Some questions for recent Golden Alaska cruiser

[lbryant]

Any recent Golden Princess Alaska cruisers? We're onboard in a few weeks and would love some insight.

* How was your boarding process? Was it a long wait to go thru check in and boarding? Our assigned boarding time is 12 noon. Should we arrive around 11am or earlier? We're using the cruise port parking garage (have pre-paid) - does anyone know what time we can park?

 

* Do you remember what days Crab Shack is open? Is it ever open for lunch?

 

* Do you recall the MUTS movies shown on your cruise?

 

* I understand the ship is in Glacier Bay from 6am-3pm. Roughly, when do you arrive at the first glacier? I have some teenagers to wake up when we get to "something interesting".

 

* Were there any special regional menu items in MDR? Anything stand out during the cruise?

 

Thanks for your help. We're counting the days...

[Jasperdo]

* I understand the ship is in Glacier Bay from 6am-3pm. Roughly, when do you arrive at the first glacier? I have some teenagers to wake up when we get to "something interesting".

Here's a map that the Park Rangers brought onboard with them at Glacier Bay. It shows the approx. times for the glacier viewing. We arrived at 6AM, same as you. We got to Margerie Glacier around 9AM, and spent a full hour there, as the ship slowly spun around. This is the best place to see glacier calving. Then we proceeded to Lamplugh Glacier, arriving around 11AM. Since Glacier Bay is a dead end, you will see the same scenery both directions. So, you don't have to get up real early to see all of Glacier Bay. But definitely be out there by 9AM to experience Margerie Glacier. It's definitely the highlight of a totally awesome day.

 

Glacier Bay National Park by Jasperdo, on Flickr

[lbryant]

Thank you. That is really cool. How was embarkation in Seattle? I've heard the lines can get really bad.

[Jasperdo]

Thank you. That is really cool. How was embarkation in Seattle? I've heard the lines can get really bad.

You're welcome. Glad you found it helpful. As for embarkation...it's been three years since we did this particular cruise. But embarkation went fast then. We like to arrive early. We got to the terminal around 10:30AM, and were quickly checked in. The ship was cleared at 11:30AM, and by 11:45AM we were onboard. Of course, each sailing can be different. But we were very pleased with it when we went.

[mrsromy]

Just sailed from 5/17 - 24th...hope these answers help :)

 

* How was your boarding process? Was it a long wait to go thru check in and boarding? Our assigned boarding time is 12 noon. Should we arrive around 11am or earlier? We're using the cruise port parking garage (have pre-paid) - does anyone know what time we can park?

 

- Boarding wasn't too bad...lots of waiting, which is to be expected. The horror stories I had read about Seattle were not quite accurate, at least not for the time we got there, which was 12:45pm. I hear the busy time is between 11 and 12, so I would wait til your boarding time at noon.

 

* Do you remember what days Crab Shack is open? Is it ever open for lunch?

 

- I recall it being open on all days except Day 1 and the last day of the cruise. From what I remember from the patters, it was only open for dinner.

 

* Do you recall the MUTS movies shown on your cruise?

 

- Nothing "new", the newest movies I remember were Gravity, Captain Phillips and Saving Mr. Banks. We watched Savings Mr. Banks and the guy was late with the blankets...it was FREEZING. People were using up to 5 towels until the blankets got there...and people were taking no fewer than 2 each. I had heard about the complimentary cookies, cocoa and popcorn but you have to go find them...popcorn is at the ice cream place and the cocoa and cookies are in the buffet.

 

* I understand the ship is in Glacier Bay from 6am-3pm. Roughly, when do you arrive at the first glacier? I have some teenagers to wake up when we get to "something interesting".

 

- We arrived at Marjorie Glacier in the late morning...spent about an hour there, 1/2 hr on each "side" of the ship. We had a Port Balcony and we were closer to the glacier than when we went to our friends Starboard Suite.

 

* Were there any special regional menu items in MDR? Anything stand out during the cruise?

 

- Nothing special...

[lbryant]

Thank you for the information. We have port balconies also as we were advised that side is optimal for cruising into Glacier Bay (I understand the ship turns so each side can view).

 

I'm surprised to hear there are no regional specialties served on board. Here's a big question - do they serve Alaskan Brewing Co beer? Or any regional beers?

 

Thank you for the movie update. I wonder how often they update them.

[caribill]

Thank you for the movie update. I wonder how often they update them.

 

Usually at the start of a new month some newer movies will rotate in and some older ones rotate out.

[mrsromy]

Oh for embarkation...let a porter help you with your bags! They'll take it to bag drop off and let you go into the initial line to go up the escalator, otherwise you have to wait in line to drop off your bags then go to the initial line. Once up the escalator, you'll have to fill out the health questionnaire and wait in another line.

 

Another word of advice - bring Purel or some other hand sanitizer. Watched COUNTLESS people go into the buffet area without sanitizing...and the employees letting it happen. It is not stressed, which is quite dismaying. Also, they only put sanitizing stations at the entrance of the buffet and not the exit...which again, the employees do not watch people who enter through the exit to get food. I sanitized walking in and sanitized again before I ate - can never be too safe. I was also surprised to not see sanitizing stations at any of the MDRs...so again, sanitized before I ate.

[caribill]

I was also surprised to not see sanitizing stations at any of the MDRs....

 

That is because the best defense against norovirus is a thorough hand washing) the hand sanitizers have no effect on noro).

 

When people see the hand sanitizers, many think they are a substitute for hand washing and thus skip the most effective noro preventative.

[Colo Cruiser]

I was also surprised to not see sanitizing stations at any of the MDRs...so again, sanitized before I ate.

 

They are still there, they just moved them into the bathrooms. ;)

[mrsromy]

That is because the best defense against norovirus is a thorough hand washing) the hand sanitizers have no effect on noro).

 

When people see the hand sanitizers, many think they are a substitute for hand washing and thus skip the most effective noro preventative.

 

I understand hand washing is the way to go...but unfortunately that didn't stop a lot of people from leaving the public bathrooms without washing hands. Our group reported seeing many use facilities and leave without washing (yes, we realize public facilities should be a "no-go for fear of noro" but sometimes, it's just not feasible to trek back to the room). Sanitizer may not be effective against noro, but it could be effective for other things.