OCD Planner's Live ALASKA Photo Trip Report 16 day Cruise Tour aboard Radiance

[jo24]

Thank you for such an amazing review! I realise I am quite late in joining but as my mum and I are considering an Alaska cruise next year, seeing your brilliant review with such detailed information could not have come at a better time!

 

In fact, reading your review has made us re-think the cruisetour we had intended on doing. Like you said many times, RCI do not provide a huge amount of information (especially in the UK where cruisetours are virtually impossible to decipher on the website) and having the information you gave made us realise the land portion is not for us. This is not a bad thing, in fact, it is very good, as your information saved us from doing something not suitable for our situation. My mum has limited mobility and the relentless pace of the land portion would be too much for her (and me as I have Fibromyalgia) and probably would have ended up over-shadowing the entire cruise which after all, is the part we are most looking forward to.

 

We now intend on a direct UK to Seattle flight, spend 2 nights there before flying on to Anchorage and travelling up to Seward for an overnight stay before the cruise. On the way back we will overnight in Vancouver before the flight back to the UK. This just spreads out the travelling for us a little and mum and I have always wanted to visit Seattle.

 

Thank you again :)

 

Jo :)

[moposh]

Thanks Cindy. I wondered if tour size might be an issue. I'll probably book through the group you did then. Sounds like ISP might be a good place to whale watch.

 

I'll look into the toursaver, but not sure if that would be a good deal for me. And I can't take advantage of the Alaska Air deal since their flights from my area aren't that great.

 

Why did you decide to do your own thing in Denali, rather than stay on the tour?

 

I hope you have a great trip and birthday! Happy 50th!

[ace1zoe2]

Thank you for such an amazing review! I realise I am quite late in joining but as my mum and I are considering an Alaska cruise next year, seeing your brilliant review with such detailed information could not have come at a better time!

 

In fact, reading your review has made us re-think the cruisetour we had intended on doing. Like you said many times, RCI do not provide a huge amount of information (especially in the UK where cruisetours are virtually impossible to decipher on the website) and having the information you gave made us realise the land portion is not for us. This is not a bad thing, in fact, it is very good, as your information saved us from doing something not suitable for our situation. My mum has limited mobility and the relentless pace of the land portion would be too much for her (and me as I have Fibromyalgia) and probably would have ended up over-shadowing the entire cruise which after all, is the part we are most looking forward to.

 

We now intend on a direct UK to Seattle flight, spend 2 nights there before flying on to Anchorage and travelling up to Seward for an overnight stay before the cruise. On the way back we will overnight in Vancouver before the flight back to the UK. This just spreads out the travelling for us a little and mum and I have always wanted to visit Seattle.

 

Thank you again :)

 

Jo :)

 

Jo,

 

Thanks so much for your kind words. Getting feedback after spending MANY hours uploading photos and writing the review make it all worthwhile!

 

I think you have made a good choice reconsidering the cruise tour in light of yours and your mom's health & mobility problems. We were exhausted by the time we boarded the ship... but that was because I like to pack as much in to a day as possible... never know when or if I'll ever see that part of the world again :)

 

Both Seattle & Vancouver are beautiful places. We spent 2 days in Seattle on our first Alaska cruise. There is a lot to see and do there & the food is wonderful! We spent a day in Vancouver after debarking the ship from the cruisetour. It allowed us time to do the HOHO bus and see Granville Island. On our previous cruise we did the RCI trip to Capilano Suspension Bridge and a drive thru Stanley Park with a couple of stops then airport dropoff (we just ask them to drop us as close to our hotel as possible when they finished the airport drop off as we were spending the night).

 

If you have other questions, just ask!

[ace1zoe2]

Why did you decide to do your own thing in Denali, rather than stay on the tour?

 

I hope you have a great trip and birthday! Happy 50th!

 

 

Mo,

 

I think the answers to all your questions about the Denali tours can be found in post #210 on page 11.

 

Thanks for the birthday wishes! I'm going to have a fabulous time on Navigator next week.

 

I'm planning an OCD Planner's Navigator Post Dry Dock Pictorial Revue :)

 

If you think of any more questions, please feel free to ask.

 

Cindy

[ace1zoe2]

I enjoyed your review greatly! Thank you so much, especially for the photos. They are wonderful!

 

Thank you so much for taking the time to read my review & especially for taking time to post!

 

I enjoyed taking the photos & sharing them.

[moposh]

Mo,

 

I think the answers to all your questions about the Denali tours can be found in post #210 on page 11.

 

Thanks for the birthday wishes! I'm going to have a fabulous time on Navigator next week.

 

I'm planning an OCD Planner's Navigator Post Dry Dock Pictorial Revue :)

 

If you think of any more questions, please feel free to ask.

 

Cindy

 

Thanks so much, Cindy. For my landtour, we're traveling to Denali from Anchorage, so I don't think we get to Denali until 4:00 p.m. and then we leave Denali the next day, so I doubt we'll have time to take the shuttle, so we'll probably stick with the History tour. Would like to make it to the visitor's center as I don't know when I'll get to Denali again, but I don't want to miss the landtour bus!

 

I look forward to your review!

[ace1zoe2]

Thanks so much, Cindy. For my landtour, we're traveling to Denali from Anchorage, so I don't think we get to Denali until 4:00 p.m. and then we leave Denali the next day, so I doubt we'll have time to take the shuttle, so we'll probably stick with the History tour. Would like to make it to the visitor's center as I don't know when I'll get to Denali again, but I don't want to miss the landtour bus!

 

I look forward to your review!

 

Thanks Mo. Sounds like a plan. You have a short time but hopefully you will get to see some wildlife as we did very early on in the trip into Denali.

[moposh]

I hope to see some wildlife. I love moose, so hopefully I'll see some. So jealous you saw a mom and a baby (calf?).

 

Was the Yukon Suspension Bridge worth the visit?

[ace1zoe2]

I hope to see some wildlife. I love moose, so hopefully I'll see some. So jealous you saw a mom and a baby (calf?).

 

Was the Yukon Suspension Bridge worth the visit?

 

I enjoyed it but it probably was not worth what we paid, and I had a coupon!

[SKJSKJ]

Getting more excited planning our August 8, 2014 Alaska Cruse-tour NB. Your review has been very helpful as we booked this well over a year in advance and I went thru all your postings last fall. My spouse said she would not think about it at all until we were closer to sail, but I still check postings, cruise and Alaska books and TV shows. I can' wait!

[ace1zoe2]

Getting more excited planning our August 8, 2014 Alaska Cruse-tour NB. Your review has been very helpful as we booked this well over a year in advance and I went thru all your postings last fall. My spouse said she would not think about it at all until we were closer to sail, but I still check postings, cruise and Alaska books and TV shows. I can' wait!

 

Wow, August will be here before you know it! All of your research and planning will pay off in your having a wonderful vacation and a ton of memories!

 

I cannot imagine being one of those cruisers who books a cruise and doesn't do a thing before walking on the ship. Some wait until they board to look at excursions or wait to see what is available as they walk in to each port... Alaska is one place you definitely need to think ahead!

 

I hope you both have a fantastic cruise tour and will watch for your review!

Edited February 3, 2014 by ace1zoe2

[csr10236]

Hi, Cindy. Thanks so much for your wonderful review. I'm headed to Alaska August 8th. Didn't think I had to plan so far in advanced but having never been to Alaska I figured I'd better start researching.

 

when you went to Alaska the first time you mentioned you did the Skagway to Carcross via motorcoach with a return via white pass/yokon railway (I'm paraphrasing). Can you tell me who you booked this tour thru? Thank you!

Dina

[ace1zoe2]

Hi, Cindy. Thanks so much for your wonderful review. I'm headed to Alaska August 8th. Didn't think I had to plan so far in advanced but having never been to Alaska I figured I'd better start researching.

 

when you went to Alaska the first time you mentioned you did the Skagway to Carcross via motorcoach with a return via white pass/yokon railway (I'm paraphrasing). Can you tell me who you booked this tour thru? Thank you!

Dina

 

On our first cruise we booked all our excursions thru RCI as we were newbies & didn't realize we could book private excursions. It was a good trip though.

 

If you look on the Alaska forum there are several companies recommended that do van or small shuttles up then the train back. I just can't recall the names off hand. That would be my choice now days just not to be stuck on a charter sized bus.

 

You will love Alaska!

[karen1821]

Thanks so much for your review. I loved everything about it, especially the part about packing. Just made my final payment. Time to do online check in. The weather here in Pa. Has been unbearably cold and snowy. Hopefully there will not be any of that in May in Alaska.

[cruisenovice2]

We are new to this site and cruises, but we are going on a cruise in May on the Radiance I would love to see your review but have no idea on how to view it. Any help would be appreciated.

[ace1zoe2]

We are new to this site and cruises, but we are going on a cruise in May on the Radiance I would love to see your review but have no idea on how to view it. Any help would be appreciated.

 

The thread that you have commented on is my review. Just go back to page 1/post 1 & start reading ;)

 

Sorry, I'm VERY wordy & detailed but you will gain a ton of information for your trip.

[gottogocruisin]

Thanks so much for your wonderful review that I read, printed off and followed along as you took your Alaska land trip. I love to plan ahead even without a definite day for our cruise, but I also have to manipulate the information, thus printing it out. Guess I went through a lot of ink - well worth it. Again thanks and I am waiting for 2015 to come out with cruise dates. I am wondering how to I get to the Alaska forum. When I put it Alaska it gives me all sorts of information, but not what I am looking for. Again thanks and I am waiting for your next cruise and posts.

Kay

[ace1zoe2]

Thanks so much for your wonderful review that I read, printed off and followed along as you took your Alaska land trip. I love to plan ahead even without a definite day for our cruise, but I also have to manipulate the information, thus printing it out. Guess I went through a lot of ink - well worth it. Again thanks and I am waiting for 2015 to come out with cruise dates. I am wondering how to I get to the Alaska forum. When I put it Alaska it gives me all sorts of information, but not what I am looking for. Again thanks and I am waiting for your next cruise and posts.

Kay

 

Kay,

 

At the top of the CC page click the link that says Cruise Critic Forums which will take you to a main page listing all the different topics & sub topics. Scroll down to the topic "Ports of Call" where you will see a link to "Alaska". Click on that and a whole new world of information will be at your fingertips!

 

Anymore questions, feel free to ask!

Edited February 4, 2014 by ace1zoe2

[gottogocruisin]

Thanks Cindy I will do that.

Kay

[ace1zoe2]

Mike,

 

I received your email in regards to my "book", so here are the pictures you asked for to give you an idea. It's nothing special and I use the same 1" floppy binder until it falls apart then start over. I use the dividers that have pockets so that I can put any "e-tickets", maps, set sail passes, etc. that I will need to take out in the pocket. That makes it easier than having to open the rings each time.

 

I set up my dividers by port or where we will be each day. I print out all my email confirmations for tours, rentals, flights, etc. so that I will have that information at hand if my phone or ipad batteries die. I also print out all my directions from map quest, etc.

 

Hope this helps. If you have other questions, please feel free to ask.

 

Cindy

 

P.S.

 

My Alaska binder is long gone but this is the one I've started for our Oct 2014 Mediterranean Cruise:

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Soon2Bmtnest]

We are doing the Radiance with the precruise 3B tour. We will be going arriving in Seward on embarkation day but a tour of the Sealife Center is included I noticed it was not part of what you did. How long did it take to go from Alyeska to Seward? Thank you for such an in-depth report it has helped in our planning.

Edited March 17, 2014 by Soon2Bmtnest

[Cookiecookie]

Cindy, I have loved reading your review. My DH an I are doing the Canadian Rockies/ Alaskan Cruisetour August 16th. We are so excited. I have used CC to get feedback and book our ship excursion direct with local people. But I agree with what you say about the land tour, it is so frustrating that all I can find out is a few sentences on the website. So I'm binding my time an waiting with much anticipation till we arrive at our hotel in Calgary for the info. Many thanks again for all the hard work you put in.

Gaynor.

[ace1zoe2]

We are doing the Radiance with the precruise 3B tour. We will be going arriving in Seward on embarkation day but a tour of the Sealife Center is included I noticed it was not part of what you did. How long did it take to go from Alyeska to Seward? Thank you for such an in-depth report it has helped in our planning.

 

 

I'm looking through my notes to see if I can find an answer to your question. I will let you know ASAP if I can determine times.

 

Thanks for taking time to read & post.

[ace1zoe2]

We are doing the Radiance with the precruise 3B tour. We will be going arriving in Seward on embarkation day but a tour of the Sealife Center is included I noticed it was not part of what you did. How long did it take to go from Alyeska to Seward? Thank you for such an in-depth report it has helped in our planning.

 

 

Ok, according to my notes we left Alyeska about 10 am and arrived in the port area around noon. This was the day BEFORE we boarded the ship.

 

We had 1.5 hours for lunch on our own then meet for the Resurrection Bay Tour (included in our package) wich was from 2-5pm.

 

Since you arrive on embarkation day, I'm not sure if this information will help you or not.

 

Enjoy your trip! It will be fabulous.

[ace1zoe2]

Cindy, I have loved reading your review. My DH an I are doing the Canadian Rockies/ Alaskan Cruisetour August 16th. We are so excited. I have used CC to get feedback and book our ship excursion direct with local people. But I agree with what you say about the land tour, it is so frustrating that all I can find out is a few sentences on the website. So I'm binding my time an waiting with much anticipation till we arrive at our hotel in Calgary for the info. Many thanks again for all the hard work you put in.

 

Gaynor.

 

 

Thanks so much for taking the time to weed thru all the comments to read my review!

 

I have been working on my travel blog to get all my reports in one place without all the comments interspersed in between the actual review.

 

The link is in my signature & I hope to have the Alaska portion finished in the next few days then I'm going to add Canada/New England next.

 

This will allow me to have a personal "travel journal" where I can relive the memories without the questions in there. And I'll still be able to answer questions on this site.

 

I'm happy that my OCD planning can help others find a few of the answers they are looking for!