Who got off Radiance Today 5-18 to 5-25 trip

[cruzingduo]

For those who got off the Radiance this past week in Alaska can you answer a few questions. How was your trip?

 

Which nights were formal?

 

Did anyone do a flightseeing trip to a glacier?

 

Did they have the mystery dinner?

 

Did anyone save the Compasses that can post them?

 

Is Capt Rune onboard?

 

Thanks!

[wolfepackin]

oooh I am glad you asked those questions...

 

Mike

[TeeBuccs]

Captain Lohekling (sp?) - Rune is the best! Hope he is still there - you will love the ship and the experience and the captain was a large part of it! Pretty unique personality compared to many of the ship's captains we have had!

[cruzingduo]

We were on the Radiance in March (for a b2b) and Capt Rune was unbelievable! Hurdy Gurdy! I hope he's onboard for our Radiance June 8th, but if not we're also doing the Sept 14 Radiance Members cruise. He told us he'd be there! Never me a Captain like him, he even has his own fan club.

[sweetcruiser106]

I was on Radiance for the Pac Coastal cruise prior to this one. Capt. Rune is still on vacation and won't be back until the end of June. Capt. Trym was our captain and we loved him. He has tremendous enthusiasm and a great sense of humor. As to your other questions, I really can't answer b/c our itinerary was different except to say that our 2 formal nights were the sea days that we had and there was a mystery dinner held in Portofino's one night. I believe that the cost was around $50.00pp. Hope that this helps a little bit.

Anne

 

P.S. We had a great time. You will love Radiance.

[cruzingduo]

We want to hear- how was Alaska?

[Chocochip]

For those who got off the Radiance this past week in Alaska can you answer a few questions. How was your trip?

 

Which nights were formal?

 

Did anyone do a flightseeing trip to a glacier?

 

Did they have the mystery dinner?

 

Did anyone save the Compasses that can post them?

 

Is Capt Rune onboard?

 

Thanks!

 

 

Still recovering from the traveling, but I'll give it a shot.

 

Overall it was a great trip. The weather was INCREDIBLE. Temps in the mornings started in mid-to-high 40s but by afternoon I was comfortable in short sleeves. Layers are your friend. We had sun on most days, and we didn't have any significant rain. I only used the rain cover for the baby's stroller once, coming back from lunch at Seaview. Not once on land. The last day, at sea, was very cloudy. The biggest disappointment was not being able to get to Hubbard- we had to stop about 8 miles away because the water was too icy. We still had some OK views, especially with the binoculars, but it was really disappointing not to be able to get up close. The bay looked pretty icy, and I trust that the captain made the right decision. Because we couldn't get up close, they cut that portion of the trip short. We got there at about 7am and I think we had left by 9. No sleeping late on this day!

 

There were a few places where you could tell this was the staff's first tip to Alaska this year and it seemed like they were still figuring things out. At one point I was reprimanded by a staff member for having my son in the Solarium pool. However, the compass says that family swim time was noon-2 and 4-6. I pointed that out to him and he said "that's only when the weather is bad". I pointed out that the weather was too cold, and the Compass clearly stated that those times were "Family Swim Time". I think, though, that they just weren't used to this setup, which I understand is how the Alaska cruises are set up, because it's really too chilly to swim outside (although I did see a few hearty souls doing it!) After the first day it seemed like they had figured that out because nobody said anything after that. There were a few other experiences like this where it felt like they were still figuring things out.

 

I had a port cabin and was expecting that I'd be missing out on a view but I was pleasantly surprised- the views were fantastic for all the Inside Passage days. And the last day at sea was too cloudy for anyone to really see much of anything, plus we were pretty far from shore. Temps were warm enough for us to spend time on the balcony, especially in late afternoon when the sun had warmed things up.

 

Formal nights were Sunday and Thursday. However, this was my first cruise and I think there's "Formal" and "Alaska Formal". There were certainly some people dressed to the nines but I also saw lots of people wearing button down shirts with no ties. Non-formal nights I saw people in jeans, fleece vests, etc. in Casades. Overall I wished I'd packed more jeans and less nice clothes.

 

My hubby and son (4 years old) did a helicopter tour and loved it. It was a ship-booked tour, company name was ERA, and they did it from Juneau. Hubby was VERY impressed with the professionalism of the helicopter pilots , and just their whole operation in general. He loved the chance they had to land and walk on the glacier. Expensive but one of his favorite excursions. He was a bit too worried about our son to really enjoy it but says it was overall great.

 

Yes, they had the mystery dinner, not sure which night- one of the first nights, as I recall.

 

I have Compasses (including Kids Compasses) and will try to scan them in sometime this weekend.

 

Captain Trym was the captain, and he was a riot.

 

Working on a trip report... .slowly!

 

BTW these menus are pretty much the menus we had on board. Not in this exact order but otherwise pretty much what we had:

[cruzingduo]

Sounds like you had a great time and good weather. Too bad you couldn't get closer to the glacier. This was the first cruise to Alaska for the season, I guess some of the staff were thinking of the rules for the Caribbean for the Solarium. Glad you got to use the pool. We were on the Radiance in March and loved the quiet and peacefulness in the Solarium.

 

I hope you don't mind a few more questions. We leave this week and are trying to pack. We don't normally wear jeans to the dining room, but we will the first night since we're coming from a cruisetour.

 

Did you eat at Chops? If so what night? Was there a dinner menu that you didn't like (perhaps the night we should go to Chops). We have been on the Radiance for a back to back and know the menus are the same every week. We were curious if the menu would be different for Alaska ports.

 

Did you take any excursions beside the helicopter trip?

 

How was the tendering?

 

Thanks, we look forward to your review.

[Chocochip]

Sounds like you had a great time and good weather. Too bad you couldn't get closer to the glacier. This was the first cruise to Alaska for the season, I guess some of the staff were thinking of the rules for the Caribbean for the Solarium. Glad you got to use the pool. We were on the Radiance in March and loved the quiet and peacefulness in the Solarium.

 

Yes, that's what we figured. The Solarium was definitely not a quiet, peaceful place on this cruise. Not just because of kids, just a lot of people using it.

 

 

I hope you don't mind a few more questions. We leave this week and are trying to pack. We don't normally wear jeans to the dining room, but we will the first night since we're coming from a cruisetour.

 

Did you eat at Chops? If so what night? Was there a dinner menu that you didn't like (perhaps the night we should go to Chops). We have been on the Radiance for a back to back and know the menus are the same every week. We were curious if the menu would be different for Alaska ports.

 

We did eat there, on Wednesday. We ate at Cascades 4 times, and were pretty happy with each menu. From my notes, it went something like this. Maybe someone else can fill in the blanks:

 

Friday:

Saturday: ?

Sunday:

Monday: ?

Tuesday: ?

Wednesday:

Thursday:

 

Did you take any excursions beside the helicopter trip?

 

We had to balance our schedules with the kids' interests and naptimes, so there weren't any excursions we all went on. But various members of our group went to the Lumberjack show in Ketchikan (we did all do this one but I was late, with the baby), bus trip to Mendenhall Glacier in Juneau, Mt Roberts Tramway in Juneau, helicopter ride in Juneau, White Pass Railway in Skagway, glassblowing in Skagway, whale watching in Icy Strait Point, ZipRider in Icy Strait Point. We didn't book anything in advance because we weren't sure what the weather, nap schedules and kids' temperaments wold allow. We booked most of it through the ship, a few once we got ashore.

 

How was the tendering?

 

We tendered in Juneau and Icy Strait Point. I never had to wait more than a few minutes, but I also waited a few hours. The trips were short, a few minutes. They had tender tickets in the early morning in Juneau but open tendering in Icy Strait Point. A few people in my group had early excursions in Juneau and got tender tickets- they waited about half an hour.

[Neophyte07]

Hi Chocochip,

I noticed from your posts that you had your son (4 years old) and a baby with you on this cruise. My DH and I will be also traveling on Radiance NB in June with our sons, 4 years old and 18 month old.

 

We are first time cruisers and are nervous about this trip with our kids, especially the 18 month old. Do you have any pointers from your trip? (i.e. Did you use a sitter, Did your son enjoy AO, excursions your son enjoyed and etc…:confused: ) Any advice would be much appreciated.

Thanks.:)

[F19810]

Chocochip, I hope that you don't mind a few more questions. I noticed that some people in your group did the glass blowing. I am also signed up for that. How was it? I was debating about canceling this a going horseback riding.

Judy

[MINIjen]

Formal nights were Sunday and Thursday. However, this was my first cruise and I think there's "Formal" and "Alaska Formal". There were certainly some people dressed to the nines but I also saw lots of people wearing button down shirts with no ties. Non-formal nights I saw people in jeans, fleece vests, etc. in Casades. Overall I wished I'd packed more jeans and less nice clothes.

 

 

Really? Hmm, I would definitely prefer to wear jeans, so maybe I'll pack more of them and not worry so much about packing skirts & slacks.

[Murphy]

Chocochip, I hope that you don't mind a few more questions. I noticed that some people in your group did the glass blowing. I am also signed up for that. How was it? I was debating about canceling this a going horseback riding.

Judy

 

Oh, yes, I want to know about the glass blowing too! We dont think we can fit it into our current schedule, but I'm interested to see how it was...

[Bella930]

I was on board with Chocochip (sorry we missed you at the M & M). She has done a great job of giving an overview of the trip. But let me saw once more, the weather was AWESOME! Never needed the rain gear (but I was glad I took it just in case). I know it has been said over and over the importance of layering and I am now a firm convert. Forget the heavy sweaters and coats and wear layers that you can remove when the day gets warmer.

 

Regarding excursions.

 

In Ketchikan I did the Misty Fjords floatplane with Michelle at Island Wings. It was by far my favorite excursion of the cruise, it was just simply amazing. Alaska had record snowfalls this year and the mountains are covered. We flew in between the peaks and landed on the most pristine lake where we were able to get out and walk on a small island. There were loons in the water and eagles in the trees and no other humans around for miles. Simply amazing (oops I already said that).

 

In Juneau, we actually docked early (about 8:00 am) and they let those of us off without ship excursions off first without having to wait for tender tickets. I was off and in town by 8:30. It was nice to see the town waking up and have time to enjoy it before the other three ships docked later in the day. The weather was beautiful, with a crystal blue sky. I headed over to the Mt Roberts Tram and rode one of the first cars of the day. Your ticket is good for all day so I went back later and watched the other ships come in.

 

I did the glacier helicopter with Coastal and was very happy with it. We saw an avalanche while we were landed on the glacier and the sound and fury was unforgetable.

 

We were in Juneau on Monday and that was the one night I skipped dinner on board. The menu didn't appeal to me, I think it was Caribbean but it was hard to tell. I had a long day and ate at the Windjammer instead.

 

Skagway, I discovered that trains make me sleepy... I did the bus up and train back and while it was very interesting, about half way back the movement and the sun shining throuhg the window made me want to curl up on the seat and take a nap. There were four ships in town and too many people to really get a feel for it.

 

Icy Straight. I really enjoyed this port. After the hustle and bustle of the other stops this was a refreshing change. They have done a wonderful job of turning an old cannery into a museum and local shops (no Diamonds International in Hoonah). I did an independent whale watching trip and we saw bears, whales, eagles and sea lions. The bears were the biggest surprise as we saw three or four of them and sat off the beach and watched one eat lunch for quite a while.

 

Whew, I didn't mean to ramble on so much, sorry. In short, it was a great cruise with great weather and great people. If your's is half as good you will have a wonderful time!

[NancyIL]

I was on board with Chocochip (sorry we missed you at the M & M). She has done a great job of giving an overview of the trip. But let me saw once more, the weather was AWESOME! Never needed the rain gear (but I was glad I took it just in case). I know it has been said over and over the importance of layering and I am now a firm convert. Forget the heavy sweaters and coats and wear layers that you can remove when the day gets warmer.

 

Regarding excursions.

 

In Ketchikan I did the Misty Fjords floatplane with Michelle at Island Wings. It was by far my favorite excursion of the cruise, it was just simply amazing. Alaska had record snowfalls this year and the mountains are covered. We flew in between the peaks and landed on the most pristine lake where we were able to get out and walk on a small island. There were loons in the water and eagles in the trees and no other humans around for miles. Simply amazing (oops I already said that).

 

In Juneau, we actually docked early (about 8:00 am) and they let those of us off without ship excursions off first without having to wait for tender tickets. I was off and in town by 8:30. It was nice to see the town waking up and have time to enjoy it before the other three ships docked later in the day. The weather was beautiful, with a crystal blue sky. I headed over to the Mt Roberts Tram and rode one of the first cars of the day. Your ticket is good for all day so I went back later and watched the other ships come in.

 

I did the glacier helicopter with Coastal and was very happy with it. We saw an avalanche while we were landed on the glacier and the sound and fury was unforgetable.

 

We were in Juneau on Monday and that was the one night I skipped dinner on board. The menu didn't appeal to me, I think it was Caribbean but it was hard to tell. I had a long day and ate at the Windjammer instead.

 

Skagway, I discovered that trains make me sleepy... I did the bus up and train back and while it was very interesting, about half way back the movement and the sun shining throuhg the window made me want to curl up on the seat and take a nap. There were four ships in town and too many people to really get a feel for it.

 

Icy Straight. I really enjoyed this port. After the hustle and bustle of the other stops this was a refreshing change. They have done a wonderful job of turning an old cannery into a museum and local shops (no Diamonds International in Hoonah). I did an independent whale watching trip and we saw bears, whales, eagles and sea lions. The bears were the biggest surprise as we saw three or four of them and sat off the beach and watched one eat lunch for quite a while.

 

Whew, I didn't mean to ramble on so much, sorry. In short, it was a great cruise with great weather and great people. If your's is half as good you will have a wonderful time!

 

 

Thanks for your review, and welcome back! What was your feeling for how RCI "does Alaska"? Was there a naturalist on your cruise? What about clothing - did you need all the layers at any point to stay warm, or was it warmer than you expected?

[Murphy]

I did an independent whale watching trip and we saw bears, whales, eagles and sea lions. The bears were the biggest surprise as we saw three or four of them and sat off the beach and watched one eat lunch for quite a while.

 

Did you pre-book your whale watch in ISP or book it once you got on shore? We are booked with F.I.S.H.E.S and I'm looking for some feedback from this years' sailings.

[Chocochip]

Hi Chocochip,

I noticed from your posts that you had your son (4 years old) and a baby with you on this cruise. My DH and I will be also traveling on Radiance NB in June with our sons, 4 years old and 18 month old.

 

We are first time cruisers and are nervous about this trip with our kids, especially the 18 month old. Do you have any pointers from your trip? (i.e. Did you use a sitter, Did your son enjoy AO, excursions your son enjoyed and etc…:confused: ) Any advice would be much appreciated.

Thanks.:)

 

I'm working on a full review (still recovering from the time change) but in short, it worked out REALLY well for us. Now, we did travel with our in-laws, which made a huge difference. We had twice the space (connecting cabins) and free babysitters. Peter loved AO and I was pretty happy with the counselors, especially Sylvia (who also ran the Fisher Price program.) I'll be sure to include the playgrounds we found in my trip report!

[nudave]

Did you pre-book your whale watch in ISP or book it once you got on shore? We are booked with F.I.S.H.E.S and I'm looking for some feedback from this years' sailings.

 

 

Just went on the trip with Floyd this past sailing in ISP. We had a great time. Weather was overcast with temp's in the low 50's. We saw 4 humpbacks (1 was a calf, with mom). There were about 4-5 sea lions playing with the calf, and then mom came over and scared the sea lions away with a loud "grunting" noise. From there we went bear searching, and found a brown bear on the shore. We seemed to startle him and he walked back into cover. We immediately turned around and another humpback was in sight. Bald eagles were plentiful, guessing around 8-10 seen.

 

We also went on a ship whale watching excursion in Juneau, the boat was packed. The excursion was amazing, complete with Orca's. A humpback calf was also seen.

 

Overall, I would give ISP and Floyd the edge here due to the boat being smaller and you can hear the humpbacks instead of the "ooooh, ahh" of the larger boat.

[Chocochip]

Chocochip, I hope that you don't mind a few more questions. I noticed that some people in your group did the glass blowing. I am also signed up for that. How was it? I was debating about canceling this a going horseback riding.

Judy

 

Well, hubby is fascinated with glass art, and has actually taken a workshop before in glassmaking. So this was right up his alley. He did say it was less hands-on than he hoped it would be. However, he loved the tour guide and they had a nice tea in the garden as well. But if it were me, I'd rather go horseback riding.

[nudave]

One more thing.......get your sea legs! Both days at sea were rough. Everyone was walking crooked! Once we were in the Gulf of Alaska, the seas were 10ft at least. I was feeling it, as was my wife. She took the dramamine, I had the patch. We were okay after that. Inside passage was calm and smooth, just the open waters made us feel a little queezy.

 

I've been on many boats, and was quite surprised that was feeling it. It was a far cry from the past cruise in the Caribbean (very smooth).

[NancyIL]

One more thing.......get your sea legs! Both days at sea were rough. Everyone was walking crooked! Once we were in the Gulf of Alaska, the seas were 10ft at least. I was feeling it, as was my wife. She took the dramamine, I had the patch. We were okay after that. Inside passage was calm and smooth, just the open waters made us feel a little queezy.

 

I was just reading chapter 7 of The Alaska Cruise Companion (by Joe Upton) last night. The section of ocean from Cape Spencer (near Glacier Bay) until just before entering Prince William Sound is described as "the rugged coast." I'll be doubling up on the Meclizine tablets the last day-and-a-half!

[Chenega]

I have found that the usual area for the rocking and rolling is cross-gulf from Hubbard and Seward since it is open ocean and subject to the weather in the north Gulf of Alaska. Just take the preventions and you should be found. If the weather is clear, the Wrangell-St. Elias Mountains can be spectacular.

[Bella930]

Thanks for your review, and welcome back! What was your feeling for how RCI "does Alaska"? Was there a naturalist on your cruise? What about clothing - did you need all the layers at any point to stay warm, or was it warmer than you expected?

 

RCI didn't have a naturalist on board. They did have a series of talks, I attended one on totems before we went into Ketchikan which was interesting. I admit that I am biased, I love RCI. However, I must also admit that if the price was right and opportunity arose, I would go back to Alaska in a heartbeat on any ship available!

 

Regarding the weather, the temps were what I had expected, mid 50's to mid 60's. What I was pleasantly surprised with was the sun. We were blessed with the bluest skies with just enough white clouds to make my pictures interested.

 

I hope that your trip is as wonderful as mine was!

 

PS- Murphy, If you want to go with Floyd I would definatly book in advance. He only takes a maximum of six passengers and it sounds like he fills up with Cruise Critic readers!

[Murphy]

PS- Murphy, If you want to go with Floyd I would definatly book in advance. He only takes a maximum of six passengers and it sounds like he fills up with Cruise Critic readers!

Thank you! I've actually had a reservation since last September... not that I'm excited about it or anything! :)

[apnep]

RCI didn't have a naturalist on board. They did have a series of talks,quote]

 

I was also onboard Radiance. They did also have some natives that live off the shores of Hubbard Glacier tender on board and they gave a nice talk about the glacier and the history of their land which was very interesting.

 

It was an awesome cruise overall. The weather was great, the crew was great, all the excursions were great (I booked mine independently), the food was great, the scenery was great. A little disappointed we couldn't get up close to Hubbard, but that's ok. I had a booked a 6 hour tour through Kenai Fjords Tours which was AWESOME. Those guys did an excellent job. We saw orcas, humpbacks, goats, bears, sea lions, bird rookeries, eagles and yes a huge glacier which we got to see and hear calving. We were out in the middle of the ocean like that show the Deadliest Catch.

 

Excellent cruise, it was my first and I'd definitely book with RCL, but like the other poster, if it's Alaska, I don't think it would matter who you went with as long as the itinerary is good!

 

Ang