Miracle 10 Day Alaska, 6/10... Mostly Photographic and Disappointing Review

[TxTeach79]

Literally $26 in this photo. 
 

 

wide shot. Perfect weather, but not gonna lie, it was hot as hell in the direct sun. 
 

[TxTeach79]

The flag that matters. GO RANGERS! #LoneStarBall 

 

[TxTeach79]

Lego MadBum 

 

 

McCovey Cove. The money shot. Somewhere, Barry Bonds is smiling 

 

[TxTeach79]

Imagine having McCovey Cove yacht money 

 

 

view from Cove SRO 

 

[TxTeach79]

Had no idea the Giants mascot was a sea Lion, but my god do I respect it 

 

 

stopped at a bar inside the park on the way out, Pride in full swing 

 

[TxTeach79]

In the Uber on the way back…. Ruby Princess docked in the cruise port…. Felt meaningful, since she was the ship I took to Alaska in 2016 with my folks (and the ship I took on my Honeymoon back when I was married. 🤷🏻‍♂️) 

 

 

 

also, hey, she’s coming to Galveston!

 

Edited June 23, 2022 by TxTeach79

[TxTeach79]

I’ve lived in Dallas or Miami for all my life… and I gotta say, I’ve never had a delivery guy on a bike before…. 
 

 

mohammed killed it. We were tired as hell after an incredibly long day, so on the recommendation of a friend, we went hard on a place called “Chubby Noodle”…. How could you go wrong? Spicy garlicky goodness. 
 

[TxTeach79]

Full bellies, time to doze off to the dulcet tones of Beat Bobby Flay. I told B (who doesn’t watch the show) that he never loses, and he immediately lost two episodes straight. Damn you, Flay. 
 

[TxTeach79]

So I gotta be honest, this hotel had the best and most elaborate free breakfast buffet I’ve ever had 

 

 

 

as a man used to the Fairfields and Hamptons of the world, this was international insanity 

 

 

[TxTeach79]

Uber to the pier was quick and easy. Now, I had heard the horror stories about the SF embark process leading up, so I stayed up til midnight and got that A1 boarding group…. It was easy for us, but honestly I get it. Porters were unclear, some saying they’d only take port side bags, on the opposite side of the entrance, etc… we saw a long line waiting to check bags, but it turned out it wasn’t necessary, anyone who grabbed a porter was good. It worked out for us, but I could see how it would be an issue. 
 

[TxTeach79]

The crazy thing is, once we made our way through the line (you still had to mask up, it’s California after all), they kept asking if we had ArriveCAN done. Look, I’m sure the Canadian government shared the ArriveCAN info with carnival or something, but for the sheer amount of time I was asked to do ArriveCAN, it was kind of shocking that literally no one ever, at any point in this cruise, asked to see my ArriveCAN. 
 

 

as far as VeriFLY though, that made this a SNAP. We breezed through with no problem at all in our 10-10:30 window, and were told boarding would begin in about an hour 

 

[TxTeach79]

We were quickly called, and made our way through the crowd. They took the welcome aboard pics here against random backdrops in the terminal, not once you’re walking onboard. It makes sense and it’s easy to avoid, but it also creates a bit of a bottleneck. 
 

 

there was one old woman scanning boarding passes, and not well. This only took a while because of her. Like, there was literally no one else on the long walk aboard. 
 

[TxTeach79]

It’s a pretty awesome view immediately once onboard (we boarded on deck 3 where the promenade is)

 

[TxTeach79]

Immediately time to wander this ship and see what’s up. Hey Mr. Lucky! 
 

 

Skybox - which would be oddly incapable of showing any NBA or NHL finals games throughout the cruise, because “they’re on ABC and we can’t show that” 

 

[TxTeach79]

We don’t have Cheers for once, so this is gonna be important. Back to you soon. 
 

[TxTeach79]

The deck 2 entrance to Mad Hatter’s. At this point, as a spirit class newbie, this feels weird as hell 

[TxTeach79]

Pool deck. 
 

 

[TxTeach79]

And then there’s the domed pool- it would be covered all cruise long. This is where the RFRB and Blue Iguana would be located. It was popular, temperate, and the one place kids would congregate on the ship. Also, unlike Spirit and Pride, there’s no big screen here. Yet. 
 

[Ferry_Watcher]

3 hours ago, TxTeach79 said:

there was one old woman scanning boarding passes, and not well. This only took a while because of her. Like, there was literally no one else on the long walk aboard. 
 

Is this how you would want your mother described?

Or how about 'a single pier staffer scanning us onboard'.

The person scanning boarding passes on the gangway is the last set of eyes tat will catch any mistakes or omissions in Wellness (photo of vaccine card(s), did all the health questions get answered, and in in embarkation process: did the passport get scanned; is the security photo acceptable, etc.  

There really should have been 3-4 pier workers doing this job.  It's possible that the other folks in this position worked during disembarkation and were still on their break when the ship opened up for embarkation.

[kelkel2]

I’m loving the start to your review! Alaska is on my bucket list. Thanks for sharing your vacation with us. 

[Moviela]

• I like your review and pictures. Great stuff in there. I enjoyed the trip to the ballpark and the walk through the terminal. I don't know how they do it but I am 71 and they still find an old woman to slow the roll at the gangway. Looking forward to more pic's and commentary on your adventure. I am aboard in August and your review could not have come at a better time. I have never cruised to AK, and have not been there for fifty years.

[Silent Penguin]

7 hours ago, TxTeach79 said:

Literally $26 in this photo. 
 

 

wide shot. Perfect weather, but not gonna lie, it was hot as hell in the direct sun. 
 

I get it.  $40.00 for two drinks and 2 waters at the Linc in Philadelphia.  

 

[EllieinNJ]

Following.

[DeanDeeDee]

We did the same cruise in May - even stayed at the Hotel Riu.  I'm definitely following.  It brings back memories!

[Chief1369]

Looking forward to more of your trip. We're on this one in September