Sun 5/29 Alaska Freestyle Dailys and more

[ClassyShots]

OK boys and girls, here we go.

 

I have the base site together. So far the dailys and maps are up. J is working on the review and I'm sorting over 1200 photos so I can get some of them into the galleries. As it is now the photo on the main page is a six photo slide show so wait for them to change. I'll have more up soon.

 

I will post a reply to this thread as I get more added to the site.

 

http://www.classyshots.com/alaska/index.html

 

Mike

[bobby'sgirl]

Thanks for the info. We sail the Sun Jul 3 and can't wait!!Packing has started. I'm sure you used digital for pics. How did you manage photos.

Thanks again

Pat:)

[ClassyShots]

I had the advantage of being able to take a laptop with me (actually I had no choice because I knew I would be taking lots of photos).

 

I made a folder called Alaska 2005 with folders in it for each of my 3 cf cards and then folders for each date and more folders within the dates for the subjects like ship, inside passage, the port we were doing that date and the tours we were doing that date. I would dump the cards into their folder then sort them into the proper sub folder. I also took 25 blank cd's with me so I could burn each date to cd's for backup.

 

All in all it worked out very well as it saved me from having to sort when I got home. All it left me was renaming the files and the post processing as I shoot everything in RAW mode.

 

Mike

[Mabers]

Hey ClassyShots (and they are!)

 

Those Dailies are just what I was waiting for....just perused the first 2 pages and am already more excited than I need to be at this time! We are on the July 31st sailing.

 

Can't wait for your revue.....thanks!

 

M.

[ClassyShots]

Hi again,

 

Thanks to Jonna the review is done and I have been editing away on photos. There are half a dozen photos up in all categories except the last two and I'll try to get them up during commercials. I can't help it... I have to watch my drag racing:)

[Hikini]

Great pictures so far! From what I can see the Sun looks a lot like the Sky - which is now the Pride of Aloha. We were on the Sky to Alaska in 2003. Also the Star to Alaska in 2004 and now we're taking the Spirit to Alaska in September.

 

Hikini:D

[Mabers]

What a spectacular picture you paint! It is awesome! I have looked at everything you have posted so far on your website.....can't wait for the rest. Just one thing....is there a way to see what each photo represents? Maybe I am just not savvy enough, or missed the click.

 

Funny how different we all are.....your destination is the thing! With me it is incidental (to a point).....love the cruise! Oh! I sure hope that kid is not on another cruise on the 31st of July! Or another one like him! Don't those parents make you crazy???

 

Again, thanks!

 

M.

[dcd34]

The internet was down from 5pm on the May 28th, and I'm not surprised it didn't work for you until the 30th.

 

What did you think about the internet cafe manager? I thought he was not as pleasant as the other staff.

 

The 250 minute plan for $100 is money well spent, as long as the internet is working!

[warm weather bound]

Can you tell me if the plug by the desk is a 2 prong or 3 prong plug?

[Jacquelyn11]

We are on the SUN in about 5 weeks. We are going w/o the kids this time, but I understand how one obnoxious ankle biter can ruin your time.

 

The Tracy Arm excursion....did it "leave" when you departed Juneau or before? Do you remember what time? My DH might like to go on this! I'm going on the SUN as part of a Continuing Education trip, and part of the session is during Tracy Arm.

 

Thanks so much!

 

Jacquelyn :D

[Brneyznfl]

Thanks so much! We are going on the Sun to Alaska next May.

[ClassyShots]

Hi Jacquelyn,

 

The excursion boat leave about 30 minutes ahead of the The Sun. They are due out at 1:30 and the "small boat" leaves at 1:00. You board at the same dock the Sun is tied up at. From there it is a high speed run down to the Tracy Arm unless the captain sees something worth stopping for. We did stop twice for 10 min. or so to watch whales. We also saw plenty of eagles and harbor seals. You will end up within 1200 feet of the North glacier.

 

The boat you are on is about 33' wide and 100' long. There are 2 outside decks and one inside. It is a fantastic boat with full facilities including snacks and drinks served. The crew is VERY sharp and includes a local area naturalist.

 

I think this tour was worth every penny paid.

[Jacquelyn11]

I think my DH will really like this! Thanks for the quick reply!

 

Jacquelyn :D

[ClassyShots]

I think I missed reading a couple of questions from above.

 

The outlet at the desk has a standard U.S 3 prong 115V and one of the oddball Euro 250 or whatever they are if I remember right. If you have battery chargers and such be sure to take a power strip with you.

 

While I didn't need his help for anything, from listening to him try and work with others, the Internet Cafe manager had a personality of a cedar stump and seemed to be less than helpful to others. Like I said, this is just an observation and not from experience.

[UKAllan]

We were on the Sun from 22-29th May.

You are right the Internet Manager was Mr NO personality:)

[letsgocruzin]

Thanks for the wonderful, detailed review and for posting such AWESOME pictures. We will be going on the Sun in Feb '06 and it's great to get a "sneak peak" of here. Your pics from Alaska were Fantastic. You know your way around a camera :D

[Jacquelyn11]

Mike/Joanne

 

Did you book your tour thru NCL or a private company? If Private, which one?

 

Thanks!

 

Jacquelyn :D

[ClassyShots]

We booked all of them that we took through NCL. The review on my site lists the ones we took.

[Alaskacruiseinjuly]

I have decided we will do the pilot choice helicopter excursion weather permitting. Mike made it sound to awesome to resist.

 

Does anyone know if your $350 x 2 is refunded if they are simply incapable of flying the day you are in port? That's a lot to gamble on resonable weather.

 

I also decided to upgrade to a balcony. What the hell... Ten years from now $700 will be long forgotten.

 

 

We've also got two extra days in Vancouver before the cruise... any must see ideas?

 

Happy cruising.

[ClassyShots]

Does anyone know if your $350 x 2 is refunded if they are simply incapable of flying the day you are in port? That's a lot to gamble on resonable weather.

 

I'm sure if you can't fly due to weather that you won't be billed but you could email Temsco and ask them. Their site is here... Side note for you here. You are allowen NO carry-ons of any kind on the chopper. No purses, fanny packs or camera bags and so on. Your camera or camcorder is allowed but anything else you want to take needs to go in your pockets. This means be sure to put an extra flash card, battery, tape, roll of film or whatever in your pocket! You will want to wear a windbreaker. Air temp on the glacier was about 40º F and there is a breeze. It can get chilly up there.

 

I also decided to upgrade to a balcony. What the hell... Ten years from now $700 will be long forgotten.

 

You will NOT be sorry you did. Be sure to keep your camera, camcorder or both sitting there on the couch. I got some of my best shots from my balcony. We never closed the drapes the whole trip. The stewert would close them when they turned down the bed and we would open them when we got back to the cabin.

 

 

We've also got two extra days in Vancouver before the cruise... any must see ideas?

 

I sat in my room and watched the tugboats. Our free day in Vancouver was the only day of the trip it rained.

 

Mike

[Taylor]

thanks for great review and pictures. We will be on the Sun on July 31st. sailing. 4th trip to Alaska; first wirh NCL