In conclusion, we are not docked long enough at most of the ports to truly enjoy the cities. Glacier Bay was nice, but it would have been more impressive at a different location where you could see other animals (i.e. bears, moose, etc.) besides seals. Canada was a complete failure because nothing was open and the walk to town was 40 minutes. The things we purchased in Canada were from a small shop just outside of the docking area, which in itself does not depict Canada at all.
Embarkation
5 out of 5
We got to the dock at the assigned time, and we only had to wait approximately 30 minutes before we boarded the ship.
Ship experiences
Food and Dining
3 out of 5
The Specialty Restaurant service and food was great, and I would rank them at a 5 star. The service at the main dining rooms for the most part was good, but the food being served was cold most of the time, or in some cases the food was either over or under cooked, which is why I gave them an overall rating is a 3.5 star. We rarely went to the buffet, but it seemed to be pretty nice, so I would rate them as a 3.5 star as well, because seating was very limited.
Onboard Activities
3 out of 5
The fitness center was great, and I would rank them as a 4.5 star. It was too cold to swim in the outdoor pool. The other activities were geared towards a younger group, which does not necessarily work for seniors in the mid 70's.
Entertainment
4 out of 5
Jersey Boys and the Beatle's show was phenomenal, and I would rank them both at a 5 star. The remaining performances I would rank them between a 3 or 4 star. My recommendation is to have a show every night that would be similar to the both the Jersey Boys and the Beatle shows, which were both very entertaining.
Service and Staff
5 out of 5
With the exception of one staff member, the service was definitely a 5 star.
Ship Quality
5 out of 5
The ship was impeccably well kept and clean.
Cabin / Stateroom
5 out of 5
Our room was very spacious and the jets in the shower were the highlight of our stay. Lol! Didey was the individual who was assigned to our cabin. He did an excellent job in keeping our room clean and he did it in a timely manner. He was very personable, friendly and he had no problem providing us with whatever we needed. He made our trip very enjoyable and provided us with first class service.
Ship tip
Make your dinner reservation (Specialty Restaurant's & Main Dining) when you book your trip as the restaurants book up fast. Also, book your excursions as soon as possible, because they sellout quickly. Don't wait to book your excursions on the ship. as they may not be available.
There wasn't a lot to do in the city of Juneau. We took the tram; however, we were unable to do any hiking due to the snow, ice and rain. Also, we were not docked long enough to explore the town before having to reembark on the ship. For the most part, all we saw were a bunch of shops.
The city of Skagway is extremely small, and you are able to walk through the entire city within an hour. There really was not much to see in Skagway, but they had a lot of different
totem poles, and unique building to see.
Glacier Bay was not as exciting as I thought it would. There weren't very many glaciers floating in the water and the only inhabitants that we saw were seals, that looked like black dots on the ice. The only way that you could see the seals was either through binoculars or by taking a picture and blowing it up.
We went to the 8:00 a.m. Lumberjack Show, which was outstanding. Unfortunately, we were not docked long enough to explore the town before having to reembark on the ship at 11:45 a.m.. By the time the show was over, at approximately 10:30 a.m., we got back on the bus and got back to the ship at 11:00 a.m., which was not enough time to explore the city before the ship left.
Victoria, BC was a big disappointment. Though we arrived at 8:00 p.m., we were not cleared to get off of the ship until 8:30 p.m., and we had to be back at the ship by 11:30 p.m., which gave you no time to explore the city on your own because the walk to town was 40 minutes. The real disappointment was that everything in town was closed. It makes no sense to dock at a port for only 4 hours, when everything is closed to the tourist. I can't really say that I visited Canada, because other than the pier, there was nothing else to see if you decided to explore on your own. You really need to consider getting there earlier in the day and docking there for at least 8 hours, so that we have enough time to explore the city on our own while the shops and town are still open for tourism.
Walk from port to the inner harbour, parliament buildings, Empress hotel is 20 minutes, even for this we’ll over 60 couple. Cab would have been at best a five minute ride. Sorry you didn’t have more time as it’s a wonderful city but a poor cruise line.
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