Live Review of Ruby Princess Alaska August 16th through the 23rd.

[corgigrl]

Thanks so much for taking time out of your vacation to post al these wonderful photos. I have a question about the bear viewing excursion. I'm interested in doing this next summer when we are on our cruise, but I can not walk long distances due to arthritic knees, especially on rough, uneven terrain. How far did you walk and is hilly and/or rough?

[rdsqrl]

Yay, Bears!!!!

 

That is all. Carry on.

 

[CruzinNoony]

Kent, those are AMAZING pictures. Thank you for taking the time to share them with us. :D Which tour was it?

Edited August 19, 2015 by CruzinNoony
which tour?

[ECSpady]

Your photos are just phenomenal!! Thank you so much. We are sailing on the Ruby in 2 weeks and it is so great to see all of this now. WOW!

[sunneesmile]

Thanks for posting the LIVE FROM blog! We will be on that ship next week, August 23. So, how is weather? It is really long sleeve weather. The last time were in AK, in 2013, It was Mid July and it was in the mid 80's during the day. :o

[kunta67]

Thanks so much for taking time out of your vacation to post al these wonderful photos. I have a question about the bear viewing excursion. I'm interested in doing this next summer when we are on our cruise, but I can not walk long distances due to arthritic knees, especially on rough, uneven terrain. How far did you walk and is hilly and/or rough?

 

 

You're not walking on hilly terrain but you are walking on suspension bridges along a fixed trail which isn't bad

 

 

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[kunta67]

Kent, those are AMAZING pictures. Thank you for taking the time to share them with us. :D Which tour was it?

 

 

Of all the cruises I've been on this has been my favorite tour. The tour was the discovery wildlife bear expedition and rainforest walk. It was a total of 3 hours so not too bad or strenuous.

 

 

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[kunta67]

Thanks for posting the LIVE FROM blog! We will be on that ship next week, August 23. So, how is weather? It is really long sleeve weather. The last time were in AK, in 2013, It was Mid July and it was in the mid 80's during the day. :o

 

 

Weather overall has been overcast but today in Ketchikan it was overcast which is apparently great bear watching and whale weather.

 

 

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[kunta67]

Here's our dinner pictures from tonight, again great food from the MDR.

 

Menu from tonight

 

 

Soufflé

 

 

French Onion Soup

 

 

Palate Cleanser Sorbet

 

 

 

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[kunta67]

Food Porn continued

 

Sea Scallops

 

 

Gnocchi

 

 

Ménage A Trois of deserts of course.

 

 

 

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[JF - retired RRT]

It is a good thing I am not on the ship right now...I would WANT to eat everything on that menu!!

[CruzinNoony]

Of all the cruises I've been on this has been my favorite tour. The tour was the discovery wildlife bear expedition and rainforest walk. It was a total of 3 hours so not too bad or strenuous.

 

 

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Was this a Princess tour? I can't find it anywhere. I would love to do this next time we are in Alaska. We just did a B2B on the Crown and I found our tour order forms and didn't see it. Maybe it is just offered on the Ruby??:eek:

[u2harmony]

Was this a Princess tour? I can't find it anywhere. I would love to do this next time we are in Alaska. We just did a B2B on the Crown and I found our tour order forms and didn't see it. Maybe it is just offered on the Ruby??:eek:

 

I will be on the Ruby to Alaska next summer - I would love that excursion! Anyone know if that suspension bridge is very high up? I am slightly afraid of heights....Thanks and I LOVE this review!!! Thank you so much for taking time from your vacation to do this.

[MisterMet]

Glad to see you're enjoying Alaska and Princess as much as we did.:)

[kunta67]

Was this a Princess tour? I can't find it anywhere. I would love to do this next time we are in Alaska. We just did a B2B on the Crown and I found our tour order forms and didn't see it. Maybe it is just offered on the Ruby??:eek:

 

 

We definitely got it through the ship.

I can try find the exact name of it but it's definitely through Princess.

 

 

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[kunta67]

I will be on the Ruby to Alaska next summer - I would love that excursion! Anyone know if that suspension bridge is very high up? I am slightly afraid of heights....Thanks and I LOVE this review!!! Thank you so much for taking time from your vacation to do this.

 

 

It's high enough to see the bears but not too crazy up. I would say you're about 30 feet up.

 

 

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[Crabby_Cruiser]

We leave this Saturday for our Alaska cruise on the Crown and I just looked and it appears the excursion is called "Animal Planet Exclusive: Bear Country & Wildlife Expedition", KTN-885.

 

Tour Overview:

Your small-group excursion begins as you board your motorcoach for a short drive to a private reserve.

 

Upon arriving, your guide/naturalist leads you along a trail through the heart of the rainforest, among tall stands of hemlock, spruce and Alaska cedar. This pristine environment is home to black bears, eagles, seals, a variety of birds, and many other species of wildlife attracted by the over 100,000 salmon that return each year to spawn.

 

Large concentrations of black bear gather to feed on the huge runs of spawning Pacific salmon in the stream running through the reserve. Bald eagles wait for scraps, mink and marten frequent the area, and seals can usually be seen feeding on the bountiful fish harvest.

 

Your search for wildlife takes over an elaborate elevated boardwalk system, including a suspension bridge and tree platforms overlooking the creek, and off-the-beaten-track areas, promising an exclusive opportunity to view bears at close range in a safe environment. Although wildlife sightings are not guaranteed, keep your camera ready for a myriad of photo opportunities.

 

At the trail's end, you'll see birds of prey close up, tour a historic sawmill and visit with a master Native carver crafting a totem pole before returning to the ship.

[ar1950]

Kent, how is the temperature inside the ship? The reason I ask is that last time we went on an Alaska cruise they keep the temperatures extremely warm inside the ship.

[corgigrl]

You're not walking on hilly terrain but you are walking on suspension bridges along a fixed trail which isn't bad

 

 

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Thanks, we just might give it a try. Have an awesome trip!

[MGnut]

Here's our dinner pictures from tonight, again great food from the MDR.

 

Menu from tonight

 

 

Soufflé

 

 

French Onion Soup

 

 

Palate Cleanser Sorbet

 

 

 

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I'll just take the first three items in the "starters" section, plus dessert and bread, thank you.

 

Edit: OK, add the scallops, too. There, I'm finished. :)

Edited August 20, 2015 by MGnut
Changed my mind!

[shredie]

That menu looks shorter to me, only four choices for starters and salads and only one pasta offering. What was on the other side of the menu, the "Always Available" offerings? Is Intermezzo now a permanent part of the menu?

[rdsqrl]

I wonder if that's the Chef's Dinner menu? That menu generally is shorter, with no extra pasta offering, and has the sorbet. And is the one with the Goat Cheese Souffle, too, I believe.

 

Meanwhile, GCS and French Onion Soup on the same night? Plus smoked trout?! I'll take one of everything!

[Colo Cruiser]

[kunta67]

That menu looks shorter to me, only four choices for starters and salads and only one pasta offering. What was on the other side of the menu, the "Always Available" offerings? Is Intermezzo now a permanent part of the menu?

 

 

Actually I just forgot to post the other side of the menu

 

 

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[kunta67]

Day 4 Juneau/ Tracy Arm Fjord

 

We'll be posting some pictures from our day cruising the Tracy Arm Fjord as well as our day whale watching and visiting the Mendenhall Glacier. I'll probably be posting our actual camera DSLR camera pictures after we get back since we don't have unlimited internet.

 

For starters here's the pictures from dinner tonight. I forgot to take a picture of the appetizers because I was pretty exhausted when we got back to the ship.

 

Menus

 

 

Salad

 

Spaghetti with meatballs

 

 

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