This was our first cruise. I had read so many complaints that I didn't know what to expect. Turns out we had a fantastic time, met some fabulous people and loved our first cruise experience.
We boarded in Miami on December 3. We got there early and embarkation was a breeze. We were on the ship and in our rooms in half an hour. We spent the rest of the day getting the "lay of the land" and watching the other cruisers.
For the first few days, we were true rookies. Spent most of the day on the top deck in the sun (we had 10 minutes of rain in 10 days). We just watched the world go by. Then, we started to get involved in some activities, met some people at dinner and started to recognize a few faces. I found that a lot of people like to complain but I see no reason why. You know, opinions are like noses, everyone has one.