My wife and I took our 2 boys (5 and 8) on a 5 Day Cruise on the Ecstasy that we just returned from. It was our first cruise but we have traveled and vacationed quite a bit all over and we decided to give it a try. Typically our speed is to go rent a sailboat in the BVI (we are sailors) or to find a vacation rental on a secluded spot so we were very skeptical about being around so many people and being on a schedule, however with the kids being the age they are and another family we are friends with traveling with us. My expectation was "low to mid range Mexican All Inclusive" and I would say it beat those expectations. I don't really get how so many people talk about how they hated the Ecstasy because it wasn't as nice as a top end cruise. That is like hating Southwest Airlines when you are used flying First Class on another airline. It is what it is and it did a very good job at that.

As to the specifics.

Boarding/Leaving the ship: Went very smoothly both ways with about a half hour each way. Very impressive considering thousands of people are involved. We stayed at the LaQuinta in Port Canaveral and got the free shuttle (the kids were $16 RT together). That was ok but it ended up adding a lot of time on both ends. I didn't realize they use the same shuttle for multiple hotels. Still, it was $90 for the hotel and shuttle so the value was solid. Read more