SuzieQ521

Hello, does anyone know what the current cost is for self-service laundry, wash and dry on the Ruby? Do we need to bring our own detergent?

Also, do we pay with our cruise card? Thank you

Thanks Lisa for the great information! Yes, we are on the same cruise :)

FYI--the only formal excursion we booked is in Skagway...we are doing the Dyea Dave bus ride up to Emerald Lake/Fraser and train back. You may want to contact them if you're interested, assuming there are spaces left.

Great advice about Glacier Bay viewing!

Hope to see you on the ship!

Hey SuzieQ...just wanted to say 'Hi' and chime in some responses. I think we are on the same cruise (Ruby Sept 16) and coincidentally my husband and I are the same age, which is not super common on the Alaska cruises : - ) Of course we are bringing my MIL who is in her 70s...so she will fit right in with the mainstream age group.

 

I took the Alaska cruise last June on Coral Princess, from Anchorage to Vancouver, so although I haven't yet done the Seattle roundtrip, we have been in Glacier Bay and visited all the same ports. I don't remember any rough water, but it was a totally different route.

 

My biggest thing was on the Glacier Bay day, we spent HOURS outside on the ship and my feet were FREEZING. I was bundled up and warm otherwise, but I would recommend a boot or at least a heavy duty trail runner/hiker for that day if you plan to stand outside, water repellency is an added bonus. My husband refused to go inside to warm up at all, so I suffered through. The boot/trail runner will also help keep you from slipping if there is a drizzle or mist and you are outside. I did pack rain gear for this trip just in case as I am sure scenario with husband will go the same rain or shine. Definitely pack a hat and gloves!!!!

 

We did an awesome Mendenhall glacier hike last year where we actually hiked out to the glacier and walked on it, but it was quite pricey. We did the whole hike in the rain and my understanding from those guides is that it almost always rains there and if it doesn't you got very lucky. My understanding is you can hike out from the public shuttle and see the Glacier, but I don't know that you can get that close to it. Anyhow, if you want more info on that guided hike onto the glacier, I can send it. We are doing Harv and Mary whale watching this time around in Juneau. We did a Misty Fjords float plane in Ketchikan, which was very cool, but not my cup of tea and I wouldn't pay for it again. I believe we just walked around in Skagway and went on a little hike somehwere...so I have little to no input on that. We considered the train and Emerald Lake last year, but we are way too active to just sit for that long to travel there.

 

Motion sickness...I get car sick if I try to read or play on my phone when I am a passenger, especially if the road is curvy. I typically take Bonine on cruises as a precaution. I take it the morning before I board the ship and daily from there. I also have a sea band. I figure why even risk the chance of feeling ill when I can just pop a pill and ensure that it doesn't happen and ruin a day for me.

 

We also did anytime dining last time around and we never really had to wait. We typically just walked in whenever and were sat within minutes. It was easy peasy.

 

I think that's all the input I have...hope to see you!

Lisa

Thank you! I just actually emailed Seattle Express earlier today...they quoted me $18 pp from Pier 91 to Seatac, with 10% off for AAA.

Is it less expensive to book onsite as opposed to online ahead of time?

There is a great shuttle company (Seattle Express) at the walkway (after leaving the terminal building, walk all the way down to the end, past all the busses). They will have shuttles available to purchase on sight...$15/person. DO NOT get them confused with Shuttle Express! We disembarked August 11th and had reservations with Shuttle Express....horrible organization. Seattle Express had shuttles ready to go...we went with them and were at the airport in plenty of time for a 12:30pm flight. We left the ship at 9am.

Thanks for the map! It appears Avis is the only car rental company that is at that cruise ship terminal...lowest price for a compact car for our day is about $100.00. Maybe best to share with another couple. :)

sorry ,,, missed the disembarkation. Seattle Express runs a shuttle from pier to airport. https://seattleexpress.com/

They'll drop you at the south end of the airport terminal. You don't need to join the herd at that Gate though. At seatac you can use any gate so look for the shortest line.

 

Driving in Juneau is fine. There's a map in the town visitor guide that provides distances to popular locations. Keep in mind that there's less than 100 miles of road in Juneau so hard to get lost! http://viewer.zmags.com/publication/8d86f7ab#/8d86f7ab/26

Thank you for the reply.

A car rental may be a good option...is that drive in Juneau pretty windy or a relatively easy one to make? I believe we are there until 10 p.m. so quite a bit of time.

We arrive the day before our cruise...I was referring to disembarkation and the 2 p.m. flight the day we come back. Thanks!

How long is your port time in Juneau ? a rental car is the best option as you can visit Mendenhall, the fish hatchery, Douglass Island, and drive to the coast to visit Eagle Beach Shrine of St Therese, Otherwise taxi companies are listed in the Mendenhall web site ....call for a fare estimate. https://www.fs.usda.gov/detail/tongass/about-forest/offices/?cid=fseprd495443

 

Victoria ; if the weather is decent its about a 20-30 minute walk from the pier to the Inner Harbor. The Wharf is about halfway. The Harbor is VERY picturesque .... boats, seaplanes,Empress Hotel, Parliament Bldgs, hanging flower baskets, buskers. Some good pubs as well.

 

From Seatac to pier 91, use uber/lyfft., or the flat rate cab company is $29 to downtown so probably $35-39 to pier 91, eastsideforhire.com The web site will provide the price by zipcode. 98119 is pier 91.

 

You're flying in the day of ??? Keep in mind that Seatac airport is a good 30 minutes away from the pier. Hope you don't run into any traffic problems or flight delays ...

Hello:

Just finalizing everything before my husband and I leave for next week's cruise on the Ruby Princess--first time to Alaska for both and his first cruise ever.

1) Any things to pack that we might not think of to bring? Obviously, we are bringing lots of layers, rain gear, binoculars, Bonine/sea bands, etc. Probably coffee travel mugs as I read that disposable items are not allowed on Glacier Bay day.

2) Only formal excursion booked is in Skagway with Dyea Dave--bus up and train back. In Juneau, we definitely want to go to Mendenhall Glacier but I heard that the ship's tour does not spend much time there. Initially looked at the white or blue shuttle but it appears they raised the price to $45 pp just to get up there. Anyone have experience with a taxi to get there? Ketchikan--we figured we'd play it by ear since we do not have much time there; Victoria--we've been there before so maybe just a stroll around Fisherman's wharf as we're only there in the evening. Any other recommendations?

3) Princess Coffee Card--anyone with experience with this...I just purchased the coffee card. I've read differing things--will both my husband and I be able to obtain the unlimited brewed coffee without a punch of the card?

4) Disembarkation--We have a 2 p.m. flight which I think should be ok; any reasonable cost of transportation from Pier 91 to Seatac; I read that a taxi is about $60. Any good shuttle companies?

Thanks all!

Thanks all! Actually we were just in Vancouver and Victoria in April and our Verizon worked like it does in the States...we have the unlimited data plan and that includes Canada and Mexico.

Hello:

Does anyone know what Verizon coverage is like in Juneau, Skagway, and Ketchikan? Not planning on using the phones much, other than checking in with family (likely via text) but may need to make a call to excursion group, etc. Definitely going into airplane mode on the ship, however, as I know that can get quite expensive.

.

Thank you!

Wow...thanks for the update all. I had no idea they raised it...we were planning on taking the white or blue bus for our trip in the next few weeks.

The Princess Mendenhall excursion is about the same price so it looks like we won't be saving any money with this shuttle...I guess the only advantage is that we would be on our time, rather than rushed seeing the Glacier and Nugget falls?

Glacier Bay

 

We were up on the Promenade deck a little after 6 a.m., equipped with cameras and binoculars, and stayed there until almost noon! It was definitely cold early in the morning. It was the first time I wore my light-weight down jacket and gloves, but warmed up as the morning went on. The national park ranger said they only get around 12 sunny days like that a year, so, once again, we were quite fortunate.

 

Before arriving at Glacier Bay, I couldn't have imagined standing out on a deck for almost 6 hours, but we were mesmerized by the sounds of calving and the majesty of our surroundings. It was so calm and beautiful, the captain actually did two 360 degree turns of the ship, so we could enjoy everything twice! At some point in the morning, the park ranger got on the loudspeaker, and gave an interesting narration. (Throughout the cruise, whenever we were in our cabin in daylight hours, we would have our television on the ship's camera station, as this is where any narrations would be broadcast.)

 

One wildlife highlight was a brown bear that was swimming right next to our boat. He passed by so quickly in the current, that it would have been easy to miss him. We, personally, did not see any whales in Glacier Bay, but talked to someone who said that just as he was returning to his aft balcony cabin as we were leaving Glacier Bay, a whale breeched right outside of his balcony window!

 

At noon we went up to the Horizon Court Buffet for the first time, and really enjoyed their seafood buffet. (Picture posted earlier in this review under dining.) The views were magnificent from our table, and we even got some good pictures through the windows.

 

In the afternoon we went back to our port-side balcony cabin to enjoy the view and take more pictures.

 

As I mentioned earlier, no disposable products were allowed while we were in Glacier Bay. We were so glad that we had purchased a thermal Princess coffee mug earlier in the week, as the store wouldn't open until much later in the morning. (I'm hoping that Princess considers my suggestion to have the mugs available for sale right at the International Cafe, especially on Glacier Bay day.) I realize we could have brought one from home, but honestly, don't think we could have fit it in our suitcase!

Thank you for all the wonderful details...we are going on the same cruise next month.

Trying to plan our Glacier Bay day...would you say the Promenade is the best viewing deck? 6 a.m. seems a little early for us lol but I do want to try to beat the crowds.

We will definitely bring some coffee to go cups from home...what did you do about breakfast? I assume we cannot take a plate with us on the deck?

Did you head back to the Promenade after lunch? Thank you

Our favorite place on the ship!

Are the items in International cafe an extra charge or included ( besides the Gelato and specialty coffee)? Thanks!

Wondering if we will get an upsell offer for our mid-September Alaska cruise...haven't seen it yet. I was hoping we might if there are less people sailing during the shoulder season.

Question--if we do receive an upsell offer, do they tell you the exact stateroom you will be in (i.e. room number)? I had picked our oceanview room to be mid-ship and mid deck for potential seasickness problems. Although a balcony or suite would be very nice, I would have to think hard about giving up a mid-ship spot.

Thanks!

Hello,

We had planned to get to Port 91 in Seattle for our cruise in September around 11 a.m. but I was just looking at our booking summary and saw that it notes a progressive check-in...our deck does not have the check in until 2 p.m...we were hoping to get something to eat in the MDR and hopefully relax in our rooms before sail away but it does not appear that's going to be case (says Horizon court is open all day).

Question--if our deck check-in is at 2 p.m. then what is the earliest time you think we should arrive at Port 91. We are staying at one of the downtown hotels and had planned to probably just taxi or uber over.

Thanks!

Thanks for all the responses.

I contacted both Dyea Dave and Chilkoot tours re: Emerald Lake/Yukon rail-bus excursions. Both were very nice and responsive and still have some available space for mid-September. I should make a decision within the next couple of days though.

What appeals to me about Dyea Dave is not paying until the end of tour (in case weather is really bad, that would help). Kathy the rep though suggested that we buy our return rail tickets ahead of time though as there will be 4 ships in port that day. It seems kind of crazy to spend another $170 (for 2 people) for the return RR tickets since the cost of the return ride is already included with Dyea Dave but we want to try the rail at least one way and may never be back in Skagway again. Does anyone know if Dyea Dave includes a stop to pet the husky puppies, like Chilkoot? Also--would we buy the Fraser one way train service...is that the correct one?

Chilkoot says they operate in rain or shine...so if the weather is bad, then we are still stuck with them (only refundable if ship does not make it to port or is very late). Also trying to justify the additional $20 pp for the BBQ lunch, as compared with Dyea Dave (where we would have to buy our own food).

Maybe I'll just flip a coin! haha.

Thanks!

Hello,

RE: Skagway, I think I narrowed it down to wanting to do a one way bus/train Yukon-White pass excursion but trying to figure out which tour to go with:

1) Princess tour: this is the most expensive at about $200/pp, including lunch. However, it would appear that they use a bigger bus and would have more people on this tour?

2) Dyea Dave--I was leaning towards this one; it would be about $165 if we did the bus/train combo. Does not include lunch.

3) Chilkoot Charters--this is appealing as well; $186, with lunch and free admission to pet the husky puppies.

Any input about Dyea Dave vs. Chilkoot? I do like that Chilkoot guarantees our arrival back at the port but also heard great things about Dyea. Chilkoot also has a money-back guarantee if our ship does not make it to port for whatever reason (i.e. bad weather). I know Dyea does not get paid until after the tour.

Also--any recommendations as to bus or rail first, i.e. foggier in the morning so go with bus first?

Thanks!

Just wanted to jump in, in case you were getting too concerned. We have done 2 Alaska cruises, in mid and in late September. We had no rain and amazing weather the whole trip for one, and 1 day of light rain plus one day of drizzle during the other. Both were amazing cruises, my favorites ever. The cruise out of Seattle was rougher than the one out of Vancouver, but not too bad, and only while we were sleeping. I like a rocking ship though!

The worst day, and it was still great, was when I realized my jacket was water repellant, not water proof, when the rain hit at Mendenhall. I was soaked through by the time we got back to the ship. I have a new jacket now, and will be going on my 3rd Alaska cruise the end of August this year. Be prepared clothing wise and it will be great.

Thank you so much for the reassurance! I guess all we can do is be prepared for the elements...with a water proof jacket!

Thank you!

No mosquitoes. Actually most ships will still on schedule for Alaska mid Sept. I'd suggest IF the White Pass is of interest, you determine now, what tour/combo you want?? IF you want the Train Emerald Lake combo then you need to book this in advance. The round trip train, and Fraser/ train road combo can be walk up.

Would you recommend the Emerald Lake bus/train combo for Alaska first timers, over the White Pass RT train ride? I know it would be weather dependent... Any particular tour company? I was just looking at Dyea Dave Tours...pretty interesting that you do not pay until the end of the tour but they seem to have good reviews.

Thanks!

Thank you for all the responses. Since it is shoulder season, do you think we will be ok with booking excursions when we get to Port (i.e. Whitepass in Skagway and the shuttle to Mendenhall and possibly other activities, depending on weather)?

I assume that most of these operators are very familiar with the cruise tourists and should be reliable enough to get us back in time (which was the primary reason I would book directly with Princess but if we could save some $$$, may wait until the ports).

Also--any mosquitoes this time of year?

Thanks!

Hello all,

I had initially booked the Fairfield Inn-Seatac for our mid September Alaska cruise out of Pier 91; was intrigued by the free airport shuttle and then we were going to take light rail for sightseeing the Friday afternoon we get in. They also had a $14/pp shuttle to the Pier on Sat morning.

However, today I saw what looks like a pretty decent deal for the Roosevelt--$197 (incl taxes) with AAA discount, which is $40 more than the Fairfield. It is right in the heart of downtown from what I can see and close enough to take the light rail from the airport (I think Westlake station?).

1) Anyone recently stay there? It appears they are doing some lobby renovation until November which is not a big deal for us, especially just for one night. We really just want some place central, walkable to Pike Place and touristy spots (and the fact it was under $200 for a downtown hotel is appealing).

2) Is the area relatively safe? We arrive around 11 a.m. on Friday; by the time we take light trail and get to the hotel, I figure we will be there around 1 p.m, drop off our luggage and then go walk around. I doubt we will be back any later than 7-8 p.m. as we have our cruise the next day.

3) Best transportation to Pier 91 from the Roosevelt? How much should a taxi or Uber be? What about a shared shuttle?

4) Transportation from Pier 91 to Seatac-we have a 2 p.m. flight on the day we get back. It appears a taxi back to Seatac is at least $40-50. Any recommendations for a reasonably priced shuttle service? I tried to see if Princess offered something but their website said check with your travel agent (we used Costco to book our cruise).

Thanks all!

Thanks all for the responses thus far. I'm getting a little nervous about the potential for a really bad storm now (although this was the only time that worked with our schedule); I had thought the inside passage cruise might be a little better weather-wise than the areas closer to the Gulf of Alaska...it would be a bummer if we missed Glacier Bay.

I would think that if it was really that bad (i.e. hurricane-like storms with heavy winds) the cruise-ships would not schedule all the way out until the end of September year after year. Last year's mid-September weather looked ok... But I guess you never know with Alaska weather!

Thank you for the advice on MENDENHALL--so once we disembark, we can just pick up a shuttle that will take us to there and we can just do our own tour? How often do the shuttles leave to go back to town/port?

Hello all:

My husband and I (mid-30's) are going to take our first Alaska cruise, first Princess cruise (and his first cruise ever)--a 7 nighter out of Seattle in mid-September. It was actually something we only booked at the end of June (great deal with Costco) so just finalizing everything now and I was hoping I could obtain some input on a few things, including Excursions. Our ports include Juneau, Skagway, Glacier Bay, Ketchikan, and Victoria. I apologize in advance for the lengthiness of this post. :)

1) Ship--cruising the Ruby Princess (partially obstructed ocean view room but from what I can see, we still have a decent view out): any tips or things to know about the Ruby?

2) Embarkation/Ports: By going in mid-September, I am hoping we would avoid the big crowds but how long on average should it take to disembark to the Alaska ports (1 hour?); also, for embarkation if we arrive to Port 91 in Seattle around 11:30 a.m., are we likely to have to wait awhile before obtaining our room?

Should we expect less ships in the ports around that time, or will it still be pretty busy at the Ports?

3) Seasickness: I've cruised to Mexico and the Caribbean before (although last cruise was 10 years ago) with no major issues (and this will be hubby's first cruise ever); but given that the waters here might be rougher, especially in September, we want to be prepared--any recommendations besides Bonine non-drowsy, sea bands etc.? Are we most likely going to face the roughest waters on our only at-sea day, day after leaving Seattle?

4) Anytime Dining--if people are familiar with this--is it possible to make reservations? If not, I assume going at off-times should lessen the wait time?

5) Weather: I know that this is the most unpredictable in Alaska and we expect some cold and rain, so we should dress in layers (coming from Vegas, this is actually welcome!). However, I am wondering--is it likely we could experience severe storms to the point of skipping ports around that time of year? Is the rain around then usually the type that's a downpour or off and on rain? My husband thinks that he can get by with a ski cap and regular jacket with layers, but I'm trying to convince him to get a waterproof rain one, or at least a poncho!

Are there still mosquitoes that time of year?

6) EXCURSIONS--the big question. As of now, will probably just stick to excursions in Juneau and Skagway; I've read that just walking around the town of Ketchikan is fun, plus we aren't there too long. We were also just in Victoria in April (where we did the Gardens) and do not arrive until 7 p.m., so we will probably just walk to Fisherman's Wharf.

We are not looking for anything super adventurous and still want it to be reasonably priced. Since it's our first time there, I'm thinking of going with Princess's excursions, unless I can find something reasonable yet still dependable on our own; here is what I'm thinking:

Juneau--Mendenhall Glacier bus tour; however, has anyone done the Salmon Bake that can go along with this; is that worth it? I've also read that the more ships in Port on that day, the busier the visitor's center is and the tour might not be as enjoyable...thoughts?

Skagway: White Pass Rail--$131/pp seems steep but I read it's not to be missed. Would you recommend going up with the train then down via the bus, or round-trip on the train?

There still seems to be some space on the Princess website for these excursions, but I hope to book them this week.

Thanks all for any help...I appreciate it!

Thank you very much for the reply...looks like getting to Sitka may be rough in September!

Any downsides to cruising with HAL or did you enjoy it overall? Thanks again!

I'll see if I can help a little. I've done two cruises in late September, both on HAL, both round trip Seattle. In 2013 it was on Oosterdam and in 2016 is was on Amsterdam.

 

Upon boarding in 2013 there was a letter in our cabin that said due to expected storms our itinerary was changing and we would miss Sitka and would have a full day in Victoria instead of the normal few evening hours. We also did the inside passage up through Seymour Narrows and the Captain would make announcements when we would have to be in open water so everyone could prepare. It was a rough patch but rest of the trip was decent.

 

In 2016 we were a few days into the cruise when storms again caused us to miss Sitka. We had a few extra hours in Ketchikan and had a full day in Victoria. Other than the storm we encountered we had good weather in Juneau and rain in Ketchikan. We were supposed to go to Tracy Arm but diverted to Endicott Arm due to ice.

 

If memory serves it would get dark around 10pm.

 

When I returned from the September cruise (with my mom and sister) I was 0 for 2 in getting to Sitka and told my hubby I was booking us to Alaska in May 2017 to try to get to Sitka. We chose the Emerald Princess round trip Vancouver. It also included Glacier Bay, which we had not seen. Alaska cruise in 2013 went to Tracy Arm, and in 2014 went to Hubbard Glacier (that was a one way between Seward and Vancouver).

 

I now know why so many folks say to include Glacier Bay if possible. It was incredibly beautiful.

 

Good luck with your planning.

 

Later.....

Hello:

My husband and I are deciding on a last minute mid-September 7 day Alaska cruise out of Seattle. I've done some research but just need some help narrowing down.

1) September weather--I know Alaska weather is extremely unpredictable and are going to plan for some cold and rain...hopefully it's not too much that will inhibit scenic views. My concern though is about the rough waters around that time of year--I last cruised about 10 years ago (to the Caribbean...did not get sick) and it's my husband's first cruise. Still figuring out the cruise line and itinerary but most likely going to port in Kechikan and possibly Sitka, if we do the HAL cruise. How bad could the waters be from and to Seattle around that time, and would it be most of the trip? I understand it may be calmer in the inside passage area. We plan to take whatever precautions necessary and will hopefully book a cabin in the middle of the ship but wanted to plan ahead. In addition, if we decide to go on HAL, I've heard that those are smaller ships (not sure if that would be a big factor).

Also--when should we expect it to get dark (on average) in September?

2) Cruiseline--trying to narrow this down as well. So far, it's between Holland (the only one that goes Sitka on the list we have), Norwegian (Pearl), or Princess (Ruby or Emerald). We are leaning towards HAL (Ms. Oosterdam) for 9/10 or 9/17 as that goes through Puget Sound, Stephens Passage, Juneau, Hubbard Glacier, Sitka, Kechikan, and Victoria. The only drawback on that one is no Glacier Bay or Skagway; if we do the Princess one, that is on the itinerary. Is Hubbard Glacier just as nice as Glacier Bay? Is going to Sitka really worth it, or is Skagway the best for first time visit? Any preferences as to what cruiseline is best to Alaska during that time (FYI--we are both in our mid-30s). Most of the itineraries are only in Victoria in the evening which is ok by us as we just spent a day there in April during a Vancouver trip...we just want to maximize our hours in the Alaska ports.

I also understand that there might not be as many excursions in September which is ok...we just want to get a taste of Alaska for our first trip.

Thank you all!