This cruise on the Sun Princess was my first to Alaska...in terms of scenery it met or exceeded my expectations. Friends kept telling me that Alaska was a "must" and I have to agree. It was also the first time in 20 cruises that I purchased a balcony cabin, which I highly recommend.
Flew from Fort Lauderdale to Seattle the day before, meeting my traveling companion in Atlanta airport. We had purchased a 1 night pre-cruise at the Doubletree Hotel SEA-TAC, which could not have been more conveniently located, virtually next-door to the airport. The hotel was very large and welcoming, although I wish I would've chosen something closer to downtown.
The next day we boarded Sun Princess with a very speedy embarkation process. Having previously sailed on the Golden Princess, once can see that the Sun Princess was the beginning of the design evolution to the larger vessels. She features a beautiful atrium lobby, and very subdued decor and color scheme. Actually a little too bland and corporate for my tastes, but relaxing nonetheless.