jmpiterniak

These are so great - thank you! We're doing Noordam with the land tour so I'm happy to hear your impressions and get your advice. Thanks!

Thank you...my rose awaits!!!

We're flying in from the east coast and HAL allows 2 bottles in the stateroom without corkage fees. So, we need to buy wine!!! Few questions:

Anyone know of a liquor / wine store near Days Inn Downtown?

Assuming will need to buy a corkscrew or some of that "fancy" wine with a twist off top...correct?

Thanks!!!

JoAnne :cool:

Great point - will post there. Thanks!!

Hi all. I understand we can bring one bottle of wine each for drinking in the stateroom without a corkage fee on Holland America - please correct me if I'm wrong!

We'd would like to buy wine before we get on the ship. Ideas/recommendations near the Days Inn Vancouver would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

JoAnne :cool:

Totem Bight is about 10 miles north of town but Saxman is only 3 miles south.

Haven't been to Saxman but Totem Bight is wonderful; not only the displays but its location where you can walk along a rain forest trail and enjoy waterfront views.

A 3rd totem location is Potlach park which is next door to Totem Bight.

A 4th collection is the Totem Heritage Center, in town.

 

There are also totems scattered throughout Ketchikan.

 

Info and directions to the various locations in this link ( a walking tour map):

http://www.experienceketchikan.com/things-to-do-in-alaska.html

This is exactly what I was looking for! Bookmarked on my phone and I'll probably print as well. Thank you!

We may book a tour on the day we get there depending on weather...would be happy with any of the parks from the sound of it.

JoAnne :cool:

Thank you!!! Will dig around some...love travel research!

Hi, we have 8 hours in Ketchikan and want to hit Creek Street and some totems.

Seems there are two totem parks: one 10 miles north of town, and Saxman 8 miles south of town.

Which would you recommend and how would we best get there? Ideas/feedback greatly appreciated! Thank you!

JoAnne:cool:

Curious to hear pros and cons. We sail next month and I'm interested in a Mediterranean cruise in 2019...but not 100% certain.

Would go for it if it was a minimal deposit/commitment to lock in an amazing deal. Thoughts?

Thanks!! JoAnne :cool:

Slide Show.................https://youtu.be/DAXtayRrAys

Amazing, gorgeous, can't wait for my turn in June! I even loved the music - a lot. Thank you so much for sharing!

JoAnne

No issues. Nothing has changed. There is thread just down the board that discusses this...at this time, no changes.

Wonderful - thrilled to hear it. We have a LOT of flying time to get there. Thanks so much Bruce!

We cruise on the Noordam out of Vancouver in 29 days (who's counting?!). We plan to fly with an iPhone, hubby's flip phone, a small point and shoot camera and my Kindle. It's the one with 8" screen and I love it - I'm a daily reader. Anyone know if these items, like the Kindle, are going to be an issue flying into Vancouver?

Appreciate any advice, thanks!

Just got a Canon PowerShot SX 620. $229 on Amazon. 25x zoom. Tiny and light, fits in my jeans pocket. Has an awesome special effects setting that takes 6 photos when you take one...like having a photo editor built in. Please see my review on Amazon for photo samples. I'm thrilled with it!

I do not want you to get bubbles on me or my glasses. You really better not get bubbles on my camera or you will be socked w a really big camera repair bill.

 

DON

Agree with Don 110%!!! Just bought a new camera for our upcoming cruise. Also do you want someone to slip/fall and get hurt from your actions?

In Ketchikan you may consider browsing through some of the shops along Creek Street. Some sell mass produced made in Asia items while others will have some interesting Alaskan made items. Several years ago I purchased a wonderful pair of Tlingit hand carved sterling earrings from Norman Jackson's shop "Carver on the Creek" (located on Creek Street).

 

In Juneau the Juneau Artists Gallery is a cooperative of 20+ local artists. Participating artists varies through the years, but in the past they have had some interesting jewelry. If they are still in their Franklin Street location they will be easy to access. Just "google" them for their location.

 

And one more quick comment -- while jade was our state gem in the past, very little of the jade found in Alaskan gift stores is actually from Alaska. Despite some rather creative signage in some of these shops virtually all of the jade sold in the tourist stores in Alaska is jade from British Columbia.

The artists cooperative sounds perfect...and I was hoping Creek Street had artsy shops. Photos I have seen give it that sort of look.

Also found a site called Metal Arts Group that might be the cooperative you mentioned. Looks like it's got potential...know it will be fun to browse!!!! ;)

My wife usually buys Russian amber from a little privately owned store in Juneau. In Skagway there are a couple small local jewelers that sell locally produced .

Diamonds International has started stores in Skagway , Juneau and Ketcican .

Thanks for the quick reply; the amber sounds intriquing!!! I will steer toward the small stores; if she can remember the names of any, please pass them along.

Going in June and will be stopping at Skagway, Juneau and Ketchikan. Then arriving Anchorage and doing a cruisetour on HAL to Denali. Very excited!!! When I travel, my favorite souvenir is a piece of fine jewelry that I can wear every day.

Would like something unique and local, and I love yellow gold. Any ideas? Perhaps a ring, earrings or bracelet and I'm thinking gold nugget and/or gold-in-quartz. Budget would be $300-$600. If anyone has had a good experience in a shop along these stops, preferably locally-owned business, I would love to hear about it. Thank you!!

From another post.... I see you need a room for June 17th, 2017. Looking at booking.com in USD for other value properties as a comparison...

• $149 Days Inn
  
• $206 Blue Horizon
  

by the airport

• $117 Holiday Inn Express
  
• $144 Days Inn Vancouver Airport
  
• $152 Coast Vancouver Airport
  
• $171 Raddison Vancouver Airport
  

If you got the Day's Inn for $149 USD.... that's a great price.

 

BTW.... June 18th is a two ship day. Boarding should be easy.

Think we spent around $149 for Days Inn; sounds about right. I booked it so long ago that I don't actually remember...:cool:

Already booked the hotel so we're locked in and fine with it. I'm good with walking even though hubby says otherwise because of "all the baggage". We'll see how we feel the day of. Hoping we get a chance to spend a few hours the day of the cruise in Vancouver; wishing we had booked an extra day there - it looks wonderful! Thank you everybody!!

I use a Canon Rebel T5. I got it at Costco. They have a T6 now. The t5 came with a case, charger, two lenses, and a few other items. Some other pictures were taken on my iPhone. Most pictures were with the T5 and with the 18 to 55 mm lens. the other lens goes from 75 to 300. shop around, you can often find some great deals this time of year!

 

 

Congratulations on your 20 years of marriage. We are going to hit 10 this June! Enjoy Alaska!

Thanks so much for getting back to me; will research that camera. Happy anniversary to you as well!!!

Amazing review, and the photos...felt like I was there! Hubby and I are going inside passage on HAL Noordam this summer for our 20th anniversary, and we cannot wait. Have to ask you, what type of camera do you use? We're looking for a decent point-and-shoot and my guess is that yours is a step (or ten!) up from that, but would be curious to find out. Thank you and be well!

Hi, We're cruising on HAL out of Vancouver and get in late the night prior to sailing. We're staying at the Days Inn Downtown, and are planning on a cab from the airport, since we get in late and don't know the area at all. Any thoughts on getting from the hotel to Canada Place for the ship? Is it walkable, or does the hotel offer a shuttle? If anyone knows I would love to hear from you ... thanks!

Have decided to go the point-and-shoot route, which narrows the field down. A tiny, tiny bit!

Good tips; will start looking at the Nikons...and B&H sounds like a great place to start. Thanks!

Hello,

Hubby and I are on the Noordam inside passage cruise next year. I'm looking for a small, lightweight camera for digital still and video. Should have a decent zoom. Waterproof is a plus but not necessary. Reasonable price is necessary!!

A friend has a Leica that's fairly small and takes great pictures, but not sure if the zoom is going to be strong enough.

Basically, looking for ideas/recommendations. Many thanks!