Cruise Critic Chris

The issue of value for your money is always interesting. When people learn I'm from CC, they are happy to give me their opinions, and I love hearing them. I always ask them the value question last -- and most people do say yes. I wrote up an article about all-inclusive Alaska options inspired by the trip -- https://www.cruisecritic.com/articles.cfm?ID=7003. Regent and Silversea are the most inclusive lines. It depends on whether you think you will really take advantage of everything that you're paying for. Some of our included excursions were great; others not so much. There were things I expected from a luxury line that I didn't get on this trip. I noted that there was no greeting with a drink or towel when you come back from excursions. I expected a bigger seafood extravaganza, perhaps with crab legs. I expected the option for an excursion that gets you closer to Hubbard Glacier. I expected something a bit more "special" and Alaska focused. Whether that is due to Regent or supply chain issues or the labor challenges or this ship in particular, it's hard to say.

I can't find the post now but someone asked if we ended up with covid on the cruise. Nope! My friend and I have been fine. I did have a nightmare trip back home but that's not Regent's fault. Between delays and weather, it took me 36 straight hours to get home from Vancouver. It took another six days to get my suitcase. The whole trip home was so bad that it led me to cancel my next work cruise because I didn't think I'd make it home in time for a personal vacation. So no live report from Ovation of the Seas from me! I talked to Regent when I got back; and I think the Alaska route has some challenges now. It's not just them - I have been seeing issues with Silversea and Viking ships in the region as well. The labor shortage is very difficult right now in busy tourist areas like Alaska. Things are still not back to "normal normal." We have a staff editor going to Alaska in mid-July on a different line. We'll be able to see by then if things have gotten better. Next work cruise isn't until mid-August now: Oceania's Riviera in the Baltics. I'll get a thread going when the time comes.

Today we have been docked in Ketchikan. It's my first time at Ward Cove which is a nice facility, but it's not nearly as convenient as being right downtown. Ships downtown today were Royal Princess, HAL Zuiderdam, Carnival Spirit and Seabourn Odyssey. We did an included excursion that went to the Lumberjack Show and the Saxman Totem Village. The Lunberjack Show is good fun! Cheesy, of course, but I enjoyed it. Fun for kids. I had been to the Saxman totem village before so I knew what to expect. We watched a video about the culture; saw some dances and visited the totem carving center. Master carver Nathan Jackson was in the workshop, along with two other carvers. He got up and answered a few questions. He's a legend so that was a real treat. My friend had never been to Alaska before so she appreciated the intro into Tlingit culture. We didn't have a ton of time to spend walking around Ketchikan and many stores appeared closed. So rather than dealing with the shuttle, we just went back. A nice day, nonetheless, with little rain and warmer temps.

Skagway's excursion for me was the extra cost Jet Boat ride on the Chilkat River outside Haines. I believe it was $170. This would have been excellent on a warm sunny day. That's not what we had, however. Temps were in low 50s, with steady rain. You can't predict the weather when you book. And we did see three different moose with calves. The guides were good. Still, I'm not sure I would do this again unless it was later in the season and the eagles were starting to return.

I think your experience with any line is going to depend on how new the ship's hardware is. Mariner is not the same as Explorer or Splendor. Likewise, Silver Shadow is not the same as Silver Muse. I am a bit surprised that some things that I am used to on luxury lines are not being done on this cruise. There's no one welcoming you back with a hot drink, for example, which would have been welcome in chilly Skagway yesterday.

Yes, the company knows that I'm with Cruise Critic. We do not travel anonymously. Not every person knows who I am, but I do talk to the hotel manager on every ship. I also like to talk to other passengers about their experience and if they feel they are getting value for their money.

My first story from the trip is about the labor shortage here in Alaska this summer and how it might affect your cruise: https://www.cruisecritic.com/articles.cfm?ID=6989

A tale of two excursions... A fantastic morning hike in Juneau! I had signed up for the Adventure Hike at Mendenhall Glacier. It's billed as strenuous and I'd agree with that assessment, as there were a lot of stairs and uphill walking on uneven and damp surfaces. Regent contracts with Gastineau Guiding and their main naturalist Laurie was fantastic. She had so much enthusiasm for the flora and fauna. She really made the trip. We took the East Glacier Trail and saw very fresh bear scat along the route. All guides travel with bear spray, as black bears do live in the area. Luckily we didn't run into them. The day started off with rain but cleared up as we went along. Everyone on our hike had good rain gear and hiking shoes. If you like activity, I highly recommend this tour. After the tour, I went for a late lunch at The Hangar at the Wharf. This is one of my favorite Juneau stops. An Alaskan white and a bowl of halibut chowder hit the spot! I went back to the ship and took a nap for a few hours. My friend and I had signed up for the salmon bake so we headed there for dinner. We shouldn't have - the experience was underwhelming. We didn't stay long. I think this is one excursion you can skip - I would have been happier eating onboard. Both excursions were ones that were included in the fare.

A great day in Icy Strait Point! Carnival Splendor was also here. Both ships had problems with available excursions and we found out it's because Celebration, a parade/party for native Alaskans, is being held in Juneau this weekend. So not Regent's fault that there were few excursions to be had. We took the shuttle into Hoonah and wandered into the local tackle shop. This is where things got interesting. A local man named Jack Diamond was in there, telling a couple from Carnival that he had a tour company, Rivers Alaska, but no customers today. Would we all like to do a 2 1/2 hour tour for $80? He promised us that we'd see bears. What the heck, great price - far less than the official tours in ISP. So we hopped in his branded van. He stopped at his house to pick up his dad, Howard Diamond, and off we went. We not only saw a mama bear and her cub playing, we had several hours of entertaining stories and lore as we drove around the island. Jack is native and Howard is his adopted father. Howard came to Alaska in 1979 as a school teacher and has lived around the state. He knows everything about Hoonah and the area. At the end of the tour, Jack gave us a demonstration of cultural games that he coaches at the native Olympics. He and Howard recommended lunch at the local Fisherman's Daughter and it was delicious. Go early before they run out of halibut (we had to settle for rockfish). Rivers Alaska has a website, www.riversalaska.com. I definitely recommend this as an alternative in Icy Strait Point. Jack and Howard are quite the characters. I love it when travel magic happens and you have a better experience than you even thought you'd have!

The big news for tomorrow is that we've been told that wind and stormy conditions are preventing us from going to Sitka. Icy Strait Point has been substituted. I love Sitka but have never been to ISP so I'm not upset about the change. Plus the ship was going to tender in Sitka, which is never a good idea in rough conditions (we had some swells this am that bothered a lot of people, my plus one included). However, we were not given many included options for excursions in ISP which is a bummer. The only thing that's free is a gondola ride. Other for-fee excursions are a whale watching trip ($159) and the zip line ($119), neither of which appeal. We are going to wing it and get off the ship a bit later, do the gondola and walk around Hoonah.

A tale of two meals.... We had our first dinner at Compass Rose. Lots of choices and great execution, particularly the halibut (the lobster wasn't as seasoned as it should be). Loved the Versace chargers. We liked the included wine so we didn't ask for pairings. I was a bit underwhelmed by the Seafood Extravaganza lunch at the Pool Grill. No King crab legs, no shrimp, no real sense of occasion beyond an ice sculpture - just not what I expected compared to what I've seen on other lines such as Viking Ocean, Windstar and even HAL.

Today we were at Hubbard Glacier. I was here once on Royal Princess and an excursion boat was available to take us closer to the glacier than we were today. Still, we had a great two hours here and the ship moved around so every side could have a great view. Mulled wine and hot chocolate were served and commentary from the bridge was given by speaker Karen Dodd.

For those asking, there are 420 passengers onboard this cruise. Quite a few multigenerational families too, so many that an impromptu kids club was set up during today's sea day.

Good to know! The note said they noticed we were new to Regent so I made that (incorrect) leap. Thanks!

Dinner at La Chartreuse. This ended up being a great meal. I went with the escargot and the lobster preparation while my friend chose the crabmeat app and Dover sole. We were both impressed. In addition, the sommelier went out of his way to pair wines for us, to nice effect. A great introduction to Regent dining.

We had a late lunch at Le Veranda. Gorgeous outdoor view. Food was delicious. Only hiccup is that the first glass of wine we ordered, a French rose, was clearly corked (you can see in the one picture how off color it is). The second glass, a Chilean sauvignon blanc, was also off. Finally the New Zealand sauvignon blanc worked. I try not to be too picky (although I'm WSET Level 3 so I notice these things). But I thought this was a weird start to the cruise. Still great lunch overall. Can't argue with this setting!

We are in suite 973, a concierge suite. Nice size. Welcome bottle of Veuve since we are new to Regent. Plenty of space for the two of us. Steward quickly separated our beds. We were able to request wine instead of beer for the mini fridge. We were also offered bottles of liquor which we turned down, simply because we don't drink liquor. Some photos of the suite

Embarkation took about 45 minutes. There was a hang up for ourselves and others with our ArriveCan - you need the arrival time of your ship to be exact. So make sure you have that exact time when you fill it out.

Thanks, all! I'll get to some of these questions as the trip goes on. We embarked today in Seward after a night at the Hilton Anchorage. Lots of people dislike the Hilton. I have typically stayed at the Captain Cook and prefer that, but there was nothing overtly wrong with the Hilton. Definitely not a luxury experience, however. Great Alaskan chowder and local beers at 49th State Brewery. We had a private transfer down to Seward. Our driver Steve was fantastic - knowledgeable and a Seward native; he gave us a brief tour of the town when we arrived. We saw a moose mother and two babies on the ride down. Also a stop in Girdwood for some apple fritters.

Hi all! I'm leaving today for Anchorage and will board Mariner in Seward tomorrow for a weeklong Inside Passage cruise. This is my sixth trip to Alaska but never on a luxury ship, so I'm looking forward to seeing the differences. This is also my first (!!) trip on Regent, although I've sailed other luxury lines such as Seabourn and more recently Silversea. I'm not sure how great the wifi is but if you have any questions, let me know and I'll do my best to answer. Chris

Hi all! On Thursday, I will be boarding Azamara Onward in Barcelona for a short pre-christening "shakedown" cruise. I'll be posting photos and such from the ship. Let me know your questions! Chris

Hi all! I will be boarding the new Celebrity Beyond in Southampton Saturday for two "mini cruises" for the press. In total, I'm onboard for four nights. Drop me your questions and I'll try to find answers while onboard! Looking forward to this one. I'm a big fan of Edge class. Chris

Hi all! I just boarded Silver Dawn in Lisbon for a short "shakedown" cruise of this new vessel. We are visiting all Portuguese ports, touring the Otium spa and doing some S.A.L.T. tours. Let me know if you have any questions and I'll do my best to find the answers and post photos. Chris Gray Faust Managing Editor