squeeky336

The ship stops and holds it's place using GPS. People want portside balconies southbound because they look at a map and think they will see land from that side. They never come back and say that they were mistaken, that starboard side saw just as much...Or that they spent much more time topside than on their balconies. It's one of those urban myths that keeps being passed on.

I have done Alaska twice, 14 days each time, and inside cabin both times. EM

ahh i see

well i am glad to know that..

basically want to relax and have breakfast on my balcony.. so is it cold only when near a glacier? I checked the weather and it pleasant 70 degrees i Juneau right now

Agreed.

 

I understand the appeal of your private balcony and indeed, it may suffice for a while, but this is a potential once-in-a-lifetime cruise to Alaska and you will want to get as much from the experience as possible. This means being up on deck, outside, where you can move around and get sweeping views of the entire area, plus be able to hear and then see the calving (you will hear it first and then see it, as the sound reaches your ears before you see the glacier calve).

 

I would ask that you don't over think this. You have a balcony, that's great, just go with it and be prepared to move to a different location on the ship if you aren't happy. The upper decks will be busy but no one stays in the same place for hours and hours. There will be open spots at the railings from time to time. :)

 

My concern, actually, is the night club you mentioned. Personally, we always book a balcony which is sandwiched between two decks of cabins - no night club, no gym, no lounges, no buffet, dining room, or specialty restaurant above or below.... all of these things can and usually do give a bit of noise.

.

well i certainly apprechiate all the advice from experinced Alaska cruiers.. I have cruised but never Alaska before.. I have neen to Greece and in the Caribean a lot.. Nothing ot see in the Carabiean but water. in Greece the view was only there coming inot port. SO it did not matter.. But I know Alaska is differnt but i do not know. I ill keep the better cabin fro what yu all have said.. i am stillnot sure what yu mean thst the inner passage to vanciuver us ot done.

May I ask another question please.

my cruises do not go to Glacier Bay National park.. I did not relaize this until after booking.. Am i really missing out by this? i even inquired abut a small boat tour from Icy Straight Point.. but there is none. I will be 3 days in Seward and will tour and cruise Kenia Fjords National Park from a smaller boat.. Is this not verY much the same ? i ill also be cruising Sawyer Glacier on the cruise-ship.

The captain will sail slowly into the fjord for Hubbard glacier. He will turn the ship with one side toward the glacier for maybe half and hour, then rotate so that the other side it toward the glacier. but the problem is that what most people are looking for is wildlife and calving of the glacier. The glacier doesn't give warning of calving - you have to be watching to see it. It happens many times, but the best ones, or most of them, might happen when your side of the ship is facing away from the glacier. So glacier watching is best done from a position where you can move back and forth from side to side.

From Seward to Icy Strait you will be crossing the Gulf of Alaska, and too far from land to see anything. You will have scenery both sides until you leave Ketchikan. You won't really have much scenery either side until you enter the Inside Passage approaching Vancouver. If you don't believe me, check out the bridge cams of Princess here:

http://www.kroooz-cams.com/crown/crown1.php

Crown, Coral, Star, Grand and Golden Princesses are all in the area now and you can see there is nothing to be seen. EM

I certainly believe you.. I can see you have done many cruises.. Can you tell me why so many ppl want to be on the POrt side then if the views are the same? That side sold out first.. I would like to seea little from my balocny at least.. SO does the ship just STOP at Hubbard Glacier? Then turn around for the other side of this ship? I take it that it is very cold there? I was thinking i would like to curl up with a blanket on my balcony.

What did you mean by the ship does not do the inner passage as they used to?

I take it you are telling to me just keep the better cabin that I have?

Michelle

we are sailing on the NCL Sun on June 15.. It is Southbound fro Seward to Vancouver. We have a really good balcony cabin. It is a cat BA.. (Mid-ship baloney on deck 9) one deck of cabins above and cabins below.. So it is a prime cabin location unless you are going in a suite for this ship..

But.. it is on the starboard side away from the land going south. This cruise is going to view Hubbard Glacier. I would really like to do that from my balcony instead of the public areas. I can change to a port side cabin,but it wold be one deck below in the aft area of the ship.. I dont mind the aft.. call me weird but I like the slight rocking of the ship in fact. It rocks me to sleep at night.

But this cabin on deck 8 is right over the Spinnaker Lounge which looks like it is a dancing club. SO it might be loud at night.

My questions is this.. I am willing to tolerate the noise if I can see the glacier from my balcony.. But I was also told that the Captain turns the ship when glacier viewing. will this change be worth it? If i can see the glacier from the balcony that I am already in i will keep it. But if I can't I want to change, even in a lesser room..

Please advise.. any experienced Alaska cruise info is appreciated,

thank you

michelle ;)

no, the SMART bus could take you to 22nd St. and then you could walk the rest, maybe about half the total distance.

Is the national Park and the Soap Smith Show better than going to Liarsville?

I hear the gold panning is sort of fake..

you really don't need a tour in Ketchikan. but thy have some fun tours there.. like DUCK tour and we ro gig Geo Caching.. but you can walk the town and see a lot.. get past the docks away from the typical caribean jewlrey stores.. you can take a bus to Saxamns village or the other way to Bright totem park.. i did the research.. if you want to see Misty Frjords you will need a tour and they are pricey since a plane will be inolved.

you do not hav to buy tours from the ship.. many local tour operators are right there at the dock berth 3 i think.. i did that research to.. Since calling Alaska is free and i have talked to a few on the phone..

Same thing in Juneau and Skagway.. unless u o to the Yukon you do need a tour, but you can buy one at the dock cheaper than the ship.. whale watching yu shold research.. not all whale watches are equal .. you can get a bus to Mendenhall cheap.. and walk to Mt Roberts and the town of juneau for free.. they have trolly for cheap to.. anything that involves a plane is costly;)

I know it's aprox. 2 miles to Cemetery and Falls trail...could you guess aprox. about how long it would take to walk there and back stopping a little at each site. Hopefully we can fit it in and still be able to hang out in town for awhile after our tour. Thank you.

I thought there was a bus or something there to take you that far out:(

 

It was asked in Post #145 by Kolten: "...but why on earth do people smoke."; as was quoted in my post to which you took exception.

 

 

BTW.. the smokers are in the designated smoking areas of the ship, that are mostly outside.. all but the cigar bar and casino... Stay out of those areas and mind your own damn business and you have no problem.

 

95% of the ship is non smoking.. Smokers paid to be on the ship just like you did. Smokers statically gamble more, consume more alcohol and certainly buy more cigars and cigarettes from the ships stores than non smokers. As a result they generate more revenue for the ship and keep the price of your cruise-fare lower. So they have rights to.

Zombie alert!

You just raised a thread from 2013 from the dead. :)

I was not here in 2013.. but i paid for a unlimited drink package.. i would like to know why i can;t use it if i dont drink until later in the day

 

It was asked in Post #145 by Kolten: "...but why on earth do people smoke."; as was quoted in my post to which you took exception.

 

 

why on earth do you do half the crap you do? Like challenge other ppls personal choices that are none of your damn business ..

 

News Flash.. this is a cruise website.

"All elevators" being so reserved was never read into your suggestion. But you proposed one per bank - being 25% - or at least 16%; which would be grossly unfair to the unimpaired. I have never seen even 10% of passengers needing canes, walkers or chairs -- and I sail HAL by preference, where my experience is that most unimpaired are reasonably deferential to the impaired (who do not, by the way, automatically and always rate preferential treatment).

It is common courtesy to help someone in a wheelchair.. so yes they as you call it they rate that special treatment.. I call it just being decent... But with 2000 passengers on a ship with less than 6 or 8 elevators is impractical to tie one up as handicapped only.. some ppl have other issues that are not so obvous either.. like heart conditions and breathing problems. They cant use stairs either. I use the stairs when going down.. But a person in a wheelchair can't..

A button that would eject all smokers into the water - hopefully shark infested.

 

DON

hmmm

and I would eject all the rude non smokers who cant seem to stay out of the smoking areas of the ship into the water..

lol

They smoke because they are addicted and they continue to smoke for one (or more) of several reasons: they lack the will power to overcome the habit; they are unaware of the damage it does to their health; they have sufficient disposable income to spend, in many cases, the upwards of $2,500 per year which a pack-a-day habit costs; and they do not particularly care about how offensive their habit is to people around them.

 

You asked -- just a reasonable reply.[/quote

 

I dont recall anyone asking why ppl smoke on this thread..

Will be sailing on the Nov 30 Eclipse cruise.

 

Would like to know if passengers get charged $10, or $15 for the upgrade from Classic to Premium when on board.

 

If that is the case I will do it 4 days prior, otherwise I may decide to wait a few days to and use the SBC.

 

 

Thanks

 

 

🎄🎅

I don;t understand.. why cant you use the unlimited drink package unless you start drinking early in the morning? I have the drink package so i dont have to think about how much drinks cost.. But i am not lush either.

Maybe this sounds silly.. but what i like is for the ship to be totally different as possible as the ship i was last on.. i like to discover a new ship each time.

We just book a month long cruise, not sure my sweetie would have agreed without the self-serve laundry.

I would love that also;)

I would like to see at least one elevator at each elevator bank restricted to wheel chair passengers and those with canes or walkers. People can be so rude.

I don't think the 2000 ppl on a ship should have to climb 5 or 6 flights of stairs so a few ppl in Wheelchairs or walkers can have elevators to themselves.. That is nuts.. The ship would be empty.

Elevators are busy on cruise ships for everyone.. not just ppl with wheelchairs.. a little patience helps everybody..

:eek:

A real cigar bar. With good cigars for sale and bar service.

BRAVO and agreed.. a few more staff for drinks in the cigar bar to

If you look on the Alaska board, you will see this asked almost daily. Answer: it doesn't matter. Scenery is 360 degrees, and big picture. You don't have to be in one magic spot to see the beauty.

 

Plus you will be roaming all over the ship. You aren't locked in your cabin. If you stay in your cabin, you will miss half the scenery.

I can't seem to find this question or the place on the Alaska board to ask it.. Yes I know I can go all over the ship.. but i was really hoping to enjoy my baloney view at Hubbard Glacier also.. I would like to be able to curl up with a blanket and have breakfast while seeing the view. I am on the starboard side on a southbound cruise. I am real happy with my room.. I did not expect to get such a good room on a GTY

Is there really that much difference in the views from one ide of the ship on Alaska cruises.. It seems there are nice views of the inside passage on both sides.. I was told that the captain does turn the ship at the glaciers.. I have a balcony.. but I am on the side that is not sold out.

Sounds like a good idea, but would it actually work?

 

As long as the shows were still free (no cost), seat reservations wouldn't change the "chair hogging" or empty seat situation -- folks would simply reserve seats in advance even if they weren't sure they intended to see the show, because there would be no cost to them for doing so. Tickets would have to be obtained (to prove you had reserved the seats), so standing in line at a ticket counter would replace coming early to get desired seats. Otherwise, waiting "in line" on the phone to make reservations ahead of time would be required, and even then, a walk to pick up one's tickets at the proper desk would still be necessary.

 

As in many situations, reserved seats that had not been claimed by a certain time (15 to 30 minutes?) before the show would be released for other people to use, so you would have to be in your reserved seats ahead of time, anyway, to keep them.

 

For shows that are free, I suppose the cruise lines figure folks are willing to put themselves out a little to take advantage of them. I don't think seat reservations would solve the problems you mentioned, but a charge for seats certainly would.

 

(And ultimately, are folks who are in the theater early to save a number of seats for their family and friends really "chair hogs" if everybody in their group actually shows up to use the seats? These folks are doing their friends and family a favor by keeping the entire group from having to be there early, the very thing you don't like to have to to do yourself. "Chair hogging" is generally thought to be reserving seats -- as in deck chairs -- that the hogs never use, or only use for a short time but continue to claim.)

I think there is enough add on up sell stuff on cruises.. everything from restaurants and pictures and booze.. entertainment is suppose to be free.. I think it is up to the cruise line to have enough seats for ppl to see the show. I think polite reminders to ppl that they CANT"t save a row of seats for ppl coming in last minute. .. Same for chairs at the pool.. If the chair is empty i would just sit in it.

We have stayed several times near Canada Place, so on our last trip a year ago we thought we would try someplace by the airport since it was SO much cheaper. We ended up at the Richmond Marriott.

 

Quick shuttle from the airport to the hotel (the shuttle also handles the Sheraton and Hilton which are right next door basically). Nice hotel, but rooms a bit smaller than we are used to.

 

We saw the Richmond Mall nearby, so we took a walk over to it (about 2 blocks). Very nice mall, nicer than what we have in Oklahoma. Very few non-Asians in the mall, but we felt very comfortable there.

 

The next morning we walked the two blocks again (with our luggage this time) to the Skytrain stop at the Mall. Bought our tickets from the machine and waited a few minutes for our train. It took us to about 2 blocks from Canada Place (an easy downhill walk).

 

We were happy with our stay at the Marriott Richmond and would do it again.

Well i thought part of the flavor and experience was that Richmond and Stephens Village was an Asian community and has food art and so forth.. I thought it was suppose to be part of a nice experience. Also I wanted to see where my favorite TV show is filmed.. It is called "Once Upon a Time".. has anyone been there? I thought it was a nice tourist side trip..but i have not been there

I was debating if i should go to Liarsville or the National Park tour and see the Days of 98 show.. which is less hokey and enjoyable? Less crowded?

I am not a "seasoned" cruiser, but I have been on three cruises, with 2 more booked. I have sailed Disney twice, and Carnival once. Next up is NCL (POA).

 

Everything I have been taught about cruising told me to book as early as possible for the best prices. I booked Hawaii almost 18 months out.

 

Since then, I have watched the prices slowly creep downwards, not upwards. In fact, my cruise suite was reduced by $2700.00 this week (when there was 58 days to go).

 

So, I would say with POA, to book as late as possible, and you can probably pick up a very good bargain. We could not cancel and rebook since we were in the take a $$ hit if you cancel period. NCL did upgrade me (cat SD), but I'd much rather have the $$ back, because the room I originally booked was the one I was very happy with (cat SI).

 

As for more expensive, even at 18 months out, I do not think it was any more expensive then Disney....

I have no experience with Hawaii cruises but i have experience with NCL.. and my experience has been that if the price goes down after fianl payment they will upgrade me.. even with a GTY cabin.. i book what i will be happy with and if the price goes down i do call my travel agency and ask for an adjustments. I have been given OBC credit this way to.. Also a free drink pakage if ht has been offered as well .. I htink booking early is a smart thing,but still keep an eye out for price drops.. If you have a good agencey they will honor them.. but yes cruise line wants to keep the revenue that they have already collected.

thank you for the info

SO would you say to do the ranger tour of the National Park and graveyard is better than going to that Klondike gold rush camp? I was the video of it and it seems a bit of a tourist trap

or do you recommend it?

i was thinking if i did the ranger tour i would hae time to see the Red Onion Salloon and the Soap SMith show. I also want to do a little shopping and go to the quilting and the book store

Michelle