For my husband's birthday, we decided to go to Alaska; then our extended family thought that was a great idea, so there were ten of us on a very nice family cruise. Our group comprised one senior, three middle-aged, two almost middle-aged, a twenty-something, and three teen-agers to make sure we hit every demographic!

Since everyone lives in Seattle, there were no hassles with airplane reservations; but we did have to find parking before the trip. Smith Cove has ample parking and a shuttle system that runs to the cruise terminal, making it easy to get to your ship. Our part of the family arrived at 11:30 and was on board by noon; the rest of the family got there around one.

We went for a walk, then hit the buffet, which was appreciated by the kids most of all for they were allowed to pick whatever they wanted. As the dining room was crowded, we headed outside to sit and eat by the pool for a sunny luncheon. Read more