We've traveled on American Cruise Lines twice before and enjoyed the service and itineraries and have always wanted to see this part of the US. We have a preference for seeing our own great country - and have been to all 50 states, in addition to traveling to several other countries.

The small ship experience (just over 80 passengers this time) allows us to get to know the crew, the staff, and our fellow passengers. The itinerary allowed us several opportunities to meet "the locals" and have a little experience of "living on the islands". We were especially lucky to have clear skies in Seattle, giving us a chance to see Mount Rainier, and then another bit of luck - on our whale-watching side-trip, we found ourselves in the middle of five (!) pods of orcas. The guest speaker, a naturalist who makes her home on one of the San Juan Islands, was knowledgeable, personable and engaging. Our service staff made sure that our every need and want was satisfied. The Captain was accessible and engaging - and very skilled.

We don't have any disabilities, so I can't speak to that personally, although my sense from talking to others who did have disabilities, the ship has some cabins that are designed to accommodate certain disabilities. For those with severe disabilities, I'd encourage discussing these with the booking staff - the small ship configuration may or may not be the best choice - there were days when the ramp to get on and off the ship was rather steep, because of tidal differences. This wasn't a problem for us, but could be if you have significant mobility issues. Read more