We were on the fence about cruising to say the least. 2 kids under the age of 5 and a family that prefers peace and quiet, luxury in terms of vacations.
The boarding process was the first indication this was going to be a long week. Lots of people, huge facilities, long lines. To RC's credit, the move through people pretty quickly and have the process down. You can tell they are used to herding cattle though and some officials aren't very sensitive to the needs of traveling w/ kids.
Once you are on board, you again feel the magnitude of the number of people. Elevators are jam packed and you often need to skip a car to wait for another one. We packed our suits in our carry-on's and went swimming that first day...so did everyone else. The pools are PACKED!! Unless it's a port day or at night, good luck relaxing at the pool. When I think cruising, I think fun in the sun. The pool scene was anything but.