Cerbiattina

10 hours ago, martincath said:

Doable? Absolutely. Nice? Probably very nice, but I can't really advise on whether there would be even nicer opportunities you miss by visiting these as I don't know your personal tastes! If you're looking for the most generally-popular overview of the city, most bus tours manage to get you around those in ~3-4 hours albeit with very few real stops - the HOHO has the advantage of far more stops, and flexibility in how long you take at them, as well as being priced a little less, but they won't let you take suitcases onboard so popping over to your hotel first (even if room not ready, they should hold bags no problem) is required.

 

On the practical front, logistics of your listed sites so far - yes, a cab will be quicker than the bus to Grouse almost every time, BUT as soon as you cross a bridge onto the North Shore traffic becomes problematic. Since you're here midweek, both morning and evening rush hours just plain suck - far too many commuters drive from the north shore for the number of bridge lanes! In a bus you might lose time with traffic - but in a cab that meteralso keeps on ticking! Plus, with the one-way roads, cabbies hate calls to pick people up at certain points inside the park (they're driving to you for free!) but then love it when your destination means that you have to circle the park really slowly to get out again, so depending exactly where you are in the park you may find it hard to get a cab to come or the cab fare is already ka-ching before you even leave the park!

 

Personally, if I were going to combine Stanley Park and Capilano or Grouse same day I'd be inclined to take transit - several services pass through the park and over Lions Gate bridge, and you can transfer to the 232 or 236 bus (which both go to Grouse; most bus drivers are good about helping out with reminders if you ask them when you board where is best to make a transfer). Stops for these buses are just outside the park entrance - very close to your hotel, so if you wanted to pop back to refill water bottles, grab fresh socks, use your own loo etc. it would be convenient.

 

On the way back down the mountain rather than hustle to meet the last 'free' shuttlebus of the day if you're still enjoying yourselves you could even consider dining up at Grouse - outstanding views of downtown from the Observatory resto. Ride the 236 all the way to Lonsdale Quay - there's a lot of casual but decent dining around the quay, the nearby Shipyards area, and streets between them - then take the Seabus back across to Vancouver for a dirt-cheap extra 'cruise'! Or stop at Capilano on the way down if you're inclined to do even more outdoorsy stuff - they drop their prices in the evening after 5pm, and with sunlight until after 9pm in June there's ample time to see it all without the hordes of bus tours earlier in the day.

 

Combo bus tours that take you to Cap and Grouse generally run about 5 hours - not quite enough time at either site to do everything, but with an entire day you could easily spend 3+ hours on-site at Grouse, and Cap is easily done in 2hrs if you avoid the worst crowds. It's just Stanley Park that is problematic - even folks very familiar with the park have almost never seen all of it, it's just so darn big at over a thousand acres! The Seawall trail around the outside is over 5 miles - assuming you cut back across via Lost Lagoon to where you started but otherwise don't go anywhere else on the interior. But that means missing Prospect Point, the Rose Garden, Beaver Lake, the Hollow Tree... you could literally walk around the trails for days! Bike rentals are a big win - and your hotel offers free bikes to guests (although limited to 2 hours, and first-come, first-served!) which you could try making use of. Due to the one-way Seawall (no, it's highly unlikely any cops will enforce it, but the sheer insanity of trying to bike headlong into a sea of other cyclists dissuades anyone with an ounce of self-preservation instinct from trying it in summer!) it would probably be best to try and snag bikes at the hotel, do a loop all the way around (even with photostops, 2 hours is plenty) then go do your Grouse etc. and go for a second ride later, or early next morning, to the Rose Garden, Prospect Point, Beaver Lake and any other interior parts - you can ride back out on Pipeline Rd and various trails which are not one-way but do be aware the hill up to Prospect is pretty steep!.

 

Day two, with a 7pm flight, even if it's to the US I would not show up at YVR before 5pm - if you are very nervous travelers, 3 hours early is the official line for US/Int'l flights but that is only ever needed mid-morning through early afternoon. You can prebook a slot at security for free (I'd suggest doing this for 60mins preflight, so if anything goes wrong and you are running late and barely manage to check your bags in time you can go right to the short security queue... I would be genuinely shocked if security and Preclearance took more than 40mins total around the time you're going to be there) to play safe.

 

That means you can safely plan to be Doing Stuff Downtown until at least 3pm - even if you're in Chinatown and need to go all the way back to the Bayshore for your bags, you can be out at YVR in an hour total. What to do though?

 

Honestly, the Things To Do list in Chinatown is very short other than Eat and Shop - see the new Gate and the copy of the old one, the skinniest building, visit the new Storytelling Centre if you want to learn something (an hour or so), visit Dr Sun Yat-Sen garden (if you take the docent guided walk, allow an hour unless you plan to chill and meditate), compare with the free park nextdoor (10 mins if you've already done the 'real' garden).

 

Gastown has even less in the way of specific sites (the Steamclock requires a visit on the hour for the 'full' show, or any quarter hour for a shorter one, and that's the only specific Thing now that the statue got pulled down - Generic Ye Olde Cobbled Street vibe can be absorbed just walking a couple of blocks on Water St) so it's basically down to again how much shopping or eating you want to do that determines how long you'll need. Touristy T-shirts and the like are cheaper in Chinatown - most cruisers only get as far as Water St on foot and all the shops there are just a wee bit gouge-y in their pricing (never, ever, ever buy Maple Syrup in a tourist shop - Costco is by far the best value if you're a member, but any supermarket you pass by still spanks the souvenir shops - Safeway on Robson would be closest to your hotel).

 

The good stuff in both 'hoods IMO, other than dining, is what you find out from a tour guide about the history, architecture etc. There are some virtual guides online these days (free city wifi, look for #VanWiFi broadcasting if you don't have free roaming data), lots of paid guides offering private tours, but you could also take a free ('tip what you like') Toonie Tour which run 10am-1pm; get in touch with AIBC to see if they will have one of their superb walking tours running on your dates (pre-Covid this was the most informative $10 you could ever spend!); or reach out to Stroll Buddy to see if a local is available for a free (no tips expected) walk just with your party (2 caveats here - firstly, I'm a Buddy but since it's entirely free I don't feel it's a conflict of interest to inform you about the service; secondly, all Buddies are volunteers so whether any of us are free during your short stay is a bit of a crapshoot - but for the price of ~five minutes of your time to fill out the request form, you might get a private custom tour for zero bucks...)

 

Personally I'd consider Granville Island to be another of the places which most tourists visit and enjoy - and with your overnight, you have the luxury of not being forced to visit it during the horribly-busy chunk of time that all the pre- and post-cruise bus tours drop people off! While the Public Market is a great place to lunch in theory - soooooo many food options - it's a far more pleasant place to visit either as soon as the shops start opening (9am is good), or mid-afternoon and later (there's a comedy club, a theatre, various restos open at night) when you can stroll the streets and especially the interiors of the shops without feeling like you're the filling in a tourist sandwich!

 

Regardless of your tastes, I would also plan for a Rainy Day Alternate unless you are happy wandering around in the rain - many of us locals use the term 'June-uary' as it seems that we quite often get a rather toasty warm dry chunk of time in May but then have a string of several days of drearier, drizzly weather come June. You should of course be packing layers anyway for your cruise, but especially if the 6th is wet you might not want to get too damp when you have to load yourselves onto a plane rather than having a night to let wet socks etc. dry out.

 

Various general and more-niche museums and art galleries abound; Scienceworld, the Aquarium, and the indoor bits of Granville Island might entice more than outdoor parks and gardens when the liquid sunshine is flowing!

 

Sorry if this just adds more work for you in your planning - but with less than two full days it's crucial to prioritise, see the places and do the things that YOU like most rather than what Joe Q Public says a visitor to Vancouver 'must do'... there's no such thing as a must do tourist site, so the more research you do now to figure out which of the many options in our fair city appeal most to you, the better time you'll have here!

... I am speechless....you are AMAZING!!!!! I have copied and pasted your message and treasure it in a dedicated folder. THANK YOU SO MUCH....you are truly AMAZING....

Sorry to bother you again..last question.. I saw that the bus for Grouse Mountain leaves from Canada Place. We can also call a taxi, which cuts the travel time to 15 minutes. I was thinking about visiting Stanley Park the whole morning and having lunch there (I made a 1:30 pm reservation at the local restaurant). We could get a taxi or the bus afterward and spend the afternoon/early evening at Grouse Mountain. Probably the taxi is quicker. The next day we will have the entire morning free since our flight leaves at 7:00 pm. I was thinking about visiting Gastown and the Chinese Quarter. We are staying at the Westin Bayshore which should be fairly close to the two neighborhoods. Do you think this plan is doable? Do you think it would be nice? Thank you so much for your input, like I said earlier, we have never been to Vancouver, and I would like to see some highlights. 

15 minutes ago, Northern Aurora said:

Since you have never visited Vancouver I would just stay in Vancouver.  Also consider a visit to Grouse Mountain if that would be of interest.

Thank you. We will stay in Vancouver. I briefly looked Grouse Mountain up and it looks beautiful. I will try to work it into our little sightseeing. Otherwise, I have to plan another visit to Vancouver. ....So sad I couldn't change the return flight! Thank you again, much appreciated. 

1 hour ago, Northern Aurora said:

Just a quick comment -- Butchart Gardens is lovely but is not located in Vancouver.  It is outside of Victoria which is on an island.  

 

In addition to Stanley Park, goggle the Vancouver Art Gallery.  Lovely art museum which frequently hosts very interesting shows.

Thank you for your reply. I know that Butchart Gardens is on an island. However, there are tours from Vancouver to visit Victoria and the Gardens - they stop for three hours in Victoria and 90 minutes at the Gardens. The whole excursion takes 12-13 hours. I was just wondering which one we should be doing. We have never been to Vancouver before, just trying to see the prettier things in such a short time. 

Hello,

Disembarkation time in Vancouver starts at 7:30 am June 5th. I booked one night at the Westin Bayshore, with a departure time to the airport the next day. The flight is t 7:30 pm, June 6th. I planned to spend the morning at Stanley Park (after briefly leaving the luggage at the hotel) with lunch at the local restaurant. Then we would rest a bit at the hotel and then go see Gastown and the Chinese neighborhood. The next morning, we would walk to Robson Street just to walk around and see it and then collect our suitcases and head to the airport. A friend told me about Butchart Gardens. I tried to change the return flight but the cost would be exorbitant and therefore, it is not an option. I looked into a trip to the Gardens and it would take all day with a tour. The airplane tour leaves very early in the morning, I am not sure we would have enough time to disembark and run to the collection place. Long story short, it is going to be either the little tour of Vancouver or the Butchart Gardens.....Any suggestions? Thank you so much! 

15 minutes ago, Arizona Wildcat said:

You probably should look at the ports forum.

To go to Totem Park simply walk across the street and take the city bus.  Was $2 R/T and seniors free.

Misty Fjords is a crap shoot weather wise.  Want to see wildlife?  Early morning and sunset are best.  Midday you likely will see none.

As for fog, it is not a white wall but misty.  Adds to the atmosphere.   Have driven a fishing boat there probably 50 times.  Maybe clear and sunny 3 or 4 and definitely no wildlife those days.

You also can take a nice walk to the old red light area.  Neat houses.  The logging show is . .  . touristy.

Enjoy.

Thank you so much. Then we will take the Misty Fjords cruise on our first stop since it leaves at 7:30 am. Also, I already thought to take the bus for Bight Totem Park and see Creek Street (Red Light District), I was just wondering if the Old Growth Trail is too much because the headtrail is approx 20 minutes by car from the port. But thank you, the insight about the wildlife is very much appreciated.

Hi everyone!

Still me...Going on a B2B Princess Alaska cruise at the end of May...We will be in Ketchikan twice. The first time we will dock at 6:00 and leave at 2:00 pm. The second time we will be in Ketchikan at 10:00 a.m. and leave at 6:00 pm. I was thinking of doing the Misty Fjords cruise on our return stop because it will be early June (slightly warmer on the water), plus the Misty Fjord cruise will leave at 12:30 pm. At the first stop, the Misty cruise leaves at 8:00 am, which seems a bit too early. I am afraid that animals will be still asleep (like us 🙂 ) and there is a better chance of fog. On our first stop (6:00 am to 2:00 pm), I was thinking about getting on the Silver Line and going to Bight Totem State Park, then stopping in town and walking town, then going to Creek Street, and IF we have time to call Uber and go to Magical Old-Growth Creek Trail and Trek a bit. Then call Uber again and go back to the ship. Do you think it is doable? Too much? Any idea if it is better to do the Misty Fjords early in the morning or early afternoon instead? Thank you!!

1 minute ago, wolfie11 said:

The Moore House museum is fun as well.  It’s a walk thru with a ranger on hand for information.  Try a doughboy at Klondike doughboy.  Also good beer at the Skagway Brewing Company, but it’s packed in the afternoons.  If it’s open this year the ivory museum at Corrington’s store is amazing. The city museum is also very good.

Thank you so much! I am writing all your suggestions down to have a day packed with activities. The ship docks at 7:30 am ad leaves at 8:30 pm. 

Just now, wolfie11 said:

As far as I know, you don’t need a ticket for the museum at the train station.  You do need to book a tour of Soapy Smith’s saloon or for the Ranger historical walk. The film they show at the Visitors center is quite good.

That's what I meant. I can't book the ticket for the Soapy Smith's saloon and Ranger historical walk because they are first-come first-served. We will be at the Visitor Center as soon as they open to get the tickets. I did buy the ticket for the scenic train to Bennett Lake and Carcross. Our cruise is back-to-back, and there are two stops in Skagway. The first is going to be a self-guided tour of the town with the Ranger tour, the Museum, Soapy Smith's saloon, and a walk to Yakutania Point, and the second will be the 8-hour-long scenic train.

1 minute ago, Cerbiattina said:

I booked the train for our return stop. The first stop is going to be self guided but I will look into booking the ranger tour, if available

It looks like I can't book the tickets for the Museum because they are first-come first-served. Will be there when the Visitor Center opens at 9:00 am

Just now, wolfie11 said:

Have you booked these tours yet?  Skagway gets four ships on most days, so you’ll be in town with up to 10,000 other people.  Tour space is limited and they sell out fast.

I booked the train for our return stop. The first stop is going to be self guided but I will look into booking the ranger tour, if available

1 hour ago, karatemom2 said:

This is a smart plan. If time permits I also highly recommend the “Days of 98” show. It’s a very entertaining performance that provides wonderful historical perspective. A great thing to see before your visit to the cemetery. 

Thank you! Duly noted 🙂

15 minutes ago, Eileen G said:

If you go to the Klondike National Historic Park first you can do a ranger lead tour of Skagway. There are limited free tickets for the tours. It will make seeing the cemetery more meaningful. We have done several different tours over the years. Also make sure to walk to Reid Falls behind the cemetery. The museum at the visitors center really gives you a feel for what the gold rushers went through to find gold. 

Thank you! Will start from the Klondike National Historic Park. Then we will stopcat the museum, then walk time and then Yakutania Pount. I think we will pass on Dyea and spend the whole day exploring Skagway. As first time it makes more sense. The second time the ship stops in Skagway, we will take the train/bus tour to Bennet Lake and Carcross. This should give us a good feel for the Skagway area.

3 minutes ago, karatemom2 said:

 

Yes, we did take the bus for part of the route. We have done the train/bus combo a couple of times, but just the one time all the way to Lake Bennett, which was my favorite. The bus ride from Carcross is great as it gives you chances to stop along the way and take in the scenery from a different perspective.

 

The trailhead for Yakutania point is within easy walking distance from town and the dock - just behind the airport. Look online for directions and just ask one of the locals if you need more direction once you get there. It is such a beautiful walk - super easy and the views are amazing!

Thank you. If you were to choose between A. Explore the town, walk to the cemetery and Yakutania point OR B. Explore the town, walk to the cemetery and Dyea, which one would you do..or can you do both?? I want to see as much as possible, but I don't want to make the day too packed. 

23 minutes ago, karatemom2 said:

 

The trip all the way to Bennett Lake is amazing!! We loved having the opportunity to explore around the Bennett Lake area and see the amount of artifacts still laying all around. It's like time stood still - a big outdoor museum. You will not regret the choice - it's a long train ride, but so worth it in my opinion and so much to see going up and back. Just really scenic! 

Thank you for your suggestions, I will take notes of everything you said. This is going to be my first time in Alaska, I am so excited, I would like to see everything!! The return leg from Carcross should be by bus if I understood correctly. Do you recall taking a bus? If so, how was it? I am now looking for directions to do the trail that takes to Yakutania Point. I am pretty sure that is the one I read about. Comments were all so enthusiastic! Thank you again for your detailed suggestions. 

2 hours ago, karatemom2 said:

We have visited both Haines and Skagway a few times. Although Haines is a great place, I wouldn't shortchange Skagway if it is your first visit and you have a chance to spend a couple of port days there - especially if one is pretty fully taken up by the train excursion, which is very worthwhile. If you can do the combination train one way and bus the other, that provides a great option to see as much as possible. Chilkoot Charters is an excellent company for that.

 

On your second day in Skagway, you can take in the other sites like the cemetery, museum and perhaps the "Days of 98" show. As suggested, you could rent a car and take a drive to the scenic and historic Dyea area or maybe do one of the short hikes in the area, an easy option is one that goes around to Yakutania point.

 

There really is enough to see and do in Skagway to fill two days. The ferry to Haines is scenic, but it covers the same route that you see from the ship so it doesn't add much in the way of scenic viewing. The actual town of Haines is small and not much to see - a small Hammer museum and local shops. If you can get out to Chilkoot lake at the right time of year, you can sometimes see bears, but if you don't have your own car that would really require a tour of some sort.

 

Perhaps for this trip your best bet would be just to focus on getting the most out of Skagway. It's a charming and historic town!

Thank you!!! I'll take note of your suggestions. Skagway stops are all figured out! I will look into the trail that takes to Yakutania Point. First things first, I will cancel the tickets to Haines. 

I don't think the cruise ship offers the evening tour. I looked at one to Chilkoot Lake with wildlife viewing but several people lamented that all they did was to drive around and only 45 minutes on the actual trail.  Plus, they said there was a lot of hanging around without really doing anything. I am oriented toward canceling the trip to Haines altogether and exploring Skagway instead. With two full days, one will be dedicated to the train ride to Carcross through Bennet Lake and the White Pass - it has all positive reviews, supposedly it stops quite often to allow photos and such. The other day will be in Skagway town and we will see the cemetery, the museum and maybe find a way to go see the old town. I also read that there is a trail not too far from the cruise dock. A little trekking will be nice as well. I read that the stretch of sea between Skagway and Haines is very scenic and breathtaking - that is why I wished to see it, but I did not understand that we would see it anyway from the cruise ship. 

Just now, Cerbiattina said:

I was thinking about the train that goes to Bennet Lake and Carcross and comes back by bus. If I understand correctly, it will go through White Pass, right?

The train will be for one of the two stops. I am trying to plan the first stop. Twelve hours (or so) in Skagway

9 minutes ago, Rick&Jeannie said:

You're probably (in my opinion) going to want more time in Skagway than just a half day.  You should *really* consider doing the White Pass Railroad. You can't beat the mountain scenery. 

 

 

I was thinking about the train that goes to Bennet Lake and Carcross and comes back by bus. If I understand correctly, it will go through White Pass, right?

Hi!

As some of you know by now, at the end of May my husband and I are going on a B2B Alaska Cruise from Vancouver. The ship will stop in Skagway twice, 7:00 am to 8:30 pm both times. I booked the train to Carcross for one stop and the Fast Ferry to Haines for the second stop. The ferry leaves at 8 am and returns to Skagway at 1:45. My wish is to visit Haines in the morning, and Skagway in the afternoon. I can still cancel the ferry if so I wish. QUESTION: Do you think it is doable? I mean, will we have time to visit both towns? If so, do you know if there is a shuttle from Haines Port to Chilkoot Lake? I was hoping to see it without a tour because I would like to visit the town as well before returning to the ferry (departure is at 1:00 pm) and we don't wish to drive ourselves. Is it even a good idea? If so, would this plan leave enough time to visit Skagway as well? I was thinking of visiting the town, the little museum, walk to the old cemetery. Any suggestion? On the second stop, we will embark the train to Carcross at 7:45 am. We will come back by bus at 3:30 pm. I thought that we would have some extra time to visit the town again (or something left out on the first stop) before embarkation. Thank you so much for your help!

Hi all!

Thank you so much for your input! The 26 Glacier tour is going to be!!!! I appreciate all your help 🙏

Hi Everybody!

At the end of May, my husband and I will take a 14-day cruise to Alaska glaciers with Grand Princess. Before getting to Whittier, the Cruise itinerary mentions one two-hour scenic cruise to College Fjord. From the description, "..Upon entering College Fjord, Alaska, passengers on Alaskan cruises may be able to see Harvard as the last of five glaciers in a row, separated by miles and mountains, just as Harriman's scientists could...". It does mention Prince William Sound which we want to see. I was looking for activities in Whittier since the ship will stop there from 12:30 am to 8:30 pm the next day. I  found another 5.30-hour cruise with Phillips Cruise Tour; in particular, the 26 Glacier Tour. It looks amazing; however, I am afraid it is going to be a sort of Deja Vu because Princess already goes to Prince William Sound and Harvard Glacier the day before. However, Phillips Cruises spends three extra hours at College Fjords. QUESTION: Have any of you done both? Could you share your opinion? How different are they? Is it worth going back the next day with Phillips Cruising? Also, as an alternative, I was looking into the Glacier Quest Cruise to Blackstone Bay, always offered by Phillips Cruising. Have you ever done that cruise? Is it worth it? If none of them works, I was thinking about going for a hike and visiting the military museum. We don't want to rent a car, do the tunnel and go to Anchorage. It seems like too much time driving around. Do you know any train-ride round trip from Whittier that is worth doing? Any input is much appreciated. Thank you!

20 hours ago, SoloAlaska said:

Life GF is so much easier now than it was 15 plus years ago when I couldn’t eat gluten. I was not Celiac but had such severe pain that I ended up in hospital repeatedly. Cruise ships are great with it especially. My worries are more when I’m off the ship. I have food allergies now but never had an issue on a cruise. Traditional dinning with set tables are the easiest and order your meal (or dessert) the night before.

I will argue your point. Holland America Cruise to the Caribbean had almost no gluten-free options and you have no idea how often I get sick from eating food that was promised to be gluten-free and non-contaminated and yet is one or the other. Life for people with Celiac Disease and zero tolerance to gluten is pretty isolating. The safest thing is to eat at home. No disrespect for those who don't eat gluten as a "lifestyle" choice, but they have ruined, and keep ruining the lives of those with pure Celiac Disease. Dining facilities think that as long as it says "gluten-free", food, it is ok to eat, with total disregard of cross-contamination. Not to mention that most times they don't even know which food is gluten-free and which one isn't. It happened to me on the Holland America Cruise with a couple of servers. Kudos to the Maitre who took the plate off their hands and educated them about Celiac Disease..

29 minutes ago, GeezerCouple said:

 

Welcome to Cruise Critic!

 

Please contact the Princess "special needs" group and have this information added to your reservation.

As soon as you board, see someone at the main dining room and tell them you have celiac disease.  (Stress that it is "celiac disease" and not just a dietary preference.

These days, there should be quite a few GF options, and they'll be marked on the menus.

In some cases, chefs will be able - and willing - to make something that is not usually GF, but make it in a GF version.  They'll need advance notice, of course.

 

DH has celiac disease, diagnosed very late in life, so we've only recently been getting used to this.  There are so many GF choices on regular menus these days (even lots of GF pasta in Italy!! 🙂 ).

 

However, he ALWAYS tells the waitstaff that he NEEDS Gluten Free because he has CELIAC DISEASE (emphasizing some words!).  And when he is served, he *always* asks, "This is the GLUTEN FREE <whatever>, correct?"  I also keep an eye out to make sure he doesn't reach for bread of a roll from the wrong basket by mistake, for example.

 

If you look at the day's menu and see something you like, there are sometimes easy ways for them to make a small order of something in a GF version, depending upon the recipe.

 

Enjoy!

 

GC

Thank you! I have already told Princess and selected the option in the Cruise Personalizer. It is terrible how you have to stress the words Disease only because some - perfectly healthy - consider it a lifestyle. I can't even put in my mouth a crumble of contaminated food that   I get so sick for two solid weeks... I am nervous and terrified every time I step outside of the house to eat (rarely) but I can't wait to see Alaska!

7 minutes ago, PG_traveller said:

I don't drink alcohol either, but I have decided to get the Plus package. It includes the gratuities and wifi, which already adds up to $41. The premium desserts - meh. I might have one or two just to try them. But I do enjoy mocktails by the pool, Coke Zero, water, Perrier, cappuccino, frappes, etc. With the Plus package I won't feel like I have to nickel and dime these things. It also includes the room service charge, so I may do that occasionally. 

Agree. I have decided to get the Plus Package.  My husband enjoys a glass of wine at the dinner table and a beer now and then...it is also his cruise! The Premiere is too "unlimited" for us, and I don't want to nickel and dime either. Plus, as you correctly said, the room service will be nice on occasion, especially after a long day exploring Alaska.