For a little background information: my husband and I are newlyweds and picked this cruise for our honeymoon because it worked with our schedule and because Charleston is relatively close to home. It was our very first cruise and we don't have any children. We weren't able to explore Charleston before embarkation, but we spent the Saturday after debarkation exploring the gorgeous city. If you've never been to Charleston, it's a lovely place to relax. If you're looking for a home port with lots and lots of entertainment, look elsewhere. Charleston is all about its history and charm. If you're fortunate enough to be there on a Saturday, check out the market. We went early in the morning, which was very nice, but it gets much busier as the day goes on.

Now, as far as embarkation goes, it went incredibly smoothly. We arrived about an hour and a half early before we were able to park, but that wasn't really an issue. We parked nearby on the curbside until officials let us go through the process of getting our parking passes and be checked through. This was when they also took our luggage for it to be checked and delivered to the room. Some folks said that their luggage was late and possibly lost, but luckily ours arrived on time to the cabin. We parked in a very large, warehouse-like garage. I was pleasantly surprised to see that the cars would be covered and out of the elements.

Now, this is where the fun begins. As soon as we entered we noticed several crew members holding up very large, white tarps. A woman then approached us, informed us that there had been a medical emergency, and asked us to "check out the art gallery" while they handled the situation. Read more