We had asked reception to order a cab for 9.45 as I had selected the 10 to 10.30 checkin time for our cruise. We were awake well before the alarm went off....as usual! Cooked the last of the eggs and tomatoes, did the last check of power points, cupboards etc to make sure we hadn't missed anything and were just about to head out the door to check out when the phone rang to say our car was here.... What! He's early, it's only 9.30! Turns out she'd booked a car service not a taxi and he only charged us $30 from Pine Street the Manhattan Cruise Terminal at 52nd Street, both Rodd and I were quite surprised, cos we thought it would be $70 or $80 at least, so we gave him $40 and still reckon we got a bargain. Curbside we dropped our bags off and tipped the porter $1 a bag then proceeded through security and checkin which was all done by 10.30! Even though we had to wait now til 12 to board at least there was no long lines to wait in and being early means we get a seat!
 
Boarding started at 12 with the 1 group, We had been given a number 6 group for boarding so didn't have long to wait before we were on our way up the gangplank to begin our 10 day cruise....yay! On our first NCL (Norwegian Cruise Lines) cruise we had a D boarding which came after 1 - 6 and A - C so we were some of the last people on board but as this is our 3rd NCL cruise we are now Silver Lattitudes members so got an "upgrade" in boarding!! 
 
As everyone stepped onboard they all turned left towards the atrium so Rodd and I turned right because, well you know....we don't like crowds and lines etc! We made our way straight up to the pool deck bar to get our first cruise drink and wandered around, we sat at the bar at Magnums Champagne and Cocktail bar where there was a man playing the piano. It was really nice "background" music but gave me a major "Dad" moment when he started playing a song that Dad used to play, it just took me back to all those family sing a longs we'd have around the piano and when I looked at the pianist he was a tall silver haired man about the same age as Dad... It was pretty awful cause one minute I was on top of the world and then I was bawling sitting there at the bar on a cruise ship! I pulled myself together and we decided to keep wandering before I had another "moment". We must have been on board for at least an hour but in our wandering passed by the boarding area and there was still a steady stream of people boarding! We did go to the buffet for some lunch because I definitely need something to soak up these Margheritas! It was here we met the first of the Cruise Critic group, we had said when talking on the forum that we'd wear Mardi Gras beads today to identify others on the Roll Call so as we were sitting eating Rodd asked why we were wearing them cos he hadn't seen anyone else in them... With that a lady at the next table asked if we were with the Cruise Critic group! We chatted to them over lunch for a bit, it's a nice way to meet people and always nice to get tips from others that are on the same cruise. 
 
Somehow, more by accident than design we ended up in the Spinnaker lounge on Deck 13 ... The best seat in the house for sailaway. Unfortunately we had to leave these seats to go to the muster drill....mandatory safety drill just like the ones on planes, but we had a plan! 
We made sure we were sitting close to the exit for a quick getaway and the minute the drill was over I sprinted, I had made sure I knew the quickest route (because if you've ever been on a cruise ship you'll know how confusing they can be and how easy it is to get turned around!). I raced to the lift but thought with everyone coming out of the muster drill they would all be waiting for lifts so decided to go up the stairs. The first two levels were easy, I bolted up those two at a time, the second two levels still moving but definitely at a slower pace and only one step at a time, by the fifth flight of stairs I was breathing pretty heavily but still going forward and goodness only knows how I ever managed to pull myself up that sixth and last flight!! But.....it was worth it because I was the first person up there and without a doubt we had the best seat in the house for our trip down the Hudson River, past beautiful Manhattan, under the Veranazzo Bridge and on our way! Rodd in the meantime had headed back to the cabin to get the big camera and while I was waiting for him to room slowly filled up. I saw a couple come looking for seats so invited them to sit at our spot as we had a table with 4 chairs.... They were pretty happy about that and by the time Rodd came back I was chatting away happily with them. I had even left them guarding the seats while I went to the bar to get us a drink, they said they had definitely had to guard them as there was at least 4 couples that had asked them if there was anyone sitting there!
 
The rest of the night consisted of bar hopping, going to Magenta - one of the main dining rooms- where you get fantastic table service and meals but it's one of the complimentary dining options. We met so many lovely people and had a great night chatting and in Rodds' case handing out Vegemite with instructions on the correct usage. 
 
Around 10.30 ish we decided to call it a night. When we got back to our cabin I went out on the balcony and... OMG, it's SNOWING!! I was so freaking excited and told Rodd I had to go up on deck to check it out. Well.....we spent the next hour running around up there having an absolute blast. There was another couple (from Ireland) that were there practically the whole time we were with others coming and going and of course a snowball fight had to happen! At one point there were snowball snipers firing at us from the next deck up, it was hilarious.. Until I slipped on the compacted snow and pulled a muscle in my.... Posterior... Or as I keep saying to Rodd ( I broke my butt )!! Time to call it a night, I think we were in bed by around midnight.