Background Information: My wife and I are in our mid 30's. My sister and her husband are in the late 20's and their daughter is almost 4. This is my 6th cruise and my wife's 5th. It was the first sailing for my sister and her family.
Both families drove in to Queens and left our vehicles at my in laws (we live in Upstate NY and my sister is from RI). This is one of the best reasons to leave from NY for us.
Embarkation: We have left from NY before and I have to say this was the easiest embarkation ever. No line as we got there around 11:15. My wife and I are Latitude members and were sent to a different line from our fellow party members. Did not matter since we both were finished at the same time with pre-boarding ritual and got on the boat at were able to walk on together. :)
Good location, central to everything, not too noisy. Obstructed view was not the end of the world for us.