** Alaska - Radiance of the Seas - dept 29th May 2015 - with two children **

[bookworm9992001]

Thank you for all the sharing. A thoughtful and very helpful report. Loved your pics.I'm sure you and kids will have wonderful memories of time spent with grandparents, truly priceless.

[boulder-girl]

So I've just been reading through your report and looking at your photos, and I realized that you drove in to Denali NP the day before we did. We drove in to the Kantishna Roadhouse in June 10, and left on June 12. All three days we were there were overcast and we didn't get to see Denali even once.

 

How crazy to learn that apparently we missed seeing it by only one day! The weather the day you were there looked totally different than what we had! :)

[~*Lou*~]

So I've just been reading through your report and looking at your photos, and I realized that you drove in to Denali NP the day before we did. We drove in to the Kantishna Roadhouse in June 10, and left on June 12. All three days we were there were overcast and we didn't get to see Denali even once.

 

How crazy to learn that apparently we missed seeing it by only one day! The weather the day you were there looked totally different than what we had! :)

 

How amazing! I'm sorry you missed seeing it. Hope you saw heaps of animals to compensate!

 

Lou :)

[fischymom]

I have been so excited to read and follow your trip we are going on the southbound trip Aug 28th. I love seeing your pictures! Thanks

[ibeplato]

thank you so much for posting your reviews and information. We're taking the northbound cruise in August of 2016 on the Radiance of the Seas, family of four with two teenagers in a single deck four ocean view cabin.

 

Do you have any suggestions for managing space?

Edited July 21, 2015 by ibeplato

[~*Lou*~]

thank you so much for posting your reviews and information. We're taking the northbound cruise in August of 2016 on the Radiance of the Seas, family of four with two teenagers in a single deck four ocean view cabin.

 

Do you have any suggestions for managing space?

 

Hello ibeplato

 

We were in an internal cabin (deck 8), there is a photo at post #73 of this thread of the cabin with the Pullman bunks set up. There is also a photo of the wardrobe hanging space and shelves in my thread too.

 

We found it more spacious than we expected but maybe my 2 young children had less ”stuff” than your teenagers (I allowed them only a couple of storybooks and one comfort toy and a small comfort blanket each, plus their clothes, and being young they didn’t have much in the way of toiletries).

 

There was a cabinet behind the bathroom mirror which we managed to not find until the end of the cruise, also space on the shelf under the bathroom basin for storage – handy if either of your teenagers like their personal grooming! 6 drawers around the desk too. Also you can store things under the beds, we fit one of our suitcases (empty) under one bed, the other case was in the wardrobe.

 

We only had 2 suitcases, and then each person had a backpack, which we used as hand luggage on the plane and day packs for all ports of call. I had made sure we had packed very light so guess we didn’t have too much stuff to manage!

 

Hope that helps.

 

Lou :)

[lucymorgan]

great review and pictures Lou!

 

Thank you - we will be in Alaska in August.

 

Best wishes to your dad too for his treatment. :)

[atlgants]

Thank you for this and for the Cruise Compasses! We hope to be on this itinerary next summer!

[kathywin53]

What a well written review. We were on the southbound before you and had fortunately great weather, but saw way less wildlife. Also used car rental to Talkeetna making a self directed land adventure precruise. Best thoughts for your Dad's treatment and recovery. The pictures posted are very enjoyable.

[Italy52]

Thank you so much for posting your detailed review, I appreciate it very much.

 

I do have a question for you: After disembarkation in Seward you mentioned you went to the Kenai Fjord Tours kiosk ---- did you make reservations prior to your arrival in Seward or did you make them when you got off the ship?

[~*Lou*~]

Thank you so much for posting your detailed review, I appreciate it very much.

 

I do have a question for you: After disembarkation in Seward you mentioned you went to the Kenai Fjord Tours kiosk ---- did you make reservations prior to your arrival in Seward or did you make them when you got off the ship?

 

Hello!

 

We booked and paid for our Kenai Fjord Tour before we left home (on their website). And I'd had email correspondance with them discussing the tour time and that we'd need to meet their 7am shuttle from the cruise ship terminal for the 8am 6 hour tour. So when we got off the cruise ship, collected our bags and walked over to their kiosk in the luggage hall, they were waiting for us.

 

Hope that helps

Lou :)

[Italy52]

Hello!

 

We booked and paid for our Kenai Fjord Tour before we left home (on their website). And I'd had email correspondance with them discussing the tour time and that we'd need to meet their 7am shuttle from the cruise ship terminal for the 8am 6 hour tour. So when we got off the cruise ship, collected our bags and walked over to their kiosk in the luggage hall, they were waiting for us.

 

Hope that helps

Lou :)

 

Great help --- thanks for taking the time to respond.

[stephaniekleinn]

Bookmarking this to read again! Great info!

[fireweed2011]

Thank you for all the wonderful information! Having grown up in Alaska, I loved seeing the land trip through your visit. I have never seen wolves in Denali. We will be taking the same cruise up next summer, so I am researching for the cruise part. All the things you did on the land trip are some of my favorites. Thanks again!

 

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[ArchMom]

What a fabulous thread. Really appreciate every day's report, as well as the kids club compasses. Hope you and your family are well - love and light your way.

[IndyKid]

Sea day, non-Hubbard Glacier, the change of route due to storm (photo taken as we turn back toward Seward)

 

Sea day, non-Hubbard Glacier, the change of route due to storm

 

Empty Solarium pool (due to storm)

 

Shredded flag through the Solarium glass roof (due to storm)

 

Maintenance opportunity (due to drained pool due to storm)

 

Repainted pool!

 

I came across this forum accidentally while doing a search and decided to join up. It so happens that I was on this same voyage last year. These images sure do look familiar.

 

I should say that this was my first experience cruising - the last time I was on a vessel this size, it was gray, equipped with missiles & guns and the accommodations were not nearly as nice!

 

This trip was a extended-family affair. It included myself, my wife and adult son, my wife's sister, her husband and 2 adult sons, and also my mother-in -law. The "youngsters" had a balcony room about mid-ship on the port side. The "adults" shared a large room up front facing the bow.

 

The very early on the morning of the last full day on the ship I was laying in bed after being awakened more by noise than the movement of the ship - I kept hearing a rhythmic booming sound. I finally tried to get up and when I stood up I about fell back onto the bed! The boat was rocking pretty good. I managed to get over to the porthole and saw that the noise was really the waves hitting the bow. I went back to bed and had a good time watching a few of the others try to make it to the head while looking totally drunk!

 

I heard later that a lot of folks had gone down to the lower level lounges to try and sleep and reduce the effects of seasickness. I imagine there were more than a few visitors to sick bay!

 

A few hours later my son and youngest nephew showed up at our cabin with beers in their hands, so they were apparently unfazed by it all. The only member of our party that got seasick was my oldest nephew, but he got over it fairly quick.

 

We also extended our trip after getting off the boat in Seward. We took 1 of the RCL Cruise Tour escorted motor-coach trips. We stopped at the AWCC, did lunch in Anchorage, then drove up to Talkeetna for the night. Next day got up, went to Denali National Park for the day. We saw all kinds of critters, ,including bears, moose, Dall sheep, mountain goats, etc. Spent the night at a lodge just outside the park, then drove back to Talkeetna where we caught the train back to Anchorage. Next day before our flight we had time to kill so we went and checked out the Anchorage Zoo.

 

This was a trip I will never forget. It definitely should be on everyone's bucket list.

 

Ironically, another item on my BL is Australia. I see that the Radiance spends the "winter" Down Under. Maybe someday....

[kpd21880]

OK, I'm really done now, except for the Cruises Compasses and details of the kid's club - I will scan them and get them uploaded in a few days.

 

Any questions, go ahead and ask and I'll do my best to help.

 

And a BIG thank you for all the lovely comments people have left.

 

Lou :)

 

Hi Lou! I am reading your review today as we are planning our 2017 famiy vacation. Your review is immensely helpful! We will be traveling with our 5 year old son. My question for you is: was there anything you DID do with the kids that you wished you hadn't? Or anything you skipped that you wish that you'd done? Thanks!!!

Katie

[~*Lou*~]

INDYKID - sorry, I only just saw your reply now, 6 months late! Amazing we were on the same voyage! Sounds like you had a fabulous time after the cruise as well. And yes, Radiance sails out of Sydney when not in Alaska each year!

 

KPD21880 - Glad you found the review useful in planning. I don't think there was anything I regretted doing or not doing, I had read every review I could find that included children of any age (look through trip reports for 2013 and 2014 if you can) and had tried to take on board all the advice from people who had gone before me - and I definitely found that extremely useful in planning and packing for the trip and knowing what to expect. We had to work with the age of the youngest child (5 yrs) - he managed a 2 mile hike no problem but obviously couldn't have done a much longer hike. Also something like a kayaking trip would have been a fabulous experience but he was too young for that (think min age is 8 yrs depending on the operator), maybe next time. Overall I was very relieved how well the children travelled and don't think we came away with many regrets!

 

Lou :)

[kpd21880]

Thanks Lou!! I am reading back as fast as I can :) I really appreciate all of your info, as well as everyone who takes the time to pass on their knowledge.

 

 

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