Muse Alaska 5/27 - 6/6

[RetiredandTravel]

Vancouver cruise terminal (Norwegian + Disney also there) - We left our hotel (Shangra-la) at 11:30.  I had my first Champagne at the Panorama Lounge at 12:22. Terminal was efficient with plenty of people to help.

 

Muse

 

Service has been exceptional so far.

 

Room and Wi-Fi are very good. $30 for an extra device 🤨

 

Food good to excellent except osso bucco and eggplant parm at La T last night which were both poor.

 

Included white wines ok premium wines with $1300 OBC better.

 

Nice crowd of fellow passengers.

 

Formal tonight, I will wear a blazer and tie.

 

If anyone has questions I will try to answer.

 

 

Edited May 28 by RetiredandTravel

[drron29]

The osso buco has been poor in La terraza since October last year on the Muse. My wife had it then and it was basically inedible. We asked a few folk on our March/April cruise on the Muse and their experience was the same.

but they did do an Osso buco in Indochine which was much better.

[RetiredandTravel]

26 minutes ago, drron29 said:

The osso buco has been poor in La terraza since October last year on the Muse. My wife had it then and it was basically inedible. We asked a few folk on our March/April cruise on the Muse and their experience was the same.

but they did do an Osso buco in Indochine which was much better.

the meat wasn’t that bad but there were only 4 small pieces with the bone.  It was almost like a soup.  I will say three waiters asked my wife        
if her eggplant was ok and if they could bring something else.

 

 

 

[Bullswood]

"Room and Wi-Fi are very good. $30 for an extra device 🤨"

 

Can you tell me what is included - is it just one device per cabin  - if so, can you swap device being used?

Is the $30 per extra device per day? Hopefully can use phone wireless connection in the ports... 

[julmops]

Thanks a lot for the review! We will embark as you leave the ship and getting very excited about it ! I've noted on some programs shared here that the DJ was called Misha ... Can you let me know if it would be a young Ukrainian guy by any chance ?

We had a Misha DJ on our previous Silversea cruise last year and he was fabulous ...

[drron29]

3 hours ago, Bullswood said:

"Room and Wi-Fi are very good. $30 for an extra device 🤨"

 

Can you tell me what is included - is it just one device per cabin  - if so, can you swap device being used?

Is the $30 per extra device per day? Hopefully can use phone wireless connection in the ports... 

One device per passenger.

But it was simple to switch between my phone and computer.

I have an iPhone and they don't do as well as an Android phone on the ship.For example I couldn't get to the App store to reload an App so did it when in port with shore side wifi.

 

[Bullswood]

Thanks drron29. If it's one per passenger (not per cabin) that should be fine for the three of us.

[RetiredandTravel]

7 hours ago, julmops said:

Thanks a lot for the review! We will embark as you leave the ship and getting very excited about it ! I've noted on some programs shared here that the DJ was called Misha ... Can you let me know if it would be a young Ukrainian guy by any chance ?

We had a Misha DJ on our previous Silversea cruise last year and he was fabulous ...

The daily Chronicle says join DJ Misha at 10:30.

[RetiredandTravel]

We get breakfast in the room.  The room service breakfast has been excellent.  Todays eggs were well cooked and hot.  Our butler is fantastic.

 

The enrichment speaker gave two informative and fun lectures on Alaska yesterday.

 

I requested Panna water in the room and it has been here every day.  Thanks again Stumblefoot.

 

La Dame was excellent.  Good service  caviar, lobster main and Dover sole all excellent.  Scallop app ok.  The premium wine list is quite extensive and reasonable for a ship.  If they actually have all of them that is.  One issue twice now when I asked the sommelier about a wine he recommended one $40/50 more expensive.  I let it slide the first night, last night I didn’t.

 

fitness center has a good variety of cardio and resistance machines.  They need more space for free weights and some heavier hand weights (20kg).  Also the water is in group bottles with cups.  Not a fan.

 

Our veranda room seems much more spacious vs the Regent Mariner.  The shower could be bigger.

 

The thing that stands out so far is the quality of the staff.  Every person is professional, friendly and seems to have a vested interest in us having an enjoyable cruise.  Well done.

 

Ketchikan.  Sun came out for first time on the trip.  50 high today

 

more later

 

 

 

 

[Port Power]

13 hours ago, Bullswood said:

Thanks drron29. If it's one per passenger (not per cabin) that should be fine for the three of us.

$30 for a second device is for the whole cruise.  I was on Muse back-to-back last year and was still only charged $30 once.  I found it convenient to have both iPhone and iPad connected for photos to synchronise between devices.

[drron29]

I was synchronising by having iCloud photos on my Android computer. Very easy just switching tabs.

[RetiredandTravel]

Quick update.

 

we continue to have a great cruise.  The biggest contributing factor has been the phenomenal service.  Every employee friendly and engaged.

 

Fellow passengers are also very friendly, mostly aged 65-80 diverse nationalities.

 

Food has been mostly excellent some good with a few misses. Indochine has been our best experience.  Kaiseki was good last night but probably not good enough to warrant another visit in December.

 

Excursions have been as expected groups of 20-25 people in a bus or Van.  Tour guides are young people trying hard.  These excursions are fine for many ports we will use private guides when necessary ( places like Kyoto, Rome…)

 

weather is 50 and rainy.

 

TV doesn’t work so great butler says they are upgrading them in a couple weeks.

 

if anyone has questions I will try to answer otherwise I’ll write a final review from home.

Edited June 1 by RetiredandTravel

[tvl4life]

Thanks for all the info!  We will be on the Muse in July and appreciate your comments.  Quick question regarding the "formal" nights, did you find the dress a little less formal, or were you still seeing tuxes?  Happy Travels!

[RetiredandTravel]

2 hours ago, tvl4life said:

Thanks for all the info!  We will be on the Muse in July and appreciate your comments.  Quick question regarding the "formal" nights, did you find the dress a little less formal, or were you still seeing tuxes?  Happy Travels!

We met one person in a tux.  There were a few suits.  Maybe half had a tie (mostly with a blazer).  I don’t recall seeing anyone without a blazer.

 

 

[EaseLiving]

Thank you for this! I am on the Muse in July and am looking forward to hearing more of your thoughts.

[RetiredandTravel]

We have SS bus transfer from Seward to airport in Anchorage.  Our flight leaves after 5 so we will be transferred to a convention center leaving @ 9AM.  Shuttles start to the airport from convention center @ 3PM.

 

La T veal chop Milanese was awesome last night.

 

elegant casual about 1/3 of the men wear a jacket,

[RetiredandTravel]

Correction- There is bottled water in the fridge in the fitness center.

 

we had a nice conversation with Albert the Sommelier at La T.  Nice man and excellent Sommelier.  Albert has been with SS for 23 years.  Refreshing to see someone that has been with the firm that long.

 

 

[tvl4life]

Thank you for the info, it is helpful to know how the relaxed dress code is working out.  Happy Travels!

[dawntrdr]

The dress code for Alaska cruises has always been more relaxed than the rest of the classic fleet, for various reasons, even before the recent change.

[RetiredandTravel]

The Juneau whale watching excursion (included) was a highlight of the trip.  Many whale sitings culminating in 12 humpbacks executing the “bubble net feeding”.  Very cool.  The scenery was so beautiful it would have been worthwhile with no sitings at all.

 

My wife said the Ossobuco in Indocine was delicious.  Thanks Drron.

 

 

Edited June 4 by RetiredandTravel

[RetiredandTravel]

Formal #2 6 tux, 15% suit and tie, 50% jacket and tie and the balance jacket no tie.

 

Steaks in Atlantide were very good and cooked perfectly.  They were not premium steakhouse steaks but very good.

 

There is a new TV system that works better.  It did turn itself on twice in the middle of the night tho. 🙃

[Lois R]

Sounds like you have been enjoying yourselves. Good to see😀

[milepig]

On 5/28/2024 at 3:30 PM, RetiredandTravel said:

 

 

 

Formal tonight, I will wear a blazer and tie.

 

 

 

??I was told by SS that Alaska does not have a formal night??

 

[RetiredandTravel]

2 hours ago, Lois R said:

Sounds like you have been enjoying yourselves. Good to see😀

Thank you Lois.  Yes we have had a great cruise.  The service has been phenomenal.  Last night we ate at La Dame (rack of lamb) and it was excellent.  Overall we have been very happy with the food.  The natural beauty of Alaska is stunning.  Our next cruise is Aus/NZ in Dec on the Nova.  I have a few lbs to lose by then.

[RetiredandTravel]

51 minutes ago, milepig said:

 

We are on a 10 day cruise with 2 formal nights.  I think 7 day cruises may be different.