Overall, it was a good cruise. As with all trips, the weather plays a heavy role in enjoyment. I was a little disappointed in the ports and the viewing of the passage. Maybe because I had spent 16 days doing a land tour by RV of Alaska in the past. Between the two, land exploration is far better.
Embarkation
5 out of 5
Although it is a hassle to do so, Highly recommend completing Verifly before embarkation. It really speeds the process.
Ship experiences
Food and Dining
4 out of 5
The food in the Lido Market was good but the area was crowded, chaotic and noisy. The food in the dining room was disappointing: poor selection, misleading descriptions and small portions, especially with the appetizers. The dessert selection at the Lido was poor. The emphasis seems to be on upgrades and pay dining. For example, ice cream was available only in the Lido during their hours. Gelato was available for fee on one of the pool decks.
Onboard Activities
1 out of 5
There was little to do on sea days. Most of the "activities" were promotions.
Entertainment
2 out of 5
There was little to do in the evenings, especially on port days. There was a dance troupe who performed three times, a comedian who performed for 15 minutes every now and then, a couple of classical recitals and occasional live music in the bars. There were a few lame trivia games, also.
Children's Programs
No children in my group.
Service and Staff
5 out of 5
The crew is wonderful and the best part of the cruise. They are friendly, cheerful and efficient. I felt they really wanted you to enjoy yourself. Our room steward, some of the bartenders and wait staff greeted us by name which is a nice touch.
Ship Quality
4 out of 5
All ship areas were clean and well maintained. The chairs in the Lido Market need to be re-upholstered. They are worn and the material is cracking. You have to walk through the Lido to get to other areas on deck 9 which only adds to the congestion in that area.
Cabin / Stateroom
5 out of 5
I was very happy with the cabin. There is adequate storage. The shower is large and the aft verandah is nice. However, you need favorable weather to enjoy the verandah which didn't occur that often on our cruise.
Ship tip
Don't expect there to be a lot to do. You will need to entertain yourself.
We spent 4 days in Vancouver pre-cruise. Loved it! It's a beautiful city although you should avoid Gastown and Chinatown due to the homeless probelem. Activities: Grouse Mountain, Stanley Park, Queen Victoria, Van Duesen Botanical Gardens and Granville Island.
We did the Glacier Lake rafting tour (separate review on Trip Advisor). The weather was chilly with intermittent rain. Due to the weather, we just went on our excursion and then returned to the ship.
I chose the White Summit/City Tour instead of the popular train as our small bus made several stops so we could get off and look around. It was generally very easy to reboard the ship unless a train had just returned - long line! We were fortunate to miss that. A stong, cold wind had developed accompanied by rain. From the ship, we watched the passengers endure the adverse weather while waiting to reboard.
We did a walking tour of the town and stopped at the Southeastern Discovery Center, Totem Heritage Center and Creek Street. We took a bus to Totem Bight.
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