Quantum May 9, 2022 7 Nights Alaska Not Very Live

[Biker19]

16 minutes ago, welshrich said:

We were on Anthem last year when the charges started, the premium experience on Northstar seemed to be more on sea days and it went over the side of the ship.

Quantum has the "regular" paid version as you describe but then there's the "premium" one more than double the price of that - I assume that's for viewing at the glacier.

[Catmoon]

14 hours ago, Btimmer said:

We board tomorrow, and while this is a last minute trip, we've done much of this itinerary several times previously so we're looking forward more to the RCCL ship experience.

In Icy Straight, we're taking the shuttle to town, and exploring it.  
 

I grew up in Juneau, so we're exploring it by foot.  Depending upon the weather, we may take the tram.

 

In Skagway we're planning to walk around.  I rode my motorcycle there from Seattle a few years back and enjoyed the town.

 

In Victoria we're doing the Castle and Buchart Gardens ship tour.

 

Thank you Twangster for all the great pictures and commentary about your voyage.

What time does YOUR ship get into Victoria? So many are getting is after 4, 5, or 6. Do you have an excursion that lets you into the gardens after they close at 5? I'm very interested in you answer. 

[Btimmer]

5 minutes ago, Catmoon said:

What time does YOUR ship get into Victoria? So many are getting is after 4, 5, or 6. Do you have an excursion that lets you into the gardens after they close at 5? I'm very interested in you answer. 

The itinerary shows us in Victoria from 5-10pm.  The excursion is a ship excursion lasting 4 hours and 15 minutes.  That's all I know.

[twangster]

9 hours ago, LaCal said:

Reading some posts on FB that there’s a lot of Positive Covid cases onboard your sailing.  Both guests and crew with many guests in quarantine on deck 3 

 

Crew went from wearing their Royal masks to switching back to KN95 masks and a lot of crew double masking……that alone tells me there’s a spike in cases 

 

People In quarantine stating foods coming to them cold or wrong orders, no one answering phones and some have to be quarantined further once back into Seattle tomorrow…..Royals told them they’ll cover up to $250 a night for hotels 

 

Sure hope tomorrows sailing runs smoother…….I’ll be masking up for sure 😷😷

None that I’ve seen but they don’t announce cases on board.  I saw two crew members double mask.  
 

I’m sure there are cases on board, it just has not been something I’ve observed or had any impact from.  No one is talking about it.  It simply hasn’t come up in conservation.  No extra announcements to wash hands or social distance, etc.  Its impactful if you caught it, for the rest of us its still a regular cruise.  

[twangster]

5 hours ago, mikelong said:

Did they say how many cases are now aboard? We are on this sailing. Saw the crews changed into KN95 when the CDC cruise color code was updated to orange about mid way through in Sitka. 
 

Also observed way more coughing from passengers now than at beginning of the cruise, for sure I’m wearing my 3M N95 tomorrow during debarkation. 

They never announce cases on board.  

 

Coughing is common in Alaska.  Running noses are too.  Often the coughing is a result of the running noses that come with cold weather.  

[twangster]

Day 7 on the way to Victoria

 

Air was 55°F so they opened pools and Flowrider.  It's heated so a lot of steam.

 

 

 

Rain off and on.  I was on the upper decks looking for marine wildlife but with rain coming I went back to my balcony.

 

 

[twangster]

Ogden Point has an active heliport with a lot of float plane traffic in the harbor area so no North Star here.

 

 

 

 

 

Heavy rain moved into the area so i went to the suite lounge.

Edited May 16, 2022 by twangster

[twangster]

I was beginning to think I'd just stay on the ship but then the rain stopped and radar showed a sizable break in the rain so I ventured off.

 

There were plenty of reminders announced to have a mask.  You'll need it walk 30' through this building.  You don't do anything in the building, it's a pass through, in one set of doors and out another set of doors, but for those 30' you must be masked.  With the ship cleared we never stopped or had to the show the ArriveCAN QR code.  Non-stop walking through this very small cruise terminal.

 

 

There is a shuttle bus to town that costs $13 US or $15 CAD.

 

 

I chose to walk to the downtown area.

 

 

It's a pleasant walk some of which is along the water's edge.

 

 

 

 

 

I began searching for a venue to quench my thirst.

 

[twangster]

After some Alaskan cod and chips plus a local beer at a pub it was time to head back.  I decided to jump on a pedicab.  $15 US for the trip back to the ship.  Time 8pm.  All aboard was 9:30pm so lots of time. 

 

Along the street I walked in on we saw the ship in the distance.

 

 

 

Back to the ship by 8:25pm.

 

 

[twangster]

The return to the ship at the port is all outdoors.  The port ID checkers were not masked so neither did I.  Normal security on the ship, x-ray and metal detectors on deck 2.

[twangster]

This small note on the front page of the cruise compass is pretty impactful.

 

At 9pm with most guests on board there were two bars open.  Schooner Bar representing deck 5 and Boleros representing deck 4.  Both were slammed with long lines at the bar.  After 20 minutes I gave up and discovered the indoor pool bar on deck 14 is open until 10pm.  No lines up there.  Once it was 10pm it was two bars for the whole ship.   

 

Thanks Canada.

 

[twangster]

Morning came early.  By 5:30am we were tied up at the pier.

 

 

 

Checking my account one last time.

 

 

Windjammer was open at 6am and Coastal Kitchen opened at 6:30am. 

 

 

After a CK breakfast it was back to my cabin to grab my things.

Edited May 16, 2022 by twangster

[twangster]

I always try to grab a series of pictures so I can keep track of the time of each stage.  Memories fail but the time stamp on the photo doesn't lie.

 

Just as I snapped this they called self-assist.  I was trying to capture page one but it changed just as snapped it.

 

The line was moving on deck 5.  Time: 6:45am

 

 

Off the ship.  Time: 6:57am.

 

 

Exiting the terminal.  Time: 7:00am

 

 

Uber wanted $66.  Taxi was $50 flat rate.  I jumped in a cab.  The ridesharing pickup is a 5 minute walk from the ship pictured here.  Time: 7:04am (picture taken from cab as we drove past)

 

 

Traffic at this hour was mostly inbound to downtown.  No traffic on the way to the airport.  

 

 

Arriving to SeaTac airport.  Time: 7:29am.

 

 

By 7:50am I had checked in, dropped off my bag, through security and was sitting in the Delta Skyclub.

Edited May 16, 2022 by twangster

[twangster]

13 hours ago, rayrdh said:

Thanks for your post and all of the wonderful pictures!  We are on the Quantum leaving July 4th and super excited!  What nights were the formal nights?  Thanks!

 

Formal nights were day 2 and day 6.

[twangster]

Looking back I think I missed posting the day 7 cruise compass:

 

 

 

[DocNDo]

Is there an Escape Room on Quantum of the Seas? Also was roller skating an offered activity in the Seaplex? I see them both listed as features on the Quantum, but didn't see them on the cruise planner.

[twangster]

34 minutes ago, DocNDo said:

Is there an Escape Room on Quantum of the Seas? Also was roller skating an offered activity in the Seaplex? I see them both listed as features on the Quantum, but didn't see them on the cruise planner.

 

Sorry, I didn't look for them so it wasn't something I happened to see.

[Oceansaway17]

5 hours ago, Biker19 said:

Quantum has the "regular" paid version as you describe but then there's the "premium" one more than double the price of that - I assume that's for viewing at the glacier.

welp I am glad I did it all for free in 2016 on the Anthem and twice, once in Spring and once in the fall.

 

I don't like paying for Northstar and I wonder if it drags the ship and uses more fuel.  Given state of things these days perhaps it is extra money for the ships.  still a bit tacky.  Should only charging for the glaciers to since that is high demand.

[mianmike]

On 5/11/2022 at 9:13 AM, twangster said:

Last week when Quantum was here the downtown docks were full so Quantum berthed over in Ward Cove and they ran shuttles to town.  

 

 

Oh no!  We love Ketchikan and hate docking at Ward Cove.  We switched from NCL to RCI thinking that RCI wouldn't stop at Ward Cove. 

 

Just checked the port calendar and see there are only two ships in Ketchikan when we're scheduled. Whew!

[miraflores]

3 hours ago, DocNDo said:

Is there an Escape Room on Quantum of the Seas? Also was roller skating an offered activity in the Seaplex? I see them both listed as features on the Quantum, but didn't see them on the cruise planner.

There is an escape room right beside the port side entrance to the SeaPlex (in between the door and the entrance to Fuel). It's not always open though.

[PennyNC]

Thank you so much, Twangster, for these posts.  We are on the July 4, 2022 sailing and this has helped me understand what we have to look forward to.  I appreciate you sharing your cruise with us!

[MamaMia2]

8 hours ago, twangster said:

There is a shuttle bus to town that costs $13 US or $15 CAD.

Do you know if that is a one way fare or round trip? 

[ChanaC]

Thanks for all the posts! Question about the glacier visit before Juneau:

 

We're booked on the glacier explorer tour, where we get in a small boat and supposedly get closer to the glacier than the ship can get. Where you able to see that smaller boat at all? I'm wondering how close it was able to get with all that ice. We are also supposed to get back on the ship at 12 as it sails into Juneau, but I wonder how that will work when the ship leaves the glacier earlier. 

[J0Y0US]

14 minutes ago, ChanaC said:

We are also supposed to get back on the ship at 12 as it sails into Juneau, but I wonder how that will work when the ship leaves the glacier earlier. 

 

From my understand you meet up with the ship at port. I also was looking at the videos on youtube and could never see the smaller boat as of yet so interested in that answer.

[quack2]

On 5/12/2022 at 3:23 PM, ChanaC said:

I think you spotted Dall's porpoises! Picture below.

Cute little buggers, especially if you see them on a small boat whale excursion.