I happened to be in the right place at the right time when I was invited to join friends on this cruise. Having never been on a cruise before, they knew I was interested and offered to have me share a room. I was nervous but excited. Talked to several people about the type of room, floor, anticipating sea-sickness and how to cope, what to expect at each stop. etc. All the advice was well-intended and most of it applicable.

We left out of Bayonne, NJ which was easy to get to and the on-site parking (have to pay for it at the end of your trip) was convenient. Security getting onto the boat was a bit tedious, but I expected it to be.

I was put in an inside room on a lower floor. I was very pleased with the room size. I was anticipating something just bigger than a closet! Our stateroom held 2 twin beds with room on each side. There was an overhead storage area and also a dresser, desk and closet with more drawers underneath. The beds were high enough to easily slide suitcases out of the way underneath. The bathroom was small but there was never a shortage of hot water in the shower. The virtual balcony let me experience the view outside the boat, night and day, without the cost. I could have shut it off, but I liked it. Read more