We chose this cruise for a couple of reasons. First, it's our sixth Celebrity Cruise and we've loved them all. Second, we can drive to Cape Liberty in less than four hours. No flights!!!

We drove down from Syracuse, NY the day before and spent the night at the Courtyard in Elizabeth. The next day, we simply packed up and drove to the port. What a surprise!!! This was our third cruise out of Cape Liberty, and the first in several years. Boy, have things improved there. New terminal building, parking garage and improved traffic pattern. It all made check in and boarding a breeze. We're Elite Captain's Club members so we had preferred boarding which was great - those cruise day bonuses are really starting to pay off.

Once on board, we were able to drop our bags in our cabin (9005) and then head off to lunch. The Sushi on Five restaurant was open and we had a wonderful light lunch and a bit too much wine. We purchased a beverage package and one of our favorite wines was available at Cellar Masters which is right next to the Sushi on Five. Perfect. The sushi was fresh and delicious. By the time we finished, our cabin was open so we went to unpack. Read more