Very Nice Alaskan Cruise - Lots to Learn for a First Time Cruiser

Item: Discovery Princess
Rating: 4.7
Author: kellymoncrief

Discovery Princess Cruise Review to Alaska - Inside Passage

kellymoncrief

Contributor Level: Purser

Cruises: 1 cruise (first)

Review: 1

Helpful Votes: 5

Overall rating:

4.7 out of 5

Verified Review

7 Night Alaska Inside Passage With Glacier Bay National Park (Seattle Roundtrip)

Sail date: September 14, 2024

Ship: Discovery Princess

Cabin type: Suite

Cabin number: A734

Traveled as: Couple

Reviewed: 23 days ago

Review summary

Very nice experience. Great balance of sea-days vs port days. Evening entertainment was great and good music and activities in community areas. Lots to learn as a first time cruiser though and it was a bit overwhelming; we missed out on a few things due to not knowing but I imagine it gets easier the more cruises you do.

Embarkation

4 out of 5

The lines flowed very well and seemed to move efficiently. Would have loved a priority line for those of us that paid for suites and the premier experience.

Ship experiences

Food and Dining

4 out of 5

The food was excellent overall. The buffet was crowded as expected but lots of options. The reserve dining service was exceptional - definitely recommend taking advantage of that for suite people. Specialty restaurants were okay - i was surprised by the number of items with upcharges (in addition to paying for the specialty meal); the italian meal was phenomenal, the seafood meal was overcooked and service was slow; the steakhouse was good.

Onboard Activities

5 out of 5

Loved that there was a spa and the evening shows - comedian, rock singer, and rock opera.

Entertainment

5 out of 5

Loved the evening shows - comedian, rock singer, and rock opera.

Service and Staff

4 out of 5

The staff has a great culture. Everyone seems happy to be there (encountered only 1 exception to this in 8 days!). One opportunity for the staff is to be better informed - I must have encountered everyone whose first cruise it was and since it was my first cruise there were quite a few encounters where we both left confused.

Ship Quality

5 out of 5

Pleasantly surprised that the cleanliness from day 1 was maintained throughout the entire 8 days!

Cabin / Stateroom

5 out of 5

Very well maintained!

Ship tip

If its your first time and you get a suite, meet with someone who has done this cruise before - a third of the information you need is in the app, a third of the information is on the paper delivered to your room each day, and third we got through word of mouth from other people on the boat.

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