We did the 5 day Bahamas cruise out of Norfolk on the Victory (Oct 2001).....Unless they have gotten their act together at embark/debark, I would not recommend sailing out of Norfolk. If they have not improved, most of your cruise to nowhere will be spent at the pier trying to board. We live 10 miles from the pier in Norfolk and we will never take another cruise out of there. The only good thing we remember about it was the 15% off /200 dollar ship credit for a future cruise we received after I complained to Carnival Customer Service.