Royal Caribbean Blog

One of the highlights of any Alaska cruise is when your ship sails as close as it safely can to a glacier.

The glacier viewing is a slow process, in which the ship moves up the waterway leading to the fjord at Tracy Arm.

We got up at 6am and bundled up to enjoy the view. We decided to go up to the pool deck to see the glacier, since our cabin had only a fixed view.  Plus, I knew the photos would look better without a piece of glass in the way.

We slowly meandered towards the glacier, which took about 90 minutes or so. Along the way you pass small icebergs in the water, waterfalls, and once in a while some wildlife.

Unlike the last few days in Alaska, the weather was not perfect. It was overcast, drizzling, and chilly. At one point I got a cup of coffee simply to hold the warm mug.

As we entered the entryway to Swayer Glacier, the Captain came onto the public address system to inform us we would not be able to get any closer and would have to turn back due to ice in the water.

Depending on how many pieces of ice are in the water, it can prevent a ship of our size from getting closer. Disappointing, but as we ran up to the front of the ship to get a glimpse of the glacier, it was evident there was just too much ice in the way.

I'm happy to have at least caught a glimpse of the glacier, but it would have been a very nice way to cap off this sailing. 

We went back to the cabin and rounded up the kids for breakfast. Once again, it was time to hit the Windjammer.

The rest of our day was a typical sea day, and it could not have come with better timing. With so many ports in a row, and the early morning glacier viewing today, I was definitely "burning the candle on both ends" and starting to feel it.

I was able to work in two different naps as a way to catch up on sleep, and we spent our day mostly relaxing in the cabin. 

As I always say, a relaxing sea day makes for a boring live blog, but I needed it!

Tomorrow is a sea day.

Stray Observations

We caught a glimpse of Quantum of the Seas around lunch.

The NBA finals game was being down on the pool deck

There could be a new generation of high-speed internet coming to Royal Caribbean's cruise ships.

Based on regulatory filings, it appears Royal Caribbean is engaged with SpaceX’s satellite internet system Starlink to provide internet service for its ships.

A new filing with the U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) on Friday details a plan to bring the new type of internet to cruise ships.

The letter was sent to the FCC by Royal Caribbean Group Vice President of Operational Excellence, John Maya, to ask the agency to "expeditiously" approve a new plan to use Starlink on Royal Caribbean ships.

Starlink is a satellite internet constellation operated by SpaceX, providing satellite Internet access coverage.

"We write today to respectfully request that you act expeditiously and look favorably upon the pending application filed by SpaceX Services, Inc. and referenced above."

Mr. Maya points to increased cloud-based services drawing a need for even faster internet accessibility onboard. He points to attrition, bankruptcies, and consolidation in the satellite internet business as not keeping up with demand.

"Working with SpaceX Services, Inc., we believe we have identified a true next generation solution for our vessels that meets the rigorous technical and operational requirements commensurate with our growth plans.

"We believe our work with SpaceX, the first of its kind in the cruise industry will set the standard for other cruise operators and will mean a leap in terms of guest experience and business operations while at sea."

If you are ready for Starlink to be added to a cruise ship soon, there's a legal issue that is preventing it, which is why Royal Caribbean is appealing to the FCC.

SpaceX has yet to receive approval to operate its Starlink service on moving vehicles, including planes and naval ships.

Up until now, Royal Caribbean's Voom internet service has relied on internet from other providers, including O3b MEO. The O3b internet had made it on Royal Caribbean's newer ships, but did not get added to older ships in the fleet. Moreover, it has anecdotally not performed nearly as well more recently, especially when compared to other cruise lines, such as Princess Cruises.

As an example, this article was written onboard Serenade of the Seas, which clocked a download speed of 590Kbps and an upload speed of 360Kbps, with latency of 832ms.

Starlink is capable of download speeds of 50-250Mbps for residential consumers.

Great news for travelers flying home to the U.S. after a cruise, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) will no longer require travelers entering the U.S. to provide a negative Covid-19 pre-departure test.

An official announcement will come from President Bident later today, a welcome change for the travel industry and travelers alike.

The new policy will come into effect Sunday at 12:01 a.m. after heavy lobbying from airlines and the travel industry.

Despite these changes, Royal Caribbean still requires pre-cruise testing for its sailings worldwide, along with vaccination requirements.

Current Covid-19 testing

Since January 2021, travelers returning to the United States from international destinations must complete a pre-departure Covid-19 test for their flights. A major inconvenience for cruisers traveling back home after cruises abroad, who have already tested before their cruise.

Currently, airline passengers must present negative Covid–19 results, using common tests such as rapid antigen or PCR. Specifically, the test needs to be completed no more than 1 day before the first scheduled departure time in the flight itinerary, applying to all travelers, including U.S. citizens, residents, and transit travelers.

This is another headache for many travelers, and especially cruisers disembarking abroad, who have to find a testing site, out of the country that meets the tight 1 day testing timeline.

Stress for cruisers

For cruisers traveling for the popular summer season in Europe, this means more money, and in some cases, more stress.

Initially, Royal Caribbean provided its guests with onboard testing to assist in meeting requirements to return home after their cruise; however, they discontinued the process, leaving guests to find their own solutions in unfamiliar cities.

While many airports provide pre-flight testing, recently, European cruisers reported issues with booking timely testing. In May, popular ports like Barcelona, Spain, had long lineups for airport testing, with some cruisers reporting that they were unable to book or get same day testing, forcing them to spend an extra day.

Ongoing flight cancellations and airline delays have further aggravated the situation for passengers, leaving them scrambling to find new testing solutions with last minute changes.

This not only affects European cruises but other cruises, such as those to Alaska. A number of cruises home port in cities such as Vancouver, Canada, requiring cruisers to test before flights back to the U.S.

Additional cost

The cost of pre-cruise and return testing adds up. In Barcelona, a major hub for European cruises, antigen tests can cost in excess of $40 per person. Some opt for online proctored tests, but this requires reliable internet access, which is another expense on a cruise.

In addition to cost, many cruisers have expressed concerns about what to do if they test positive in a foreign country. Looking for the right insurance, including Covid-19 coverage, is one more thing that cruisers need to consider in their planning.

Complicating this are ever changing protocols that vary by country. From the time you book a cruise, to sail, policies may change significantly.

Pre-Cruise testing

Today's announcement is welcome by many, but for now, Royal Caribbean continues to require pre-cruise testing for all its cruises, with specific protocols varying by region and country. As noted on the cruise line’s Healthy Sail Center website:

"All l guests 2 and up take a COVID-19 test before sailing. All crew are tested regularly per CDC guidelines."

For cruisers leaving from destinations such as Barcelona, the criteria specifies:

• Vaccinated guests who are up to date (with vaccines) must show a negative result for a PCR or an antigen test taken no more than 2 days before boarding day. Vaccinated guests who are not up to date will have a 1 day window to take this test. Kids age 5 to 11 who have been vaccinated may present proof of full vaccination and follow the testing protocols for vaccinated guests.
• Unvaccinated kids age 2 to 11 must show a negative result for a PCR or antigen test taken no more than 1 day before boarding day.
• Guests under 2 years of age do not need to complete a pre-cruise test.

An important condition for many countries in Europe, the most recent vaccine dose can be no more than 9 months (270 days) ago. Royal Caribbean continues to require all guests age 12 and up are fully vaccinated. Booster doses, though not required, are strongly recommended once you are eligible.

Specific telehealth options continue to be accepted but must be completed with a supervised virtual video visit, and all tests are at the guests’ expense. Royal Caribbean sells eMed Tests Kits and allows Canada’s Switch Health online tests.

Today was a first for me, with two port to visit in a single day.

First up is Skagway, Alaska, and we didn't have firm plans for today's visit. We walked off the ship thinking we could do a combination of a hike and lunch.

Going off of our local's guide to Skagway, we attempted to walk the Dewey trail down to the lake.

Unfortunately, the path was very steep, with lots of rocks. While I think we could have made it, we bailed after about 20 minutes when the terrain got very rocky and steep. 

Back in town, we did a little bit of walking around before deciding to try a less demanding trail.

Located near the airport is Yakutania Point, which requires a short walk and easy terrain.

It essentially run parallel to where the cruise ships dock, but across the river. 

We easily navigated the terrain and ended up with a great view of the ship and the waterways entering Skagway.

By now, we were hungry and needed to sit, so we headed back to town for lunch at Skagway Brewing. They had a nice menu of options and it tasted great after all of our walking.

We then spent the rest of our time in Skagway exploring downtown. 

I also had to stop by the Klondike Doughboy to try one of their fried dough specialties.

Their fried dough is essentially a very flat and round doughnut topped with sugar and cinnamon.

Back on the ship, it was time for a nap to rest up for our next port.

I woke up to clear skies and a beautiful view as we made our way out of Skagway.

Haines is the next city, just a few miles from Skagway. The transit was so short that we ended up docking about an hour early.

Haines is a much smaller port than any of the other places we visited, but it also has a more town feel than the rest.

It's an easy 10 minute walk downtown, where there's shopping and restaurants to enjoy.

Since we were only in Haines for a few hours (4:30 to 9:30) and we are coming back next week, we decided to just enjoy the town and save the tours for next week.

We started off with dinner at the Bamboo Room at Pioneer Bar.

They had a small dinner menu, so we shared the halibut and fried pickles along with a cold beer.

After dinner, we walked to the Haines Brewery, where you can enjoy a variety of brews they have on tap at their distillery.

This was a popular spot, and it was nice to grab a beer and enjoy the drink with a view of the mountains.

The town of Haines was beautiful, and once again our perfect weather really made it a joy to be outdoors.

On the way back to the ship, I spotted a food truck with a woman who was letting everyone know that walked by they not only had fresh fish to enjoy, but all their stuff comes from local fisherman.

I am a sucker for locally sourced food that is fresh, so I stopped by for a bite. They have beer battered halibut fish & chips, sockeye salmon, or coonstripe shrimp.

I met Gabe and Tracey, who own "The Frog Lady Fish Company". Gabe is a native Tlingit, and moved his family back here to live. They started this food truck because of his connection with the local fishermen. 

I sampled the salmon and halibut, and they were outstanding. It tasted so good to have fresh fish that was caught just a few days ago.

If you're looking to try them out, they're located right on the main road if you take a right from the cruise ship, near the post office.

We had a full day of fun, and wanted to call it an early night since we had to get up early to get up early tomorrow for the glacier viewing.

Ready to catch up on Royal Caribbean news from this week?

There's always things happening you should know about in Royal Caribbean beyond just the big headlines, so here's a quick look at what's new lately.

Oasis of the Seas becomes largest cruise ship to ever visit Halifax

The residents of Nova Scotia, Canada welcomed the largest cruise ship to ever enter their waters this week.

Oasis of the Seas arrived in Halifax on Tuesday morning.

About 175 vessel calls are expected during the cruise ship season in Halifax, which peaks in the fall.

Credit to the Port of Halifax for sharing these great photos!

Sneak peek at new show on Wonder of the Seas

It's no secret that Royal Caribbean will be adding a new show to Wonder of the Seas this summer.

"Effectors 2" is the sequel to the Effectors show first seen on Spectrum of the Seas and Odyssey of the Seas. It's a show based on Royal Caribbean's own team of super heroes that use sound and music to fight the forces of evil.

Royal Caribbean's Senior Vice President of Entertainment, Nick Weir, tweeted a video update with a look at the show.

Creating exotic new worlds, live on stage… #TheEffectors2, opening this summer, on #WonderoftheSeas pic.twitter.com/tixhFxUMdX

— Nick Weir (@NickWeirShowbiz) June 9, 2022

More sneak peeks ;-) ~When @RackyPlews and @mrtimenglish see these tweets they grumble a bit, lol. ~But hey, one of my most important jobs is to bring the sneak peeks to the people! Right? 🤐 pic.twitter.com/ZVUBs76nvY

— Nick Weir (@NickWeirShowbiz) June 9, 2022

No date yet exactly when Effectors 2 will open on Wonder of the Seas, but it should be sometime this summer.

Spectrum of the Seas will soon start sailing to Malaysia

Cruises from Singapore that sail to no ports are about to change.

Beginning on June 30, Spectrum of the Seas will start offering cruises to port calls in Malaysia.

Royal Caribbean announced the ship will start visiting Kuala Lumpur and Penang with its new three- and four-night itineraries.

"We are thrilled to be the first cruise line in Singapore to reconnect holidaymakers with Asia’s beautiful destinations once again," said Angie Stephen, Royal Caribbean Vice President and Managing Director, Asia-Pacific.

Royal Caribbean is currently offering a pre-cruise planner sale that includes many favorite and popular add-ons for cruisers.

The pre-cruise planner sale begins today, June 9, 2022, and ends June 15, 2022. These deals and savings can be applied to cruise sailings from June 13, 2022 to April 30, 2023. This means that guests who wish to take part in the sale must book their cruise voyage before June 15, and the sailing they choose must take place between June 13, 2022 and April 30, 2023.

Many destination itineraries are included in this sale including, Alaska, Asia, Australia, Bahamas, Bermuda, Canada, Caribbean, Europe, Hawaii, New Zealand, South Pacific, and transatlantic sailings.

This sale can be applied to almost all of Royal Caribbean’s ships, with the exception of the sailings to Singapore aboard Spectrum of the Seas.

Offer Details

Beverage packages: up to 40% off

Many of the beverage packages that Royal Caribbean offers on their sailings will be discounted as part of this pre-cruise planner sale.

• Classic Soda Beverage Package: 30% off onboard prices.
• Classic Soda Beverage Package + VOOM Surf & Stream 1 Device: over 30% off onboard prices.
• Spring Water Cans: 40% off onboard prices.
• San Benedetto Water Cans: 40% off onboard prices.
• Evian Water Bottles: 40% off onboard prices.
• Deluxe Beverage Package: 30% off onboard prices.
• Deluxe Beverage Package + VOOM Surf & Stream 1 Device: discount varies by ship.
• Refreshment Package: 30% off onboard prices.

Shore Excursions: up to 25% off

The discount applied with the Pre-Cruise planner sale, is up to 25% off excursions, but will vary by ship.

Internet: up to 50% off

The discount will be up to 50% off, but will vary by ship.

• VOOM Surf & Stream Voyage Package 1,2,3,4 Device(s).
• VOOM Surf Voyage Package 1,2,3,4 Device(s).

Dining: up to 40% off

The Unlimited Dining Package on 3 to 9-night sailings will be up to 40% off, but will vary by ship.

Gifts & Gear: up to 20% off

Guests can receive up to 20% off gifts such as birthday decor, anniversary champagne, wine, and more with the Pre-Cruise Planner sale.

• Anniversary decorations with champagne
• Happy Birthday Decorations with chocolate cake & strawberries
• Happy Birthday decorations with vanilla cake & strawberries
• Inky beach set
• Inky beach towel (TicTacToe)
• Inky travel set
• Red wine and cheese
• Royal Caribbean beach towel
• Strawberries with champagne
• White wine and cheese

Photo Packages: up to 70% off

Guests can receive up to 70% off photo packages, varies by ship.

• Photo Package: from 5-100 print/and or digital options
• Photo Package: private photo session
• Photo Package: all digital

Casitas: up to 20% off

The discount included with the Pre-Cruise Planner sale, is up to 20% off onboard prices of Casitas.

To confirm if your desired sailing is included in this new sale, log into the Cruise Planner on Royal Caribbean’s web site. Not all sailings are included in the Pre-Cruise Planner sale.

If you already purchased one of these items, and you wish to take part in the new sale, you may be able to cancel the purchase of an item, and repurchase it at the new sale price.

Juneau is Alaska's capital, and it's our next stop. We're in Alaska for over 12 hours, providing ample time to see a lot of what it has to offer.

Our ship docked at 7:30am, so the gangway was open well before we were prepared to get off the ship.

After a quick breakfast in the Windjammer, we headed off the ship for our tour. We booked a half day self-guided Jeep rental, where we drive the car along a route and explore at our own pace.

We could have driven anywhere, but the onboard iPad provides a map and narration of the places, animals, and history of Alaska.

The drive is 2 hours in total, but provides 2.5 hours of out of the car exploration.

Our first stop was Mendenhall Glacier park, where we parked the car and walked the Nuggets Falls trail.

We had done this hike last time in Juneau, but it's so rewarding a view that we couldn't pass it up again. It's about a 1.5 mile roundtrip hoke, and we had absolutely stunning weather for the outdoors.

The skies were clear and blue, with the sun shining all morning. It was perfect for being outdoors and enjoying the views.

Along the trail you get to see Nuggets Falls right next to Mendenhall Glacier, although the views of the glacier are better from elsewhere along the trail.

While the kids found the trail a bit too long for their liking, it was very rewarding getting to the falls and enjoying it all.

Back in the car, our next stop was Eagle Beach, which is also one of our top spots in our local's guide to Juneau article. 

Eagle Beach is about a 40 minute drive from the glacier park, and offers a wide open lake front to explore. We had spent a lot of time at Mendenhall, so Eagle Beach was more of a quick walk.

The mountains that surround the beach are beautiful, and I loved sitting on a log and looking around. Awe-inspiring, to say the least.

Eagle Beach also has camp sites, if you happened to bring food.

Next up was a visit to The National Shrine of Saint Thérèse, which not only honors a local saint, but is situated on a beautiful piece of land.

Right outside was our first bear sighting, just along the highway.

He looked to be a younger bear, but he stood by the road just long enough to see him for a few seconds before he went back into the woods.

Our final stop was at a lookout point on North Douglas, which provided another lovely view of the surrounding area.

The natural beauty of Juneau was incredible, and I would have loved to have a few lawn chairs and a lunch to just sit at one of these places for a few hours and enjoy it all.

The Jeep rental idea worked out quite well, and I think the kids really enjoyed having a break in the car to relax between walking. Plus, my oldest daughter really found the narration to be fascinating.

We returned the Jeep at 1pm, and then went in search of lunch. We ran across an outdoor bar that had fire pits, along with a Mexican food truck right next door.

Beer, Mexican food, and fire is the perfect combination!

After lunch, we walked the streets of South Franklin Street and shopped around a bit.

We had hoped to stay in town for dinner as well, but it provided to be difficult to find a sit down restaurant that wasn't just another bar. Ultimately, we decided to head back to the ship to relax and have dinner.

Since we are coming back to Juneau next week, I wasn't too hard pressed to squeeze out every hour we could.  I really loved having so much time in port.

Back on the ship, it was time for dinner in the main dining room and then drinks in the Concierge Lounge.

Stray Observations

The pub opened up last night after the ship received 4 new crew members that transferred from Radiance of the Seas while in Sitka.

I stopped at Guest Relations to ask about how many passengers, and they said there are 2100 guests onboard, which constitutes 95% capacity.

At the Top Tier event on Monday, it was mentioned we had 778 crew members onboard (plus 4?).

Thinking about purchasing a Royal Caribbean drink package for your upcoming cruise?  Drink packages have the potential to save money compared to buying the same amount of drinks without a package, but it is important to be aware and understand the rules of how these beverage packages work.

The rules are not complicated, but there are a few important guidelines that anyone that purchases an unlimited drink package should be aware of first.

Sharing the package

Let us be perfectly clear: it is absolutely forbidden to share the Royal Caribbean drink package benefits with anyone else. Period.

Royal Caribbean warns that guests who share a drink with someone who does not have a drink package can risk having their drink package benefits revoked with no refund.  

The package is intended for only the guest who buys the package.  If you want to buy a drink for someone else, you can do so and pay for it individually along side your drink package transaction.

Drink limits

There is no limit to how many drinks a guest may consume on any day, or during the cruise. 

However, you can only order one drink per transaction.  Which means if you want to get a beer and another drink, you need to order each individually. 

If your group all have the drink package, you can take their SeaPass cards and place a group order.  You just need to provide proof that the amount of drinks ordered match the number of drink packages.

When you can buy the drink package

Royal Caribbean provides the ability to pre-purchase the drink package on its Cruise Planner website.  There is often a discount associated with pre-purchase, which can save money compared to waiting to purchase it onboard.

If your cruise is too far in advance, the drink package option may not be available yet.  There is no set rule when drink packages become available for sale, so keep checking back later.

If you decide to wait to buy a drink package on the ship, you can do so from any bar or lounge. On embarkation day, there are often tables set up around the ship to take just unlimited beverage package purchases.  

You do not have to purchase a drink package on the first day of your cruise.  Royal Caribbean's unlimited drink packages are available on all two-night or longer sailings, but as long as there are at least 4 days left in the cruise, you can purchase the package at a pro-rated amount.

Where the drink package works

Royal Caribbean's drink package covers beverages purchased at onboard restaurants, bars, and lounges.

It also works on the cruise line’s private destinations of CocoCay and Labadee.

Friends and family have to buy the package too

As of October 2017, Royal Caribbean has changed its policy and is requiring all adults in a stateroom to purchase an unlimited alcohol package if an adult purchases the package.

Gratuity

When you purchase a Royal Caribbean drink package, gratuity (18%) will be assessed on your purchase at that time, which covers all of your subsequent drink orders.

When you order a drink later on, you will not owe any gratuity.  There will be, however, an optional gratuity on your receipt where you can recognize outstanding service.

Refunds and exchanges

Once onboard the ship, beverage packages are non-refundable and non-transferable.

Before a cruise, beverage package purchases can be cancelled and/or re-purchased via the Cruise Planner. 

Our first port of call on this Alaska cruise brings us to Sitka, which is a port I've never been to before.

We weren't scheduled to dock until 9:30am, so we had a few hours before getting off the ship.

The combination of our clocks going back one hour last night and the excitement of getting off the ship got to me, because I was up by 6am to have a look.

Our ship sailed through the Sitka Sound, giving us our first look at the Alaska scenery.

I went up to the upper decks to get a better look, and even spotted a whale coming up for air once (although I was too slow to get a photo).

Once the kids got up, we decided to have breakfast at Chops Grille, since it's open to suite guests as an alternative breakfast spot.

The menu is similar to the main dining rom, and offered a relaxed breakfast.

There were five cruise ships in Sitka today, although we were the only ship able to dock. The other ships tendered, including Radiance of the Seas.

The dock is located north of downtown, and is about a 10 minute drive.

We booked a shore excursion through Royal Caribbean for today, "Taste of Sitka". Our tour began at 10:45am, and it consisted of three stops.

Our first stop was at a local restaurant to sample fresh caught wild salmon and Alaska beers.

The chef prepared white Alaska salmon that was delivered earlier that morning to enjoy along with a selection of beers. They said we could choose between two beers, but they were happy to give more if you wanted.

The salmon was incredible, as white salmon is evidently a very rare type of wild salmon.  It was so good that even my oldest daughter, who claimed she hated salmon, tried it and really liked it.

The chef then brought out a salmon to filet it for us, and let us even sample slivers of sashimi-grade fresh salmon we could eat raw on the spot.

The food was better than anything I could have hoped for, and started us off on a great note.

Next up was a visit to the Sitka maritime center, where we learned about salmon life cycles and why and how they operate a salmon hatchery to help provide a sustainable source of the fish.

Afterwards, we were able to touch a variety of local marine life in the touch tanks.

The salmon explanation was much too long in my opinion, but the kids loved the touch tanks.

Afterwards, we took a short drive to a former World War 2 air base for a scenic photo.

At this point, the bus could either drop us off downtown or bring us back to the ship. We opted to stay downtown.

Sitka has a small downtown with lots of shops, restaurants, and bars. 

We stopped in for coffee at a book store, but stayed to get my kids a couple of books. I love finding small, independently operated book stores and support them whenever I can.

Sitka is known for being the former capital of Alaska when it was owned by Russia, and still has a few buildings from that era.

The orthodox church is by far the most prominent piece of this Russian history, but there's other buildings you can explore. We ran across a fort that provided some lovely views.

As we walked around, I saw a sign for the Fresh Fish cart, which is one of the places to see in our local guide to Sitka.

I met the owner, who served up salmon poke bowl that was incredible. There's just nothing like fresh fish, and the snack was just what I needed.

We wandered around Sitka a bit more and then headed back to the ship.

The weather could not have been better, and it was the perfect day for exploring Alaska. If we can have weather like this for the next two weeks, we're in for an amazing time.

The weather was stunning today, and it was so warm (mid-70s) that lots of people were up on the pool deck and in the pool.

Dinner tonight brought us to Izumi.

I love eating at Izumi because sushi always hits the spot without feeling overly stuffed like other foods do. 

While I love sushi, my wife and kids prefer the non-sushi items on the menu, such as the terriyaki or udon options.

We rounded out our evening with songs in the Schooner Bar with the guitarist. Speaking of the guitarist, the bartenders told me that 4 new crew members transferred while we were in Sitka from Radiance of the Seas, so the pub should open tomorrow!

I was ready to call it a night when we noticed an amazing Alaskan sunset happening.

Have I mentioned I love Alaska cruises yet?

Tomorrow we will be in Juneau.

Stray Observations

There's a free shuttle to and from downtown Sitka. The line got pretty long in the morning to get downtown if you didn't have a tour.

They were actively repairing the other docking area at the port that was damaged this season when Radiance of the Seas struck a dolphin mooring.

Vancouver is one of Canada's premier cities, and it's also a wonderful place to visit before or after your Alaska cruise.

Royal Caribbean usually bases a couple of its cruise ships in Vancouver for the Alaska cruise season (in addition to ships sailing from Seattle, Washington).  Since Vancouver is outside the United States, there are a few nuances that make the cruise experience just a little bit different from other embarkation ports.

Whether you have an Alaskan cruise booked from Vancouver, or are thinking about reserving one, here are some important tips for how to enjoy and plan a cruise that sails from Vancouver.

Fly in two days early

When you have to fly to a cruise, you should always fly in at least one day before the cruise begins to guard against travel delays impeding your ability to board the ship.

If you are flying from the east coast, coming in two days before the cruise is an even better idea because of the time change.

The shift up to three hours later means you'll be struggling to stay up past 9pm. By coming in two days early, you have more time to adjust to the west coast time zone and once you get on the ship, be able to stay up later for the fun evening activities.

Another advantage to coming in more than a day early is it provides you ample time to explore Vancouver without feeling rushed, or fatigued from the trip over.

Drive, train, or fly

To actually reach Vancouver, you could get to the city a few different ways, and each has their advantages.

The most straight-forward way to get to Vancouver is to fly there. Vancouver has a major international airport, although getting a direct flight may not be so simple.

Depending on where you live, there may be multiple flights required, with layovers in other cities along the way.

An alternative to flying to Vancouver is to fly to Seattle instead, which tends to be cheaper (for Americans) and has many more direct flights.

Once in Seattle, you could then either take the train, rent a car, or even take a car service into Vancouver.

As of 2022, the Amtrak train service between Seattle and Vancouver has not resumed yet, but the Cascades train ride is a beautiful ride. In the interim, Amtrak offers bus service to get across the border.

There's no separate line if you buy The Key

When you check-in for your cruise, there's no special line for guests who purchase The Key.

Vancouver is one of the few places where priority access is not offered for The Key (Australia and Singapore are the other places).

The weather changes a lot, so plan for it all

Just like Alaska, it will likely rain and then go back to being sunny, and then alternate between chilly and warm, before restarting the cycle again.

Vancouver's weather can vary greatly, so plan on experiencing it all.  They key is to have a good waterproof jacket, along with warm clothes.  But don't rule out a warm spell, because it is summer after all.

While you probably won't need super warm clothing (unless you are visiting in the beginning or end of the Alaska cruise season), being able to deal with the rain is a good idea while you're exploring the city.

The Pan Pacific hotel

If you are looking for the ultimate convenience for the day your cruise begins, you might consider staying at the Pan Pacific hotel.

The Pan Pacific is built on top of Canada Place, which is where your cruise ship will be waiting for embarkation.

Guests who purchase a cruise package can actually have bell services come to their hotel room on the morning of the cruise and take their bags directly to the cruise ship. No need to lug luggage back downstairs and give it to porters.

Of course, the Pan Pacific hardly the best deal in town or the cheapest hotel you can find, but if you value convenience, then a stay in this hotel might not be a bad idea.

Fun spots to visit

Like any major city, you'll have a lot to explore while in Vancouver.

Depending on where you stay, there are lots of fun things to do around town.  Assuming your hotel will be closer to the cruise port, here are a few suggestions:

• Walk around Stanley Park, which features walking, jogging, and bike trails. There's also the Vancouver aquarium here.
• Gastown is a neighborhood that has a lot of great restaurants and shops.
• Even if you aren't staying at the Pan Pacific hotel, you can go there to watch cruise ships depart.
• Granville Island Market is an indoor market featuring lots of food and produce stores, showcasing handcrafted products and unique gifts.
• Vandusen botanical gardens are beautiful

I also recommend making a point to get coffee and a bite to eat at a Canadian staple: Tim Horton's. Tim Bits are great, along with their sandwiches.