I love cruising, but prior to this I had only cruised the Caribbean. I was a little apprehensive about this vacation destination simply because I usually go for more tropical climates to relax. If you haven't been to Seattle before, I would strongly recommend a day or two prior to and after the cruise, not only to see some of this amazing city's sights, but also to keep the stress level down of getting from airport to ship terminal.

The ship itself was quite amazing. There were plenty of things to do all day long (and most of the night as well). I noticed the activity seems to keep going a little later on this particular cruise the past cruises I've been on. The martini bar is awesome with it's frozen countertop, and by all means splurge for at least one meal at one of the upcharge restaurants (sometimes they offer a package deal and you can try them all out). There is a lawn on the top deck (pretty cool), and it was actually warm enough to enjoy some outdoor pool time on both days at sea! The cabins were nice and spacious (relatively speaking, of course), though they are starting to show some age (worn out seat cushions on the couch, dings and dents in the furniture).

Embarkation and disembarkation was relatively smooth and painless, all things considered. Read more