Jota62

Day 2 - 9/2/15 - Day at Sea

We both had an amazing night sleep, despite all the rocking. We were basically lulled to sleep. We got up at probably 9ish and went to the sea day brunch. I thought it was good. I got the scrambled eggs and hash browns and my sister got the steak and eggs, she said they were really good.

After breakfast we attended some of the activities like the shopping information session. If I went again I'd probably skip this one, personally. I felt like if you are going there to buy expensive jewelry then maybe this is something you should go see. For me, I wanted some normal souvenirs and cute stuff for my nieces. The jewelry stores recommended by the ship I found to be way overpriced. I've boughten a decent amount of jewelry in my time and didn't feel like the stores that we were being directed to were anything truly Alaska, but again this is my personal opinion. We didn't spend a ton of time in them because I wasn't looking for a diamond bracelet. My sister and I did each buy some jewelry in Juneau and love the pieces we got and felt less pressured and that we got to pick from a great selection without having to break the bank for our littler personal souvenirs to ourselves.

The naturalist talk with Michelle was good to go to, I thought. She gave some tips for what to expect, what sort of wildlife we may see, where to look, info about the glaciers, and info about the Northern Lights forecast - we were actually lucky to see the Northern Lights and I'll share some pics of that later.

Having never been on a cruise before, I didn't really know what to expect from a sea day, but I have to say that we had so much fun on the ship before we even got to our first port. We went the casino, to comedy shows, had great food, and enjoyed the amazing views from our balcony. Some of those views included some early whale sightings!

This night was the first formal night also. My sister and I just both wore dresses that we would have worn attending a friend's wedding. There was a wide variety of attire. Some people went all out with tuxes and then we saw some people in nice jeans so it really was the full spectrum. It was nice getting dressed up though.

That night we saw the Motown production and it was decent. Not like seeing broadway, but they did a good job. It was an hour of entertainment and the performers were talented. Some of it was a little too corny for my taste, but the songs chosen were good.

After the show we did go back to see the comedy shows that night. All in all we saw all 3 productions offered and all 4 comedians so I think we took advantage of a lot of what the cruise had to offer and we had a great time!

It was also nice because the weather got better and the water much calmer. We were able to enjoy some blue sky and a great sunset that sea day also.

Day 1 - 9/1/15 - Leaving Seattle

Ok, so as I said when talking about the hotel, we opted to take a shuttle provided by the hotel at 11am. It was a quick, maybe 10 minute or so drive, and then we just walked into the terminal, needed to show our passports, and dropped off our bags to be checked. We did have Faster to the Fun (FTTF) Passes so after dropping our bags off we were able to get in that line to check in. Really though, there was very little of a line at all for anyone. We walked right up to a desk, showed our boarding passes, had our pictures taken, and we were good to go. At that point people were already starting to board so we were able to just walk on the ship. We didn't have to wait in any particular area, I guess because of the FTTF. However, a worker did tell us to sit in this section and we looked around and asked the people next to us and they informed us that no FTTF had been called and when we walked up to the guy letting people on he just let us right through.

Now, as we didn't really know what to expect we were probably more lost than most. The actual process was super simple, but I was under the understanding that if we had FTTF we could go straight to our rooms. Well, we were stopped and told we couldn't go until 1:30. When I showed the FTTF sticker I was told that the only "perk" was early boarding and that we couldn't enter the room early. Ok, so I talked to other people later and was told that no they were able to go to their rooms, but oh well. It didn't ruin anything for us, we just said ok then and headed to the Lido to get lunch.

I do have to say that the Lido was insane already. I grabbed a table and sent my sister to get her lunch and then we switched places. I mean, we sort of expected that because everyone was going to go there so it was packed, but it was a little crazy. We were just so excited to finally be on vacation that I got us both a drink from a waiter walking by and vacation started!

After we were done with lunch we did go to our room (Cabin 7300- Aft Facing Balcony), checked it out, and our bags were not there. This was probably about 1-1:30ish. We decided to explore the ship before the Muster Drill. We wandered around, ended up being coaxed into the RedFrog Pub, yeah the bartender really twisted our arms lol. He was hilarious, unfortunately I can't remember his name at the moment. He had a great personality though so we stayed for a drink and chatted with the other people there. We then wandered some more before heading back to our room. Our luggage was there so we quickly unpacked and then headed to our muster station a little before 3:30. The drill was a little delayed, but we seemed to set sail at about 4ish.

We went to our cabin for the sail away. We decided to share a bottle of champagne and toast to our trip. Our balcony was Aft facing and it provided some amazing views for the whole trip.

We had some bad weather leaving Seattle and the trip was a bit rocky. It was funny because I had been told that the ship was like a big city so you wouldn't feel too much movement, well we felt a lot. We thought maybe it was normal, haha. We were informed the next morning that it is not typically normal, but we survived. Neither of us got sick. We had each chewed a bonnie tablet when we boarded as a precaution because of a tip from a friend, but after that first day neither of us took any more.

I didn't really take pictures of our food, but we did eat in the dining room every night, except for the day we were in Juneau because we got back too late. We did the Your Time Dining and always got a table for 2. We only had to wait in a line when we got to the dining room when it opened. Any other time we basically walked right in with no problem. I enjoyed the food and service and I don't have any complaints about the food. I found there was always something I could try and I did like my meals every night, except the lasagna was probably my least favorite. Food is so individual though, we all have different tastes.

The first night on board we went to the comedy shows and had a great time and checked out the piano bar. We had a great time and a few drinks :)

Hi everyone! I recently returned from my first cruise and I had an amazing time. When I was researching which cruise to take sailing to Alaska I really valued the information I found on this site. I found that the reviews were so helpful so I wanted to go ahead and write a detailed review here of my experience.

Like the title says, I was a first time cruiser. I have no other cruise experiences to compare the Carnival Line too and this is my first ever review so if the pictures aren't popping up properly or you have any questions about stuff I'm not covering then please let me know and I'll do my best!

First of all a little about me. I'm 29 from Pittsburgh and I was sailing with my 26 year old sister. (We met so many amazing people on board from this forum so if any of you are reading this we loved getting to know you!) My sister and I decided we wanted to do a girl's trip before we are both married and just have another fun adventure together. I researched a lot of the itineraries offered for Alaska and, in the end, Carnival had the best rates. I will also note that the Carnival itinerary we had this week was nearly identical to the Princess cruise leaving that week. The same ports, Glacier Bay, and the hours were basically the same. So that was a big factor in why we choose to go with Carnival. Also, we are both in our late 20s now and we knew that sailing in September and to Alaska that it may be a bit of an older crowd. Looking at the activities provided on Carnival we knew there would still be plenty of fun geared towards our interests and we were definitely right. Although, I will note that the demographics of the ship was varied. There were young and old alike, and I must say probably the friendliest people I've ever met. Cruisers are so friendly!

In this review I'll share a lot of pictures, info about the excursions we choose, what we liked and didn't like, and my opinion after having FTTF (appears to be a hot topic on here). I also have all of the Fun Times from the cruise. If anyone knows how best to upload those scans let me know and I'm happy to share them.

Ok, so now that I've given a little background as to who we are and why we ended up deciding on Carnival I'll start this review :)

August 31, 2015- We flew in a day early. I think that is probably the best plan. I'd be too worried that something would happen and we would miss the ship. We had a long flight, but ended up in 1st class so we couldn't complain! When we got to SeaTac we got our luggage and then we actually used the STILA town car service. They have a stand next to the taxis. It is basically the same standard price if your hotel is in downtown seattle ($50 before tip). We figured that the town cars were right there, clean, and it was a set price so that is what we went with and had no problems. We were dropped off at our hotel around 11:30am and luckily our hotel let us check in early without problems.

We stayed at The Maxwell. It was a great hotel. I have to say the pillows and comforter I wish I could have at home, amazing. We booked the hotel way in advance. From the time we booked the hotel to the weeks leading up to our trip the price went up. Seattle is a pretty pricey city so I would recommend booking your hotel ahead of time. Now, price is all relative, but the downtown hotels were mostly going between $150-250 a night. In Pittsburgh that is considered pricey. The hotels near the airport are much cheaper, but keep in mind a taxi ride from the airport to downtown runs you about $40-50, so really it all depends on what you'd want to do while in Seattle. With the 2 of us splitting the room we opted for The Maxwell because we found it affordable, in a good location, and good reviews on trip advisor. The hotel staff was friendly and we had absolutely no issues with the hotel. It was about a 10-15 minute walk from the Space Needle, a very easy walk. It was longer from Pike's Place, but the hotel does offer a free shuttle to the main attractions, but they do ask you notify them ahead of time and recommended about 30 minutes notice. We actually didn't use the shuttle for any of the city sights, but it was nice knowing it could be available.

The Maxwell hotel did offer a shuttle to the Pier 91 cruise terminal. For 2 people and all of our bags the cost was $14. They had a sign up sheet when you checked in and had 3 times available. We opted for the 11am shuttle service.

For anyone else flying from far away you may also not want to travel with your bottle of wine. I know I didn't want to risk anything breaking in my bag on the way to vacation. Seattle has a lot of quick places to pick up a bottle and, unlike in Pittsburgh, you can actually just go to the Walgreens. A few blocks from the Space Needle we passed a Walgreens and etch grabbed a bottle. So for any other alcohol drinkers that is an option.

We had a great time in Seattle, but I know a lot of you probably would prefer to just get right to the cruise review so I'm going to go ahead and get to that. If anyone has any particularly questions about our experience in Seattle, just let me know!

Ok, I'm going to test out posting some pictures:

Yes you can hand in a coupon at any of the bars, and then take the bottle anywhere you'd like. We ordered one of ours at the lobby bar for a 'pre-dinner' drink then brought the rest of the bottle to the dining room. There are no restrictions on who you share the wine with (other than minors).

Awesome, thanks so much!

We have purchased the wine package and you can take your bottle to your room. We like to keep it in the MDR for dinner (we have Bon Voyage in our room for cocktails during the day) and it's always been right there at our table when we are seated.

I bet you could get it through the bar if MDR is not your dining choice.

Thanks so much for the response :)

I know the packages are still being offered and the various tiers, but I'm having trouble getting accurate information about the program.

My questions are: if I purchase a package do you have to drink the wine in the dining room or could I go to any bar on the ship and exchange my coupon for a bottle to drink there? or can you get a bottle just to bring back to your room?

Presumably you share the package with whomever you want because you are buying the bottles. Has anyone bought this recently?

I'm sailing to Alaska and with our ports I don't think the cheers will be economical for us, but I know we could finish a bottle every evening with dinner.

Following. I'll be on the legend, but glacier bay itinerary, on Sept 1!

I am debating whether or not to bring a tripod to Alaska to use while cruising in Glacier Bay.

 

Any comments to pack or not to pack?

A different perspective maybe, but I plan on bringing my small travel tripod that I can set up for days like glacier bay to get pics from my balcony. I'm traveling with my sister and if we want nice pics together then we can self timer nice photos that way.

I have e-mailed to all that requested two Zip files containing all eight Fun Times.

I would love a copy too if you don't mind - katiej862(at)gmail.com

DH and I are booked in an aft-view balcony cabin on the Carnival Legend for Alaska 2016. Does anyone have any photos of these types of rooms on the Legend or sister ships. Also, has anyone had any luck in spotting wildlife from the AFT of the ship! This will be our 1st Aft balcony... any advice?

 

Thanks!

I'm sailing in cabin 7300 on the Legend this September, aft facing balcony. I'll post a review afterwards and take some pictures of the cabin and some views :)

I think just the experience is worth it. Being on the Legend it's not an inside passage cruise and only one real sea day I think an interior is fine. I would take that money and do the Tracy Arm Explorer trip instead of staying on the ship. It should also leave you with extra money to do an excursion you may be on the fence about because of cost. I was fortunate to get a pack and play offer for the Legend this June and am extremely excited. I don't feel like I'm missing out on anything. Maybe if it was inside passage and going to glacier bay with 2 sea days but on Carnivals 7 day cycle from Seattle I think an interior will be fine.

 

This will be my first Alaskan Cruise too so I don't really know, but what I said is how I feel about it.

I'm going on my first cruise to Alaska this September on the Legend and we are doing Glacier Bay . . . maybe it isn't the same itinerary on the Legend your week

I'm cruising to alaska this September on the lenend and was looking at some amazing pictures others have taken at glacier bay and I was wondering where on the ship people recommend for the best view.

I will be in an aft balcony room, should we stay there for a view? Or is there a good deck or direction? Would love to hear what people have enjoyed in the past!

Hi, I'm going to Alaska in September and it is also my first cruise. wanting the security I'm ok with paying a little more to do the cruiseline excursions and have been researching them and reading reviews. The one excursion is limited to 2 groups of 14 so to be safe I'm just going to book mine in advance, plus I like the thought of I've already paid for them and don't have to worry. Obviously seems like OBC is a whole different issue.

If luggage express is available (which it appears to be for your ship and airline) it is offered to eligible guests during the cruise, you cannot sign up for it pre-cruise. You will receive a notice in your stateroom explaining the program, and a form to complete to participate. Here is a link to the latest information I could find on the subject:

 

https://www.goccl.com/~/media/Files/Irman/bookccl/shipboard_knowledge/LuggageExpress_OtherLocations.htm

 

Have a great cruise!!!

Thank you so much for explaining and providing the link!

I booked my cruise about 13 months in advance and maybe a week later added FTTF. I'm not sure if it was available earlier than that as I didn't know about it until that time, but I did book it about a year in advance.

Hi everyone! I'm preparing for my first cruise, heading to Alaska from Seattle. I've seen people discuss that you leave your bags outside your door and that they are transferred to the airport, for a fee of course. However, I can't find that option anywhere on the carnival websit. Maybe I'm looking in the wrong place? I see I can add airport transfers, but not just baggage. My flight leaves late the night we dock so I would love to get rid of my bags and be able to explore the city as you usually can only check in 4 hiurs early. Any insight on how to arrange this or if it is even still offered is appreciated!

If it is airline dependent my tickets are for united airlines.

I agree with the Tamron 18-270mm. I bought that one just before we went yo Alaska last year and absolutely love it. Price was my thing, would have loved a canon but couldn't afford it. I live in Australia and was worried about trying to organise a rental. I am still very much learning how to use my camera to the best possible results and with the a Tamron I got some incredible pictures.

 

I love my Canon 18-55mm that came with my camera but the Tamron is a fab walk around lens. The 18-300mm was released not long before I went away and I read very mixed reviews, so maybe check it out before committing to it. Very light and compact!

Thanks to you and everyone else for the great suggestions! I'm definitely going to research these lenses!

Hi everyone! I'm going on my first cruise this September, sailing to Alaska. The ship is scheduled to arrive at 7am, but my flight doesn't leave seattle to head back to Pittsburgh until 11pm that night. I'd like to explore the city a little and saw there is an excursion that includes a city tour and airport transfer, but is there a way to have you bags stored somewhere if you have such a late flight? I can't imagine I'm the first to have such a delayed flight and wouldn't want to go through the city with all my checked luggage. Any insight to how people have handled this in the past would be appreciated, thanks!

That's awesome. I will definitely check it out!

Do a Google search for camera shops that rent lens. I have a Canon T4i and when I went to Yellowstone I rented a Canon 100 - 400 L Lens for about $140 for 2 weeks. Well worth it as lens costs over $2,000.

I think my only concern is being stressed that something then would happen to the lens. I appreciate the suggestion and I am definitely going to look into this and the details.

I'm a novice photographer. I enjoy it as a hobby and would love to get some great shots in Alaska. I'm not sailing until September so have time to decide and practice to be used to any new lenses.

I have a Cannon T3i and it came with a 18-35mm and theb I have a 50mm /1.8f that I love and use most of the time.

Any suggestions for an affordable lens that will work well with my camera that would be great for capturing the glaciers and other great views from the boat?

Hi everyone! I'm planning my first cruise (have just under a year now!) and it is my first time obviously looking out for price drops. I see people on here checking daily, weekly...

My question is if you particular cabin is already sold out does that mean there will be no price drops?

When I log on the website and dock a mock booking to see prices I can't select my specific type of cabin (aft facing balcony) because they are completely sold out.

Maybe this is a dumb question, but just want to know what exactly I should be looking for to make sure I get the best possible price! Thanks in advance :)

And to note to the post I quoted... still new to this forum and don't disagree with what you said... definitely would have had activities very planned

I think there is a difference between a day at an amusement park and a 4 day cruise! One is just a fun activity but a 4 day cruise sounds like it could have been part of a planned experience and not just a bunch of girls hanging out for 4 days. I was also a Brownie and a Girl Scout and can't imagine my leaders just planning an outing like that without including some thought to activities. I suppose it is just a case of "different strokes".

 

Because I was a girl scout all the way through i thought i would share my experience ... maybe times have changed, but once my troop became juniors we took a trip every year. We went to boston, Philadelphia, toronto/Niagara falls... and when I was a junior in high school (2003) we went to Europe (england, france, and Italy). We didn't earn badges, but experienced the culture and we were able to do so with our bestfriends. We did this in addition to be camp counselors and working in our community. I think the girl scouts work to foster well rounded girls and help to give you all sorts of various skills and I think experiencing all sort of adventures is part of that. As a side note we all worked and did fundraisers to pay for any of these excursions (sold a lot of cookies lol).

Back to the topic... I'm not an experienced cruiser at all, in fact planning my first but I think if you have a problem then you should address it. Mistakes happen, it is human error. I think you should give the crew a chance to have made it right, whether fix the beds or help with the smell. If you have a problem and are silent about it then it obviously won't be fixed.

Like with anything in life it is all what you make of it! I'm going to go in with a very open mind and hope for the best.

Wow this thread was so informative! I'm going on my first cruise (alaska, carnival legend) in September 2015 (yes still a year away!) and I'm going with other first-time cruisers so we need all the advice we can get! I'm a major planner and have complied a great list from this entire thread, but I have a few questions if anyone knows the answers:

1. On top of the prepaid tips, how much is expected by the stewards?

2. For the nightly shows, do you need to book these ahead of time or do you just show up?

3. Because we've never cruises I don't know about seasickness. I see recommendations to take bonine. ..should you take this the night before boarding or an hour before? When really should you take preventative medicine for it?

Thanks so much to everyone who contributed to this thread! I'm so excited to join this cruising club :)