This cruise varied from a luxury ship and service to miserable conditions.

Silver Shadow Cruise Review to Alaska

Cruises: 1 cruise (first)
Review: 1
Helpful Votes: 70

Overall rating:

3 out of 5
Verified Review
Silver Shadow

7 Night Alaska Northbound (Vancouver To Seward)

Sail date: August 13, 2015

Ship: Silver Shadow

Cabin type: Suite

Cabin number: 605

Traveled as: Couple

Reviewed: 9 years ago

Review summary

The ship, cabin, food, and service were excellent. If they weren't cancelled due to weather, the excursions were adequate. The Hubbard Glacier was not seen due to weather. There was minimal information, no backup plan, and no consideration offered. This was a major disappointment. The same heavy seas produced a sleepless night and motion sickness. The waves breaking against the side of the ship produced a spray that extended well above deck 6. After skipping Hubbard, we wasted time by sailing slowly to Seward. The promotional material for this cruise did not include adequate climate data, sea conditions, and the risk of adverse conditions for various month the cruise is offered. The Denali extension was a disappointment. We rode through the park in the rain in a bus that has windows that only  opened a few inches at the top. Photography was difficult. Passengers had to clean mud from the windows with paper towels. Wildlife was sparse and only seen at a distance. We were not allowed to leave the bus except for bathroom breaks. Although we booked a float plane tour and flight out of the park, we were force to ride out of the park on the bus. The provider chose to fly only a few people out of the park due to a shortage of planes. This was another major disappointment.

 

Ship experiences

Food and Dining

5 out of 5

Onboard Activities

5 out of 5

Entertainment

5 out of 5

Service and Staff

5 out of 5

Ship Quality

5 out of 5

Cabin / Stateroom

5 out of 5

Ship tip

Heavy seas produced a sleepless night, motion sickness, and a wasted day and a half. Nothing in the promotional material for this cruise prepared us for this and not seeing the Hubbard Glacier. Overall the weather was overcast or there was rain most days. Transparency about weather and risk needed.

Ports of call

Vancouver (Canada Place), British Columbia

5 out of 5

Cruise Inside Passage, Alaska

3 out of 5

Ketchikan, Alaska

5 out of 5

Juneau, Alaska

5 out of 5

Skagway, Alaska

5 out of 5

Sitka, Alaska

3 out of 5

Cruise Hubbard Glacier

1 out of 5
Glacier not seen due to high seas. No backup plan. No option to change schedule. This was a major disappointment.

Seward (Anchorage), Alaska

3 out of 5
Was this review helpful? 70

7 Comments

cruisellama    5 years ago

Hampy    9 years ago

I have to agree with everyone also :(   I know it was your first cruise, but I researched up the wazoo before my 1st cruise and I was cruising with a cruise pro.  But I wanted to be prepared for anything and everything.  Headed to Alaska Saturday and yes it's gonna rain and I'm gonna get wet- but I'm on a cruise in Alaska and not in the melting in the Texas heat. 

Kennicott    9 years ago

Snotty weather can indeed be problem for flying and other forms of navigation on the north coast of the Gulf of Alaska. Know that so well since I was born and raised there and flew commercially there for 12 years. Certainly took my share of flak from passengers who wanted to go but I deemed the weather unsafe instead they figured their judgment was better than mine. Sometimes they would go fly with Brand X. Sometimes Brand X would end up terminating their flight on the side of a mountain. But, another story another time.

What concerns me more is that you indicated that after not being able to spend any time at Hubbard at the head of Yakutat Bay, Silver Seas instead jogged their way to Seward, killing time. I wonder why Silver Seas didn't have a contingency plan where they took you into Prince William Sound, and perhaps not having enough time to go up into College Fiord, there is certainly a lot to see in and around the Sound instead of killing time way out in the Gulf. After all, Resurrection Bay, on which Seward is located is immediately west of  the Sound so it shouldn't have been a big deal to enter the Sound. Weather wasn't all that bad then either in the Sound, I know because I was close by.        
 

Bubba54    9 years ago

Originally posted by: CruisingCM

Agree w/above comments. ‚ Appreciate you posting a review but don't feel it fair to rate the cruise line for bad weather. ‚ Hopefully your next cruise is fabulous.

I agree

noname111    9 years ago

Agree w/above comments.  Appreciate you posting a review but don't feel it fair to rate the cruise line for bad weather.  Hopefully your next cruise is fabulous.

glomarrone    9 years ago

I am sorry that bad weather ruined your Alaskan cruise for you.  The cruise line, however, has no control over Mother Nature.  And no one can guarantee wildlife sightings.  I hope that your next cruise meets your expectations.

CrusinTim    9 years ago

You know, it drives me up the wall when people blame the weather on the cruise line or ship. The carrier has NO CONTROL over the weather!!! The cruise line can NOT plan on what nature will do! There is no way that the line will know in advance what the weather will be like. I know this was your 1st cruise but really?