I had read reviews about the ship being old and run down, so we boarded with low expectations. We found the ship to be in good shape, not sure why people complain. Most people say an Alaskan cruise isn't about the ship anyway. Our cabin was great. We loved the balcony and were surprised how often it was warm enough to be out enjoying the beautiful scenery. Bed was comfortable, couch a little worn, good lighting, bathroom adequate, plenty of storage space. The only drawback was there were no outlets next to the bed, only at the desk. Our room steward provided us with an extension cord for the CPAP and a gallon of distilled water.

I chose this cruise based on the itinerary. I wanted a one-way trip in May with a stop in Sitka as well as the usual ports of Ketchikan, Juneau and Skagway. I was afraid May might be too early in the season, but we were really glad we went when we did. There was still snow in the mountains and we had wonderful weather (only one rainy day) with temperatures in the 50s and 60s.

The food in the main dining room was good, very similar to what we had on an earlier cruise with Royal. Our waiter was excellent. I felt like the food in the Windjammer wasn't as good as we've seen before, but my husband enjoyed it. We didn't try any of the premium dining options. Read more