Silver Muse Alaska - port or starboard cabin for views, or not an issue?

[GolfMommy17]

Hello SS Alaska travelers - I am new to SS, traveling on Muse Seward to Vancouver.  We have 2 cabins, one port and one starboard.  Will both of these have good views of Hubbard Glacier and The Inside Passage from our balconies on our sea days?  Never cruised Alaska and want to be sure we can all experience beautiful views from the quiet of our cabins if desired.  If not, how crowded do the decks become - having only travelled on megaships prior I am used to the 'stake out your space and never give it up' mentality. I am hoping for a bit more relaxed experience on the Muse.  Thanks for your thoughts!

[Unibok]

Hi GolfMommy17, 

 

I can answer one of your questions: for the Inside Passage, it shouldn't matter which side. 

 

As for Hubbard and any other glacier days on the Muse, people may not know yet. This will be the Muse's first season in Alaska. Prior to this year, the Shadow sailed these itineraries. My sense from other SS ships is that there is always room on deck somewhere, but perhaps folks who sailed Alaska on the Shadow will chime in.

 

Seems like you have things covered with one port and one starboard!

[JohnGinPBG]

We sailed from Seward to Vancouver on the Shadow last June/July. Had a starboard cabin.  First full day was a sea day and Hubbard but was overcast and rainy so not much to see. If it had been clear, we might have possibly seen  18,000 ft. Mt Saint Elias on port side. As for Hubbard, the captain turned the ship full circle several times so both sides could get a good view. As for on-deck viewing,  crowding was not an issue. The opposite was true.

 

Agree with Unibok on the inside passage. Either side gives great views. We spent lots of time on the deck outside the Panorama lounge with 180-degree views including two spectacular sunsets on the final two nights.

 

One tip. We approached Vancouver early in the a.m. and passed under the Lion's Gate bridge around 6:30. We were the only people on deck to capture this. have a great cruise!

 

 

 

 

 

[GolfMommy17]

Beautiful pictures and the info is exactly what I was looking for - thank you!

 

[Unibok]

Gorgeous photographs! And thanks for the tip about sail-in to Vancouver.

[GolfMommy17]

Do any of you know if SS provides binoculars for passengers or should we bring our own?

[TLCOhio]

1 hour ago, GolfMommy17 said:

Do any of you know if SS provides binoculars for passengers or should we bring our own?

 

From past experiences, Silversea and other higher-end cruise lines have had binoculars in the cabins.  BUT, however, the quality of these items have been somewhat marginal.  OK, maybe??!!  Probably not??!!  For our upcoming late July Silver Muse sailing from Vancouver to Alaska, we will bring along our own in order to make sure things work in the best manner for our personal interest.  Plus, before and after our seven-day cruise, we will need the binoculars for use as we go through the Canadian Rockies and then do our post-cruise trip up to Denali, etc.  

 

Yes!!  Super nice pictures from JohnGinPBG.  Keep posting any and all details and visuals about sailing in and around Alaska, etc.     

 

THANKS!  Enjoy!  Terry in Ohio

 

Norway Coast/Fjords/Arctic Circle cruise from Copenhagen, July 2010, to the top of Europe. Wonderful scenic visuals with key tips. Live/blog at 234,099 views.

www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1227923

[JohnGinPBG]

A short story about that incredible sunset. It started out great and kept getting better and better. The small group of passengers at the stern kept growing as the color in the sky became more intense. 

 

At its peak, the group was almost screaming in delight - it was a phenomenon unlike anything seen before. The sky was on fire. And then a rainbow appeared and was unlike any rainbow anyone had ever seen

 

It was the last night of our first-ever cruise and it happened to be July 4th, so the "event" had special meaning for us.

 

Terry, keep an eye out at the bow sailing north through the inside passage. Sunset alert!

[Unibok]

Wow! What a wonderful memory!

[nowornever]

Binoculars...bring your own.  In a regular verandah they are not provided automatically.  We asked our butler on the Spirit South America Grand Voyage to find some which he did after a couple of days but they weren't great.  So now we bring our own & suggest you do also.

Those photos are spectacular !  Thank you for sharing them.

[TLCOhio]

 Terry, keep an eye out at the bow sailing north through the inside passage. Sunset alert!

 

YES!!  Appreciate this great tip for being ready to enjoy the sunset when sailing north through the "Inside Passage".  Love the pictures you posted.  Wonderful visuals.  Keep up the great sharing on this thread.  Am copying and making notes into my trip file. 

 

In July, it will be our first time in this region.  We will also be seeing Jasper/Banff, doing the Western Canada Rocky Mountaineer rail adventure, having three days in Vancouver, before sailing up to Alaska, Denali, etc. As we have experienced, it is important to consider carefully BOTH your pre- and post-cruise options.  If you're traveling that far, you want to maximize ALL that you can see and experience. 

 

THANKS!  Enjoy!  Terry in Ohio

 

For our latest live/blog, see “the Holy Lands, Egypt, Jordan, Oman, Dubai, Greece, etc.”, with many visuals, details and ideas for the historic and scenic Middle East.  Check it at:

www.boards.cruisecritic.com/topic/2607054-livenautica-greece-holy-lands-egypt-dubai-terrypix’s/

[TLCOhio]

9 hours ago, nowornever said:

Binoculars...bring your own. 

 

From a person who just got off of the Silver Spirit, I was told yesterday that there were no binoculars in the ship cabins.  For top scenic areas, YES, bring your own and be prepared to soak up the sites and sights. 

 

THANKS!  Enjoy!  Terry in Ohio

 

AFRICA?!!?: Fun, interesting visuals, plus travel details from this early 2016 live/blog. At 44,538 views. Featuring Cape Town, South Africa’s coast, Mozambique, Victoria Falls/Zambia and Botswana's famed Okavango Delta.

www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2310337

[JohnGinPBG]

For anyone visiting Ketchkan, here's a tip. If you have an extra hour, there's a very worthwhile museum with historic and beautiful native totems and art - the Totem Heritage Center. It's too far to walk, but you can get there on a 10-minute ride on a free city bus. Get away from the t-shirt shops and experience authentic native culture.

 

 

[JohnGinPBG]

3 hours ago, TLCOhio said:

Denali, etc. As we have experienced, it is important to consider carefully BOTH your pre- and post-cruise options.

 

Terry, Are you doing the Silversea Denali trip? If so, I have a few tips (and several hundred photos!).

[TLCOhio]

38 minutes ago, JohnGinPBG said:

For anyone visiting Ketchkan, here's a tip. If you have an extra hour, there's a very worthwhile museum with historic and beautiful native totems and art - the Totem Heritage Center. It's too far to walk, but you can get there on a 10-minute ride on a free city bus. Get away from the t-shirt shops and experience authentic native culture.

 

 Terry, Are you doing the Silversea Denali trip? If so, I have a few tips (and several hundred photos!). 

 

Super appreciate these great comments, pictures and follow-ups from JohnGinPBG.  Excellent tip about the Totem Heritage Center in Ketchikan.  Have copied your suggestion to my trip file on my laptop for this adventure planning.  

 

As to the post-cruise Denali excursion, YES, we are going to be doing this trip through Silversea.  It's a little more expensive than other potential options, but it is nice to have more of a "seamless" transition and connection from the ship to this excursion.  Look forward to any and all suggestions, tips, best loves from doing this trip, etc.  Plus, visuals, etc.  Fire away!!!  Love gaining added insights and ideas.    

 

 

THANKS!  Enjoy!  Terry in Ohio

 

SE Asia/Mekong River, Etc.!  Live/blog from early 2018, first adventure through SE Asia, stops in Hong Kong and Bangkok, before exploring all over Vietnam and Cambodia, seven days sailing on the Mekong River. Now at 44,902 views.

www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2591474

[JohnGinPBG]

40 minutes ago, TLCOhio said:

Look forward to any and all suggestions, tips, best loves from doing this trip, etc.  Plus, visuals, etc.  Fire away!!! 

 

Our 2018 Silversea pre-cruise Denali trip was very well organized and featured spectacular scenery and great wildlife encounters. Here are some tips and highlights for day one.

 

Suggest you sit on the right side of the bus going from Seward to Alyeska to get the best glacier views. 

 

Alyeska resort is beautiful and really first-class. I highly recommend the mountaintop Seven Glaciers restaurant  for dinner - the food and views can't be beat. We ate in the bar and had a fine light supper. On the cable car ride down, we spotted a mother black bear and three cubs milling around very close to the hotel. Very exciting!

 

If you're looking for a fun activity, you could take a hike on the Winner Creek trail to get into the Alaskan wilderness. Not too strenuous, and you can go as far as you like.

 

Here's an insider tip - they hid our coffeemaker in the closet. Came very close to not finding it!

 

 

 

[TLCOhio]

21 hours ago, JohnGinPBG said:

Our 2018 Silversea pre-cruise Denali trip was very well organized and featured spectacular scenery and great wildlife encounters.  Suggest you sit on the right side of the bus going from Seward to Alyeska to get the best glacier views.   Alyeska resort is beautiful and really first-class. I highly recommend the mountaintop Seven Glaciers restaurant  for dinner - the food and views can't be beat. We ate in the bar and had a fine light supper. On the cable car ride down, we spotted a mother black bear and three cubs milling around very close to the hotel. Very exciting!

 

Super appreciate these great pictures, details and these helpful follow-ups.  Keep it coming!!  Very beneficial.  Always look forward to learning more and preparing accordingly. Just four months till we depart for Calgary and start our first western Canada and Alaska adventure. 

 

THANKS!  Enjoy!  Terry in Ohio

 

For our latest live/blog, see “the Holy Lands, Egypt, Jordan, Oman, Dubai, Greece, etc.”, with many visuals, details and ideas for the historic and scenic Middle East.  Check it at:

www.boards.cruisecritic.com/topic/2607054-livenautica-greece-holy-lands-egypt-dubai-terrypix’s/

[JohnGinPBG]

34 minutes ago, TLCOhio said:

Super appreciate these great pictures, details and these helpful follow-ups.  Keep it coming!!

 

Happy to oblige! It's fun to relive our wonderful vacation last year.

 

Your day 2 will be a long one on the bus. Suggest you sit on the left side today for the best views.

 

The highlight for us by far was the visit to Martin Buser's sled dog facility. Martin is an engaging guy, and his dogs are wonderful. The visit with the dogs, the orientation to the Iditarod (where Martin is currently racing) and the sledding demonstration were all fascinating.

 

Unfortunately, it's a long way from Alyeska to Denali, but the views improve as you get closer. You'll be thrilled to arrive at the Grande Denali Lodge, which is a wonderful property. And the payoff inside Denali on the next day makes all the travel worth it.

 

 

[TLCOhio]

2 hours ago, JohnGinPBG said:

Your day 2 will be a long one on the bus. Suggest you sit on the left side today for the best views.  The highlight for us by far was the visit to Martin Buser's sled dog facility. Martin is an engaging guy, and his dogs are wonderful.

 

Continued great tips, ideas and insights.  Have opened a file on my laptop to save these specific suggestions and details.  Looking forward to hearing . . . and SEEING . . . more for days three, four and five.  Very helpful.  Love any other experiences from others who have done this Denali excursion through Silversea. 

 

THANKS!  Enjoy!  Terry in Ohio

 

Venice: Loving It & Why??!!  Is one of your future desires or past favorites? See these many visual samples for its great history and architecture.  This posting is now at 81,160 views.

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1278226

[JohnGinPBG]

No time to write much today since yesterday we booked a last-minute sailing on the Spirit that leaves San Juan on Friday! Our SS Cruise Consultant got us a sweet deal and now we're scrambling to prepare.

 

But here are some pics from Denali. I hope you are as lucky as we were with good weather, great wildlife and views of the big mountain! Truly an amazing day.

[Stumblefoot]

On 3/10/2019 at 10:18 AM, GolfMommy17 said:

Do any of you know if SS provides binoculars for passengers or should we bring our own?

Bring your own.  SS hasn’t provided binoculars in suites for years.

[TLCOhio]

5 hours ago, JohnGinPBG said:

No time to write much today since yesterday we booked a last-minute sailing on the Spirit that leaves San Juan on Friday! Our SS Cruise Consultant got us a sweet deal and now we're scrambling to prepare.  But here are some pics from Denali. I hope you are as lucky as we were with good weather, great wildlife and views of the big mountain! Truly an amazing day.

 

Congratulations with your Silver Spirit sailing departing Friday.  Super cruise and stops!!  As linked below in 2015, we had many of these same wonderful ports, including San Juan, St. Barts, Dominica, Bequia Island, Grenada and Barbados.  Should be an excellent adventure, especially at this time of the year and with the weather down there now.  Look forward to hearing what you liked most in these various ports. 

 

Love the added pictures and details you have posted from Denali.  When back from this Caribbean trip, you can provide any other insights and experiences from this exciting part of Alaska. 

 

THANKS!  Enjoy!  Terry in Ohio

 

Amazon River-Caribbean 2015 adventure live/blog starting in Barbados. Many visuals from this amazing river and Caribbean Islands (Dutch ABC's, St. Barts, Dominica, Grenada, San Juan, etc.).  Now at 63,136 views:

www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2157696

[JohnGinPBG]

Well, Terry, after your Denali trip, the rest of your voyage might be a little let-down. The train ride is fun and scenic, but then it's another bus  back to Anchorage, which is uninspiring. My guess is that you'll have a day to recall all the beautiful places you've visited and relax in preparation for the long flight home. I'll include some train pics.

 

So I'm thinking about doing a live blog with pics from our Spirit Caribbean cruise. You and so many other posters have inspired me. I'm a newbie, as you can tell, but I've learned so much from this community and I want to give back a little. I have three upcoming SS cruises and I think I can contribute to the conversation (and photos, too, since it's much easier now). My biggest challenge will be finding the time.

 

Anyway, end of Alaska posts and off to San Juan soon!

 

Thanks! Enjoy!

 

 

 

[TLCOhio]

17 hours ago, JohnGinPBG said:

Well, Terry, after your Denali trip, the rest of your voyage might be a little let-down. The train ride is fun and scenic, but then it's another bus  back to Anchorage, which is uninspiring. My guess is that you'll have a day to recall all the beautiful places you've visited and relax in preparation for the long flight home. I'll include some train pics.

So I'm thinking about doing a live blog with pics from our Spirit Caribbean cruise. You and so many other posters have inspired me. I'm a newbie, as you can tell, but I've learned so much from this community and I want to give back a little. I have three upcoming SS cruises and I think I can contribute to the conversation (and photos, too, since it's much easier now). My biggest challenge will be finding the time.  Anyway, end of Alaska posts and off to San Juan soon!   Thanks!   Enjoy!

 

YES!!  More wonderful pictures and details from your Alaska/Denali adventure, tours and travels.  Great sharing!!  Much appreciated!!   Also, strongly encourage you for doing a live/blog from your upcoming Silver Spirit/Caribbean cruise.  As I mentioned, you'll be visiting some charming and interesting locations.  Look forward to gaining your experiences and impressions, especially from Dominica that had been heavily damaged in September 2017.  Have heard that the natural wonders there and the nice people are coming back reasonably well under their challenging situation.  

 

THANKS!  Enjoy!  Terry in Ohio

 

Barcelona/Med: June 2011, with stops in Villefranche, ports near Pisa and Rome, Naples, Kotor, Venice and Dubrovnik. Great visuals with key highlights, tips, etc. Live/blog now at 244,553 views.

www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1426474