This was our second trip to Alaska on Holland America since we enjoyed our first trip so much. We arrived in Vancouver at 9am and proceeded to the cruise ship terminal approx 1hr after and were delighted to see that we could at least drop our baggage off so we didn't have to lug it around. Terminal staff were very friendly and told us that if we came back around 2pm there would be less of a wait to board the ship. This was great since it gave us time to walk around one of our favorite cities and meet up with a friend who had moved out to Vancouver. We decided to follow the advice of the terminal staff and at 2pm were met with very little chaos and commotion and boarded our ship with little difficulty or wait. Embarkation was a breeze and we found checking in online helped speed the process. My husband decided to splurge on this cruise( found a great deal though) and book a deluxe verandah suite. I must admit that I was really looking forward to seeing this cabin!!! We weren't disappointed. It was phenomenal. We have stayed in outside cabins and have been upgraded to a balcony in the past but my husband decided that this was the way to travel from now on. Lots of room everywhere, including the shower. There was even a separate dressing area. The only thing, and I mean only thing that there wasn't enough of was electrical outlets(only 2) so we had to rotate hairdryers, blackberry,rechargeable camera batteries and my ipod. Cabin steward was fantastic as usual and every night we had a new towel animal that seemed to be more intricate than the last. As deluxe verandah suite guests we had a few perks which we completely enjoyed. The use of the Neptune lounge was fun and the concierge was very friendly and helpful. Every morning found us there making cappuccinos and watching CNN for the latest morning news. The second day at sea we were invited to a suite guest luncheon with the captain which we really enjoyed since the captain came and introduced himself and had time for small conversation before heading back to the bridge. The food on board was delicious as always. We have never found a reason to complain about the food on any voyage on any cruise line we have ever travelled. The dining options were plentiful and if you couldn't find a meal you liked on board you weren't looking hard enough. Once again my husband found the need to have two lobster tails at the captains farewell dinner and once again was given a whole second dinner. Portions were just right but as mentioned above you can always order another dinner if you found you weren't satisfied with only one. Dining room steward and assistant did a fantastic job and even took the time to remember our names which he greeted us with at every dinner. The ship itself was amazing and very elegant. We were very impressed with the size of the library and how comfortable it was to just sit and watch the scenery go by. Loved this ship but we love all the ships we travel on. We didn't travel with children and we did one shore excursion in Juneau. We highly recommend the whale watching and wildlife cruise. Money back guarantee if you don't see at least three different types of wildlife, but don't expect your money back. We saw killer whales, humpback whales, eagles, sea lions, and dall's porpoises. Staff were really helpful and took there time in finding that wildlife. When our time on the ship was over we couldn't believe how easy disembarkation was! There was the express disembarkation if you wanted to take your own luggage off and didn't have a transfer to the airport through Holland america which we didn't do. We decided to purchase the bus ride back to the airport but found ourselves off the ship and ready to go by 9:30am. We couldn't help but turn to one another and say that was so painless. All in all a great trip! One made special by the crew of Holland America and one I wouldn't hesitate to do all over again, again.