I must second the idea of getting a balcony cabin if possible. It would
have been a delightful luxury to have been able to sit out on our own
private balcony to watch the glaciers instead of having to find a good
viewing spot in the public areas.
If not, a good window seat in the upper-level buffet court area (this
was on Princess) was another good solution. You could have a great view
in warm comfort, but the doors to go outside were right there too if you
wanted to enjoy a few minutes of the cold, fresh air. (People in your
party can take turns going outside or getting something to eat or drink
so you can keep your table safe until you decide to leave).
Don't miss the Alaska-themed dinner, the lights of the dining room
dimmed and the waiters carrying trays of flaming Baked Alaskas through
the room is a sight to behold! Excursion-wise, the formal tea at the
Empress Hotel in Victoria, BC was a very special experience. The head
chef's cooking demonstration, galley tour and signing of the Princess
cookbook was one of our favorite activities offered onboard.
The one thing that's kind of iffy is the onboard lecture/seminar about
all the shopping opportunities in the Alaskan ports. Think a live
version of QVC, excitedly hawking all the "amazing" overpriced jewelry
you can find while ashore. If you like jewelry and want a few souvenirs
or gifts, but not the expensive stuff they want to sell you, they had a
book you could purchase for around twenty bucks, which had coupons for
the different stores, some with discounts and deals, but several
freebies as well, which made for some nice shopping fun for just a few
dollars.
If you have kids in your family, either on the cruise or at home waiting
to see what you bring home for them , be sure to hit the DelSol shops
in any of the Alaskan port cities. They sell very cool items that turn
colors in the sun, like t-shirts, plastic jewelry, hats, stuffed bears,
even nail polish. Also a nifty tote bag (free with our coupon book).
Not too expensive as souvenirs go, and kids would love it. I actually
won a big stuffed bear at the seminar (the other prize was a piece of
diamond jewelry... if only they'd called my name second LOL).
I'm glad we chose Alaska as our first cruise, it was a fantastic trip
that I'll never forget. Have a great time!
Diva
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