libtrek

Careful there. My SO has dementia but with my special care, he can still cruise. Having a small magnet on the door helps him find our room. I try to never leave him on his own but just in case. So, some folks can’t simply remember their room. You’re lucky you and yours can.

Well, color me surprised. That’s quite an assortment. I use a kids pencil pouch and put as much as I can in snack size bags. I just refill after trips.

You can have an EMPTY water bottle. Just make sure they can see it’s obviously empty. You will love Alaska. If I were you, I would start thinking about what you want to do in the ports. Some of the excursions are pricey but bucket list type items. Check previous reviews for ideas. Other tips? Bring magnets (pinch clips or hook) for the metal walls, bring OTC meds like pepto, bandaids, aspirin (generally N/A on the ship). I like those lightweight string back bags for shore excursions, you can get a bunch of them for cheap on Amazon. In fact, put in “cruise accessories” on Amazon for more ideas. Those shrinky gloves are good for glacier days and fit in a pocket. We’re not the experts like the Birds, but feel free to ask anything. Mary

That sounds good. You could do pikes (there’s a pasta shop near the center door that makes lemon orzo that I can’t find any where else), dinner, then tour Vancouver after your train trip. In fact, that sounds so good I may do the same.

It’s a couple miles to the port from the station. Not sure how walkable but I remember plenty of cabs at the station. We took the train the day before and stayed at a hotel. Toured Granville Island that day and cabbed to port in the morning. Depending on train times, I’d be comfortable going directly to ship. If I have to fly, I always go the day before a cruise.

We have done Amtrak from Seattle to Vancouver, a shuttle, and last June, the bus. They all worked very well and were cheaper than a flight direct to Vancouver. IMHO, the scenery was very nice too. Mary

Another vote for one way AK cruises. Port times are important, no matter which line. I would only consider ocean view only of its a real window, not a porthole.

Planning a b2b in June 2024 to Alaska.

Whoops, senior moment, Encore not Escape. We’ve been on both. You’re right, no Observation on Escape.

We heard no noise from above. We loved being so close to the observation lounge. Made quick slipper runs for coffee and the tasty chocolate croissants. 🥐

Do you fly for your B2B or just take land transpo from home to port? We want to do B2B next June and are pricing home-Seattle- bus vs. home-Vancouver direct.

Yep, I am also suffering from Yvonne withdrawal. I am wanting to plan a June Alaska B2B next year. But, with hubs having Alzheimers, I really have to wait to see how he’s doing before we commit to going. My plan is to wait until April and take advantage of possible sales. Yvonne always has such good advice.

I’ve used the special needs department for things like a shower chair, sharps container, etc. they are very helpful.

We have done Alaska cruises by themselves, cruise/land tours, and DIY land cruise combo. The best was the DIY with one way cruise. You’ll need to do research and plan early. BTW, if you aren’t early risers, you might not like cruise tours. You have to be up early to put your bags out and they are regimented. My DH is somewhat disabled now so we are hoping to do a B2B next June.

We have done several cruise tours and also DIY. With only 3 days, I would go DIY. Focus on a specific area, it is a huge state. Disneyochem has some good suggestions.

Another vote for Gastineau. We did the scientific one (through NCL) and was one of the best ever. Smaller boat, close to the water. Saw many whales, some the guide knew by name. They also pulled up a crab pot and we got up close and personal with sea life.

On my last two cruises, Bliss 2/23 and Jewell 6/23, there were no “feminine hygiene bags” available. I asked Stewart for them. So for us “ladies of the 80s”, who now need supplies in case we sneeze or laugh too hard, it’s a dilemma. Do you try to use the wrapper the product comes in or a wad of toilet paper? Not a flushing problem but certainly a hygienic one. Sigh.

We took the train in June. Bought the tickets as an excursion from NCL so got the $50 credit. It was quite a rush to get off the ship and onto the train. They do serve food on the train so we had a nice breakfast while enjoying the beautiful scenery on the way to Anchorage. The cost was not bad for a tourist town. We were given special tags for our luggage the night before we got off the boat. They transported the luggage to Anchorage, we went into a large convention center and picked it up. If you have a late flight out of Anchorage, I believe you can arrange to have your luggage stored while you tour the town. Mary

Those last sky pictures. Frameable. Kids AND books? I am whipping into a chorus of Alleluia in my head. 🎶

Yes it did but they had to move out, replace most floors, the furnace, and more. The paperwork alone …… Had a first neuro appointment today and she’s changing all of his meds. She confirmed the dementia but is concerned about his one droopy eye. Did your dad ever get an MRI? How did he react if so? Mary

Oddly enough, a dear friend (we did library school together) was in Florida for a month, in winter, Their pipe burst, home watcher screwed up and didn’t catch it. They had $200000+ damage. BTW, smart move to call in help. I just had to replace sink/counters and contemplated doing demo myself - briefly. Good luck on the interview. Mary

I am the eternal optimist, half full kind of person. I can’t help but think thank goodness you turned off the water at the source before you left on your trip (I don’t think many people do that). You would have come home to fallen ceilings, a huge water bill, and worse. You’ll make it through this annoyance with your wonderful sense of humor. Besides, you’re a librarian, you could look up how to fix it yourself. LOL

I too felt duped by my spa experience two cruises ago. I did bite on the product upsell, but to be fair I actually wanted the item. But when I was presented with the bill, she pointed at the tip line. I said something like, isn’t the tip included? She hurriedly said, oh no, that’s for the company, not me. I only get what you fill in. I was so relaxed by the massage I just filled in the tip. After thinking about it later, I realized what she’d done. I didn’t make a fuss but I avoided the spa on our June cruise.

Speaking of libraries, we found a pair of granny panties in the middle of the children's area. Paper towel, scoop em up, into the garbage can.

We travel from Detroit. Flew direct to Seattle. Took a nice bus to Vancouver. Coming home ended in Seward. Took beautiful train ride to Anchorage, flew home from there. I agree going/returning to Seattle is easier. Next year we are doing a B2B on Jewel. Haven’t decided which way to do it yet.