Just back 12-day CT Diamond - Questions?

[Robin G]

Just got back home early this morning from Alaska - southbound 12 day CT on the Diamond Princess. If anyone has questions, ask away.

[DBMiller]

We're leaving tomorrow night for a Diamond cruise tour, so I have plenty of questions. :)

 

In which of the Princess lodges did you stay? What were your thoughts? I've heard some complaints that the McKinley lodge is in the "middle of nowhere" and that there's nothing to do. Personally, nothing to do doesn't sound that bad to me.

 

I have excursions booked for the ports, but not the land portion. Did you do any excursions, and what did you think of them? Did you do the NHT at Denali?

 

How would you rank the food on the Diamond? Did you go to any of the specialty dining restaurants, and if so, what did you think?

 

I'm sure I'll think of more questions as the day goes on. Can't wait to hear your opinions.

[Robin G]

Hi DB - we started in Fairbanks and stayed at the Fairbanks Princess Hotel. That was the toughest night 'cuz we arrived late (after midnight on our PA clocks), it took an hour or so to get our bags and then we had to have our bags out in the hallway by 6 AM the very next morning (or 11PM that night). No time for excursions - we saw absolutely nothing of the Fairbanks area.

 

We then took the train into Denali and stayed there two nights. We were very disappointed in the Denali Princess Lodge. The grounds and main lodge areas looked lovely, but the rooms are in need of updating i.e. formica coming off bathroom sink area, moldings without any paint, soiled carpeting. We did the NHT - saw no bear, moose or dall sheep. Disappointing but what can you do - it was still beautiful. The second day in Denali was a full day to ourselves - we played a frigid 9-hole game of golf (scenery was beautiful) and some of our gang did the white water rafting.

 

Next day on the train in McKinley Lodge - very nice. The nicest of the three lodges we stayed at. Didn't see McKinley Mtn. - hopefully you'll have better luck! It's about an hour drive from the train station in Talkeetna. After getting off the train we stayed in Talkeetna, let our bags travel on the bus without us onto the lodge, had dinner in Talkeetna and took the shuttle to the lodge an hour and a half afterward. They have some small walking trails around the lodge area - we did that the morning after we arrived and then left that afternoon.

 

Food on the Diamond was very good. We were travelling with a group of 15 so we had dinner in the dining every night.

 

Hope this helps!

[comoxvalley21]

Is there an International Cafe? If not where can you use the coffee card? What time does it open?

Is there more than one buffet? Did you try any other restaurants?

What are your feelings about the entertainment and the venues?

What were the lectures etc. like?....the scholarship at sea?

How did you find getting around the ship?

Any secret spots?

 

Thanks for the info.

[uavshadow]

Can you give me internet availability and package cost? Is there "unlimited" package avaialbe to use with a laptop.

 

Its not I'm a workaholic, I miss the first 4 games of the Bears who might actually be worth watching this year !

[fifa]

I am also interested to know where you can use the coffee card (other than the dining rooms).

[DBMiller]

Thanks, Robin. Now I know not to let my expectations get too high for the Denali Lodge. The weather report calls for showers every day we're gone. I hope it clears up just long enough for me to see McKinley.

[can786]

I wouldn't worry about the McKinley lodge being in the middle of nowhere. While it is true that it is, it is also true that there are a number of things to do. There are a couple of walking trails around the lodge and a shuttle is available into Talkeetna if you choose to go into town. They also offered quite a few interesting programs while we were there, most of which were complimentary. We enjoyed the McKinley lodge itself more than the Denali Lodge.

 

Our room at the Denali lodge wasn't quite as bad as the OP had, but it definitely looked older that the McKinley lodge. While there we took the Tundra Wilderness tour rather than the Natural History tour as I had read on these boards that the NHT (this was included in our cruisetour) was worthless and you don't see anything. That was great advice as we had close up sightings of bear, caribou, wolf and dall sheep that we would not have encountered on the much shorter NHT. All wildlife that we saw was well beyond the 17 mile point that the NHT turns around.

[Robin G]

Is there an International Cafe? If not where can you use the coffee card? What time does it open?

Is there more than one buffet? Did you try any other restaurants?

What are your feelings about the entertainment and the venues?

What were the lectures etc. like?....the scholarship at sea?

How did you find getting around the ship?

Any secret spots?

 

Thanks for the info.

 

The International Dining Room, not Cafe, is the traditional seating dining room and then there are four Anytime Dining Rooms. We didn't purchase the coffee card so I don't know about that - sorry. When it was cold I drank lots of the hot chocolate, but even that wasn't too often.

One buffet called Horizon Court open 24 hours. Entertainment was ok. They must be trying to keep costs down - the shows were the same two nights in a row all week long. Didn't attend lectures - scholarship@sea was ceramics, napkin folding, oragami, journal making, fruit/veggie carving, culinary demo, wine tasting, wine club, ice carving, dance classes. I attended only the first wine tasting - entertaining but I must admit I don't care for white wines.

Getting around the ship could be a challenge at times - we weren't the only ones that thought so. No biggie, though, in my book. The casino was probably the "deadest" casino I've ever seen on a ship. The secret spot - we found one: Deck 14 Horizon Terrace. Just don't tell anyone!

[Robin G]

Can you give me internet availability and package cost? Is there "unlimited" package avaialbe to use with a laptop.

 

Its not I'm a workaholic, I miss the first 4 games of the Bears who might actually be worth watching this year !

 

Internet packages varied. I believe the basic was $.75 per minute. The more minutes you bought, the price went down to I think as low as $.35 or $.40 per minute. Connection was the best we've seen on a ship. TV was actually pretty good too - lots of movies, shows, etc.

[IslaSarah]

Thanks for offering your expertise, I'm sailing on the Diamond on Saturday!

 

Arriving in Vancouver, do you know if the US Direct or EZ Check program was offered for transport to the airport?

[comoxvalley21]

Thanks for the info. Looking forward to my cruise on the Diamond in November.

[skf]

Thanks for offering your expertise, I'm sailing on the Diamond on Saturday!

 

Arriving in Vancouver, do you know if the US Direct or EZ Check program was offered for transport to the airport?

We have gotten our cruise package for our Sept 12 sailing...Princess does have US Direct at Vancouver Airport. We are told to avoid going down the escalators to Canada Customs.

Steve

[ggprincess2004]

International Cafe question - no "International Cafe" with the sandwiches, salads, etc., but a patissiere on Plaza Deck where you can get brewed coffee and espresso based beverages, along with pastries and other drinks, In addition, brewed coffee and espresso beverages available at other lounges and bar areas inside and on deck. Not a problem!

[fifa]

International Cafe question - no "International Cafe" with the sandwiches, salads, etc., but a patissiere on Plaza Deck where you can get brewed coffee and espresso based beverages, along with pastries and other drinks, In addition, brewed coffee and espresso beverages available at other lounges and bar areas inside and on deck. Not a problem!

 

Do you pay for the pastries at the Patisserie?

[Robin G]

Thanks for offering your expertise, I'm sailing on the Diamond on Saturday!

 

Arriving in Vancouver, do you know if the US Direct or EZ Check program was offered for transport to the airport?

 

Yup, the EZ check is available and I highly recommend it.

[glln]

Hi,

 

I am booking the Alask tour for next year and have a question about the amount of luggage allowed per person. We probably will be needing some different type of clothing for the nights on the cruise. Are there any formal nights on this cruise as on normal Princess cruises? Is the dress more informal at night? Because of the bus & train can you take more than 1 piece per person?

 

Thanks,

Lynne

[Robin G]

Hi,

 

I am booking the Alask tour for next year and have a question about the amount of luggage allowed per person. We probably will be needing some different type of clothing for the nights on the cruise. Are there any formal nights on this cruise as on normal Princess cruises? Is the dress more informal at night? Because of the bus & train can you take more than 1 piece per person?

 

Thanks,

Lynne

 

Hi Lynne - the dress is def. more casual all around. There were two formal nights on the ship as usual. For the land portion on the train, you are allowed one small carry-on type of bag as space is limited. All bags are sent on ahead of you via truck. Do you know about the two different luggage tags at the start of the cruisetour?