Alaska Cruise – Day 8 (Seattle)

Forget the lies they tell you about how long you have to wait to get on and off the ship. During our Holland America cruise, I don't think we waited more than 10 or 15 minutes to embark or disembark at any port.

From what I overheard from more-experienced cruisers, we were fortunate and wise to select Holland America as our cruise provider. Apparently they just offer a higher standard of service than, say, Carnival. (Again, from what I overheard.)

You know, I'd totally do this again. I'd even cruise back to Alaska again, now that I know what to expect, how to pack, and what to plan for.

For instance, I'd take more books. For the evenings. I didn't mind the hoi polloi on board ship quite as much after I'd retreated to my room for a few hours of peace every evening. (There was one man…we called him Peaceful Man…who seemed to be sitting on deck reading every time we were out there. If the temperature had been even 10 degrees warmer, I'd probably have done the same thing on our "at sea" days.)

I'd pack a stocking cap so I could stop having to catch glimpses of myself in mirrors and windows and realizing that I looked like I'd come through a hurricane backwards. (My hair hates humidity.)

I'd leave the make-up at home. I stopped wearing it on the second day since it was so wet it was continually running off my face.

I still wouldn't bother with the camera. I felt somewhat sorry for the people lumbered with expensive and notional equipment. They spent the entire trip staring through a viewfinder at patches of fog and clouds.

I'd eat in the "fancy" restaurant more often. I quite liked chatting with the other passengers over a meal.

I wouldn't bother with the "formal" evenings, though. I didn't bother this time and I wouldn't do it in the future. I wasn't cruising to pretend I was a 40s film star, draped glamorously over the rail of a romantic ship. I went to Alaska for the adventure of it.

And, to that end, I might brave the threat of buffalo-sized mosquitoes and take one of the walking shore excursions. I avoided those this time because of the stories about being eaten alive by mosquitoes and no-see-ums, but the weather we had was so wet that not a bug was to be seen the entire time.

But I'm totally going on a cruise again. I had a great time.