This was a 7 day cruise to Alaska leaving from Seattle, our 8th cruise, and our granddaughters’ 1st.

It was alarming to me that no one at the United Airlines check-in desk asked for the parent authorization letter for the 2 minors that I was travelling with, especially since one of them had a different last name to mine. This is very troubling, especially since UA emphasized the need for this letter on their website. They were more interested in my overweight luggage, than in making sure that I have the proper documentation. The plane was delayed ½ hour, but despite that we were able to make our connection in Chicago, arriving in Seattle 20 minutes early. TSA Pre√ is great, bypassed the long lines. Arriving in Seattle we picked up our bags and proceeded to the third floor, where we had to wait for a van (cabs were plentiful) since it was five of us with 10 pieces of luggage. It took about 30 minutes to get to the pier at a cost of $65.00 for all of us.

The line for embarkation was quite short, and once again no one asked for a permission letter for the minors. Celebrity also emphasized the need for this or they would not be able to board. We did the mandatory fire drill sitting in the dining room and watching a film, and then we were on our way. Read more