Diamond Princess Alaska by a First Timer

[dbhome]

Just back from the Diamond Princess Southbound, July 12-19. DH and I were first-time Alaskan cruisers celebrating our 10th Anniversary. We booked our cruise on a last minute sale, used frequent flier miles for our airfare and were on a pretty tight budget. The Diamond Princess is a beautiful ship. We never felt crowded except during the muster drill. Here are some of our highlights.

 

The Best Part of the Trip for Me : 2 glacier days! The Diamond Princess Southbound visits College Fiord the first day and Glacier Bay the second day. I’d looked at tons of photos of this online, but it was even more breathtaking in person. I also loved that the first two days were spent on ship, giving us time to wind down and relax without having to hit the ports right away. We spent lots of time up top and on the Promenade deck and would duck inside for a hot drink (sitting by picture windows) in one of the bars when we got too cold.

 

Best Low Cost Excursion: We rented bikes in Anchorage the day before embarkation and biked the Tony Knowles Coastal trail. The bikes rented for $15 per bike for 3 hours. We ended up going 22 miles roundtrip (I could hardly walk when we got back.) We saw beautiful scenery, had beautiful weather and saw three moose. It was a great way to spend the first day of our trip when we were too jet-lagged to stay awake in a museum. A close second in this category would be our do-it-yourself tour to Mendenhall Glacier. We had a great day for only $14 per person round trip.

 

Best Decision of the Trip: Taking the train from Anchorage to the port in Whittier. It was easy and the scenery was gorgeous. We were so excited by the time we pulled into Whittier and saw our ship. The cost was $60 per person which was comparable with the other shuttles services I found.

 

Stupidest Question I Asked on Cruise Critic: How do I get to the ship from the train station in Whittier? Answer: Walk across the street.

 

Biggest Waste of My Vacation Time: Taking the spa tour the day we embarked. It was just one long sales pitch. I just wanted a peak at the spa so this was a bad choice for me.

 

Best Splurge: In Ketchikan we booked an independent tour with Southeast Sea Kayaks. We did the 4 hour Orcas Cove tour for $149 per person. We were on a tight budget and didn’t have a lot of $$$ for excursions. We are so glad we did this. Neither of us had kayaked before, but they made it easy. We only had six people in our group along with a guide and we never saw another kayaker for the 2 ½ - 3 hours we were on the water. When we returned, we had a smoked salmon snack on board our small boat. This was one of my favorite days. Our other splurge was The White Pass and Yukon Route Rail and Bus Tour with M & M Tours in Skagway. This was $109 per person and was an excellent tour, but sea kayaking was still my favorite.

 

Best Unplanned Fun: After we got back from the White Pass and Yukon tour in Skagway, we stopped by the Red Onion Saloon for some nachos. We took photos with the girls and even took the brothel tour – “$5 for 15 minutes – just like the old days.” The humor was a little risqué – but after all it is a brothel tour.

 

Best Use of Sales Resistance: We didn’t buy any of the overpriced photos that they took of us on ship. Do you know how hard it is to let them trash a cute photo of you? We stopped by and took a longing look at our photos every day. But being home less than 24 hours, I’m not missing any of those photos. DH and I both took a camera and we have tons of beautiful photos.

 

Best Pre-Trip Purchase: Gore-Tex jackets from Sierra Trading Post. We saved over 50% off retail on great jackets that we used every day of the trip. Even though we didn’t have rain, these breathable waterproof and windproof jackets were perfect layering pieces for our coldest to our warmest days. And if we’d not been so lucky with the weather, we would have been dry in a downpour. The waterproof pants we bought, were unused, but better safe than sorry. Another great purchase: A small digital luggage scale from Bed, Bath and Beyond ($20).

 

Yummiest Thing We Ate on the Trip: World Famous Bread Pudding at the Glacier Brew House in Anchorage. Here’s the description from the menu: Classic apple and currant bread pudding, wood oven roasted. Topped with caramelized pecans and Yukon Jack sauce. Food on the Diamond Princess was hit or miss.

 

Favorite Things About the Diamond Princess: Anytime Dining; checking out books from the library and finding a sofa by the window on one of the public decks on sea days; going to the beautiful indoor pool at 7 pm while everyone else goes to dinner and catching a late dinner afterward.

 

Our Choice for Pre-cruise Lodging in Anchorage: Between the Arms Bed and Breakfast. Very comfortable accomodations in a private home with a delicious breakfast. An easy 40 minute walk to downtown on the coastal trail. For around $100 for a King room with a private bath, we thought this was a steal and a great way to start our trip.

[Colo Cruiser]

Great review, thanks. :)

[mii]

Thanks for a well balanced review. I liked the way you set up your review, the good and not so good. I am glad you enjoyed your first trip to Alaska. It is a spectacular plance isn't it.

 

marilyn

[Pia1913]

Thanks DBhome.....nice read and happy to hear you enjoyed your Princess cruise. What you didn't mention, and I hope you did, was buy some FCC's.

 

Pia

[LARGIN]

Thanks for the review.. Alaska is one of our favorites

[Julia’s Journey’s]

Great review - made me want to go back to both Alaska and the Diamond:D

Thanks for sharing the good and the not so good:D

[csr221]

Thanks for the excellent review and Happy anniversary! We're celebrating our 20th on the Island Princess SB leaving 8/18.

If you have time, could you tell me about your DIY Mendenhall tour? We're also limiting ourselves on outings. We have a few splurges planned but Juneau and Ketchican we're just going to wing it.

Also, how was your packing for a 1st timer? I'm thinking I'll be fine since we're from CO, but I am struggling with that darn over the door shoe hanger I read so much about!

Carol

[sultan_sfo]

A pleasure to read such a well written review! Thanks.

Here is hoping you will become addicted to cruising -- a good addiction but makes a dent in one's pocket book.

/Sultan

[adh27]

Great Review! We are thinking of doing Alaska next year and this really helped. :)

[betmust]

Thank you - that was nice to read. We will be on the Diamond in Alaska next month. Can't wait. I didn't know there was an indoor pool. Where is that? Now I really can't wait. I was afraid it would be too chilly for the pool

 

Thank

Bette

[dbhome]

The indoor pool is on the Lido Deck (14) right before you go into Horizon Court (the buffet.) There is also an outdoor pool on that deck. We found a smaller outdoor pool on Deck 15 - The Lotus Spa Pool, I think. It's tiny and is adults only. On our last sea day, we had it to ourselves for a while in the afternoon. It was the first time I'd seen it -- it's a little off the beaten path. Everyone walks past the Deck 14 pools as they are going to the buffet.

 

As for packing, we did pretty well. I was paranoid as it was the first time I'd travelled since the new luggage restrictions and our suitcases when packed to capacity are way over 50 lbs. Using these boards, I typed a detailed packing list the week before we left and really stuck to it. I also used a luggage scale and didn't go over 45 lbs. to be safe. The only thing I wished I'd brought was an extra pair of shoes. I wore black sandals on the flight from FL. In my bag I took black heels, a pair of hiking boots and flip flops for the pool. My hiking boots bruised my ankle on our first day when we biked 22 miles. I really wished I'd packed a pair of running shoes -- and we had room. I was just so paranoid. DH only had hiking boots, which he wore on the plane, dress shoes and one Croc. I intended to pack his Crocs for the pool since they weigh almost nothing - but only one made it's way into the suitcase. So he had to wear his hiking boots to the pool. He would have also liked a pair of sneakers and another Croc.

 

Didn't take an over the door bag and didn't need it. We had an inside cabin and I was amazed at how much storage space was packed into that little room. We had room to spare.

[dbhome]

One other thing about packing. We did two loads of laundry at the self serve laundromat mid-cruise. Total cost including buying the soap from the vending machine - about $8.

 

Mendenhall Glacier - There are shuttles that go to the Glacier every 30 minutes from the Mt. Roberts Tramway. Roundtrip cost is $14 per person. There is a visitor center at the Glacier - entrance fee is very nominal. There is an easy trail that gets you closer to the glacier. I kind of fell in love with glaciers on my trip so it was fun just to have a low key day and wander around out there taking photos. Lots of info on this on the Alaska boards.

[betmust]

Thank you for the information.

 

I agree - there is a lot of info here...

 

Bette

[mtaylor04]

Great review - I like how you set it up

[LEtue]

Great review and a wonderful read! Thanks for sharing it :D

[Dortmunder]

A very well structured review. Thank you very much. A great read.

[highheel girl]

Glad you had a good time on your first time to Alaska. We weren't sure we wanted to go the first time since we are from colorado, trying to get away from snow, but we loved it and have been back several times since.

[Princess123]

Makes me wish I was going to Alaska again. Do you remember/know which officers were on board?

[Shogun]

Hi There,

 

Nice review, will be there in a years time.

 

yours Shogun

[Bubs]

Nice review, I'm going next June on the Diamond, so appreciated it!

[5:00_Somewhere]

Thank you for the wonderful review. We've booked the northbound Alaskan cruise on the Diamond for June 2009 ... and already we can't wait! ;)

[dbhome]

Here's a photo:

[Bubs]

Did you save any of the Princess Patter's, would love to know the activies happending.

 

Thanks!

[dforeigner]

Thanks for taking time to write a review.

[skf]

Loved the review...we're considering Diamond for Sept 2009, 15 days Anchorage to Beijing, & if the gods are helpful possibly a 7 day Vancouver to Anchorage to begin.

Steve