RCCL ALASKA - Onboard Learning Experiences?

[cdnliving]

Helllo. I'm hoping some of you who have cruised Alaska in the past year with RCCL can share with us what onboard learning experiences were avaialble ie. were there onboard naturalists, slide presentations, information sessions on nature, etc etc?? We would really appreciate hearing about your experiences. Thanks so much!

[cruisingmad]

Helllo. I'm hoping some of you who have cruised Alaska in the past year with RCCL can share with us what onboard learning experiences were avaialble ie. were there onboard naturalists, slide presentations, information sessions on nature, etc etc?? We would really appreciate hearing about your experiences. Thanks so much!

Hi,

 

I cruised Alaska in May 2008 with RCI, and they had a couple of lecturers on native culture, etc., but I wasn't too impressed. However, I'm never too impressed with the quality of the lecturers on cruises, so I'm biased.

 

However, if you want to make your Alaska experience more meaningful, I strongly suggest you read "Alaska" by James Michener. It sure added to my understanding of some of the ports like Sitka, Skagway, etc.

 

It's written as a novel, and you may be able to skim parts of it, but it still adds a lot of context to a beautiful cruise.

 

 

Sergio

[cdnliving]

Thanks cruisingmad for your reply. Funny you should mention Michener's Alaska as I just started reading it this past weekend, and am really enjoying it. I was hoping, especially for the sake of my children that there would at least be a few films/slide shows on board and perhaps a seminar about the glacial activity etc to help put everthing into context for them....sure hope so!!Thanks again for sharing your experience..much appreciated.

[goinmobile68]

I was disappointed in this aspect of our 2010 Radience cruise. We attended a presentation on whales which was just OK, so we missed the one on glaciers. It just didn't seem to be greatly useful since it was offered AFTER we cruised the glacier!

 

Also, I was very surprised to find NO info on Alaska in the library. When I questioned this I was told that RCCL doesn't stock the library-it consists solely of what the passengers leave there. Had I known that before I'd have brought some of the books I'd left at home to donate!

 

Bottom line, don't depend on the ship's resources for your info-bring your own or check out local resources. In one of the ports we wandered into a wonderful little bookstore, I'll try to remember where it was!

[cruisingmad]

Thanks cruisingmad for your reply. Funny you should mention Michener's Alaska as I just started reading it this past weekend, and am really enjoying it. I was hoping, especially for the sake of my children that there would at least be a few films/slide shows on board and perhaps a seminar about the glacial activity etc to help put everthing into context for them....sure hope so!!Thanks again for sharing your experience..much appreciated.

It really baffles me why a huge company like RCI, and it is probably the same with others except for the very "premium" ones, that they cannot hire solid, competent lecturers to do what you suggest. I am certainly all for it, but I have been consistently disappointed.

 

I don't know if they underestimate the audience, but it's an area where a lot of improvement can be accomplished.

 

 

Sergio

[cdnliving]

I couldn't agree more! I did look at a compass for this sailing/itinerary and there were two Alaska presentations. I would be interested to know how there were & in what manner the information was disseminated. Thanks again.

[klingoncruiser]

All the ships in Alaska hire some sort of naturalist for the trip. I have seen some very good ones, and quite a few horrid ones. The ones I hate the most are some sort of college professor. They tend to talk WAY over the head of the average joe. Some have only the chamber of commerce speil on the ports you visit. I wish you the best of luck.

 

Go to the Alaska boards and ask away. They are a great bunch. This will be out 18th summer to go to Alaska. It is really an addiction at this point. :D

[GMoney]

All the ships in Alaska hire some sort of naturalist for the trip.

 

I've sailed Alaska on Radiance 4x and there's never been a naturalist on board. As someone mentioned, the most they do is have a few natives come on board at Hubbard Glacier and give a short lecture.

 

It's unfortunate RCI doesn't offer more along these lines.

 

Alaska rocks!

[cdnliving]

Has anyone attended the Alaska Presentations onboard - Love to hear how they were. Thanks.

[Beach4me]

I've sailed Alaska on Radiance 4x and there's never been a naturalist on board. As someone mentioned, the most they do is have a few natives come on board at Hubbard Glacier and give a short lecture.

 

It's unfortunate RCI doesn't offer more along these lines.

 

Alaska rocks!

 

I cruised Alaska on the Radiance last year and we had a naturalist. We also had our very own Murray (Yukon) onboard giving port talks. There were a couple lectures a day.

[lakelorain]

We were on the Radiance to Alaska a few years ago. We had several native Americans from Alaska who spoke and did demonstrations. There was also a Canadian Mounted Policeman(retired) who spoke about the Yukon and the gold rush. These programs were very informative. There may have been others but those are the only ones I attended.

[cdnliving]

Thank you so much for your replies - & the relief they have brought!! I was questionning whether we had chosen the right cruiseline for the Alaska itinerary as I have heard such wonderful things about the naturalists onboard the other lines. Would love to hear how you enjoyed the talks, content etc. Any details would be most enjoyed. Also, did the captain give any brief about the regions you were in while sailing? Would love to hear.....

[lakelorain]

Thank you so much for your replies - & the relief they have brought!! I was questionning whether we had chosen the right cruiseline for the Alaska itinerary as I have heard such wonderful things about the naturalists onboard the other lines. Would love to hear how you enjoyed the talks, content etc. Any details would be most enjoyed. Also, did the captain give any brief about the regions you were in while sailing? Would love to hear.....

 

Our Captain is no longer on the Radiance, so I can't help you there. He was very talkative and we enjoyed his insight into Alaska. The speeches by the Native Americans were interesting but sometimes hard to understand. The Royal Canadian Mounted Policeman was at our dinner table. We found him very interesting but, of course, he wasn't alive during the gold rush. On the whole, these lectures were much more interesting then the ones we've attended on Caribbean cruises.

Have a wonderful trip.

[cdnliving]

Thanks so much Lake Lorain for sharing your experience. Sounds like you had a wonderful cruise. I think this will be the experience of a lifetime. Would love to hear other's experiences with Royal Caribbean in Alaska.