i went on this cruise with my sister, I was 21 and she was 19, and we had the most incredible time. This was my 3rd cruise and my sister's 4th. We loved the atmosphere of the ship, along with the food and public areas. We had a beautiful balcony room and were so comfortable in those beds after our strenuous days walking for hours through the destinations. I thought it would be helpful for future cruisers to have some tips, so I added a lot of info about the ports in the port review section. I definitely recommend doing a lot of research beforehand (including researching the train schedules), because to be able to see all you can and make the most of your vacation, you need to be pretty travel savvy. We didn't use any of the excursions offered by the ship and we saw everything for much less! It's definitely possible to do it on your own and on a budget. Just wake up very early and get off the ship first! This isn't a "restful" vacation the way most cruises are, unless you don't care about seeing much in the Western Mediterranean.
Oh, and I definitely, wholeheartedly, recommend the Italian specialty restaurant, Impressions (Mangia! Mangia!) WOW! So delicious! I couldn't wipe the smile off my face, it was so yummy!
We loved our first NCL experience and we'll be on the Dawn this summer to Bermuda. :)
We had a balcony cabin. We were pleasantly surprised by how roomy it was. Out cabin steward was very efficient. The bathroom was very nice and roomy for a cruise. Loved it!