I have tried to convince my husband for years to go on a cruise. Our 3 children range from 5-15 and it was a great first experience for us.

We flew to Ft. Lauderdale (cheaper than flying into Miami) the day of the cruise, landing at 10:30 am and took a cab ($72) to the Port of Miami. I thought this was reasonable to transport a family of 5 with lots of luggage. Embarkation was organized and easy and we were on the Lido deck eating by 12. We were able to get into our rooms around 1:30. I am not a picky person, but I was even surprised at the retro room. It really grew on me by the end though. :>) Since there were 5 of us, we had a king bed, 2 uppers and 1 small trundle. The beds were firm but very comfortable. Overall a very comfortable cabin with a good location.

Our two older children loved Camp Carnival and Club O2 respectively. As this was a family time vacation, they only went for 2-3 hours each evening to make friends but really enjoyed the activities presented. Our youngest did not want to go, so he stayed with us. Read more