We came into Juneau one day early. We took their cruise to Alaska boarding July 19-26. The ship is immaculate; inside and out! The Victorian decor is very different and lovely; plus It is very comfortable and their appointments are very attractive.
The cabins are roomier than we imagined, and in excellent shape. They have nice extra amenities; lovely reading lamps above the headboard that can slant in any direction; the sheets are very soft and the comforter is light and warm! We never needed an extra blanket! The bathroom has an extra shelf for all your toiletries; plus another shelf for anything else you brought. There are plenty of hangers in the closer; plus lovely robes!
We loved happy hour with yummy appetizers every night. The meals were varied and small serving portions that were just right. You could always order something extra or different ( a side of bacon, wow their bacon) with our yogurt and fruit for breakfast).
The bar was fully stocked and any sort of drink was available! We loved the special hot chocolate that was available after spending time in front of Glacier Bay! We hoped they served it every day! It was like a melted Hersey bar. We weren’t aware of the fresh baked cookies that were available every day at 3. I guess we were too busy out exploring!
The Sea Dragon that is pulled behind the ship was a BIG plus to us! It’s super easy to navigate getting into and out of the kayaks! They offered a kayak 101 the first day; and we loved it! It really helped us learn how to navigate easily and well; and the teacher, Bobby, was kind, patient and very knowledgeable! He let us know that after 2 hours; he was confident we could free paddle any day!
We loved the meander in the woods days; exploring and learning all about the wilderness in Alaska. Bushwhacking light was fun too, in that we were exploring the unbeaten paths, always with out naturalists with us.! They have a lot of wellies ( high wadding boots) to borrow for the duration! They are very patient in finding just the right pair for you for the best and most comfortable fit!
The attention to detail was most appreciated in having water bottles for you to use at each of your adventures; plus binoculars to borrow all about the ship! And, to take off the ship on your kayaks or hikes, etc. We loved seeing the Captain helping us in and out of our skiffs or kayaks!
He also decided to stay for an extra 3 hours at a spot where we encountered a pod of 14 humpback whales bubble netting! It was a sight that we will never forget!
The dining room stewards were very attentive to your every need! Enoch was wonderful! We had just eaten lunch when the captain announced the whale sighting~ everyone went right away to see them. He gently told all of us that if we wanted the tres leches for dessert he would make sure we got it. Sure enough; he found us out on the deck with everyone else, and told us he had the desserts in the lounge with our names on it so we could eat it at our leisure! We so appreciated him and his thoughtfulness!
Our crew that led us on our expeditions were wonderful leaders and very knowledgeable! We especially enjoyed and appreciated Bobby and Andrew! Their attention to detail, facts, and ability to make everyone feel safe and happy were noticeable and should be of note!
It was so nice to have a skiff tour as a choice every day! It was fun, easy, entertaining and interesting! Each of the leaders worked hard to give us as much as possible out of our experience! The day at Dawes Glacier when we were 1/4 of a mile away stands out as one of the very special days for us!
Of course it was enjoyable and bitter sweet on the last evening when we met our entire staff and crew; and saw the slides that they took for and of all of us! We met very nice, and interesting people and felt very much at home the entire time! Up until the last minute when the crew lined up to thank us and shake our hands; and whisk us off to our airport — every need and desire was considered and taken care of !
We highly recommend this cruise and Linda Androlia at Sunstone Tours, planning it for you, to anybody and everybody! You will be writing back to us to thank us for encouraging you to do it!
&mdashBob and Ronna Streeton – Ventura California
