SomewhereGirl

I've never heard of a suspension bridge at Icy Strait Point.  The websites below are old.  Does this bridge exist?  If so, where is it?  Is there a cost?

On a separate topic, if you don't pay for the mountaintop tram, can you just walk along the tram route?

(1) New Message! (icystraitpointexcursions.com)

• The network connecting the starting and ending point of the Icy Strait Point gondola has different walking trails. You can get down at one of the trails and take a walk and enjoy the breathtaking scenes of Icy Strait from the top. There is also a 340-feet suspension bridge that sways on top of a box canyon. The box canyon has a vertical drop of 900-feet. If you don’t like to go on the different walking trails, you can take a trip to the nearest tour departure center. The center will have options for various activities, such as helicopter flightseeing, ATV adventures, and bear searches.

Out of date:

Destinations; Icy Strait Point, Alaska (royalcaribbeanfbblog.com)

• A second gondola will take guests up the 1,600-foot Hoonah Mountain to the forested area around the ZipRider launch. The six minute ride will unlock additional areas for exploration and afford spectacular views of icefields, the Fairweather Range and Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve, the ancestral homeland of the Huna Tlingit people.  Huna Totem Corporation will develop new attractions for guests: a top-of-the-mountain nature trail around a glacially-carved reflecting pond, a 340-foot suspension bridge swaying over a box-canyon with a 900-foot vertical drop, and a tour departure center for bear searches and ATV adventures.  Helicopter flightseeing and more will be added during the 2021 season.

Hello,

I'm sailing this itinerary two weeks after you.  I've sailed to Alaska a few times so I'm taking it easy this time as far as excursions. I do have a couple questions for you though if you don't mind:

1.  Free cultural show at Icy Strait.  Do you have any more information on this? I can't find anything online about a free show.

2.  You had an option for a gondola with tram for $70?  I only see a gondola option for $69.  Maybe the other is sold out.  I only booked last week.

Looking forward to your review!

On 8/13/2023 at 11:27 AM, cleobella said:

Does anyone know what we could see in town other then shopping (though that is always good), and is the Cannery in walking distance from the ship?  

If you mean Hoonah, there really isn't much there.  It's tiny.

What if she doesn't say "yes"?  😮  That could make for an awkward rest of the cruise.

Yesterday I booked a cruise through CAS at a 20% discount.  Should I expect a drink card?  In 2019 I booked at the same discount and got a card, but then in 2021 I didn't (although I upgraded my cabin onboard so maybe the card didn't find me in my new cabin).  I like the card for the occasional soda and the bottled water.  Thank you.

I used to think a balcony was a must for Alaska (or anywhere) but I've changed my views.  I can't sit still for long.  I like to be out on deck where I can quickly move from one side of the ship to the other.  Personally, if money is a factor, I'd rather spend it on awesome excursions.

That is sad.  Two years ago I did the NCL Mendenhall Lake canoe excursion.  It was one of my favorite Alaska shore excursions ever.  The lake was so calm.  Who knew what was happening above the glacier.  Nature is wild and powerful.  Since the water would've come down from the mountain, across the lake to the river, it's probably a good thing this happened at night.  Sad for the locals dealing with the aftermath.

I went on a small bus shore excursion in Edinburgh last year.  I had the front seat and couldn't miss a big QR code sticker on the front dashboard.  That QR code was specifically to scan to tip somehow.  So that company seemed to expect it.  I handed the driver/guide a small tip at the end of the tour.  He said that's what his sporran was for.  A joke of course.  Or maybe the joke was that he was paid well and received even more in tips from a bus full of Americans (assumed).

Very good advice.  Make sure your paperwork goes with you to your new cabin.  Back after the restart in 2021, I paid for a cabin upgrade onboard (which some will say is not possible, but that's an argument for another thread).  A crew member helped me move my stuff to my new cabin.  When we got to my new cabin there were suitcases outside the door.  I assume the original occupants upgraded/changed cabin and did not print new luggage tags.  Also, after I moved cabins, I didn't receive any of my disembarkation paperwork, including the sticker to wear for the airport transfer.

Last summer on a British Isles cruise on Princess, passports were collected during the cruise for one port.  I can't remember which one.  We were instructed to leave our passports on the bed, the steward left a ticket that we had to give back to him to collect our passport.  It wasn't for the entire cruise, maybe just a day. 

Where are you sailing and are you a U.S. citizen?  

I have no firsthand experience but if you do a dummy booking with airfare, ground transportation is added for $78 (roundtrip).  Priced a solo traveller.

I had no problem doing so when I sailed out of Southampton last August.  My largest item was a rolling  suitcase that could be taken on an airplane.  The only issue beyond carry on was needing to keep it with me because the cabin decks were blocked off so couldn't drop it off in the cabin (boarded around 11).

Seems like they always run an authorization when you check in.  How did they do that on the first day and not subsequent days?🤷‍♀️

There are signs near the castle entrance that say 60 minutes from a certain point.  Consider that if you're on a ship's tour (of which there is probably more than one bus), you could be #1 of 50, or #50 of 50.  Of course, not everyone will want to kiss the stone but you're also contending with other tourists and your shipmates on private tours.  Walk fast.  It's quite aways from the coach drop off.  I went end of last August but with a private tour company (Paddywaggon).  Our busload was able to leave the port and get to Blarney Castle before the ship excursions.  Got to the top of the castle and there were maybe 15 people ahead of me.  I didn't want to kiss the stone though so didn't wait.  Just wanted to see inside the castle and the view from the top.

And definitely go with the small group tour for the very slightly higher price.  Well worth it.

9 hours ago, ChiefMateJRK said:

You doubt it?  Do you have any recent experience?

You win.  There's plenty of seating in the OL for a couple thousand passengers...and plenty of room in the Cavern Club...and the Atrium...because logically there's more room for everyone when then ship is at full capacity vs reduced capacity.

1 hour ago, ChiefMateJRK said:

So, you picked the absolute worst time to use the OL?

I doubt it's ever not like that on a non-port day, you know like when the ship is moving and there's something to observe.  🖕

Whenever I see people post recommending Bliss or Encore because of the huge observation lounge I want to say don't count on it.  I can't even imagine it on a ship at full capacity.  I was on the Encore to Alaska in 2021 after the restart at like 70% capacity.  Walked through the OL on Glacier Bay day and couldn't get out of there fast enough.  Had the whole lazer tag area to myself (weather permitting).  OL was good for the banana chips at the breakfast "buffet".

This doesn't answer the exact question but I went with Paddywaggon tours in September.  Our tour was able to leave and get to Blarney before the Princess excursions.  Minimal wait at the top of the castle.  Didn't not kiss the stone because gross.  Suggest going with a non-Princess tour operator.  The coach drop-off is a bit of a distance from the castle.  Walk fast.  

My experience is they assign the time based on your flight time but if you don't like your assigned time you can go to Passenger Services and request a different time.  I wanted to ensure plenty of time to get to LHR and through security before flying back to the States so I exchanged my luggage tags for an earlier time to add a bit more cushion.

How old were these jerks?  I'm guessing 20-somethings who thought they were being cute when really they were just being a--holes.

I was on the Princess cruise that same week of 2022.  The combination of price and the ports for that sailing were great.  We had really great weather.  No rain except the morning of sailing from Southampton and then in Edinburgh.  Sunny or overcast skies for the rest of the cruise.  Mild, comfortable temps.  I had been following the weather in the weeks leading up to my sailing.  There had been a heat wave.  The Emerald Isle wasn't as emerald as I expected.  Fields were brown because there hadn't been much rain, and the heat.  But as Bob said, weather is a lottery.  

On my last cruise on Emerald one day I heard all these slamming doors.  I finally poked my head out and asked the steward what was going on.  It was HIM slamming the doors.  He said he was checking them so he was opening and slamming every door in the vicinity.  WTH.  I was completely disgusted and still am.  

I got the email also but these coupons are not listed under my coupons and credits.