quack2

Yes. To me, one side is more interesting. I like to know where I'm going; not where I've been.

The Juneau round trip requires you to arrive in Juneau early enough to board the boat at 8 a.m. Getting harder and harder to find an itinerary that does that.

I found the aft balcony very boring. I can only stare at the wake for so long. Next time (if there is one), I'm going back to my balcony on either side of ship.

Stop? No. Minimize? Hell yes. The goal isn't perfection

Exactly right. I use Glacier Wind whenever I'm in Icy Strait. Cruise ship whale watching excursions are an exercise in frustration due to overbooking.

It's been 17 days since I tested positive. First two days were like a moderate cold/flu with slight fever. Since then, it's mostly been like a minor cold whose symptoms just won't go away entirely. Just now getting taste back. Cruise was nice, but things were different, especially in port. Not as many excursion options. One excursion cancelled the day before due to lack of bookings. Weather was great in Juneau and Skagway. Mostly overcast the rest of time. Glacier Bay was a disappointing due to the lower cloud deck. I booked my first aft balcony cabin at a nice price. I probably won't due that again. I would rather see what's coming than what we've already gone by. But that's just me. I can understand why people like aft cabins. Noise was not an issue. Internet was better than expected, though I wasn't stressing it very much. Mostly checking email, news, sports scores, stock market, etc.

I am fully vaccinated including two boosters. I wore a KN95 mask on and off the ship except while eating. I still got COVID during the cruise. I strongly oppose eliminating the pre-cruise testing requirement. COVID is still out there despite what many people would like to believe.

I wouldn't do Fairbanks unless I could rent a car.

Came back from my Alaska cruise last week with COVID. Maybe 10% of the passengers were wearing masks on the ship. (I was one of them). 4 vaccinations and near-constant mask-wearing wasn't enough to prevent getting COVID. People just don't give a damn about keeping themselves and others away from the virus if it means taking reasonable precautions like wearing a mask. Sad reflection on humanity. But probably not surprising since cruise passengers as a whole, are the most whiny, first-world problem, travelers in the world.

I had no problem doing both. Only sacrifice was that it leaves little time to walk the streets of Juneau. Oh, and the MDR was closed by the time I got back from the whale watching trip.

I did my first aft balcony on my recent Alaska cruise on the Zuiderdam. I probably won't do it again. My balcony was pretty deep, but it was mostly wasted space. I like to sit or stand near the rail and much of the balcony space between the stateroom and the rail is wasted. Also, I like to know what scenery is coming up rather than after it goes by.

No priest on the Zuiderdam last week.

Careful, the Saudis may execute anyone who complains about the food.

No BB King's on Zuiderdam, but there is a Rolling Stone Lounge. Did I miss something?