Diamond Princess photo/video review Alaska

[Bimmer09]

I went on to my channel on youtube to check the setting for the video-and watched it. The setting was PUBLIC as I thought.

 

www.youtube.com/watch?v=AwbjcCPHubU

 

Also, while I am here (now in Michigan in a snowy wonderland) I want to apologize to HAL Statendam for incorrectly calling it the Westerdam.

 

I will post this link again and hope that youtube's "bad hair day" is over.

 

Fingers crossed and sorry you are having trouble. When the technology works it is really something.

[Bimmer09]

I just checked and there is still an issue so I sent a report in to Google, who control the Earth, I think.

 

Youtube published the video at 6pm tonight. I can see it clearly. Sorry for any frustration you are experiencing. Just remember they lost power at the Superbowl for 35 minutes so this is nothing compared to that!

 

In the morning I will soldier on with my saga.

 

Norris

[Bimmer09]

Just go to Youtube and in the search mode type Radiance of of the Seas leaving Juneau and there is the video.

 

Norris

[CruisinLow]

Just go to Youtube and in the search mode type Radiance of of the Seas leaving Juneau and there is the video.

 

Norris

 

Found it. Thanks so much.

[Bimmer09]

 

The yellow bus on the street is a local tour bus that shows you the town in a guided tour. The population of Skagway, out of cruise season (May to September) is 800 so it is not a big town. Most of the stores and there are many jewelry ones close for the season once the last ship leaves and the migrant workers head home.

 

 

 

 

I was surprised to see my favorite cuisine (originating when I lived in London for 13 years) represented in such a far-flung place, but there indeed was an Indian restaurant.

 

[Bimmer09]

The beautiful garden of an hotel- I believe it was the Skagway Inn.

 



 

Flowers love a nice drizzly climate.

 



 

As the town is only 8 blocks deep before it peters out into woods and grassland

I started to walk back to the ship against the flow of foot traffic as the town was starting the receive the passengers from the four ships. Even at 7 am the staff were all in the jewelry stores setting out their wares, prepping for business. I bought a fridge magnet for the collection fom the gift shop in the railway station and headed to the Diamond where a second breakfast was the plan, once Carol was ready.

 



 

[Bimmer09]

 



 

A look back at some of the graffiti left behind by crew from a myriad of ships over the years. It is no longer allowed. The earliest I saw was from 1929.

 

 

The excursion planned was Carol's idea as she wanted to see eagles in the wild.

It would involve several changes of transportation, which on paper looked tiring: ferry boat to Haines in the south, transfer to a bus for a 30 minute ride then get out on the Chilkat river for 90 minutes in an open boat and once done there was the reverse return trip. I liked the river part idea as I wanted to be IN Alaska, amidst the rugged and untamed scenery.

[CruisinLow]

The flowers and the plants love the drizzly weather as well as the extreme extended periods of sunlight in Alaska in the summer. They grow amzing crops up there for a few months in the summer. in July, it rarely gets close to being dark; just a twilight.

[Bimmer09]

I just sent in another video to youtube but it takes a while for them to publish it so I'll keep you posted. It's my Skagway morning walk. but it's too soon to show in a search.

 

The White Pass train makes a cameo appearance in it.

 

I'll post the URL when I know it works....once bitten etc

 

Norris

[Bimmer09]

I am not going to chance linking the URL but if you want to go to youtube and search Skagway morning walk it is the first video that shows up.

 

Norris

[Bimmer09]

We caught a ferry which docked at the marina which lies between the ship and the town. It had two levels. The pilot was on the top deck where we sat and aft of the cabin was an outdoor deck, where I spent most of my time with the camcorder.

 



 



 



 

Carol spent the 45 minute trip to Haines on the aft deck

 

[Bimmer09]

Holland America's Statendam was berthed in Haines. It was raining during the 5 minute walk up a ramp from the ferry to a bus waiting in the parking lot.

The bus would transport us to a landing stage for the river boats that would take us out on the Chilkat River.

 



 



 

Haines, seen from the ferry.

 



 

[flacruiser]

Very much looking forward to the rest of your review! My husband and I are debating an Alaskan cruise in May or June of this year so this is perfect timing!

 

I would highly recommend the Alaskan cruise. Add a land tour if you can!! I sailed in June 2002, and the weather was fabulous. Enjoy!!

[tequilasunrise]

Thanks for the review! This looks like a lot of work to put together, appreciate your sharing.

[perfect match]

Norris, another awesome installment! I know I jumped the gun watching your whale video before you posted the link, but I'm like a little kid - I just couldn't wait! I've been using the link quoted below that MilliesMom posted on page 5 of this thread which takes me right to all of your videos and have had no problem seeing them.

 

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.

[Bimmer09]

Norris, another awesome installment! I know I jumped the gun watching your whale video before you posted the link, but I'm like a little kid - I just couldn't wait! I've been using the link quoted below that MilliesMom posted on page 5 of this thread which takes me right to all of your videos and have had no problem seeing them.

 

Hey- I don't mind how you get to see the videos as long as you get to see them. I didn't take them to share with the world-but I am happy that they are out there for the purposes of this "review".

 

A Facebook friend ( of 40 years) liked my "blog" on the Ruby Princess and I fired back saying "Blog?? That was no blog, that was a "Seafaring Gentleman's Journal" (LOL). Not a review in the critical sense. Not a list of pros and cons or a scale of 1 to 5 on Princess' Performance for the money paid.

 

I have no major issues with the cruise experience I found on the Diamond. I had a great week ,with no unpleasant surprises or disappointments. What I found on the Coral and the Crown, I found again on the Diamond...a well-run ship with a crew doing the kind of job that is boasted about in the brochures.

 

I roll with the punches, make the best of cooler, wetter weather than one hopes for on every holiday. I accept that perfection is hard to find and yet for me I had a perfect vacation experience. I escaped completely!

 

If one person or family decides to cruise Alaska due to seeing the photos and videos then that is a good thing. An amazing discovery is awaiting anyone who cruises Alaska and anyone who cruises on the Diamond Princess.

 

I'll continue with the photo/video portion.

 

And, yes-there is a lot of time spent on the computer to get everything up for you all to see. Videos take time to edit on the computer (a Macbook) and then a long time to upload to youtube. As long as everyone reading it (and I love the feedback) is getting something from it, then it is not work.

 

Cruisers are some of the finest, warmest people you will meet and it's in our make-up to be helpful and share and in doing so make someone whom we don't know and may never meet enjoy their future cruises even more, armed with knowledge learned on this valuable Cruise Critic board through all of our contributions.

 

Norris

[cormike1]

AMEN Norris and thanks for those wonderful posts and pics. I am sure I will be seeing it live myself soon and pictures are what changed my mind about Alaska. Thanks again.

[MilliesMom]

Norris, your review/photos/videos have been fantastic. I look forward to each day and what will be added.

 

I have a couple of questions for you:

 

1. When you were in Skagway so early that morning (video), it looked like some of the shops were already open. It would be wonderful to walk thru town without the thousands but also just be able to peak in here and there if they are open.

 

2. The ferry to Haines looked really interesting. How long is the trip over? Was it a ship excursion? I never realized it was close enough to go to via Ferry.

 

Thanks.

Edited March 11, 2013 by MilliesMom

[Bimmer09]

I was just watching the Diamond Princess ferry to Haines video.

You can see it using that word search on youtube or by following this URL

 

 

This was a Princess Excursion and ran about 6 hours. I feel more confident using Princess on logistically elaborate tours like this: ferry,bus transfer to a remote location, then being out on a boat for 90 minutes, then the reverse trip.

I know that if anything delays us (e.g. a flat tire on the bus or boat motor dying on the river), the ship will wait for us.

 

As the young pilot (a woman in her 20's) of the ferry was doing a commentary while driving, some of the shots I had to linger on, to get what she was saying onto the video.

 

You'll see a shot as we board the ferry that she can take people in wheelchairs to Haines-but they couldn't have come on the rest of the tour with us.

 

The ferry took 45 minutes to travel the 14 miles on the water so it was doing roughly 20 mph or 17 knots.

 

Norris

[Bimmer09]

Yes, some of the shops in Skagway were open already, around 7 a.m.

 

The jewelry shops were staffed but they were filling the display cases and would open soon.

 

Norris

[Bimmer09]

I am off work this Wednesday and hope to have the following up by sometime that day;

 

Video of Chilkat river tour

 

Then the next photo/video section (both long) will feature our day in Glacier Bay which will be heavy on glacier shots. Some food photos and Diamond Interior shots I haven't used before will appear.

 

Beyond that lies a visit to College Fjord, Ultimate Ship tour, our waiters on video bantering with me, maybe some video of "people having fun".

 

Beyond that (next week I imagine) will be our afternoon spent in Anchorage before flying home to Chicago.

 

Then I rest my case...

 

Norris

[Bimmer09]

I have uploaded (and tested) another video which follows on from the Haines Ferry.

 

When we arrived at the river landing we had a snack provided. We got to cook our own hot dogs over a wood-fired grill before taking them to a dining room where all the fixings, including sodas and hot soup and potato chips, were waiting.

 

From there to another building where we were outfitted with warm gear for our trip on the icy-cold river. Big Arctic coats and gloves,earmuffs and blankets.

Then we were seperated (26 of us) into two boats. The first boat loaded up 16 and our boat loaded ten so we were not shoulder to shoulder. We sat at the back in front of the pilot and off we went.

 

When we returned 90 minutes later we warmed up by the alder wood fire pit and had time for bathroom breaks before the bus ride back to the ferry.

The ferry dropped us back in Skagway just a 5 minute walk (steep ramps) from the warmth and comfort of the ship. We wouldn't set foot on land again until Whittier on Saturday. It was now Wednesday August 22nd.

 

Here is the link and if you have trouble a youtube search for Diamond Princess Chilkat Eagle excursion will find it.

 

 

Norris

[Bimmer09]

Back on the ship after about 7 hours of excursion I raced to the warmth and comfort of Skywalkers for some pre-dinner munchies and a refreshing cocktail.

I was usually served up there by Alan from the Philippines and a raised eyebrow was often all that was needed to get service. Each night there is a half priced cocktail of the day (only $4) and luckily it was Mohito's turn.

 

As always there was some carved fruit to admire while selecting cheeses....

 



 



 



 

[Bimmer09]

Dinner was again in the Savoy and again we were seated at our favorite table, waited on by Siwa and Sadudee whom you will see in a future video and I should say that we are both very pleased with the food on the Princess ships to date. I think it a very high standard to achieve when cooking 12,000 or so meals a day. I am not a picky fussy eater and have no allergies-except maybe to food that hasn't been seasoned while cooking. I try anything once(as we all have to in life, unless some of you are still drinking mother's milk) and if I love it I add it to my list of must-eats and if I don't (say, oysters in my case) I give it a wide berth.

 

Eating "out" and being served and not having to clean up and load a dishwasher is something I am not blasé about. I enjoy it.

 

One of the thing I often order is the Princess dish with 3 meats on it and who's name I can't remember right now...

 



 

Lamb, chicken and pork I recall and mighty tasty.

 



 

[Bimmer09]

Just skimming through the photos waiting to be uploaded I see that I did go to a show on the Diamond and loved it...it was called Born to be Wild, if anyone is familiar.

 

But that is up-ahead as is a day in Glacier Bay with photos and video galore.

You'll also get to meet Juan from Mexico the first bar waiter to offer me a drink on board and who therefore was kept busy all week (video).

 

Norris