Dal Gal

Thank you to everyone for their information and advice. And, to Crew News - thanks for the pics!

I think I've made my decision - or rather, had it made for me - as there's really only one 14 day trip leaving from Seattle during May! ;) The Zaandam May 21st trip it is! I've contacted my travel agent to start the process.

Again - thanks for everything - I'm excited! I've read the posts on the roll call so far, and once I've booked the trip, will add my name to it.

I'm looking forward to a great adventure! :D

Thank you for the replies! I've ordered the Alaska By Cruise Ship book, should have it on Monday. And, the more I search online, the more I'm convinced that I do want just a cruise - maybe a land/sea option in the future. We live near Seattle, so don't have to worry about flights. And, I have to take it in May 2018. These restrictions will help me narrow down my choices.

Has anyone been on a cruise on the MS Zaandam before? I wouldn't mind less "entertainment", but also want to make sure that if I were to choose the 14-day cruise that there's enough to do on the ship.

Also - the ever popular question - balcony or no balcony? I don't think I could do an inside...I guess knowing an average price to the port excursions would be helpful (any good websites to check out?). Trying to weigh the cost/benefits here of an upgraded room vs. wanting to go do/see things in the ports.

Wow - I hope to one day be a seasoned traveler and not have so many questions! :)

Thanks! I didn't think to look for a solo travelers section (although that's not really a concern of mine), but I'll try to hunt that down. I do plan to take excursions - thanks for the Kodiak tip!

Hi! So - I'll start with this - I'm 47 yo and my husband passed away recently from cancer. He always wanted to go to Alaska, but never made it up there. I will be booking a trip for May 2018, if I can, to do this for him (and me!). Would depart from Seattle, by myself, and I think I'm looking at one of the 14 day trips, as they appear to go farther north than the 7 day trips. I've never even set foot on a cruise ship, but I really want/need to do this.

Which ships are better than others, and why? If I'm looking for a crowd around my age, would you choose one ship over another? Balcony vs. inside room? Would you recommend one itinerary over another, and why? My travel agent, who I met with for the first time today, also talked about land trips - I'd never thought about that...any experiences? She mentioned cruising up, doing a land trip and flying or taking the train back to Seattle...I'm so confused! I'm leaning towards the round trip cruise - not sure I want to be on a train for that long, and don't really want to have to deal with hotels, flights, etc. We always traveled together, so this would be my "baby step".

I hope I'm asking the right questions, in the right place. If I should be asking this somewhere else, please let me know! Your knowledge and guidance is appreciated! :)