Alaska takes your breath away! The clean, crisp, refreshing air, simplicity of life, the sense of community and respect for nature makes this a favorite for me. This is my 2nd visit to Alaska but 1st time cruising here. Cruising allows you to cover more of the state so I highly recommend it. I also recommend bookending the cruise with 1-2 non-travel days if you are originating from the East coast.
Embarkation
5 out of 5
This was a smooth process, no long lines.
Ship experiences
Food and Dining
5 out of 5
I did not have dinner at any of the main dining rooms. I opted to dine at the Windjammer for all meals. I liked the relaxed atmosphere, the ability to always get great seating, and the service was always top-notch.
Onboard Activities
4 out of 5
I would like to have seen more variety in the activities that being said, I enjoyed the activities I participated in. The salsa dance class and the nations scavenger hunt were particularly fun!
Entertainment
4 out of 5
This was okay. It could have been more engaging and lively.
Service and Staff
5 out of 5
As previously stated, the entire Windjammer staff and my cabin steward were AMAZING!
Ship Quality
4 out of 5
The ship is showing signs of wear and tear perhaps due to lack of use during the pandemic but it was still very comfortable. My 4 star rating is more about the maintenance - it could use touchup paint, windows cleaner for viewing the amazing views, things like that.
Cabin / Stateroom
5 out of 5
The cabin was comfortable and the cabin steward made sure everything was in order. I still say overall ship maintenance will be needed to keep the experience enjoyable for guests.
Ship tip
The Radiance is a great ship! Just don't compare it to the larger, newer ships because that would not be an equitable comparison.
I took advantage of the port excursion packages offered through Skymile Cruises which I would highly recommend. Juneau was 1 of 3 in the package that was selected and it exceeded my expectations. Hiking up to view Mendenhall Lake was incredible. Layered clothing and appropriate shoes makes this enjoyable. The Visitor center offered great info too.
2 of 3 of the excursion package and this was another hit! The tour guide was knowledge and shared the history of this quaint town. Hiking to the waterfalls was breath taking and there was still time to explore the town. Many took the train here but I am pleased to have been able to explore on foot.
I really enjoyed Hoonah. The ratio of bears to humans (4:1) kept me from hiking the woods but that did not stop me from taking the 3 mile RT walk to town and back to the ship on sidewalks. The Zipline looked fun but not for me - I think it went up for about a mile. There were tribal dances, local food options and we saw someone carving a totem pole. This was definitely a favorite stop and I enjoyed it without having to pay for an excursion. Also the kayaking seemed fun. I would do this if I returned here which is highly likely.
This was excursion 3 of 3 in the package purchased through Skymile Cruises. It did not disappoint even though it caters to the tourist. Not sure of the ratio of jewelry stores to tourist but it has to be HIGH. Moving beyond all of that, the views and history of this city are amazing. Learned quite a bit about the history of the totem, the culture of native Alaskans, the economy here ... very informative. I was still able to explore on foot after the tour. Lots of eagles and you could actually see salmon congregating :-),
Very nice way to end the trip. Vancouver was close to 80 degrees. I wish I would have planned more than 6 hours here. I paid to store luggage at the port while I took the Hop On Hop Off tour which turned out to be the perfect summary view of what Vancouver has to offer. Definitely will return to see more of Stanley Park. I returned to the port, grabbed luggage and took a taxi to airport - not in the least bit stressful.
Thank You for sharing your positivity. We'll be cruising to Alaska for the 3rd time next year and our 1st cruise on RC. YES, Vancouver is a beautiful city and one where you need a few days to really appreciate it.
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