We had taken cruises before during the first two weeks in March so we thought we knew what to expect, but we were mistaken. This one was much more crowded and "lively". Looking back, I realize that our earlier cruises were either on lines catering to a more mature clientele, or were longer than 1 week duration, or left from more exotic ports, like Puerto Rico. This time we were leaving from Miami on a 1 week cruise, and the ship was packed. Lots of parents with young children and young adults looking to have fun, most of them with the beverage package. The weather was perfect, so absolutely everyone was on deck making it very difficult to get around and impossible to find a chair to recline on.
That said, I had a great time. The staff was great, especially considering the crowds. The positive side of all the people was that events like Karaoke were well attended, with lots of people willing to get up and sing. Unfortunately, you could put in multiple requests, and the DJ didn't seem to be able to organize the rotation fairly. The same people got called again and again even though there were new singers waiting their turn. Even more unfortunately, a couple of these "regulars" were tone deaf and had no rhythm. Seeing someone like that is a hoot once, but when they get called up for the 3rd or 4th time, it was time to leave. Still, there were a lot of folks that could carry a tune that it was pleasant to cheer them on when they got up the courage to give it a try. The bandaoke was great, taking place on the pool deck with literally hundreds of people cheering the singers on.
The entertainment was good, and for the most part very accessible. I've take this same ship on a transatlantic repositioning cruise, and you could not get into the theater, the piano shows or the comedy show unless you had booked immediately after boarding. This time the shows were popular, but you could still get in without waiting in a standby line. The chairs in the theater are still the most uncomfortable on any ship I've sailed on, but at least I could always get a waiter to bring me a drink, so I was fine.
The smallest balcony I've ever had. Very difficult to move around. The bed was comfortable. We've sailed 3 other times with NCL, but always upgraded the rooms. This time we decided to try the basic balcony room, and now we appreciate the value of upgrading. Still the steward was great, really making an effort to learn our names and working around our schedule.
Great zipline and pool, good restaurant