DAY 1: Juneau embarkation
We didn’t board the ship until 5 p.m. on the departure day. Since we’d arrived in Juneau a day in advance, that meant that we had a whole day to explore prior to sailing away.
KidTripster Tip: As is the case with any cruise, we recommend arriving a day before departure, just in case there’s a flight delay. You don’t want your ship to leave without you!
Rather than lug our suitcases around with us, we went by the Juneau Convention Center where the UnCruise staff cheerfully greeted us. They got us checked in, whisked our bags away, and offered us a snack and use of the free WiFi. UnCruise has a large reception area inside the convention center which makes for a comfortable spot to hang out before and after your cruise. We, however, had some exploring to do. For ideas on what to see and do in Juneau, click here.
Other guests arriving on the same day as the departure utilized UnCruise’s shuttle service from the Juneau airport. By the time we arrived back to the convention center around 4 p.m., the place was packed with people who were buzzing with anticipation of what was to come. Most of the guests hadn’t previously sailed with UnCruise, but there was one gentleman who was on his 16th voyage with the company! He regaled the room with stories of past cruises, serving as a one-man pep squad.
About 4:45 p.m., the expedition leader for the SS Legacy arrived to give us the previously mentioned “three Ws” speech. Then she lead our group out of the convention center and across the street to board the vessel.
The captain greeted each guest at the dock, a crew member took our photo, and another escorted us to our cabin. Our luggage was already in our room. We had a few minutes before the mandatory safety drill, so we did a little unpacking and settling in.
The SS Legacy is 192 feet long. It has 45 cabins including two single cabins and three triple cabins. This ship has an elevator and one cabin that can accommodate a guest in a wheelchair. On the first floor, you’ll find guest cabins and the dining room. These cabins have a large window and are accessed by an interior hallway. On the second floor, you’ll find the lounge as well as additional cabin rooms. The third floor is comprised of all staterooms. The second and third floor guest rooms open onto a covered, exterior walkway. The fourth floor is where the fitness area, sun deck, and hot tubs are situated. That is also where the spacious Owner’s Cabin is located as well as the bridge which is open to guests. On each level, you have access to an outdoor viewing area.
We were a little surprised that we didn’t have room keys. Our room locked from the inside but not from the outside. There’s a small safe in the closet, large enough for cell phones and wallets. This took a little bit of getting used to. At first, I tucked away all of my valuables, but by the end of the cruise, I didn’t even bother with it. We felt perfectly safe.
Our room had two twin beds, full bathroom with a shower, desk area, closet, and some drawers. There was room to stow our luggage and backpacks under each bed, keeping the floor space clear. The cabin size is small but comfortable.
Not long after arriving on board, it was time for the safety drill. You’ll be asked to retrieve the lifejackets from your room and convene in the lounge. In addition to covering safety basics, you’ll learn other important information like your meal times. We also got a lengthy speech from the chief engineer about what not to flush down the toilets (this is serious business, people!).
Once that was all taken care of, it was time for dinner. There’s no assigned seating on UnCruise. At this point, we were all still strangers, so it took a minute for everyone to settle on a spot to sit. (By the end, we were all fast friends!) Dinner is served in courses, starting with special bread, a salad or soup, your main course, and, of course, dessert.
At dinner, you’ll have a land, sea or vegetarian option. If you can’t decide, they’ll make you a half-and-half plate or even serve you one of each entrée, if you like. The meal portions were perfect. We felt full but not stuffed, which meant we always had room for the dessert. (You won’t want to miss dessert!)
KidTripster Tip: There are set meal times on the ship. On our ship, breakfast was served at 7:30 a.m., lunch at 12:30 p.m., and dinner at 6:30 p.m. Meals were served promptly and efficiently. There were a few guests who arrived about 15 minutes late to our first breakfast and were surprised to learn that they had missed the meal. The crew scrounged something together for them, and the guests weren’t late again. In the lounge, fresh pastries were available before breakfast, cookies were set out during the day, and a robust happy hour was served before dinner. The lounge had a self-serve beverage bar with an espresso machine, drip coffee, tea, and hot chocolate. There also was a basket of granola bars for snacks.
KidTripster Tip: I have celiac disease which means no gluten for me. Traveling with a food allergy can be particularly stressful, especially on a cruise when you’re at the mercy of others for all of your meals and snacks. UnCruise did an amazing job making sure that I was well fed all week. I was able to eat all of the same meals as the other guests with some slight modifications. There was only one menu item that I was not allowed to order which was the Bananas Foster French Toast. Otherwise, I was able to have the same items as the other guests. The servers always offered me gluten-free bread before my meal and a gluten-free dessert, too. During snack time and happy hour, the crew always tucked away some gluten-free crackers, bread, and cookies for me behind the bar. Prior to your cruise, you’ll fill out an intake form. Be sure to indicate any food allergies that you might have so that the crew can be prepared to accommodate you.
After dinner, it was time to mingle a bit. The lounge is the place to be in the evenings. All beverages – including beer, wine and alcohol – are included in your fare. The wine was flowing on that first night as guests got to know one another.
We each had a name tag. And remember those photos taken prior to boarding? They were printed and labeled with our names and hung on the wall outside the lounge. The SS Legacy can accommodate about 90 guests (the most of any of the UnCruise vessels). However, our cruise had about 65 passengers on it in addition to 32 crew members. Most of the guests were older, primarily retirement age. There were some multi-generational families on board, too. Several young adults were traveling with their parents. There were only three children on this particular cruise. My daughter, age 11, and a brother and sister, ages 9 and 11. Fortunately, my daughter and the other girl connected immediately, given that they were both the same age and same grade.
Soon it was off to bed. Breakfast was early the next morning, and Glacier Bay awaited us.
