CruiserBruce

A tux has NEVER been required. Suit and tie maybe, sports coat fits in that category.

Its a crew and emergency staircase. Little or nothing can be stored there because emergency exits can't be blocked or cluttered in any way. You might hear the door close from time to time...employees go up and down that staircase regularly.

@Gardyloo, I hope you are cut and pasting these explanations, given the number of times you have had to explain it.

They don't even have water slides? OMG, what is this world coming to?

Or it could be made a "Sticky".

There are dozens of discussions here on bringing wine on board, drink packages and the limits. Signature BP...15 drinks a day under $11, alcoholic and non-alcoholic. Elite...15 drinks a day, alcoholic only limited. You can go to Alaska with a birth certificate and a drivers license....as long as you don't take an excursion that crosses into Canada by land, like the White Pass RR. Wine can be brought on board with a $20 corkage fee.

There is a thread just down the board onnthe same topic. The shore excursion credit is per person. The money cannot be shared. Only one device may be on at a time. But multiple devices can use the internet.

On N. Statendam, this was sort of like and extension of the bar in Tamarind. Sitting in Tamarind, it was a nice view bar. We only discovered it when we ate in Tamarind.

It wouldn't be a bad idea to learn a couple key words..."peanut allergy" in the local language...just to make sure.

The "best" for kids stuff is Disney...but you will pay Disney prices. May or may not work for you. It sounds like most of the main stream lines...Princess, Carnival, Royal Caribbean...would be a good place to start. They are more alike than different. Although Royal Caribbean doesn't have Glacier Bay access, and Carnival has limited. On every cruise I have been on, there is a rush to get off the ship when first arriving at a port. Its human nature.

You are correct on Glacier Bay...3 cruise lines have most, but not all, access to Glacier Bay. Glacier Bay is commonly described as a very desirable destination. Your hours of research HAVE given you some foundation to work on. Time in ports is a key point. No, one cruise doesn't get the best docks. It varies by port, cruise line and time in port. If this is your first cruise, finding a travel agent that can work with you to find your "best" is a good idea. Conversely, as you haven't cruised, I would be thinking you will be at least pretty satisfied with most any introduction to cruising. We don't know your demographic, budget, or anything else about you that goes into determining your "best".

Many, if not most people in the tourism business in Europe speak pretty good English. Northern Europe might be the best at this in Europe.

Ride and tour shares are arranged on your Roll Call, per Cruise Critic rules.

Incredibly broad question. And subjective, because "best" to you might be worlds apart from what is "best" to me. If you have sailed on any cruise line, anywhere, that product will be very similar to their product in Alaska. So if you have a favorite cruise line, you will probably like them in Alaska. But there are some idiosyncrasies in Alaska. If you do some reading around the board, you will see some key points, like routes, visits to Glacier Bay, etc.

The walk is maybe a block from the front of the building, maybe another couple of blocks from the side of the ship to the exit of the building. The taxis take credit cards. Assuming you are successful disembarking very early, you will have no problem with a 12:35 flight.

I imagine this shouldn't be a problem, but I would ask on the RCI board.

North shore has some interest...some nice places to stay up there. Also, the Kapolei area, west of the airport, where Disney's Aulani is also frequently recommended. That being said, I would stay in Waikiki for only 2-5 nights. Maybe even a week. With a little planning, you can see all the Oahu sights from there.

Could be...depends on when you are going.

The Hampton being discussed in this thread meets your goals.

Some reading and research on the Alaska board, here: https://boards.cruisecritic.com/forum/33-alaska/ would be beneficial.

Some reading around the board would be VERY beneficial. HAL doesn't have "formal" nights anymore. They are now called "dressy". There will typically be 2, and they are commonly held on sea days, or second choice, on days when the ship leaves port before 4pm. They are commonly held the second night of the cruise, and most likely the second to last night.

They take credit cards or cash.

You realize the ship you are boarding will have docked that morning and disembarked it's pax. The terminal will be functional since when ever the ship docks. The doors could very well be open...but you would be held somewhere until the check in desks are operational.

Probably 80% of the work in a dry dock is stuff that is not in public spaces...stuff you won't even notice.

There is probably one on most every corner. There certainly is in many Irish towns.