Star Princess North to Alaska! Sept 10 2016

[Bimmer09]

The Piazza

 

 

 

 

We were already Norman Love fans before he teamed up with Princess

 

 

 

[Bimmer09]

The Internet Cafe and Library

 

 

 

Shame about the grammatical error

 

 



 



 

[Italy52]

Thank you very much for posting the pictures of the buffet area -- I appreciate it very much. Having not been on the Star you have provided us with a great preview of what is to come for us in July 2017.

[Bimmer09]

Thank you very much for posting the pictures of the buffet area -- I appreciate it very much. Having not been on the Star you have provided us with a great preview of what is to come for us in July 2017.

 

I'm glad to help and there are more pics to come.

 

I stop short of taking pics of the food. I would if there were no passengers waiting to eat. I always compliment the buffet staff who are standing at their stations. Everything looks good. The buffet really draws a crowd so it can't be bad!

 

Norris

[Bimmer09]

 

 

 

 

 

Tiger Head paintings this way...

 

 

They held a lot of Art Auctions on the ship, in the Explorers Lounge and I heard prices of $10,000 offered...yikes! Are there "plants" in the audience to get the crowd excited and free-spending?

[Bimmer09]

 

They weren't open but I went in anyway and asked a Head Waiter if I could take some pics- Of course!

 

 

 

 

I could see light coming in through the windows at the IC so headed for the elevators to go up on deck

 

[Bimmer09]

 

There was a hint of a sunrise

 

 

As I was close I popped inside to see the Lotus Spa and the Gym which had just opened.

 

 

[Bimmer09]

 

 

 

It was so busy-there was even an aerobics class in progress- that I didn't want to be a prowling Paparazzi and left.

 

The Lotus Pool

 

 

We had cancelled our Sanctuary for today, after the wet experience yesterday

 

[Barky]

Norris your pics make me wish I could jump on this ship right now. Alas that won't be happening due to health but a girl can dream.

 

Gorgeous pics!

[Bimmer09]

Norris your pics make me wish I could jump on this ship right now. Alas that won't be happening due to health but a girl can dream.

 

Gorgeous pics!

 

Glad you like the pics, Barky.

 

Sorry to hear your health is holding you back.

 

I'm currently dreaming of next week's drive up to Michigan. Always our last trip before our next cruise in January.

 

Cheers!

 

Norris

[LisaNorthseadreamer]

One that appealed was the HAL Konigsdam August 20th in a Neptune Suite with a good itinerary starting in Amsterdam. I'll run it by Carol.

 

Your only Dutch reader is still here too Norris. Great pics! :-)

 

As far as the above goes; if you guys hit up Amsterdam, let me know and I can give you some insider tips on good places to go. Lots of tourist traps here too!

 

As far as taking pics in Vienna goes (previous comment): I took a boattrip on the Donau from Vienna to Bratislava and back while I was there. It was gorgeous!

I took the Twin City Liner, which is essentially a superfast hovercraft. 75 minutes to get to Bratislava and 90 minutes to get back (fighting the current so it takes longer).

Total cost was around 40 euro's, and the boat had a clean toilet/snacks and coffeecorner. Only about 50 very roomy and comfortable seats, so not crowded at all.

No hassle for customs, I just had to briefly show my passport (took 20 seconds).

 

Once you leave the Vienna part the banks of the Donau are very much 'nature'/rural. This includes bits of forrest, rugged fields, fishing huts and a medieval fort on a cliff.

Pretty neat. I'm glad I took this trip and not one of the boatrides that just covers the river near Vienna, because I was a bit taken aback by all the grafitti there.

I normally don't have a problem with it but it seems extra jarring when it's done on very old, historical buildings. The scenery towards Bratislava/Slovakia made up for that.

 

Of course, it doesn't compare to your pics of the glaciers. ;-)

[Jasperdo]

I liked your early morning photos of the Horizon Court Buffet. That's one of the things I like about Princess, the buffet has long hours and doesn't close between meals. One of the few things I didn't like about RCCL is the limited buffet hours. Dinner is only from 6pm until 9pm. The entire Windjammer Buffet is locked up tight in between meals. You can't even wander through to get a drink to take a few photos while it's not busy.

Edited October 19, 2016 by Jasperdo

[Bimmer09]

Your only Dutch reader is still here too Norris. Great pics! :-)

 

As far as the above goes; if you guys hit up Amsterdam, let me know and I can give you some insider tips on good places to go. Lots of tourist traps here too!

 

As far as taking pics in Vienna goes (previous comment): I took a boattrip on the Donau from Vienna to Bratislava and back while I was there. It was gorgeous!

I took the Twin City Liner, which is essentially a superfast hovercraft. 75 minutes to get to Bratislava and 90 minutes to get back (fighting the current so it takes longer).

Total cost was around 40 euro's, and the boat had a clean toilet/snacks and coffeecorner. Only about 50 very roomy and comfortable seats, so not crowded at all.

No hassle for customs, I just had to briefly show my passport (took 20 seconds).

 

Once you leave the Vienna part the banks of the Donau are very much 'nature'/rural. This includes bits of forrest, rugged fields, fishing huts and a medieval fort on a cliff.

Pretty neat. I'm glad I took this trip and not one of the boatrides that just covers the river near Vienna, because I was a bit taken aback by all the grafitti there.

I normally don't have a problem with it but it seems extra jarring when it's done on very old, historical buildings. The scenery towards Bratislava/Slovakia made up for that.

 

Of course, it doesn't compare to your pics of the glaciers. ;-)

 

Lisa, I mentioned that Bratislava fast boat to Carol and although we had limited time on our last trip to Vienna it will happen when we have more time-when we go to Bayreuth for the festival that takes most of our week.

 

The ancient castle ruin on the Donau (Danube) is that in Durnstein do you know? Where Richard the Lionheart was imprisoned? We've driven there from Vienna.

 

Regarding the graffiti on the river trip- I think it is encouraged as most of it is very elaborate and took some time. You'll see the pics on my blog from our Bayreuth trip in 2013. That's the trip that started the blog.

 

Thanks for the offer of advice should we visit Amsterdam- Carol doesn't want to try HAL just yet and we are planning on Celebrity Eclipse August 26 2017 to Norway. Eclipse sails from Southampton.

 

Great to hear from you again!

 

I hope you like more glacier pics!! (coming soon)

 

Norris

[Bimmer09]

I liked your early morning photos of the Horizon Court Buffet. That's one of the things I like about Princess, the buffet has long hours and doesn't close between meals. One of the few things I didn't like about RCCL is the limited buffet hours. Dinner is only from 6pm until 9pm. The entire Windjammer Buffet is locked up tight in between meals. You can't even wander through to get a drink to take a few photos while it's not busy.

 

Although I don't use the buffet much, John, I think Royal are not doing themselves a favor with those hours. You are on vacation and pretty much captive on the ship. The Princess buffet is very popular and I am sure the hours are part of the reason. You are hungry-no problem- the buffet is open.

 

More Star and glaciers in the morning....

 

Norris

[Bimmer09]

 

 

 

 

 

[jm485]

Hi Norris -- trying to catch up as work & life caused me to fall behind on the trip. A comment you made WAY back in post 532 about how big Alaska is made me remember this image. I was working with an Alaskan company at the time and my contact sent it to me to give me a sense of just how big it is. I thought it was very helpful.

 

Jenn

 

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Bimmer09]

 

 

The coffee station is set up at Tradewinds Bar

 

 

The plan for today is to have breakfast in the MDR then attend the Culinary Show in the Princess Theater where the Executive Chef and the Maitre 'd cook and banter. As both are Italian but from different regions we can expect some rivalry and local pride.

 

After that there is always a galley tour offered (free) but having done a few there's no need for us to attend.

 

Sadly we have packing to do today and whatever we are wearing once the packing is finished is what we will be wearing when we leave the ship tomorrow and what we will be wearing when we step off the plane in Chicago at 5 a.m on Sunday, September 18th.

 

But first breakfast at 8.55 in Portofino dining room.

 

There are a number of diners with the same schedule and the restaurant is very busy. Some were seated as they were willing to share but we wanted "two only".

Alas there were no two tops but our buddy the Head Waiter Paulitzio sat us and found us a table for eight. Once we were inside he ordered the doors closed.

 

 

Papaya fruit bowl which was supposed to be served in a hollowed-out papaya but they had run out of those

 

 

Mine, all mine!

 

[Bimmer09]

Carol's Lox 'n Bagel

 

 

The joint was jumping and the noise level a rude awakening to the day.

 

[YOUTUBE]KbmrM07p2_c[/YOUTUBE]

 

Off to the show

 

 

 

More later...

[Bimmer09]

Hi Norris -- trying to catch up as work & life caused me to fall behind on the trip. A comment you made WAY back in post 532 about how big Alaska is made me remember this image. I was working with an Alaskan company at the time and my contact sent it to me to give me a sense of just how big it is. I thought it was very helpful.

 

Jenn

 

 

Jenn-Thank you! What a great graphic. It's easy to forget all those islands scattered across the Bering Sea.

 

Norris

[Bimmer09]

A working kitchen with overhead camera feed is set up so you can see what is being cooked. Neil Roberts the CD will introduce the Executive Chef and then the Maitre' d and they'll do some aromatic cooking (usually something garlic and there's nothing wrong with that). You may pick up some tips on cooking pasta or making dessert. Even if you don't it's a fun Princess tradition and you'll have a few laughs as they tease and banter with each other for half an hour.

 

 

I have the wrong lens to get past the glare of the stage lights and white uniforms and focus on the people but the zoom would look ridiculous and be distracting to those around me. It's not a must-see event so I don't lose sleep over it.

 

 

 

The Galley tour you should take if you have never been in an industrial kitchen before. They have to be meticulous about cleanliness and organization and of course the cooking pots and soup vats are huge. You'll see the bakers at work as they work around the clock. That all the galleys combined cook something like 15,000 meals a day is a tremendous feat of organization and the fact that-in my experience-all the meals are worthy is even more astounding. It's not Haute Cuisine and there aren't any Michelin Stars displayed but I am very happy with my meals for the week-with one exception but that can wait until later.

 

Back to the cabin and if you are a wheelchair user this will stop you in your tracks...

 

Housekeeping carts in the corridors

 

 

Often the Room Steward may not be present to move it as he has gone to get extra towels or such. The cabin doors are recessed but only enough for a walking person to pass by the carts. On Celebrity the cabin doors are deeply recessed and allow for the carts to be pulled out of the corridor lane.

 

Today there is no Pub Lunch offered. (huh? what?) You heard. They are always held on sea days and the last time I looked we were at sea. Bummer!

 

So upon my suggestion we will instead dine in the MDR and have a leisurely lunch. Then maybe a nap and some packing. After that there are some glaciers in College Fjord at 6.30 which is 6 hours before we tie up the ship in Whittier.

We won't be rocked to sleep tonight.

 

The Northbound Voyage of the Glaciers as this is called, leaves the glaciers until last, whereas on the Southbound from Whittier they come first and the ports follow. I think we prefer the Northbound as we get the icing on the cake last, as a highlight. We also like that sail away from Vancouver.

 

For the Southbound trip see my Coral Princess review, which was our introduction to Princess and Carol's introduction to cruising after many fireside chats where her interest slowly grew. It was her idea to cruise Alaska, not mine, as I didn't think it was even an option on the table. She got hooked on Princess cruising and on Alaska on our first day. We sailed out of Whittier as the light faded at 8.30 pm, with drizzle falling and the mountains shrouded in mist but it didn't dampen her spirits at all. If you are looking for sunny days there's no guarantee you'll see them on an Alaskan cruise but to us the drizzle and mist just adds to the magic of the state. We had 5 days of soft drizzle and cool weather on the Coral but that didn't matter. Alaska is unique and even though this was our third AK cruise, to the same ports, there will be a fourth.... and a fifth and....?

 

Norris

[JimmyVWine]

You didn't happen to see anyone from Sweden with Asian features in the front row begging to be allowed up on the stage, did you? (If that goes over anyone's head, just check out the Celebrity Board and look for the locked thread re: "Top Chef".)

 

 

Back to the cabin and if you are a wheelchair user this will stop you in your tracks...

 

 

Now picture what this would look like with a tray of dirty dishes left outside in the hallway!

 

 

I think we prefer the Northbound as we get the icing on the cake last, as a highlight. We also like that sail away from Vancouver.

 

I'm with you on this one. For us, the Northbound journey is best because the trip just keeps getting better each day. Juneau is better than Ketchikan...and then Skagway is better than Juneau...and then Glacier Bay is better than Skagway...and when you get off the ship, you are deep into Alaska ready for new adventures. For us, Northbound is a constant crescendo whereas Southbound is a constant decrescendo.

[Bimmer09]

You didn't happen to see anyone from Sweden with Asian features in the front row begging to be allowed up on the stage, did you? (If that goes over anyone's head, just check out the Celebrity Board and look for the locked thread re: "Top Chef".)

 

 

Now picture what this would look like with a tray of dirty dishes left outside in the hallway!

 

 

I'm with you on this one. For us, the Northbound journey is best because the trip just keeps getting better each day. Juneau is better than Ketchikan...and then Skagway is better than Juneau...and then Glacier Bay is better than Skagway...and when you get off the ship, you are deep into Alaska ready for new adventures. For us, Northbound is a constant crescendo whereas Southbound is a constant decrescendo.

 

Ha Jimmy!- I read the Disappointed Chef thread from day one. Poor man came all the way from Sweden to be a contestant (the cruise possibly a means to an end) and didn't get chosen to cook in a "competition" about as serious as the Culinary Show. I thought it was a "wind-up" at first.

 

The dirty Room Service tray and a Steward's cart in the corridor constitutes a slalom.

 

Northbound vs Southbound? Agreed. That's my reason in a nutshell.

 

Cheers!

 

Norris

[Walt fan]

Stunning sunrise pics Norris. I think that is the thing I like most when cruising; the sunsets and sunrises.

 

And stunning pics of Glacier Bay. I could sit here and stare all afternoon.

 

Speaking of afternoon, I left my lunch on the kitchen counter, so no lunch today, and then I looked at your food pics. Deeeelicious. Not a good thing on an empty stomach.

 

I think I saw our table on your MDR pics. We had the best waiters on the Star.

 

I agree with the Windjammer hours on RC; you couldn't even get an iced tea or a snack between meals. They need to re-think that one.

 

Last day at sea; sad words indeed.

 

Can't wait to see more glacier pics!!! Thanks again Norris!

[Bimmer09]

Stunning sunrise pics Norris. I think that is the thing I like most when cruising; the sunsets and sunrises.

 

And stunning pics of Glacier Bay. I could sit here and stare all afternoon.

 

Speaking of afternoon, I left my lunch on the kitchen counter, so no lunch today, and then I looked at your food pics. Deeeelicious. Not a good thing on an empty stomach.

 

I think I saw our table on your MDR pics. We had the best waiters on the Star.

 

I agree with the Windjammer hours on RC; you couldn't even get an iced tea or a snack between meals. They need to re-think that one.

 

Last day at sea; sad words indeed.

 

Can't wait to see more glacier pics!!! Thanks again Norris!

 

Hi again! I loaded up 95 pics of College Fjord yesterday and will unleash them soon. I saw some calving shots among them.

 

Sunrises were rare on our cruise as it was usually a solid blanket of low cloud above. There's a sunset over the glacier coming up ahead.

 

The Windjammer sounds like it does need a re-think as I haven't seen anyone cheer the shorter hours. Princess is more practical in serving the needs of its guests.

 

Thanks for following along! I'm glad you enjoy the photos so much.

 

Norris

[ar1950]

 

Ha Jimmy!- I read the Disappointed Chef thread from day one. Poor man came all the way from Sweden to be a contestant (the cruise possibly a means to an end) and didn't get chosen to cook in a "competition" about as serious as the Culinary Show. I thought it was a "wind-up" at first.

....................................

Norris

 

Careful there Bimmer, that he is a she. And, she let it be known in no uncertain teams to a couple of respondents to the thread.

 

BTW, As far as culinary subjects go, would I be correct to assume that Princess has replaced hash browns with, what looks like, Potato Cake looking things like you would get at Arby's?

 

Enjoying all of the pictures. Our next Alaska cruise is already booked :), but, it is more than 600 days away. :mad: