twice with RCL.
We flew in the night before, spending the night at the Marriott Biscayne Bay (nice hotel, I would recommend it). Arrived at the ship about 12:30 - embarkation was reasonably quick (we were on board by 1pm). Having read recent reviews, we knew the buffet would be busy, so I went to the gym and everyone else went to the Summer Palace for lunch.
nice quiet room. smaller room than we had found on other cruise lines. nice to have a large shower with room enough to turn around.