Ruby Princess Alaska RT Seattle (7/29) from an (almost) new cruiser

[ams cruiser]

Victoria – Butchart Gardens or bust!

 

 

Princess CruisesButchart Gardens, Wine, Chocolate, and Edible Petals

 

Of all of the ports, Victoria gave the most difficulty in trying to figure out what to do, given the limited hours we would be there, from 7 p.m. to midnight. Our first choice was Butchart Gardens, but we were concerned about what we would be able to see in the evening hours. We decided to go ahead and book it with Princess (so we wouldn't miss the ship), with the idea that although we knew it wouldn't be enough time, at least we would be able to get a brief introduction to the gardens.

 

We started by boarding a bus (our first large motor vehicle of the entire week!). After a brief tour through parts of the city narrated by our rexcellent tour guide, Wendy, we arrived at Butchart Gardens. Wendy had advised us to go straight to the Sunken Garden before it got dark, which turned out to be good advice. The gardens were breathtaking, and the Sunken Garden a symphony of color. We strolled around the perimeter, taking a few pictures, but were worried about the growing darkness, so we quickly made our way through the rose and Japanese gardens. By this time, the gardens were illuminated with colorful lights and were quite scenic, but we found ourselves wishing for a couple more hours of daylight. Our trip through the gardens was made much more difficult by the hoards of cruise ship tourists (and yes, I realize we were among that demographic!), but so many were trying to take pictures at every opportunity (even in the dark),it was hard to enjoy the experience. We were constantly aware of trying to navigate our way around people who would stop on a dime to take a picture. Thankfully, selfie sticks are not allowed, but we had to keep our wits about us to avoid crashing into people.

 

Adding to the crowd were the locals just leaving the live concert that was just letting out from their outdoor concert stage. (We did enjoy hearing the music, as well as the crowd's obvious appreciation.)

 

After 1 hour and 45 minutes, we went to our meeting spot at the Blue Poppy restaurant for our tastings. We were seated and served family style. On the table were a written guide to pairing beverages with individual tapas, which no one seemed to be following, given the late hour. I think if someone at the restaurant had talked us through it, there would have been greater cooperation, but most people didn't seem to be interested in reading instructions. The liquid offerings included Vancouver Island sparkling cider, ale, and red wine. (A small bottle of soda was provided in lieu of the alcoholic beverages, but the tourl price was the same.) Food tapas selections included roasted prawns, chicken with olive tapenade, assorted olives, and a few other things I can’t remember. There were edible petals (which I didn't try) and chocolate truffles at the end. (How I wish I had put a couple of zip lock bags in my purse, as none of us felt like we could finish our dessert.)

 

One word of caution, the food it meant to be shared. We sat with a lovely family of four whose children ate almost all of the bread immediately. There was plenty of dip left, so we requested a few more pieces of bread and were informed by a waitress that extras “are not included in your package.” The parents felt bad, and honestly, it was no big deal, but something to keep in mind before you sit down.

 

On the way back to the cruise ship, we had another narrated tour as we drove by the Empress Hotel, Parliament, and Chinatown.

[ams cruiser]

Thank you for your reply ! All the passengers assigned to our deck are scheduled to board at 2:30 PM. That seems way too late. We are going to try to board as early as possible, so we can go straight to Guest Services and sign up for the U.S.T.

 

Only one problem --- it's our first cruise, and we have no idea where to find the Guest Services desk. ;) On the Emerald, it must be in the same location as it is on the Ruby. Do you happen to recall which deck and location the Guest Services is?? We really need to get there as soon as possible. Thanks so much, from EBC. :)

 

I believe that our assigned time was 1:00, but we arrived at 10:50, expecting to wait, but were able to breeze through the check-stations and walk on the ship without ever waiting in lines. The postcard in our cabin said that they were using an early check-in system.

 

I'm sure a more experienced cruiser reading your post can tell you where Guest Services is on the Emerald, but all you have to do is ask a crew member when you board the ship. On the Ruby, it was right next to the casino. I could never keep track of what floor anything was, and was constantly running up and down the stairs in the atrium.

[ams cruiser]

The gardens were breathtakingly beautiful, but difficult to see at night, even with the colored lighting.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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[ams cruiser]

Looking back:

 

I’m so glad I was able to an introduction to the beautiful city of Victoria, however brief. We definitely plan to return, and will make a point to visit Butchart Gardens when they open first thing in the morning, to be able to see the gardens in daylight, and, hopefully, to avoid the crowds. It is true that the Blue Poppy add-on shortened our garden time, but it was already dark. A few people (mostly with children) we talked to that had done the Butterfly Garden combination tour before coming to Butchart Gardens, were very disappointed not to see the gardens in daylight at all.

 

In hindsight, it might have been better for us to take a city tour, or just take the shuttle downtown and stroll around on our own. We knew the risks of booking an evening garden excursion, but weren’t prepared for the numbers of picture-taking tourists, nor how hard it is to see the plants themselves, even with illumination.

 

I think our experience was affected by the fact that it was the last night of what had been an exhilarating, but exhausting vacation. Looking at the pictures, I am glad that I had the opportunity to view these stunning gardens.

 

We look forward to returning to this beautiful city!

[JF - retired RRT]

Thank you for your reply ! All the passengers assigned to our deck are scheduled to board at 2:30 PM. That seems way too late. We are going to try to board as early as possible, so we can go straight to Guest Services and sign up for the U.S.T.

 

Only one problem --- it's our first cruise, and we have no idea where to find the Guest Services desk. ;) On the Emerald, it must be in the same location as it is on the Ruby. Do you happen to recall which deck and location the Guest Services is?? We really need to get there as soon as possible. Thanks so much, from EBC. :)

Fiesta deck (6). You'll most likely board on deck 7. Just go down the nearest stairs and look around for the 2 shops on either side of the Atrium. Guest Services is between them and in front of the casino.

Boarding usually starts around 11 or 11:30. If you arrive at the port around 10:30ish, you'll be in one of the first groups after all the priority passengers.

Be sure to leave lots of room in your suitcases. The robes alone weight 2+ pounds each.

[ams cruiser]

Disembarkation/Seattle Port Luggage Valet Program

 

This morning could not have gone more smoothly. We went down for an early breakfast of mixed fruit salad, egg sandwiches, and coffee/tea at the International Café .

 

We had had to put our bags out at midnight after returning from our Victoria tour, and thanks to the Seattle Port Luggage Valet Program, did not see them again until we picked them up at our home airport. This service is absolutely free, but we had to sign up for it by the second day of the cruise (I think). It’s important to check your mailbox not just for Patters, but also for forms like this which we had to turn in directly to passenger services. We can’t tell you the number of people we saw struggling with their luggage, while we were breezing through the Seattle cruise terminal with just our carry-ons. More than one person asked m husband how he managed to travel so light, and when he explained about the Port Luggage Valet Program, they threw up their hands, muttering something about needing to read the things in their mailbox more carefully. Thanks, again, to the people on these boards for information about this wonderful service.

 

Our assigned departure time to meet in the Princess Theater was 7:50. I had arranged for a town car at 8:00, so called from Ketchikan to push it back to 8:15. (I had asked passenger services if we could get off with an earlier group as I had read here that some people have done this, but they told me that customs might want to ask me about my bags. I think the likelihood of that happening was pretty slim, but didn’t want to rock the boat, so to speak.) We arrived at the Princess theater at 7:55, were directed to walk straight off the ship, and were climbing into our Century Car Service town car ($65 to Seatac) about 10 minutes later. Our driver had already texted us, and, thanks to TSA pre-check, we were through security by 9 a.m.

[ams cruiser]

Fiesta deck (6). You'll most likely board on deck 7. Just go down the nearest stairs and look around for the 2 shops on either side of the Atrium. Guest Services is between them and in front of the casino.

Boarding usually starts around 11 or 11:30. If you arrive at the port around 10:30ish, you'll be in one of the first groups after all the priority passengers.

Be sure to leave lots of room in your suitcases. The robes alone weight 2+ pounds each.

 

Great advice! My husband wanted to leave the personalized note pads behind because they were on the heavy side, but I insisted we stuff everything we could into our luggage and carry-ons.:D

[ams cruiser]

Speaking of Seattle Port Valet, here is the form they will put in your mailbox, I believe on the first or second night. It has to be turned into the guest services desk within a day or two. Also, when I went to turn it in, they wanted a printed copy of my flight schedule. I asked them if showing them the information on my phone was enough, and they said "no", so I had to go back to my cabin to get it so they could make a copy and staple it to my form. Luckily, I had a printed copy in the trip binder I always bring with me.

 

We were flying Southwest, so we just printed our boarding passes at the airport. Without luggage it was easy to do at one of the kiosks.

 

 

 

 

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[ams cruiser]

Seattle Airport

 

If you ever have to spend 3 hours at an airport, this is theplace to do it. We sat in their beautiful food court plaza area with floor to ceiling windows, where we watched planes taking off, listened to music by a really outstanding singer/guitarist,and consumed our last vacation meals (because it had been almost two hours since we had last eaten!) – salmon salad, and halibut fish and chips. (We asked some of the workers at the airport, and they recommended Anthony's. Pricey, but as my husband said, he's eaten airport food that was just as expensive, but not nearly as good!) With the strong wi-fi we were able to “airdrop”all of our vacation photos from our phones to our ipads and enjoy seeing them on larger screens.

 

[ams cruiser]

We arrived safely back in the San Francisco Bay Area, delighted to see that the suitcases we had left outside our cabin door had made it to baggage claim, as promised. It was hard to leave the beauty of Alaska, and the comfort of the Ruby, but this little guy made our homecoming worthwhile!

 

 

 

 

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[ams cruiser]

Final Reflections (I promise!)

 

Our Alaska cruise, was a trip of a lifetime for us. With temperatures that averaged in the 60’s (the lowest was 57 degrees at Glacier Bay according to the ship’s log), and no rain in sight, we were truly fortunate in what we were able to see and do.

 

The majesty and grandeur of the Alaskan wilderness and glaciers is something that we will never forget. Who knows how these will change, even in our lifetimes?

 

Princess Cruises was top-notch in every aspect. Their emphasis on guest services and satisfaction made us feel like our presence was truly valued. We met wonderful people from all over the world, both on the ship and off. We so enjoyed talking with passengers with whom we had the good fortune to share tables throughout the week, and getting to know a little bit about the lives of some of the crew during that time. The kindness and hospitality of some of the hardest working people we have ever met, is something we will always remember.

 

And finally, much gratitude to the people who take their time to post their experiences and advice on Cruise Critic. Thanks to all of the advice I received here in the months planning our cruise (and lurking in prior years hoping to plan a cruise), we had the trip of our dreams!

[donswife]

Thank you for the wonderful review. My husband, however, does not thank you, because now I want to go back to Alaska (for the 5th time!)

[ams cruiser]

Thank you for the wonderful review. My husband, however, does not thank you, because now I want to go back to Alaska (for the 5th time!)

 

Thank you, for making me smile! I hope your husband gets on board, so to speak!

[wildernesslady]

We are boarding the Ruby on September 2. Your review has been wonderful. Thanks for sharing.

[fspol825]

Awesome review! My wife and I will be on the Ruby next Saturday and these pictures have us very excited! We are scheduled to do the Dog Sled Adventure in Juneau. We originally scheduled the same tour (with the 2 landings) as you through an outside company, but received an email about a month ago that said our tour was cancelled. So we booked the Dog Sled Adventures by Helicopter through the cruise line and are hoping to do this because your pictures look AMAZING. I hope our tour goes as scheduled :D

 

How was the weather on the glacier for the dog sled tour? This is probably the most perplexing part of packing. Any advice on how to dress for the excursion?

 

Thanks in advance!

[peety3]

We had had to put our bags out at midnight after returning from our Victoria tour,

I would caution you to not wait so long. Put bags out as early as you can; if nothing else, you can probably put all but one bag out by dinner. We usually preserve just enough carry-on space for our last night's clothes, pajamas, and toiletries, so that all of our bags are in the hall by the end of dinner, and most before dinner.

[ams cruiser]

I would caution you to not wait so long. Put bags out as early as you can; if nothing else, you can probably put all but one bag out by dinner. We usually preserve just enough carry-on space for our last night's clothes, pajamas, and toiletries, so that all of our bags are in the hall by the end of dinner, and most before dinner.

 

 

 

I was concerned about leaving them out that late, but we received something in writing (maybe in the Patter?) that said to have the bags in the hall by midnight. Just to make sure, the day before, I went to guest services, and they assured me that midnight was fine. It is true that bags left out earlier were already taken, but apparently, they do it in stages, perhaps because the Princess excursion wasn't scheduled to get back until 11:30 p.m. It was warm the last night in Victoria, and we wanted to wear heavier clothes and shoes on the plane. By that time, every bit of space in our carry-ones counted!

 

 

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[ams cruiser]

We are boarding the Ruby on September 2. Your review has been wonderful. Thanks for sharing.

 

 

 

My pleasure! Have a wonderful cruise!

 

 

 

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[ams cruiser]

Awesome review! My wife and I will be on the Ruby next Saturday and these pictures have us very excited! We are scheduled to do the Dog Sled Adventure in Juneau. We originally scheduled the same tour (with the 2 landings) as you through an outside company, but received an email about a month ago that said our tour was cancelled. So we booked the Dog Sled Adventures by Helicopter through the cruise line and are hoping to do this because your pictures look AMAZING. I hope our tour goes as scheduled :D

 

 

 

How was the weather on the glacier for the dog sled tour? This is probably the most perplexing part of packing. Any advice on how to dress for the excursion?

 

 

 

Thanks in advance!

 

 

 

I wish I could give you advice about the weather, but it is so unpredictable! Rain was forecast all week for our cruise, but it was sunny and warm most of the time. In general, packing layers of clothing, with a waterproof outside layer is a good strategy. On the day we went, it wasn't much colder (maybe 15-20 degrees) at the Herbert Glacier dog sled camp than at the airport, and our musher was wearing a long-sleeved t-shirt. We could have shed our jackets as well, but would have had to carry them. But as a reminder of how varied the weather can be, Coastal had had to cancel 70% of their flights in the month of July alone, which is why it's important to have a backup plan.

 

If you can find out which company Princess uses (I think there are only two or three possibilities) you could go to their website to get more specific information. Coastal provided everyone with traction boots to go over their shoes, and had coats, hats, and gloves available to borrow. I think the Princess excursion lands on Mendenhall Glacier, while we landed on Herbert, and the conditions can be different on the two glaciers, even on the same day.

 

When I was reading the Alaska boards, Cruise Critic member Budget Queen, was an incredible source of helpful information about all things Alaska, as she cruises there frequently, and has done many flight excursions. If you start a new thread posting your specific questions on the Alaska boards, hopefully she, and others, will weigh in.

 

 

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[jodester]

I know I already said this, but your review was just awesome. I'm actually sad it's over. I almost feel like I've already taken my cruise just by reading about yours.

It was truly a privilege to read about your trip and I hope you get to take another one soon so I can read all about it!!!

[ams cruiser]

I know I already said this, but your review was just awesome. I'm actually sad it's over. I almost feel like I've already taken my cruise just by reading about yours.

It was truly a privilege to read about your trip and I hope you get to take another one soon so I can read all about it!!!

 

 

Jodester, what a kind thing to say! I was a little nervous about posting my first review, but I have traveled vicariously by reading so many trip reports on these boards, and learned so much from them.

 

I know the feeling of looking forward to the next installment of other people's trip reviews. There have been times I have almost been tempted to post a message, asking them when their next posting will be!

 

It has been 12 years since our last cruise. I hope it won't be as long until the next one! I'll continue to check back on this thread to see if I can answer any questions. I might follow up with a brief "What I would do differently next time" post.

 

Best wishes to you on your travels!

[Beachiekeen]

I really loved your review--even though I did a one-way on the Coral, I still enjoyed reading it. I haven't ruled out the RT from Seattle for a future cruise -- I just wish it didn't have that short port stop in Victoria! But otherwise, it looks like a great itinerary and I hope to do it one day. Thanks for sharing.

[ams cruiser]

I really loved your review--even though I did a one-way on the Coral, I still enjoyed reading it. I haven't ruled out the RT from Seattle for a future cruise -- I just wish it didn't have that short port stop in Victoria! But otherwise, it looks like a great itinerary and I hope to do it one day. Thanks for sharing.

 

Thank you, Beachiekeen! The short visit in Victoria was definitely the weak point in the itinerary, but the rest of it was great! I had heard that many people prefer the one way trips either because you get more time in each port, or you visit more ports? (I honestly can't remember what I read.) I would have preferred to stay in the Inside Passage as the seas are supposed to be calmer, but we had never seen Seattle, and flying there from the Bay Area is so easy.

[lbean2002]

Ams cruiser,

 

My family was on this cruise (we loved it!), and I have truly enjoyed reliving it through your fantastic review. When you posted a picture of yourself, I realized that I recognized you! We were on the elevator together one day. Such a brief encounter, but during it, you were so friendly and kind to my family that it really stuck in my mind. So, thanks! I'm glad you had a great trip.

[ams cruiser]

Ams cruiser,

 

My family was on this cruise (we loved it!), and I have truly enjoyed reliving it through your fantastic review. When you posted a picture of yourself, I realized that I recognized you! We were on the elevator together one day. Such a brief encounter, but during it, you were so friendly and kind to my family that it really stuck in my mind. So, thanks! I'm glad you had a great trip.

 

lbean20002 ,

 

What a lovely thing to say! I have to say that we met the nicest people on this cruise, in eating areas, on deck, and, yes, even in the elevators! Weren't we fortunate to be on such a beautiful cruise? I hope that our paths cross again, one day.