mac66

Here's the link to a photo gallery of our cruise. https://order.picthrive.com/d32e6cb0-6b ... dcff14073/

Just returned from a small ship "adventure and expedition" cruise on the Chichagof Dream from Alaska Dream Cruises. It is labeled as "Authentic and personal small expedition adventures through Alaska’s Inside Passage" The ship is approximately 200 feet long and hold 75 passengers. There were 54 on this trip. It was 7-night cruise out of Juneau to Sitka. Alternatively they sail from Sitka to Juneau. We had wanted to do the inside passage of Alaska and chose this small ship adventure cruise over a large cruise line trip. We had toured the northern part of Alaska by RV several years earlier. We arrived on Wednesday in Juneau for our Friday embarkation. Took a day and a half to adapt to the 4 hour time change and see the town. Transfers of us and luggage was arranged by the cruise from the airport. On Friday morning our luggage was picked up and we were asked to show up at the cruise lines hospitality room which was a short walk from our hotel. We were given an orientation and put on buses for an afternoon tour of Juneau. This involved a trip to the state museum, the Whale fountain/park and the Mendenhall Glacier which was down past the airport and near where our ship was docked. At around 4 pm we boarded the ship. We were shown to the lounge area on deck 2 forward for a ship orientation then to our cabin on deck 3, starboard. After a muster/safety drill we went back to the lounge and were introduced to the crew, expedition leaders, etc. To keep this short and sweet I'll got through the various aspects of the ship, itinerary etc. Accommodations Cabins: Our cabin was very small with a tiny bathroom. It had two single beds. There were larger double bed cabins available, but they were considerably more expensive. Considering this cruise was considerably more expensive than a big ship cruise we opted for this level. There was a lower level inside cabin on deck 2, basically the same cabin but a little cheaper but they were sold out by the time we booked. The beds were very uncomfortable. Lounge-Forward on deck 2. Very nice with bar. Plenty of windows, seating, board games and a bar. Dining-Deck 1 aft. 6 tables of 8, 2 tables of 4. Plenty of room. lots of big windows. Activities-There were lectures/talks every day by staff. They were very good. We expected based on the literature provided to be taken on guided hikes and kayak trips in the back country. We did do 2 guided short hikes. Ther first was very good. The other was a 2 mile power walk on a groomed trail around a small island. it was for the "active" group so I guess the guide thought that meant we needed a workout. The 2 kayak trips were basically, "here, take out the kayak and be back in 45 minutes. No guided trips up hidden inlets as what was inferred by the literature. They were also poorly organized. It you didn't get on the first group you got shortchanged both in time and experience. The first groups saw more and stayed out a very long time. Nothing to do while the other groups were out. Very disappointed with the discrepancy. At the glacier they launched the small boats to take people up close to the glacier. They had 2 boats so people had to go in shifts. The first 2 boats went up close and stayed a long time. We were in boat 3 and loaded as soon as boat 2 emptied. Boat 4 loaded just after we left. On the way to the glacier boat 4 passed us and went right up to the glacier. Slower boat 3 never went close to the glacier even after I specifically asked to get as close as boats 1,2 &4. The driver just wouldn't do it. We turned back and boat 4 stayed awhile longer. Very disappointed again. Food Was hit or miss. Salads came drowned in dressing and pretty much inedible. Soups were either completely bland, no flavor or over spiced. Bean soup one night was so peppery it was inedible. French onion soup one night was so sweet it made your jaw ache. Sweet french onion soup??? Sides were usually very bland with no sauces. Entrees were generally good with fall backs to salmon/fish or steak. The steak was very good. The best meal of the week was a surf and turf feast. Crab legs, salmon and steak. It was served at the cruise company's lodge and was outstanding. Overall, disappointed with the food although b'fast and lunches were good. Running joke all week was about how nearly all the deserts were rhubarb based. Rhubarb pie, rhubarb tarts, strawberry/rhubarb short cake etc. Fall back was chocolate or strawberry ice cream but no vanilla. Disappointed with the meals Other Stuff... -Being a small group, we did meet a lot of nice people. We made it a point to sit next to someone different at each meal which was fun. -We did see a lot of whales, both humpbacks and orcas, eagles, sea otters, seals, salmon. Didn't see any bears -Besides Mendenhall glacier while we in Juneau we saw a couple other glaciers, went up Tracy's Arm, and went to Glacier National Park. The trail in GNP we were to hike was shut due to bear activity. We did hike another short trail on our due to time constraints. Overall, while we did have a good time, we were disappointed at what we got for what we paid. Mediocre food, uncomfortable bed and not really as adventurous as advertised. I checked and you could get a suite on Royal with a butler, good bed, good food and have all the amenities for half of what this cruise cost. My advice is to do a big ship cruise for a fraction of the cost and then use that money saved to take the excursions up to Denali, dog sled, maybe a helicopter ride to the glacier, whale watching etc. You'll pretty much see what we saw but with a lot more people. I'd be happy to answer any questions.

For what's it's worth...just got back from a small ship cruise (200ft long 54 passengers). It was kind of an adventure/expedition cruise from Juneau to Kitna in 7 days.. Hit a bunch of small out of the way inlets and bays. Actually, went all over place. We did see a lot of whales, I do mean lots of them, every day. Pods of humpbacks and orcas. Everywhere were went we saw whales constantly. At one point there were 3 or 4 pods of Orcas playing, breaching, rolling and bumping each other going under our ship. 30 individuals according to the naturalist on board. Just out of Juneau we say a dozen humpbacks. We watched them for 45 minutes and by that time there were a dozen whale watching boats all around us. Whale watchers radio each other to tell them where the whales are. Just good business to do so. We saw them in bad weather, sometimes nice weather. Bottom line I don't think you'll have a problem seeing whales.

Just got back for a cruise in Alaska. It was on a small ship i.e 54 passengers, kind of an adventure/expedition cruise instead of a big cruise ship. Went out of Juneau and ended in Sitka. No other towns or cities. We arrived a couple days early in Juneau on a Wednesday. 2 big ships in port. Thursday there were 4 and 5 on Friday. We walked to the Tram across from the dock from our hotel on Thursday morning and got right on. Was kind of a cold and wet day so not many people off the ship at that time. We hiked up the mountain and back down and got back about the time the ships were unloading. We also ate dinner on the dock near the ships. There was a wait but not too bad. I'm guessing most ship passengers eat on board. Got on our ship late Friday afternoon which was docked way down past the Mendenhall Glacier. No ships were in port in Sitka when we got there the following Friday. The captain of our ship (younger guy about 30ish) grew up and lives in Sitka. He said the debate between limiting cruise ships is a hot one. On one side the local economy (both business and gov't) depends on the tourist revenue particularly since fishing business has gone down in recent years. They are not likely to bite the hand that feeds them. On the other hand you have the locals complaining about the crowds in town. Our captain did say that most of the complainers are older residents who are retired or liveyhoods don't depend on tourism dollars. Most residents, he says, support the cruise industry. They argue they get their towns back to normal during the off season. I guess you could say that about anywhere that draws tourists mostly during the summer, Grand Canyon, Yellowstone, Mount Rushmore etc, etc. Nice place to visit if it wasn't for all the dang tourists. But as Shakespear or somebody once said. "You can't have your cake and eat it too."

Been to the ABCs numerous times on cruises. Dived with Dive Friends on Bonaire (twice) and Scubacao (3 times) on Curacao. The last time we were in Bonaire we (my wife who doesn't dive) rented a golf cart and drove around the island and stopped and snorkeled as we went. It was pretty fun and hit all the snorkel spots. So if you wanted something different a golf cart is something to think about.

We have several sets of cheap snorkel gear but before that (like the first 20 years of cruising) we always rented, never had an issue with anything. When I started diving I used rental gear exclusively for about the first 5 years before buying my own. Since we tend to snorkel by ourselves whenever we get the chance while cruising we usually also bring travel fins which are smaller and easier to pack. If we book an excursion we use the vendor's fins. Personally I would just use the vendor operators gear until you decide if you like snorkeling or not. But hey, that's just me.

Dang, you get around! I always enjoy your videos.

I saw some in Bonaire every time I've been there, at least half a dozen times. I've also seen them in Curacao and at times most of the other Caribbean islands. Often times if you book a snorkeling excursion, they know where the turtles are.

Just an FYI, I bought RCL stock when it was low, sold it when it was higher. I'd have to take 77 more cruises to make up the difference in OBC.

Could you give us the condensed version. How was the snorkeling?😁

Good video as usual Rous, I was at the Salt pier in early February this year.

Uhh....yes you can.

I looked very closely at the RC dive program when I wanted to get certified. I would have gone that way hadn't the opportunity to do the classroom/confined water part popped up when it did. As I recall you had to buy your own mask either through RC or bring your own. I've also dived through the ship and have met many of the RC dive masters/instructors. Sometime they come along and dive with you on ship dive excursions. All the ones I've met have taken their instructor jobs very seriously and you have figure that they probably teach the class every single week, week in and week out, so they know their stuff. I'm sure you will have a great experience.

Sigh... this has been hashed and rehashed for years. -My wife has been using a full face mask (FFM) since the came out 10 years ago. -They work well for people who have trouble holding a snorkel in their mouth and don't dive under water. -Back in the day I thoroughly researched the safety of full faced masks and posted it here a few years ago. They aren't inherently unsafe. -I see a helluva lot of FFMs being used these days. -Except for certain circumstances such as noted, they aren't banned anywhere that I'm aware of at least in the Carribbean.

We've been to the ABCs a number of times. The last time this past Feb. I usually dive, my wife snorkels but before I started diving we did snorkeling trips or other stuff. Always enjoyed the off road ATV/UTV/Jeep trips to the wild side of the island in Aruba. If you've not been there it's worth it. We usually booked private tours. This past Feb we took the city bus out to a beach and snorkeled on our own. On Bonaire we've done Woodwind catamaran trips a couple times. Highly recommended. The last time we were there in Feb we rented a golf cart and toured by ourselves. That was very fun. In Curacao we've either dived or did snorkeling via private company. This past Feb we just walked around in town then went swimming off the dock next to the ship.

There are ways to supplement your alcohol consumption even it you are a D, D+ or higher without buying the package. Bringing wine on board is one way, gambling is another. There are others.

Oh well, first world problems. For someone who never gets lobster except on a cruise, it's good enough.

A little perspective concerning prices. Prior to 2020 RCIs debt load was $10 billion but that was mostly new ship orders. During covid the debt rose to $22 billion. I think at the end of 2023 it was somewhere around $17B. So RCI is making money and still building and ordering ships but their debt is massive and has to be made up somehow i.e, higher prices, lower expenses. Prices on everything has gone up due to inflation and govt policies. If/when the cruise lines stop getting passengers (supply larger than demand) prices will fall. I don't see that happening except during the traditional lag times during the year (between Thanksgiving and Christmas and late Jan-early Feb). There may be other times during the year when prices fall but that's when we cruise.

Another perspective..... In regards to equipment. The class I took at home was one of the few if not the only one I looked at that didn't require you buy a mask and fins. I did my class/confined dives at home and my OW cert dives on a cruise. Since I dive only on cruises, either through the ships excursions or book with a shop privately I did over 20 dives before I bought my own mask. I never had a problem with a rental mask leak even with a mustache/full beard. The only issue I even had was that I have neanderthal brow ridge that some of the lens frames press into at depth which is uncomfortable. I took notes of every mask I used and bought a $50 Cressi Matrix which is very comfortable over the 7 or 8 dives I've used it. One thing I did buy was a 3mm wet suit. I get/got cold diving (don't have a lot of fat on me) even though most places have shorty wet suits. After the second set of cert dives I bought a full length wet suit and boots. I now have over 30 dives and still don't have my own dive fins or dive computer. I will agree with Harris however, if you do get fins, buy open heal ones. Most rental fins are closed heal and won't fit boots. Since I only dive once or twice a year on cruises I can get by without my own fins but its nice when the rentals are open healed with at least straps so I can wear my boots. Boots are good for shore dives, not really necessary for boat dives. My rationale for not buying a computer is that I don't really dive enough to justify the cost. Every dive I've been on have been guided by dive masters and the open water cert only allows you to go down to 60' max anyway. Bottom line....I have no desire or intention of doing advanced open water. If I was younger I'd probably go all in with certs and equipment but at my age, it's just a once or twice a year recreational thing. Would I like a dive computer and my own fins? Sure. Can I afford them? Sure. Do I need them? Nope.

BYOB, bring wine and find other ways to drink.

Jack is Tennessee whiskey. JD filters through charcoal giving it a unique flavor. Technically it is bourbon but with that added process they call it Tennessee whiskey. Crown Royal is Canadian whiskey. Technically it is also a bourbon but can't be called bourbon because it's not made in the states. Follow me so far :)? Compared to CR, JD has a more smokey, sweet taste. Bourbon/Tennessee/Canadian whiskey is different than Macallan which is scotch. The difference is bourbon is that it is made from corn mash (minimum 51%) which makes it sweeter and some say mellower. It can also include other grains such as rye, wheat and barley. Scotch uses malted single grains usually barley. Typically not as sweet as bourbon and depending on other factors (single malt vs. blended) not as smooth and depending on where in Scotland it was made has other characteristics as well. So if you are not scotch drinker it might be worth trying the Macallans which is a decent scotch. If you like different bourbons the varieties of JD may be to your liking. I've never had the upper end Macallans but the bottom lever stuff is pretty good. Likewise, I've never had the upper level JDs either. While I prefer scotch to bourbon I occasionally drink basic JD and/or other bourbons. And BTW, Irish Whiskey is made the same as bourbon but of course can't be called bourbon. I was quite fond of Jamison's when I was in Ireland..duh... It seems to be smoother than most bourbons and scotchs. All this talk is making me thirsty.

Good point, we did that once.

Did the POA in 2009 and again in 2018. The first time we stayed a week before getting on the ship. Great trip. The second time we went with friends and stayed a week before and 5 days after the ship. Absolutely the best way to see the islands. Would do it again in a heartbeat. The ship was kinda run down the second trip but you are pretty much on board just to eat dinner and sleep. It's been refurbished since we were last on it.

Sometimes it pays to use a TA. We booked an 11 night cruise last summer during a sale for a cruise in late Jan of this year. Infinite veranda for the price of an inside, basic drink package and wifi with $400 OBC. The TA threw in prepaid gratuities and additional refundable $400 OBC and another $50 OBC as TA loyalty credit. With all the OBC refunded the price was less than the cruise in an inside with non of the perks. I suppose that's because the TA books a block of cabins which the cruise line doesn't then have to sell. We went to the future cruise desk while on that cruise for another cruise but they couldn't beat the sale price we could get from our TA. Doesn't always happen that way but It pays to check all your sources.

The band we saw in early Feb was pretty bad. Can't remember their name. Yes they have Karaoke The sunset bar service shuts down late at night but you can still find a drink somewhere to drink.