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Live From Golden Princess 1 June to 11 June

cougaraz

By cougaraz,
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cougaraz

cougaraz

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Good evening from Skagway, two days to catch up on, so I best get to it.

 

Yesterday, we were in Juneau, but had a very late arrival, allowing us to enjoy the morning and the sail in. We got up and had a sandwich from the International Cafe to go with our coffee. I really like the IC, I feel like it fills a good niche for quick food when you just want a quick bite. After, breakfast, we walked the Promenade for a long time enjoying the scenery sailing up to Juneau. We had lunch in the dining room and it was surprisingly not crowded. I had mini chimichangas for an appetizer and was pleasantly surprised that they had a nice level of spice and followed up with the Nasi Goreng which was delicious.

 

Golden Princess docked near the red roof store, so not right downtown, but not at the most distant dock either, it was a short walk to the Mt. Roberts tram station and the start of town. Weather was gray and drizzly, but not too cold or windy. Upon getting to the pier, I helped a fellow passenger learn how to use her GoPro, it was brand new and while I love mine, they aren't as intuitive as some modern cameras. Melissa and I broke off from the group and headed to the Alaskan Brewing Company for a tasting tour. It was heavy on the tasting and light on the touring. We caught the van from their depot downtown to the brewery which is about ten minutes away, on the road, we saw lots of Eagles, both mature and juvenile. At the brewery we got to try six beers and keep a souvenir glass. Everyone was served the Amber, Icy Strait IPA and the Oatmeal Stout. After, that you had a choice of three more, we tried the Hot Scotch, a scotch ale brewed with habanero, the Raspberry Wheat which is a bit of a local legend and now only available in Alaska and our favorite the Azzaca, made with a rarer hop strain, very tasty. We booked our tickets online ahead of time, but there appeared to be lots of walk in capacity.

 

After tasting, we wandered through town and back to the ship. At the Taku Fish building right on the water, there was a mature bald eagle, no more than 20 feet from me to the bird. Back onboard, we opted for dinner in the dining room and the service and food were excellent, but the experience was surreal, no one was there, we even had substitute waiters as our regulars had the night off. However, Siri and Quiniro took great care of us. I had a chicken liver tart, lamb ragout pasta and the roast beef, followed by chocolate torte cake. My dinner was delicious, but Melissa had the tandoori tiger prawns and they were better. Following dinner, we went to hear Libby Riddles and it was awesome, she is a great story teller and has such a good story to tell.

 

We were up very early today because the vibration caused by maneuvering to the pier woke us up. Undeterred, we got dressed and headed for breakfast in the dining room. We were seated at a table for ten, but no one else showed up. The food was really nice and we sipped our coffee, enjoying the morning. After breakfast, we packed up our bags and headed out. We were booked on an excursion for a Chilkoot Trail hike and float. We had done the same excursion four years ago and booked through Princess, but this time we booked through AAA. So far as I can tell, the ONLY difference is the price, we went on the same trip, were even on the trail with folks on a ship excursion, but saved $25 per person. We viewed this as a low risk chance to try AAA in anticipation of further use in the future. They offer a return guarantee or they will pay your lodging and transit to next port.

 

As for the actual trip, we drove to over to Dyea and then hiked the first few miles of the Chilkoot Trail before boarding a raft and floating back down. The sun came out and there was very little breeze on the trail. We maintained a gentle pace and really enjoyed the hike. The float back down was very relaxing and I shot so great GoPro video. I have a lot of editing to do when I get home and look forward to posting up videos soon after the trip, so stay tuned for that.

When we got back to town, we stopped into the Skagway Brewing Company for a pint of their Spruce Tip ale, made with local spruce tips and tater tots covered in chili and cheese. It wasn't on any dietary council's list of recommended meals, but it sure was good! We enjoyed a little nap and then a very light dinner with the family in the dining room. I just had salad and soup, but both were very good. Overall, been nothing but impressed with our evening meals and service. We sail shortly and transit down the Lynn Canal promises to be spectacular. Tomorrow we will be in Glacier Bay, so the story won't be great, but the pictures and videos should be spectacular!

 

As for the GoPro seminar, it was in the patter and free. However, I learned the most about my GoPro on YouTube, tons of great info and tips, it is a fun little camera to play with.

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trbarton "Live from...." Rare

trbarton

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Good evening from Skagway, two days to catch up on, so I best get to it.

 

Yesterday, we were in Juneau, but had a very late arrival, allowing us to enjoy the morning and the sail in. We got up and had a sandwich from the International Cafe to go with our coffee. I really like the IC, I feel like it fills a good niche for quick food when you just want a quick bite. After, breakfast, we walked the Promenade for a long time enjoying the scenery sailing up to Juneau. We had lunch in the dining room and it was surprisingly not crowded. I had mini chimichangas for an appetizer and was pleasantly surprised that they had a nice level of spice and followed up with the Nasi Goreng which was delicious.

 

Golden Princess docked near the red roof store, so not right downtown, but not at the most distant dock either, it was a short walk to the Mt. Roberts tram station and the start of town. Weather was gray and drizzly, but not too cold or windy. Upon getting to the pier, I helped a fellow passenger learn how to use her GoPro, it was brand new and while I love mine, they aren't as intuitive as some modern cameras. Melissa and I broke off from the group and headed to the Alaskan Brewing Company for a tasting tour. It was heavy on the tasting and light on the touring. We caught the van from their depot downtown to the brewery which is about ten minutes away, on the road, we saw lots of Eagles, both mature and juvenile. At the brewery we got to try six beers and keep a souvenir glass. Everyone was served the Amber, Icy Strait IPA and the Oatmeal Stout. After, that you had a choice of three more, we tried the Hot Scotch, a scotch ale brewed with habanero, the Raspberry Wheat which is a bit of a local legend and now only available in Alaska and our favorite the Azzaca, made with a rarer hop strain, very tasty. We booked our tickets online ahead of time, but there appeared to be lots of walk in capacity.

 

After tasting, we wandered through town and back to the ship. At the Taku Fish building right on the water, there was a mature bald eagle, no more than 20 feet from me to the bird. Back onboard, we opted for dinner in the dining room and the service and food were excellent, but the experience was surreal, no one was there, we even had substitute waiters as our regulars had the night off. However, Siri and Quiniro took great care of us. I had a chicken liver tart, lamb ragout pasta and the roast beef, followed by chocolate torte cake. My dinner was delicious, but Melissa had the tandoori tiger prawns and they were better. Following dinner, we went to hear Libby Riddles and it was awesome, she is a great story teller and has such a good story to tell.

 

We were up very early today because the vibration caused by maneuvering to the pier woke us up. Undeterred, we got dressed and headed for breakfast in the dining room. We were seated at a table for ten, but no one else showed up. The food was really nice and we sipped our coffee, enjoying the morning. After breakfast, we packed up our bags and headed out. We were booked on an excursion for a Chilkoot Trail hike and float. We had done the same excursion four years ago and booked through Princess, but this time we booked through AAA. So far as I can tell, the ONLY difference is the price, we went on the same trip, were even on the trail with folks on a ship excursion, but saved $25 per person. We viewed this as a low risk chance to try AAA in anticipation of further use in the future. They offer a return guarantee or they will pay your lodging and transit to next port.

 

As for the actual trip, we drove to over to Dyea and then hiked the first few miles of the Chilkoot Trail before boarding a raft and floating back down. The sun came out and there was very little breeze on the trail. We maintained a gentle pace and really enjoyed the hike. The float back down was very relaxing and I shot so great GoPro video. I have a lot of editing to do when I get home and look forward to posting up videos soon after the trip, so stay tuned for that.

When we got back to town, we stopped into the Skagway Brewing Company for a pint of their Spruce Tip ale, made with local spruce tips and tater tots covered in chili and cheese. It wasn't on any dietary council's list of recommended meals, but it sure was good! We enjoyed a little nap and then a very light dinner with the family in the dining room. I just had salad and soup, but both were very good. Overall, been nothing but impressed with our evening meals and service. We sail shortly and transit down the Lynn Canal promises to be spectacular. Tomorrow we will be in Glacier Bay, so the story won't be great, but the pictures and videos should be spectacular!

 

As for the GoPro seminar, it was in the patter and free. However, I learned the most about my GoPro on YouTube, tons of great info and tips, it is a fun little camera to play with.

 

I'm organizing a lunch with other CC folks on my August cruise. Which dinning room is used for lunch on sea days?

 

Thanks for doing a daily blog. I've done one also so I'm aware of what you go thought.

 

Tom:)

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cr8tiv1 Holiday Sharing Rare

cr8tiv1

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I've asked this of the other "Live" Golden to Alaska. Doesn't hurt to cover my bases.

 

Would you please ask Joey (Phoenix Rising/Wheelhouse) what his plans are for October (Which ship/etc) will he be on.

 

Thanks,

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cougaraz

cougaraz

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Good morning from Golden Princess where, to the surprise of no one, our approach to Ketchikan has been greeted by gray skies and rain! Yesterday, we were cruising Glacier Bay and I am not sure what I can really say about such a massive and wonderful place. I would start by saying that should you have similar options in your cruise choices where one included Glacier Bay and one did not, choose the one that includes Glacier Bay.

 

We got up early, before six and started our day with a coffee and pastry from the International Cafe. Then, we proceeded to walk the Promenade and later the upper decks as we made our way into the bay. Around the time the Rangers started talking, we were in a perfect spot to see some mountain goats as we sailed by and caught glimpses of several sea lions throughout the day's sailings. We grabbed a quick bite in the Horizon Court which was surprisingly uncrowned and then went to our balcony. Our group has three connected balconies, so it was a good space and we had great views. I shot a ton of video and photos for later posting.

 

I was struck by the fact that even my best photos and videos cannot do this place justice, it is so immense, so unique and the play of light, water, earth and sky so complex that one simply has to see it with their own eyes to believe it.

 

We opted for lunch in the main dining room. I had an appetizer of ham rolls, which didn't sound that interesting on the menu, but were delicious, followed by some pasta puttanesca and the only bummer dish I've had so far, the Lobster Kromeskies. For me, they just tasted like heavily breaded and fried lobster. They were not poorly prepared, just not that interesting to me. Alas, I did not starve as our next meal was mere hours away.

 

We spent the afternoon walking the decks, lounging on the balcony and enjoying the scenery and peace of our long sail back down Glacier Bay. Dinner was another resounding success. I started with the air dried beef and a shrimp cocktail, followed by the curried pumpkin soup. The cold soup was a surprise hit, more savory and subtle than I had anticipated. For my main, I had the Szechuan Shrimp, which was delicious, but far from spicy. Dessert all around the table was the Norman Love Chocolate Journey which was a riff on white chocolate cheesecake and very tasty, but even more stunningly presented. One thing I would like to mention about the main dining room is that they appear to have made a concerted effort to serve the food hotter. Almost without exception our food has arrived piping hot every time. In fact, several times we've had to let dishes cool before they were approachable.

 

After dinner, we went to see the instrumentalist David Klinkenberg and he was a treat. He is a violinist with a strong bluegrass and Celtic flavor and simply phenomenal. He got one of the only standing ovations I have ever seen on a cruise ship.

 

Today, we are headed out on a zodiac boat wildlife tour through Princess and on a quest to replace a small ceramic bear statue for our back porch that met an untimely death on the business end of the snow thrower this winter.

 

Lunch is usually served in the Donatello dining room, but not if the ship is in port.

 

We heard by word of mouth about AAA excursions and just Googled AAA cruise excursions, put in our ship and departure date and the available options came up.

 

The weather has been typical Southeast Alaska, mix of low clouds, light rain, drizzle, fog and some sunshine.

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Momma Mojito

Momma Mojito

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Thank you for taking the time to report on your cruise. All your information will sure be usefull for us. We cruising in August on the Golden and are really looking forward to our second Alaskan cruise. The first one was five years ago on the Diamond and we cruised from Whittier to Vancouver and enjoyed every minute of that one!!! This cruise will also be special for us as we will be celebrating our Golden Anniversary on the Golden!! Can't wait to see all your pictures. I took over 1500 pics on our Alaskan Cruise. Thanks again,

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madjohn

madjohn

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If you see David Klinkenberg around the ship, would you please ask him if he'll be on the next sailing? I would love to see him again! Thanks for your wonderful posts...I'm really enjoying them!

 

Yes I would like to know if he is on the next cruise. He seems a little above the usual cruise ship entertainment. Love to see.

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ar1950

ar1950

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Pure liquid sunshine has resulted in cancellation of our tour! Bummer dude.

 

That is a shame. Weather seems to be a real wild card on Alaska cruises. Hope it clears for you before the day is over.

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cougaraz

cougaraz

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Good morning, this morning we are feeling some movement for the first time on this cruise, but it is very mild. Skies are partly cloudy, but the breeze has kicked up a few white caps. We are at sea today and tonight will be our final formal night. The entire family is scheduled for a session in the Platinum Studio late this morning.

 

Yesterday was a bit of a bummer with the weather, but not really a surprise given we were in Ketchikan. We got up, ate and bummed around for a bit before stopping by the room to bundle up and head out. Literally as we opened the door to leave, the phone rang and it was the excursion desk saying the operator had cancelled our tour due to weather. It was scheduled to be a back country zodiac boat trip, so it was probably a good call. The entire day we had persistent, but not torrential rain and very cool temperatures. Instead, we went into town to grab a couple souvenirs, the ate pizza by the pool, read and relaxed.

 

Dinner last night was Italian night and it was a homerun! I started with the eggplant Parmesan, which is really just an excuse to eat a big bowl of melted cheese and sauce, next was the peach soup with prosecco and the final appetizer pasta arrabiatta that was made by our head waiter. It was spot on, sometimes the head waiters talk a good game, but Michael brought his A game last night. Finally, I had the chicken topped with mushrooms and fontina, it was so good, that I ordered a second portion. My brother in law also doubled down on the aribiatta. Dessert was tiramisu and it was good, but not legendary.

 

After dinner, the kids went to children's activities and we went up to Skywalkers to enjoy the view. There wasn't any bar service, so we made our way down to The Wheelhouse for a night cap. All taken, it was a relaxing day and while the weather was a bummer, that is far beyond my control. That being said, I am sure someone stopped by passenger services to complain!

 

Until tomorrow from Victoria.

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