Ken's Royal Caribbean Alaska Cruise - July 5-12, 2003
Royal
Caribbean's Radiance Of The Seas
Just got back a few days ago from Royal Caribbean "radiance
of the seas" Alaska cruise 5-12 july. Overall, it was
a good experience since i have never been to Alaska or on a cruise
before.
I went mainly just to see the sights and enjoy the nature. "radiance
of the seas" is a beautiful ship with lots of windows to view
nature and enough distractions if bored. one of my favorites was
the bar on the sixth floor which was a perfect place to view the
Juneau harbor after a 4 hour hike to glacier.
One of the highlights was the tour guide (Kelly) on the glacier
hike. she was attractive and had an entertaining personality
for a bachelor like me. Hubbard glacier was a bit of a disappointment
because of the unexpected fog, but still impressive. most
of the locals complained it was too hot, sometimes 80 degrees
in port. i brought too many warm clothes and not enough t-shirts.
but still need at least one sweater and windbreaker because
it can get cold on deck when cruising into the wind.
I would like to go back when i have more time to explore northwest
at my own pace. also disappointed in Amtrak from Seattle to
Vancouver. depart one hour late, too many stops along the
way, 1/2 hour wait on train to wait for luggage to unload.
biggest frustration was 2-3 hour boarding procedure to get
on radiance (groups, crowds, lines, ID, security, passport,
luggage, inspection, photos, etc). i was already tired and
hungry when i arrived at port and had to search for food when
i finally got on board. too many schedules and not enough
freestyle.
These cruises seem mainly geared toward couples and families and
seem to treat single travelers as an oddity. it may just be a cultural
thing. one of my co-workers almost seemed shocked that i would go
on a cruise by myself. not to mention the price penalty for one
person per room. there is no way i would pay to share a room
with a stranger of the same sex. too weird for me.
I never went to one of the formal dinners (tuxedo, etc)
or shows. all seemed a little too strange for my taste,
since i was there mainly to experience the nature of Alaska.
despite all my complaints, i still enjoyed the whole experience
and would recommend to anyone who was interested.
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