Mumsy and friends live from the NA -Alaska

[innlady1]

That's awesome, Mumsy! So enjoyed cruising along wit you and Martin on the NA In the Med before our TA in '13...have a wonderful time with sapped and lizzie68! I'm so envious. ...

[innlady1]

So much for auto correct. Sapper1...NOT sapped. :-(

[CowPrincess]

Well I thought I was going to be able to report on an Oceanview cabin but thanks to the up-grade fairy at the check-in we find ourselves in our customary balcony room. What a very nice surprise!

 

>SNIP<

 

Another surprise was that our TA has provided us with dinner at the Pinnacle Grill. This is unusual for us Brits. We hear our Canadian and American friends get this quite frequently. Now we just need to co-ordinate our bookings with our fellow CCers to be sure the fun and laughter abound.

 

 

Sweet! Congratulations of the upgrade, that's awesome :D

[POA1]

Have a wonderful cruise all! Bookmarked your thread. :)

[1of4]

Thanks for the live thread...now I can (almost) feel like I am sailing along with you!!! ;)

 

Woopee on the upgrade. Very nice start!

 

Enjoy!!!

[erewhon]

Well I thought I was going to be able to report on an Oceanview cabin but thanks to the up-grade fairy at the check-in we find ourselves in our customary balcony room. What a very nice surprise!

 

We went along to the Mariner's lunch which was very unexciting but adequate. We're now sitting in the Crow's Nest enjoying a glass of 'champagne' (sparkling wine) thanks to the Mariner Society. There are very few people here. I guess people are more interested in getting their luggage and getting unpacked than drinking at the moment.

 

Embarkation was reasonably smooth given the long lines to clear US Border Agency. The automatic machines were not working for US and Canadian passport holders which didn't help.

 

Another surprise was that our TA has provided us with dinner at the Pinnacle Grill. This is unusual for us Brits. We hear our Canadian and American friends get this quite frequently. Now we just need to co-ordinate our bookings with our fellow CCers to be sure the fun and laughter abound.

 

The internet package is purchased and I'm off now to find some more to report on.

 

 

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Thank you for writing a live review of your cruise.

 

Congratulations on your upgrade.

 

Wishing you all a wonderful cruise.

[ger_77]

So glad to hear the Upgrade Fairy is alive and well. Have a wonderful cruise!

 

Smooth Sailing! :) :) :)

[js4rq]

Congratulations on the upgrade! :D Have a fantastic cruise!

[gottagoacruzn]

Have a great cruise guys!! Will be headed to Alaska in June on the N A!! Oh sure can't wait to go.

 

Virginia

[SherriM]

Congrats on your upgrade and I have subscribed to follow along! Looking forward to all your insight, tips and suggestions too!

Safe travels!:)

[Scrapnana]

After surviving the horrors of embarkation in San Diego, today was a breeze. 20 minutes in a fast moving security line, 20 minutes in another fast moving immigration line, and three minutes to check-in - no line at all!

 

The rates for Internet came as a shock, however. $249 for one week of unlimited service. 30-35 days on Westerdam was only $299 with Skype and streaming or $199 without. I opted for minutes instead of the unlimited.

 

600 minutes - $199

400 minutes - $159

200 minutes - $99

30 minutes - $19

 

Enjoyed a nice sail-away with friends - chocolate and wine!

[Mumsysailor]

We had a great Sailaway. We joined Sapper1, Lizzie68 and Scrapnana and made a party of it. Our Captain gave the horn a good toot as we approached the Lion's Gate Bridge. It warmed the hearts of our little Sailaway Gang. Whooping, cheering and waving to people watching from the bridge was all part of the fun.

 

It's ironic that we have the Explore 4 package and yet today we have had at least 4 complimentary drinks. However, I was very impressed by the drinks service in the main dining room this evening. The wine steward took our order and put it through on an iPad and, seemingly, in no time our drinks arrived.

 

It was a bit chaotic getting into the dining room. There were so many people for any time dining but we only waited 20 minutes for a table for two. We like to eat on our own as it preserves some time just for us. We spend a lot of time socialising otherwise and need to devote time just for ourselves to maintain the equilibrium. Many people were giving up with waiting and going to the Lido but I'm sure this was just first night teething troubles and things will settle down from now on. We were actually seated in the upper dining room and our dining steward, Herman, was a delight.

 

After our meal we made for the Piano Bar where Mike did a good job of entertaining us, improved by the fact that we joined him at the piano. Everyone seemed so stand offish and sat at a distance but once we took up position and got some banter going the place started to fill, others joined us at the piano, and the place livened up considerably.

 

Looking forward to our Meet and Greet tomorrow.

 

Don't expect me to write this much all the time. I might be having too much fun!!!

 

 

 

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[Mumsysailor]

 

 

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[CowPrincess]

After surviving the horrors of embarkation in San Diego, today was a breeze. 20 minutes in a fast moving security line, 20 minutes in another fast moving immigration line, and three minutes to check-in - no line at all!

 

The rates for Internet came as a shock, however. $249 for one week of unlimited service. 30-35 days on Westerdam was only $299 with Skype and streaming or $199 without. I opted for minutes instead of the unlimited.

 

600 minutes - $199

400 minutes - $159

200 minutes - $99

30 minutes - $19

 

Enjoyed a nice sail-away with friends - chocolate and wine!

 

OUCH on the unlimited internet pricing! :eek:

 

There are loads of wifi spots in the ports, if you want a list let me know and I will post them.

[Lizzie68]

Good morning from a rocking And rolling NA! Love it. Came to the piano bar for a quiet meet up and it's a complete zoo and gathering place for the Chinese on board. Oops.

[kazu]

Woo hoo!!!!! The upgrade fairy visited us at check-in. We now have a balcony on deck 8!

 

 

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YAY Mumsy :) :)

 

That's fabulous!!

 

Just catching up with your wonderful live thread and so happy to hear this great news.

 

Enjoyed seeing you again at dinner and enjoying everyone's company :)

[Dobermangal]

Cow princess yes please post the Alaska port wifi spots that would be great

[CowPrincess]

Hmmm, not loads of free (as I had said earlier) but the ones with **s have worked for me.

 

Juneau

 

** Juneau public library - 292 Marine Way

Centennial Hall - 101 Egan Dr

Silverbow Bagels - 120 Second Street

** Heritage Coffee - 625 W 7th St (complimentary with purchase) NOTE: Last year the Heritage Coffee on S. Franklin did NOT have wifi.

 

 

Ketchikan

 

**Salmon Landing

Annabelle's (complimentary wifi with purchase) -- in the Gilmore Hotel, 326 Front Street

 

Skagway

 

Skagway Public Library 8th and State

 

There are a few more places that offer cheap wifi/pay to play. I'll try to organize those, so you don't have to waste internet $$$

 

Also, the crew or the On Location guide (or whatever that person is currently called) may know of some spots.

Edited May 8, 2016 by CowPrincess

[Locksmth]

OUCH on the unlimited internet pricing! :eek:

 

There are loads of wifi spots in the ports, if you want a list let me know and I will post them.

 

I would love to know the wifi spots in port. We are aboard on the 21st!

[Mumsysailor]

Awoke to slightly more motion of the ocean but nothing to get bothered about.

 

At 10.30am we gathered in the Piano Bar for our small, but select, Meet and Greet. It was great to put some names to faces of those I hadn't met before. Dobiemom came bringing greetings from Roger and Joannie. We chatted animatedly for a long time, some took photos (not me) and we all went our separate ways. It's always great to meet new friends while on board ship.

 

We went to lunch in the Main Dining Room with some extremely pleasant company on our table of six. DH and I always seem to end up amongst people who laugh a lot and that's just the way we like it.

 

This afternoon was a pleasant, restful enjoyment of our surroundings before joining the Trivia quiz in the Crow's Nest. There were lots of people there, not all playing Trivia, because it was also happy hour. Needless to say our team didn't win but it's more about the fun of taking part for us.

 

Tonight is Gala Night. We like to dress up for the occasion but not as much as we would when on a Cunard ship. However, I personally feel that a bit of glamour doesn't go amiss on a cruise ship. I've heard that the younger, more casual, cruise lines often have a greater percentage of men wearing Tuxes on their formal nights than on other lines. I guess the younger set prefer it that way. I just hope people here make some effort and don't disrespect those who want to dress up.

 

 

 

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[sapper1]

I just wanted to report about how they are dealing with giving 5 star Mariners their 50% discount on 100 Internet minutes, considering that the 100 minute package is not being offered.

I was told that if I bought a 200 minute package they would add 100 complimentary minutes to it---and they did. I was happy with that resolution.

[CowPrincess]

Since the only Alaska cruise I'll be getting this year is this vicarious (or imaginary....) one, what is the weather like? And how are the seas? This will help me imagine being onboard :) Thanks in advance!

 

Mumsysailor, I hope you'll give us information about your Gala Night :)

[Lizzie68]

Wow what a day! So busy running from one thing to another , need a vacation to recover. But so much fun. We had a nice informal meet and greet in the Piano Bar - just after I got there a huge group of Chinese people came in and I thought uh oh, not such a quiet place to meet after all. But they all left shortly thereafter, and then we were joined by several couples from our roll call plus Dobiemom who was a nice surprise. Lovely chat and Dobiemom insisted on taking a photo or two to clarify who was who. It was a very pleasant hour or so. Then off to lunch in the MDR (no more lido for us this cruise -way too busy and crowded). Rolling seas did not seem to keep anyone from eating LOL.

 

After lunch Sapper and I headed to the wine tasting, which was fun. And then to the Future Cruise consultant where we booked a cruise to tag onto the beginning of our repositioning next year on the NA. Maybe after the next wine tasting we’ll book one to tag onto the end!

 

Next to Team trivia where we met up with friends – we did quite well with a respectable number of right answers but didn’t win.

 

Dinner at the PG tonight where we were met with hugs from our pal Clifford. He looks after us so well. Oh and there is a new PG manager – Stephen – who is really nice.

 

And now to the Piano Bar where Mike the pianist is delighted to see us again!

 

Oh almost forgot – had to get a new card 3 times today – must be my magnetic personality haha.

[Lizzie68]

The Internet on this ship is the pits. But all else is good and not bothered by smoke at all unless we go through the casino.

[Lizzie68]

Since the only Alaska cruise I'll be getting this year is this vicarious (or imaginary....) one, what is the weather like? And how are the seas? This will help me imagine being onboard :) Thanks in advance!

 

Mumsysailor, I hope you'll give us information about your Gala Night :)

 

Yesterday was a bit rocking and rolling but everywhere was still busy and no one put off their food LOL, this morning is smooth and weather glorious,