After 3 flights, for more than 24 hours, we arrived in New York, were we have spent few days, before boarding on the cruise ship: GETAWAY, of Norwegian Cruise Line.  I have been before on cruise ships, but this was my first trans Atlantic voyage of 2 weeks, going to Europe. 

Procedures for boarding more than 5k of people in 4 hours are incredible!

When my family and I arrived at the cruise terminal, we prepared our boarding documents (mailed before) and passports. Upon entering the terminal, we went through a security line, passed through an x-ray machine and our carry-ons were scanned. Then we entered a large open space with roped-off lines and check-in stations.

At check-in, they took our pictures for security purposes and gave us our cruise cards (an all-in-one electronic card used as our boarding card, room key and onboard credit card) and gave us a schedule of the day's events and a handy map of the ship. 

Once we were cleared to board, we followed a gangway up to the ship. There, crewmembers checked us our cruise cards. Than we entered the ship in a public area, near elevators and staircases and we went to search for our cabin, where the luggage have been brought already.... 

So, our journey began!