What better way to start a cruise than a quick (expensive) trip to the outlet center just north of Seattle. Actually it wasn't expensive at all. We found some great buys and I have to let everyone know that the economy is not dead in the USofA.... at least if the outlet stores are any indication. 

Turns out that this is the perfect way to start a cruise. Sort of like stretching before a good run!

Having only taken one cruise before (and that was to the Antarctic where shopping malls were hard to find) we were totally unprepared for the 'push to shop' that we have experienced here on board the Norwegian Pearl.
Our experience in the Antarctic gave us the incentive to travel to Alaska in order to experience the glaciers north of the equator.
The Antarctic cruise is packed with amazing lectures, on board experts and a wealth of information on everything from Global warming to Politics to Whales and Birds. This is what we expected on our cruise north. So we were a little surprised when our lecture on Juneau turned out to be a lecture on how to get the best discount when shopping.
I was also not aware that every woman's wardrobe absolutely must include diamond stud earrings.... and.... if Shane really loved me... he would buy me ice blue diamonds as a memory of our time here in Alaska.
Yeah!?
It is just so very very different from our last experience. However, once we got in to the idea of a floating mall we find ourselves having a good time.
No, I don't have any new (or old) diamonds, but I'm having a lot of fun.