Just back - some thoughts

[watertraveler]

We are just back from RCCL's 12nt southbound cruise on the Radiance of the Seas. Here are some quick thoughts.

 

If you are in the planning stages, my advice (and the captain's) is to take the southbound route. That way, the strenuous part of the trip, the land tour, is over and the very first day on the cruise is a sea day so you get to recoup a little - maybe. Also, the captain recommends taking the southbound route because the very best scenery would be during the day. On the northbound, you sail through the inside passage at night.

 

Secondly, if you are closer to sailing, watch the weather in Alaska and be flexible with your packing. Believe it or not we had 80+ degree weather in Talkeetna and Vancouver was a toasty 90. I needed more short sleeve tops and shorts and less long sleeve shirts and jeans.

 

You will not see escargot on the menu. When I asked our server, he said that it is still available, you just have to ask. So, if you like escargot, ask away!

 

It is impossible to do everything! Pick one excursion in each port that is most important to you. Then, if you have extra time, enjoy the town.

 

Excursions that we most enjoyed -

Harv & Marv - whale watch - Juneau

Island Wings - Misty Fjords - Ketchikan

White Pass - Skagway

Native Alaskan show - Icy Strait

 

Land tour excursions

Glacier Landing in Talkeetna

River Rafting in Talkeetna

 

If you go on the land tour with RCCL and stay in Talkeetna, ask for a room along the river. It is quieter and you get a nicer view. If you stay in building 7, you also get AC. If was needed the week we were there.

 

Most of all, have fun planning!

 

If you have any questions, I would be glad to answer them.

Nancy

[EMS8]

Hi Nancy,

 

Looks like you had a great time. We begin our 12 night cruise tour/cruise on Celebrity Millennium on July 5th. Did you stay a Denali Park Village on your tour? If so, how did you like it and do they provide transportation to the Wilderness Access Center?

[cruisinconniebean]

Hello Nancy,

 

It was great to hear from a Radiance southbound traveler...I still have to wait until next month for my southbound cruise.

 

I just have a few questions:

 

Did you eat in the MDR the entire cruise or did you try any of the specialty restaurants?

 

Also, were the any dining specials/wine packages offered

 

Linda

[watertraveler]

I have a correction to make. It has only been a week and already my mind is forgetting things! The Denali Park Village was really nice. Building 7 is the newest one and this is the one that has air conditioning!

 

Because of the construction going on, we got to the hotel pretty late in the afternoon. Our plan was to go to the Wilderness Access Center but transportation seemed too confusing. A couple from our group stayed late the next day at Denali and made it back to the hotel ok.

 

Some folks stayed with the Natural History Tour and others went all the way to Eilson(sp?) We upgraded to the Tundra Tour and that was good enough for us. Bring binoculars because the animals don't always run along the road for your convenience - at least that was what we encountered.

 

If you are on RCCL's tour, you will get a snack bag with water. If you are on your own, the hotel will sell you a bag lunch for the ride. It is a pretty long day.

 

Hope this helps!

[watertraveler]

Cruisinconniebean -

 

Yes, we ate in the main dining room each night. We were part of a group and, most nights, this was where we caught up with everyone.

 

They did seem to have a dining package that bundled all or just some of the specialty restaurants but I didn't pay much attention to it.

 

A few people ate in the Windjammer a couple of nights and were satisfied with the selections. Another couple ate at Chops and thought it was wonderful!

 

Personally, I was pleased with the food in the main dining room. For me, if the food comes out hot, that is a big plus. The quality of the beef selections got good reviews but my husband was disappointed that they didn't have more regional selections each night.

 

If you are lucky enough to spend some time in Vancouver at the end of the cruise, make your way to the Sand Bar on Granville Island. We had the BEST halibut and arctic char ever!

[travgurl]

Thanks for your comments. We are on the Holland Oosterdam July 26, but doing the land part before we board the ship. We are also doing Harv and Marv and Island Wings. In Skagway we are doing a private tour with Trails of 98 up the Klondike highway. Looking forward to our trip. We will be there in 3weeks. Glad you had a fabulous time!!!

[Whoojay]

WE are scheduled with this operator for a floatplane tour Misty. Who was your pilot and please tell me about your experience.

[5waldos]

So far both May and June have been exceptionally warm in Alaska. Wonder what August will bring? sounds like you had a great time- thanks for posting.

[Miss Dot]

WE are scheduled with this operator for a floatplane tour Misty. Who was your pilot and please tell me about your experience.

 

Just returned and Michelle, the owner, is the pilot. Wonderful trip !

[Miss Dot]

We are just back from RCCL's 12nt southbound cruise on the Radiance of the Seas. Here are some quick thoughts.

 

If you are in the planning stages, my advice (and the captain's) is to take the southbound route. That way, the strenuous part of the trip, the land tour, is over and the very first day on the cruise is a sea day so you get to recoup a little - maybe. Also, the captain recommends taking the southbound route because the very best scenery would be during the day. On the northbound, you sail through the inside passage at night.

 

Secondly, if you are closer to sailing, watch the weather in Alaska and be flexible with your packing. Believe it or not we had 80+ degree weather in Talkeetna and Vancouver was a toasty 90. I needed more short sleeve tops and shorts and less long sleeve shirts and jeans.

 

You will not see escargot on the menu. When I asked our server, he said that it is still available, you just have to ask. So, if you like escargot, ask away!

 

It is impossible to do everything! Pick one excursion in each port that is most important to you. Then, if you have extra time, enjoy the town.

 

Excursions that we most enjoyed -

Harv & Marv - whale watch - Juneau

Island Wings - Misty Fjords - Ketchikan

White Pass - Skagway

Native Alaskan show - Icy Strait

 

Land tour excursions

Glacier Landing in Talkeetna

River Rafting in Talkeetna

 

If you go on the land tour with RCCL and stay in Talkeetna, ask for a room along the river. It is quieter and you get a nicer view. If you stay in building 7, you also get AC. If was needed the week we were there.

 

Most of all, have fun planning!

 

If you have any questions, I would be glad to answer them.

Nancy

This Nancy also just returned and we had a most fabulous trip! We did Harv & Marv, Island Wings but in Skagway we rented a car from Avis & drove to Emerald Lake. On our Whale tour we saw 2 whales breech and a group bubble net feed several times. On our drive a mama bear & her 2 cubs walked across the road in front of us and a about 5 miles down the road we spotted a male black bear that was on a rock cliff just above our car great close up. We did the southbound trip after a week land tour too. We were blessed with the best weather possible; so much for the rain gear we purchased for the trip.

[mek]

The only problem I have with taking a southbound cruise is I enjoy doing a land tour post cruise much more than pre cruise. I've done it both ways and find it more relaxing to travel after the cruise than before.

[watertraveler]

Whoojay - Michelle was our pilot. She was extremely professional and showed some terrific terrain in the Misty Fjords National Monument Wilderness. We landed on Nooya lake and, although it was somewhat overcast, it was beautiful. You should have a wonderful time.

 

It is somewhat difficult to describe the natural beauty that is Alaska and I find myself using words that just don't do it justice!

[watertraveler]

Miss Dot ~

 

We went to the Alaska Wildlife Center and saw bears, bison, elk, etc and we went on the Denalit tundra tour but the most fun thing was seeing a brown bear leisurely cross the road in front of us in Alyeska as if owned the world! We were hoping for more sitings but this definitely made the 'top 10 list'!

[watertraveler]

Mek ~

 

Did you enjoy the 'tour' portion of the trip or would you consider striking out on your own next time? I liked having everything planned and my luggage taken care of but I wasn't such a fan of someone else in control of the time I spent at each location.

 

What did you think?

[donaldsc]

Mek ~

 

Did you enjoy the 'tour' portion of the trip or would you consider striking out on your own next time? I liked having everything planned and my luggage taken care of but I wasn't such a fan of someone else in control of the time I spent at each location.

 

What did you think?

 

There are "independent" tours available in Europe where you get your lodging and transportation planned but you are then free to do what you want when you get to a place. In AK however, I do not think that you can get such an "independent" tour. Most of the folks who take tours in AK do not want to think. They want to be told to appear in a certain spot at a certain time and then be told what to do and what to look at for the rest of the day.

 

DON

[mek]

There are "independent" tours available in Europe where you get your lodging and transportation planned but you are then free to do what you want when you get to a place. In AK however, I do not think that you can get such an "independent" tour. Most of the folks who take tours in AK do not want to think. They want to be told to appear in a certain spot at a certain time and then be told what to do and what to look at for the rest of the day.

 

DON

 

I think your posts tend to be cynical and judgmental. I realize you state "most", and perhaps that is true. But I also believe there are quite a few experienced travelers,(as there were on our tour), who take the cruise tours because just want to experience something different. It's not just a brainless tour with no planning involved. I've traveled all over the world - independently, escorted, cruises, bus tours. They are all great.

[mek]

Mek ~

 

Did you enjoy the 'tour' portion of the trip or would you consider striking out on your own next time? I liked having everything planned and my luggage taken care of but I wasn't such a fan of someone else in control of the time I spent at each location.

 

What did you think?

 

We have done it both ways. Six years ago we rented a car pre cruise and drove all over between Anchorage, Denali, and Whittier. It was a wonderful trip and we are able to travel at our own pace, stop when we wanted, and not have any other restrictions. It was very relaxing.

 

We were just in Alaska last September and didn't have any plans to go back this year. We wanted to go to Norway, but just couldn't get cruise dates, flights, and time off to coordinate and then I found a fantastic deal on a Princess cruise tour. It was really too good to pass up, so back to Alaska we went. The tour we took spent one night in Anchorage, one night at McKinley Princess Lodge, one night at Denali Princess Lodge, and two nights in Fairbanks. We had to be back for a family party on the 4th, so that is the only itinerary that worked for us.

 

This is what I loved about the land tour.

 

Putting our bags out in the morning and not having to schlep them around - they were waiting for us in our room at the next destination. We never had to do anything with our cruise baggage - we put it out the last night of the cruise and didn't see it again until we arrived in Fairbanks. The day we disembarked, we didn't have to collect baggage either - it went directly to our hotel in Anchoage. VERY EASY!!!!

 

The train ride from Anchorage to Talkeetna, ( and not having to mess with any bags) It was so much fun.

 

Having a structured plan can sometimes be a good thing and we did have a considerable amount of "free time" to plan optional excursions. Personally, I find a land tour no less restrictive than a cruise where you arrive and depart at a set time.

 

We did several things that we probably would not have done if on our own.

 

We had great bus drivers who provided interesting information along the road.

 

What I wasn't crazy about with the land tour.

 

We had to start earlier in the morning than we do on our own.

 

There were a couple a disconnects with information from Princess that would have been good to know before we left. It all turned out OK, but wish we had know before we left. I will be writing a review this week if you want more detailed information.

 

Dining is pretty much limited to the immediate hotel area,(with the exception of Anchorage), unless you stay in Talkeetna for lunch or dinner, or use optional transportation in Fairbanks.

 

Overall, I probably wouldn't do a cruise tour again, but not because I didn't have a really great time because I did. I don't regret one minute of the trip.

[JimAOk1945]

Great review. I'm glad you enjoyed your cruise. The Radiance is a beautiful ship and the Southbound route is fantastic. We enjoyed ours in August 2012.

[watertraveler]

We love the Radiance class of ships! This was a 2nd time on the Radiance. For me, the size is just right.

 

Mek ~ Thank you for your input. We did a lot of research while planning this trip. There were 17 of us and it just made sense to do the cruise tour thing. We had a wonderful guide and bus driver. That, in itself, made it worthwhile. they knew about construction snafus. There just was no way of getting around them but timing was everything.

 

I agree that the baggage thing could make for a hassle free morning but we did worry if it was going to make it home! It certainly wasn't expensive stuff but the handle broke on one and the other split in the corner. It could have happened anywhere so no blame on the tour however, it was interesting to see luggage piled up as high as a person and as long a bus on the last day. Maybe mine was on the bottome! :eek:

 

Thanks to everyone for sharing their thoughts about Alaska! It is keeping the memories very much alive. You know, there are just so many people you can say 'Hey, want to hear about my trip?' or 'want to see my pictures?' After a while, you become obnoxious!

 

Nancy

[mek]

I'm not sure how everyone got the impression I was on RCCL - our cruise tour was on Princess. I imagine they are all very similar, regardless of the operator.

[watertraveler]

Mek ~ JimAOK mentioned that he like the Radiance. I was in agreement with him.

 

Are you a repeat Princess passenger? What do you like about them? I haven't traveled with Princess (RCCL, Celebrity, NCL and a small ship experience). One of our friends who was with us had been on Princess but really liked her experience with RCCL.

 

We have a tentative booking for 2016, a repositioning cruise from Boston to FLL on the Serenade but not sure if that will happen. In the meantime, I have to find someplace else to plan to go to!

 

I'm going back to my pictures to organize them for a photo book.

[mek]

Mek ~ JimAOK mentioned that he like the Radiance. I was in agreement with him.

 

Are you a repeat Princess passenger? What do you like about them? I haven't traveled with Princess (RCCL, Celebrity, NCL and a small ship experience). One of our friends who was with us had been on Princess but really liked her experience with RCCL.

 

We have a tentative booking for 2016, a repositioning cruise from Boston to FLL on the Serenade but not sure if that will happen. In the meantime, I have to find someplace else to plan to go to!

 

I'm going back to my pictures to organize them for a photo book.

 

Oh OK - guess I was the one confused - lol!

 

Yes, this was our 12th Princess cruise, but our first cruise tour. We also sail frequently with RCCL, Celebrity, Carnival - NCL is our least favorite and overall, Princess is my favorite line. I think the food is better, (except the Horizon Court was not great on this cruise), like the cabins, and entertainment. If you're looking for that "wow" factor found on RCCL or the cool vibe on Celebrity, you won't find it on Princess. The ships are much more traditional and the dining rooms have low ceilings, which I think makes them a little noisier than the multi level dining rooms found on other ships. Princess also has a lot of options on TV - much better than most lines, if that matters to you.We love MUTS - especially during football season. For some reason, I just feel at home on Princess, but we like to switch lines because even our favorites become old when repeated over and over. I always think itinerary, (and price), are the most important factors - especially if you aren't going to the Caribbean. When we cruise down there, the ship becomes a little more important to us.

Edited July 6, 2015 by mek