Punki, if you spring for a balcony, by all means make sure it faces the land! One other piece of advice: when you get to Juneau, take the city bus to the glacier - very cheap! Cruise tour there is very expensive considering the city bus cannot be more than $2 now. We paid one buck. Best food on a Princess ship is in the pizza parlor! Have fun and give us a report.

I would like a cruise that begins and ends in SF! I certainly agree about the end of August. Great weather. We also took in the Alaska State Fair in Palmer, an hour from Anchorage. What a hoot!