We booked a mini-suite with balcony and enjoyed great weather. The views were amazing. The excursions were rather expensive. We took the Mendenhall Glacier and Whale Watching shore excursion, but otherwise just visited the towns on our own. Would have preferred to take the White Pass Railway and Yukon trip, but felt that the Mendenhall Glacier and Whale Watching excursion was the limit of our spending.
The food and service were very good. Our steward, Mikey, did an excellent job of maintaining the room and providing information to prepare us for each upcoming day's activities.
The entertainment could have been better. Probably the best was a pianist who did an Elton John tribute. The Beatles tribute was disappointing, along with the main entertainment in the main showroom. Entertainment on the Pride of America in Hawaii was much better.
We would recommend this cruise simply for the beautiful views every day--snow-capped mountains, beautiful sunsets, etc. But the weather we experienced was exceptional--highs of around 70 and sunny every day (except for Seattle). Average weather (rain, highs in the 50s) might have made the trip less enjoyable.
Ship experiences
Food and Dining
5 out of 5
Plenty of freestyle choices, but we chose to eat in the Tsar's Palace most often.
Onboard Activities
3 out of 5
Did not participate in very many onboard activities. There were many options offered, we simply didn't find many things that suited us.
Entertainment
3 out of 5
The main showroom's entertainment was not what we expected. The Pride of America, Hawaii, had much better main showroom entertainment. The Elton John tribute in one of the lounges was very good. The Beatles tribute was disappointing. Other various entertainment in Tsar's Palace and the Crystal Atrium was good.
Children's Programs
NA. Did not use.
Service and Staff
5 out of 5
Great service. Mikey, our steward, did an excellent job of keeping the room in top shape and providing us information for the next day's activities.
Ship Quality
5 out of 5
Cabin / Stateroom
5 out of 5
The mini-suite offered a full-sized bath with tub. The bath was a good upgrade from our balcony room on the Pride of America, but the room itself seemed smaller.
Ship tip
Tsar's Palace offered the best service and the best views. If you can, wait about 30 minutes before disembarking at each port. You will avoid long lines that way.
Typical Seattle weather--rainy, damp--both at beginning and end of trip. Visit Pike's Place Market. However, expect huge crowds in tight walkways. If you are visiting the Space Needle, make reservations for the restaurant. You will get free valet parking and a free elevator ride to the observation point. Great savings there and great food and views from the restaurant.
My wife enjoyed the many shops. We enjoyed walking along with waterfront. Great photo opportunities around town with beautiful snow-capped mountains in the background.
Visited the Mendenhall Glacier and enjoyed the Whale Watching Quest. Saw several humpback whales, but only at a fairly long distance. Saw numerous sea lions frolicking near the boat. The guides were very helpful.
Probably the most beautiful scenery of the entire trip. Huge snow-capped mountains on each side of the inlet. Beautiful cascades from the melting snow caps all along the way.
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