I've always dreamed of going to Alaska. My sister and I selected Celebrity's 12-night Alaska Mountain Medley Cruisetour. Upon the advice of others, we booked the 5-day land tour to be followed by the 7-night cruise. I definitely recommend doing the land tour portion first. This was a more hurried trip, with overnight stays in five different locations. Since we were on the move, it often meant having our luggage outside early for transport to our next stop. I found that my energy level was higher at the beginning of my vacation and I was better able to handle the faster pace. I don't believe I would have felt this way after a 7 night-cruise. In addition, my sister and I had formed friendships with several other families on the land tour. We were able to benefit from the experiences and suggestions of our friends as we selected shore excursions, dining options and activities. This was important to us since it was our first cruise.

We booked a cabin with a balcony and we selected the Concierge class. Ironically, moving up to the Concierge class actually allowed us to pay a little less than we would have by simply booking a cabin with a balcony. Concierge class allowed us priority check-in, afternoon treats (fresh fruit, cheese,sushi), and restaurant seating time preferences. Our cabin (#8061) on the Millennium was very comfortable. The food was excellent. We ate in the Metropolitan Restaurant every evening. By the end of the cruise we were also eating breakfast and lunch there, too. We did have several meals in the Ocean Cafe and Bar. While the food was very good, the buffet was often crowded and there were times we had difficulty finding a table. Sometimes we would drop by the cafe after lunch to have some of their delicious bread pudding. One day, we had breakfast and lunch at the AquaSpa Cafe. It was a great place to find healthier choices. While some items were available at extra cost, most were part of our dining package. We also enjoyed visiting the Cafe al Bacio, where all the pastries were available free of cost. During our cruise, we enjoyed several eclairs and different cakes. While the pastries were free, coffee, tea and other beverages cost extra. The gelato available in the adjacent Gelateria was delicious. The gelato did cost a little extra, but it was a worthwhile indulgence.

I also liked longer days in port which allowed us the opportunity to schedule more excursions. I also liked being able to start reading online about the shore excursions as soon as I booked the cruise. This gave me the time to research the ratings for the different activities and to read the reviews written by others. In addition to reading the reviews on this Cruise Critic, I also checked the Trip Advisor reviews. Many of these excursions were very expensive, and I wanted to make sure I got my money's worth. Read more