2010 Radiance of the Sea's Route

[cw2go]

Radiance of the Sea's southbound out of Seward

 

I have noticed on the new RCCL Itinerary it lists the final sea day as cruising not Inside passage... last years did specify Inside Passage but the rest of the itinerary it the same. I am not sure how to interpret that but it does sail into VanCouver BC so it is inside VC Island. Can anyone tell me from experience if this is a typo or will it sail around the passage? :confused:

 

Thanks in advance for input,

Patty

[Budget Queen]

No way to know. They certainly could be altering their routing to add port times. They can go a lot faster open ocean.

[paylady]

There are no guarantees even with the Inside Passage listed for that day as cruise contracts are written for the benefit of the cruise lines. The captain can opt to skip the Inside Passage. This happened during my 2008 cruise.

[cw2go]

Thanks for the insight but now I guess my question is what are we missing if it does not do inside passage? On maps it looks like such a small portion of the trip but I have noticed many post reguarding cruising this route specifically...

 

I was sure to get to VanCouver because that's what I thought was the whole point, so again I am confused??? :confused:

 

 

Thanks again,

Patty

[fleckle]

If your ship travels the inside passage through the Canadian waters on the east side of Vancouver Island (which is the preferable route), you have beautiful scenery on both sides of the ship and get a very smooth ride. It essentially gives you an additional day of sightseeing on your cruise.

 

If your ship travels around the west side of Vancouver Island, you will be out at sea and for the most part too far away from the shoreline to see anything, so your view is mainly of ocean. Also, that way you have a much greater chance of a rough ride, all depending on how smooth the ocean happens to be that day.

 

Besides the big difference in scenery, it is the difference between cruising through a protected channel or out in open ocean.

[paylady]

Agreed. The scenery is what's missing. Even in crummy weather the Inside Passage can be lovely. Lot's of greenery and opportunity for rainbows after the rain.

[Putterdude]

I live in a small seaside town above Vancouver,almost across Georgia Strait from Nanaimo on Vancouver Island and in the 5 years that I have lived there I think I can safely say that the Radiance of the Seas has always sailed by us to and from Alaska. OK, I am not up at 4:30 am to see come by southbound but it would be extremely unlikely for her not to be sailing in the Inside Passage.

[cw2go]

I live in a small seaside town above Vancouver,almost across Georgia Strait from Nanaimo on Vancouver Island and in the 5 years that I have lived there I think I can safely say that the Radiance of the Seas has always sailed by us to and from Alaska. OK, I am not up at 4:30 am to see come by southbound but it would be extremely unlikely for her not to be sailing in the Inside Passage.

 

Thank you, that is what I thought. Vancouver is the final port so I assumed when I booked that included inside passage and then started reading differently. Is it possible it would sail all the way around and back up in the island by Seattle to get to Vancouver??? :confused: I cannot see any logic in paying the airfare and price for oneway cruise if it does not include inside passage...

 

I understand that the scenery is the factor that is why I planned a oneway itenerary to Vancouver...so when I noticed the RCCL site list the last day as cruising not Inside passage I became even more confused.

 

Thanks again,

Patty

[cw2go]

News Update I spoke with RCCL this morning and there has been a change and the Radiance will not be cruising the inside passage in 2010... I am a bit disappointed and now am back to the drawing board...

 

Just wanted to make you aware incase this was a factor in your cruise choice...