This was our first cruise. We were a small family party (myself, DD, DH, and my Dad). We enjoy good food and wine, we are early risers and not into the nightlife or casinos, and we like to read and relax when we are not sightseeing. So these are the preferences we had going into our first cruise experience.

Embarkation: we checked in at Pier 66 in Seattle at 10:30. I'm glad we did, because we checked our luggage quickly and got chairs in the terminal waiting room and an early boarding number. The Gray Line tour bus operator in Seattle told us not to wait until 1. We boarded at 11:30, got into our stateroom about 1, and got our bags around 4. The Oceanview Cafe was open for lunch as people came onboard.

Ship and Stateroom: I was concerned about reported shabbiness of the ship after reading other reviews. My concerns were unfounded. The ship is no longer brand new and there are a few minor signs of wear here and there, but everything was spotlessly clean and in good repair. It's a beautiful and elegant vessel. The stateroom was very comfortable and our steward, Ramesh, was outstanding. We were Concierge Class and my dad was in a regular cabin next to us. We noticed no real difference in level of service; CC offered little things like better robes and stateroom flowers, but that's about it. Read more