Travel

Alaskan Cruise

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  • Jan 25th, 2020 12:18 pm
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Deal Fanatic
Oct 7, 2007
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thriftshopper wrote: Most do. 1 0.75l of wine per adult passenger, maximum of 2 bottles per cabin. If you are willing to board separately, the 1st pax can go on with both bottles and if no one is keeping count, the 2nd pax can buy more (government liquor store in the basement corner of the Sears Tower closest to the Vancouver pier) .

Corkage charge is about US15-18 a bottle (gratuities included) - which is still much better value than buying onboard. Some lines let you bring on unlimited but you have to pay the charge when you board. Royal Caribbean does not want you to bring anything onboard, not even bottled water.
Good advice. I think it is a much better value to bring on your OWN wine if the cruise line allows as the wine they serve on the ship is crazy expensive. Also, for people who are particular about their coffee, a French press is a must and bring your own coffee. I have yet to sail on a cruise ship that offers drinkable coffee regardless of whether you buy it at the onboard coffee shop or drink the free stuff. It is very low quality you can't even drink it.
Deal Guru
Jul 7, 2017
10217 posts
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SW corner of the cou…
Coffee on (most) Carnival Corp ships is allegedly made from concentrated syrup. I find it's actually palatable thought YMMV. FWIW, Celebrity had drip Lavazza as of 2+ years ago.

At least on Holland America, the wine offered for the cheap drinks package is usually some vile Chilean stuff. Price onboard is something like USD 40 a bottle. You can buy it on sale in the U.S. for as little as $3 a bottle which gives you an idea of the cruiseco margins.
I smile when I see container ships sailing past my house laden with stuff made in China
Deal Expert
Feb 7, 2017
27765 posts
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Eastern Ontario
choclover wrote: Good advice. I think it is a much better value to bring on your OWN wine if the cruise line allows as the wine they serve on the ship is crazy expensive. Also, for people who are particular about their coffee, a French press is a must and bring your own coffee. I have yet to sail on a cruise ship that offers drinkable coffee regardless of whether you buy it at the onboard coffee shop or drink the free stuff. It is very low quality you can't even drink it.
Ya but then finding BOILING water to make said coffee
Will prove next to impossible
Deal Guru
Jul 7, 2017
10217 posts
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SW corner of the cou…
PointsHubby wrote: Ya but then finding BOILING water to make said coffee
Will prove next to impossible
Not optimal to put boiling water on coffee: You want a few degrees lower than boiling, which is why making a decent cup of (black) tea is so difficult onboard.
I smile when I see container ships sailing past my house laden with stuff made in China
Deal Expert
Aug 22, 2011
41802 posts
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Center of Universe
cwazyy wrote: Can anyone comment on tipping, I read somewhere that the drinks package is not "worth it" because of the gratuities that are added. Never done a cruise before and considering doing a Alaska cruise this summer and cant wrap my head around tipping.

Also, based on the exchange on glacier bay, I am assuming that it is a must do on an Alaska cruise?
Our Alaskan cruise was with Celebrity Cruises and gratuities were standard regardless if you opted for the premium drink plan.
I upgraded because I enjoyed daily premium cognac and wife was ok with the standard drink plan.

Having one premium drink plan on our account, did not stop me from letting her use my card to order something fancy at dinner, while I used here's for beer and non premium spirits.
Deal Fanatic
Oct 7, 2007
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PointsHubby wrote: Ya but then finding BOILING water to make said coffee
Will prove next to impossible
We found that the temperature of the hot water dispensers varied throughout the ship BUT then we discovered if you go to the coffee bar and request a hot water out of the hot water they use, it is SUPER hot and this worked well. Also, they did not charge for the hot water although I would have paid for it just to have the super hot water. I always made sure to tell them I wanted super hot water but it looks like it came out of the dispenser behind the counter that hot already.
Deal Expert
Feb 7, 2017
27765 posts
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Eastern Ontario
choclover wrote: We found that the temperature of the hot water dispensers varied throughout the ship BUT then we discovered if you go to the coffee bar and request a hot water out of the hot water they use, it is SUPER hot and this worked well. Also, they did not charge for the hot water although I would have paid for it just to have the super hot water. I always made sure to tell them I wanted super hot water but it looks like it came out of the dispenser behind the counter that hot already.
Ahhh, going to the Starbucks / Coffee Bar
Makes sense

I was only thinking of the large self-serve urns you find at the Buffet
Their “HOT WATER” is rarely hot enough to make any decent cup of tea for example
And of course ... most ships don’t have coffee makers in the cabins
Or do they allow electric kettles or infusers
This might be my one complaint about cruising
Getting a good cup of HOT coffee first thing in the morning can be a challenge
(Room Service Coffee sucks ... and it’s a long walk & line up / WAIT @ the Starbucks / Coffee Bar )
Deal Guru
Jul 7, 2017
10217 posts
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SW corner of the cou…
PointsHubby wrote:
Or do they allow electric kettles or infusers
Reports are these kettles miraculously appear on cruises ex-U.K. even on ships that don't usually feature them.
I smile when I see container ships sailing past my house laden with stuff made in China
Deal Fanatic
Nov 21, 2013
8130 posts
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Montréal
dundasgamer wrote: Thinking of booking an Alaskan cruise this spring and feeling overwhelmed with the options. I know that we want a balcony, that we will fly out of Vancouver, and that we would like a drinks package included. Does anyone here have tips / advice (other than checking out CruiseCritic.com which I am also doing.
Thanks in advance!!
Been on an Alaska cruise in 2017 with Princess Cruises. Cruise start in Vancouver, to end in Anchorage (Whittier, about 1 hour from Anchorage airport. Booked a balcony (a must for us, every cruises we been on where in a balcony stateroom). With Princess, there was a mix of passengers, from kids to older. Very dynamic cruise. A biologist is onboard to explain wildlife and flora. As said by others, it is very different from a Caribbean cruise. We never have drinking package on cruise, beause both in the room have to book and wifey does not drink except a glass of wine at dinner. It comes cheaper for us to buy beer / drinks at the unit.

About excursions: We have done the train excursion that another member mentioned, really worth every pennies paid for. We also done the helicopter tour, pricey but it is a one time chance to land direct;y on a glacier. Aweseome pics to take there! We also paid for an excursion where there was a museum, and a lumberjack show. Don't pay for this, the lumberjack show is about 15 minutes of walk of the cruise port...

If your cruise end in Whittier, book the shuttle to airport. whittier is a fisherman's port, and there is not much of service there. Feel free to ask any question that comes to your mind!

I

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