We had cruised to Alaska 2 times. We were looking for a summer cruise and our choices were Bermuda or Alaska. We decided to do 3 days in Seattle and then take the Jewel on 7 night round trip. We mainly chose this cruise because it spent a full day in Victoria, and we had never been to that port. We are in our mid 60's and are Diamond level.
Pre-Cruise: We stayed at the Mayflower Park hotel. It was recommended to me by people on CC and TripAdvisor. So glad we selected it. Great location, service, etc. A classic hotel. We took a town car from the airport ($45).
Embarkation: Seemed to be a bit chaotic, as there was also Celebrity Solstice next to us, but we were aboard within 30 minutes of arrival at the ship.
We had an interior on deck 4. Very convenient to dining rooms and entertainment. Good sized room with ample storage. Alaska can be cold and rainy, so we don't do a balcony.