7-day Alaska Inside Passage - Detailed Review!

Here is our very detailed review of our 7-day Alaska cruise. We were a family of four traveling on a budget. We saw more of Alaska, and did it less expensively, than most any other passenger on the ship. You can too!

http://www.lavasurfer.com/info/alaska.html

How very nice to read your review

You certainly packed a lot of activities in.

From the way you tell it, you didn't have a boring day to remember.

I hope more people who do the Alaska crise on a smaller budget will respond to your post.

We will be going to Alaska in September, and have only rented a car in Skagway so far.

We may do one more excursion, but that will be all of the planned activities. The rest will be much as you describe your trip.

Thanks for posting your very sensible review.

EXCELLENT REVIEW nice to read one without all of the side/wisecracks Thanks

Thanks, your comments were most helpful. We're cruising the Inside Passage next month, so I'm reading everything I can.

If you could tell me, what items did you wish you'd taken, and what do you wish you'd left home?

[Please forgive me if this turns out to be a duplicate post. I spent 15 minutes posting a reply only to see Cruise Critic's server throw up and lose my post. The server has been extraordinarily slow over the past couple of weeks. It needs work].

Among the most helpful "extra items" we packed were: bungee cord, battery powered alarm clock, shoe rack, tape, scissors (under 6"), bottled water, cards, camera, film, sunscreen, bug lotion, balloons (for balcony), binoculars, highlighters, personal pillow, night shades, collapsible dirty clothes bag, beach bag, and a water camera. We also made ten 8x10 posters for our cabin door (one for each day, "If this is Sunday, it must be Vacouver!" and the like) and mentioning CruiseCritic in hopes that someone else on the boards would notice and strike up a conversation. As it turned out, our cabin steward appreciated knowing where we were, and we heard second hand that numerous passengers found our posters helpful.

Turns out we didn't need the bug lotion or nite shades. The best item was the canvas rollup over-the-door shoe rack with all its pockets. Very handy!

CaribbeanBound,

Thank you for your wonderfully detailed review. Leaving in 36 days (southbound on the Coral) and can't get enough info on Alaska. I was very surprised to hear you say that Bert Stratton was onboard in Alaska. We've enjoyed Bert's shows on both of our Caribbean Princess cruises and had no idea he was sailing the Star Princess. I agree Bert needs a bigger "living room".

Thanks again.

It seems that this review is a year old. The Star is not in Alaska this summer and the review is copyrighted 2004. Not an issue, just be informed.

It seems that this review is a year old. The Star is not in Alaska this summer and the review is copyrighted 2004. Not an issue, just be informed.

Thank you so much naplesam...that explains that! Shame on me for not paying attention! :eek:

Here is our very detailed review of our 7-day Alaska cruise. We were a family of four traveling on a budget. We saw more of Alaska, and did it less expensively, than most any other passenger on the ship. You can too!

 

http://www.lavasurfer.com/info/alaska.html

When was it that you cruised to Alaska? The Star Princess hasn't cruised out of Seattle for at least 2 years!

It seems that this review is a year old. The Star is not in Alaska this summer and the review is copyrighted 2004. Not an issue, just be informed.

In 2004, it was the Sapphire and Diamond Princess ships that cruised out of Seattle, not the Star Princess. So, the review (although it is still good with lots of information) has to be at least 2 years old.

Here is our very detailed review of our 7-day Alaska cruise. We were a family of four traveling on a budget. We saw more of Alaska, and did it less expensively, than most any other passenger on the ship. You can too!

 

http://www.lavasurfer.com/info/alaska.html

Loved your review. Must say, your review format reminded me of my old marketing days---"Executive Summary." Nice to read about alternative options to seeing Alaska without spending a lot of money.

Sorry, I should have made it clear this was in late May 2003.