Alaska Cruise

Parents' take: There's nothing quite like watching orcas off the bow and bald eagles overhead, and listening to the sound of cracking ice on a cruise to Alaska. Even better, beverage in hand, we can take in the panorama of the Inside Passage from our stateroom window. And as pleasant as the progeny are to make flight connections and go through Customs and Immigration with, we're so glad we avoided all that by sailing out of Seattle on Norwegian Cruise Lines' Norwegian Star. The scenery is not quite as breathtaking as it might be if sailing from Vancouver, but the kids, no doubt having discovered the video arcade, are unlikely to notice. Nor, from the hot tub, are we.

Kids' take: If Dad starts doing the Cotton Eye Joe on the dance floor at the Spinnaker Lounge, I really hope I'm already in bed.

Norwegian Cruise Lines seven-day round trip to Sawyer Glacier from Seattle, ocean-view cabins from $749 per person.

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