We did our own plans using AirBnB and booking directly with tour operators for the eight days before our cruise. That went very well. Everything is outrageously priced in Alaska but there are some really great things to see and do.
Embarkation
5 out of 5
Very smooth
Ship experiences
Food and Dining
4 out of 5
Solid choices and quality. We didn’t go Hungary but it was a little easier to cut back on eating. Deserts were mostly low sugar and more bland. Maybe because it is an older crowd?
Onboard Activities
4 out of 5
Choices were pretty standard for a cruise ship.
Entertainment
3 out of 5
Definitely not as good as other cruise lines.
Service and Staff
5 out of 5
Staff was very friendly and attentive.
Ship Quality
4 out of 5
Layout was great. Cleanliness was good but our room could have been cleaner.
Cabin / Stateroom
5 out of 5
Cleanliness was t bad enough to complain about but not deserving of five stars. The balcony was nice although the weather made it totally unnecessary and not worth the extra price charged.
Ship tip
Don’t bother with a balcony unless you are pretty sure the weather will be great and in Alaska, that is not very common. Most of the great things you will want to see can be viewed around the ship.
You don’t get as close to the glacier as commercials would have you believe. Better to hike a glacier if you get a chance. Hearing and seeing one calve is totally worth the patience waiting though.
I might have given a better rating if we got to see it better. So much rain and cloud cover, we really didn’t get to enjoy it much. I went on a whale watch but whales in August don’t breach, they just surface and spout and show you their tails occasionally. As nice as that is to see, you can see it many other places also. Most of the boat was ready to move on after 15-20 spouts.
This was our favorite port of the cruise. Don’t miss the Salmon ladder in the middle of town. Also, don’t bother paying to visit Herring Cove through the expensive tour promising to refund you something if you don’t see bears. Just pay for the $55.00 trolly tour at the dock which will take you to the exact same spot. You won’t get to walk on the boardwalk on one side of the river bank but you can stand on the opposite bank of the same river and see the exact same things from the same vantage point.
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