Three Trips to Alaska
Written: Sep 13 '04
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Good service, friendly staff, good live music, excellent benefits for repeat customers
Cons: AOL isn't supported, loud sound for productions, very slow disembarking
The Bottom Line: Take this cruise! Unsurpassed scenery. Lots to see and do. Good value. Wonderful ship and staff. If you can afford a balcony, this is the perfect cruise for one.
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| D_Edgers's Full Review: Royal Caribbean Vision of the Seas |
Three Trips to Alaska on Vision of the Seas
On August 6, 2004 we completed our 15th cruise. Seven have been on Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines. Three of the seven have been to Alaska on the Vision of the Seas. We also were on the Vision on a trip through the Panama Canal, so we think we are qualified to comment on this particular ship. We’ve had three outside cabins (one was a balcony) and one inside. Obviously, the best was the balcony, which happened to be on our first Alaskan cruise from Vancouver, B.C. starting on September 9, 2001. Fortunately, the weather was good for that time of year, so we were able to see some awesome scenery going up the Inside Passage, at Hubbard Glacier (where we were on 9-11) and the Misty Fjords. Besides the balcony, we had a large bathroom with a tub, robes and a refrigerator in the living area. Our second and third Alaskan cruise on this vessel were actually 7-day Northbound and 7-day Southbound (back to back) cruises from Vancouver to Seward and back. Going up we had a cabin on Deck 2 (lowest for passengers) very near the bow and had two portholes instead of a window. NEVER get a cabin in the bow where the thrusters jolt you out of your bed when docking. We had a cabin on another ship right by the lifeboats that were lowered for offloading one time, and that was pretty nerve wracking, but that noise was nothing compared to the bow thruster noise. We were assigned to a cabins on the 3rd deck after docking at Seward, and went to an inside, right in the middle and directly under the dining room, toward the rear of the ship. We have never had a quieter cabin than this and the only time we heard any noise above us was one night when the midnight buffet was being set up and we were in our cabin. The only problem with an inside room is that without a clock, there is no way to tell what time it is.
Although the Vision was built in 1998, it has been kept in good condition, and has a nice layout. The shops are adequate for the sea days, there is a nice library and card room on the upper floors of the atrium or center area of the ship, and there is an internet café that looks great, but does not accommodate AOL (my provider) users! If I was to take a longer cruise this would be very inconvenient as I would have to wait until we landed to use the Internet, which is not an activity I like to do off the ship. The feedback I got from the pursers desk was that this was going to remain a problem. Why, they did not seem able to give an understandable explanation. The casino seemed to cater well to the gambling crowd and there is BINGO, dance classes, art auctions, etc. The dance floor on the 6th deck tended to get a bit crowded for the activities scheduled there, but it was practically abandoned at other times, which greatly pleased my wife and I who really enjoy dancing to live music. The live music on this most recent voyage was especially good and rates high for all the trips we have made over the years. The live shows were also high caliber with the likes of musician (mostly sax) Jay J. Downs from Scotland and Joey Van the comedian/impressionist from Wisconsin. The ships singers and dancers were very good, also, but the sound was excruciatingly loud for many of the numbers.
One of the people we were traveling with said the workout area was a bit heavy on stair steppers and sparse on stationary bikes. I recently had foot surgery, but when I have used this facility there are times one has to wait for a treadmill, too. I will say the view from the treadmills is excellent. There is also a climbing wall which at its summit puts climbers 200 feet above sea level. The views in Alaska must be outstanding from the top.
DINING:
Ships for the RCCL have adhered to assigned seating in their formal dining room. If we can get early or main dining, we like it. We enjoy the atmosphere and getting to know our waiter, head waiter and busboy, as well as getting royal service. The food variety was generally very good as was its taste and presentation. On this trip we were not plagued by the ship photographers forcing themselves upon us, which we appreciated. For the first time, we did not use the dining room for breakfast or lunch, instead using the casual Windjammer Cafe in the front of the ship where we could enjoy the unspoiled views of the Alaskan wilderness.
PERKS:
Most cruise lines have perks for repeat customers. The RCCL has The Crown & Anchor Society. The perks are things like quicker boarding, a special cocktail party, coupons for services, products, activities, etc. For example, a good discount for spa services, beverages that are not covered, discount for ship logo merchandise, half-price photos, free money for slots, etc. Repeat customers also receive a gift after their first cruise, like: a fanny pack, travel pouches, cloth shopping bags, photo albums or even a bottle of wine. Upon completing five cruises you get more coupons, a bathrobe for the cruise, an extra cocktail party and a comfortable lounge area to wait in before disembarking at the end of the cruise. Those who sail with RCCL more than 10 times get a few more benefits, also.
PORTS OF CALL:
VANCOUVER, B.C. is a picturesque city on Puget Sound with spacious parks nearby, nestled amongst mountain foothills. Historic Gas Town is near the RCCL inconveniently located (for those who drive in) terminal. The walk from the terminal to downtown is quite strenuous as it is necessary to traverse a maze of railroad tracks and trek up several flights of stairs. Passengers arriving by car can plan on at least a three hour trip from Seattle, and because the return trip is on a Friday, you can expect to hit weekend and rush hour traffic. There is stop and go traffic from north of Everett to Seattle and points south. It will take a minimum of six hours from Vancouver to Seattle if there are no traffic problems. If you are not familiar with Vancouver and you do not have an in-car navigation system, I suggest writing down EXACT directions to the Blaine Boarder Crossing; otherwise, plan on an overnight stay in Canada!
KETCHIKAN supposedly has over 300 days of rain a year. Their saying is: If you can see the mountains, it is going to rain. If you cannot, it is raining. On the four times we have been there it never rained, and twice it was so warm we had to wear short sleeves. This town is a former Tlingit (Native American) summer fishing camp that in the 1930s named itself The Salmon Capital of the World. It is a wonderful place to shop and explore. I especially like to visit the shops on Creek Street that sit on pilings towards the S.E. end of town. In the fall, there are uncountable salmon spawning up a little steam in this area. This time, in the summer, nary a single salmon was present inland, but there were a lot jumping all along the shoreline. The airport is situated on an island outside of town, and air travelers not taking seaplanes need to take a ferry to the airport. The seaplane traffic is amazing, at times rivaling air traffic at a busy airport in the Lower 48. In the past few years, cruise ship traffic has increased significantly and when the ships are in, the sidewalks and shops are quite crowded. If you want to escape the crowds, walk inland where there are residential areas, parks, a museum, and a fish hatchery. I noticed for the first time a free shuttle out to the Ketchikan Walmart. In a way, it is kind of sad to see the old fishing camp in the Last Frontier join in the 21st century. The trip to get here is kinda nice, though.
SKAGWAY is a nifty little port used by gold prospectors going to the Yukon Gold Rush of 1897-98 that stayed on the map after the Gold Rush because of a railroad - The White Pass Scenic Railway. If you take a trip on this train, and it is a relatively nice day, you will be treated to some spectacular scenery and historic sights as you climb 3,000 feet. It is suggested that you take your passport because you will be entering Canada. Sightseers may also chose to travel around town in 1936-1937 motorcoach (streetcar), or ride down from the summit on a bicycle. There are also horseback riding adventures, hiking , Jeeping, helicopter rides, and even a combination helicopter flight-train ride-hike.
If it is shopping that grabs your fancy, you are in for a treat! Here is a town that has managed to maintain its historical look and feel, including board sidewalks. When there are ships in the harbor, it gets a little crowded, but because there is so little motor traffic, all you have to do is walk in the street. There are wares for almost any taste, and many of the stores will bargain with you.
HAINES is quite close to Skagway, but not open to cruise ships this season because of dock maintenance - at least that is the story I got this cruise. We have been there only once, and then only briefly. There is not a heck of a lot there, but there was an interesting museum with a section of it devoted to totem pole restoration. Because we were there late in the season, not many of the few shops there were open. There are several physically oriented tours that are initiated in Haines: hikes, kayaking, canoeing, rock climbing and rappelling.
JUNEAU is a good destination with lots of activities and shopping adventures. When there are four or five cruise ships in port (as was the case on our most recent trip) it just
gets too crowded, because the town is up against a mountain and there tends to be a lot of traffic down its main street. I got the feeling of trying to walk through the neck of a funnel. When you can find your way into a store, you can buy just about anything, but be prepared to wait in line. There are some interesting tours which include: Mendenhall Glacier trips, historic gold mine tours, bike rides, sports fishing (catch & release), helicopter treks, whale watching, salmon bakes, floatplane flight-seeing and kayaking.
If it is a clear day (which we have never experienced in four trips) take the tram at the south end of town for an unparalleled view of the town and the surrounding Alaskan wilderness.
ICY STRAITS (HOONAH) is the newest port of call in Glacier Bay vicinity and close to Juneau, Skagway and Haines. We were only the 12th cruise ship to ever call on this former salmon cannery and fishing village. Only one ship at a time can call on this port, and it is necessary to tender into shore from the ship. As you climb the gangway from the float to the cannery dock, local natives (some in traditional native dress) hand each visitor a small brown envelope containing a large wood chip along with a card which says: The wood chip is given to you with honor in hopes you will see the true spirit in all things, and understand that the balance the earth gives us is essential to our existence. May you take this wood chip and contribute to the ceremonial bonfire at the Cannery Point picnic area in memory of them at Icy Strait Point. And the flip side says: The tides bring life. Fire brings communion. Smoke spreads our spirit. The ash gives birth to new life. The main attraction is a refurbished fish cannery with a museum, retail shops with quite reasonable prices and nearby native theater and chowder house. There is a nice beach trail and nature trail. While picking up rocks on the beach, one of our traveling companions looked up to see a large humpback whale blowing a mere 100 feet away! We took a cab ride with a driver named Chops (a 25th (?) generation Tlingit native) into downtown Hoonah and around for $2.50 which included a visit to an eagle nest with two whopping big babies, plus a ride through the woods (where a good sized deer buck crossed the road in front of us), then swung through Chops neighborhood and to a vantage point with a sweeping vista. Downtown is a Post Office, gymnasium, church and school. Between town and the cannery is a muddy gravel road that takes you past a graveyard which gives the names and ages of the deceased, and the True Value Hardware/Grocery Store and the Office Restaurant. Icy Strait Point and Hoonah is not much yet, but you are treated to a glimpse of a typical Alaskan outpost as it steps into the 21st century. Also, if you take a fishing trip and catch a fish here, you can have it sent to your home in the lower 48.
HUBBARD GLACIER is probably the most interesting active glacier that is accessible to the general cruising public. In the four trips we have seen it we never fail to be amazed at its spectacular show. This time we saw a 300 foot tall section of ice drop with such force that it created a wave that significantly rocked the cruise ship Ryndam which was precariously close to the glacier. There were other significant ice drops as well as four Shooters which occur when the glacier loses ice from under the water and it shoots out of the water. Our glacier expert and guide said it was the first time he had seen so many shooters or such a large ice drop in his 20 years of glacier watching. We also saw several seals on some of the ice bergs/ flows. Incidentally, if you go outside to watch the glacial show you will also be impressed by the sounds that accompany it.
SEWARD was a port we were looking forward to seeing for the first time, but we were disappointed. The docking area was in an industrial area with a coal loading facility parallel to our ship. This city definitely is not courting cruise ships, and it is necessary to take a shuttle into the main part of town which is a couple miles distant. The mentality of Seward seems to be geared to being prepared for another earthquake like the one they had forty years ago. There are tsunami evacuation route signs on most street corners. It is also not very tourist friendly with set high prices for just about everything. I was ten cents short of having enough change for a cup of coffee, and rather than let me have it, the coffee shop gave me change for a 10 dollar bill. I was intrigued by a restaurant featuring musk ox, caribou and reindeer on their menu, but I went back to the ship for lunch. The scenery outside of town was nice, but overall we wouldn not choose to return to an overpriced berg waiting for another earthquake.
MISTY FJORDS is the ultimate of unspoiled wilderness! While gawking at the beauty of these fjords a couple standing by us said: If you are planning on seeing the fjords in Norway and Sweden, save yourself the time and money. We have been there and these are just as beautiful, and closer to home.
VANCOUVER, B.C. was reached on schedule and the first rain this summer (August 6) greeted us. Although we had a nice waiting area to wait in until we off loaded, the following two hours were misdirected chaos. There were not nearly enough Canadian Customs Agents to handle the throng, and I heard a few people complaining that they missed their flights. There was another hour wait for U.S. Customs at the boarder crossing. I guess it is the price to pay if you want to travel in times of terrorism. Three hours of security checks were worth the 14 days we spent on this spectacular Alaskan cruise.
SHOPPING HINTS & OBSERVATIONS:
If you are going to buy SOUVENIRS: Except for Icy Straits and Seward, you will find outlet-type stores with reasonable prices.
ULU KNIVES: (used for chopping food, etc.) can be found in practically every store except jewelry and clothing stores, are a wonderful utensil for cooks. My wife bought her first one three years ago and uses it almost daily. The $2 - $3 ulus work fine, but the sets that include a shallow wooden bowl are almost a joke. Spend more for a deeper bowl and save frustration. Of the three sizes of ulu blades the smaller one gets used most often.
SKAGWAY: The best deals tend to be at the far end of town.
Cruise ship graffiti: If you are into graffiti art, there are many interesting examples with various cruise ship logos, year of voyage and the captain name painted on the rock cliffs alongside the cruise ship berths.
SEWARD: Expect to pay full price for everything.
END OF THE SEASON: If you cruise at the end of the cruise ship season, look for 75% discounts on just about everything. It is a really good time to pick up books about Alaska.
Even though my wife and I have lived in the Pacific Northwest for several decades, and we thought an Alaska cruise would be a waste of time and money, we were dead wrong. It truly is The Last Frontier filled with priceless sights and experiences. We have traveled all over the world, but Alaska is near the top of the list for favorite cruises.
Recommended:
Yes
Best Suited For: Families
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D_Edgers
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Location: Port Orchard, WA USA
Reviews written: 5
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Don Edgers
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