Possibility of boarding earlier?

[sskate]

We are taking a southbound Alaska cruise on the Royal and we would like to join the 26 Glacier cruise before boarding the ship.  The boarding time starts from 12:30 pm, the 26 Glacier cruise starts at 12:30 pm (I don't know the exact boarding time for us as at today) and won't finish until 5:30 pm.  Is it possible to board the ship earlier to drop our suitcases, reserve the Sanctuary and our dinner before we go on the Glacier cruise?  What time does the Sanctuary open for reservation?  Where do we make dinner booking?  At the desired dining room?   How easy is it to book the Sanctuary?  Do the lounges fill up quickly?  My travel agent told me that it's very easy to book, lots of vacancies.

Edited April 27, 2019 by sskate

[fishywood]

When I embarked Golden Princess in Whittier last May check in started at 12:30. Those of us arriving on the privately booked Alaska Railroad train that stops at Whittier shortly after 12:00 appeared to be the very first ones in the building. But as this was the very first Saturday of the season that train was scheduled to run they didn't seem to be expecting anyone that early, so maybe mid-Summer they will be prepared to start earlier.

 

Can't really go by my semi-frigid early season cruise but demand for the Sanctuary was nil that week. And embarkation night dinner will be as follows: MDR opens 5:15, once full it closes, muster drill at approx 7:45, MDRs reopen afterwards. If you are concerned for making Specialty Dining reservations for future nights I doubt you will be shut out of any time or date by boarding late afternoon. 

[LVTravel]

No one can board the ship until it has been cleared by US Customs. That can be anywhere between 10:30 and noon and that is only after all departing and in-transit passengers, departing crew and entertainers have been accounted for by Customs. It only takes one passenger not getting off the ship to screw up boarding for others. Embarkation for passengers is normally those that have booked the Bon Voyage Experience package, then In-transit, Elite, Platinum then all others in arrival at the port order.

[sskate]

I'm thinking of making reservation for dinner for embarkation night only, where do we make the booking? 

 

If we skip the 26 Glacier cruise, can we board the ship, have our lunch, then get off the ship again to walk around the little town again?  Or once you have boarded the ship, you have to stay onboard?  

 

[sailinglisa]

Once you check in and board, you can get off and explore.  But be back by the all on board time.

 

[fishywood]

5 minutes ago, sskate said:

I'm thinking of making reservation for dinner for embarkation night only, where do we make the booking?

 

Do you mean at a specialty restaurant or the MDR? I don't believe any ship takes reservations for the latter on embarkation day. And Whittier is a special case: your options for the MDR that night are to either show up early enough (5:30 at the latest) to be finished before Muster begins, or wait until after the drill (about 8:00-8:15).

1 minute ago, sailinglisa said:

Once you check in and board, you can get off and explore.  But be back by the all on board time.

 

Actually they must be back in time for the muster drill, which will be announced as 7:15 or 7:30 but likely will not start until closer to 7:45 to account for stragglers in the dining rooms.

[sskate]

6 minutes ago, sailinglisa said:

Once you check in and board, you can get off and explore.  But be back by the all on board time.

 

Thank you, good to know about that as we don't want to create a chaotic scene for the crew.

[sskate]

3 minutes ago, fishywood said:

Do you mean at a specialty restaurant or the MDR? I don't believe any ship takes reservations for the latter on embarkation day. And Whittier is a special case: your options for the MDR that night are to either show up early enough (5:30 at the latest) to be finished before Muster begins, or wait until after the drill (about 8:00-8:15).

Actually they must be back in time for the muster drill, which will be announced as 7:15 or 7:30 but likely will not start until closer to 7:45 to account for stragglers in the dining rooms.

Thank you for the information and the reminder.

Edited April 27, 2019 by sskate

[Coral]

25 minutes ago, LVTravel said:

No one can board the ship until it has been cleared by US Customs. That can be anywhere between 10:30 and noon and that is only after all departing and in-transit passengers, departing crew and entertainers have been accounted for by Customs. It only takes one passenger not getting off the ship to screw up boarding for others. Embarkation for passengers is normally those that have booked the Bon Voyage Experience package, then In-transit, Elite, Platinum then all others in arrival at the port order.

The ship doesn't have to clear US Customs in Whittier and there are no Bon Voyage Experiences in Whittier.

 

After the ship leaves Vancouver, it is in US waters and there are no US Customs in Whittier. You just walk off the ship. Really.

[Coral]

To the OP - in Alaska you really don't want to book the Sanctuary - it is a waste of money. Maybe it is more useful on the Royal than the other ships I have been on but on all of my other Alaskan cruises, it isn't worth booking.

 

Many people on the ship will be on 26 Glacier Cruise (those disembarking, those on B2B and those embarking). It is common for people to come to Whittier, go on this trip and then board the ship. You will have time for Muster and then go to dinner after. They often have open dining the first night or will assign you a dining time based on when you get on the ship. 

 

Also - I don't think you will have problems making reservations for dining at speciality restaurants. Most people who go to Alaska are first time cruisers and have no interest in paying extra for speciality dining.

Edited April 27, 2019 by Coral

[Coral]

24 minutes ago, sskate said:

I'm thinking of making reservation for dinner for embarkation night only, where do we make the booking? 

 

If we skip the 26 Glacier cruise, can we board the ship, have our lunch, then get off the ship again to walk around the little town again?  Or once you have boarded the ship, you have to stay onboard?  

 

You can get on the ship, have lunch and then get off the ship and walk around. It won't take long as Whittier is very small.

 

I doubt you can make reservations for the dining room on the first night - do you mean speciality dining?

 

It is sort of crazy the first night because of muster. You have to either eat before or after.

[sskate]

2 minutes ago, Coral said:

You can get on the ship, have lunch and then get off the ship and walk around. It won't take long as Whittier is very small.

 

I doubt you can make reservations for the dining room on the first night - do you mean speciality dining?

 

It is sort of crazy the first night because of muster. You have to either eat before or after.

Thank you, will note.

[sskate]

2 minutes ago, Coral said:

You can get on the ship, have lunch and then get off the ship and walk around. It won't take long as Whittier is very small.

 

I doubt you can make reservations for the dining room on the first night - do you mean speciality dining?

 

It is sort of crazy the first night because of muster. You have to either eat before or after.

We are on the Royal, no forward view and inside cabin, that's why I would like to the Sanctuary on the sea day.

 

Not specialty dining, just MDR, thought we have to make reservation if we want to eat early

[Coral]

10 minutes ago, sskate said:

We are on the Royal, no forward view and inside cabin, that's why I would like to the Sanctuary on the sea day.

 

Not specialty dining, just MDR, thought we have to make reservation if we want to eat early

I haven't been on the Royal (sort of avoiding that ship) and there is no promenade deck for viewing.

 

I am not sure when your trip is but I would ask in May after a few cruises have gone and ask people where is the best viewing was and if the sanctuary is worth it.

 

I have probably done Alaska a dozen times and on those ships I would never pay for sanctuary even if in an inside cabin but those ships had some good deck viewing spaces.

[Coral]

I do encourage 26 glacier tour.

[Steelers36]

As long as you follow the posted All Aboard time, you do not have to be on board for muster.  Anyone who misses muster safety message can do a make-up session.  They know who has not yet attended.

[sskate]

16 minutes ago, Coral said:

I haven't been on the Royal (sort of avoiding that ship) and there is no promenade deck for viewing.

 

I am not sure when your trip is but I would ask in May after a few cruises have gone and ask people where is the best viewing was and if the sanctuary is worth it.

 

I have probably done Alaska a dozen times and on those ships I would never pay for sanctuary even if in an inside cabin but those ships had some good deck viewing spaces.

Agreed 

[sskate]

26 minutes ago, Coral said:

I do encourage 26 glacier tour.

I'm still struggling whether I should join the 26 glacier tour or not, I want to because Royal seems not an appropriate ship for Alaska, so I would like to take a smaller boat so as to get a closer view of the Glaciers.  However, I have read some reviews that if you get a bad seating on the 26 Glacier tour boat, your view of the Glacier will be very limited and the boat is very cramped.  Luck has never been on my side.

[skynight]

12 hours ago, sskate said:

We are taking a southbound Alaska cruise on the Royal and we would like to join the 26 Glacier cruise before boarding the ship.  The boarding time starts from 12:30 pm, the 26 Glacier cruise starts at 12:30 pm (I don't know the exact boarding time for us as at today) and won't finish until 5:30 pm.  Is it possible to board the ship earlier to drop our suitcases, reserve the Sanctuary and our dinner before we go on the Glacier cruise?  What time does the Sanctuary open for reservation?  Where do we make dinner booking?  At the desired dining room?   How easy is it to book the Sanctuary?  Do the lounges fill up quickly?  My travel agent told me that it's very easy to book, lots of vacancies.

Some comments:

The Sanctuary is open when boarding begins. Personally I don't believe it will be crowded on a cold weather cruise. 

This is the Royal's first season in Alaska. But, on other ships in past years dinner in the MDR on the first evening was open seating since the ship does not sail until 8:30pm. There are 3 DR's on the Royal. All DR's have the same menu. The Allegro DR, deck 6 aft, is used for traditional fixed seating. The Concerto DR, deck 6 mid ship, is used for Club Class dining and for early traditional dining. It opens for Anytime Dining around 7:00/7:30. The Symphony DR, deck 5 mid ship, opens around 5pm and is used for Anytime. If you have signed up for traditional fixed seating dining you will be assigned to either the Allegro or Concerto DR. If you have Anytime dining then your DR is the Symphony DR for early dining and either the Symphony or Concerto if you arrive later.

My experience on the Royal is that they do not accept DR reservations for the first evening. If you want to dine at the Crown Grill or Sabatini's on the first night call the dine line from your cabin phone. However, the dine line may not be open until sometime later. You can also visit the restaurant, but around noon there may not be anyone there. Alfredo's is a good choice for the first evening and the buffet on the Royal is huge with lots of selections.

 

 

[skynight]

10 hours ago, Coral said:

I haven't been on the Royal (sort of avoiding that ship) and there is no promenade deck for viewing.

 

I am not sure when your trip is but I would ask in May after a few cruises have gone and ask people where is the best viewing was and if the sanctuary is worth it.

 

I have probably done Alaska a dozen times and on those ships I would never pay for sanctuary even if in an inside cabin but those ships had some good deck viewing spaces.

The Royal does not have a 360 degree promenade. It does have four fairly large outside decks with padded lounges on promenade deck 7. Two are mid ship and two aft. The Starboard aft one has a smoking area.  There is also a large Horizon Terrace viewing area, and one deck above the Horizon Terrace on deck 17 is another open area for viewing. The deck 17 area is a smoking area. There is also good viewing from the Sports Deck,18

[Coral]

1 minute ago, skynight said:

The Royal does not have a 360 degree promenade. It does have four fairly large outside decks with padded lounges on promenade deck 7. Two are mid ship and two aft. The Starboard aft one has a smoking area.  There is also a large Horizon Terrace viewing area, and one deck above the Horizon Terrace on deck 17 is another open area for viewing. The deck 17 area is a smoking area. There is also good viewing from the Sports Deck,18

This will be a real test for Alaska when so many people are outside in Alaska.

 

I personally have avoided the ship but my friends who like the ship said they would not sail the ship in Alaska due to less outdoor viewing.

[sskate]

1 hour ago, skynight said:

Some comments:

The Sanctuary is open when boarding begins. Personally I don't believe it will be crowded on a cold weather cruise. 

This is the Royal's first season in Alaska. But, on other ships in past years dinner in the MDR on the first evening was open seating since the ship does not sail until 8:30pm. There are 3 DR's on the Royal. All DR's have the same menu. The Allegro DR, deck 6 aft, is used for traditional fixed seating. The Concerto DR, deck 6 mid ship, is used for Club Class dining and for early traditional dining. It opens for Anytime Dining around 7:00/7:30. The Symphony DR, deck 5 mid ship, opens around 5pm and is used for Anytime. If you have signed up for traditional fixed seating dining you will be assigned to either the Allegro or Concerto DR. If you have Anytime dining then your DR is the Symphony DR for early dining and either the Symphony or Concerto if you arrive later.

My experience on the Royal is that they do not accept DR reservations for the first evening. If you want to dine at the Crown Grill or Sabatini's on the first night call the dine line from your cabin phone. However, the dine line may not be open until sometime later. You can also visit the restaurant, but around noon there may not be anyone there. Alfredo's is a good choice for the first evening and the buffet on the Royal is huge with lots of selections.

 

 

Very informative, thank you.  What makes Alfredo a good choice for the first evening?  It seems a lot of people have the same view.

[skynight]

1 hour ago, sskate said:

Very informative, thank you.  What makes Alfredo a good choice for the first evening?  It seems a lot of people have the same view.

On the Royal Princess Alfredo's is a no charge, walk in, no reservations, sit down waiter served restaurant. It is on deck 6 starboard side in the Piazza (center) area. It is open every day, including boarding day from 11am until late evening. Dine anytime. The tips are included in the auto gratuity. No extra tips are necessary. It's a nice option for any afternoon or evening meal. Individual pizzas and other items are prepared to order. Takes about an hour to dine. Here are some photos and the menu. 

Photo of Alfredo’s

https://www.cruisecritic.com/photos/ships/royal-princess-400/alfredos-pizzeria-229680/

Menu

http://www.beyondships2.com/uploads/8/2/4/5/8245255/rp-alfredos_pizzeria-23-may-13.pdf

[birdiebill]

We love the Royal class ships, having sailed on the Regal two times and the Royal three times.  We have done the Alaska 7 day northbound cruise once on the Sapphire and the southbound once on the Diamond.  We are booked for 2020 for a 14 day back to back Alaska on the Royal--7 days northbound and then right back southbound for 7 days in the same stateroom.  We always book a balcony and have no problem with viewing the glacier since the ship will rotate 180 degrees so both sides get a good view of the glacier.  The Royal class ships have a small promenade area on both port and starboard.  There are numerous areas on the Lido and deck 17 and 18 where a person can view from outside.

[4cats4me]

The Royal is a gorgeous ship. The Sanctuary is huge. I would think it would be too cold though.  Do whatever makes YOU happy.  There are PLENTY of places on the ship for viewing.   

If it were me, I think I would go up on the stadium seating area above the pool which looks out at Movies Under the Stars for a nice viewing area. You can just wander around.  That’s what we’ve always done when in Alaska. It is all good, unless it is foggy and they blow the horn every 5 minutes for hours.