I'm similarly a first time cruiser who's been obsessively researching the 2024 Alaska itineraries. It seems to be a give and take without there being one perfect choice. I actually just booked today and went with the May 4 discovery princess since it has glacier bay it's a one off itinerary that goes from Vancouver to Seattle so you get a long time in Ketchikan because you don't need the nighttime Victoria stop. I think we'll miss the lack of observation lounge but booked a balcony. And think we'll miss some of the bells and whistles of NCL (go-karts) or RC (ifly), etc but figured those things would be like 30 min one time enjoyment and the longer port times and glacier bay were more important. Hope that helps some and you have a great trip!