davis0056

We did this tour off the millennium two weeks ago.  The glacier was calving everywhere we looked.  It was one of the highlights of our cruise.  We’d do it again in a heartbeat.  Worth every penny.  It gets you sooo close.  

We just got off the millennium two weeks ago.  Spent the night at Pan Pacific and took a cab to the airport.  My husband and I are in out 70s and it seemed like one line after another.  We’ve cruised all over the world.  We won’t fly in or out of Vancouver again.  Check in, then had to take our own luggage for turn in, then TSA, then customs.  Ugh.  Left early for the airport and our flight was late.  Nothing good to say about that airport except it’s in our rear view mirror!

I know what agency you're talking about and since the death of the agent, service has gone downhill. It wasn't great before, but the perks were good. Now getting an e-mail response or an answer to a phone call is next to impossible. We won't be using them again. They'd been our TA for almost 15 years.

Guaranteed inside. Hopefully won't be too disappointed. Will be coming here often to get tips etc on various things

Just curious why you're saying 'biting the bullet' and 'hope wont be disappointed.' Maybe I'm just misreading the post but it doesn't sound like you're to excited already. We just of the Liberty and had a great time and plan to do it again next year. Nice looking ship, nice size, nice itinerary and can just drive to the port. We have no plans to be disappointed.

I read one TA review that said you can pay with cash or card when you get there. (Also asking for additional drinks when you are there, etc.) For those that have been there, can you confirm this? I do not feel safe bringing that much cash around with me in port. I didn't see anything on their website that would confirm this. It should be one of their FAQs!! TIA.

You can use cash or card, but there is a hefty surcharge if you use a card.

We were at LFK a week ago. Saw staff taking horses around and in the water....where one promptly pooped. The staff sprang into action to get the poop picked up...including by hand. Almost comical. But it looked like they got it all.

Just did this excursion last week. We were on the True North and we won! Everyone was surprised because none of the participants had any experience as compared to the participants on the other boat. I have mobility issues and the crew on the pontoon boat and True North were just great in helping me. I strongly discourage this excursion for kids like others have also commented on. Tight quarters, moving parts, and things happen quickly. Kids would instinctively want to 'help' and accidents could happen suddenly and could be quite serious.

I hope you enjoy this cruise as much as we have in the past. I see this is your first post, so welcome to the group. Be sure you and your group have signed up for your cruise's Roll Call. As for things to do at the various ports, I suggest you go to the Cruise Critic Message Board Forum, then to Ports of Call, then find your ports. It will list tons of tips and information on things to do and see. Hope this helps and have a great cruise.

Roll Calls and Ports of Call

We've cruised Alaska eight times, using Princess (wouldn't use them again), Celebrity (in last time in 2016) and HAL. Hands down HAL was best (elegant, yet friendly service, excellent food). We weren't on the newest HAL ships, but all were well maintained. We like the smaller ships up in Alaska because they can get into smaller ports, like Homer and Kodiak.

I just went through adding the offer to my American Express card and then making a payment to Royal Caribbean. What a pain it's been for $75!

 

TA closed Sunday. TA closed Monday. Keep in mind this is a big online travel agency. Called again on Tuesday, my TA is out of town. Argh. I spoke to another TA who took forever to handle the transaction. He didn't give me his name or number. He got mad that I called him and not my TA and basically hung up on me at the end of the transaction. It went something like this, "Okay I'm going to send you the invoice via email. If if it's wrong. Contact me." CLICK

 

I sat around and waited 30 minutes for the invoice that never came. I called back to the TA explaining that I had just made payment with some unknown individual and all I wanted was my invoice. She said "I don't want to step on his toes." She refused to help me!

 

Another call to the TA, again explaining how rudely I've been treated and all I want is my INVOICE that shows my payment! At this point if I hadn't been getting over $500 OBC with the company, I'd be telling them to shove their reservation where the moon don't shine. :eek:

 

Anyway, I finally get the invoice. Then my Am Ex statement became available today and no $75 credit It's not automatic folks. It won't post until 6 to 8 weeks AFTER your purchase.

Sounds like my TA recently!

After we sailed from Hawaii we found a passport on our safe. We turned it in also. It is so important to really check the safe closely. Things can slip to the back and get missed so easily.

One of my four Amex cards has the offer, so I added it. Now I just have to decide how to spend $350 before 14 October.

If you have a cruised booked already, make a $350 payment.

We just got off the Solstice in Seattle. Delta has set up a place outside the terminal for people that don't want to drag their luggage to the airport. It was a little bit of a hike. But the Delta staff were super friendly and helpful. Since Celebrity has stopped the valet service in Seattle this is a nice service provided by Delta. Maybe other airlines will start doing the same thing. I just wish it was closer to the ship terminal and Delta says they are working on that. A free perk from an airline. Unheard of!

We were on the Reflection in a S1 deck 6. Very disappointing. The ceiling was shorter, so any longer clothes in the closet hung on the floor. The room is smaller, with different furniture configuration. You cannot sit outside your door. There is only a small nook around the corner for a chair and table. No room for the stool. I wish we had done more research on the room. We have had several S1 suites, and assumed they would all be the same.

Couldn't agree with you more. We also had an aft corner suite on deck 6. For a suite and the cost, the room was small and the balcony was a joke. We have the same cabin next week on the Solstice because of several families traveling with us and we all wanted to be located together. Even our butler conceded that the balcony was pitiful on the Reflection. He had been on the Solstice and he said we'll notice a difference in that the Solstice deck six corner aft balcony is bigger. I hope so. I can't be any smaller without it being non-existent.

The aft cabin balconies on the S class ships are minuscule compared to M class ships.

We are traveling to Alaska in a couple weeks on the Solstice with two other family's. This is our 8th cruise to Alaska and most have them have been in aft cabins. We have an aft corner sky suite and the other families are adjacent to us. Though we LOVE the size of the aft balconies on the M-class, the S size is MUCH smaller, but the view is just as spectacular. We had an aft on the Reflection transatlantic too. We've been know to not book a cruise if we couldn't get an aft cabin. Never had a problem with soot or smell. But the walk from the bow or even the 'rear' elevators is like doing a marathon.

If you like long walks, the sun, soot and no privacy, aft cabins are a great choice.

 

You get a great view of the wake but in most ports that Reflection visits in the Caribbean, your cabin will be flooded with sunlight.

 

We like mid ship locations with a larger balcony the best.

We always try for aft cabins and since we book early, we usually get one. NEVER had a problem with soot no matter what deck our aft cabin was on. It can be a long walk, but the privacy is wonderful and after all the food we need the exercise. We've seldom minded the sun. A port or starboard cabin can get LOTS of morning or afternoon sun too. To each their own. The less people who like the aft leaves us with more aft choices and vice versa.

We are on the Aug 5 cruise . I understand the dress for dinner is more relaxed and no need for formal wear. Slacks on the dressy nights and jeans are ok for the other nights. Any suggestions

We're on the same cruise. If you haven't already, please join our roll-call!

We're bringing jeans, jeans, and more jeans and a nice dress for Elaine and one pair of dress pants for Dave. Dave probably won't bring a sports jacket (but maybe a vest).

We did this tour on the Transatlantic cruise on the Reflection this year through the same company. It was one of the best tours we did. Hope you enjoy it as much as we did.

Personally on a 7 day cruise is it worthless as by the time I need/want to send any laundry out it's already late as it has to be 3 days before the end of the cruise. If I send it out on the morning of day 4 I won't get it back until day 5 in the afternoon. So I still need to pack enough for 5 full days, 2 more days won't break the bank, or suitcase in this instance.

 

Now on cruises longer than 7 days, especially 14 days it's a great perk. JMO.

We're going into Seattle 3 days before our cruise and plan to use our coupons as soon as we get on board. Just because its a 7 day cruise doesn't mean its a 7 day vacation. JMO

We always try for aft and aft corner cabins. Had an aft corner deck 6 suite on the transatlantic aboard the Reflection. LONG walk to and from the elevators and the balcony is minuscule compared to aft and aft corner M class cabins. Never noticed any problem with wind, soot or such. But did have crew walk past on the ledge of the balcony. Scared the @#$ out of me the first time it happened.

Our 7th Alaskan Cruise is in August. My family and I would never do this cruise without a passport or one the new passport type cards that are available. If you're going to spend this much on a cruise what is the issue with covering all your bases and having a passport? If you get sick or hurt in route to Victoria and have to get off the ship (and have to stay in Victoria), it becomes a problem for you and your family. If the ship has engine or other problems and you have to go into a Canadian port, you can have a problem too. Passports are a safety net if there are international issues anywhere and you're there.

I thought this thread was about the Alaskan Cruise reviewed by the OP. There's a separate thread on gratuities. Sad to see this thread hijacked. Thanks, OP, for your great review.

"For desert, I choose the strawberry crepe and DH opts for the soufflé."

on our Reflection TA we ate in Murano twice. We ordered these deserts both times. But the second time I had them take a small amount of the crepes sauce and pour it over the souffle. To die for!!!

When we were on the Reflection's TA we initially added extra gratuity to the bills in the restaurants when we got great service. Then one of the waiters told us on the side that by tipping that way it goes into the pool, not to the individual server. We confirmed that with another waiter in another specialty restaurant. From then on we carried cash to do extra tipping.