** Alaska - Radiance of the Seas - dept 29th May 2015 - with two children **

[~*Lou*~]

We are a family of four, with two children aged 5yrs and nearly 8yrs. We live in Melbourne, Australia, and this was to be a once in a lifetime trip for us. We hadn't been on a cruise before and it was the first long-haul travel with the children.

 

I read trip review after trip review on both Cruise Critic and Trip Advisor in planning this trip, picking up endless fabulous advice and tips, and I'm hoping to pay it forward in writing about our experiences.

 

The trip was meant to be with my parents (who also live in Melbourne) and my brother (lives in England), and it did start that way (more on that later). The trip was planned to celebrate my upcoming 40th birthday, also my mother's 70th and my dad's 75th. We were all in a "seize the moment, once in a lifetime" type mood after both my mother & I were diagnosed and treated for breast cancer in 2011 - I was just thrilled to be reaching 40!

 

Our itinerary was this:

Wednesday 27th May - fly Melbourne to Vancouver

Thursday 28th May - Vancouver

Friday 29th May - depart Vancouver on Radiance of the Seas

Saturday 30th May - sea day

Sunday 31st May - Ketchikan

Monday 1st June - Icy Straight Point

Tuesday 2nd June - Juneau

Wednesday 3rd June - Skagway

Thursday 4th June - sea day (Hubbard glacier)

Friday 5th June - arrive Seward, overnight Girdwood

Saturday 6th June - Girdwood

Sunday 7th June - Girdwood

Monday 8th June - drive to Denali

Tuesday 9th June - Denali

Wednesday 10th June - drive to Anchorage

Thursday 11th June - depart Anchorage, fly back to Melbourne

 

My parents were arriving in Vancouver the day before us, my brother arriving the day after us, and when we arrived into Seward, my parents were to fly on to Europe for 3 more weeks touring & my brother return to England.

[~*Lou*~]

Wednesday 27th May - Depart Melbourne. We had a 5am car, then 7am domestic flight, transfer to international flight at Sydney, board Air Canada flight to YVR at 10.20am. First 9 hrs was ok, remaining 5 hrs hard work with non-sleeping children (younger child did get 2hrs sleep and had to be woken for breakfast & landing, older child had no sleep). Arrive YVR 7.30am local time. Hard to explain international date line to children.

 

Children seemed ok initially, they enjoyed a short play in a park (corner Davie & Seymour) then snacks from Nesters market (corner Seymour & Nelson) of apple & plain crackers. Off to Hop On Hop Off bus, both children fell asleep within 20 mins, this was great until they both woke less than half hour later & clearly feeling unwell from jet lag. Abandoned bus & took taxi back to hotel for 2 hour family nap.

 

We later did the HOHO bus while grandparents played with children (park again & limited tv) then 5.30pm slice of pizza dinner across road from hotel & into bed - including mummy & daddy. Really liked what we did see of Vancouver, weather helped - cool grey morning then sunny mild (about 20 deg. C or 68 Deg F) afternoon. Saw HAL & Coral Princess leaving Canada Place -very exciting to think that will be us in 2 days time.

 

Lesson learnt - allow to loose first day of trip to jet lag & try to not arrive early morning – any arrival time lunchtime or later would have been better.

 

Tomorrow's plan - Vancouver aquarium.

[~*Lou*~]

Thursday 28th May - the Jet Lag Fairy continues to bite, both children were awake for several hours in the middle of the night despite being in separate hotel rooms.

 

Bought daily bus tickets from a 7-11 store and took the bus to Vancouver Aquarium & had a lovely time, spent about 4 hrs there, beluga whales, porpoises, dolphins, sea otters being favourites. Lunch options at the cafe in the aquarium were reasonably healthy & very child - friendly.

 

Walking back to the bus through Stanley Park we took a minor detour and headed to closest part of the sea wall, including finding by accident a children's water play ground, so we let the children run round & get damp, walked about 300 metres of the sea wall & then retraced our steps to the bus. Youngest child was very excited to spot geese and one squirrel in Stanley Park. Had we had more time, hiring bikes would have been a great idea.

 

Ice cream, another play at the park near our hotel, and dinner in Yaletown rounded out the day. Crossing my fingers tightly we get better night's sleep tonight!

 

Tomorrow - hoping to get to couple of shops and then head to Canada Place to board Radiance of the Seas!

[~*Lou*~]

Friday 29th May - finally a half decent night sleep. It became a messy morning, with a trip to a local coin laundry & trying to do some shopping before we left Vancouver.

 

Big shout out to the lovely Chinese man who runs West End Laundry at 1061 Davie St Vancouver, when I walked in with my 5yo, he told me I was a great mum (not sure how he decided that!) and rather than me staying and doing the laundry myself, which I was prepared to do, he offered to do the lot in under 2 hrs for $25 ( I had enough to fill one laundry basket) - I decided this was well worth it, said many thanks and left. We wound up doing very little shopping, having lunch, collecting the clean, neatly folded laundry and heading back to our hotel to collect our bags and take a taxi to Canada Place.

 

Getting close to Canada Place and getting glimpses of Radiance of the Seas was exciting, pulling up under the building & getting out of the taxi and handing our bags over was even more exciting, and somehow we had the quickest check-in known - we arrived at 1.25pm and were on board by 2.04pm (I checked my phone), there were minimal queues and with Australian passports we were sent through a channel with no queue, the longest bit was waiting to check in and get our seapasses and be told " you can board now."

 

After a quick bite at Park Café (my husband loved the roast beef rolls) we registered the children in the kids club (adventure ocean) and had to pretty much lure them out again they found it so appealing, promising they can & play properly tomorrow.

 

My parents and brother had arrived about an hour and a half before us and queued for longer. Unfortunately my father had been struggling to recover from a chest bug the last few days and soon after they boarded he fainted while having a soft drink on the pool deck. Poor Mum initially worried they would have to disembark, they had a trip to the medical center and he was examined thoroughly and eventually soon after sail away they made it to their cabin. We were actually very impressed with what we saw of the medical centre facilities and treatment he received, we joked he had thoroughly tested their emergency procedures.

 

We were on level 12 deck for sail away - we had been ridiculously lucky with the weather - low 20's deg C (or about 70 deg F) and clear blue skies and quite warm in the sun and not a ripple on the water. We left Canada Place behind while watching seaplanes taking off along side, and could see people at Canada Place and then Stanley Park and then on top of Lions Gate Bridge waving at us. After we passed under Lions Gate Bridge (which seemed to have very little clearance above us!) we stayed on deck for awhile and then joined my parents on their deck 8 balcony. Later we explored more of the ship, had dinner in Windjammer, bit more of an explore and then back to the cabin to unpack & put the children to bed. The scenery was amazing, with the mountains on one side and seeing snow on top of some peaks, and to think it was only going to get more amazing as we travelled north.

 

With the cabin set up with bottom beds separated and the Pullman bunks pulled down, and the curtain pulled across to separate the bunks from the seating area (couch was big enough for me to put my feet up and stretch my legs out, or for my husband to sit next to me while I sit and type with my legs tucked under me) it looked more spacious than I expected when we put the children to bed (internal quad share cabin on deck 8).

[~*Lou*~]

Saturday 30th May - Sea Day - woke to complete opposite of the sunny, clear blue sky, warm day we had out of Vancouver, with mist surrounding the ship so we could not see land, and temperatures around 8 deg C (46 deg F), rising to maximum for the day of 10 deg C (50 deg F). The mist did lift eventually and the rest of the day was grey clouds & no sun.

 

We had windjammer breakfast, took the children to the children's club for the morning session, explored the ship some more, checked on my parents, collected the children from the children's club, & had main dining room lunch.

 

The children asked for a swim after lunch - the solarium and its indoor pool are usually adults-only but on Alaskan cruises (cold weather destination) it's open to families from 10am-12pm and 2pm-4pm daily. After their swim, one child wanted to go back to the children's club and the other played a round of mini golf with daddy.

 

This next paragraph is very girly - read on only if you are really interested! I have long thick curly hair which I like to wear straight, so I booked myself in for a shampoo & blow dry in the salon as a treat rather than wash & dry & style it myself.

 

It was formal night and in the interests of packing light (which I am very proud of myself I managed to do) we had brought no dressy clothes at all. We did look at the MDR menu but nothing really appealed and we had eaten at windjammer the previous night so we booked Giovanni's Table. The food was good but way too much of it, the serves were too big, and I got the impression the waiter thought we hadn't ordered enough! It had its own children's menu. One thing I didn't enjoy was the "selling" - you already commit to a $25 cover charge when you book ($8 for children) but then they put 2 very nice bottles of wine on your table, hoping you'll say to open them, and offer you sparkling water to start "to cleanse your palate" - I declined and asked for tap water for the table.

 

On our way out of Giovanni's, through the entrance of the schooner bar near the Centrum, there was a table with free glasses of champagne as part of the captain's welcome (also music and dancing in the Centrum & the Captain was available for photos at a certain time) - my mum & I took one each and sat in the next door champagne bar next to the window, looking at the sea view but also admiring people who and dressed up (we were in jeans). It all felt very civilised, partly I still couldn't believe we were there in Alaska as I watched the scenery float past.

 

There were plenty of people dressed up to various degrees, including tuxs and long dresses, and not just for the MDR but all venues, and the people who made an effort looked great but I don't regret we packed light! After dinner & our free drink we had a round of mini golf then put the children to bed. And did some hand washing.

 

Tomorrow - Ketchikan - canned salmon capital of Alaska & forecast for 22 deg C and cloudy (72 Deg F)

[~*Lou*~]

Sunday 31st May - Ketchikan, Alaska - we arrived at Ketchikan at 6.15am, and didn't have the chance to sleep in as a ship-wide announcement was made at 6.15am - lesson learnt, there is a volume dial in each cabin for the PA system, right above the bathroom light switch - it can be turned down!

 

We didn't have an excursion booked so after a windjammer breakfast we walked off and went looking for the visitors centre. We had docked at berth 4, there were 3 other ships in Ketchikan at the same time. It was about 10 deg C (50 deg F) so I layered the children with long sleeve tee, fleece jacket and waterproof/windproof jacket. It felt quite cool to start with, and there was low mist and limited visibility, but once we were walking round we felt ok and later removed the waterproof layer.

 

The visitors centre is at berth 3, just a couple of minutes walk. We collected a self-guided walking tour brochure form the visitors centre and set off. The best part was Creek St, former red light district. We did walk round for a couple of hours including a hot chocolate and funicular ride, this was as much as the children would put up with, so back on board for an early windjammer lunch, Ketchikan has a lot of seaplane traffic so we watched that while we ate. We then gave the children the choice of more time wandering round Ketchikan, or going to the children's club. They chose the children's club and we had more time on shore (the staff never questioned if we were staying on board or not when we checked the children in).

 

By now the mist had lifted and the sun came out and we felt reasonably warm walking round, I think the temp reached 15 deg C (59 deg F) but felt warmer in direct sun. Ketchikan is meant to be very wet but apparently May was a record dry month, and we had no rain.

 

After we were back on board we all watched sail away at 4pm from the helipad - I have decided this is my favourite viewing spot, it is effectively deck 6 level (access from deck 5, walk forward and up one flight of steps) and I prefer it to deck 11 or 12, which is quite bit higher up so gives a different view.

 

Dinner was Main dining room - we were in and out in about 70 mins, there were only 4 of us, we didn't have to share the table with anyone else and I think they may have moved us through fast because of the children. One child opted to go back to children's club for an hour (when i picked her up at 8.45pm there were 3 children in the 3-5 years group and 8 children in the 6+ yrs group) and the other one wanted to play golf. While we were on deck playing golf we spotted whales - 3 spouts but only 2 tails, but very exciting.

 

Tomorrow - Icy Straight Point.

[sg1phileshipper]

Great review, love reading it, since my first cruise was on.... The Radiance to Alaska. You picked the best ship, and of course, the trip of a lifetime. Can't wait to read more :)

Cindy

 

 

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[luvstocruzok]

Thank you for your review. We went on carnival to Alaska last year and loved it. We would like to book Radiance for next summer. We're really curious what the land tour part is like. We don't want to sit on a bus for extended periods of time. Also curious if the Radiance has karaoke, comedians, shows? My 19 year old will be bored at night if there's nothing to do. Thanks!

 

 

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[~*Lou*~]

Thank you for your review. We went on carnival to Alaska last year and loved it. We would like to book Radiance for next summer. We're really curious what the land tour part is like. We don't want to sit on a bus for extended periods of time. Also curious if the Radiance has karaoke, comedians, shows? My 19 year old will be bored at night if there's nothing to do. Thanks!

 

Sorry I can't really help you. We didn't go to any of the shows or entertainment - our evenings were dinner, children often had an hour in the children's club after dinner, we would maybe pop up on deck to see the scenery, chat to my parents or my brother and then get the children to bed.

 

And the land portion of our trip was DIY, we didn't do a cruise-tour. Sorry!!

 

I do have all the Cruise Compasses for each day, including the kid's club ones, which I will scan in and link to this thread, but that will be at least a few days away - we only got home yesterday - jet lag!!

 

Lou :)

[~*Lou*~]

Monday 1st June - Icy Straight Point - Windjammer breakfast while we watched the early tenders from ship to shore, then we joined a long queue from deck 2 spiraling up to deck 3. Fortunately the queue moved fast, each tender could take over 100 passengers, and then we were ashore.

 

It was another cold misty morning, about 10 deg C (50 deg F) when we went ashore, I dressed the children in long sleeve tee, fleece vest, fleece jacket and waterproof jacket. Everything at ISP is within a 10 min walk of the pier. Then you have the option of paying to jump on the short shuttle round to Hoonah. Or of course any ship sponsored activities/tours/cruises. I think my brother regretted not doing a kayaking tour either here or Ketchikan.

 

We started with the "nature trail" which wound through a wooded area and finished on a grey rocky beach, which predictably the children loved to play on. While we were on the beach we saw a bald eagle fly over head, perch high in a tree, swoop down to the water and return to the tree. We also saw a small squirrel running along a log at the top of the beach.

 

The weather was improving, the sun slowly breaking through and the mist slowly lifting to reveal snow capped mountains all round. Eventually we moved the children off the beach, had lunch, then boarded the shuttle to Hoonah, wandered round then returned to ISP. It’s not far, you could walk it, I would guess maybe a half hour walk, almost all flat, along the waterfront. There is one steep up and down section, in Feb-15 there was a rock fall over the road, too big to clear, so they are currently doing some construction to rebuild the road over that rock fall.

 

Back at ISP, we repeated the nature trail, this time in full sun and no mist, and more beach play. I have photos taken in the same place morning and afternoon looking quite different. I doubt the temp reached more than 15 deg C (59 deg F) but it felt lovely and warm in the sun, although we still all had fleece jackets on. However, step into the shade and it felt quite cool.

 

We lined up and tendered back to the ship, squeezed in a quick swim in the Solarium before the 4pm family-time cut-off, had a snack at Park Cafe, then golf on deck 13 before 6pm sail-away. This was delayed about 45 mins due to late return of a whale watching tour. We were on deck 5 to watch the last tender being winched up (children found this fascinating) and the deck 2 tender boarding deck being literally folded back in place, but couldn’t see the anchor being winched up. By this time we were back in multiple layers of clothing (fleece jacket and fleece vest for children, fleece jacket and down vest for me), the sun was still out but had no warmth.

 

Windjammer dinner then older child wanted an hour in the children's club and the younger one was put to bed. It was pirate night in the children's club and there was a dance in the Centrum on deck 4 before I was able to collect her!

 

Tomorrow - Juneau.

[~*Lou*~]

Tuesday 2nd June - Juneau

 

Another 6.30am PA announcement but this time it didn't wake us all up as we had thought to tune down the volume dial in our cabin at bedtime.

 

Windjammer breakfast then we walked off the ship and found a shuttle bus out to Mendenhall glacier. It cost $94.50 return for 3 adults & 2 children including tax and it's about 12 miles from the docks. Right out in front of where the ship docked there are rows of kiosks all selling similar tours and all selling $10 one way glacier shuttles, so it's easy to find and no need to book anything on board the ship.

 

We left the dock at 10am and were back at noon, and in that time we rode out to the glacier, did the "photo point" & "nugget falls" trails and rode the bus back. The glacier and falls were amazing, we had a fabulous time, this was one of the trip highlights for me. The only wildlife we spotted was a squirrel but they do often see black bears there. The children enjoyed the beach at nugget falls more than the falls or glacier (grey sand today)!

 

Once back on the ship we had Windjammer lunch then the children went to the children's club while we set out to wander round Juneau. We saw the Russian Orthodox Church, State Capitol building, City Hall and Governor's Mansion. Juneau is built on the side of a hill so all this was far from flat walking! Back on board we took the children for a quick swim before family time ended in the Solarium, then Park Cafe afternoon tea.

 

Dinner in the Main Dining Room, we had my-time dining and were given same table and servers as 2 nights earlier, they remembered the children's names. Because all-onboard was not until 8pm, the dining room was not as busy as usual. They took the children's food order immediately, the entree came within minutes and their mains came with our entree. My daughter ate her main so fast the server brought her a second plate. Somehow they got double dessert, both jelly and ice cream!

 

After dinner both children wanted to go to the children's club and we got to watch sail away. Right on sail away the weather changed and it started raining. Apparently the last month has been unusually warm and dry but the forecast is that is about to change.

 

Tomorrow - Skagway.

[~*Lou*~]

Just testing to see if I can upload photos ... this should be a photo of Explorer Glacier, viewed from the Portage Glacier Access Rd (near mile 79 of Seward Hwy)

 

[js4rq]

Wow, what a stunning photo!!! :D

 

I am enjoying your cruise review and look forward to the next instalment.

[aussielozzie18]

Great review. Hope to do this trip one day. Awesome photo. Hope you are able to share more photos with us.

Edited June 14, 2015 by aussielozzie18

[~*Lou*~]

OK, I'll get some photos up now before I keep going with the trip review.

 

My jet-lagged daughter asleep on my lap on the HOHO bus in Vancouver

 

Children walking the Stanley Park sea wall

 

Running through Stanley Park

 

The view over the roof of Canada Place towards Stanley Park from deck 12 of Radiance, just before sailaway, note all the seaplanes landing and taking off in front of us

 

We're off!!

 

Sailing away from Canada Place

[~*Lou*~]

Heading under Lions Gate Bridge

 

Passing under Lions Gate Bridge

 

Radiance berthed at Ketchikan

 

Liquid sunshine (ie, rain!) guage at Ketchikan

 

The Ketchikan sign

 

These tee shirt designs amused me!

[~*Lou*~]

Sorry, jetlag kicking in again, I need sleep. More photos and trip report tomorrow night.

 

Thank you to everyone who have left such lovely comments so far! Means a lot to me.

 

Lou :)

[js4rq]

Loving your review...more please! :)

[~*Lou*~]

Tram car from Creek St, Ketchikan

 

Creek St, Ketchikan

 

Creek in Ketchikan (too early for salmon)

 

Creek St, Ketchikan (former red light district)

 

If you came to Alaska without a warm jacket, these are available on the wharf immediately after you walk off the ship

 

Leaving Ketchikan

Edited June 15, 2015 by ~*Lou*~

[~*Lou*~]

Radiance from Icy Straight Point (morning, before mist lifted)

 

ISP map

 

Nature Trail on ISP

 

More nature trail

 

On the beach at ISP

 

Radiance from the ISP beach

Edited June 15, 2015 by ~*Lou*~

[~*Lou*~]

Children playing on the ISP beach

 

Bald Eagle at ISP

 

Radiance from ISP

 

Tenders heading to Radiance

 

Tenders close to Radiance

 

Beach at ISP in the afternoon (improved weather)

Edited June 15, 2015 by ~*Lou*~

[~*Lou*~]

OK, that's all I have tonight, Photobucket is being reeeeaaaallllly slow and I need to get to bed. More tomorrow!

 

Lou :)

[gertieginsc]

Enjoying your review. Thank you for posting.

 

Gertieginsc

[dividedsky]

Your pictures are beautiful, I look forward to seeing more :)

[js4rq]

Beautiful photos as always! :)