Alaska Photo Countdown to 7/13!

[WalleyeLJ]

I also look forward to it and have started sending a picture to my mom a day while we are counting down. Thank you!

 

That's great! So are you going to Alaska for your first cruise? Totally different experience than a tropical cruise, but a fantastic experience nonetheless. Enjoy!

 

L.J.

[KruisinKath]

Want...to...go....NOW! Awesome pics, everyone! Sigh....

[Cruisedreamer1]

enjoyed the photos

[Linda the Book Lover]

The photos are fantastic! Now I have to ask myself--why did we wait so long to go to Alaska!

[WalleyeLJ]

Top of one of the totem poles in the Icy Straight Point:

 

 

 

 

 

 

Icy Strait Point Native Heritage Center:

 

 

 

 

 

 

Whale tail!

 

 

 

 

 

L.J.

[WalleyeLJ]

The photos are fantastic! Now I have to ask myself--why did we wait so long to go to Alaska!

 

Don't wait until 2013 - go now!!!:D We first went in 2009, figuring it would be a LONG time until we could go back. Three years later - here we go again!

 

L.J.

[Tenn4ever]

We loved Icy Strait for it's unspoiled beauty and the fact that only one cruise ship is allowed in at a time and Seward was a close second. Ketchikan which has the most votes so far did not impress us at all - totally over commercialized. We liked Skagway simply because we rented a car and drove the Klondike Highway into the Carcross, Yukon and as far as Emerald Lake. This drive was very worthwhile. We liked the Auke Bay Recreation Area and Highway 7 (Glacier Highway) in Juneau. Otherwise, we did not like the town.

 

Walley, your pictures are fabulous. What kind of camera do you have?

[Love.II.Cruise]

L.J. - what website do you use to host your pictures from?

 

Also - many thanks for posting your beautiful pictures.

[WalleyeLJ]

We loved Icy Strait for it's unspoiled beauty and the fact that only one cruise ship is allowed in at a time and Seward was a close second. Ketchikan which has the most votes so far did not impress us at all - totally over commercialized. We liked Skagway simply because we rented a car and drove the Klondike Highway into the Carcross, Yukon and as far as Emerald Lake. This drive was very worthwhile. We liked the Auke Bay Recreation Area and Highway 7 (Glacier Highway) in Juneau. Otherwise, we did not like the town.

 

Walley, your pictures are fabulous. What kind of camera do you have?

 

I screwed up my own poll because somehow I rewrote Skagway as Juneau, which is in the poll twice, with no Skagway - sigh...

 

We like ISP as well because it was a break from the piles of tourist shops, but found each port interesting in it's own right. We rented a car in Skagway as well and drove out to Emerald Lake for horseback riding.

 

Thanks for the kind words on the photos. It's a fun way to revisit the last trip and get amped up for this one. As for camera almost all the photos I've posted were taken with a Canon 50D, and either a Canon 100-400mm IS L or a Canon 18-200mm IS lens. This trip the 50D is the back up and I've have a new 7D (8 fps for whales and bears!), plus 1080p video. On top of that is a LONG list of other photo gear, lenses etc that I won't bore you with. In short I've got more camera gear than clothes going on this trip:D.

 

L.J.

[WalleyeLJ]

L.J. - what website do you use to host your pictures from?

 

Also - many thanks for posting your beautiful pictures.

 

 

Thank you Suite-Life! I use Smugmug for my regular photo website, but I use Photobucket on here thanks to a how to thread a few years back. It was the simplest way I found here on CC to post photos, so I've stuck with it for posting here.

 

L.J.

[Twinkd]

Loving the photos!! For those doing a "Drive Around" in Alaska - here are some Highway Photos.

 

Driving from Seward to Exit Glacier:

 

 

Fairbanks to Valdez:

 

 

Richardson Highway:

 

[WalleyeLJ]

Loving the photos!! For those doing a "Drive Around" in Alaska - here are some Highway Photos.

 

Thaks for sharing. We only drove from Anchorage to Talkeetna and Denali last trip, but once out of Anchorage, the wide open highway & vistas make for easy sightseeing as you drive. Beautiful country for sure!

 

L.J.

[DizzyDallasDi]

Loving the photos!! For those doing a "Drive Around" in Alaska - here are some Highway Photos.

 

Driving from Seward to Exit Glacier:

 

 

 

Fairbanks to Valdez:

 

 

 

This reminds me of driving in San Francisco. :)

[WalleyeLJ]

Nugget Falls, Mendenhall Glacier:

 

 

 

 

 

 

Some DIFFERENT Alaska cruise wildlife...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Radiance of the Seas Main Atrium:

 

 

 

 

L.J.

[Linda the Book Lover]

Don't wait until 2013 - go now!!!:D We first went in 2009, figuring it would be a LONG time until we could go back. Three years later - here we go again!

 

L.J.

If only...until I retire I have to work around vacation hours. I would go right this minute if I could! The DH is already retired...loud and long sign as I wait...but counting down to soon.

[WalleyeLJ]

If only...until I retire I have to work around vacation hours. I would go right this minute if I could! The DH is already retired...loud and long sign as I wait...but counting down to soon.

 

At least your close now! I'm somewhere between 25 years and never away from retirement:D.

 

L.J.

[luckylady1]

Love your pics!! We are counting down to our 3rd Alaska cruise but it is till almost a year away. :(

[WalleyeLJ]

Hey All,

 

Two weeks to go until departure!

 

Here's a shot of Radiance in Ketchikan as we returned back from Misty Fjords...

 

 

 

 

One of the many beautiful waterfalls along the shores of the Inside Passage:

 

 

 

 

L.J.

[WalleyeLJ]

Love your pics!! We are counting down to our 3rd Alaska cruise but it is till almost a year away. :(

 

Don't worry - it'll be here before you know it!!!

 

L.J.

[WalleyeLJ]

A few shots from Ketichikan in today's batch.

 

 

Fishing fleet pier side along the waterfront...

 

 

 

 

 

For those of you familiar with the legendary Jackalope, I give you... the "Humpalope"!

 

 

 

 

 

What happens when you run out of roads in SE Alaska...

 

 

 

 

 

13 days and a wake up!

 

L.J.

[Love.II.Cruise]

The atrium of the Radiance was lovely in that picture. I much prefer a vertical atrium as opposed to a horizontal one like on some of the other RCCLs newer ships.

[DizzyDallasDi]

What happens when you run out of roads in SE Alaska...

 

 

 

 

 

Was the crew playing Jenga? :D

[WalleyeLJ]

Was the crew playing Jenga? :D

 

I don't know. I just hope the Captain didn't have to throw it in reverse, or that cement truck is headed to the bottom of the Fjord!

 

L.J.

[scraplady]

Love all the photos. We fly into Anchorage to begin our land tour portion 2 weeks from today. It's our 1st trip and I'm getting more excited as each day passes.

[WalleyeLJ]

Today brings a couple of shots from Vancouver and the start of the trek north along the Inside Passage.

 

 

Downtown Vancouver & Canada Place:

 

 

 

 

Setting sun, starboard side of Radiance of the Seas northwest of Vancouver:

 

 

 

 

 

Inside Passage Sunset:

 

 

 

 

12 days and a wake up!

 

 

L.J.