Monday, September 23, 2024
Home; Is that happy or sad?
We had put in a wake up call with Princess but as is usual for us we woke early. I actually saw the shipp travel under the Lions Gate Bridge.
We quickly got everything done and gathered together and headed out. We never did get that wake up call. We met Renaldo outside of our cabin and said our thank yous and good bye. We had left our note and extra tip the day before just in case we did not see him this morning.
We headed to the Allegro dining room because we had breakfast dates with Ann and Ken. They were a little late because they had slept in. They are continuing on to Australia so their morning will be very different from ours. They have to change rooms but it is the only change planned. They will have the same room for 42 days.
We had a great visit but it was soon time to head to "Princess Live" because that is where we have to wait for our group ( gold 5) to disembark.
We actually had never visited Princess Live and we were surprised to see how large it is.
The call came early and we were soon on our way. I was travelling with one of the suitcases that I painted so it was easy to find in that sea of luggage.
We made our way out with barely a pause at customs. We waited at the underground pick up spot under Canada Place and we were able to sit and relax as we waited for Dave.
He arrived and said that traffic was chaos on the nunmber one so we headed home using the 99 and number 7.
It was a beautiful sunny drive. We stopped so I could pick up milk and eggs.
We are home and we are feeling a little better. Both Ken and I got the usual Cruise ship CRUD. We wear masks we wash our hands and almost swim in hand sanitizer and we still get it. I felt so ill that I for a brief second considered ending our cruising.
But it was only short and now that both of us are feeling almost back to normal and all of the luggage is unpacked I am beginning to think about the next cruise. In fact I went on line and booked shore excursions last evening.
We made new friends, had fun hiding ducks, brought home 12 new ducks, discovered a new cocktail ( Dark and Stormy), lived like a queen with no household responsibilities for the entire 2 weeks and have welcomed 3 new pounds which I shall work hard to get rid of.
Conclusion: There is no such thing as a bad cruise.!! I am off to have a cup of coffee which I had to make myself.:-(
Our next foray is one we have done before...a 32 day south Pacific cruise aboard the Saphire Princess in April of 2025'
Thanks for following us and we will meet again in April
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Saturday, September 21, 2024
Last Full Day
We got up late, probably because Ken was full of cold meds. We were supposed to
meet Ken and Ann Coverdale, the couple we have been meeting for breakfast on Sea
days.They are from Australia and are very friendly. I know we will stay in touch
with them even if it is only by e-mail.
The result was we had to go to Horizon Court for breakfast because we were too late
for the dining room.
From there we went to the cooking demonstration.
Emile sang at the end of the show and as usual he brought the house down.
By now it is eleven and we had to rush back to the cabin to change clothes.
We were invited to lunch as one of the most travelled passengers.
When we were ushered in we had our photo taken with Andrea Spinardi.
Here ie our invitation.
And here is the menu. The choice was of your main course. The rest just came to everyone.
Ken and I each had the Barramundi and shrimp. There was a trio of appetizers, and an unbelievable dessert. Of course there was sparkling water and wine and coffee.
appetizers
Then the Main course. I got a picture of the beef dish as well as our fish
The dessert was amazing. Inside those white chocolate balls was a pineapple moose that tasted like ice cream. It was actually frozen???I have no idea how they did that.
From the tray of after dinner goodies I managed to eat just one strawberry.
The officer who shared our table was the officer in charge of security She looked quite young but since she had been in the british navy for 20 years and had been with Princess for a while, looks were deceiving.
Because we both were suffering from a cold we had a quick nap after that amazing dinner.
Then it was time to pack.
Then we had to go to dinner to say to the servers and give them tips. Because of that amazing lunch we each had 2 appetizers and called it done. We could not have eaten more.
We said our good byes and there were hugs all around.
We did not take in the show. It was featuring a soprano who could break glass.
We called it an early night.
This adventure comes to an end tomorrow.
Juneau and Ketchikan, September 18 and 19
The past 2 days have been VERY quiet. The calm began with Ken having a tickel in his throat the turned into a bad cough. Yesterday he spent the day in bed and I brought him all of his meals.
In the afternoon while he slept I went for a walk and ended up playing Trivea with Ann and Ken.
I went to the Captain Circle Cocktail party. I sat with Ann and Ken.
Here are the numbers for this cruise
New cruisers......2430
Gold cruisers....519
Ruby............150
Platinum ........265
Elite...........176
It is a good side for the cruise industry to have all of these first time cruisers.
I went to dinner and Emile insisted that I come back to the dining room after the cocktail party and pick up a meal for Ken.
The day was foggy and cool so neither of us went ashore, between the weather and health issues the ship was the best place for us to be.
But many faced the wet weather.
The captain said it would be rough last night but it was not bad at all.
This morning the day was a mix of clouds and sun.
Ken seemed to be a bit better but this morning I have a bit of a sore throat so I may be getting Ken's cold.
We went to the buffet for breakfast and basically took it easy all day. There were 4 large ships in port and they all seem to be headed for Vancouver. It will be a busy day. We get off at 9:40 and hope to connect to Dave around 10:30 but that is Saturday.
We have a formal night tonight and a full sea day tomorrow.
Tuesday, September 17, 2024
Icy Strait Point
Nearby Alaska's largest Tlingit village exists a uniquely Alaskan place - lcy Strait Point.
Hoonah, meaning "village by the cliff," is home to the Huna Tlingit who have occupied this area for thousands of years. Local legend tells how they were forced from their ancestral home in Glacier Bay by advancing glaciers, resulting in their relocation to and settlement of Hoonah.
In 1912, the Hoonah Packing Co. built a large cannery one mile north of town. After only five years of operation, the cannery at Icy Strait Point turned out 152,505 cases of one-pound cans of salmon, the largest pack ever achieved in Alaska.
Today, Hoonah is home to nearly 750 residents. Visitors will be intrigued by its rich Native heritage, opportunities to see wildlife and the vast wilderness that surrounds this unique village. Icy Strait's waters have yielded record-breaking halibut and salmon catches and provide summer-long access to all five species of salmon. Chichagof Island, on which Icy Strait Point is located, supports one of the largest concentrations of brown bears in the world and sightings are common.
Originally we were told this would be a tender port but we have since learned that the ship will dock and we will be able to walk off. HOWEVER this mooring will only be until noon at which time the ship will move and be at anchor for the rest of our stay. This means that we must use the tender to return to the ship.
When we were here a few years ago the ramp that lead you from the ship to the shore was very fragile lookong but that is not the case now. There are sturdy steel ramps which lead to the shore. We can see one more such a travel way from our balcony. Another ship is moored there.
We have an excursion...Seafood Feast and Tribal Dance Show.
It is described as :
Experience the living culture of the Huna Tlingit with an interactive performance at the Heritage Center Theatre. Once you arrive, a troupe of talented performers in colourful regalia will perform an artistic representation of the history, culture and storytelling through Native song and dance.
Listen as Huna Tlingit storytellers recount the gripping tales of the tumultuous days of the Little Ice Age when a rapid glacial advance forced the people from Glacier Bay , their ancestral home. Culminating this dramatic performancce is a lively traditional celebration... and you are invited to participate.
Then enjoy a seafood feast including shrimp and seasonal crab boiled in southern seasoning with corn on the cob, Andouille sausage , onions, mushrooms, potatoes and garlic. Before returning to your ship you can sit around the fire pit, roast marshmallows and make smores.
With this description in mind we made sure to not over eat at breakfast. We begin this excursion at 1:15.
This excursion was very good but not as advertised. There was one lady who told the story of the tlingit people and their history and there way of life. Their value system of respecting all life is really what we need now if ever before. She had all of us spell bound. There were no dancers, probably because this was the end of the season.
The food was good and it was all you could eat. Unfortunately it takes time to eat crab by the time you get it out of the shell. Ken was not able to eat as much as he would have liked because we had to go to the presentation.
Many improvements have been made to this stop, there are new shops, restaurants,information centers, gondulas and a zip line. Normally there would be little to do in this place but with exhibits, hiking trails and rest stops and eateries this is a very nice stay. Of course the fact that we had a beautiful sunny day did not hurt but added to the enjoyment of the moment.
We returned to the ship in time for dinner and just rested the rest of the
evening. We met a very nice couple at dinner and we chatted the entire time.
Tomorrow we are in Juneau, we do not have an excursion. But tomorrow night is a
formal night and it is the Captain Circle Cocktail Party.
Glacier Bay
Princess is one of a select few cruise lines permitted to cruise the pristine waters of Glacier Bay, the highlight of our 7-day Voyage of the Glaciers cruise. Just west of Juneau, this breathtaking national park and preserve boasts some of the world's most spectacular tidewater glaciers, such as Margerie Glacier, which often drops colossal chunks of ice into the sea. Not surprisingly, Glacier Bay National Park and its epic ice giants are part of a UNESCO World Heritage Site comprising Alaska's magnificent park system.
During your scenic cruise, friendly Park Rangers will join the ship to share their knowledge of this amazing place and host a fun Junior Ranger program for kids. They may even be able to help you identify Glacier Bay's abundant wildlife, including humpback whales, sea otters, porpoises, harbor seals, black bears, mountain goats, bald eagles and large colonies of seabirds.
Take in the awe-inspiring scenery as you enjoy an unforgettable day of sailing through this dazzling park, where you'll glide along emerald waters and past calving icebergs, and can breathe in the crisp, fresh air to your heart's content.
The day was pleasant and it did not rain. The captain did a masterful job of turning the ship so we could all enjoy the views.
I did take a few pictures in the hopes of using them for inspiration for a painting some day in the future.
In the evening we had a lovely dinner and then we took in the show at the theatre, The singer was Sonya Selbie. We had not heard her before and she did some old favorites and some we had not heard .
We called it a night and tomorrow we will be at Icy Strait Point and we have an excursion.
Monday, September 16, 2024
Yakutat Bay
Today we will be heading for Yakutat Bay and some scenic cruising in the area of Hubbard Glacier.
Nicknamed the Galloping Glacier this east Alaskian glacier is rapidly advancing toward the Gulf of Alaska into a pristine area known as Disenchantment Bay. In fact its movement temporarily formed a natural dam that twice closed off nearby Russel Fjord from the bay but the intense water pressure building within the fjord-turned-lake has thus far been enough to explode through the wall of ice.The largest tidewater glacier in North America, the Hubbard Glacier measures 76 miles long and plunges 1,000 feet into the depts of the bay. Its immense beauty and phenomenal blue hues are enchanting, even from afar. But it's whenyour cruise shipdraws closer that its towering surfacereally impresses, dwarfing even the uppermost deck on your ship at a whopping 40 stories high. There, with the snowcapped mountains serving as a glorious backdrop, you'll have a prime viewing spot from which to witness the glacier calfing, as it often expels icebergs the size of a 10 story building. Imagine the splash. The area around Hubbard Glacier is also renowned for its wildlife, where whales, harbor seals and otter swim, brown bears, moose and black tailed deer roam ashore and a wide variety of seabirds soar gracefully across the sky.
The entire day was wet and stormy.With the abundance of fog there was little or no chance to view the glaciers. I felt sorry for the people for whom this was and would be their only chance to see the magnificent Hubbard Glacier.
During the morning they had a display of things for sale. There were deep price cuts because this is the last cruise of the season for the Royal Princess. Many people attended.
There was a fun display of towel animals accompanied by the room stewards who created some of them.
We received our invitation to the Most Traveled Passenger luncheon. I guess we are the 6th highest this time.
This was formal night so we dressed up to the code. Dinner was fabulous as usual. It was an opportunity to get pictures of our wait staff, Emile with each of us and Shabham.
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Walking to the Princess theatre we came to a spot where we could get a picture of the Champagne Waterfall,They had not begun to pour yet.
We went to the production show in the Princess Theatre, it was called Soul Music and it was wonderfully done, loud but not deafening loud.
After the show we returned to our room and called it a night.
Happily the rain has stopped, the wind has died down and the ship is no longer rocking and rolling.
Tomorrow we will be in Glacier Bay.
Sunday, September 15, 2024
Whittier
