A quick backgrounder: My boyfriend and I had never cruised before, so this was a considerable risk to take with our hard-earned vacation dollars and time. Our main concerns: We would hate cruising, the boat would resemble a gerontology ward and/or be overrun with screaming children, the food would be terrible (we both really like to eat) and, of course, weather.

Embarkation in Bayonne was smooth and hassle-free. We arrived about noon and were on board the ship within a half hour. One caveat: There is no truly reasonable public transit option to the port. We used a car service and paid $50 plus tip and tolls ($70 US). We walked on board with our luggage (point of pride: we both had only small carry-on bags - less is more, made our lives so much easier.)

We were greeted immediately with a welcome-aboard cocktail and checked into our room, an Oceanview on Level 2. The room was immaculate, cozy, and had ample storage space. Whilst unpacking - and here please feel free to shake your head in dismay - I began to feel unwell. I looked out the window and realized the boat was swaying quite a ways from the dock. Uh oh - if I felt this bad while docked...you guess the rest... Read more