Comparison Haven vs. inside to Alaska and May vs. Aug.

[littlelulu01]

While my husband enjoyed looking at the instruments and such. He's an avid boater and can park our boat on a dime. Don't think he'll be trying to park the Pearl in this lifetime.

[littlelulu01]

There are also suites located under the bridge. Not sure they got much use of the balcony in Alaska and also not a lot of privacy.

[littlelulu01]

And then there was Cagney's. The food was good and I gained 4lbs in a week. Here's our favorite server Rochelle. I think she's now on the getaway.

[Cubechick]

There are also suites located under the bridge. Not sure they got much use of the balcony in Alaska and also not a lot of privacy.

 

Those are the deck 10 balconies. Deck 9 is much better for privacy as you can see in your pic. ;)

[littlelulu01]

[littlelulu01]

[Cubechick]

Thanks for your compare and contrast. :)

 

Which time of year do you prefer? For ourselves we love earlier in the season (despite colder temps) because the scenery is more dramatic with more snow in the mountains.

[littlelulu01]

Daughter and I did not eat in any pay restaurants. We thought the food was really good and the service was excellent. In fact my favorite server from May was often our server in Aug in the grand pacific dining room. We took most of our meals in the main dining room. The buffet was a little too push and shove for my tastes. The last night of the cruise we ate in the buffett and had excellent Indian food. Everyone was in Victoria so the buffet was empty except for some staff.

[littlelulu01]

Thanks for your compare and contrast. :)

 

Which time of year do you prefer? For ourselves we love earlier in the season (despite colder temps) because the scenery is more dramatic with more snow in the mountains.

 

I preferred May as well and for the same reasons as you. The first sailing of the year leaves from Vancouver so we got to sail the inside passage which was beautiful. Sailing out of Seattle you get right out on the open ocean.

 

The second morning when we woke up and went on our balcony we were amazed that a ship this big could be sailing around these islands and the passage with the land so close.

 

The logistics of starting in one port and ending in another can cause a problem though. We flew into Vancouver to get on the ship and then flew home from Seattle. When I went with my daughter we drove to Seattle and kept car at a friends house and she dropped us off at the port and picked us up after our cruise. If having someone pick you up after the cruise it's easier to meet at the Edgewater hotel. The traffic was pretty bad in front of the ship so we just walked to the Edgewater and had her pick us up there. Here's a pic of the inside passage day two:

[littlelulu01]

and here's a pic of the ocean trip up out of Seattle. We had a couple ships tagging along behind us but not much in the way of land to look at.

[littlelulu01]

Those are the deck 10 balconies. Deck 9 is much better for privacy as you can see in your pic. ;)

Deck 9 looks to have a lot more privacy. I think the only way to see deck 10 is from the bridge and I doubt they care to look. Deck 12 view from the spa can't see these suite balconies. Does look a little too windy and out in the elements for my tastes though.

[littlelulu01]

Here's what we did in ports. In Juneau we had no planned excursions. Both times we walked off the ship and took a taxi to the glacier. There is also a bus and we took the bus back the first time. It was $8 pp for the bus. Can't remember cost of taxi but if you have a few people it will be less expensive to take a taxi. Plenty of taxis lined up just as you walk off the ship. The glacier is pretty and if it's your first visit it will be that much more exciting as it's a first look at the glacier and massive falls. Very easy to walk out to and very well marked. We saw black bears in the trees both visits. In August the salmon were pink and fun to watch from a little bridge. Both times we also walked around town after return from the glacier. I found a free bus that returned passengers to the ship and we took that back. Very inexpensive day and very easy to do.

 

While waiting for the taxi in Aug some fellow passengers asked to share the ride so we did. We stopped by the fish hatchery outside of town and watched for a min. Not really worth the stop because this time of year you see the salmon in the streams which is more exciting. We ended up calling the taxi driver after we were done at the glacier and he took us back to the town as well because it was less expensive for his ride, $8 pp round trip, with a stop at the hatchery, before tip vs. $8 each way on the bus.

[littlelulu01]

Juneau

[littlelulu01]

Fish in a stream by the glacier. This was in August. I don't recall seeing any in May.

[littlelulu01]

The beach. The path to the beach is easily walked at a slow pace in under 20 mins. This is not a difficult walk as long as you don't have mobility issues.

[littlelulu01]

Walked around town after we returned from the glacier. Juneau and other Alaska port towns had some different shop names.

[littlelulu01]

Skagway: When my husband and I went in May we walked from the ship to Gold Rush cemetery. Again this was not a difficult walk although it was not the prettiest walk. It was nice to walk in the quiet with no one around. We were the only people at the cemetery when we arrived. There is a pretty and easy trail we walked up to the falls from the cemetery. Again well marked.

 

In August one of the cruise ship activities staff suggested we go on a hike with another mom and daughter. We met the other mom and daughter, whom we ended up hanging out quite a bit with for the remainder of the cruise and we went on a hike with the cruise ship staff as our guide.

 

We started our hike just after we walked off the ship. There was a stream with thousands of salmon flopping around and dying. Quite a sight and if sailing the next week I imagine that stream would stink pretty bad.

 

We then started up the trail. Stopped at the beginning to take a pic of the Pearl in port and then continued up the trail to lower Dewey Lake. This was a beautiful lake however ill warn you that it was uphill the entire way. There was one area that was quite narrow and some workers were chipping away the rock to make the path wider. Everyone in my group was very fit. The other mom my age was a triathlete and then there was me who is not in the best of shape. We had dressed warm but thankfully in layers. If you do this hike remember to bring water. I drank all of mine and then took my daughter's and drank that as well.

 

The hike after lower Dewey lake was even more difficult. It kept getting more lush and prettier as we ascended the trails up and up but it also got steeper. At one point we rounded a corner and the next trail was a straight uphill climb. At this point I told my party to go ahead and I would wait for them by a stream. They reluctantly went on ahead and I had such a peaceful time sitting by this stream. The foliage was gigantic. I felt like I was somewhere in prehistoric times. I got to thinking about bears after a while and then shortly after that my party rejoined me.

 

After we returned to town we all went to a pub and had lunch. The lunch was terrible and no real atmosphere either. It was also expensive. At this point I left my party and walked back to the ship/headed to the spa. They walked to the Gold Rush Cemetery and then back to the ship.

 

If interested in doing any of these hikes just google and you'll find easy directions. It's free to hike and get out into nature. It's also amazing that there can be so many ships in a port and within a couple of mins after exiting the ship we could be out in nature with not a soul around.

[littlelulu01]

lower Reid falls at Gold rush cemetery.

[littlelulu01]

Gold Rush Cemetery

 

[littlelulu01]

Town of Skagway

[littlelulu01]

Reid Lake.

[littlelulu01]

Ketchikan: The boat docks right in town and arrives early. I was up early both trips and loved views entering Ketchikan. The ship docks right in town. The Tongass Trading co. is just off the ship and you can purchase soda, souvenirs etc here. There was evidently coupons being handed out at one point of the cruise that I missed but I saw everyone using them at the store.

 

I booked the same excursion on my own both trips. I did a little research online and found Southeast Kayaks on Trip Advisor. Their guide met us just off the ship at the liquid sunshine dial and their transfer boat was right in the marina. We took a boat ride to their, "Mother ship" where they have the kayaks. It is very easy to board the boat and gear up, get into the kayaks. I had not kayaked in 20 or more years and had no difficulties. Again I would say I am not in good shape but I also don't have mobility issues. After kayaking around the misty fjords with our excellent guide, we returned to the mother ship where our guide helped us out of the kayaks and served us a yummy salmon, capers, cream cheese and cracker snack. For our May sailing I booked an extra add on and had a float plane come pick us up at the boat and take us on a tour of the Misty Fjords. It was beautiful. We landed on a lake, stretched our legs and then continued on back to the ship. This excursion took up our entire time in port both trips so we never got a chance to walk around Ketchikan.

 

The August sailing was the kayak tour minus the float plane ride. It was much less in cost and was again a very fun, low key, not too physically challenging excursion. I think they gave me a discount the second time for being a repeat customer.

[littlelulu01]

Coming into Ketchikan in the morning.

[littlelulu01]

The Pearl docked in Ketchikan. You can see how close the Tongass Trading co. is to the ship.

[littlelulu01]

The excursion in Ketchikan. You can see the boat that transports from the Pearl. It ties up to the bigger, "Mother Ship," which is anchored in a beautiful bay. This is where you get on the kayak's. There is also a bathroom on the boat in case you need, with hot water and soap.