29 aug - 05 Sept Diamond Alaska Northbound

[Ken076]

We recently returned from the 29 August- 05 September 2009 Vancouver/Anchorage Sailing, STBD Baja Deck Balcony.

 

Our reactions:

 

Vancouver was REALLY nice. We used the $39 fixed rate EuroCar Towncar Limo service from YVR to Hotel - for not much more than cabfare we got a personable, English-speaking driver who gave us a great Vancouver overview on the way to the hotel. Having said that, Train service from YVR to Canada Place is now in service for only a few $$ per person. I'd strongly recommend NOT flying into Vancouver on cruise day and instead scheduling at least one sightseeing pre-cruise day. Our travel companions really enjoyed the all day motorcoach/ferry trip to Victoria & Butchart Gardens!

 

The Steamworks and Transcontinental Restaurants were great eateries, as was the Pita Express in the adjoining Waterfront Food Court for an inexpensive, cooked to order breakfast each morning. The Old Spaghetti Factory was OK. We missed lunch at the recommended Water Street Cafe and lunch in the revolving Vancouver Lookout (expensive, but you don't have to pay the Lookout admission!).

 

We used the narrated Hop-On-Hop-Off Vancouver Trolley to get around; Stanley park was a disappointment to our party, as was Chinatown.

 

We stayed 3 nites at Fairmont Waterfront (the Hotel is GREAT and well located; cityview or more expensive harbour view rooms are equally great) and we were able to have our luggage sent from our room to the ship on Saturday morning. We initially booked an acceptable, refundable & cancelable deal at Sutton Place 9 months in advance, and then waited for an Internet Special at the Fairmont. (The Westin Bayshore is also a nice choice, located in a marina area a 5 or 10 minute harbour-side walk from Canada Place.)

 

No more than 30 minutes to pass thru Port Security, Immigration and Princess check-in. If you want to make nice with the Immigration Officers, have one person in your Party hand them all your Passports, opened to the Photo Page!

 

We felt the service (everywhere on the ship) was Extraordinary, the food was Pretty Good and the entertainment was OK. There were enough activities that we missed many, including the English Pub Lunch offered only one lunchtime in one of the anytime dining rooms. A large percentage of couples "dressed-up" for the two Formal Nites.

 

In retrospect we might not have booked a Balcony as we spent little time in the cabin and IMO the better glacier viewing is topside. IMO there's really no advantage of STBD balconies over PORT balconies, as there's a view from either side during the Inside Passage, and when you pull into Glacier Bay and College Fjord there's a view on both sides, and the narration begins for the view on the Port side.

 

We booked Princess whale watching in Juneau; in retrospect I would have booked a smaller, independent for that excursion, as you're in port 'til 9:00PM and there's little danger of missing departure. IMO you're probably not going to get any GREAT, up-close whale-sightings from the ship; IMO if you want to see whales, book whale watching in Vancouver-Victoria or in Juneau. Again, IMO, if you miss Mendenhall Glacier in Juneau in favor of other excursions, you haven't missed much since you get glacier overload in Glacier Bay and College Fjord, which are simply overwhelming.

 

Also in retrospect, I'd have booked Traditional Dining versus Anytime Dining, and would have just missed the Dining Room the one late day in Skagway; there's a lot to be said for the same waitstaff (and table companions) each nite!!! Having said that, the atmosphere and service in the anytime dining rooms was just as good as in the Traditional.

 

In Anchorage we stayed at the Holiday Inn Express Airport and ate at local Gwennies, which were both "OK"; in retrospect we might have eaten at the almost as close "touristy" Sourdough Mining Company. We went to the Museum of Art and Natural History, which has a floor of Alaskan Heritage displays, but missed the Alaska Heritage Center on the outskirts of town.

 

Anchorage Airport only has a few agents/counters for each airline, and looks like it can have some long lines when each (full) flight arrives to check-in.

 

If you get in late the preceding day or get in early on cruise day, consider the morning motorcoach Vancouver tour that picks you and your luggage up, gives you a whirlwind tour of Vancouver (including the Vancouver Lookout) and drops you and your luggage at Canada Place, for a reasonable price.

 

Consider booking your own pre-cruise hotel and Airport-Hotel transportation. Based on how well they're selling, most of the five and 4 star hotels eventually have some very good rates, much less than the cruiseline rate.

 

We DID find that Princess EZ Check IS available in Whittier/Anchorage, which we were unable to ascertain from anyone prior to the trip. Princess left a two-sided flyer in our room the 2nd day indicating the arrangement and that it had to be turned-in by noon the 3rd day. They do offer the service for (Air Canada, Alaska Airlines, American Airlines, Continental Airlines, Delta airlines, Northwest Airlines and US Airways) out of Anchorage airport, for flights leaving after 11:00AM and before Midnite on debarkation day. "Service fee for this baggage and boarding pass service is $20pp. any additional baggage fees as determined by the airlines will be added to your shipboard account the final day of your voyage. If your reservation meets your airline's criteria for fee exemptions, then no additional airline baggage fees will be applied."

 

Book your cabin category and cruise at a fare you can live with, but watch the fares DAILY. We booked at $1524 pp when the bookings opened 16 months in advance, and thru a series of price adjustments ended-up with a rate of $740 pp. The Princess reservationists were always pleasant and cooperative each time we called to ask for a rate adjustment.

 

ken

[Colo Cruiser]

Thanks for the review. :)

[EKELLEY]

How was the weather?

[Ken076]

How was the weather?

 

forgot to mention! The 10-Day forecast a week before departure was rain and overcast EVERY day in Alaska. Fortunately, It was shorts and T-shirt weather in Vancouver, and everywhere in Alaska it was Sunny and warmer than usual; everywhere we went, the locals mentioned that our week was the first week of sunshine & warmth in 6 weeks. The only place it was COLD was (surprise!) in Glacier Bay and in College Fjord. The weather was pretty much PERFECT!

 

ken