All in all, Alaska is magnificent and a cruise is a good way to start discovering it. We found out a few things we would do differently, there were things we were disappointed in, but we still feel we had a fantastic vacation.
We were able to keep costs low but would probably explore more possibilities for alternative activities in port.
We are definitely going to dream about going back, although not necessarily with RC.
Embarkation
5 out of 5
Quick and easy. Yes, there was a line but it was moving at a good pace and we did not have to stand for long.
Ship experiences
Food and Dining
4 out of 5
We had the 8pm dinner in the dining room. Fantastic wait staff, fun, and knowledgeable. We always felt taken care off. Service was quick and efficient. Food was great.
Breakfast and lunch in the dining room: food was good, wait staff was nice but service was slow.
Windjammer: ate there a couple of times. Big selection of food but I found the quality a bit lower. Still great staff.
Johnny Rocket's: ate there once. Again, fantastic staff. Food was good.
Cafe Promenade: food was ok, nice and easy to use. Lemonade was watered down.
In general, food was good, wait staff always outstanding.
Did not purchase any of the drink packages. We drank water and lemonade and paid for a soda from time to time.
Did not go to any of the specialty restaurants.
Onboard Activities
3 out of 5
We are introvert people so did not feel comfortable with most of the activities offered onboard: karaoke, bingo, trivia. We planned on using the fitness center but ended up not doing it. Weather felt too cold for pools.
We participated in the art auctions. I also attended a couple if lectures. The topics interested me but the presenters were hard to listen to and I left each time halfway through.
We attended a couple movies.
Otherwise we spent time watching the scenery whenever possible.
Entertainment
3 out of 5
Frankly, I found the shows disappointing. We saw the first dancing show, Hayden Smith and a short part of Brad Cummings. Although each show had some good moments, I did not leave with a wow feeling.
We also saw the ice skating show and that was much better, impressive considering how small the rink is and really nice to watch.
Service and Staff
5 out of 5
That's one thing I can say was more than outstanding. Customer service at its best. The people working on this ship were all friendly and smiling, greeting everyone. Your stateroom attendant and dinner wait staff greet you by name and are so willing to accommodate you and help you solve any issue. Their supervisors offer the same attitude. It was a highlight of the cruise experience.
Ship Quality
5 out of 5
Nothing to say about this. We enjoyed the ship. Always clean from what we could see.
Cabin / Stateroom
5 out of 5
Cabin was typical for cruiseship I think: smaller than a hotel room with everything in as tight a space as possible.
My husband and I are not small people but we were comfortable. Only down side is trying to shave my legs in the shower. That was tough.
The double bed (2 twin beds) was comfortable but pillows a bit too soft for me. Our teen daughter found the pullman bed mattress slightly uncomfortable.
I was amazed that we were able to put away all our clothes. We all overpacked but still found room for everything. Plenty of hangers, shelf space in the closet, drawers in the vanity. Our 3 suitcases fit under the beds with no problem.
Ship tip
Be aware that decks 1-3 are cut in half by few quarters and ice rink. This means that if you want to go from one end of the ship to the other, you need to go up to deck 4 or 5 then back down.
The casino is on deck 4. Smell of cigarette is overwhelming. If using deck 4, go outside, otherwise go to deck 5 and the promenade.
If you are an introvert, be aware a lot of the activities are very party-like and plan accordingly.
We did not visit Seattle before or after the cruise. One thing we might have done and might do if we do this again is an excursion on the last day. They had excursions for people whose flight was after specific times, which guarantees you will be on time at the airport.
We did the Mendenhall Glacier and Salmon Bake, booked through RC. We had only 1 hour at the glacier and it is not enough. The salmon at the bake was good but the whole bake itself was underwhelming, with lots of bugs, so beware. There was a creek with all the salmon leading to waterfalls. That was neat.
We found out afterwards that you can pay for a shuttle from the town to the glacier. We would probably do that to give us more time at the glacier.
We would also spend more time in town.
We booked an excursion through Shipmate: sled dogs and gold panning. The drive was quite long but the vistas were breathtaking. Our driver, Jack, stopped often for picture opportunities.
The sled dog camp was small but so interesting. We got to pet puppies and then had a ride in a 4x4 pulled by sled dogs. Our musher was Michelle Phillip who competed in the Iditarod. Very neat!
Gold panning was thoroughly disappointing. Because it took us so long to get back to Skagway (We stopped often for pictures), we got there after closing time, so all the reenactors were gone. Our driver showed us how to pan and we did for 15 minutes but then had to leave.
Because if that, we did not get to walk around town, which was disappointing as it looked really good.
We did not book an excursion for this port but met with a friend. She took us to the outskirts of town before bringing us back. We walked around a little: parliament, Empress Hotel...
Again, quick and easy. Be aware that you will need to put your luggage out the night before, so plan accordingly.
Neat thing: the on board check in. Once we put our luggage out, we did not have to worry about it until our arrival at destination. Highly recommend!
I cruised with Holland America on Noordam last July/ August and loved everything about this ship. Cleanest one we've ever been on, food was superb, wait staff amazing. Can't wait to do another cruise with HA.
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