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It's located at the base of Mount Juneau, and you can only get there via boat or small plane — even residents have to bring their cars to Juneau via ferry. Home to Mendenhall Glacier, this is a popular port for hikes by, kayak tours to and helicopter landings on the glacier. In Alaska, sightseeing doesn't only take place on the ground.
Get Romantic With the Ocean Air
Most port and tour staff hail from Hoonah, Alaska's largest Tlingit village. The port is set on Chichagof Island, which is known for its large bear population. Wildlife lovers have plenty of opportunities to search for whales and eagles here; adventure-seekers won't want to miss the ZipRider, with its course of six zip lines. Trained counselors wrangle the little tykes and keep an eye on teens, so kids and adults can pursue their favorite activities in peace. Eating and drinking make up a large fraction of time spent onboard. Or maybe you like a leisurely sea day lunch at upscale Holland America's Pinnacle Grill or a Champagne brunch at Disney's adults-only Palo.
Alaska cruise packing list: What to pack for a cruise up north - The Points Guy
Alaska cruise packing list: What to pack for a cruise up north.
Posted: Wed, 17 Apr 2024 17:15:00 GMT [source]
It’s a floating city… where you only see part of it
Where a passport is truly handy is getting off the ship at the end of the cruise. These days most ports have facial recognition to process passengers. If you have a passport, you simply walk off, take a quick photo, and then walk out of the terminal. Those with birth certificates usually have to wait in line to meet an agent. We’ve all done the dance when you want to open a bottle of wine and search frantically for a corkscrew. If you can’t find one, it usually ends up with you cutting out the cork… and spitting out bits of cork every time you take a sip of your drink.
Ice Skating Rinks
These days food is served somewhere on the ship around the clock. Of course the most restaurants are open during meal times. However, ships will usually have a 24-hour restaurant you can visit or at least a buffet that’s open extended hours. These waterparks won’t be confused with anything you might find on land, but for a cruise ship they can be impressive, including waterslides, splash pads, and more.
Interested in the spa? Take a free tour
It likely won’t be with your same waiter, but you’ll definitely get fed. Even if you don’t see an entrée on the menu in the dining room, don’t think you can’t get it. Everyone knows about dinner in the main dining room… but they usually eat the buffet for lunch and breakfast. If you want something higher quality, head to the main dining room instead of the buffet. Best of all, the food is usually better as well, since it’s made fresh. Nearly every ship you sail on will have a place to get free pizza by the slice.
Always wear walking shoes when in port
Viking Ocean Cruises, Regent Seven Seas, Crystal Cruises, Oceania Cruises and most river cruise lines offer unlimited connection at no extra charge. You can plan what to do on sea days by looking at your cruise planner, often available in paper form or on a cruise line app. You’ll see the various cruise activities, as well as opening and closing hours.
You’ll walk on suspended bridges from station to station above the port, with chances to get up close and personal with all sorts of tropical birds, including flamingos and macaws. It’s also a great way to get amazing views of the cruise ships in port. If you want to get out in the water but don’t want to snorkel or scuba dive, you can always take a glass-bottom boat tour.
It's common for popular shows, tours and restaurant reservation times to book up in advance. Instead, they serve as a great way to enjoy the beach and water without spending a ton. You can save your money and instead use that for excursions in non-private ports where it’s not near as easy and cheap to spend the day unless you book a tour. To entice passengers to book these deals early, the cruise lines offer special discounts.
Dining
Located about 5 miles down the coast from the Costa Maya port, Maya Chan is a small, independent day resort that features enough room for only a few dozen guests at each time. You book a private cabana complete with hammock and daybed and enjoy all the snacks, drinks, and food you can eat. In short, for about $70 per person you get to spend the day in paradise. Transportation to and from the port is included as well so you don’t even have to worry about how to get there. Many cruise lines now have apps you can download to your smartphone. The apps vary in capabilities, but many will show you a daily list of activities on your ship and everything you have reserved.
We like that the one shown here only costs around $7 for a bottle. After time at the beach or the pool, you don’t want to walk indoors flaunting what your mother gave you in a swimsuit. Be sure to bring along a cover up that you can slip over your outfit to add a little modesty.
Today’s ships are destinations themselves and offer a wide variety of features. You don’t have to do them all, but cruise lines are striving to cater to every member of a group on a cruise. Royal Caribbean has partnered with iFLY to allow passengers to experience the thrill of skydiving all from the safety and convenience of a cruise ship. Located on the top deck of Quantum-class cruise ships with Royal Caribbean RipCord by iFLY is available on 5 cruise ships with the company.
St. Thomas Cruise Port: Piers, Overview and What to Do - Cruise Hive
St. Thomas Cruise Port: Piers, Overview and What to Do.
Posted: Tue, 16 Apr 2024 01:42:20 GMT [source]
This means you can save cash since taxes and duty aren’t included in the price. They typically take place in the afternoon on sea days, and all the contestants are sourced from your fellow passengers. If you want to participate, get in on the action by heading down to the host. If you plan to just watch, we suggest getting there early. With hundreds — if not thousands — of people watching, great spots to get a view can fill up fast.
In the evening, make sure to check out the sunset for a most unique cruise experience. Learn to make one of your favorite cruise ship dishes by attending a cooking demonstration. While this isn’t for everyone, cruise ship internet is improving and some cruise line’s are making it easy and affordable to work remotely. On recent cruises, we found Princess Cruises’ MedallionNet to be fast and efficient. More fun things to do on a sea day can be found in this post.
Hop a bus, kayak, boat or plane to look for bears, eagles, whales, sea otters and other wildlife. Note that moose don't regularly show up in the Inside Passage; you'll need to head farther north to find them. If you want to cruise Alaska but also see some of the interior and enjoy a stay in a lodge or hotel, go for a cruisetour package from either Holland America or Princess Cruises. Both have fantastic itineraries that take passengers not only to the Inside Passage, but also to Anchorage, Denali National Park, the Yukon, Kenai Peninsula, Talkeetna and Fairbanks.
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