We have not cruised extensively (this was our 6th cruise is 15 years) however we have always gone with the luxury lines (Seabourne, Cunard Sea Goddess -- now SeaDream). None of these lines offered Alaska, so after some research and the opportunity of exclusive cooking demonstrations and small cooking classes with Gary Danko, a world class San Francisco chef, we decided on Holland America to Glacier Bay via Seattle. Because we would be on a ship with 2,000 other passengers, I did not have high expectations i.e. long lines, mediocre food, impersonal staff. I was wrong. Completely wrong.

We traveled to Seattle the day before embarkation because of our concern that we would be on the high seas with no luggage. In fact, our plane out of SFO was 45% passengers boarding cruise ships for Alaska. Most were leaving the same day. What no one anticipated was weather caused flight delays (fog up and down California). As a result, our flight was delayed 2 1/2 hours. Those who boarding that day and had not booked their flights with the cruise lines were sweating it out. We were calm. Good lesson learned. Spent the night at the Hotel Monaco. Small, elegant and well located. Our favorite in Seattle (by the way, they all made it. So many passengers delayed from California flights, the ships were held at the dock for about an hour).

Embarkation: Smooth as silk. From beginning to stepping aboard took 5 to 10 minutes. Priority embarkation is a suite perk. Small thing, but nice. On board by noon and guided to the Lido Restaurant for lunch as rooms would not be available until 1:00 or so. We were immediately met with all 2,000 fellow passengers. Long lines, plates of food piled high. It was not a pleasant site and I was really concerned that my worst fears had come to pass. Not so. The embarkation crowd is just that. A one-per-cruise experience. Even though they did not announce the cabins were ready, we figured that there was a good chance ours would be (after all, some must be ready before all were ready and I figured the odds were with us. Took the elevator to the Rotterdam deck and met our concierge in the hallway. She immediately greeted us by name! Apparently, the Neptune Lounge concierge is given sight training and immediately pairs the check-in photo with the passengers under her charge. She took us to the room and it was ready. We actually were in our room about 1/2 hour before the general announcement. Try it. Beats bumping elbows with all the crowds in the elevators and the stairs clamoring to get in to their cabins simultaneously. Read more