Alaska on Quantum- scenery while sailing?

[irun5k]

Hello, we'll be on Quantum this summer.  I know that the Endicott Arm is very scenic.  I would assume most folks head up top for at least part of this transit?  I'd be curious to know how this is best experienced and if there is some part of the transit that is more worthwhile than another, etc?

 

Also, outside of this part of the sailing and perhaps port arrivals and departures, is there much to see beyond open ocean?

 

We originally had a balcony room reserved.  However we just got back for a 4 night cruise with two cabins for the 4 of us (2 adults +16 yr old and 9 yr old) and I realized that our family has likely outgrown a single normal sized cabin- I suddenly couldn't imagine us all cramming into one of the two rooms we had.  We somehow did it last summer but it is hard to imagine it working now without testing everyone's nerves.

 

As a result, I 'downgraded' our room this summer to a spacious ocean view- one of the big corner rooms (9510) with a huge porthole.  The extra space seems like pure bliss, with the ability for four people to sleep and move around without bumping into one another and still have a view.  My other half is bummed to lose the balcony but I'm hoping it is a good tradeoff and we've lost much less than we've gained.  I was also concerned about storage for 4 people given that we also have to pack for a couple hotel nights also, but that is now a complete non issue with the extra space.

Anyway, appreciate any insights on the overall scenery experience on this Alaska itinerary.

[Galveston Cruiser]

Scenery is everywhere and absolutely beautiful.  Very little cruising in open seas.  Sun sets very late at night and rises very early.  Always something to see.

[jrapps]

We did Alaska last summer on Ovation, similar situation to you, 2 adults, 15yr old, & a 10 yr old. We did 1 room, balcony. Was it crammed....yep. Was it worth it? Absolutely.

 

We have never spent as much time on a Balcony as that cruise. The scenery is breathtaking, all day long, especially since the sun is out like 18-20hrs of the day. We did go up to the top deck when we got closer to the Dawes Glacier, but to this day, sitting on the balcony just looking at the mountains, ice, waterfalls, etc was the highlight of the cruise for us. We also bought those blankets and we all just sat bundled up with them on the balcony for hours. Highly recommend you pre-buy those ASAP!

 

That said, I completely understand you wanting a bigger room. It was very tight in there with all of us. We have gotten to the point where we do 2 rooms for all of our other cruises (out of FL) but we couldn't justify the cost for that with Alaska. I guess it really depends if you plan to do more "cruise activities" or Alaska sightseeing. If you are OK going up to a spot on the top deck for the really big things, then you will be fine with the window. But if there is any way to swing a balcony, I would. Maybe get 2 rooms, one standard balcony, and 1 interior across the hall? That way you have 2 bathrooms, more space, but access to a balcony when you want it?

[twangster]

Once you reach the Alaskan Inside Passage it's very scenic.  I recommend getting up early and enjoying the sunrise.

 

 

[fac429]

Like jrapps we were also on the Ovation last summer, and did Endicott Arm/Dawes Glacier.  Once you hit the Inside Passage (I think maybe late on the first sea day?) there's beautiful scenery everywhere.  I spent a fair amount of time during the week either in the Solarium or in 270 just watching the scenery go by.  I couldn't believe how beautiful it was all day, every day, even through most of the evening because the sun sets so ridiculously late and comes up so early. 

 

As for the morning where you do the glacier, I absolutely recommend getting up early.  I know it's early, and it will be FREEZING.  (Our week was unseasonably warm, and for most of the week I was in shorts and t-shirts- but that morning I was fully bundled with thick jacket, gloves, beanie, everything, and it was still a tad chilly.)  But it was an amazingly beautiful sail to the glacier.  We saw a bunch of seals hanging out on ice floes, water streaming down the hills on both sides, and just the most amazingly blue water.  We watched pretty much all of it from our balcony, just ordered some room service breakfast and enjoyed it from there.

[trivia addict]

I might go with the extra space in your case.

I am claustrophobic and always get a balcony,  but on my 4 trips to Alaska, I used the balcony less than other trips because of the weather. Weather in Alaska can be sunny and warm or cold and rainy. I seemed to get a lot of the cold and rainy.

I was more comfortable sitting in the observation lounge with my coffee/ cocktail watching the mountains go by. And if you want to be outside, there is plenty of deck space to find and sit on.

And as mentioned, will you be off of the ship on excursions a good part of the time? Will you need to sit on your balcony? On our first trip to Alaska, we were up early and on excursions all day long.

A hard choice. If this is your first trip to Alaska and the Northwest you will be in awe of the scenery and use the balcony regardless.  On the other hand, I can’t imagine the discomfort of 4 people in a small room for an entire week.

[Ferry_Watcher]

Don't fret OP,  just think of this cruise as your first cruise to Alaska.  You will be back!

[irun5k]

1 hour ago, jrapps said:

That said, I completely understand you wanting a bigger room. It was very tight in there with all of us. We have gotten to the point where we do 2 rooms for all of our other cruises (out of FL) but we couldn't justify the cost for that with Alaska. I guess it really depends if you plan to do more "cruise activities" or Alaska sightseeing. If you are OK going up to a spot on the top deck for the really big things, then you will be fine with the window. But if there is any way to swing a balcony, I would. Maybe get 2 rooms, one standard balcony, and 1 interior across the hall? That way you have 2 bathrooms, more space, but access to a balcony when you want it?

Yeah- maybe it is just hitting the right one of their sales but normally sailing out of FL we usually find it cheaper to get two rooms vs one.  Unfortunately that wasn't the case for Alaska though and even a single room was a bank buster!   When I add up the airfare, hotels, cruise fare and excursions this will be (by far) most expensive vacation we've ever taken so I hope we all come away from it feeling like it was a special experience.

 

The move to one-a-day stateroom service has made it less desirable to cram 4 into one room.  Last summer (on Carnival) we had a pullman bed that was out for the entire 7 days (didn't seem to be a way for a passenger to return it to the locked position) whereas with two-a-day service it would come out at night and go up in the AM.  I assume the trundle-style beds are easier for the passenger to return to sofa mode, but with this layout we won't have to.

 

All this being said the porthole in 9510 is gigantic (like 5-6' diameter with a totally unobstructed view) and has a dedicated sitting area in front of it so it seems like the only thing we're really losing is the opportunity for fresh air.

 

We do have a seaplane ride and a couple other excursions planned so I'm hoping we all get a nice mix of everything (on shore activities, traditional cruise activities, and sightseeing from the ship.). But I'm also prepared for not everything to go as planned- I understand weather can be a major factor even in June.

[irun5k]

1 hour ago, twangster said:

Once you reach the Alaskan Inside Passage it's very scenic.  I recommend getting up early and enjoying the sunrise.

Seeing that view makes me realize we'll definitely want to spend some of our time on deck taking in the view for a more immersive experience!

[Ferry_Watcher]

Happy that you found such a spacious room this late in a full capacity sailing season.

[The Fun Researcher]

We did Quantum to Alaska last summer.  Was fantastic.

 

The first day and last day are the only ones in open ocean.  The others are travelling between islands or near the coast in the "inner passage"

 

There are great views all the time from the Solarium, and a bonus is that if you walk all the way to the front lower level of the Solarium you can open a door(s) to the outside where you have great views from the "wings" on both sides of the ship.

 

It's absolutely a big trade-off of more cabin space versus that balcony.  Alaska is one place where the balcony was worth it for us.  We were constantly popping open the door and getting out the binoculars, etc and on a balcony you can see fully in front of you and to both sides.  Very convenient.  All other cruises I'm perfectly fine with an inside, and only upgrade to a balcony if it's not much of an up-cost.  

 

If you don't mind the lack of convenience, you can still get great views around the ship but a balcony is a little more protected and easy to pop back into your room to get warm.

[Tree_skier]

2 hours ago, Ferry_Watcher said:

Don't fret OP,  just think of this cruise as your first cruise to Alaska.  You will be back!

Yep... I just booked our forth 🙂 

[Tlbecker1]

29 minutes ago, Tree_skier said:

Yep... I just booked our forth 🙂 

Exactly.  We have enjoyed Alaska many times and have always enjoyed it.  

[Tlbecker1]

The Alaska cruises on the Quantum Class are the only ones that I don’t feel that I need a balcony on.  We very rarely use them in Alaska and spend most of our time up in the Solarium or 270 enjoying the views.

[Eddie Wilson]

7 hours ago, Ferry_Watcher said:

Don't fret OP,  just think of this cruise as your first cruise to Alaska.  You will be back!

Amen to that.  Looking into No 5 for us.  Sailed to Alaska both June and July last year.

[irun5k]

5 hours ago, The Fun Researcher said:

There are great views all the time from the Solarium, and a bonus is that if you walk all the way to the front lower level of the Solarium you can open a door(s) to the outside where you have great views from the "wings" on both sides of the ship.

I assume the solarium on Quantum is adults-only as on other RCI ships? 

 

I suppose our kids are a bit of a wildcard.  They definitely appreciate natural beauty, but while I could sit around for hours watching and sipping on something I don't have that expectation for a 9 yr old.  So we'll want to balance doing onboard activities with them and perhaps taking some time for ourselves- she can do the kids club if she gets bored with us and our 16 yr old will figure something out on his own 🙂

[The Fun Researcher]

10 minutes ago, irun5k said:

I assume the solarium on Quantum is adults-only as on other RCI ships? 

 

I suppose our kids are a bit of a wildcard.  They definitely appreciate natural beauty, but while I could sit around for hours watching and sipping on something I don't have that expectation for a 9 yr old.  So we'll want to balance doing onboard activities with them and perhaps taking some time for ourselves- she can do the kids club if she gets bored with us and our 16 yr old will figure something out on his own 🙂

Yeah good call.  18 and older now for the Solarium.  I forget that our own kids are all grown up.  😂. Last summer the solarium on Royal ships was still 16 and older so our kids were able to be with us when they wanted.  The solarium is right next-door to the indoor family pool area with lots of windows in there as well so that whole area in general has great places to view from.

 

Happy sailing

[livetravelcruise07]

For the Endicott Arm, get up EARLY. We recently did this sailing last September, and it was our favorite part of the entire cruise. We had an inside room, and we woke up at 5:30 am to make sure we got a good spot up on the top deck! I am so glad we did that, because we had a great spot all morning. Just prepare yourself because it is freezing that early in the morning and we were not prepared! But the views and the scenery made the cold worth it!!

[taglovestocruise]

2 hours ago, irun5k said:

  They definitely appreciate natural beauty, but while I could sit around for hours watching and sipping on something I don't have that expectation for a 9 yr old.  🙂

Not just 9 year olds. 30+ cruises over the last 40 years and Alaska on Ovation last year was by far the most boring cruise I have ever been on.  I found Quantum Class to be also just as boring.  I am sure I am almost standing alone in my opinion. 

PS: book I fly and Northstar as soon as you can, they fill very quickly for the week. 

Edited March 19 by taglovestocruise

[irun5k]

2 minutes ago, taglovestocruise said:

Not just 9 year olds. 30+ cruises over the last 40 years and Alaska on Ovation last year was by far the most boring cruise I have ever been on.  I found Quantum Class to be also just as boring.  I am sure I am almost standing alone in my opinion. 

Probably a lot would disagree on the overall cruise, but you may find some agree on Quantum class... I've seen some reviews along those lines.  From the photos I've seen the ship seems to lack a "style", e.g. the Esplanade looks very 90's indoor shopping mall-ish.  Of course it wasn't built for our market so I guess this isn't much of a surprise.

[Cruise5life]

3 hours ago, taglovestocruise said:

Not just 9 year olds. 30+ cruises over the last 40 years and Alaska on Ovation last year was by far the most boring cruise I have ever been on.  I found Quantum Class to be also just as boring.  I am sure I am almost standing alone in my opinion. 

PS: book I fly and Northstar as soon as you can, they fill very quickly for the week. 

I think you are 100% alone in your opinion.   
 

I’ve been to alaska a number of times. And each time is better than the last time.   
Ive spent hours on my balcony watching the beauty of Alaska sail by.    
I’ve seen bears.   Eagles.   Whales, dolphins you name it.   
 

don’t know how someone can say alaska is boring.    
but I guess that’s me.    

[The Fun Researcher]

8 hours ago, Cruise5life said:

I think you are 100% alone in your opinion.   
 

I’ve been to alaska a number of times. And each time is better than the last time.   
Ive spent hours on my balcony watching the beauty of Alaska sail by.    
I’ve seen bears.   Eagles.   Whales, dolphins you name it.   
 

don’t know how someone can say alaska is boring.    
but I guess that’s me.    

Not boring, agreed.  Alaska is a truly amazing cruise experience…
 

Having said that, we personally don’t have plans to go back, at least for quite some time.  It’s not because we didn’t love it.  We did.  It was awesome.  We would rather see other places in the world first (Iceland, Norway, the Med, Australia and New Zealand, etc…) before I go back to Alaska.  Plus there are all the warm weather options in the Caribbean/Bahamas that are more budget friendly and it is so nice to get out of cold Michigan to warm weather.
 

[fac429]

I thought Ovation was a pretty good ship for Alaska, particularly with the enclosed Solarium and ability to watch the world go by during the day in 270.  I also liked the Music Hall.  But some people are excited that Quantum is coming to LA, and I don't really get that.  I would sail Navigator over Quantum to Mexico every time.  I think a Quantum class ship would be pretty boring for most itineraries, particularly if there isn't much to see outside between ports.

[Tlbecker1]

15 hours ago, taglovestocruise said:

Not just 9 year olds. 30+ cruises over the last 40 years and Alaska on Ovation last year was by far the most boring cruise I have ever been on.  I found Quantum Class to be also just as boring.  I am sure I am almost standing alone in my opinion. 

PS: book I fly and Northstar as soon as you can, they fill very quickly for the week. 

We love this class of ships and Alaska is one of our favorite destinations.

[The Fun Researcher]

1 hour ago, fac429 said:

I thought Ovation was a pretty good ship for Alaska, particularly with the enclosed Solarium and ability to watch the world go by during the day in 270.  I also liked the Music Hall.  But some people are excited that Quantum is coming to LA, and I don't really get that.  I would sail Navigator over Quantum to Mexico every time.  I think a Quantum class ship would be pretty boring for most itineraries, particularly if there isn't much to see outside between ports.

Agreed.  We've really like both the Anthem and the Quantum, but we sailed them both in cold weather sailings (one to Alaska, and one from Cape Liberty in March).   They are fantastic ships for cold weather.  Along that point, I think it's weird that they moved the Odyssey to Cape Liberty during cold months given that the Odyssey switched the indoor family pool area into an outdoor pool area.  However we look forward to sailing Odyssey next year in March out of Cape Liberty, we love that it has Playmakers and one large dining room

 

I think Quantum class is fantastic for Alaska, given the weather.  I wonder what keeps Royal from using them for one way sailings like Seattle (or Vancouver) to Seward and vice-versa.  Would be great if they went to Glacier Bay (but Princess and Holland have the lions share of those openings)