Mytime2014

Glad you had a great cruise. Sorry it had to end, but if it didn't leave we wouldn't have the next cruise to look forward to. You do know you can drive to San Diego or Long Beach and cruise out of there?

I live in San Antonio TX - so Houston/Galveston will be my place to cruise from. Or maybe try Amtrak to New Orleans. Unless I play and win the lottery and can fly first class. I've seen cattle trucks less loaded than those airplanes!!!!

I don't know why this one posted - my new nails seem to be hitting keys I don't intend to hit!

So before anyone asks why there are two posts on the same topic, i'm going to ask that this one be deleted!!!

Hopefully the link will work! My first cruise on HAL Ms. Westerdam Seattle>Juneau>Glacier Bay>Sitka>Ketchikan>Victoria>Seattle.

Amazing trip! Wish I had pictures but my camera broke and my phone is too clumsy on a tossing pontoon boat in the rain!!

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2070631

Vacation started on 7/3/14 with an anticipated flight from San Antonio to Seattle via Phoenix - 3 airports, 2 planes. Leave SAT at 8:30 pm CST, arrive Seattle 11:55 PST. Instead due to a dust storm in Phoenix - it was SAT to Las Vegas to Phoenix - oops, missed that connection apparently the flight we were supposed to be on was able to land and take off in spite of the storm. The next flight available would leave Phoenix at 1 p.m. on 7/4. So - while a gaggle of young twinkies were cursing at the gate agent, we very kindly asked for assistance, were able to walk on a flight to LAX where we spent a few hours in a very private but not quiet SWA gate confirmed on a 7 a.m. flight to Seattle via Salt Lake City arriving at 1'ish PST. Our 6 hour trip turned into an 18 hour trip. It was NOT going to ruin the trip tho, in fact, I don't know when I've laughed so much - when you are that tired, everything is hysterical or horrible. We decided to make it hysterical.

Seattle - would have been great if we had not been dog-tired, but WTH, a 2 hour nap, a stroll through Pike Place, along the waterfront, and a water taxi to West Seattle and dinner at Salty's. Yum! ....a stop at Target and Walgreens to grab drinks and wine. Back in our room - too tired to consider trying to get to fireworks - there they were outside out 23rd story window!

Ms. Westerdam - can I say awesome enough times? The art was cool, the bars were comfortable and attractive and attentive staff. Our steward was friendly, helpful and not in our face the whole time - he got the job done. Our aft balcony was amazing. It was my favorite place on the ship. I spent many hours there, sleeping, reading and watching whales playing in the wake on the approach to Juneau. I was not blown away by the decor, the carpet made me more seasick than the boat.

Food - MDR good to oh my [scallop appetizer the 1st night], several dishes I would have had again given an opportunity. I asked almost every night for creme brulee and was told it was not available.

Lido - average that you would expect in a cafeteria. Some things were good, others - meh. The ice cream was good but I didn't care for bread pudding. It was frustrating to have to search from place to place for a single item to complete your meal - by the time you find toast, your poached eggs are cold.... But, I usually slept too late to get to the MDR, so my fault there. I thought of CC when I heard a woman say - they NEVER have what I want here. Really? The selection looked pretty good to me.

Pinnacle - OH MY! It was really good and they let me use the two dinner indulgence for both of us, so a tiny discount. The food and service was really good - except they overcooked my steak. Mary ordered hers medium well [gag, I know] and I ordered mine medium rare. They were very quick to get my steak to me. We shared shoestring fries with truffle aioli - not a lot of truffle IMO, grilled asparagus and mushrooms. 3 people apologized for the steak. And then there was dessert.....ordered the 3 flavor creme brulee and since we were the last table seated - they were out. The manager apologized and offered us the one they make for La Cirque - le sigh. Oh it was good and creamy with double brown sugar caramelized topping [and I have the recipe!]

Excursions - Best of Juneau - we saw the Mendenhall, okay nice - not enough time to walk to the falls and Mary couldn't walk that far anyway. Salmon Bake at Orca Point - okay.

Whale watching......AMAZING. All I wanted was see a whale. We saw one kinda far off. I prayed for it to come up to the boat - wouldn't even look out in the distance...God, I'm just going to look beside this boat because you know that is the only thing I really want to see. Did I mention that I did not specify which side of the boat? the whale surfaced on the other side, so close that by the time I got there, I could see blowholes the size of my head. Ha ha, great sense of humor.

Then we saw boats circling and seagulls having a hissy fit, cruised over and saw 10 whales bubble net feeding. 10. Not once, not twice but 7 times. 4 of those times several came ~1/4 to 1/3 out of the water. My heart just about burst it was so beautiful. I saw tails everywhere - a couple of the smaller boats scooted out of the way! It was cold, rainy and grey - but it was amazing. If you have ever seen the video of Blue Hors Matine doing freestyle dressage 2006 - I can only compare the grace and strength of the whales as being the water equivalent of that. Everyone said the bubble net thing is not a regular sight and our boat captain kept saying he had never seen it that many times - really or is that just something they say?

Sitka - Hot artist walk - not for me. It was cool to pull a glass cane but the galleries were way over priced for me, so it wasn't like i could even consider [or would want] anything in them. I enjoyed the time we spent wandering the streets on our own more than the excursion. I would plan an excursion here for more wildlife

Ketchikan - no excursion, just shopping and strolling Creek Street first, a ride up the funicular is $4 for unlimited all day. We had breakfast at the lodge up there [i will recommend the biscuits and sausage gravy!] and just enjoyed the view - which included a bald eagle sitting in a treetop that was just below our window. Fun downtown and I got the bead/charm bracelet from all the locations. It was great. If I went back, I'd try to do the float plane.

Victoria - Butchart Gardens - there was a concert there the same night, so very very crowded, very slow getting there - leaving us 2 hours, so it felt rushed. It was pretty, As a do-over, I would have just done one of the down town tours, or a walking map.

It was therapy for me. I slept - for the 1st time in 8 years without assistance. I took naps - I've taken less naps in the past 5 years than on this cruise!! I did not partake in much alcohol, ended up taking the bottles to the table, paying corkage and sharing with Karen and Tom and tried a couple of the daily specials.

I met wonderful people - a couple of 90 yr old WWII vets at lunch - loved talking to them; our table mates were great and we had a lot of fun with one of the couples. Just about everyone was nice, no strangers at any of our tables! We avoided some who were grumpy and nasty to staff and dissatisfied. Like the ones in the MDR who on day 5 when we finally had sun demanded that the curtains be closed instead of shifting their seats a little. Sunset on the Alaska cruise - gasp what a terrible horrible no good very bad thing, it must be avoided at all costs.

Formal night - not so formal, I saw a couple of tuxes, a few suits - not many women in full on formal dresses. Mostly dressy/wedding/party type outfits. I really did not pay a lot of attention to anyone else [sensory overload] Our table was fun, eclectic and hosted by the chief security officer and his wife on the 1st formal night. He was a blast!

Loved it, will probably cruise again but most likely not on HAL because of the flying thing. I hate it, always have and its worse now. Oh and the balcony - we had smokers beside us - it did not ruin the cruise. There were a couple of times the casino was smokey, but there was nothing for me there anyway.

I still feel like I"m moving!! and I don't want to go back to work tomorrow!

I am hoping to do a "real" review in the near future....

Vacation started on 7/3/14 with an anticipated flight from San Antonio to Seattle via Phoenix - 3 airports, 2 planes. Leave SAT at 8:30m CST, arrive Seattle 1155 PST. Instead due to a dust storm in Phoenix - it was SAT to Las Vegas to Phoenix - oops, missed that connection apparently the flight we were supposed to be on was able to land and take off in spite of the storm. However, the next flight available would leave Phoenix at 1 p.m. on 7/4. So - while a gaggle of young twinkies were cursing at the gate agent, we very kindly asked for assistance, were able to walk on a flight to LAX where we spent a few hours in a very private but not quiet SWA gate and confirmed on a 7 a.m. flight to Seattle via Salt Lake City arriving at 1'ish PST. Our 6 hour trip had turned into an 18 hour trip.

Seattle - would have been great if we had not been dog-tired, but WTH, a 2 hour nap, a stroll through Pike Place, along the waterfront, and a water taxi to West Seattle and dinner at Salty's. Yum! Back to hotel via recommended path by taxi captain which turned out to be a very fast walk through homeless people under the bridge. Thank you captain....a stop at Target and Walgreens to grab drinks [and some of the same wine you can get for almost 5x as much on board ship].

Westerdam - can I say awesome enough times? I was not blown away by the decor, the carpet made me more seasick than the boat. The art was cool, the bars were comfortable and attractive and attentive staff. Our steward was friendly, helpful and not in our face the whole time. We didn't get quite the ice service we asked for but it was okay. Our aft balcony was amazing. It was my favorite place on the ship. I spent many hours there - saw whales playing in the wake on the approach to Juneau.

Food - MDR good to oh my [scallop appetizer the 1st night], several dishes I would have had again given an opportunity.

Lido - meh, average that you would expect in a cafeteria.

I'm beginning to wonder if the sprinkles actually exist. Have you witnessed any? Maybe they just put out bowls with sprinkle remnants in them to make you think that there WERE sprinkles at one time and you just missed them. :p

There were chocolate sprinkles a couple of times early in the week, but only the color ones on the last day.

I agree, but at $150 pp, I don't think this poster would even consider it.

Probably not - BUT, if things changed and we missed the 6 hour excursion in Juneau, I'd want to do something like that. Maybe next trip! The current group on Westerdam missed Sitka completely - so knowing that things can change - I'll remember the idea.

Thanks! :)

 

You must be super excited leaving on Saturday!! Looking forward to your review!!

I'm bouncing around the office - we get off at 6 and head to the airport.

There will not be a live from - I'm not taking the laptop, it's almost a withdrawal moment for me. Let me know if there's anything you want to see and I'll do my best! and leave it in good shape for you.

If you like tubs. Not having one in my apartment (shower only), I can take or leave a tub. Shower is fine.

 

Of course I'm also used to a split bath, so...

 

It is what it is. I will enjoy ALASKA and the people I'm with and look forward to going "home" in February.

I hope you have fun....I know you're dying to get back on Disney. Your posts have led me to look at them for a trip with my niece.

Having never been before, I'm looking forward to just being on a ship but I plan to try several lines if I live long enough and have money!

That sounds interesting, is that through the ship or something else?

We booked through HAL - its a tour including a glass blowing [i think] shop and you get to make a glass cane\item

as to the hiking - one of us has a bad knee, so strolling will be the order of the day with occasional stops

Not everyone is an optimist, nor looks at life through rose-colored glasses. Some just have the green eyes of jealousy.

I learned a long time ago that a good answer to the question of how much I paid for my cabin is "If I tell you that one of us will be very unhappy, so let's talk about something else". ;)

good way to put it!

The only reason I would want to know about lower fare would be learn how to manage getting one. I am paying what was reasonable for me when I booked and would have been happy there [but am glad the upsell fairy paid a visit!!]. I have a good friend who manages to get great deals on cruises out of Galveston/Houston and that will likely be my next/future cruising.

On our last cruise my mom and I got on the elevator and pressed our floor ( a low floor, inside cabin). There was a very nicely dressed woman in the elevator getting off on the Penthouse floor. She looked at us as we hit our floor and made remark...Oh you are traveling in the dungeon. With a big ole smile I responded, yes maam we are and we get into port the same time you do. The doors open and she got off on her floor without another word.

Love it! You also get the same view of the ocean, the same deck, dining room and if you want to pay extra, the same speshul dining room.

If HAL didn't want the "riff raff" they wouldn't sell those rooms and go half empty.

I must be riff raff. On a Zuiderdam cruise I broke a large bottle of wine by placing my carry-on down not gentilly enough. I had to carry the pink contents onboard in a HAL supplied garbage bag!

 

Dan

That relates back to "you might be a redneck if...."

Thanks Esmo - I have read some of that but didn't keep a list on Sitka....the church, totem park and Fortress of the Bear may be doable. We have the Wild Arts excursion at noon I think but a few hours in the morning if we arrive on time to explore on our own.

Thanks, I know how forums work. The first part of my post was in answer to her post, but that doesn't mean all of my post was. That's not how forums work.

I also thought you could have a response to more than one issue in a post...maybe that's how people get such high thread counts, they never address more than a single fact in a single post. Or the same opinion in a thousand posts no matter what the topic!!

Likewise, I did not read the rule that says when you finish commenting on the thread you are quoting, then you must address the change of focus in the continuation of your thought process....or post multiple threads.

I have had words that I specifically stated to one poster repeated back to me by a touchy person saying that I was applying it to them when it was clear that I was speaking in response to someone else. :rolleyes:

. Sausage biscuits and gravy are five star dining.:D

They are when my mama makes them!

Thanks - the shuttle/bus will be good to look for. I'm sure I"ll have plenty of info from the ship and the tourist center/booth when we get to town - but I'm in full spaz mode at the moment. It's fun tho!

The term riff raff is a tongue in cheek reference to a post made by one of my favorite contributors to this board.

 

Not to worry. It was apparent that these folks were having a nice experience.

 

You're only riff raff if you carried your belongings in plastic grocery bags or coolers!!

I found the Sitka visitor's map that lists 20 downtown attractions - the farthest is the Fortress of the Bears

http://www.sitka.org/includes/media/docs/SitkaVisitorsMap-BLEED1.pdf for anyone else looking. I'd like to have one a little more detailed, so I will keep searching. I don't know why - but I haven't really concentrated on Sitka - I'm prepared for Seattle, Ketchikan and Juneau...

My travel companion just shrugs about what to do - but in my experience, if you don't have some kind of idea you end up wasting time and the once in a lifetime for me experiences. I don't want to plan for every second, but I do want to know we can go here if its not raining, here if its raining a little.....and 74 hour to sail time has me second guessing Everything!! :o

We have a 2 hour artsy tour thing booked in Sitka, so I'm looking for a couple of ideas of what to see. I have printed Ketchikan maps but seem to have overlooked Sitka [thought the excursion was longer]

Other than the city website/tourist site - does anyone have anything I can print today to take along for points of interest? or does the city site have everything I need - I'm off to that now, but would welcome experienced ideas about what we can reasonably get to in a few hours.

Thanks, Debby

I used Tom's Port Guide for Ketchikan. I used half my day for a tour and bits of the walking guide for the other half.

 

http://www.tomsportguides.com/Ketchikan-02-26-2014.pdf

Thanks for this link - I am printing it to take along and study on the plane TOMORROW!!!!

In Arizona and So Cal we make Sun tea. Put four tea bags in a gallon glass jar of cold fresh water. Place outside in full sun. Let steep for an hour or two. Refrigerate . Makes fresh light delicious ice tea.

 

Sent from my LG-D801 using Forums mobile app

to me, sun tea tastes bitter...IMO its the length of time the tea steeps. all the bitterness

then you have people who squeeze out the tea bags whether it is steeped or sun tea...might as well add some cream of tartar to it!

I don't know any other way to make iced tea than to start with steeped tea. Do you have a recipe you'd be willing to share?

I was going to say....iced tea = steeped tea bags in boiling water with some sugar and then some ice and ice water. How else would you make sweet iced tea?!

although, on Pinterest I found a 'recipe' using a pinch of baking soda in a gallon of sweet tea - it worked well with the water here in South Texas.

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My daughter thought perhaps he was Mr. Rogers?

That's cute....I see a lot of young men wearing cardigans when it is cool enough to need sleeves. I think it must have skipped a generation, Mr. Rogers isn't the last person to wear one!

It's certainly not uncommon but it varies with time of year. We were on an Alaska cruise in May of 2010. We actually went on a whale-watching boat trip out of Juneau and barely saw one tail that appeared above water for 2 seconds and wasn't seen again. Then a couple days later we were in Icy Strait Point. There wasn't much to do, just a long walking path along the bay to enjoy nature views. Lo and behold, the bay was FULL of whales, and seals, and who know what else :) We were walking up and down the path and watching wildlife for free for something like 3 hours straight. So yeah...definitely possible.

That must have been amazing!