This was the first cruise for my husband and I and our three adult children. We decided to do a cruise because it was our first trip to Alaska and a cruise seemed a good way to get an overview. We chose the Norwegian Jewel because we were a bit late making travel arrangements and the 7-day southbound cruise from Seward to Vancouver had availability and fit into all of our calendars. None of our land arrangements prior to or after the cruise were part of the cruise package.

After considering our cabin options we decided on two 2-bedroom suites - one for the "kids" (they're not kids at all) and one for my husband and I. I thought some of the perks I'd read about would be frivolous and even silly - things like having a butler and concierge - but in reality they were quite helpful. Our concierge met us as soon as we were checked in and escorted us up to our suites. He also met us in a designated place before every shore excursion and escorted us to the front of the line of folks waiting to exit the ship, so there was never a wait. He was also available to make/change dinner reservations for us, helped us locate a few belongings that ended up in the lost and found, and made sure we were happy throughout the trip.

Other perks of this cabin level included having exclusive access to the Moderno Restaurant for breakfast and lunch, as well as access to The Haven sundeck for glacier viewing. Afternoon snacks were delivered to our room each day by our butler - chocolate-covered strawberries, a crudite plate, fresh fruit, and cheese and crackers were among the afternoon surprises. Read more