rpcv77

As stated, only one vendor offers this tour, so whether you book through your cruise line or independently, it's the same tour. We booked independently, well in advance, and saved a considerable amount of money. It was a wonderful excursion, but since we're talking about Mother Nature, you never know what you might see. Here is a recent thread on the topic:

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2256186

I hate to pile on here, but when is good hygiene ever humiliating? I also want to add that wash my hands before all meals, regardless of where I am. Bizarre? Hardly...

Yikes! That weather would have made a big difference. We had picture perfect weather, not too warm, not too cold, clear and sunny. That is a variable out of all of our control on an outdoor excursion.

I'm sorry that you didn't have a good experience. Our guides were fun, polite and helpful. One even picked some wild strawberries for us as we ate lunch (probably due to the fact that my cute 25 year old dd was with me). This is not a strenuous excursion and is not listed as such. If you are moderately active in your daily life, it should be no problem. I am 59, walk my dogs daily (more than 1/4 mile), teach first grade and do some light trail hiking. We also saw a pod of whales as the boat was pulling up to the beach before we went canoeing. It really was a nice balance of activities and got us out of the touristy port town for a good 6 hours.

We did the Glacier Point a Wilderness Safari in June and really enjoyed it. Obviously, the boat ride to and from the glacier area is not strenuous. Beautiful waterfalls, sea lion rookery and great narration by the onboard naturalist. Short bus ride to the area where you get the gear for canoeing. The hike to the canoes is about 1/4 mile, but you are wearing rubber boots (not bad, but weird). The canoeing is easy and they do use the motor. Walking near the glacier was great, though the run off patterns of the water changes and we really had to follow our guides on the way back (I thought that splashing through glacial streams was great fun). Lovely lunch in a scenic meadow. Not extremely strenuous, but definitely active and wonderful. BTW, only pit toilets once you leave Skagway. There is another thread on this excursion as well. Have fun!

I think a lot depends on how particular you are about your products. Using the provided items will get your hair and body clean, but... I am very particular about what I put on my skin and hair. I keep 3 oz. refillable bottles in my travel kit, with the products I prefer. The men in my family are less particular and use whatever is provided. My dad used Ivory soap to wash himself, head to toe, for years. He eventually blamed his baldness on it :)

Error

Where do you find anti-Noro wipes?

Thanks!

 

These are what I used on my June cruise. We did not get sick. Then again, I never wiped down my cabin on prior cruises and didn't get sick either. Reading cc made me a little more paranoid. The hand washing was always part of our hygiene repertoire.

 

http://www.amazon.com/Clorox-Healthcare-Hydrogen-Peroxide-Disinfectant/dp/B00F45J8TK

 

Whether this is effective or not, it made me feel better (I am sure some one will be along shortly to tell me the stuff is useless ).

So glad you had a wonderful time. This should help you go into your treatment feeling strong, refreshed and ready to deal with any ups and downs. We did an Alaska cruise in June and loved it. I have stage IV breast cancer, in remission for a bit over four years, and find that travel is the best medicine. Being positive won't cure breast cancer, but it will make your life a good deal more pleasant (but don't hesitate to scream on the bad days!). Best wishes to you.

Just a question on the matter of swimming:

 

We have booked a cruise from Vancouver to Glacier Bay and back to Vancouver starting mid-May next year and were going to leave the bathers at home but now we are having second thoughts, especially if hot tubs are available.

 

I usually wear racing bathers ("budgie smugglers") as I hate board shorts with all that fabric wrapping itself around my shins when I am swimming. So, what is customary on board and would my budgie smugglers be out of place?

 

Colin,

Ah, what we, in the States, call a banana hammock. Overall, this is not a popular style of swim wear in the U.S., unless you are a competitive swimmer or have an exceptionally good body. That being said, if that is what you are comfortable wearing, wear it!

[quote name='tetons']How was the weather? How about the ship temp inside in the evenings?[/QUOTE]

In mid-June, the weather was extremely mild, and sunny. We saw a trace of rain in Skagway (by the time I got my rain jacket on it was over), and it was a bit foggy when we docked in Ketchikan, but cleared up. Glacier Bay was cool, especially in the shade. At no time on the cruise was I ever very cold. Temp on the ship was comfortable, except one afternoon on the The Princess Theater when it was freezing! Weather is changeable,so keep following forecasts.

I am not a paper saver, so, sorry, no Patters.

I know the Crown had a short dry dock before Alaska. Did they redo the Horizon court to set up the dessert bar?

 

I was on the Crown in mid-June, after the dry dock. Sadly, the desserts are still in the main food area. I really liked the separate dessert area, outside the main food lines, on the Grand. Wish they had done this, but the ship looked great and we had a wonderful time.

Yes, layering is the key. I would also suggest that you not purchase anything you won't wear afterwards, i.e. water proof pants. Many excursions which have you doing outdoor activities can provide you with extra warm or waterproof gear if needed. Have a wonderful time!

We used Coastal Helicopters in Juneau and booked on our own. I gave a weight estimate when we booked and then everyone was weighed when we got to the airport. I believe that if you were over 250 lbs., you paid $150. more. Many flights were booked for that day and I could see that they were very careful in picking/arranging who went on each helicopter. It was a wonderful experience. Enjoy!

We are taking the same cruise on the Crown next month. Are there two formal nights? DH has always taken his tux on cruises, but is considering slacks, sport coat & tie this time, due to the fact that we have to pack more "bulky", warm items. I know "formal dress" always causes a big debate (!) but I'm wondering if you saw anyone dressed this way on a formal night? Don't want to start "the debate" up again, just want to know what you observed.

 

I did this trip in June. There are two formal nights. I don't think I saw anyone in a tux, so your husband will be fine in a shirt, tie and sports coat. Enjoy!

Thank you for your review. We did the rt from Seattle on the Crown in June and had a wonderful time. I know you don't want to dwell on your health, but just wanted to wish you the best. I have metastatic breast cancer myself and hope we both have many more cruises in our future.

We did not use princess transfers for our June cruise out of Seattle, but saw several Princess representatives at our baggage carousel. Hopefully, they took passengers to Pier 91 and not 39 😊

From one cal teacher to another, check out this site. You can see exactly how obstructed your view will be. The pics are very accurate. We chose an obstructed view on the Grand for the CA coastal in 2014 and one for our Alaska cruise on the Crown this year (but got an unexpected upgrade). The Crown is lovely and the coastal trip is very relaxing.

 

https://sites.google.com/site/cabinviewbyrenmar/diamond-sapphire-princess/cabins-200--231

And if you multiply your $4 by the number of people he "serviced" that day he could easily have afforded to have lunch at Fisherman's Grotto Number 9 on the wharf, AND left a nice tip!

 

I am very happy to know that he didn't starve on account of me 😉

Was on the Crown last week. Our cabin was on starboard.

Docked

Seattle- Port side

Juneau - Port side

Skagway-Starboard

Ketchikan- Port Side

 

Best viewing and most whales seemed to be on Starboard side on our trip.

 

We were on the Crown in mid-June and it was this way for us as well. Very few, well actually no, pier runners. In Skagway, one family was late. A ship's officer(?) walked briskly toward them, motioning for them to hurry up. They seemed not to care one little bit and continued to leisurely stroll toward the ship.

Mexico is a far better destination for pier runners.

The luggage in the bay incident did happen, but is hardly a common occurrence nor something that people need to fret about. That being said, I sailed out of SF in April of 2014 from the old pier. We handed two pieces of luggage over to the porter and gave him a tip of $4.00. He grumbled, very loudly, that it wasn't even enough to buy lunch. If I could have, I would have yanked that money out of his hand. I am well over 50 years old and tip what I can if it's earned. I have never had anyone say something like this. BTW, he rolled our luggage no more than 5 feet and placed them on a large cart. That was the extent of his service. I will just assume he was a rude malcontent and leave it at that.

op,

It certainly is no fun to spend your vacation doing things and being places that don't make you happy. So, you've tried cruising, and it's not for you and it's definitely not something one compares to an all inclusive resort. But, the beauty of life is that there are many different types of vacations and leisure activities to suit all tastes.

Like thrak, I went, rather unwillingly, on my first cruise and was hooked. I am mesmerized by the sea and love waking up in different ports (watching the Sydney Opera House pass by my cabin window at first light was amazing). Anyway, enjoy your next vacation, wherever it may be.

PS: this forum is heavily populated by cruise junkies, so our pro-cruise bias is quite strong 😊

Ship Crown

 

Class

 

Deck Caribe

 

Stateroom C637

 

Category balcony

 

Port/Starboard/Bow/Stern. -Starboard

 

Connects With Cabin unknown

 

Accessible-No

 

Quiet -Yes

 

Balcony Size- don't know exactly, but balcony is partially covered

 

View- excellent

 

Privacy Issues- None

 

Wind- Sometimes as is to be expected

 

Soot- None

 

Problems - none

 

Comments- surprise upgrade. We loved it!

Yes, there will always be some who try to beat the system, but I believe they are the minority. BTW, many airlines do, and have always, allowed dogs and cats in the passenger cabin, even if they were not service animals. Requirements vary by airline but in general, there are weight limits, they must be in pet carriers and the carrier must fit under the seat in front of them. They also have to pay for the pet and many airlines limit how many pets can travel in the cabin. I'm sure the requirements for service animals are different, but many people are surprised to learn that non-service dogs and cats may be able to travel in the passenger cabin.

Weather, of course, is variable. I live in the San Francisco Bay Area, and April in California can be very pleasant and spring like, or very rainy. Sadly, for us, the rainy has been missing for the last few years and we have a severe drought but this has made April lovely for cruising. The Pacific, as mentioned, is not warm, but if you are sailing south, Santa Barbara, LA, San Diego and Ensenada, the weather will be warmer as you go south but not hot. Perfect for hiking, bike riding or just strolling around. Ensenada was quite warm, but not unbearable. It's a really pleasant cruise.

Looking to book a Pacific Coastal cruise on April 24, 2016 out of San Francisco. Any advice on when the best time to book would be. Thought it might me on the Sip and Sail cruise but it was not. Have cruised but not on Princess so not familiar with the sales.

 

Hi,

We did this cruise in April 2014. I don't know that there is a "best" time to book. If you want a particular cabin, book now. If there is a price drop, Princess or your TA will generally be able to honor it before final payment. We got a great price and some OBC, but booked after final payment. Our choices of cabins were limited, but we didn't mind. Enjoys he cruise. It was a very relaxing way to spend Spring Break.