Boarding Radiance In Seward

[MAHA]

WE are sailing on Radiance of the Seas on June 20. Our cruise documents say boarding time is betweeen 2:30 and 6:30. What is the earliest time you have been able to board? I was thinking of being on the ship around 1, when the cabins open. Is that too early?

 

Thanks!

 

Mary Anne

[poolwife]

That is an usual late boarding time. We usually board around 11:00 to 11:30 am.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[Italy52]

If we do a pre-cruise stay in Seward, we will normally check out of the hotel around 11 AM and make our way over to the terminal.

[JimAOk1945]

Are you staying in Seward prior to your cruise?

[4cats,1dog]

Cabins open @ 1:00 pm. No hurry to board ship- go see the sights in town or take a Kanai boat tour.

[MAHA]

We are staying in Seward prior to the cruise. We have to turn the rental car in at 11, so we will need to get our luggage to the ship. Also, I do not want to carry around our carryons all over Seward as we will have our toiletries, medications, camera equipment, etc. as well as a carryon suitcase. I also do not want to leave them in storage at a hotel as they could be tampered with or stolen.

 

I think we will try to board after returning the rental car as we are in Seward for 3 nights pre-cruise and will have done Kenai Fjords, etc. already.

 

Thanks!

 

Mary Anne

[MNfamilycruiser]

Just off the southbound Radiance cruise - even though the documents now say boarding time is 2:30 pm instead of noon - we still were able to board immediately after getting off the Coastal Classic Train from Anchorage.

 

We walked from the train and were on board eating lunch in the Windjammer before noon :D Our room was ready at 1:00 - we dropped off our small carry-ons and would have been able to get back off and explore a bit if we wanted to. A few members of my family were not feeling well, so we took care of business on the ship and rested instead.

[Bizziecruzer]

We walked from the train and were on board eating lunch in the Windjammer before noon :D Our room was ready at 1:00 - we dropped off our small carry-ons and would have been able to get back off and explore a bit if we wanted to. A few members of my family were not feeling well, so we took care of business on the ship and rested instead.

Hi Linda - how far is the walk from the train to the ship? Thanks

[mapleleaves]

Hi Linda - how far is the walk from the train to the ship? Thanks

 

and Linda, maybe post a brief trip report ??

Edited June 2, 2014 by mapleleaves

[MNfamilycruiser]

Hi Linda - how far is the walk from the train to the ship? Thanks

 

hmmm, from the road to the train I think I saw a sign that said 1500 ft., you just have a parking lot between the road and the building to check-in. It was maybe a 5-10 minute walk depending on how fast you walk :D

[MNfamilycruiser]

and Linda, maybe post a brief trip report ??

 

Yes, I will try, a little later tonight maybe. I can try to answer any specific questions as well.

Edited June 2, 2014 by MNfamilycruiser

[Bizziecruzer]

hmmm, from the road to the train I think I saw a sign that said 1500 ft., you just have a parking lot between the road and the building to check-in. It was maybe a 5-10 minute walk depending on how fast you walk :D

Thank you - that is doable for us.

[Budget Queen]

Any lodging will hold bags for you, frankly, some may not be in any rush to get on a ship out of Seward, due to the excellent Alaska adventures available. I don't get on a ship until after 6pm, since I pack my day with my touring priorities. Some may want to consider all the possibilities, asking themselves- how often you are going to get there? :)

[Bizziecruzer]

Any lodging will hold bags for you, frankly, some may not be in any rush to get on a ship out of Seward, due to the excellent Alaska adventures available. I don't get on a ship until after 6pm, since I pack my day with my touring priorities. Some may want to consider all the possibilities, asking themselves- how often you are going to get there? :)

 

This is excellent advice, we will check our luggage in and then arrange for some type of afternoon tour.

[MNfamilycruiser]

Thank you - that is doable for us.

 

There is a free shuttle I believe....but my assumption is that it is always best to get there before the whole busload of people.....;) I learned the strategy at Disney World and have applied it to any situation involving crowds and lines.

We pretty much walked on - the shuttle arrived maybe 5-10 minutes after we did. Honestly though, it didn't seem like there was ever a big crowd or line that I could see - because there are so many tours possible, people were trickling in all day.

[olemissreb]

We are staying in Seward prior to the cruise. We have to turn the rental car in at 11, so we will need to get our luggage to the ship. Also, I do not want to carry around our carryons all over Seward as we will have our toiletries, medications, camera equipment, etc. as well as a carryon suitcase. I also do not want to leave them in storage at a hotel as they could be tampered with or stolen.

 

I think we will try to board after returning the rental car as we are in Seward for 3 nights pre-cruise and will have done Kenai Fjords, etc. already.

 

Thanks!

 

Mary Anne

 

What hotel are you staying at? We stayed at the Holiday Inn Express last year and they had a service that would get your bags to the ship for you. The cost was $7/bag and it was the best money we spent. We had our backpacks so all our essential carry on stuff was with us. We toured the Alaska Sea Life Center and did a Marine Mammal Encounter. We didn't have a rental car, but took Mike's Taxi for $5 to the center and then for $5 to the ship. Yes - $5 for 5 people!

 

We finally boarded the ship about 2pm or so and were able to go drop our stuff in our room right away and then went to get some lunch. We were on the Celebrity Millennium, but they board at the same place as the Radiance.

[donaldsc]

We are staying in Seward prior to the cruise. We have to turn the rental car in at 11, so we will need to get our luggage to the ship. Also, I do not want to carry around our carryons all over Seward as we will have our toiletries, medications, camera equipment, etc. as well as a carryon suitcase. I also do not want to leave them in storage at a hotel as they could be tampered with or stolen.

 

I think we will try to board after returning the rental car as we are in Seward for 3 nights pre-cruise and will have done Kenai Fjords, etc. already.

 

Thanks!

 

Mary Anne

 

I would not worry about having luggage tampered with or stolen at a hotel. I have done it several times.

 

That said, what I would do is drop wife and luggage off at the cruise terminal, then drive back to return the car. Makes it easier for everyone.

 

DON