Three generations of novice cruisers (grandmother (75), mother (somewhere between 9 and 75) and 9 year-old daughter) left on our Alaskan adventure on August 26th. Since we live in Seattle, transportation to the pier was just a 15 minute ride from home. After some initial confusion with checking in -- there were hundreds of folks milling around -- we were on board within 30 minutes. Our room was ready by 2:30.

Our room (9162) was a small balcony room with large bed and fold-out loveseat. I was pleasantly surprised with the ample storage -- large closet, 3 drawers, multiple shelves. We were able to quickly unpack and store our 3 rolling suitcases under the bed. Though a bit tight for three people, the balcony and mirrored wall provided the illusion of more space. The bathroom is a model of efficiency with wall shelves providing space for toiletries and ample towel racks. I especially liked the swinging (kitchen sink like) faucet. The entry to the shower and toilet area (both with sliding doors) might be a bit troublesome for more rotund passengers. The entry to both areas did not exceed 18-24 inches. I can imagine that it would be difficult for some people to squeeze in. A small flat screen television provided access to innumerable ship channels plus CNN, ESPN, Cartoon Network, TNT and a couple of movie channels. All in all the room was more (both in style and size) than I expected.

Food. Most of our meals were eaten at the Garden Cafe buffet -- to be expected with a child plus an unadventurous eater (my mother). Breakfasts were the best meal to be had. There was a variety of fruit (melons, apples, oranges, bananas, fruit salads), breads, cereals (both hot & cold) plus the usual breakfast items. Favorites of this family were: french toast made with thick-sliced raisin bread), bacon, bangers (I'm an anglophile), omelets (surprisingly short lines), croissants, multi-grain bread and bagels. Available beverages: coffee, variety of tea, cocoa (from the bag), orange and apple juice, and two espresso machines for do-it-yourself lattes and cappuccinos. Lunch and dinner menus were almost identical with burgers, hotdogs, sandwiches, salads, soups (both hot and cold), pizza, pasta station (pretty good mushroom ravioli), roast chicken, one other meat (changed each day -- pork loin, skirt steak, ribs, roast beef, ham, lamb, etc.), one Indian dish (with a slight but not overwhelming spiciness) with rice and bread, one Asian-type stir-fry, mac & cheese (ok), usually one type of fish (either baked or fried), some sort of casserole and multiple desserts. There was more than enough variety for my family and the quality exceeded run-of-the-mill buffets and most hotel buffets. The ice cream station was (unfortunately) a favorite of my daughter with at least 6 varieties available and multiple toppings. I am sure she had at least 20 ice creams over the course of a week. Read more