Aquahound

Blown away? Easy answer for me. Royal Caribbean Oasis and Quantum Class ships have amazed me more than any other ships. They are simply spectacular, and I always debark feeling like I had an amazing experience.

You got it made then. Just drive there and park. Parking is free and all the trails and views are free. Enjoy! 🙂

Do your cruise first, then worry about what you might want to do next. Ovation is an amazing ship and you're going to have a great time.

Great example. Here in western WA, I'll pass people in the middle of the forest on a hiking trail and even when stepping aside to let them pass, they say absolutely nothing. At first, I was really bothered by it, but I've started to become used to it now.

Regarding Seattle freeze, I agree that it is a very real phenomenon. I have lived all over this country and have now lived in the Seattle area for 5 years. The social atmosphere here is unlike anything I have ever experienced in any other part of the country. Simple niceties like saying excuse me and thank you, or even looking eye-to-eye at strangers and giving a gentle head nod or saying hi are faaaaar less common here than in other places. I know that happens everywhere, but I have never seen it on this scale. People from here are aware of the freeze but don't really understand its impact as much as people who have moved here and know how it is elsewhere. Occasionally, I'll meet a born-and-bread local who blames the freeze on the Californian flight to WA. Perhaps that's it, but who knows? That said, Alaskan cruises departing out of Seattle attract people from all over, so I don't think the freeze really impacts the cruises.....at least not from what I've seen on my several cruises out of Seattle.

The mainstream cruise lines all seem to be following a trend of larger ships and more passengers. While a lot of amenities and great entertainment are getting added to these spectacular ships, the basic 101 services like housekeeping, waitstaff, and food quality seem to be taking a big hit. Everything is feeling rushed, and cuts are noticed everywhere. How do we find a balance before the scales get tipped too far away from the basic great service of yesteryear?

...and don't forget, buy those "souvenirs" in the manufactured port area that oddly is only open and populated when cruise ships are present and from a shop owner who lives in California during the winter.

Ditto. Definitely RCI.

Good luck on your quest. For brown bears, your itinerary isn't the greatest. Black bears are aplenty in those areas but not so much brownies. Maybe, in Juneau, see if there are any guides that take you to Admiralty Island which, last I heard, has the highest concentration in the world. Maybe Dyea Flats in Skagway?

I haven't sailed those ships, but I've sailed sister ships of all 3. I would drop the NCL option for a couple reasons. One, their docking location in Ketch is terrible. Two, I really do not like that class of ships. The HAL option is nice but the active side of you may very well find you bored on the ship. HAL's entertainment and activities have been dwindled down to very little. If ship entertainment is of zero concern, this would actually be my recommendation. Their ships are really nice and great for scenic cruising. If you enjoy a good evening show or a gameshow that makes you laugh, pick Sapphire. However, with this option, you'll sacrifice a little bit of room comfort. No couches or seating other than vanity chair in standard rooms.

Active 50-somethings on a Caribbean cruise? I recommend a B2B on Virgin.

I love the Solstice Class (Equinox) ships and looking at just ships alone, I would pick Equinox. However, I think the second itinerary is far superior. Constellation is older but still a really nice ship design, so I recommend the second option.

No. Well, yes, maybe, but they are very few and far between.

Oof. 3K? That's steep.

And you may not be wrong. It just depends on how much weight you put into shipboard activities. Many folks are totally fine with little to no activities and are almost entirely interested in the scenery only. Absolutely nothing wrong with that. After all, it is Alaska. However, if the shows, lounges, activities, etc, are things you enjoy and expect in a cruise vacation, certain cruise lines, like HAL, are almost certain to be a disappointment.

So true about triggering certain people with that. 😁 I am one of the few who absolutely will NOT cringe at that. You pick whatever line, ship, and itinerary you like. Like you, I want a great ship experience as well. I cruised AK on Eurodam a few years ago and yes, the ship experience was dead. It made me swear off anything older than HAL's newest Pinnacle Class (Koningsdam and newer). Movies and port lectures as the main evening show was not my idea of fun. If you choose RCI's Quantum Class, you will not be disappointed with the ship. The live entertainment is as good as it gets on a cruise. And if pools/hot tubs with a view is your thing, you can't do much better than this. DW and I spent a lot of time here while cruising Stephens Passage...

Agreed. There should be no debate on whether or not this is ok.

Sapphire. She is an early Grand Class ship that was built before they expanded the ship design by adding an extra deck and creating crowd problems. From reading the Alaska boards, Sapphire seems to be a favorite among regular Princess cruisers.

At some point, you gotta just pull the trigger and be firm with your choice. I, too, would much rather sail RCI, or even Celebrity. They do have nice one-way itineraries that go to Hubbard and cruise the IP, but none go to Glacier Bay. If...say...Radiance of the Seas had Grand's itinerary, this would be a no-brainer for me. Those who know Princess well seem to prefer Sapphire. Just do it. The itinerary is as good as they come. Do not worry about it being a sleepy experience on board. Princess is really good with entertainment, including game shows and other activities. The Piazza, which is Princess' central atrium, commonly has live music. The entertainment is pretty much exactly what you would find on RCI's Vision and Radiance Class ships.

On some ships, yes. On RCI Quantum Class ships, you have to walk through the handwashing station to enter the buffet and there is a crewmember standing there enforcing it. In truth, one could just walk right through it and get away with it, but at least they try to enforce it by at least directing you into the station.

I don't think this is feasible. I've embarked a few times in Vancouver, and I'd be very surprised if they allowed you to disembark after boarding. The whole check-in process, including pre-clearing Customs, is so onerous that I don't think you can do it. I will happily eat crow if I'm wrong though. Some people, like me, prefer to board early in order to make the most of the ship. You could drop off your luggage early, go explore the city for a little bit, and then return in the early afternoon.

Other options were provided. American Cruise Line and Uncruise are 2 US flagged cruise lines that do not need to make foreign port. They're pricey and small but still options, nonetheless. The few people I know who have cruised them speak very highly of their experience. Just FYI, Victoria isn't an island. It's on Vancouver Island.

I don't think it's much of a hassle to rent a car. The airport is close, and an easy taxi from the port. I'm in Kodiak once or twice a year for work, so I'm very comfortable driving the area with a rental car, and I totally recommend it. You'd be doing yourself a HUGE disservice if you only got off the ship and walked to the downtown area....which is very unimpressive, by the way.

NCL is very much like Carnival and RCI in terms of vibe, atmosphere and entertainment. Their newer ships are really nice and have a ton to offer. No formal nights and no fixed dining. Gotta jump on dining reservations early or you'll lose out on premier times and could face lengthy waits if you just show up.

Pfft. Out here in Seattle, people just go on the sidewalk. Convenient and free.