PACD_JG

Some entertainment comments. Saw two shows by the Step One Dance company. 3 chaps, 3 dames = very talented. However much I enjoyed it though, is it headliner worthy? Probably not - but there’s no doubt of the talent. Comedian was funny - I probably laughed way too loud because of his material. Pretty racy for a HAL audience. Some folks chose to bring their kids - one was 9. The reason I know…the comedian asked him. And then it seemed like he cursed even more…I probably would have done the same. For those that were scarred…you deserve it. The Rolling Stones band was just okay. Certainly enjoyable enough, but nothing to remark about their ability. The piano folks - no vocal chops. I’m sure I could sing the male lead vocals better. The bb king band - much more talent…but my least favorite music.

But Walgreens was free. Didn’t realize $15 and free were the same thing. And that’s per person…so for a family of four it’s $60. Last time I studied math, four times zero equals free.

Since I saw a recent thread about laundry device. It’s $49 for a 7-day cruise. Best deal in the ship. Since we are 4 traveling with carry-on only, this is a lifesaver. Turnaround is promised in 48 hours, but we’ve had same day service each time. Just turned in our 5th (and last) bag of laundry, which is the max you can really do.

Still correct.

Correct.

Now that you mentioned it, we did see spouts before the rangers departed, but they were pretty far from the ship.

The route if your curious.

About to do second Gala night this evening. The first one we had dinner in the MDR. No free lobster since I see people asking about it. They did have filet mignon, and I was able to order another entree of it while the wife and kids had dessert. All food in the MDR so far, including breakfast, has been plated perfectly. If you’re a light eater, the meals are very good there. But to me, the portions are small. Not a fan of buffets in general, because I hate lines. Since the Lido is divided into stations, all stations have a bit of a waiting time to get some food. Dive-in was okay - I do think the sandwiches at the New York Deli (I’ve had pastrami, corned beef, and Rueben) are delicious. Pizza is just okay. Have only had coffee drinks at Dutch Grand Cafe. Tomorrow is the Pinnacle Grill. Oh….grand Dutch Cafe….Lindemans on the menu - I love kreik…none on board….supply chain excuse given.

Saw two brown bears close to Grand Pacific Glacier, but even with 7x50 binoculars, didn’t see much. Too many otters and harbor seals to count. Surprisingly, the best location for bald eagles - Didn’t need a boat for that…in Juneau between Auke Bay and downtown.

Just a note about Icy Strait Point. The Crown Princess is there - we see with her in Glacier Bay. Doesn’t look like anything but a zip line, but looking at their itinerary they are only in port a couple of hours (in lieu of Ketchikan though from what I’ve read). Anyway, since I understand they do whale watching trips from there, had my binoculars while we sailed passed. Didn’t see a thing.

Went to the store on ship to get some Benadryl. They don’t sell any, so went to the medical clinic on ship. Was only open for appointments so I don’t them what I needed ($1.53 per pill if anybody was curious). Have no idea about Covid on board, but never heard any of the gossips discussing it either. If you’re nervous about Covid….probably not the place for you. Would say only 20% wear a mask in an elevator, much less the open areas.

You should be thick in salmon. I lived in AK before, so dabble a bit in fish…was hoping to catch the early run…but nothing in Juneau (locals say we were 2 weeks early). I’ll be in Ketchikan tomorrow, so we’ll see.

The Norwegian Sun was in Juneau when we pulled in. A day later a co-worker texted me to see if I was okay - said he heard a ship hit an iceberg. Didn’t know anything about it until I read the story. Saw the landslide location at Skagway. Poor Celebrity folks there had to tender for a 1/4 mile.

And I’m typing on my iPhone, so forgive me for the grammatical errors. In Juneau, went whale watching with Gastineau Guiding (the small group photo safari) Mendenhall Glacier stroll advertised on HAL. It was great, but only saw 3 humpbacks. Expectations were way too high as I was expecting whale soup. Went on 9 AM White Pass Rail - absolutely fantastic, but may have been because it was clear and not crowded. Enjoyed some NPS stuff in Skagway, but walking up and down Broadway once (10 minute walk) was enough to make us board the ship early.

A first time cruiser traveling with two teens. Weather couldn’t be more perfect for cruising - clear skies in Juneau, Skagway, and Glacier Bay. Vista Suite is understandably tight with 4 in one cabin, but for two it would be a superb room. Since the weather is perfect and the seas are calm, hard to say if location is important, but being mid ship definitely has its perks. All food has been fine - but nothing is really standing out. 3.5 out of 5 seems a fair rating so far. Ship has quite a bit of pax. Lots of Canadians on board. Lots of Asians (maybe Canadian?). Daughters say about 50-100 teenagers on board. Props to the staff - super kind to all, and medals for patience for all the unknowing. As stated, my first cruise, but there are a ton of folks onboard that act like they’ve never travelled out of county and/or have never travelled without folks to hold their hands. Seriously, I feel the veteran. Anywho, internet is great so if you have any questions, I’ll entertain.

With many of the premium lines having big sales, was looking at a Greek Cruise for summer 2024. However, it doesn't appear the lines that are more suited to my style (HAL/Princess) do Greece very well (I think I'd be interested in doing an Athens roundtrip). Most of the internet says the luxury lines do Greece the best, but since I'd need two rooms (travelling with wife and two teen daughters), I'm only willing to spend one extremity. Any suggestions from folks who've done a Greek cruise? Is Celebrity's Greek Isles 7-day on the Infinity the best that I could do?