Ports were Sitka, Skagway, Juneau and Victoria BC. Did the Best of Sitka tour with visits to the Raptor Center and Fortress of the Bear which were both amazing. Very informative and educational tour. Also visited the Sitka National Historical Park where we walked around and saw the salmon in the creek. We booked locally instead of through the cruise line using this AP with no issues. Skagway we toured on our own, did whale watching in Juneau and toured BC on our own.
Embarkation
5 out of 5
Quick, easy and organized. We were on the ship within a half hour of arriving at the port.
Ship experiences
Food and Dining
5 out of 5
We mostly ate in the main dining room and Windjammer, and did not eat at any specialty restaurants. The food was great, and served fast in the MDR. I’m not a buffet style person, so preferred the MDR to Windjammer, but when I did eat at the Windjammer, I was very happy with the selections of food. Ate at Cafe Two70 for lunch one day, serving sizes were small. Asked for a wrap and it was half a partial wrap compared to what you’d get at a regular restaurant. Sorrentos was excellent for a late night pizza snack!
Onboard Activities
4 out of 5
Lots to choose from, and activities available night and day. Went to a talk about the ports we would be visiting and to get maps, but it was mostly focused on shopping and what stores to visit. Beware a lot of stores in ports are owned or sponsored by the cruise lines (according to a local tour guide) which is why they’re pushing the shopping.
Best presentations were by a young man named Caleb who discussed local wildlife including birds, sea life, and other information on the environment.
Fun trivia and karaoke on board. Did not use the Rick climbing but it was funny to watch.
Entertainment
4 out of 5
Sequins and Feathers was excellent! Very talented dancers and singers, Sonic Odyssey was also worth watching and we both enjoyed it very much. As for Starwater, I have to say I would not go see it again. While the singers were good, the choreography was seriously lacking, and was very boring. I’m a dance enthusiast, so love anything with dance in it, but this was more about “strike a pose” than anything else.
Service and Staff
5 out of 5
Staff was great. We did not see our room steward until almost the last day. We weren’t in our room much, maybe that was why? He did leave us a note in case we needed anything, but the room was always clean and we had everything we needed. Our dining room wait staff went above and beyond to make sure we were happy with their service. John and Chininga were great!
Ship Quality
5 out of 5
Easy to navigate after we explored a bit. Maps at the elevator and on the Royal Caribbean AP were a big help! Everything inside was always clean. Enjoyed the “washy, washy” team at the Windjammer!
Cabin / Stateroom
4 out of 5
Loved the location of being one deck below Windjammer for a quick run up for coffee or food and drink. We preferred to take the stairs because the elevators could get crowded at certain times of the day. However, if you are sensitive to noise, it can get noisy around 4 or 5 in the morning. I think it might have been Coastal Kitchen above us, and could hear chairs or something being moved around in the morning. Wasn’t a big deal to us, but bring earplugs just in case. The location of the cabin near the stairs and deck 14 made it worth it to us! And the excellent balcony!
Ship tip
If sailing to Alaska in September, bring water proof pants and jacket! It rained all day in Juneau and some in Sitka and we were so glad we were dressed appropriately! Definitely bring layers. Also, I would skip bringing any kind of formal wear - not many people dressed up, and it just wasn’t necessary. I would stick with all casual clothes next time! Packed way more than I ended up wearing.
Appreciate your detailed feedback. Good information about cabin location. Nice to know that the shore tours on this APP are as advertised. Glad you enjoyed your cruise.
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