CowPrincess

I'm back online, briefly, and thought I'd update quickly.

I hate camping of any description, and while the motorhome is infinitely superior to a tent (ugh, ugh, ugh) it isn't something I can tolerate well, so there is no chance we will be gypsies in any ongoing manner :)

That, and family stuff, have cut short our wanderings. It has been a good time, getting to visit many friends all across western Canada but.... it is wearing thin.

It looks like we will be calling central Canada home for a while (see "family stuff" above). I'm of very mixed feelings about this. One, I'm not much for big cities, so that's a negative. (For me, "big" is anything over about 100,000 people.) But two, we will have direct flights to Fort Lauderdale, so that's a positive. Likely not cruising, but winter escape land vacations for a while.

So, thanks everyone, for all the help over the years. It has been much appreciated, and valuable!

Thanks everyone! It all happened rather quickly, once it happened. :) We didn't even have it listed yet. And now we need to be out in 13 days. Not sure about living in a motorhome, but that is just temporary.

Enjoy Alaska MAM and Caribbean Chris. I'll look for your reports when I get back online.

but we sold the house! So we are making plans to be gypsies for a couple of months, in a motorhome, by the end of the month. So, no cruise this summer but once we get settled into a new place, we will be doing a winter cruise :D See you all in 8 or 10 or 12 weeks! Enjoy Alaska, everyone who is going. I'll be with you in spirit :)

Thanks for your review, it is greatly appreciated! I love the look of the ship, and some of the new features. I need to get feedback from DH about the promenade deck, since that is one area we utilize a lot. I really appreciate your comments about it. But so far, I think the good outweighs the poor promenade deck, and I'm definitely looking at cruises on the K-dam. That may change when DH sees the videos and stills of the promenade deck.

Nice video but not too happy about my appearance in it ... I don't even let family video me or take photos so wasn't impressed to find someone had zoomed in on me with a video camera without my knowledge ....:mad:

I read this thread, THEN watched the video. If you weren't the belly dancer or the (presumably) bride, I swear to you -- you are just "background", completely unnoticeable . (Except for the woman in the orange linen dress, but I only noticed her because I have a similar dress ;) )

I feel your pain LovelyOther. I assume these days that we are all appearing somewhere in someone's vacay or other photos online, accidentally in most cases. I agree it is intrusive but seems to be the world we are living in where privacy doesn't exist anymore with all the social media sharing.

 

>SNIP<

I'm pretty sure I appear in a multitude of vacation pics and videos. The wrinkly old lady in the grey car, subtly holding one hand up in a well-understood gesture ;) (but always subtle, you really have to look :D )

Thanks again to everyone who posted from the NA. :) Safe travels!

Lovely Other, I am glad you got a satisfactory response from HAL.

Good policy.

 

But is it enforced, or is it just good policy? If it is not enforced it really does not mean much. Sort of like the dress code?

Exactly! And it certainly seems that in this particular instance, it was just policy, not practice :(

Mumsy, your day in Ketchikan, and your evening at the PG, sound wonderful. And WHALES :D Awesome! Thank you for the pictures, I really appreciate them :)

It's interesting to read so many criticisms of the seagull-feeders, and yet the Deadliest Catch tour - where eagles are "summoned" by virtue of feeding - is regularly highly praised here and is one of the top rated HAL-sponsored excursions. To be clear, I'm opposed to both, and I don't know that the people criticizing here are the proponents of that excursion, but there does seem to be a disconnect.

I'm one (as is sherryf) who regularly tells people about the eagle feeding on that tour. I never endorse that tour. I think it is shameful to entertain tourists with that behaviour. One of the reasons the tour operator gets away with it (AND with having crab pots in the water out of season) is that the area they use is native land, so doesn't fall under any federal regulations.

So for some of us who have commented, there is zero disconnect.

Does anyone else have this problem? Do you do anything for it? How long do your symptoms last. (Mine last 2 weeks for a 7 day cruise.)

I have this problem. Worse after some cruises than others. Once it lasted about 2.5 weeks, and was so bad I couldn't walk at times. Other times, I've had no mal de d post-cruise. What I've found is that doing anything that involves moving my head (like shoulder-checking while driving) makes it worse. If I can avoid long flights, and avoid driving for a couple of days when I return home, I seem to get a less-awful case of it. But, I don't get to cruise enough to do any kind of scientific study on what may or may not make it worse for me ;)

Another quick post as I forgot to mention that in Glacier Bay someone on the aft of deck 6 was feeding seagulls, which is a no no. One of the Rangers was pretty mad about it and as far as I know they were told to stop. Live and learn.

Sadly there is a subset of human beings who haven't evolved past the "let's feed the wildlife" stage :mad: :mad::mad:

It's too bad they weren't escorted off the ship.

Mumsy thank you for the pictures. It's almost (but not quite ;) ) like being there!

It has been my experience that the pricing through HAL is higher than I pay when I deal directly with the hotel.

Have a look here:

http://claalaska.com/?page_id=632

Then click on the link to the port you want info on....

I am researching a possible Canada New England for 2017 and have questions about the Veendam.

 

On bigger ships I'm usually a balcony person, but the suite prices are just a bit out of my range on this 13 night cruise.

 

So how "low" do you feel in an Ocean View on Deck A. It seems to be 4 deck above the water line so even though it is lowest passenger deck, does it really feel that low?

 

I'm leaning toward an E on this deck, but would I be happier up on the Main Deck in a C, or save the money and stick with the E on A deck/

 

How about a Lania? Does you key card open the sliding door? or do you have to go around to the hall to get back in your room once you shut the door?

 

Any pointers the HAL experts can give are appreciated - its been a while since I have cruised with HAL - last time was Rotterdam in 1993.

We usually book OVs, though we have treated ourselves to a balcony a couple of times. We like those lower OV cabins :) We like that we can see the water from our cabin (which a cabin on Lower Promenade doesn't offer -- you see the deck from a cabin on LP).

IMHO one deck higher isn't going to seem noticeably "higher up". DH's first cabin was on the lowest passenger deck, our next cabin was one deck higher. The difference really wasn't noticeable (to us).

As to lanais.... I know some people love them. We have not booked one, because I just don't understand the appeal :)

There are hikes of various difficulties in Skagway. More info here:

https://www.nps.gov/klgo/planyourvisit/shorterdayhikes.htm

The one thing I splurge on, every trip to Alaska, is a whale watch. Bpth ISP and Juneau offers them. IIRC for just a whale watch (no other stops/attractions/activities added on) it is around $170/person.

Mumsy thanks for the pictures :) That is an enormous chunk of beef, you were smart to recruit a group to eat it!

It seems that you've had very good weather for your cruise. That is such a good thing :)

"Affordable" and "best" are pretty subjective terms. :) Can you tell us something about your group, and general interests? Then the recommendations will (hopefully) be about things that interest you.

Since the only Alaska cruise I'll be getting this year is this vicarious (or imaginary....) one, what is the weather like? And how are the seas? This will help me imagine being onboard :) Thanks in advance!

Mumsysailor, I hope you'll give us information about your Gala Night :)

Hmmm, not loads of free (as I had said earlier) but the ones with **s have worked for me.

Juneau

** Juneau public library - 292 Marine Way

Centennial Hall - 101 Egan Dr

Silverbow Bagels - 120 Second Street

** Heritage Coffee - 625 W 7th St (complimentary with purchase) NOTE: Last year the Heritage Coffee on S. Franklin did NOT have wifi.

Ketchikan

**Salmon Landing

Annabelle's (complimentary wifi with purchase) -- in the Gilmore Hotel, 326 Front Street

Skagway

Skagway Public Library 8th and State

There are a few more places that offer cheap wifi/pay to play. I'll try to organize those, so you don't have to waste internet $$$

Also, the crew or the On Location guide (or whatever that person is currently called) may know of some spots.

I had a ring that had a similar problem, not from Effy. It repeatedly lost a stone. Once I picked it up after replacing the stone and within 12 hours the stone was gone again. If I were you, I'd do all I could to get a refund.

After surviving the horrors of embarkation in San Diego, today was a breeze. 20 minutes in a fast moving security line, 20 minutes in another fast moving immigration line, and three minutes to check-in - no line at all!

 

The rates for Internet came as a shock, however. $249 for one week of unlimited service. 30-35 days on Westerdam was only $299 with Skype and streaming or $199 without. I opted for minutes instead of the unlimited.

 

600 minutes - $199

400 minutes - $159

200 minutes - $99

30 minutes - $19

 

Enjoyed a nice sail-away with friends - chocolate and wine!

OUCH on the unlimited internet pricing! :eek:

There are loads of wifi spots in the ports, if you want a list let me know and I will post them.

LoisR, another vote for "similar to Alaska". Maybe add 2 more short sleeved daytime tops, and a pair of shorts. You definitely want that hooded waterproof jacket, and a couple of warm items to layer underneath, and socks. You may not need them, but you want to have them :)

Enjoy that cruise!

These ladies are grown and do not need me to plan their trip. I guess I just wanted to understand why they would not call their TA and take the sales. It was almost as though since it was my idea they were not going to have anything to do with it.

Don't take it personally. You still have to travel with these people :) You have done what you could to help. That's all you can do.