Diamond Princess photo/video review Alaska

[CruisinLow]

Sorry for the error on my part. Private is the default.

Here is the link to save you scrolling back.

 

 

Fantastic video. That Mama bear looks huge. Thank you for posting this.

[CruisinLow]

OK....video II is ready. This was shot down from the rope bridges, on solid ground- a wooden boardwalk about 2 ft high. The group were some ways behind me,tightly packed so I couldn't get a good shot on some distant bears. I found some close by in the bushes and used zoom in the first half of this shoot. They were about 40 feet away.

 

The rest of the group saw that I had something in my sights and came up quietly behind. As the bears came closer I had to pull back the lens to get them in the shot. At the closest point they were 10 to 12 feet away, before heading down to the river by the salmon hatchery which is where the next photo batch is from.

 

Here's the video link....

 

www.youtube.com/watch?v=_74bWhjbZuM

 

I tried to go right into this one but alas, it says PRIVATE right now.

[Bimmer09]

I tried to go right into this one but alas' date=' it says PRIVATE right now.[/size']

 

I can see your problem. Youtube says "sit tight as your edits are being processed-come back in a little while"

 

I can watch the video only through my upload channel which is where this message is posted.

 

You may have to try the link again from time to time.

 

It is set to PUBLIC viewing so eventually it will work and you will see bears that fill the screen.

 

By the way-the guide doesn't carry a gun as it can take quite a few bullets to stop a bear. She carries a flare at the ready, just in case.

 

I'll continue with the photos for now.

 

Norris

[Bimmer09]

Out of the forest and down by the river where there is a salmon hatchery and bears like to wander by....

 



 



 

Another tour group on the far bank stops to watch a bear eating a salmon in the grass.

 



 

[Bimmer09]

Next we are going to see some reindeer before ending our excursion with a bathroom break at the gift shop.

 



 



 

The reindeer exist only on video so that may come later tonight as I'll first have to edit it and then put it into the Youtube oven on a low heat. Carol will be feeding them lettuce as she always carries a head of lettuce in her pocket.

 

Until then we may have to content ourselves with an eagle which had once been injured and now lives at this Sanctuary.

 



 

Carol sits down and reflects on what she has just seen.

 

[Bimmer09]

The sail from Ketchikan to Juneau was one of the prettiest sails I have experienced. We will be on a calm sea with land close by on either side and the sun will set so lots of photos with ship,sea, mountains and sunset coming up.

 

Norris

[Bimmer09]

The ship left Ketchikan at 4 pm. I videotaped it as it is a pretty sail away indeed.

 

Out at sea the waters were calm.

 



 

We went back down to our aft cabin as something was being delivered there.

 



 

4.30 pm Afternoon Tea.

 



 

 



 

Soon after the tea, weighed down by scones, Carol succumbed to a nap on the balcony lounger. I set the living room TV to the webcam shot of the bow so I could see what was up ahead. A narrow channel.

 



 

I stayed on the balcony for a while, just enjoying the passing land and capturing it on video. Then I thought a nice cold beer and some munchies up in Skywalkers would give me an opportunity to get some different angles.

[Bimmer09]

 



 



 

After a beer-adding to the tally on my Clean Sweep Bar-bill card I went down to Promenade deck.

 



 

[Bimmer09]

OK- following the link to Bears II doesn't work so do this to see video ( I just tested it)

 

Go to youtube and in search field type

 

Bear excursion II

 

It's the first thing that pops up.

 

Try it.

 

Norris

[MilliesMom]

OK- following the link to Bears II doesn't work so do this to see video ( I just tested it)

 

Go to youtube and in search field type

 

Bear excursion II

 

It's the first thing that pops up.

 

Try it.

 

Norris

 

Crossing my fingers this will work ... here's the link to Bear Excursion II from Norris:

[MilliesMom]

Norris ... so strange about youtube. If I click on your name in YouTube, it doesn't show the the Bear II but if I click on your full list of uploads it is there.

 

If anyone wants to see all the videos in one spot:

http://www.youtube.com/user/MrPortavogie/videos?view=0

 

It is amazing at how close you were to the bears. Beautiful animals.

[fathercop]

I love the pictures and you have made me so desirous to be on a cruise this instant. I love the Diamond. We were on her during one of our Alaskan cruises.

 

Thanks for taking the time to share some great pictures!

 

Good luck to you and enjoy your cruise.

[CruisinLow]

OK- following the link to Bears II doesn't work so do this to see video ( I just tested it)

 

Go to youtube and in search field type

 

Bear excursion II

 

It's the first thing that pops up.

 

Try it.

 

Norris

 

Norris,

I have gotten to see both videos of the bears. What a great zoom you have on that camera to pull them in so close. Thank you so much for sharing all of this with us.

[KirkNC]

Thanks for the report!

[Bimmer09]

Thanks for the responses!

I actually watched the Bear II video on my iPhone at work today-no buffering.

 

Just an aside- the Bear Sanctuary has a zip line running high over it...which is something I am keen to do on a future visit to Ketchikan.

 

Also- I think it was on the way to Ketchikan that at 2.30 a.m we were awoken by the Captain's voice in our cabin: the ship would be stopping soon to allow a helicopter to take a passenger to hospital. Many people on Lido deck had to vacate their cabins and go to the Wheelhouse Bar during the airlift.

 

So next up is Juneau and our 2nd whale watching adventure with Harv ' Marv.

Our first was Aug 2011 (Coral) when we were in Captain Tony's boat and a Humpback whale breached by the boat, sending us rocking. Tony had never seen a whale that close to a boat before. When booking this Diamond trip I asked H ' M if we could have Capt Tony but were sad to learn that he had died in the interim. He was in his late 30's I'd guess. I still have our day with him on video, to remember him by.

 

So- whales coming up in the next couple of days. Also some nice looks at the Radiance of the Seas, a beautiful ship.

 

Reason # 52 why I love cruising...I woke up on Monday, watched a big ship dock, walked ashore in Alaska. Had breakfast in an Italian restaurant, went for a walk in some woods, saw some bears and reindeer, went back to the ship, had a beer as it sailed away( with me on it ), took an elevator down to my balcony where there was tea for two, photographed some lovely scenery, had some drinks and munchies in Skywalkers, followed by dinner in a nice restaurant, then some karaoke fun, then a deep sleep....and had whales to look forward to in the morning....ALL IN A DAY'S CRUISING.....LOVE IT!!!

 

Norris

[Bimmer09]

Tuesday August 21, 2011 and I was up early and had a calorie-laden breakfast in the Horizon Court buffet before heading onto deck to take photos and video.

 



 



 



 

[Bimmer09]

Just uploaded and I hope the youtube gods are smiling....

Let's try the link anyway.

 

[Bimmer09]

You'll see in the photos that the decks are wet in the morning as it often rained a soft drizzle in the night and then petered out around dawn.

 

On my first Coral trip-same week a year earlier-we sailed South from Whittier and had 4 days of drizzle before meeting the sun in Ketchikan and the sail to Vancouver was dry.

 

Norris

[CruisinLow]

Just uploaded and I hope the youtube gods are smiling....

Let's try the link anyway.

 

 

Video worked great this AM. Thnaks again Norris

[Bimmer09]

Thanks for the heads-up Ann. Later in Juneau I'll have some whale video including a sequence of odd whale behavior.

 

Meantime more photos ahoy!

 

Norris

[Bimmer09]

As we neared the harbor I could see Norwegian Jewel again and Radiance of the Seas, already berthed.

 



 



 



 

We were going to turn in order to berth just to the right of the Radiance's bow.

 

[Bimmer09]

 



 



 

Now it was time for me to go ashore. Carol was still asleep. We would meet up again for breakfast on board.

[perfect match]

Awesome review, Norris! Loved the bears! Reminded me of a hike DH & I went on along Skyline Dr in Virginia. Mama bear & her cubs crossed the path we were hiking on about 25 yards in front of us. We came to a dead stop while they passed. Fortunately, they just kept going. My hands were really shaking trying to take their picture. Needless to say, what I got was nowhere near the quality of your pics!

 

I am really looking forward to seeing your whales!

[perfect match]

Norris ... so strange about youtube. If I click on your name in YouTube, it doesn't show the the Bear II but if I click on your full list of uploads it is there.

 

If anyone wants to see all the videos in one spot:

http://www.youtube.com/user/MrPortavogie/videos?view=0

 

It is amazing at how close you were to the bears. Beautiful animals.

 

Wow! I just watched the whales from MilliesMom's link to all Norris' videos! Totally blew me away!

 

Thanks for the link, MilliesMom, and for the video, Norris!

[MilliesMom]

Wow! I just watched the whales from MilliesMom's link to all Norris' videos! Totally blew me away!

 

Thanks for the link, MilliesMom, and for the video, Norris!

 

You are welcome. Thanks for the heads up too about the whale video being there.

 

Norris, what an amazing sight to see!!!!! I've never seen anything like this before. I did see one whale on our last cruise to Alaska while onboard the ship. I came out on deck just as they were announcing it. It was one huge tail in the air and then gone. Still exciting, but nothing like you saw on your excursion. I agree ... WOW!