Despite being 10 years old, Liberty of the Seas feels new and contemporary throughout most of the public areas (though the rooms are a bit worn). Cruisers on Liberty of the Seas can dine in style in a rich mahogany three-story dining room, each level named in honor of an Italian Renaissance painter, with sparkling chandeliers and romantic sunset views. And there are optional specialty restaurants, as well, making for an easy date night.

And when it comes to outdoor fun, Liberty's got it all with three distinct pool spaces plus an area for thrill-seekers who can't help but scream on the gut-grinding water attraction, Tidal Wave.

There are no two ways about it though: This is a large ship that regularly hauls 4,000 passengers, and it can sometimes feel crowded, particularly when you're waiting for an elevator or trying to angle for a slice of pizza in the Windjammer buffet. But while some areas of the ship feel cramped, others do not and once you get a feel for the flow of traffic and part ways with your at-home stress levels, you'll find the quieter, less traveled areas -- if that's what you want.

Liberty of the Seas is an ideal cruise for families, especially given the quality of the onboard programming for kids, and the cruise line's partnership with DreamWorks, which provides opportunities to visit with characters like Po from "Kung Fu Panda" and Shrek. You won't find a ton of bells and whistles, technologically speaking, in Adventure Ocean (the kids' club) or the nursery, but children always have a full slate of age-appropriate programming, and without fail, ours asked every day to go back. That leaves plenty of time for parents to relax at the adults-only Solarium pool, in the casino or at the spa.