My family and I flew from Australia to New York, two days before the cruise. We stayed at the New York Garden Inn on 35th Street, just across the street from Macys. This was an excellent location to explore all of New York's tourist attractions. The subway was 50 metres down the street from the hotel and this proved to be an excellent way to explore the city quickly and efficiently. The hotel organised a car transfer from the hotel to the cruise ship terminal in Brooklyn. This transfer took approximately twenty minutes.
Embarkation was very orderly and we were onboard the ship in about 15 minutes. We proceeded to the Horizon buffet for lunch. There was a huge choice of hot and cold dishes, which would appeal to all tastes.
Our cabin B705 was spacious with twin beds, leading out to the balcony, which was furnished with a small table and two outdoor chairs. The floor to ceiling glass sliding door and fixed window provided a magnificent view of the ocean and it was great to wake up to the natural light each morning. Our cabin steward Ricardo was always in attendance and kept our cabin/bathroom exceptionally clean and tidy.