SoloAlaska

The companies that provide these services are very well established. My cruise is after the end of the train season but I’ve cruised in and out of Seward before. It’s like any excursion you know when you meet up and you board your bus and away you go. NCL will contract these companies to provide transport especially since it’s earlier than the normal season. if you have the option of booking a transfer with a stop at the wildlife center it’s a nice stop especially if you have time to burn before a flight. Alaska know cruises so don’t worry too much.

Considering Canadians are culturally known for their politeness I’d say your ranking may be off. Patience and politeness is not really what Americans are known for internationally. There’s a reason American tourists will lie and say they are Canadian.

What if your waiting for luggage or your taxi gets stuck in traffic or there a construction detour…. This timing is waaaay too tight. You’re not a first time cruiser. I’ve boarded other cruises on the last group but never past. Also I had flown in the day before but was on an excursion which could be cut short if necessary. Flights are not flexible like that and the only reasonable choice is to change to an earlier flight.

Yes boss lady is right. It’s ok to tip at specialty dinning even though tips are included but it should be a nominal amount not a percentage.

I went back to look at longer cruises and interestingly enough the categories were all sold out except the suites for solos but when I put in 2 guests it miraculously had cabins available. Celebrity at its finest. For the 13 day cruises I looked at it was $66 per night for AI. So not a bad deal for what you’re getting.

I haven’t waited in line more than 10 minutes to get onboard a ship yet, wait in a short line to drop off luggage, wait in another line to go through security, walk up to the person who checks you in then off you go onto the ship. I hope this streak continues through proper planning as well as luck. I don’t need to be first on the ship but when I board depends on what I want to do on land first. My cruises aren’t ones focused on lounging by the pool so that’s never been an issue but the people who take up big tables all day at the buffet drive me nuts when there isn’t room for those trying to grab a quick breakfast or lunch.

I haven’t seen celebrity offer a free drink package. They offer all-inclusive options but you’re easily paying $120 a day for those items to be included. I just went to price out an Alaskan cruise and AI was double the price.

There are some decent solo deals out there. Come over to the solo boards for most of the info you need. Also you don’t mention which cruise line you’re trying to book with. So far I’ve cruised celebrity and NCL solo and had a ghost scheduled for a RCI cruise but I now have a roommate. NCL is setting itself apart by being very solo friendly with gatherings every evening. They have solo cabins in almost every category on every ship.

No glass but usually the poolside bars will serve in plastic cups so you can bring your drink anywhere you go.

Celebrity sometimes charges over $120 a day more for all-inclusive which doesn’t include your daily service fee (aka tips) and it doesn’t include specialty dining either . RCI charges 18% gratuity on its drink package. Carnival has a max of 15 drinks per day. Really NCL is by far the best deal for drinks. My last cruise was 15 nights and I knew I wouldn’t be drinking most days so I decided to pay as I go and drink prices weren’t too bad. My next cruise is shorter and I don’t have to work so I’ll be enjoying my time at the bar with FAS.

3 cruises so far and have seen a porter only once really. Never have a need for a porter so that can save me a chunk of change. Next year I will see normal porters in action and looking forward to it. It’s odd being on CC and not being able to picture what seems so normal for so many.

Companions are encouraged to board along with disabled travel partners. My step dad also sometimes needs a cane especially after a flight. That pre boarding for carry on space is gold.

Flight to Europe I find easier than a flight home. If you can get a direct flight and sleep on the plane it is pretty good. Plus if I need a little extra sleep on vacation it isn’t so bad compared to when I’m home and have to catch up on work upon my return. So happy both options are available depending on what works for each individual.

We went whale watching with one of those kiosks last year and it was incredible, the staff were awesome. Mendenhall or whale watching would be my two options for plan B. The tram is a pretty quick little thing unless you want to take a multi hour hike. The hike to Gastineau Peak is over 3 hours and rated as hard according to AllTrails, I’m planning on it and maybe another hike for my cruise but I love hiking and am preparing for some pretty serious trails during this trip.

$1 for each drink, $5-10 for simple excursions and $20 for expensive/complex excursions, $20-30 for room steward, a little extra for other things like restaurant service. Then I add in any small spending I plan to do in port. So for my upcoming Alaska cruise it’s $200 (40-$1, 4-$5, 7-$20) and I’ll still have my credit card for bigger shopping if I need it but probably not often on this cruise.

I loved my TA. Made great friends. We even started a knitting group and met on every sea day. I think the trick with a TA is to be able to entertain yourself and not bring a partner who can’t self entertain.

People with massive packs that when in the plane take the space of 3 bags drive me nuts. Carry on only isn’t a problem but people are who don’t follow the rules.

The basics is something like 5 tops, 4 bottoms, 3 shoes, 2 bags, 1 swimsuit. Obviously it can be modified depending on your style and trip but it’s a nice framework to have. Pinterest is a great place to get ideas for this type of packing, you’ll find lots of graphics based on different destinations, climates, and styles.

If only GTY is available then it is likely the cruise may be oversold and that brings in its own risks. If someone wants to avoid 1/3 of the ship then there is a 33% chance they will be unhappy. If there are cabins available and someone chooses to get a good deal with a GTY and the forward cabins are pretty much booked up then the chances of being unhappy are much smaller. It’s all about the odds based on the exact scenario of that particular sailing.

I never said you would get the worse but if you aren’t ok with the worse cabin and it will “ruin your trip” then you should not be booking GTY. Being surprised by an amazing cabin should be valued but knowing you could get the worse shouldn’t be a problem. Looking at inventory ahead of time and seeing what is available is a good way to see what the odds are of a great cabin. For OP if they look and see most cabins in that category that are still available are forward then they might be concerned, if it’s mostly midship available then the odds are in their favour for a favourable outcome.

Oh wow I expected it to be booked way out. From the website it seems that Freedom seats 12. Our group is 12 but I think we would probably be 10 (one couple refuses to be in the same room as the other). The drama of family travel is one I’ve avoided for over 16 years but it has returned full force.

If your day in Juneau is one with lots of large ships I would book ahead of time for taxis. You can find out by looking at the port schedule for the day you are in Juneau which will tell you which ships are docking and then do a little google search to find out how big each ship is.

When do reservations open for Chefs Table? We are a larger group and would love to book together but I know that means the only chance might be to book the minute it becomes available. How far out do bookings start? If you’ve been did you love the experience? Are wine pairings included? We will be sailing on Freedom of the Seas in March 2025.

Did you look to see what was available? If you book guaranteed you should expect the absolute worst. after my first cruise I learnt that if there is a potential for rough seas I can’t be forward. So until I book a cruise with little to no risk of rough seas I will not risk a garanteed cabin.

Let’s be honest here bartenders have looked the other way to those sharing drinks or grabbing a drink for a friend. I am not getting into the theft debate ok. Also if you have the plus package your drinks can also be water and Starbucks etc so it’s not always alcohol. People drink different types of drinks with different percentages. People have different bodies and different tolerances. My scotch will get me quicker than some bigger guy drinking light beers through the day. People who are following the rules on NCL and only ordering for themselves will never hit a max limit when it comes to a set number. You’d be in the bathroom non stop if you tried.