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Don't rule out the early and late seasons for cruising Alaska. Here are tips for Cruising Alaska on Royal Caribbean's Quantum of the Seas.
When my friend asked me if I wanted to sail with her and told me I could choose any itinerary, I agreed. Immediately I looked for a cruise on her favorite cruise line, Royal Caribbean. I perused the offerings, knowing that Alaska would be at the top of my list. I found not only a cruise sailing Alaska but also a ship that was new to me— Quantum of the Seas . My friend agreed to cruising Alaska, and we both anxiously anticipated our sailing date in early May.
Pre-Cruise Preparation Before Cruising Alaska
We followed the COVID protocols, and both tested negative before flying to Seattle. We left the night before; something highly recommended. With all the flight delays and cancellations, we didn't want to take any chances of missing our trip. We used the Royal Caribbean app to register for the cruise.
Royal Caribbean App. Photo by Theresa Russell
We booked a night at the W Hotel, knowing how close it was to the port. It wasn't until the middle of the night that we realized that Royal Caribbean sails out of the northern port that isn't close to the downtown area or convenient for exploring downtown attractions. That meant we could not fill our time with any in-town diversions before departure.
Embarkation
The embarkation process seemed disorganized. The line outside the terminal extended far from the entries. Even though boarding times are assigned, everybody must have chosen the same boarding slot.
Because we were sailing to Victoria, Canada , we had to show a specific form to enter Canada. We filled it out before arriving at the pier. The boarding agents asked us to show that form along with our negative COVID test results and vaccination cards at several checkpoints.
Travels in Alaska
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After passing through all the checkpoints, we finally boarded Quantum of the Seas and were ready to embark on our week-long cruise to Alaska!
Quantum of the Seas features a pod for aerial views. Photo by Theresa Russell
North to Alaska
We headed to our balcony stateroom, thinking it might be ready so that we could drop our carry-on luggage. Finding the doors locked, we kept our luggage with us.
Our comfortable balcony stateroom. Photo by Theresa Russell
First on our agenda was to find lunch as we had skipped breakfast. Although the crew directed us to Windjammer Café, I knew a smaller spot would serve lunch, so we sought out The Café @270. One of my favorite choices is the Kummelweck sandwich. The venue was short-staffed, a problem plaguing many ships, but we were in no rush. Waiting in line was worth it, as it was the best Kummelweck I have had!
We explored the ship for the rest of the day, and the next as it was was a sea day. We wanted to be flexible, so we had chosen My Time Dining, enabling us to choose flexible dining times. Unfortunately, reservations were highly recommended for My Time Dining, defeating the purpose. We followed the advice of the Maitre d' and booked a specific hour to eat for most of the nights. It worked out fine in the end.
Cruising Alaska on Quantum Class
The first ship in the Quantum Class, our large home for the week, originally sailed in China. Remnants of the décor and signage remained on Quantum of the Seas . Having sailed on Anthem of the Seas , I was familiar with the ship's layout. Although large, there is plenty of space to get outdoors, something essential for cruising Alaska .
Whimsical artworks graced the backs of the elevators bringing smiles to our faces. There was a variety of artwork to admire throughout the ship.
Whimsical art in the elevators on Quantum of the Seas. Photo by Theresa Russell
We settled into our comfortable balcony stateroom and planned our days. We had several exciting ports and had shore excursions in many of them.
Icy Strait Point
Our first port of call was Icy Strait Point (ISP) , one of my favorite ports because it remains relatively natural and non-commercial around the port area. I hadn't been to ISP for several years, and much had changed. The new Wilderness Landing pier was functional, and another ship shared the dock with us. This pier brings guests into a different area of the port. A gondola system serves to transport people back and forth from this pier to the Ocean Landing pier and the Cannery area.
Another new gondola, SKYGLiDER , takes passengers up a steep mountainside to either a zipline, hiking trails, or expansive views of the area.
SKYGLiDER at Icy Strait Point. Photo courtesy of Icy Strait Point
We did have a chance to try both new gondolas, but our main goal for the day was to go whale watching. This area had lots of whale activity, and the last time I was here, I spoke with fellow passengers on a previous cruise who did this excursion and saw a breaching whale. That was something I hoped to see.
I boarded a rather large whale-watching boat and found a spot to park myself on the aft deck. The boat did have inside seating, but I thought it would be easier to move about looking for the best potential view of a breaching whale if I stayed outside. I already know from experience how difficult it is to photograph whales. I proudly pointed out the tiny gray spot in my photos to show that I spotted a whale on previous trips. My delusions convinced me I would get an award-winning shot of a breaching humpback. I saw plenty of whales, even breaching whales, but only got photos of gray spots in the water. Yet, I accomplished my mission.
A Stop in Skagway While Cruising Alaska
The Gateway to the Klondike and a small old west town surrounded by mountains, Skagway is also home to the White Pass & Yukon Route Railway . A journey to the summit of the historic railway filled my agenda for the day. The train climbs to nearly 3000 feet passing through several distinct ecosystems. Hugging the edge of the mountain and tracing the path that gold prospectors took, this train ride combines history with outstanding scenery and a relaxing journey.
White Pass & Yukon Route Railway. Photo by Theresa Russell
Back in town, it’s fun to check out the shops and locally made items. My favorite thing is to grab a beer at one of the local breweries and stroll the main street looking at the interesting architecture.
Endicott Arm and Dawes Glacier
Just as exciting as seeing a breaching whale is watching a glacier calving. I was hoping for that amazing experience, but it didn't happen on this trip.
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As we were cruising Endicott Arm, the ship suddenly stopped. The captain came on the loudspeaker to announce that we would have to abort the journey to see Dawes Glacier because of the amount of ice in the Endicott Arm. After all, we weren’t on an ice breaker. Despite the disappointment, the day was lovely, the scenery outstanding, and I was in Alaska!
Cruising Endicott Arm. Photo by Theresa Russell
Juneau
One of the best reasons to take a cruise in Alaska is that the ship can easily reach many places that aren't so convenient or accessible by road. Then there's also that thing about having to pack and move every day, which a cruise eliminates.
Juneau, the capital, is one of those places inaccessible by road. It also seems quite large compared to the other ports we visited earlier on this cruise. Having been to Juneau several times, the plan today was to stroll around to see what was new and to take the Goldbelt Tram to the top of Mount Roberts to see the views.
View from the top of the Goldbelt Tram in Juneau. Photo by Theresa Russell
Mendenhall Glacier is a popular destination, and whale watching in Juneau is good, but we chose to stay in town. New sculptures line the newly configured pier.
Mendenhall Glacier during our spring trip cruising Alaska. Photo by Theresa Russell
On the way to try a new brewery, we passed by an area of food stands that seemed very popular. Since we were dining at Wonderland on the ship this evening, we opted to have a beer at Devil’s Club Brewing Co., and then we returned to the ship for an excellent meal of innovative cuisine.
Victoria
Our short stop in Victoria allowed us enough time to walk from the ship to Fisherman’s Wharf. After watching seals play in the water, we walked back to Quantum of the Seas, ready to relax on our sea day back to Seattle.
Fisherman's Wharf in Victoria, a stop while cruising Alaska. Photo by Theresa Russell
Final Thoughts on Cruising Alaska
We disembarked with ease and sent our luggage directly to the airport via the free Port Valet service offered by Seattle. We toured around town using our CityPASS before our late flight, inadvertently discovering that the airline had canceled our flights home. But that's a story for another time.
A stop at Dawes Glacier while cruising Alaska. Photo by Theresa Russell
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Alaska never disappoints, and the weather was perfect for our week-long spring cruise on Quantum of the Seas . The ship is ideal for families because of the many options for adults and children, not that I can think of anything more entertaining than Alaska itself. But during the sea days, it's a great time to take advantage of some of the Quantum of the Seas events – trivia, game shows, shows, the casino, shopping, and more. The great service-oriented crew certainly added to the entire experience.
As for Alaska, this was my first time sailing so early in the spring. It worked out perfectly. Packing the right gear prepares you for any weather situation, so don't rule out the early and late seasons. Additionally, better rates are often available during the “shoulder” seasons, and Alaska is grand no matter when you visit. So when you're planning on cruising Alaska or anywhere else, let Wander with Wonder be your cruise guide .
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Cruising Alaska on Quantum of the Seas
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