This was our first cruise all together as a family. I personally had cruised Carnival once prior, which was awful. This trip was planned as an anniversary present, and family reunion of sorts, all rolled into one. We had a lot of fun, and got really lucky with excellent weather in Alaska. But we knew going in that we were going to spend a lot of money. This is not a cruise for the cost-conscious! There are "extras" for just about everything, even on board the ship.

Freestyle cruising was great for us, traveling with a child. The Kids Club was also great, and if you time it right, it's one of those few things included with the price of your ticket. If you need child minding in the evening, however, there's that pesky fee. We found the cafeteria to be decent, and loved the WASHY WASHY girl handing out sanitizer at the door. We were disappointed to find only one main dining room (Indigo) to be "included" and it was, by default, crowded. Again, the food was merely decent. Our only complaint about the included fare was that every dish was full of butter and salt. Unless you want to eat lots of fruit and salad, be prepared to gain the standard pound/day! We ate once at Mambos (kids half price), and were pretty disappointed to have spent the extra $10/person for sub-par food and dismal service.

Overall, we got pretty much what we expected. Bar service was superb (of course, drinks are expensive, but we planned for that). Stateroom service was excellent, and our room was perfect. I highly recommend an aft-facing balcony for all those great Alaskan sunsets. There were lots of activities, and the Cruise Director Julie is wonderful. Great games, shows (especially the juggler), and music selections. There was always something for everyone - grandmas to kids. Our excursions were mostly great, although the time in port was too short (with the exception of Skagway). Cruising Glacier Bay was excellent!