I travelled with my mother-in-law on her first-ever trip to Europe, although not her first cruise. In late July, Princess offered a sale that divided a 12-day cruise from Rome to Venice into 2 segments of 6 days: we were on the less port-intensive first half, departing from Civitavecchia, with stops in Livorno, Naples and Santorini, before arriving in Athens where we disembarked. We also had 2 sea days- a good chance to enjoy the wonderful weather and the ship's facilities.
Embarkation: Having spent several days in Rome before the cruise, we booked a transfer by minivan from our hotel, sharing the cost with another couple. Once our driver figured out the right way to the pier, things went smoothly- less than 15 minutes from bag drop to being in our cabin.
Cabin: We booked a BD guarantee, and that's what we got- a balcony cabin just aft of midship on Baja deck. We only received our cabin assignment the day before our departure for Rome and 5 days before embarkation- although I know this can happen I was still checking the Cruise Personalizer about 3 times a day that last week! The cabin was as expected, with more than adequate storage space, and a bathroom (and shower) that seemed luxuriously large compared to the one my husband and I had on our Adriatic cruise last summer on Voyager of the Seas. We enjoyed the balcony which was rarely too hot or too windy. The port side seemed to be ideal for views, especially on the Santorini day. We never saw our cabin steward(ess) in the cabin other than the first day but often exchanged greetings in the corridor. Robes requested in the Personalizer appeared on the second day without having to ask, and towels and toiletries were replaced frequently.