For our 24th, we chose fire. On our milestone 25th, we went with ice.

Because we couldn’t wait another year, we flew to the volcano-infused islands of Hawaii in 2012 to mark our wedding anniversary. This year, we headed north to Alaska on a seven-day cruise.

Surprisingly, we had more fun in the colder climate. Best vacation ever, we agreed.

In Hawaii, we made every rookie mistake possible. Packed onto a plane with few provisions, Hit the narrow road to prime surfing spots on a holiday, Shopped inside malls while the sun shone bright outside. Blindly followed our GPS right past Pearl Harbor. Got kidnapped by a party bus and dumped off at the luau from hell.

While it’s true we didn’t book the Alaska cruise until two weeks before the ship sailed, this time we planned and prepared.

Marge and I have tried lots of different kinds of vacations in the past quarter-century. We’ve flown to a hotel and branched out on excursions. We’ve driven from spot to spot and rented motel rooms along the way.

But who could have imagined being dropped off in downtown Seattle, checking into a resort and having it float us from destination to destination? Inside was Las Vegas. Outside was Alaska. What a concept!

The vacation started with a little deja Oahu. We forgot the camera and had to use Marge’s smart phone. It almost proved too smart for its own good as it sparked debate between photographer and model. Looked for a moment there like we’d be seated at the opposite ends of the restaurant for our romantic anniversary-night dinner.

But it quickly turned back into remarkably smooth sailing—not just for us but for the ship as well. Ketchikan, which gets 155 inches of rain a year, was dry. The capitol city of Juneau was 70 degrees and Skagway, gateway to the frozen Klondike, was a sizzling 76 degrees.

In Ketchikan, with our casual attire we were mistaken for ferry backpackers instead of cruise people at a serious bookstore until we asked where we could get mass-market paperbacks.

In Juneau, I bought coffee mugs at tourist trap highlights, Red Dog Saloon and Tracy’s King Crab Shack.

In Skagway, a ranger enthralled us with his strong narrative during a free walking tour.

Different cruise lines appeal to different people.

We loved free styling on Norwegian Cruise Lines (NLC). No set dining times and relaxed dress code suited us.

We got a great deal on the cruise so we tried to hang on to our savings. That became the little game between us and the cruise line.

Think of the cruise cost as the hardware and the expensive excursions at each port, upgraded restaurants, discounted gold and jewelry, sales seminars, fancy cocktails and the convenient casino as the software. Bill Gates can tell you where the real money is.

I think we played the game pretty well. Quantity, variety and availability are what you want from a buffet and that’s what we got. The other “free” restaurants—not so good.

Las Vegas-production shows every night. Versatile and talented 20-something performers in the small bars belting out those baby-boomer oldies that appeal to the cruise crowd.

Then there were the entertainers we mingled with on board all day. That would be our fellow passengers who starred at night as game show contestants, karaoke performers and hypnotist volunteers.

The definite high point was standing in the bow on a three-hour trip up a side channel to see Sawyer Glacier. The giant ship dodged large ice flows, some with lounging seals.

In the past, we’ve loved exploring Victoria, the ship’s last call. But this time, we just wanted to get back home—to our cruise ship. We hurried back to the warm glow of the Norwegian Jewel where we ate whenever we wanted, were entertained by fantastic performers, and had Walter, the room steward, make up our bed and leave us with fresh towels shaped into cute animals. We fell asleep in our cozy inside-cabin bed as the waves gently rocked us to sleep.

Unfortunately, early the next morning after a final breakfast buffet, they kicked us out of our home and deposited us back onto the mean streets of Seattle.