We are two single women in our 60s who just returned from our 14th cruise (in four years) with RCI. Yes, we love RCI because it always delivers for us in predictable ways. This cruise was especially anticipated as it followed two major surgeries. In July I had a hip replacement, followed by infection and a second surgery in August. So when Oct. 1 finally arrived, I was ready to roll. What a way to get back to life!

We drove from Williamsburg, Virginia to New Jersey a day early and enjoyed a pleasant six-hour trip, with a stop in Baltimore's Inner Harbor for lunch. Our New Jersey accommodations were at the Newark Liberty International Marriott located in the Newark Airport loop (about 15 minutes from the cruise port). We paid $159 for a no cancellation room (not a big deal since we always purchase trip insurance) and a $25 parking fee (expensive, but worth it for a full service hotel with all the amenities, so need to leave the hotel). Our top floor room allowed us to watch the planes coming in for landing and taking off. We were even able to see a very distant, wee Statue of Liberty through our camera's zoom lens. The hotel had a comfortable lounge with pub menu, an elegant steak house, and an Italian restaurant which was featuring a wonderful whole lobster dinner ($25) the night we arrived. It really put us in the mood for more lobster to come in the New England and Canadian ports. We felt very safe parking our car in the hotel lot (secured) as well as moving about the hotel. We slept like babies, thanks to sound proof windows and plush beds. This hotel is primarily for business travelers, but we did see cruisers later on the ship who had been at the hotel. We would readily stay at this hotel again.

Prior to arriving in NJ, we had initial anxiety about driving to Cape Liberty from our hotel. There were a number of highways to negotiate, road construction, poor signage as well as possible port confusions for dropping off luggage and parking in the extended stay parking lot (secured; $19/ day). This anxiety was totally unfounded. Several posters on the Cruise Critic East Coast Departure board and Meet and Mingle Board gave us very clear directions and precautions. They were so clear we hardly needed our auto navigational system. We left the hotel around 10 AM. We stopped leisurely to take photos on Terminal Boulevard near the cruise ship. The new golf course (links style) was clearly visible and was the site of the Fed Ex playoff tournament last month. National TV coverage of that tournament captured the Explorer of the Seas in its stately departure from Cape Liberty as it approached and narrowly (!) cleared the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge. It was incredible to watch and to imagine that soon we would be on board ourselves. In fact, when we reached the terminal after our photo stop, we were unloaded, parked and sitting the the Diamond/ D+ departure lounge by 11 AM waiting for transportation to boarding. It couldn't have been easier. We want to send special thanks to you who gave us guidance. Read more