After booking this cruise, I started seeing some negative reviews concerning the age of the ship, etc., so I was a little apprehensive that maybe I had made a mistake choosing this ship as our first cruise. I need not have worried. Yes, the ship is a little dated, but it did not interfere with our cruise experience. We could not have been happier with the staff, the cleanliness of our stateroom, the food, etc. The entire atmosphere of the cruise was fun and entertaining. When we arrived at the port in Miami, it was a smooth transition to check in, as long as you have your paperwork in order, and the wait was not long at all. We boarded the ship about 10:30 am. The staterooms were not accessible until 1:30, but lunch was being served in the Windjammer, all the bars were open, so there was plenty to do until our rooms were ready. We took advantage of that time to explore the ship and locate the theater, the spa, dining rooms, pools, different venues on each floor, shops, etc. We booked the early seating in the main dining room for each night. The service and the food was wonderful. We did not travel with children, but there were a good deal of families on board. From my observation, there seemed to be plenty of activities geared for families/children as well as activities strictly for the adults. Be sure and go ashore to CoCoCay! It is a beautiful island and the water is so blue and clear! There are more than enough places to sun or stay in the shade ! The lines seemed long for the tender, but it goes really fast. Sadly, there are those individuals who nitpick about every little inconvenience, or the fact that the ship has some wear to it, but if your mindset is to have a good time and enjoy yourself, you won't be disappointed!