I was on that very ship last week with my wife and twin 18 month old daughters. It was my first cruise and I thought it was a mediocre experience. The ship was beautiful though and it was rocking even in four foot seas - uncomfortable. I got to know many of the crew and wonder what they were thinking. As we got off the ship in NYC, the next set of passengers were getting on. Little did any of us know. We will begin seeing the video after the ship docks today I am sure. Can you imagine how much video and pics there will be of the devestation?
At the risk of sounding like a troll for the cruise industry:
I still think that despite the negative reports of late, cruising is still the best way to travel. It is, IMHO, a safer way to travel than by plane or automobile. On the lines I've traveled with, security was particularly tight -- the industry made changes after the Achille Lauro incident, well before 9/11. They are generally safe -- if there was one good thing to come out of the Titanic disaster, it is that cruise lines became increasingly committed to passenger safety. That's why, despite the recent incidents, you don't hear of ships sinking and loss of life.
Most ships have stabilizers so that unless you are particularly sensitive to motion (e.g., airsick or carsick), you probably won't get seasick. Even if you do, there is good old, over the counter Dramamine or prescription drugs (including patches) that you can use to minimize the motion effect. I only had one incident where I became sick and that was because our ship left port late -- for the first few hours of the cruise, the ship was moving very fast to make up some lost time. But my illness wasn't that great and it didn't last that long (certainly not enough to sue over).
Some lines are better than others. NCL is not one of my favorites, but it's generally adequate. My favorite is Princess -- exceptional accommodations and world class service, but it can be expensive. Some lines are pricier than others, but if you know where to look, and depending on when you go, you can often find some pretty good deals. Some offer air and sea packages where they will bundle the airfare in with your cruise price. Lately, though, I've been booking my airline reservations separately. Sometimes I get a better deal and find a better flight than the one the cruise line will offer under its air/sea package.
For those who aren't sure whether they would like cruising, I generally recommend a mini-cruise. Most lines offer short (3 or 4 day) cruises -- usually from Miami or somewhere in Florida to the Bahamas and back. It gives you a good sample of what cruising is like. I did that, and I found out I liked cruising enough to go on future cruises. If you find you don't like it -- most of these mini cruises are not that expensive, so it doesn't feel like a waste of money.
Ok...I'm done advertising for the cruise lines. :)