Great cruise, beautiful scenery - ship exceeded expectations but food was a disappointment.
Embarkation
4 out of 5
Based on some comments I had seen from others who boarded in Vancouver, I was worried. It was a bit hectic when we arrived at the port but once we dropped our baggage, we had a smooth boarding process - no long lines but there was a lot of walking involved. Almost seemed as if we were in a maze but at least it was organized and plenty of people positioned to point you in the right direction.
Ship experiences
Food and Dining
3 out of 5
Windjammer Marketplace
3 out of 5
Food was OK, variety was good. We ate here for dinner a couple of nights and the Asian food they served was the absolute worst I have ever eaten.
Cascades Dining Room
3 out of 5
The food was OK, edible but nothing special.
Onboard Activities
3 out of 5
We were there for the scenery!
Entertainment
4 out of 5
Service and Staff
4 out of 5
Ship Quality
5 out of 5
I was concerned since this was an older ship but it was super clean and very well taken care of! I was not at all disappointed! There were lots of areas to explore with different atmospheres. We enjoyed sitting in the champagne bar with the large windows.
Cabin / Stateroom
5 out of 5
Very large cabin!!
Ship tip
Don’t hesitate based on the age of the ship - it was very clean and well kept!
We overnighted In Vancouver prior to the cruise but our flight arrived late. We had limited time to see anything so after talking to our hotel concierge, my husband arranged for a 2 hour private taxi tour which cost around $110 with tip. It was a bargain as we stopped when and where we wanted!
Having done the train on a previous trip to Alaska, we opted for a river float through an eagle preserve outside of Haines. It was relaxing as well as beautiful. The ferry ride between Skagway and Haines was very scenic. The bus from Haines to the preserve was not very comfortable (school bus) but we did see a moose!! After the float, we enjoyed a small picnic overlooking the river. It was a great way to spend the day!
We enjoyed taking the tram to the top but not much to do once you got there. We enjoyed walking on the beach at the bottom and going through the shops, exhibits, etc.
We regretfully did not pre-purchase a shore excursion from the cruise line and although we did eventually find one once we got into town, it was stressful and the van was cramped. Overall what we did was fun but it was quick - not sure if our experience would have been better if we had planned better.
We went to the Raptor Center, Fortress of the Bears and had a walk around totem park.
If I had to do it all over again, I would have gotten off early. Unfortunately we waited until mid-morning and the lines for the ‘free shuttle’ into Seward were extremely long and didn’t seem to move. After waiting for 30 minutes and stressed we were going to miss our bus to Denali, we finally opted to take a cab from the port into downtown Seward but it was not an easy task! My tip: make an advance reservation for any transport you may need in Seward.
Thank you so much for your input. My husband and I and another couple are going to the same ports you did plus 5 days on land in August 22. Definitely a bucket list item😊👍
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