Practical Tips for Alaska Cruise

[Janonymous]

I just got back from my Alaska cruise and wanted to thank everyone for answering my questions. Just thought I'd post a few of my own tips (although some might not agree with them):

 

Less is More! Don't pack more than you really, really need. It's one thing to pack for unforseen needs when traveling by car but when you have to tote luggage in an airport, it's better to leave some stuff at home! Leave the hairdryer, excess medicines, duct tape etc. at home. I packed for a survival outing only to find that the ship was not only well equiped but lavishly so! The rooms on the Radience of the Seas had a hairdryer and you can buy whatever you might need right on board and save yourself the back sprain. Bring fewer clothes and a small leakproof container of laundry detergent. The shower on the Radiance of the Seas even had a clothes line!

 

What you really need is simple: clothes, money, credit card, prescription medications, toiletries. The rest is all optional, bring it if you feel like toting it. (Although the nightlight for an interior cabin was worth bringing).

 

No one on the Radience of the Seas decorated their cabin doors...I toted along a fish net and a plastic crab for nothing.

 

No one wore their sea pass on a lanyard either.

 

One thing I wish I had known was that I could have carried the id's for both myself and my dad, saving my dad the frustration and confusion of digging through his wallet again and again. Collect all paperwork in some sort of envelope or something to keep it all together. You'll have to pull your id's (birth certificates, drivers license, or passport) in and out and in and out (A LOT) so keep your paperwork together and at the ready.

 

Use the elevators at the far ends of the ship when possible...the ones in the middle were constantly jammed. No one could figure which one would open next so it got to be where people would just step on whichever elevator happened to open first, even if it was going in the wrong direction. If you are able, take the stairs--but if you really need to use an elevator, avoid the ones in the middle if one at the other end of the ship is in the direction you are heading anyway.

 

I took a bus tour of Juneau..it was nice but I found out that you need more than 45 minutes at Mendenhall Glacier. We didn't even get to see the visitors center.

 

Everyone was right about the train in Skagway...sit on the left going up. However, also be sure to line up for the train EARLY because otherwise you might not get that choice!

 

Thanks again everyone!

[myrtle0116]

Thanks so much for the advice. Will be my first cruise to Alaska in June. Can't wait but I want to simplify things as much as possible.

 

We will also be on the Radiance. Was the ship beautiful?

 

Hope you had a wonderful time. Again, thanks for the tips!

 

Myrtle

[xavier2005]

I am booked on the radiance for next year... Here are some sites that have great ship photos:

 

http://www.jaddie.com/personal/alaska_03/index.html (great photos from a vancouver roundtrip tour on radiance)

 

http://savad.100megsfree5.com/index.html (warning: lots of pop-ups and not an alaskan cruise but very good shots of the ship)

 

http://www.royalcaribbean.com/findacruise/ships/class/ship/home.do?shipClassCode=RD&shipCode=RD&cS=SITEMAP (official site.. has videos, virtual tours)

[Janonymous]

Dear Myrtle0116:

 

 

Yes, the Radiance of the Seas was beautiful! You'll have a great time...it was a fun and yet still a very relaxing trip (after the hassles of air travel that is.)

[Casey2]

Thanks for the great advice. We will be on the Radiance in 3 weeks. I am starting to go through my clothes and I was wondering what is the temperature on the ship- long sleeves or short sleeves in the dinning room?

[CA Cruiser]

Thanks for the info Jan..We sail in 2 weeks. We are going to try and pack today but it sure is hard to think about packing for Alaska in 85 degree weather. :confused: How much rain did you get? Did you use your umbrella or just a poncho? How formal was formal night? I heard Gordon, the CD, was replaced by a woman...true? If so, how was she?:confused:

[never2late]

Don't bring an umbrella then you have to carry it -- bring a light weight water repellant jacket with a hood or you can buy one of those plastic rain ponchos at any of the port junk (gift) shops for $1-2. Have fun! ;)

[digital_curator]

I am booked on the radiance for next year... Here are some sites that have great ship photos:

 

 

Xavier2005- I must compliment you on your cruise websites! Especially Alaska and Panama- some of the best I have seen! I wish you would include your daily planners though (you mentioned that Becky kept them)- it would make them perfect:D

 

I know what you mean about Voyager class- our first cruise was on the Navigator and we are almost scarred to try anything else (have a repositioning cruise booked on Explorer) but we also want to go to Alaska. I think you have confinced us that Radiance is for us!

 

Though your pictures of Coral make her look great too- what is it about RCI that you think they do better? We are tempted by Princess...but love RCI!

 

Cheers,

[Janonymous]

Casey2 and CA Cruiser:

 

The temperatures in Alaska while I was there were in the mid-60's...very nice, with just a light rain in Ketchikan only (a lightweight rainjacket with hood will keep you dry and retains warmth). The ship temperatures were very comfortable...not too hot or too cold, but bring a sweater for when you want to stand on deck. P.S.--our ship was scheduled to dock one day in Juneau at about noon so the captain announced that sunrise was a good time to watch for whales during that stretch of the trip. We did get up early that morning we were to reach Juneau and as the ship proceeded along through the passage, we saw a pod of whales go by while watching from deck 11.

 

For the formal night, I wore a floor-length black dress and didn't feel out of place by its simplicity but I also saw many, many women who opted to wear gorgeous beaded gowns and seemed to enjoy getting all glitzed up. I don't think you necessarily have to go full-hilt unless you like that sort of thing, though. Most of the dresses that I noticed (probably because of the glitter) were sleeveless but my dress had 3/4 length sleeves and was fine too (it was a lightweight material meant for summer wear). I also saw some women in beautiful cocktail-length dresses too but the dresses that I really noticed were the really glamorous gowns. Bottom line...no one will probably pay much attention to what you wear unless your dress is absolutely FABULOUS. So if getting noticed doesn't matter much to you, don't sweat it too much. There were SO MANY different kinds of people on board, from all over the country, from all over the world, of all different ages so different styles were certainly acceptable as long as they gave the impression of being formal attire.

 

Gordon was still the cruise director while I was on the Radiance of the Seas.

 

Have fun on your trip!

~Janonymous

[Janonymous]

On second thought...maybe you'd better wear a floor length gown just to make sure you're comfortable. I only went to one formal night so I'm not sure about the dress on the second formal night. I'd hate for you to feel underdressed.

[CA Cruiser]

Jan,

I usually feel underdressed on formal nights but comfortable. I usually wear black slacks and a nice blouse or sparkly jacket. I have to wear flats because of recent knee surgery. By the time we get to the show, everyone will have changed and I'll be okay! I sure hope they delayed Gordon's transfer till after our cruise. I don't cruise because of a CD but a good one is always nice to have. Thanks for the info.

[Janonymous]

CA Cruiser:

 

I did see at least one woman dressed in an outfit very similar to what you described that you would wear. She looked very nice.