As a first time cruiser, I was not sure what to expect. I have to say I was pleasantly surprised at the overall experience. My wife and I took a 7 day cruise on the Pearl from Seattle to Alaska. From the start the staff at NCL was friendly and helpful. The experience of getting on and off the ship was well organized and efficient. We enjoyed our little stateroom with a wonderful large ocean view window. I highly recommend a window as sitting on the bed watching the landscape was a great pleasure, and we saw many whales swim by while staring out the window. The restaurants were very nice, easy to get into without reservations, and the food was always well prepared, tasty and offered a great variety. We found the buffet to be crazy and it could be difficult to get a table at peak times, as it is where most of the families seemed to go. But the food was very good. We just preferred the restaurants, which were relaxed and enjoyable. The entertainment was fun, and a bit funky, think Las Vegas. However we looked forward to "going out" every evening. The ports were fun. Our absolute favorite was Skagway. The train is not to be missed. And of course Glacier Bay was beyond beautiful. Seeing a glacier that close was worth the entire cost of the trip. When we were pulling away, a bald eagle flew right over the ship. That was a special day. Each day I could feel a layer of stress peal away, which is why we went on a cruise. It was a terrific experience, NCL did a super job, and I would highly recommend it to anyone thinking about going to Alaska.