Let me begin by stating that this is only our second cruise, so I don't have a lot of experience to pull from. That being said, I thoroughly enjoyed this cruise on Royal Caribbean! I picked this specific cruise because of the itinerary: I wanted to spend the day in Victoria BC. What I gave up was another port in Alaska (Ketchikan) which is why I probably left the cruise wishing I had seen more of AK.

Flew in to Seattle the day before and stayed at the Inn at the Market. A little pricey, but met my requirement for proximity to Pikes Place Market, as we had my senior-aged aunt with us and didn't want too much walking. What made it worth it: the rooftop patio overlooking the Market and Elliott Bay - Marvelous at sunset!

Side note on transportation: I checked Yelp ahead of time for a car service from the airport to the hotel (as there was NO shuttle service). A-ABC Transportation Seattle. HIGHLY RECOMMEND!! Cheaper than most others, and exceptionally friendly driver named Bobby. I might just keep them in my cell phone in case I am ever in Seattle again! Read more