Easy seven days. Good ship. If you can't do inland, Alaska by cruise is OK. Glacier Bay was wonderful and beautiful on our day. We saw some calving and a brown bear. We had a brief glimpse of a whale at Inside Passage. Not all ships stop at Sitka or Glacier Bay, so choose your ports/line based somewhat on what you want to see. The crew takes great pictures and you can choose the ones you want. Have them take all you can so your selection is large and you can pick the best.
Embarkation
5 out of 5
Ship experiences
Food and Dining
5 out of 5
We drink only water, but the food was wonderful. Had Pinnacle Grill the first night and the filet mignon was supreme! Service in Dining Room Two (Any Time Dining) was always swift and gracious. Food good.
Onboard Activities
4 out of 5
We stayed busy. The TASTE KITCHEN had good recipes and well presented. Fitness Center is large and has lots of equipment. Microsoft presentations were excellent, but cannot get to the suggested sites at home.
Entertainment
4 out of 5
Stage shows active and colorful. Saw one man with ear plugs; it is loud. Guess they figure seniors need loud. Magician OK. We did not do any of the bars but saw that they were full in evenings.
Service and Staff
5 out of 5
Everyone we spoke with was gracious, intelligent, and knowledgeable. Lido busy at all times, but staff always smiling to serve. Reception desk was well staffed with customer service top notch. Paolo especially helpful and gracious. Most staff are Indonesian. The camera department staff is happy and does a really good job of taking pictures. Allow purchase in your expected costs as you will want some of them.
Ship Quality
4 out of 5
Everything was clean and being cleaned constantly. If your room is at either end, be prepared for the walk
Cabin / Stateroom
5 out of 5
Size good, bathroom great and not cramped. Has a tub/Shower! Balcony good size, but as always, it's use depends on the weather! Room was clean and kept that way by stewards. We were just under edge of Bridge. Many pictures have bottom of bridge and light in them.
Ship tip
Keep the ship deck plan card with you at all times. It is VERY helpful and so are the maps near the elevators. The only coffee availalbe without pay is at dining room meals and Lido.
We live in nearby community. Seattle is a super city. This is our third trip to ALaska so we chose to do no excursions. Port comments are based on our walking enjoyment.
A really friendly community. We did Thrift Stores here and visited St. Michael's Cathedral. There is now a "donation" of $5. It's worth it as the icons are so unusual. It is a serving church and the shared information is very educational. Sitka is easy to get round in.
We went in September and all ports had 40% off sales of tourist merchandise. All had lots of jewelry, but the most interesting in all ports is the local and native American crafts. They are excellent if you enjoy art. You don't have to purchase to browse any of the shops...but of course vendors would prefer you did!
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