We picked the Anthem because it fit our budget, was close to home we didn’t have to fly so no airfare was needed. After booking we started to look at other cruses and began to feel we made a good choice. On boarding was very easy, we were check in and boarded the ship in twenty minutes. We studied and planned our vacation weeks in advance so we were not overwhelmed. I would suggest you buy the drink package online, buy it as soon as the price goes down, don’t wait until you get on ship, it goes back to its full price. Make sure you book as many events way way way in advance as possible, things fill up fast and you don’t want to be left out. The food was just ok, not great, but the service made up for some of the short comings. All I can say, take advantage of everything that’s offered, this is for you to enjoy, try things you would not do at home, but most of all, have fun and don’t be afraid to get involved, and talk to other passengers.