We had not been to Alaska before but have heard that everyone who goes loves it so we decided to give it a try. Alaska exceeded all of our expectations. Embarkation was easy, make sure you do all of your medallion stuff before you go and get your medallion mailed to you. This will make embarkation quicker. The ship is beautiful and very big. The staff kept it so clean and that was wonderful. I loved the beds, they were so comfortable. Dining in the buffet area was good. Everything was washed down daily and it felt clean. Food freshly prepared in the buffet areas was delicious. We were disappointed with the food in the dining room. It was under seasoned and over cooked. It actually appears that they are outsourcing Dining room food and receiving it pre-cooked and possibly warming it up. The excursions we took from the ship were well organized and excellent. Wildlife viewing was amazing and our Glacier experience mesmerizing. Naturalists board the ship for the two Glacier Days and they are amazing. All in All we had a fantastic time!