Quest Complete: 50 x 50

Fifty states by age 50. Even better, I am not 50. This year, I celebrated my visit to my 50th state with an Alaskan Cruise. It took at least 3 years of detours to get here- a construction project, a family request, and summer school plans, plus a bit of inertia to slow it down even more. With the added encouragement of other fellow Alaskan visitors, our family and ten other guests confirmed to join in on my 50 x 50 quest. Here are some memorable moments and possible tips to make other cruise experiences even better.

1.  Plan to spend alot of time pre-planning.
2. Cruises are great ways to see a lot of geographic space in one shorter span of time.
3. Cruises work great when your family and everyone else you are travelling with have different interests and activity levels.
4. Splurge on excursions- Buy early.
5. You can skip the drink package and still not go broke drinking on the ship- Buy Late
6. Reserve dining options- Reserve for early seating early.
7. Unpack your stuff and place it in provided spaces
8. Eat on-board as much as possible.
9. Pay careful attention to the start and ending location of the cruise.
10. Internet, books and connectivity advice.