BeachGal

I have done the small, medium and large, and even though there was something to enjoy on all of them, I really enjoy the bells & whistles of the Oasis class.  I love that there is so much to do and see on the larger ships.

I won't sail anything eith a whale tail funnel!
Any RCI ship works for me 

I like the larger ships…more to see and do…lots going on. Also, I’m not much for excursions anymore. Lots of time spent getting organized and then coming and going. Been there, done that. But I really like itineraries with multiple ports because I like the feel of having the ship to myself while most passengers are gone for the day.
But a big part for me is the convenience. All of my cruises are sailing from Port Liberty in Bayonne NJ, an easy drive from my home. Luckily, we have the Oasis in Sept and Oct and then the Anthem for the rest of the year into next spring. 

Be dumb enough to be the star of a pier runner video on YouTube.

Let my husband wear a speedo. I love him, but that is a sight no one wants to see.

Stand on the bow of the ship and yell "I'm the king of the world!"

I'd never enter the belly flop contest.

I hope not to stir up any trouble here but…
I will NEVER take the daily gratuity charge off. The employees (both in front of and behind the scenes) deserve every penny of that and more!

If you understood the differences between emergency use authorization and biological approval, you wouldn't be calling it an experimental drug.

You don't have to take any vaccine even if that means you don't end up sailing.
I don't have to accept protocols I don't like even if that means I don't end up sailing.
Their ship, their rules.
We are both free to make choices.  
 

So many nuances but I suspect if you posed that question to the governor his interpretation would be very broad.  
One step at a time.  We need to get cruising within our sights before we look for new ways to kill it.  

no we just give them special sea pass cards and make them wear funny hat when they leave their cabins. 
Consequence for no compliance is to walk the plank, i mean gangway where the ship will leave you at the next port of call.
 
Hey don't laugh that isn't anymore ridicules than the CDC's mandates

This. I've gone all over the map with what I did / didn't buy on a given cruise. Have never bought a dining package because I just don't find it's worth it. I've bought and not bought the drink package depending on the price vs what I know I can comfortably manage every day of a cruise.
I will say that if you're a big specialty coffee (i.e., espresso-based beverage) drinker and also drink lots of bottled water (and maybe like fresh OJ with breakfast), then getting the refreshment package on a good sale (around $20 per day) is usually a good purchase. Even if I don't get the deluxe package, my wife and I almost always find the refreshment one worth it.
Other first-time advice I'll give is to not try and do two shore excursions in one day. It's technically possible in some ports, depending on the schedule, but trying to transfer between them on time could be seriously stressful. The times I've seen where it could be done, the end of one excursion was usually at the start time of another, or within only 15-30 minutes at best. Just pick one thing you want to do most and then use whatever time is left in port to just explore close to the port area on your own.

For your first cruise I would suggest not buying anything (other than excursions) from the cruise planner until you see if you find you actually need it.
 
Avoid the dining packages until you see the MDR first. Avoid the drink package unless you know you're going to be drinking like fish every day (ie 7+ drinks per day).  Avoid the internet package since you'll have opportunities in your ports of call for wifi or the international package of your cell phone carrier.
 
Take the cruise as it is first, then decide "man next time I know we need that." This instead of "man we spent all this extra money and it just wasn't worth it"
 
 

I believe there are quite a few of us with bookings and many of them are for this year.  Mine isn't until November 2022 so it coincides with my trip out to Tucson for a wedding.