We flew into Seattle the day before sailing. Always recommended, just in case...Stayed near the airport, using a free night from hubby's business travel. Took a Shuttle Express van to the pier in the morning - driver gave us all sorts of info about Seattle en route, it was like a mini tour!
Embarkation - the boarding process was smooth and painless, and within a half-hour we were lunching on the lido deck. Our cabin was ready promptly. There were 4 of us, mom, dad, & 2 boys, ages 9 & 12. There was enough room for all of us, but with the sofa converted to a bed, the storage was a bit less since the sofa cushions were stowed under the king bed. But we made do...and yes, bring a power strip...we had 4 cameras and 1 camcorder that all seemed to need recharging at the same time! Our steward was Purna, and he was very pleasant, and really seemed to enjoy amusing the kids. We were so glad we'd booked a balcony room...hubby and I spent many hours out there just watching the scenery drift by, and my son & I saw orcas from our balcony, the only ones spotted the whole week.
Ports - we did the Tracy Arm excursion...many thanks to all of you who suggested that, as we likely would not have booked it were it not for the enthusiastic reviews on this board. Turned out to be a high point of our trip! The weather was beautiful, and the excursion was worth every penny!
Nicely maintained, balcony showing signs of age, but cannot beat the location or the view!