Just off Spirit to Alaska- Great Trip! Long, Detailed Review with Pics!!

[picomullet]

[quote name='amdmsk']Yeah, that should be a good time. You should be there before 11 (it's only about 15 minutes or so), so you'll probably beat the big crowds but won't have to wait as long. I noticed that a lot of people starting coming in just as we were starting to board, around 11:30. You should be good! I hope you have a wonderful time :D[/quote]

Thanks!! WE are so looking forward to this adventure!! Also enjoying your review!!!:)

[amdmsk]

Juneau, Alaska!

Woke up to yet again another beautiful day in Alaska. We feel pretty lucky because we had three gorgeous days in a row and heard that it is quite rare for this to happen. Today was especially warm and sunny and I wore shorts and a t-shirt all day. We docked around 7:00 again and had booked the Salmon Hatchery, Mendenhall Glacier, and Salmon Bake tour. The tour didn't start until 10, so we got off the ship early to go into town and look around and do some shopping, thinking that we would not have much time after the tour to do so since the ship sailed again at 3:00.
So, we walked into town. It was about a 5-10 minute walk to the main area of downtown from the ship pier and there were a few stores that were located right on the pier and many more that were within a less than 5 minute walk. Saw some nice views of the ship docked in Juneau.

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The Mount Roberts Tramway was running and the entrance was very close to the pier. We didn't have time to go up, but it looked like it was a very nice trip and we heard that when you get to the top, there are lots of different trails and scenic things to do.

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Walked around a bit, then went back to the pier to meet our tour. Our first stop was the salmon hatchery. We had a bit of a tour and learned about what they do at the hatchery. There were lots and lots of salmon in the hatchery and it was neat to see. After the tour, we had some time to go inside and look around. They had a store, samples of salmon jerky, and a small aquarium.

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From there, we moved on to Mendenhall Glacier...

[amdmsk]

We stopped at the Mendenhall visitor's center and had about an hour and a half to walk around. They had many different walking trails and overall, from everywhere, there were spectacular views of the glacier, waterfalls, and all the ice floating in the lake. We spent some time outside and we opted to go on the photo trail that ended up at the edge of the lake, just across from the glacier. Here's some of what we saw along the way and when we got to the end of the trail. It was just breathtaking and if you are in Juneau, the glacier would be my first choice of attraction to visit. I would love to go back and spend some more time there exploring more of the trails and just taking in the wonderful views.

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After we walked on the trail, we went up to the visitor's center to have a look around. The visitor's center offers great views of the glacier as well. Inside there is a movie about the glacier, a few exhibits, gift shop, etc. We were able to see some mountain goats on one of the mountains from the binoculars inside the center. I would have loved to spend some more time roaming around, but we had to leave to move on to the salmon bake. The salmon bake was in an area around the woods and was buffet style except for the salmon, which was being cooked over an open fire. My family enjoyed the salmon I believe, though said it wasn't the best they've ever had, but I do not eat fish. They did have chicken as well as a variety of other side dishes. There was salmon Caesar salad, mac and cheese (which was sooo good!), corn bread, baked beans, some other kind of pasta, a fire to roast marshmallows, and blueberry cake, among other things. After lunch, which we had at leisure, as there is a bus running continuously back to the cruise ship pier, we walked along the trail that was back by the salmon bake. At the end, there was a nice waterfall and it was a nice walk, not long at all. We then headed back to the cruise ship around 2, just in time to get in line to be back on board at 2:30. I guess everyone else waited until then to get back on board too because the line was ridiculously long, probably the longest I've ever seen on any cruise. It moved pretty quickly though and we were back on board around 2:45 and sailed away just after 3.
Today was also the past guest party, which started at 3:15. I thought that was a strange time with the ship sailing away at 3 and all and I didn't think that the party was as crowded as it normally is. It was pretty uneventful except at the end when the bartender was walking by our table and somehow hit one of our drinks and spilled it on me!! He didn't really seem to care that much, but it was okay, nothing was stained.

We had dinner then and after dinner, went to look around outside as we sailed out of the inside passage and toward Ketchikan. The sea was so beautiful and calm tonight- it looked like glass is was so smooth. You could also see the reflections of the mountains in the water.

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[amdmsk]

Ketchikan-
Well, this port was the end of our few days of nice weather. Woke up this morning to cloudy, foggy, cool weather and rain, but from what I hear, it rains in Ketchikan all the time, so I shouldn't have been surprised to see it raining this morning. Luckily, it wasn't pouring, just misty and drizzling off and on all day. We didn't get much time in Ketchikan, but docked on time at 7. Had to be back on board by 12:30 for sailaway at 1, so we had time for our tour and a little bit of shopping and walking around town. We had booked the Best of Ketchikan by Land and Sea tour and it left at 7:30 so we had to be off the ship early.

This was probably my least favorite of the three Alaskan ports, but the marina near where the ship docked was pretty. Lots of fishing boats. Also saw an eagle perched on one of the posts nearby, but I don't think it's on the picture.

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We boarded the bus for the tour and drove through town first, so we got to see the downtown area for a bit. We then made our was to the Saxman Totem Village, where we stopped and had some time to walk around and view the totem poles. Overall, while I thought it was neat to look at the totem poles and their construction is impressive, I guess I was expecting the place to be larger and to contain a greater number of totem poles and just be laid out nicer. But, I'm still glad I got to see it and I would still say it is a quick must-see if you are in Ketchikan.

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From there, we got back on the bus and drove to the old salmon cannery, where they used to can thousands and thousands of cans of salmon. There was a short walk through a trail to get back to the cannery, which was very nice. I enjoyed looking at all the trees, moss, and the big waterfall. We were also on the look out for bears, but...no luck!

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Once in the cannery, we watched a film about the cannery (a bit boring and too historical for me but it only lasted about 10 minutes) and then had a guided tour of the cannery, where they showed us the canning process and actually turned on the machines and things for us to see how they worked.

[amdmsk]

After the cannery, it was time for the best part of the tour- the boat ride around some of the islands and through the harbor! We boarded the boat at the cannery and the ride was in total, about and hour and a half. The boat circled around the harbor and we were able to get incredibly close to the island and got very close views of the Tongass forest trees. I loved all the different colors of green that were visible! It actually stopped raining for some of the boat ride too, so it was quite nice.

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We saw some wildlife along the way as well- a few eagles in the trees, some seals, and a lot of starfish! It was so neat! It was low tide and many of the starfish were stuck onto the edges of the rocks just at the water line. Sorry the picture is a little blurry...I do have better ones, just not uploaded online to copy onto here, but you can still see the starfish! I particularly liked the purple ones!

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The boat tour ended back in the marina right near the downtown area and we got back with about an hour to walk around the town and do some shopping. We found some nice stores, went to see the rain gauge, and just enjoyed walking around. Found this sign right in the center of the town...

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Shortly before 12:30, we headed back to the ship. The ship was docked very close to downtown and it was less than a 5 minute walk. The line to get back on board was not as bad today either. Watched sail away from the outside aft area of the Lido deck, where it had stopped raining. It was a busy day in port with 4 ships- the Carnival Spirit was the first to leave. The Disney ship in the back was in port with us all three days and was also in Tracy Arm with us as well.

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Back on board, it was the second elegant night tonight, so we had yet another great dinner in the dining room. So far, it was a great cruise and we were looking forward to tomorrow's day at sea and evening in Victoria. We also had the Behind the Fun Tour booked for tomorrow, so we were looking forward to that as well. We skipped the main show tonight (the only main shows we actually saw were the welcome aboard show on the first night and the main show on the second night- I guess we aren't big show people) and instead, spend a considerable amount of time in the lobby listening to Pat sing classic country music. We found him to be quite good and enjoyed listening to him several evenings throughout the cruise. Other nights, we just hung out on the balcony, Lido deck, and braved the cold wind to spend time outside watching all the snow-capped mountains go by. Trust me, it was worth it!

On the morning we arrived in Ketchikan, this was the only time that we had a minor problem on board the ship- with the plumbing in the rooms. For about 2 hours in the morning, the toilets were not flushing. We called guest services and they put in calls to have it looked it. It seemed to just be in our area of deck 7 because I didn't hear of any other problems. We weren't going to worry about right now, so we went out on our tour and when we came back, sure enough, everything was fixed. We heard later that there was a pipe problem on the ship this morning, as there were also problems down in the galley and on deck 1.

Up next: Behind the Fun and the Big Disappointment :eek:

[amdmsk]

The Last Day
This morning, we had to get up early for the Behind the Fun Tour. The tour met in the piano bar around 9:00 and we started off soon after. It lasted a little over 3 hours and was a really great experience. If you are interested in learning about how everything 'works' on cruise ships, take the tour! We got to see many different areas on the ship that guests otherwise cannot see. Saw backstage of the main lounge, the photo lab, the galley, the steakhouse galley, engine room, bridge, laundry room, crew mess halls, crew galley, storage areas, and freezer rooms among other things. It was a great tour and I would love to do it again! It was worth the money.

When the tour was over, we noticed that it had turned into an absolutely gorgeous day at sea. The water was so calm and the sky was a beautiful blue. There was a cool wind, but it was not too cold so we walked around outside for a while on the upper decks that were closed some of the other days. I found a few places where the wind was blocked and standing there in the sun, I almost forgot that I was on an Alaska cruise and not in the Caribbean!!

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The rest of the day at sea was beautiful and we were all looking forward to Victoria at night. Soon enough, we were meeting in the lounge at 7:30 for our tour in Victoria. We could see the port close by and knew the ship was getting ready to anchor, when.....Stu came on the speakers and said that we would NOT be anchoring the ship in Victoria because of the very high winds!!!! This was disappointing, as all of us were looking forward to it, but at least we made it to all of the Alaskan ports. After finding this out, we went up to the Lido deck to get some views of what we could see of Victoria.

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The ship stayed parked in the Victoria harbor for the rest of the night. It was after midnight until we started moving again, but the next morning, we were back and docked in Seattle by 6:30. We got up to have one last breakfast on board and they started calling people off the ship around 7:30. We were zone number 22 and so we knew that we would have a bit of a wait. We left our rooms around 8:30 (we asked the steward what time we had to be out of the room and they said 8:30) and sat in the promenade lounge near the fountain cafe to wait for our zone to be called. It was called around 9:15 and we were through customs with our luggage and waiting for the bus to the airport by 9:30. The flights home left on time and after getting a connecting flight in Cincinnati, we arrived back in Philly around 10:10 p.m., 20 minutes earlier than scheduled.

It was the end of a wonderful vacation and none of us were ready to go back home. We had a great time and I'm ready to start getting the rest of the planning going on the next one!!

Thanks to everyone who read this review. I've had a great time writing it and reliving the trip all over again.

[nieciez]

Wonderful review and brings back memories from our cruise to the Inside Passage. I just sent a link of the review to my DD who just booked this cruise for next May for her Honeymoon.

[amdmsk]

Forgot to mention, the outdoor pools and water slide were open on the last sea day and yes, people were using them. This day was the most crowded I saw any of the outdoor pools all week.

All in all, it was a great time even though we missed Victoria. If anyone has any questions, ask away! :D I'd be happy to answer. I do have all of the Fun Times, so if anyone wants to know about specific activities, times, or anything, just ask. I don't have a scanner fast enough to scan them here, but I'd be happy to look back at them :)

[LSEA]

Great review amdmsk. Thanks for sharing your photos. Disappointing you missed Victoria, a good reason to cruise this itinerary again some day!

[saltmom1]

[quote name='FloridaCouple05']You had a nude guide? Is that a new Platinum perk?

That would be a NATURIST. ;) A naturalist is an expert on animals, like the guy on The Discovery Channel. I can't think of his name.

[lgerrish]

Thank you for all the great pictures and wonderful review and for answering my questions about clothing and FCC. I'll be packed and ready for our cruise in one week.

We are also doing the train excursion in Skagway - thanks for the tip about where to sit for the best views going up!

[CanWeGoYet?]

I loved your review too. I will be doing the first Alaska cruise on the spirit next year, but this one leaves from Vancouver.

Too bad about missing Victoria. I read so much about the passenger act, regarding having to do one port in a foreign country. Missing it, I wonder if Carnival was fined.

[amdmsk]

[quote name='CanWeGoYet?']I loved your review too. I will be doing the first Alaska cruise on the spirit next year, but this one leaves from Vancouver.

Too bad about missing Victoria. I read so much about the passenger act, regarding having to do one port in a foreign country. Missing it, I wonder if Carnival was fined.[/QUOTE]

We were wondering about that too with that act and all, but I think this is what happened...we stopped in the Victoria harbor and after the announcement, they continued making announcements about what was going to happen. Somewhere along the line, they mentioned that the Canadian official was still going to come on board to clear the ship with customs and everything. So the ship was cleared at some point that night and I did see a small boat approach the Spirit, we just couldn't get off it after it was cleared, so I would say Carnival still gets the okay and everything was good, just disappointing for the passengers.

[amdmsk]

[quote name='LSEA']Great review amdmsk. Thanks for sharing your photos. Disappointing you missed Victoria, a good reason to cruise this itinerary again some day![/QUOTE]

Yes, Yes, Yes!!! I would love to go back someday! And now I guess I do have a good reason :D

[mario007]

I'm enjoying your review. Last August my husband and I also did this same cruise and went to Seattle 2 days earlier, we just loved it. We are from Western PA (Steeler Country). Your review is bring back wonderful memories we can't wait to go back again.:)

[teacher34]

Thanks AMDMSK for your great reveiws! We are going to Alaska in May of 2012 and I am already trying to figure out which excurssions to take. In Ketchikan we were thinking about doing the Great Alaskan Lumberjack Show and the "Duck" A Historic City Tour. Each one is 1 1/2 hrs. long and I wondered if we could do both. Do you have any idea if that is possible?For Juneau, we had picked the same one that you had and I was glad to hear that you liked it, I didn't realize that it included a meal. It was the "Alaska Salmon Bake, Mendenhall Glacier, Hatchery" right? Thanks again for your great reviews! They were really helpful.

[CupKayke]

Wonderful Review! Thank you for all the details!! :)

[dingusmcduffy]

[quote name='teacher34']Thanks AMDMSK for your great reveiws! We are going to Alaska in May of 2012 and I am already trying to figure out which excurssions to take. In Ketchikan we were thinking about doing the Great Alaskan Lumberjack Show and the "Duck" A Historic City Tour. Each one is 1 1/2 hrs. long and I wondered if we could do both. Do you have any idea if that is possible?For Juneau, we had picked the same one that you had and I was glad to hear that you liked it, I didn't realize that it included a meal. It was the "Alaska Salmon Bake, Mendenhall Glacier, Hatchery" right? Thanks again for your great reviews! They were really helpful.[/QUOTE]

I did the lumberjack show in 2007 and liked it so much I'm gonna do it again next may.

[Hogladyrider]

Great review......brought back tons of memories. I sailed Inside Passage on Spirit with my mom in 2009, in May and it was AMAZING!

Alaska is not like cruising the Caribbean, it is more about the scenery than the on board partying. As I recall there were not outside bands. During the day people were focusing on wildlife sightings as pointed out by the Naturalist on board.

The pools were heated and heavily used along with the hot tubs.

We did Mendanhall Glacier on our own, very doable, got the bus right at the dock and took our time. We also did the White Pass train ride and it was amazing as well. In Ketchikan we walked the town on our own and loved it, just not enough time there. We treated ourselves to a fresh halibut luncheon, YUMO! My mom purchased salmon to be shipped back to Massachusetts for my brother. I purchased salmon jerkey treats for my dogs!

Alaska on a shoe string can be done with research! It takes a lot of preplanning and reading. We booked our own flights and watched the cruise fares so by the time we cruised we each had $120 onboard credits to use, which we did the Skagway train ride with!

Excursions in Alaska are more expensive but worth it.

As for the weather, my research showed "layers" and that worked great.
Born and raised in New England but now a Floridian for 35+ years, I wore my thermal top every day, with a sweatshirt and a light windbreaker, with a hat, scarf and gloves and I was comfy. Some days only required a sweatshirt. Jeans are the norm on an Alaska cruise.

Alaska is all about the scenery and the beauty, it is a cruise that will linger in your memory for a lifetime. I so look forward to going back in the next few years. It is a long travel day to the west coast from Florida and the return trip seemed longer but oh so worth it all!
Susan

[gapearl]

Thanks for your review! I hope to do an Alaskan cruise one day. Great pictures too!

[amdmsk]

[quote name='teacher34']Thanks AMDMSK for your great reveiws! We are going to Alaska in May of 2012 and I am already trying to figure out which excurssions to take. In Ketchikan we were thinking about doing the Great Alaskan Lumberjack Show and the "Duck" A Historic City Tour. Each one is 1 1/2 hrs. long and I wondered if we could do both. Do you have any idea if that is possible?For Juneau, we had picked the same one that you had and I was glad to hear that you liked it, I didn't realize that it included a meal. It was the "Alaska Salmon Bake, Mendenhall Glacier, Hatchery" right? Thanks again for your great reviews! They were really helpful.[/QUOTE]

I think that both would definitely be possible (you probably wouldn't have much time to walk around town though), but it also depends on the times of both of them. Those are actually the two things that we were thinking of doing (and we were going to try to do both as well), but then we opted for the other tour instead. Duck tours are always lots of fun (we did the one in Seattle and a few years ago when we sailed on the Pride, did it in Baltimore- loved it both times!) and a great way to see the city. I don't know if I mentioned it before at all, but the place where they have the Lumberjack show is very close to the cruise dock/town- about a 5 minute walk I would say. We walked past it on the way back to the ship.
So, it is definitely possible to do both things. The only thing is the timing of both of them may make it not possible- you might be able to find that on Carnival's website or if you look up the Duck tours and Lumberjack show online.

In Juneau, yes, the tour was the one that you mentioned. It was really great!! The glacier is beautiful, hatchery interesting, and salmon bake made for a truly Alaskan experience!! I hope you have a wonderful time whatever you decide!! Hope that helps! Happy sailing! :D

[amdmsk]

[quote name='Hogladyrider']Great review......brought back tons of memories. I sailed Inside Passage on Spirit with my mom in 2009, in May and it was AMAZING!

Alaska is not like cruising the Caribbean, it is more about the scenery than the on board partying. As I recall there were not outside bands. During the day people were focusing on wildlife sightings as pointed out by the Naturalist on board.

The pools were heated and heavily used along with the hot tubs.

We did Mendanhall Glacier on our own, very doable, got the bus right at the dock and took our time. We also did the White Pass train ride and it was amazing as well. In Ketchikan we walked the town on our own and loved it, just not enough time there. We treated ourselves to a fresh halibut luncheon, YUMO! My mom purchased salmon to be shipped back to Massachusetts for my brother. I purchased salmon jerkey treats for my dogs!

Alaska on a shoe string can be done with research! It takes a lot of preplanning and reading. We booked our own flights and watched the cruise fares so by the time we cruised we each had $120 onboard credits to use, which we did the Skagway train ride with!

Excursions in Alaska are more expensive but worth it.

As for the weather, my research showed "layers" and that worked great.
Born and raised in New England but now a Floridian for 35+ years, I wore my thermal top every day, with a sweatshirt and a light windbreaker, with a hat, scarf and gloves and I was comfy. Some days only required a sweatshirt. Jeans are the norm on an Alaska cruise.

Alaska is all about the scenery and the beauty, it is a cruise that will linger in your memory for a lifetime. I so look forward to going back in the next few years. It is a long travel day to the west coast from Florida and the return trip seemed longer but oh so worth it all!
Susan[/QUOTE]

Well said! The Alaskan cruise was definitely a different cruise experience and much more about the scenic cruising than the partying and activities, not to mention the weather is definitely not Caribbean weather! You pretty much see land on at least one side of the ship the entire cruise except for a few hours on the first and last days. It is beautiful and breathtaking. Even though it is cool outside, it is worth braving the cold to walk around outside and sit bundled up on the balcony.

It does take a lot of planning and researching, but in the end, all the time spent is definitely worth it. We've been planning this trip for about a year and a half and also booked flights separately from the cruise. Yes, the travel days are long, especially coming from the east coast and for someone like myself that really doesn't like flying, but it is absolutely worth it. You'll never forget the time you were able to spend enjoying Alaska's beauty. They are memories you will have forever. I'd love to go back one day! :)

[Darlipoo]

[quote name='amdmsk']

Thank you for your review. You mentioned that you were off the ship at 9:30 and ready for the bus to the airport. They have booked us on a 5:30 p.m. flight!!!! How long did it take to get to the airport from the ship? Sounds like we'll be spending many, many hours at the airport.
We leve 8/2

[valley406]

Loved your review & pics. Is the boat tour in Tracy Arm necessary? I read somewhere that the Spirit was not far behind. Only difference was that you are closer to the water. What is your opinion? Is is worth the extra money? Thanks!

[amdmsk]

[quote name='Darlipoo'][quote name='amdmsk']

Thank you for your review. You mentioned that you were off the ship at 9:30 and ready for the bus to the airport. They have booked us on a 5:30 p.m. flight!!!! How long did it take to get to the airport from the ship? Sounds like we'll be spending many, many hours at the airport.
We leve 8/2[/QUOTE]

It took around 20 minutes to get to the airport. There were pretty long lines for baggage check, check-in, and security when we arrived. One thing you might want to look into to save yourself from spending all day at the airport (this is something we did in Miami when we were booked on a late flight) is the Seattle shore excursions and airport transfers that I saw Carnival was offering for debarkation day. I think it was if you have a flight after 2:30, you could book one of a few tours of Seattle combined with an airport transfer. I saw people doing this on debarkation day and that way, you get to spend your morning around the city and Carnival holds onto your luggage until you get to the airport, so you aren't stuck carrying any luggage around with you. I think the choices are on Carnival's website...you may not be able to book it until on board though, but they definitely did offer some sort of tours for people with later flights. Have a wonderful time!! It's a great cruise!! :)