Overall a really nice experience. Was the first cruise we were sad to see end.
Embarkation
4 out of 5
Several stops, but all of them had very short lines, and the staff was particularly friendly and helpful.
Ship experiences
Food and Dining
3 out of 5
We had excellent service and very good food each dinner in the Botticelli dining room. Crown Grill (specialty restaurant for steaks) was good, but the aged steaks weren't really as tender as I would have expected. Food at Horizon buffet was generally good but not exceptional.
Onboard Activities
4 out of 5
Didn't do many ship activities, one trivia game and one dance class, which were reasonably fun. Seems like the hot tubs were often closed for some reason but were popular when open. Enjoyed one morning of whale-spotting Friday the deck, narrated over the PA system by an Alaska expert.
Entertainment
4 out of 5
Saw one show ("Magic To Do"), which was good, but it's really a musical revue with just a couple of magic show elements.
Service and Staff
5 out of 5
We had excellent service in the Botticelli dining room. I really appreciated how the Botticelli head waiter visited our daughter (who has a shellfish allergy) at each dinner to present her with the next day's menu so she could order early. I was impressed that he even found us when we had one dinner at different restaurant.
Ship Quality
5 out of 5
Cabin / Stateroom
5 out of 5
View was partly obstructed by a lifeboat, but we knew that in advance, and it wasn't a big deal. Our configuration had 3 single beds, including one that was a bunk. All beds were surprisingly comfortable. Closet space was plentiful, and there were plenty of little shelves for other items. TV was a good size and had several good movie choices.
Ship tip
Order at least one case of bottled water in advance. $8 for 12 bottles isn't a bad price, it's cheaper than at the bars, and it's convenient to have it already in the room when you board.
We spent two days before the cruise doing typical tourist attractions. We stayed in Pioneer Square, a good location. One of us also took Amtrak for a day trip to Vancouver, which she enjoyed.
Booked a shuttle trip to Mendenhall Glacier via Juneau Tours. Did the mile walk from the visitor center to Nugget Falls, which is definitely worthwhile.
Enjoyed the trip on the White Pass railway, which had spectacular views. My older kids spent several hours hiking trails on their own, which they thoroughly enjoyed.
Our Buchart Gardens evening visit was cut short due to the ship arriving late. Gardens were nice, but was disappointing we couldn't see as much as we'd like.
Glad you had a good time and hope you have many more cruises. Wow, only one star for Glacier Bay? I admit it wasn't as great as a lot if the hype but was still better than almost every other place in the world. A word if advice; the secret to a great time is low expectations. Know that it's not going to be as great as advertised, and just be happy when it's pretty good.
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