hayley_bopp

To those who have a cruise booked this month.
July 2018
1 - Joe01 (Symphony of the Seas)
7 - ellcee (Harmony of the Seas)
8 - Joe01 (Symphony of the Seas)
14 - KLAconQueso (Empress of the Seas)
14 - Sweety (Empress of the Seas)
14 - hayley_bopp (Independence of the Seas)
20 - CowboyMedic (Explorer of the Seas)
22 - tiny260 (Liberty of the Seas)

Just to show you that i'm not a scaredy cat...I just booked 4 days on Indy 28 Feb 19. ?

Thanks for your responses. What you've all said echoes my original thoughts and it's nice to have reassurance from people whose reviews I know I can trust so thnk you all. 
I'm going with an open mind and I'm sure we'll have a fantastic cruise ?

Thanks for your responses. What you've all said echoes my original thoughts and it's nice to have reassurance from people whose reviews I know I can trust so thnk you all. 
I'm going with an open mind and I'm sure we'll have a fantastic cruise ?

That's because no one is upset at the smell of bacon anywhere on the ship.  Mmmmm, bacon. 

I have also been on Liberty post-refit twice during prime spring break. During both cruises, the ship had seen some of the highest numbers of passengers than normal due to the number of families onboard.  Were there crowds?  Sure but I can't say it would be different than any other ship. Windjammer was crowded but that is every ship and I just learned to eat breakfast or lunch in the MDR if I don't want to deal with the crowds.  Crowds were worst after muster drill and after shows.  Once again, I think that is typical on any ship.  Don't try to use the elevators then if you can manage the stairs. I am always very surprised by the packed crowds on the promenade during the "sales".  
We'll be on Independence in November and so look forward to hearing what you say about it!

@twangster Whoa there!! popcorn is AWESOME!!! Don't be a hater!

I was on Liberty recently and she has received the new cabins in her last refit.  I stayed in one of them.  I didn't feel the crowds more than any other ship.  I was on Freedom (some new cabins), Indy (before refit) and Liberty (most new cabins) all within 3 months of each other.  I never noted one feeling more or less crowded.  
People were complaining about the new cabins even before the refit began.  With that seed planted people will notice it when as you have indicated even on other ships on sea days the best loungers are taken (often by chair hogs - an increasing problem) or the Windjammer can be busy at peak times.  Muster seems packed on any ship but with people looking for crowds they find them in places they have always been.
Some people are overstating the numbers suggesting 500 more people.  To reach that every new cabin would need almost 5 passengers per cabin.  That's the exception, not the average.
If I started a rumor that deck 8 smelled like popcorn all the time there would be some that would board the ship and confirm the "terrible presence of popcorn smell at all hours". 
Go with an open mind and decide for yourself.  I'll be booking Indy soon and look forward to the changes.  
Any cruise is what you make it.  My virtual balcony didn't work that great on Explorer.  I could dwell on that and let it ruin the cruise or I could choose to move past it and not let it get to me.  Stuff happens in life everyday, on a ship and on on land.  For almost everyone who has experienced a mediocre cruise they themselves have played a role in that outcome. 

Best Cruise Blog Moment
It's the last night of the cruise in the R Bar.  There are a handful of blog cruisers present.  The R Bar is shutting it down soon.  I've been drinking Kraken and diet cokes so I order one last drink before the bar closes.  Bottle near empty it's the last of the Kraken so I get a generous pour. 
Meanwhile and unknown to me, Matt has been saving his last punch on the drink card for one more... Kraken and Coke.  The bar tender apologizes and says "No more Kraken".  The look on his face said it all. Like a child who was told they can't have that shiny new bike I thought for a brief second he might cry.  
Cost of drink package: $347
Look on Matt's face: Priceless

If you're live blogging, that will either help/exacerbate my post-cruise blues then!

Late July.

Cruise Summary and Random Thoughts
Alaska is an amazing cruise destination that is very different compared to a Caribbean cruise.  Coastal Alaska along the Southeast region is a collection of small towns that have no roads between them.  That makes cruising an ideal way to explore them.
I heard the Captain make the comment that every week it's different, something changes.  I've been to Juneau and Skagway yet the inlets to get there appeared completely different to me, like I had never seen them before.  I'm sure someone on the cruise this week or next will see something different as well.  Whales, bears, moose, eagles and seals all move around constantly.  The time of day and angle of the sun or glacier differences make each trip unique.  
Last year I chose a Southbound itinerary so i could see Hubbard Glacier.  While that glacier may be bigger, you can only take so many pictures of a glacier.  The proximity of Endicott Arm and the contrast of the ship juxtaposed against the cliff walls really stood out for me on this cruise.   It was an incredible experience just standing there with the towering cliff walls and waterfalls rising hundreds of feet above me. 
To be honest my previous research led me to think that a one-way North/South Alaska cruise was the "right way" to do Alaska while Seattle round-trip cruises were some kind of a lesser experience.  Having completed this cruise I now know that is not the case.   Different ports are involved and each has a reason to be considered. 
I carefully looked at the times of arrival and departure at each port when considering this cruise.  Who ever secured these ports times for Explorer did a great job.  Watching Solstice arrive into Victoria at 5pm when we had already been there for 8 hours illustrates this point.  We got to see the beautiful Butchart Gardens, walk around town, have a beer and lunch, walk through a city park and then walk along shore to get back to the ship.  What kind of experience will they have with just 4 hours in the evening to explore such a beautiful city?
Seattle hotels are expensive.  However staying downtown within walking distance to so many sights was great.  I had heard the Space Needle was kind of cheesy but with the new glass walls it was pretty cool.  Chihuly Glass and Gardens was amazing.
I haven't had the drink package for a number of cruises now.  I was glad I got it the package on this cruise.  Given the social aspect of the group cruise it was nice being able to have another with friends without having that little machine in your brain trying to keep a running total.  The long port times played into that because we often would do a morning excursion, come back to the ship and have a beer or two then go off again for a few hours in the afternoon.
While the rental ice skates left a lot to be desired it was cool to be able to skate around the little rink. It's amazing what the cast of the ice skating shows are able to accomplish on such a small sheet of ice.
Another rumor I've heard is that Alaskan cruises are a geriatric crowd.    That certainly wasn't the case on either of my Alaska cruises. 
Balcony cabins - I have no regrets choosing an interior cabin.  The savings basically paid for our excursions and the drink package for both of us plus the hotel and transfer costs.  Sure if you have lots of money a balcony is better.  Since that doesn't apply to me I was happy with my choice this year.  Having done a suite with a balcony last year I have direct knowledge of both and when I book my next Alaskan cruise it will most likely be in an interior. 
I heard people foreshadow terrible doom trying to fight for a view of the glacier.  I knew that wasn't going to be the case and neither last year or this year was that the case.  My pictures speak for themselves.  Cabin proximity to get outside is important so choose any cabin location carefully. 
My virtual balcony was a bit of a let down.  It was broken a lot of the time however I now know they use Red Hat Linux having watched it reboot itself every 8-10 minutes.   More often than not it was just the virtual hand rail displayed on a black background.  Maintenance requests took a while and if they got it working it only lasted a few hours.  Leveraging the concierge in the Concierge Lounge seemed to help that effort a bit.  When it worked it was great.  On Anthem I didn't have these problems so maybe it's an Explorer thing and it's running an older gen 1 platform.
Voom - I knew it was going to be bad and my expectations were met.  They really shouldn't market Surf and Stream for Alaska cruises.  They would be better to just offer Surf.  I managed to keep this blog updated so it wasn't the end of the world.  I'm finishing the blog on home internet and I'm amazed how fast it's going!
Overall it was a fantastic cruise experience and when combined with the social aspects of the group cruise that made it even better. 
I can definitely see myself doing another Alaska cruise.  It was nice trying different excursions this year.  The train in Skagway was pretty great last year but having a different experience this year was equally great. 
When is the next one?  ?

Thanks for another amazing live blog. 
 
How long until your next one? ⏱

I think we finally have a cruise before him this time!!!!! ??

Fresh off dinner it was time for the RoyalCaribbeanBlog.com podcast recording.
Fittingly it was held in the chapel.

The faithful all gathered to hear Matt's sermon.

 

As someone who was born in a (mostly) desert continent, this amount of ice, let alone water, absolutely astonishes me.
Thank you for these incredible photos. Alaska is now firmly on my bucket list! (Super stretch cruising goal - fly to Seattle. Cruise to Alaska and back. Then jump aboard a repositioning cruise from Seattle back to Sydney!)

I think it’s an Asian port

Is that a new location in the Caribbean Royal visits?

I'm not sure about this but I bet it would be good in a chai latte...

The only tea I drink is a Long Island Iced Tea. But, I don't think Bailey's would be very good in it.

No need to apologise for the photo-intensive post - thanks for going to the effort of sharing them with us! They are incredible!

No need to apologise for the photo-intensive post - thanks for going to the effort of sharing them with us! They are incredible!

I've been hanging out in the Viking Crown Lounge on this whale watching excursion.  I just saw this awesome Orca to starboard.  It was swimming just under the surface yet I could see it's whole body.  Just Wow.
The pool deck is operating in normal mode, pools open (and heated), bars open, joggers jogging, hot tubs being enjoyed.  I'm sitting right above the outdoor TV screen so I've got the eyes of many on deck 11 staring straight at me. 

Very flat seas today, it hardly feels like we are moving.
I could take this same picture on a sea day for any Caribbean cruise and it would be mostly the same - minus the whales. 
An amazing sea day plus I'm all caught up on this blog.  Phew.  Time for a Kraken and something.  (ok, maybe another one...)

Day 6 - Sea Day
As we make our way down to Victoria we enjoy a typical sea day.
Studio B has been reserved for the Royal Caribbean Blog group cruise at 10am for an hour. 





Matt was a trooper, out there for the bulk of it.  I ventured out after scoping and taking some pictures.  They didn't have my skate size so I ended in a skate just a tad bit small.  It worked but my shins were killing me.

Back in Stephen's Passage it was time for the Royal Caribbean Blog Group Cruise Photo!
Of course it was... raining.

Fortunately it didn't last long and we were able to get some of the group who ventured out for the photo.  For some reason Matt asked me to take the photo.

This is the point we drop off our pilot, at the same place we picked him up a few days ago.
Still no chair hogs.

Here is our route so far:

I'm writing this from the Viking Crown Lounge on day 6 but I've been distracted.  There have been dozens of whales passing on both sides.  An Orca just did a big jump right beside the ship creating a massive splash when it landed.  Just Wow.