TraderSam

Thank you @JintyGirl😍 Thank you @smtcan Yes, Peyto Lake is a beautiful spot too. When we return from the cruise, we are taking the BC Connector to Victoria for a few nights. We will definitely be revisiting Butchart. 😁

The Covid lockdown made us explore Scotland more but then, our home country is a lot smaller than yours.😁 I hope you are able to retire and enjoy travelling soon.👍🏻 😂😂😂 Oh my!

Thank you @Silkroad I didn't know that. 👍🏻

After some staff introductions, welcome remarks and safety announcements, it was explained that the rear half of our carriage would go down to breakfast and lunch first seating but that we would swop over tomorrow. That would be known as our revenge day😂 Us folks at the front were served tea or coffee and a slice of lemon & cranberry cake with a pour of lemon drizzle, to tide us over until it was our turn. This was very welcome as we'd all had a very early start, without time for breakfast at the hotel. Our seats in Gold Leaf were extremely comfortable and had an amazing amount of leg room, even with our backpacks sitting there. Seat control in arm rest offered heating, footrest, lumbar support and seat recline features. Due to the clever design of the seat, reclining did not have any impact on the guest seated behind. 👍🏻 As you can imagine, there are no overhead storage areas in the carriage as the fabulous domed glass roof takes that space. Still, as I said, there was plenty of leg room even with a bag at our feet. Let's return to that domed roof...the top has a coating which prevents glare and stops the carriage becoming too hot. Cool air blows up from the base of the windows too, which keeps condensation from forming on the glass. (some folks found that chilly so dress in layers) Having said that the top of the glass is coated, there were times where we had both eagles and ospreys flying above and alongside our carriage and we were all able to watch them crisscross through the roof so it doesn't restrict your view. A variety of informative reading material can be found in the seat back pockets, including the all-important bar menu. More on that later. 😁 The centre pages of the Mile Post newspaper show the route map and mile markers which allow you to track your journey. Finally, between each pair of seats. there is a charging port, which is really handy to keep all your devices charged. You will be taking so many photos and videos that it's good to stay charged and ready.

Boarding the Rocky Mountaineer Background Upon arrival in Banff, our documents said to check-in at the RM office within the Bear Street Mall which was just around the corner from our hotel. We joined the queue forming behind a gentleman, who must not have done any reading before booking and who took his time asking a long list of questions. The young lady assisting him was doing her best. There was also a young man behind the other counter, but he did nothing to help and ignored everyone in line. I thought this was extremely poor service. He could at least have made conversation with those of us waiting. It transpired that the couple in front of us had waited needlessly and it struck me that he could have identified this as soon as they arrived but he hardly looked up from his screen. Anyway, we waited patiently for our turn and we're duly given our pick up instructions, RM boarding passes and luggage tags and details of the hotel we would be staying at overnight in Kamloops. Fast forward now, to the morning of pick-up and the rain had already started 😢 It was to be another early start to the day as pick-up was 7am. We came down with our luggage at 6:45 and the representative was already in the lobby waiting for 12 of us. He advised that as we were in the pedestrian zone, we would have to walk with our luggage to the coach park behind the Mount Royal Hotel. Fortunately, the rain wasn't too bad at this point and our group made our way across to stand under the portico of the other hotel until our coach arrived. I can't say that it was the start we had hoped for and to be totally honest, we expected a nicer, more luxururious experience than having to stand outside in the cold and damp and wait on a bus! I suspect this was all down to the in-town location of the Brewster Mountain Lodge and so if a coach can park right outside your chosen hotel, I'm sure your experience will be more refined. I'd certainly recommend checking. I know we might have reconsidered our choice if we had been made aware of this👍🏻 We arrived at the train station in after a short drive with heavy rain and heavy hearts. No scope for photos as we boarded. It was just straight off the coach and straight on to the train. Sorry if this post is all doom and gloom. I promise that it all gets much better 😂

@cruiser52forever thank you. 💞 I hope you fulfil your dreams. Many thanks @horseymike❤️ Many thanks❤️. @JLMcruise@JLMcruise Lovely to hear the photos are bringing back memories for you.

@Scottishclover was it Billy CONNOLLY who said we'd be better off wearing a boiler suit and a balaclava? 🌞😎We've stayed in Canmore too. 👍🏻 @cruise wizard my hubby would love to see a real live moose...fom a safe distance of course 😂 @TMLAalum thank you so much ❤️ There's more to come 🚂⛰️🛳️

Thank you @MarKay525💞 Stay tuned. Lots more to come. @PH2 hope you have a safe and wonderful trip. ❤️ Thank you @mrgabriel hope the warm welcome was reciprocated. 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 Many thanks. @Silkroad❤️

@newcruzer2 Thank you 💞 @The Traveling Man good things come to those who wait😉😁🚂⛰️🛳️ @Muushka start planning today! 😁 @Barwick Cruiser thank you for your kind words and warm welcome. This is our 9th trip to Canada and some Canadians tell us that we have seen more of their country that they have. If we had found Canada when we were younger, we might have made that leap across the pond. 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 🇨🇦

@bigAWL Thank you so much. ❤️ @Georgia_Peaches Thank you! Much appreciated. ❤️ Oh definitely! Get that planning started. @mahdnc

@Host Anne I perhaps should have mentioned in the title that this is a live trip report. Is it possible to amend this for me please?

Our tour bus took us on to Moraine Lake. Apparently, only organised tours are allowed in the small car park here now, no private cars as it has become so popular. We knew the best views were from higher ground and so we climbed up the pathway to the rockpiles, off the left side of the car park. We could immediately see why they have limited the access to this place. Yet again, those who don't seem to able able to stop themselves from pushing the boundaries to get the best photos, are spoiling the landscape. Our tour guide had described Lake Louise as being "loved to death" but I would say that the physical impact people are having on the ground around Moraine Lake is much more evident. The numerous signs to help protect the environment by staying on the paths are mainly ignored, in the quest to get that perfect Instagram shot. The offenders are not all loud and obnoxious, although some defintiely are. Some are families, who lifted their young children over the signs to stand in precarious spots, their tripod set up to record them from behind as they gazed out on the blue waters. Their own magic moment. Us rule-followers, patiently waited for our time and space to take our unobstructed photos and selfies, without causing lasting damage. Leave no trace.⛰️ 👣 Just a few photos for you. Of course we have plenty more with us in them but I'll skip those if you don't mind. 😉 As we were at the top of the rock pile viewing area, the first rumble of thunder was heard. We made our way back down with the intention of going to the edge of the water but that was not to be. Large drops of rain were already falling so we had a mad dash back to the safety of our coach before the heavens opened fully. It was one heavy downpour! Our driver had planned to take us home "the scenic route" (as if any drive in the Rocky Mountains could not be scenic) but we had thunder, lightning and the rain was absolutely torrential and so we were just glad we made it back to Banff without incident. Simon our tour guide had been informative and helpful all afternoon, including taking our photo as we re-enacted a shot from 16 years ago, when our older child had been trusted with the camera to take our photo. He presented us each with a little pack of maple cookies as we disembarked. We thanked him and tipped him well. Next up...the Rocky Mountaineer 🚂

Next up is Lake Louise. This will forever be remembered by us as the place where in 2007, this Scottish family woke up very early from jetlag, got dressed in shorts & t-shirts and went down in an elevator to their rental car which was parked in an underground garage. After a beautiful drive through the snow-capped mountains(that should have been a clue) we got out at Lake Louise and realised our rookie mistake. It may have been July but this wasn't our usual Orlando and it was bloomin' freezing! 😂 A swift visit to the Gift Shop at The Fairmont netted us 2 hoodies for the young ones and a big hit on Dad's credit card. Once he had recovered from the shock, we turned around and lo and behold, there was older child's school Depute Head teacher standing before us. It's a small world really eh? Anyway, back to real time and here we are, headed on an organised excursion to Lake Louise and Moraine Lake. Whilst group tours can have their downsides, this 50-something traveller isn't missing playing the role of Chauffeur. Since we started dating in 1987, it was decided that I was the driver and he was better off navigating (using proper paper maps those days) and so now I'm free of the stress of that straight-off-the-plane-and-get-behind-the-wheel-on-the-other-side-of-the-road pressure. I'm happy to put up with other things to no longer have to drive abroad. Everything went well with pick up and soon we were off on the scenic drive to Lake Louise. Passing by Castle Mountain. A few images of Lake Louise and the Fairmont. It's amazing how much the colour of the water changes when the sun comes out. Next up, Moraine Lake.

Sorry that it's just a short post this evening, but here are some views from our walk in the other direction around Banff. I absolutely. loved the reflection of the trees and Cascade Mountain. I can just imagine Bob Ross with his brush in hand... 🎨🖌️ So much more to follow...

We have been re-living a few old memories on this trip and a ride up Sulphur Mountain on the Banff Gondola is no exception. Last time we did this was 16 years ago as a family with our two, aged 13 and 9. We thought it would just be us on our gondola but we were loaded with a lovely couple from Canmore. The only downside was that we spent the entire journey chatting and I forgot to take photos on the way up. 🤦🏼‍♀️😁Oh well. We learned that it is currently Locals Week whereby residents of the surrounding areas can access the main activities and landmarks, free of charge. What a fabulous idea as so many of us forget to visit what is right on our own doorstep. 🏰🗻 Anyway, we reached the summit and made our way out of the terminal. The Boardwalk Trail to the Cosmic Ray Station was stretched out before us. Boy, was it hot up there and we could feel the sun on our pale blue Scottish skin. It was a tough walk/climb at times but we did our best to stay well hydrated and enjoyed plenty of stops to absorb the amazing scenery. View down to Banff from the very top. And the Bow River where we had enjoyed our float trip. As we made our way down the Boardwalk, there were fewer people and so it was really rather pleasant. There were times whereby large family groups were sitting on the stairs in the shade which made it difficult of you needed to hold on to the handrail. Indeed, we noticed quite a bit of inconsiderate behaviour on this outing, including someone playing music on his phone as he climbed and then again at the very top. It was a shame he didn't think to use headphones or consider anyone else up there, just trying to soak in the wonders before us. Hey ho. 🤷‍♀️ A wedding was happening and we admired the room set up.l for the Reception. What a backdrop! Mirror bear Soon, it was time for our journey down. We discovered that they loaded the gondolas with only your individual groups so that they could take a souvenir photo of you. Hooray! I could take as many photos as I liked without appearing rude... Wait, I spoke too soon! The Manager was finished his shift and would be Hitchin a ride down with us. 😬 Anyway, he wanted to hear all about our experience and so bang went my photo opportunity. 😂

Being keen gardeners at home, we always like to visit gardens on our travels. The Cascade of Time Gardens are just over the road bridge, at the end of Banff Avenue and were on our way as we walked back to town from the Bow Falls. The gardens have some interesting structures made of peeled pine (I think? 🤔) and stone which frame the amazing views beyond. It seemed that currently, the planting scheme is a work in progress and some is rather too parks department style block planting for my eye but there were areas which were more natural. The gardens are still worth spending some time in to enjoy the views. Next up, Banff Gondola...

As the weather was so nice, we decided to just ask at Rocky Mountain Raft Tours if they had any availability on their next Hoodoo Float Tour.(7km down river, approx 1hr with return by road.. More on that later😂) We were in luck and turned out to be a nicely-sized group of only 12 people. I believe the rafts hold up to 25. The trip is very calm with minimal splashing. No rapids 😂 our guide was extremely knowledgeable and answered all sorts of questions from our group on topics such as climate change and the impact on the river and wildlife . At the start, you have the Fairmont Banff Springs hotel in the background. Further down river, you have beautiful views of various landmarks including Tunnel Mountain, Mount Rundel and the Hoodoos. As I mentioned, return to the starting point is by road and an interesting "first" for these Scots! 😂 Next up, the Cascade of Time Garden...

Day 1 We knew that having gone to bed at 10:30pm and adjusting to a 7hr time difference, we would be up early and we were both awake by 6am. A Continental breakfast was included with our stay and we ate very well. Being in the heart of the town, we were out enjoying the scenery and very quiet streets before 9am. Our plan for the morning was to take a walk to the Bow Falls and perhaps see about a float trip down the river. We followed the Bow River Trail for a while before crossing over the river via the pedestrian bridge. Initially, the blue green water is flowing along at a steady pace before you notice the rapid increase, building up to the Bow Falls. It's a beautiful walk alongside, through the trees. As you climb up, you are treated to a view of the Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel, nestled amongst the trees. Down the steps again and the Falls are waiting just around the corner. Next up, our Bow River float trip...

Well, having read and enjoyed many a trip report here on Cruise Critic, I thought I'd dip my toe in the icy waters and have a go at writing one myself, as live as WiFi allows. 👍🏻 Background We are a couple of young retirees, mid 50's who hope to travel as much as possible in the window of opportunity which we have (i.e. good health, adult children and no grandchildren yet) We like to plan ahead and enjoy the research and build up to any trip. The concept of a last minute booking isn't one which we have managed to explore so far, but perhaps one day. 😁 Travel Day We left home and caught our Air Canada flight from a damp and dreary Edinburgh to Toronto, which ended up delayed by almost 2 hrs. Actually, it just meant that our layover time for the connection to Calgary was reduced so it worked slightly in our favour. I had completed ArriveCan and of course eTA so our transition through Customs and Immigration was very speedy indeed. Our flight to Calgary was on time and full and we were eager to get it over with! We had a coach transfer to Banff booked with Brewsters (pre-booked with our TA but advertised at airport as costing 79CAD pp) which took around 1 hr 45 mins. And so 25 hours after our alarm went off, we arrived to check in at Brewster Mountain Lodge. We had chosen this smaller hotel for it's location, right in the heart of the town. The staff were so helpful and welcoming, asking if we needed to confirm tour bookings, providing us with decaf coffee and cookies. A warm welcome to two weary travellers. By 10:30pm, we had hit the wall and fell into a very comfortable bed. Adventure is out there...

Thank you for taking the time to put your thoughts into words and posting the photos. Sounds like I'm going to return from Alaska slim and healthy. 😔

Thanks you for the informative review. 👍🏻 We board next week so shall see for ourselves.

Thank you so much! @gold1953

@Tharkhold & @Jim_Iain Thank you both for posting the link. 👍🏻 The email has not reached me in the UK as yet but I'm currently watching the Webinar, thanks to your posts. I agree with others who say it buffers constantly and makes it difficult to watch. Can anyone tell me how you know that your Captain's Club accounts are linked? Due to a New Year PUP gift, my husband will reach the next level before our next cruise, whereas I will lag behind by 2 points. I'd like to see whether our accounts are linked. Can anyone she'd any light on this? TIA

I'm in the UK and we were told that we could not use the 1 category upgrade when our booking was a TA Group rate. 🤷‍♀️

I'm sure the quiz was open until 25th. Sorry, but I think you have missed the deadline.