I had a good quality laminate installed in my kitchen a few years ago and I really did not like it at all. I did not like the seams where (as you said) spilled liquids could seep. I did not like the looks of it. Even though it was a high quality and expensive flooring, we thought it looked cheap after it was in for a year or two. We replaced it with porcelain tile and I love it. It looks wonderful. The only hing I don't like about the tile is dropping a glass jar on it. Wow! Talk about shards of glass everywhere! But that has happened only once, so far! Other than that, I just love the porcelain tile!
Now, I have laminate flooring in my sewing room and I love it there!