September 2015

From Vancouver Canada area and drove down to Seattle the day before to see some of the sites. Traveled with another couple.

Had a wonderful time. From the time that we got into to line to broad the ship in Seattle was given wonderful service

I walk with a cane so at the dock in Seattle was put in a wheel chair to get through the security check and once got our key card was handed off to someone from the cruise line and taken up to our room. Lots of crew at the top of gangway to welcome you to the cruise with music.

The rooms were very clean and had great service from Jhoel who was friendly and took great care of our room and greeted us by name every time we saw him. Jhoel made sure that we had a different animal made up with towels every night. Really missed having my bed made up in the morning and turned down at night when got home. Turning the bed down at night meant that he turned the bed side lights on for us.

The ship had lots of different activities that we could take part in.

I loved the hot tubs and the adult only swimming pool. The swimming pool was salt water and a great size to do laps which i like to do. Was very thankful that I had taken my swimming goggles. The water was a nice temperature.

We had joined the cruise critic before leaving on the trip so took part at the Greet and meet and got information from the officers that attended. At this meeting they stressed that if you had a problem please let them know right away so that they could take care of it.

We had some problems with our toilet not flushing but called the service number and they fixed it right up. As well had a flood of water from the bathroom that they cleaned up right away and came in and sanitized the bathroom and the carpet. They put a blower in the room for a couple of days drying the carpet which didn't bother us that much. This to me showed how good their service was because they fixed up a problem right away

There are lots of choices to eat on this ship from garden café that was a buffet to sit down restaurants that gave 5 star services. Our favorite was the Tsar Place restaurant that was at the back of the boat and had a Russian decor to it. The food was excellent and the service was top notch and atmosphere very relaxing and like a 5 star restaurant. Went to chin Asian food for a meal and the food was good. As well had some Meals in the O’Sheehan’s pub. Services were great and the food okay. Went to the Azura for a meal the food and service was great but atmosphere very loud and busy. Had a meal in the le Bistro and had an excellent meal and the service was great. David has rack of lamb and I had tenderloin and both meals cooked to perfection and the desert crème brulia was outstanding.

The Shows were all very good. My favorite was the Band on the run which had music from the 70 and 80 And le Cirque Bijou shows. Both were great can’t pick my favorite.

Spend some time in the Casino and did win a little but good entertainment.

The Spinnaker’s lounge was a great quiet area where you could have a drink and read or talk but have shows come on periodically that disrupt everything. Would be nice to have a quiet are inside when weather bad as the library too small.

Another way that the ship shone in its service was that they always had wheel chairs to help people that needed them to get on and off the ship. When in Skagway when we disembarked we were the furthest from the mainland and there was quiet a walk from the ship. There were golf carts being run by the dock that took us to the end to catch our tours bus but was not running at 1700 when returning to the boat not sure who runs these but would be nice to have them running longer. However got half way back to the ship when someone from the jewel meant me with a wheel chair and took me back to my room. I had been walking with a lady who was walking with a walker and she was getting back on to the valder dam and no one from the ship came to help her up the ramp. But the jewel had people walking halfway down the dock to get its customers.

One of the high lights is the day that we went up to Glacier Bay and the captain had the ship doing 360 so that we could see the glaciers from all angles. The weather was perfect and the scenery was outstanding.

Ports of call

Ketchikan

We rented an electric car from rain barrel and were able to travel through the town to see some of the sites this was helpful for me especially as having some difficulty walking around

Juneau

Has pre booked a execution that took is first on a whale watching tour where we did see lots of whales

Then up to mendall glazier where I enjoyed the visitor center and other enjoyed a walk to the falls.

Then finished with a tour of the city sites.

Skagway

Another high lite. Had pre booked a tour with deyadave who picked us up at the dock and we traveled by small tour bus up to emerald lake Yukon and then driven back to Fraser where we took the train back to skagway. If ever up to Alaska deyadave gives a great tour up to the Yukon. Stopped in car cross Yukon for lunch at a small place called the bakery and the soup of the day salmon chowder was excellent. Dave was very knowable about the area and was quite the combian. Would take his tour again in a heartbeat. When in skagway take time to go to the forestry service office and watch the film about the gold rush.

In Skagway would have been nice if the golf cart shuttle they had in the morning to move people along the dock to area that all the shuttles came to to pick up passengers would have run into the early evening. Not sure if this is the cruise ships responsibility or the skagway dock.

Glacier Bay

Not enough words to describe how wonderful it was

Icy point.

Small area. Well worth taking the shuttle into town. There is a wonderful building that active artist working on totem poles and other wood art work.

Sitka

Hired a taxi to take us around group of 4 cost 65 and hour. Was able to see the bear sanctuary that was sad to see the bears in captivity but others are heeled and released . As well the rapture center which heal birds to be released. Saw the bishop’s house and the church which was very interesting. Having the taxi was nice as the weather wasn’t that great.

Victoria

Has a nice look around town have been to Victoria as live in Vancouver and have family there. Weather was beautiful.

Vancouver

Home again.

bed was comfortable and large. was very clean and had lots of storage.
had two c pap machine so would have liked to see more plug in by the bed.
brought extention cords so managed.