This was a family and friend affair. I traveled with my DH, DD (21), DS (18), my sister and brother-in-law, an aunt and uncle, and a couple who are close family friends. Three were platinum cruisers with Carnival, 2 were on their second cruise, and the rest were first time cruisers. We had 3 balcony rooms and one inside for the kiddos.

We flew into Seattle on Sunday afternoon. We used Already There Town car for our shuttle from airport to hotel, hotel to pier, and pier to airport. They used a 10-person van for the transfers and it was great. On time each trip, courteous, and no complaints about the amount of luggage.

In Seattle, we stayed at the Hampton Inn Downtown. The hotel worked out great. There was a continent breakfast included and afternoon cookies. There was a small garden area were the 10 of us sat at night to visit. It was a great location, just a short walk to the Space Needle and monorail. Right across the street was a great bar and pizza. We had dinner there on Sunday. Ate a few blocks away at a Mexican restaurant on Monday. I cannot remember the name, but it was on the hotel’s recommended restaurant list. There was also a grocery about a block away. We stopped there to get soda and wine before we headed out to the ship. Read more