Overall, this was a great cruise even though it was overcast for most of it. The temperatures were in the mid-50s to low-60s most of the trip but that didn't really deter from the enjoyment. Only one day was rainy enough to have a bit of an impact on our enjoyment but the weather was not as much of a downer overall as I thought it might be. As for the destinations, they were all decent to very enjoyable. We definitely want to do the cruise again now that we know more of what to expect. We also did a 3-day pre-cruise package that started in Fairbanks then went to Denali and finished in Anchorage/Seward. That was very enjoyable too and well worth it. The overall pre-cruise/cruise package was a top-notch and fun experience despite some of the minor issues mentioned. It is highly recommended if you've ever thought about doing an Alaskan cruise.
Embarkation
4 out of 5
The pre-cruise COVID testing experience was stressful but the rest of the onboarding experience was easy and uneventful
Ship experiences
Food and Dining
3 out of 5
The food quality and taste varied wildly. There were some outstanding dishes but there were an equal number of average to bad dishes and experiences. Would like to see the overall quality upped a level to above average
Onboard Activities
4 out of 5
Mini golf, darts, relaxing and reading, movies in the cinema and theater
Entertainment
3 out of 5
The one show we saw was average. There was some talent shown but there was some average performances as well. It was unexpected as on previous cruises the entertainment had always been above average to very good
Service and Staff
5 out of 5
EVERYONE was helpful, pleasant and friendly
Ship Quality
4 out of 5
The ship is still serviceable but it's starting to show it's age in areas
Cabin / Stateroom
4 out of 5
A little more cramped than balcony rooms we had on other ships especially for three people but overall it was serviceable. The hideaway third bed in the ceiling was actually a pleasant surprise and helped to lessen the cramped feeling.
Ship tip
Do not get the internet package. The basic tier was useless and the premium tier was marginally serviceable. For $20 and $25 per line respectively, it was not worth it.
We stopped briefly in Anchorage for COVID testing as a part of our pre-cruise and didn't get to tour around too much. Still, what we saw made us interested in coming back to experience more. Seward was our embarkation point so we didn't get to spend any time in the town.
The view from the cruise ship was from quite a distance so it was a bit underwhelming. The captain did his best to safely get us as close as possible but it still wasn't really enough to get the most out of the experience. Would probably have been better to pay for the excursion to get a closer look.
Was rainy mostly of the time so didn't get to see much of the scenery or do the excursion we were planning but what we saw of the town was enjoyable enough. Looking forward to going back when the weather is better
It looked like a pleasant enough town but we didn't really have enough time to experience it because there was only a 3 or 4 hour window to get off the boat. We visited this on the same day we visited Skagway but it was only in the evening and for about half the time we had in Skagway. We were already tired and toured out from Skagway by then. Kind of feel bad for the town as I think it got the short of the tourism stick because of that.
I was an interesting stop. There was some potential but activities seemed a little limited. There were two tram rides one paid and one unpaid, a zip line ride that was only accessible via the paid tram ($50 all day pass per person for the tram ride but not sure the cost of the zip line), hiking and beach walking, a ropes course that looked fun but was closed for maintenance, a self-tour of a fish cannery, some shops and restaurants, and a few our minor activities that I don't quite remember. All in all it struck me as a northern version of Royal Carribean's Cococay exclusive stop in the carribean. It's not quite the same experience yet but it has potential to be a fun destination when a few more activities are added and everything else is open
Probably a bit biased in the rating since it was the only fun day of sun we had on the whole cruise. Still, the scenery was beautiful and the town was very fun. Lots of places to see, places to shop, and fun restaurants to eat at. This was probably our favorite stop of the cruise
Glad you had fun. I'm going next month and will be satisfied if everything is just average. I enjoy cruising so a typical, usual experience is all I ask.
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