I worked in retail for just under six years, selling hundreds of cruises. I thought I was a pretty confident seller – even though I had never actually been on a cruise. I had done lots of training, done a few ship visits… but nothing can replace actually going on a cruise and experiencing the holiday for yourself. I can say that now because I genuinely believe this to be true... all because I have finally been on my first cruise.
I was fortunate enough to win the cruise, and it was for two people to Alaska, what a way to start! Last year, I went to the Clia conference in Southampton where I won a social media competition off the back of my ship visit aboard Sky Princess, which happened to be the first time I had ever stepped on a Princess Cruises’ ship!
First I had to decide who to take: my mum or my dad. Mum’s more of a sunbather, and so because it was to Alaska, I decided to take my dad. He used to take me on lots of adventures and days out when I was little; he works so hard, he’s not far off retirement; and I wanted to treat him... what better way to say thank you for everything he’s done for me over my lifetime.
It was a brand new experience for Dad – the cruise and Alaska – and he was even more blown away by it all than I was. Working in travel can make you a bit blasé because we hear about amazing destinations every day, but being with Dad really opened my eyes to the wonder of it all.
Magic Medallion
Our itinerary was a week-long round-trip Seattle itinerary, onboard Discovery Princess. Before the ship sails you upload a picture to your profile, and then when you walk around the ship wearing your Medallion, the staff know who you are. The Medallion blew our minds. Walking up to your stateroom, seeing your picture on the screen and the door unlocks – incredible!
Michael and his dad onboard Discovery Princess
Being able to see where both Dad and I were on the ship by looking on the app – even when we were in completely different places – that was incredible too! Walking up to a bar for the first time, and the bartender knew exactly what we'd like, and knew us by name – even more incredible! Everything the Medallion did felt like magic. Dad got a taste for Alaskan whiskey and his drink would just be sat there waiting for him, as he approached the bar to collect it!
Massive shoutout to Thongrak, who worked in the restaurants and bars, as she just made us feel more of a friend than a guest onboard – she popped up all over the ship and looked after us so much. She helped us get window seats in restaurants, and we talked to her loads about ship life and her home life too.
At first, it did cross my mind, am I getting the VIP treatment because I’m a competition winner but I don’t think they had any idea… this was just the standard of service you find onboard every Princess Cruises’ ship for every Princess customer.
Michael, Thongrak and his dad
One of my takeaways, when it comes to Alaska, is that it’s really worth spending time with your clients researching the excursions, and encouraging them to book at the earliest opportunity. The Princess excursions were in demand, and many of the most popular ones did book up. For example, we missed out on the White Pass scenic railway from Skagway, because we left it too late to book. Gives us a reason to return anyway!
In general, I would say do the Princess Cruises’ excursions in Alaska, because you’ll be with people from the ship, which gives you peace of mind, and the guides are so knowledgeable about Alaska’s fascinating history, they really add to the experience.
Waterfalls and whales
We may have missed out on the train ride in Skagway, but we instead we walked to Lower Reid Falls, a little further beyond the Gold Rush Cemetery. It was one of the most beautiful places I’ve seen in my life, and it’s hard to explain just how special it was to experience this with my dad. Seeing him sat at the waterfalls made me extremely emotional and I had to hide my tears from him. I had one of those moments when you realise, I’m the adult here now and I’m looking after you.
On the hike to Lower Reid Falls in Skagway © Michael Astley
We also saw lots of wildlife – whales, seals, salmon jumping up stream. There were about four times when they called out over the ship tannoy that whales had been spotted – they direct you to the port side or the starboard, and everyone has a chance to see them, from the top deck and your own balcony too, if you are on the right side.
The entertainment was something else. Rock Opera was like something you see in the West End. I don’t think I blinked for a good three minutes at one point, it was that spectacular. On our sea day, we watched The Proposal in the cinema, which felt very fitting, because it’s set in Alaska. With Princess Plus so much was included, we barely had anything to pay when we disembarked. All the restaurants were high quality but my favourite was O’Malleys, the Irish pub experience, with great food and live music too.
August felt like the perfect time to visit Alaska. We left Seattle in glorious sunshine. Ketchikan was a bit rainy but that only added to the atmosphere. Juneau and Skagway were overcast but warm. My best advice is pack layers, from shorts and T-shirts to long trousers and rain macs. It really was such a mix.
I’m no longer working on the shop floor, because I’ve moved into training and development, but I can’t wait for one of Hays’ Back to the Floor days, so I can sell this experience. I’ve learnt so much that I’ve been sharing with colleagues in training sessions – the service onboard was like nothing I’ve experienced before.
I only wish I’d done a cruise sooner. But I know Alaska would never have been my first choice. We’ll definitely do another one. Every time I see Dad, he tells me about a new cruise deal he’s spotted. We’re thinking either Asia or the Caribbean; ‘go hard or go home’ is our mantra!
I’m so lucky to have had this experience with my Dad. When you get to share so many ‘pinch me’ moments together like we did on this cruise, it was incredibly special – and the only two people who can really describe how it felt was me and my amazing Dad.
