Just Completed Northbound RCL - Questions?

[blaster454]

Radiance of the Seas - 17 thru 25 June 2010 - Vancouver to Seward

 

Anyone wanting specific information? I will try to answer all.

 

Cheers!

Larry

 

RCL Adventure San Juan Southern Caribbean 2008

RCL Radiance Northbound Alaska 2010

[CP3o]

How was it overall? What nights were formal and semi-formal? Would you say people dressed up more than your previous cruise with RCCL or less? Any great excursions you did and any you probably wouldn't advise or do again?

 

Thanks.

[blaster454]

We had a great time on the cruise, even with some rain.

 

The MDR dress seemed to be a bit more loose on this Alaskan cruise that on my previous cruise. There were two formal nights and one "smart casual" night. I'd guess 60-70 percent of the people were dressed for formal night but there was everything from shorts and slacks to tuxedos and gowns. Smart casual night was a bit looser. Jeans were not uncommon although I saw nothing that I would consider "sloppy" dress.

 

I tend to pay attention to my table and wait staff and enjoy the meal! :D We were a party of and wanted a smaller table. We were seated at a large table with another party of six. Other than the seating being very tight around the table (not all chairs could be pushed in at the same time) we had a ball. The group with which we ate was personable and a lot of fun.

 

And the food was quite good. I'm a meat and potatoes person and had beef 4 nights ... each time cooked to perfection and quite tasty. There was no problem getting whatever you wanted and in almost any quantity, too!

 

We did a couple of ship sponsored excursions and a couple that we arranged. The best was whale watching out of Juneau with Harv & Marv. Even with drizzle and cool weather we had a great time and this is a tour I highly recommend. We walked around Ketchikan and did the ATV tour in ISP which was interesting and fun--good local guide. Nothing stood out as "bad" ... we did a follow-on Alaska tour but with our own rental car and hotel arrangements ... I much preferred that over the organized tours through RCS.

 

One caveat is that many of the excursions sell out fast, especially if you have a larger party ... best to do order them in advance.

[bne33]

Sounds wonderful!

 

Did you use RCI's arrangements to get to Anchorage from Seward? Was it smooth?

 

What rooms were you in?

 

Thanks!!

[Alli_in_Alaska]

Hi -- We're going to take the opposite cruise from Seward to Vancouver on Radiance in August. Just curious about a few things...

 

- What was your overall impression of the ship and the amenities?

- How was the food (aside from meat/potatoes)? We're reading mixed reviews.

- Were there many kids on the cruise?

- What was your experience with room service?

- What's the deal with bottled water? We all drink a lot of water. Can you get it at the buffet or does it make sense to pay a fortune for a case from RCL?

- How was the weather for you - cool or cold?

 

Thanks for allowing me to ask some questions particular to this trip/ship!

Alli

[blaster454]

Sounds wonderful!

 

Did you use RCI's arrangements to get to Anchorage from Seward? Was it smooth?

 

What rooms were you in?

 

Thanks!!

 

It was probably the best vacation I've had! :D

 

We did not use the RCI transfer--we had planned our own tour from Seward to Denali and had a car rental waiting in Anchorage (Seward rentals are $$$$ when you drop off in Anchorage! We stayed the day in Seward to catch the night train into Anchorage. Military fare (I am retired and my son is active duty) was $104 for each person for the Gold Star service. We went directly to the AKRR station after disembarking at about 9:10 (walking distance about 10 minutes) and checked our bags right away. They also let us tag and store our carry-on bags so we just had back packs during the day.

 

We then split with two going to a musher camp display and the other two going to the Alaska Sea Life Center. There are free shuttles and taxis in Seward. We ate at a neat tavern at the foot of 4th Street and had great Halibut (large servings, too) and some of that most excellent Alaskan Amber beer!

 

Easily killed the day in Seward ... we walked all the way back up 4th Street to the train station (for me, with one lung, that was a hike!). Train boarded about an hour before departure and pulled out right at 6:00 to arrive (in broad daylight! :D) in Anchorage at 10:10 P.M. Took a long time to get all the luggage off and that was a tiring day for us. The transfer was very smooth and the AKRR staff are very helpful. We took a taxi to get to our hotel in midtown ... needed a big van because of the luggage! :eek:

 

Aboard the Radiance, I, my daughter and my son had a junior suite (1584) and my wife and her brother had a rear cabin (1604). Both were excellent and in good condition. Its a little walk to the elevators but that was not too much an issue. The aft cabins do have nice balconies but on an Alaska cruise that didn't bother me too much ;). On deck 10 aft you are right under the Windjammer and sometimes we heard the serving carts trundling back and forth ... but I can't say it was a problem. The ride was smooth except for that last leg from Hubbard across the Gulf of Alaska where there was some mild pitching.

[blaster454]

Hi -- We're going to take the opposite cruise from Seward to Vancouver on Radiance in August. Just curious about a few things...

 

- What was your overall impression of the ship and the amenities?

I was impressed. Radiance is an older ship but she wears her years well. I saw nothing that struck me as out of place or distasteful. I had read accounts of plumbing problems on deck 10 (others?) and one day there was a maintenance crew working in an access hatch in our hall. There was a slight odor in the bathrooms but I don't think I'd call it mustiness and would not describe it as foul. My comparison is to the Adventure of the Seas which is newer and larger ... the decor and fittings were comparable on both.

- How was the food (aside from meat/potatoes)? We're reading mixed reviews.

Generally, I thought the food was good. We had 11 at our table and there was not a night go by that at least one didn't order double or triple offerings. Each night the menu was varied, meaning that there was at least one sea food and one red meat, plus additional dishes. The cuisine changed each night (Italian, Mediterranean, ...). I heard no one complain about any of the menu offerings.

- Were there many kids on the cruise?

Surprisingly, there were a lot of kids -- meaning from toddler to teen. It was not a "pool" trip due to weather and they do open the Solarium to "family time" for a few hours in the morning and afternoon. I didn't particularly notice any issues because of children. We had some noisy teens in the suite next to ours but it was more a case of pent up energy than misbehaving ... a few words to them and they politely acknowledged our need for quiet in the evening. I did not look at the youth activities on board but maybe someone else can comment.

- What was your experience with room service?

We used room service sparingly. The service was good and the selection varied, matching generally the choices in Windjammer and MDR.

I heard no specific complaints.

- What's the deal with bottled water? We all drink a lot of water. Can you get it at the buffet or does it make sense to pay a fortune for a case from RCL?

Well, bottled water (and soft drinks) can be problematic. Bottled water must be purchased but you can get it in ports for a significant savings. I guess I managed enough wine and foo-foo drinks :D to get by. I did use a few soft drinks from our mini bar but again, cheaper in port if you don't mind carrying it back.

- How was the weather for you - cool or cold?

This was one of my concerns. Our late June weather varied from bright sun to rain. Temps were generally in the 50's evenings to 60's in the day except at Hubbard glacier where temps may have been 10 degrees cooler. For shipboard wear I used slacks and long sleeve shirts and was comfortable. In port we layered (I know, it's almost cliche!). Jeans, light under shirts, sweaters, sweat shirts, and a rain covering. A spare pair of walking shoes is good depending on what activities you try. I only used the sweat shirt once (at the glacier when up on deck) and the rain coat twice (in Juneau on the whale watching trip where it was drizzling all day) and at the Glacier (no rain but it broke the wind on deck). When the ship is approaching the Glacier (for a good 90 minutes) she is cruising slowly but there is a wind on deck. I can say that there was never a time when I felt cold or uncomfortable and generally I took outer layers off. On the mainland, it was comfortable most of the time. Weather was changeable, especially in Denali Park, from bright sun and 70F to cold, windy rain at 50F. Hard to plan for! :eek: There is lots of advice here on the boards and most is good. August should be a bit warmer but a tad more rain -- but the salmon are running and bear opportunities are better. Don't bother looking at forecasts ... they'll change before you get outside!:D

Thanks for allowing me to ask some questions particular to this trip/ship!

Alli

 

You are welcome ... I hope you enjoy your trip as much as we did.

[Ashland]

We too loved the Northbound on the Radiance..one of the highlights for us was the Train transfers we booked with RCI from Seward to Anchorage..Can't wait for the 2012 schedule to open..We'll do the same..but this time will do a couple of days precruise in Vancouver..Wasn't the sailout under Lionsgate Bridge past Stanley Park beautiful...Glad you had a great trip..Enjoy the next one ..wherever that may take you !!!!

[essgee_ca]

Hi -- We're going to take the opposite cruise from Seward to Vancouver on Radiance in August....

Alli

 

Alli

When in August are you going? Our August 6th roll call is quite active and if you're on our sailing, we'd love to have you join our roll call thread.

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=952157&page=29

 

Suzanne

[CruisersfromMD]

Radiance of the Seas - 17 thru 25 June 2010 - Vancouver to Seward

 

Anyone wanting specific information? I will try to answer all.

 

Cheers!

Larry

 

RCL Adventure San Juan Southern Caribbean 2008

RCL Radiance Northbound Alaska 2010

 

Thanks for answering the questions that other people posted.

 

I was wondering what type of evening entertainment you had on your cruise? What type of production shows and special guests did they have on your cruise?

[blaster454]

I'll hafta check my compass papers ... I'm not the show type when aboard (usually ... I do enjoy some of he musicals and the ice shows on the Voyager class ships). I'll take a look and post later this evening or in the morning.

[runner5]

I am taking that cruise July 30, is there anything that surprised you? That you wish you had known prior to the cruise? We are set for early dining, do you know how easy it will be to switch on two of the nights? How was the dress for casual dinner, jeans and a polo? Thanks for taking the time to post!

[blaster454]

I was wondering what type of evening entertainment you had on your cruise? What type of production shows and special guests did they have on your cruise?

 

Main shows only, not including bands or other entertainment:

 

Day 1: Welcome Aboard Show (music, vocal, dance 8:00)

Day 2: Piano Man Production (music, vocal, dance 9:00 & 10:45)

Day 3: Headliner Show: Judy Kolba (vocal, comedy 7:00 & 9:00)

Day 4: Love & Marriage Show (Adults only 7:45)

...........Late Night Comedy (Adults only 10:45)

Day 5: City of Dreams Production (musical 7:30 & 9:15)

Day 6: Headliner Show: Kenny James (vocal 7:00 & 9:00)

Day 7: Farewell Variety Show (music, vocal, cruise DVD 7:00 & 9:00)

[blaster454]

I am taking that cruise July 30, is there anything that surprised you? That you wish you had known prior to the cruise? We are set for early dining, do you know how easy it will be to switch on two of the nights? How was the dress for casual dinner, jeans and a polo? Thanks for taking the time to post!

 

1. We took a small steamer since it was removed from the prohibited list. They confiscated our bags and we had to go down to ID it. It did pass the muster and we took our bag upstairs but you should have seen the many dozens of people who tried to bring wine on board ... there were some angry people and a LOT of wine stacked in the corners! :D A caveat: if you get a note saying your bag has been held for screening and you should go to deck 5 midships to claim it, don't believe! All bags are held down on deck 2 (may vary depending on boarding deck due to tide). Seven crew members, including two line officers and a smattering of guest relations people had no clue where it was supposed to be. :confused:

 

2. I think that switching dining from early to late on two nights can be difficult if the ship is full ... and most of the Alaska runs are booked solid. There may be a way to use My Time Dining for those nights (I assume late departures from port). I'd suggest going to the Maitre d' as soon as you board and ask about switching ... they are located near the entrance to the MDR. We had requested a table for five (our party size) and were seated at a table for twelve (with eleven sitting). Even with one chair removed it was a tight fit. I am slightly hard of hearing and even with hearing aids it was difficult for me to carry on a conversation across the large table. But to make up for that, we had a wonderful California family as table mates and enjoyed ourselves thoroughly.

 

3. Normal MDR dress (not formal or smart casual) was fairly loose. I saw nothing that I considered distasteful but there were many cases of dress jeans for men and women ... most wore dressy golf type shirts or collared shirts for the men and dressy tops for the women. I saw a lot of kids in fairly casual dress but no shorts, tank tops, or flip flops. Most people dressed on formal nights and tuxedos were common ... there were not too many empty tables where people stayed away. I saw one Texan (I presume) in the most original tux and 10 gallon hat I've ever seen ... very definitely formal dress! :).

 

4. The towns were a surprise in that they were smaller and more rural than I expected ... but this is our last frontier! Shopping near the piers was just like any other port town ... the usual jewelry and T-shirt shops. There were some neat stores and I thought the Tongass Trading Company in Ketchikan was very neat with touristy stuff down stairs and outdoor outfitting up stairs. There were a number of fur shops in each of the ports (and in Seward & Anchorage) with some beautiful but expensive furs. I understand you need to be cautious if you are entering Canada after buying furs since some things cannot be imported but most shops will ship things for you. All in all, shopping was OK and not a glitzy and in-your-face as the Caribbean ports.

 

5. The ship was small! Well, relatively so. This was my second cruise and my comparison is to the Adventure of the Seas. It was not overly crowded but there were people everywhere (we were full) and some days it took time to find a seat in the Windjammer for breakfast or lunch. The Centrum is small compared to the Voyager class ships and my impression was that the pool and solarium was much smaller. It was not a negative, though. Just an impression. The Solarium is nice with the cover closed over ... very humid though although this does help the plants thrive!

 

6. We missed getting onto one of the excursions we wanted in Skagway (jeep excursion) because it overbooked. It's advisable to make your excursion decisions early and then book in advance ... some of the excursions are very popular and fill quickly. We mixed RCL and third-party excursions because that's what we like to do. All turned out well this trip.

 

Hope this helps.

[blaster454]

We too loved the Northbound on the Radiance..one of the highlights for us was the Train transfers we booked with RCI from Seward to Anchorage..Can't wait for the 2012 schedule to open..We'll do the same..but this time will do a couple of days precruise in Vancouver..Wasn't the sailout under Lionsgate Bridge past Stanley Park beautiful...Glad you had a great trip..Enjoy the next one ..wherever that may take you !!!!

 

 

I agree. Vancouver is a gorgeous city (at least the down town area). The sail away was gorgeous with bright sun and 75 degree temps ... a great way to kick off a grand adventure.

 

We stayed overnight in Vancouver but did not see a lot as air travel tends to deflate me a bunch these days!

 

We arranged our own AKRR transfer and it was relatively painless. The pier and the train station are maybe a ten minute walk and they will check your bags early. We got 20% discounts on the regular fare because I am retired military and my son is active duty. The Gold Star service is worth the extra cost, too. The dining car is directly below the viewing deck and the food was excellent ... I had seasoned ribs and they paired with an Alaskan Amber perfectly. We did not see a lot of wild life from the train ... pictures can be difficult through the windows due to reflections but are possible if the angle is right. There is an outdoor viewing platform for taking pics, too (it is all no smoking, even on the viewing platform). We took the evening train so arrived in Anchorage after 10:00 P.M. and it was close to midnight before we got into our hotel. Anchorage is a big (spread-out) town and it's a fair ride from the train station to midtown where we stayed.

 

The next cruise is RCL out of Cape Liberty to Bermuda next May. This one gets us to Platinum! :D

[Ttowntreasures]

We too loved the Northbound on the Radiance..one of the highlights for us was the Train transfers we booked with RCI from Seward to Anchorage..Can't wait for the 2012 schedule to open..We'll do the same..but this time will do a couple of days precruise in Vancouver..Wasn't the sailout under Lionsgate Bridge past Stanley Park beautiful...Glad you had a great trip..Enjoy the next one ..wherever that may take you !!!!

 

We are booked on the 8-13 Northbound. Also have transfers for the train from Seward to Anchorage. Is there a better side to sit on? Do you have an assigned seat? Food on board? So many question, so little time. Thanks and we are soooooo excited for this trip.

 

Kathy

[Ttowntreasures]

Radiance of the Seas - 17 thru 25 June 2010 - Vancouver to Seward

 

Anyone wanting specific information? I will try to answer all.

 

Cheers!

Larry

 

RCL Adventure San Juan Southern Caribbean 2008

RCL Radiance Northbound Alaska 2010

 

We are booked for Harv and Marv in Juneau. Did you see lots of wildlife?

Kathy

[blaster454]

We are booked for Harv and Marv in Juneau. Did you see lots of wildlife?

Kathy

 

We saw 11 different whales ... all humpbacks. Got some good pictures although you need a fairly good telephoto and a fast shutter speed to compensate for boat rocking. We also saw seal lions on the buoy near the lighthouse point and several swimming close to the boat. There were many, many bald eagles, both flying and on rocks. God some fair pictures.

 

This was probably one of our best excursions of all. We had Jay (Harv, I think) and his knowledge of photography and the Juneau area was astounding and he made the trip both interesting and exciting. He can identify most of the local whales by their fin markings and has the photo sheets to prove it!

 

To make it better, Jack (the van driver who picked us up at the pier) took us to Mendenhall glacier afterward so we had about an hour there (enough with the raining, windy weather we had in Juneau). This was unexpected because I didn't see it in their web postings.

[blaster454]

We are booked on the 8-13 Northbound. Also have transfers for the train from Seward to Anchorage. Is there a better side to sit on? Do you have an assigned seat? Food on board? So many question, so little time. Thanks and we are soooooo excited for this trip.

 

Kathy

 

I thought the left side was better because the views seemed better but both sides had spectacular vistas all the way up. We were booked through AKRR (not a cruise line) and had the Gold Star service which is upper deck dome cars and a dining car underneath (food was very good and not too pricey. The Gold Star service does have reserved seats. Maybe someone else can comment on the standard AKRR service (I( believe they have open seating and a snack bar for food) or that provided by cruise lines (I saw RCL, Princess, Celebrity dome cars, too).

[Alli_in_Alaska]

Alli

When in August are you going? Our August 6th roll call is quite active and if you're on our sailing, we'd love to have you join our roll call thread.

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=952157&page=29

 

Suzanne

 

Hi there - we sail out of Seward on August 20th! Have a great cruise!

[runner5]

THANK YOU for all the info!!!! Couple more questions...should I bring extra hangers? power strips?

[blaster454]

THANK YOU for all the info!!!! Couple more questions...should I bring extra hangers? power strips?

 

We had a JS so not sure about other staterooms. There were enough hangers in our closet for 3 people and we had formal wear with us. A lot depends on what you bring and how you like clothes to hang (pant hangers, dresses, shirts hung or folded, ...). What we had was sufficient.

 

There were two 120V outlets in our JS and I think that's what we had in our balcony on AOS. I think RCL frowns on power strips but a small one might be OK. We time managed 3 cell phones and a laptop in addition to using the steamer and coffee maker and charging a Kindle & IPOD. There was also an outlet in the bathroom but my razor held it's charge all week so I didn't use that.

[ridge4]

We are booked on the 8-13 Northbound. Also have transfers for the train from Seward to Anchorage. Is there a better side to sit on? Do you have an assigned seat? Food on board? So many question, so little time. Thanks and we are soooooo excited for this trip.

 

Kathy

The menus are on the AKRR website. We're doing the GoldStar service too. :D

 

http://www.alaskarailroad.com/LinkClick.aspx?fileticket=78Miu9stpek%3d&tabid=95&mid=703

[Ashland]

We are booked on the 8-13 Northbound. Also have transfers for the train from Seward to Anchorage. Is there a better side to sit on? Do you have an assigned seat? Food on board? So many question, so little time. Thanks and we are soooooo excited for this trip.

 

Kathy

Try to get off the ship as quickly as possible in Seward..The train is just steps away. We were about 7th & 8th in line.They hand out a boarding pass with seat # so first come first seated (speak up and say you need to face forward). We were very lucky to be in the first car. We sat on the right side facing forward and were glad we did. Each train car has a guide/hostess that gives a great narrated talk as she serves food and beverages etc. (limited menu) all the way there. Ours was amazing never missed a beat !! Even the Train engineer would slow down so everyone could see the sights..This was a highlight of our cruise..much more than expected..Google Grandview Train Alaska for info and pics..Enjoy !!!!:)

[runner5]

When you are in port how quickly can you exit the ship? That is, if it says we get to Juneau at 8:00 am, can we leave at 8:00 am or is it more like 8:30? How quick were you able to leave the ship in Seward for disembarking? THANK YOU FOR TAKING THE TIME TO ANSWER!!!