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

[TxTeach79]

B went with the Apple dessert 

 

 

and I can’t help myself with the imported cheese platter. I know, I know. But I’m just a huge cheese guy! 🧀 

 

[TxTeach79]

Oh, and as a bonus, the couple at the table next to us (the steakhouse DID have the two tops right on top of each other, but luckily we had two great pairs sitting on either side of us) had a credit from the casino for up to $45 for a bottle of wine. They aren’t wine drinkers, so they gave it to us! Thanks to the good folks from Columbus! (Malbec is B’s favorite)

 

[TxTeach79]

Full bellies mean early to bed - so GOOD MORNING! It’s Sitka day! 

 

just outside our hallway by the atrium elevator banks 
 

 

went to grab B a breakfast plate while she was slowly waking up and getting ready for the day. Room service! (I wasn’t tipped)

 

[TxTeach79]

Looks like our little pals have been busy this morning! 
 

 

 

 

 

[TxTeach79]

First time of the cruise for me to hit my favorite daily breakfast option, the wonder of Iggy’s place. And not the burritos, mind you, but the never a line marvel of the Huevos Rancheros and Arepa window

 

 

 

[TxTeach79]

Iggy’s salsa and hot sauce bar, always top notch 

 

[TxTeach79]

Here comes the good stuff…. Heading into Sitka from the balcony 

 

 

 

Silver Shadow is in (and incredibly fancy) 

 

[TxTeach79]

Beautiful 

 

 

Sitka had its share of “F You” houses, for when you’ve just had it with people. 
 

 

[TxTeach79]

 

first of many seaplanes 

 

[TxTeach79]

 

 

 

[TxTeach79]

Made it to anchor. We couldn’t dock because a Royal ship ran into part of the dock a couple weeks ago and they can only dock one ship at a time (NCL Bliss won that lotto, but karma comes back our way later), and this would create some issues a little later…

 

 

 

 

 

[cruisr]

I am so enjoying your review.  I was almost going to cancel as I kept reading about staff shortages, awful service and lines everywhere.  You are giving me a good vibe.  

[TxTeach79]

Okay. This was really the only significant hiccup of the cruise. We went to Mad Hatter’s Ball for the Platinum/Diamond water shuttle tickets. The assistant head of guest services was working her tail off, bless her heart… and getting BEAT UP by angry passengers. It ended up being just under a two hour wait in the lounge to get off. We had to use our lifeboats as shuttles, and based on staff shortages we could only run four total. Each boat carries 80 pax. They’re not used to this operation in Sitka, and worst of all, it was about 30 minutes round trip for each boat. 
 

 

we were in group 9 (of course excursions got off first) and it took us two hours. People without DIA/PLAT that waiting to get shuttle tickets, in some cases, barely had time to get off at all. IF at all. 
 

 

there were also, in some cases, hour long lines to get on a shuttle back at the end of the day. Luckily, we kinda sniffed this out and jumped back just before the rush. 
 

was it an inconvenience? Absolutely. That said, we just took a deep breath, made friends with people around us, and tried to think that if being stuck sitting in a comfortable lounge on a cruise ship was our biggest hardship of the voyage, we were doing all right. And you know what? It was! 

[TxTeach79]

Woohoo! They called our number! Sitka here we come! 
 

 

debarked on deck A, a short staircase down from deck 1. It was odd, we were routed to walk in a long line down the guest hallway in deck 1, then down a side staircase. 
 

[TxTeach79]

Made it! 
 

[TxTeach79]

 

lazy walk around town toward the Main Street. 
 

this Russian store was funny… the sign in the window says “we support Ukraine”… poor folks have probably taken a beating through no fault of their own 

 

 

go Mean Queen! (It’s a pizza joint with a cool bar upstairs). 
 

 

right next to this strip is a walkway up a hill to the spot where the US purchased Alaska from Russia and finalized the deal. 

[TxTeach79]

The main (only?) drag of Sitka was actually closed to traffic with barricades so the cruise passengers could walk freely in the street. 
 

 

 

[TxTeach79]

[TxTeach79]

So we left the main drag and walked up a side street toward the wharf area. We’d read about this joint online earlier…. What locals call “The P” 

 

 

we love to find local dives everywhere we go, and this fit the bill. 
 

 

later in the day, a hiking guide would be in line behind us at a food truck and the one piece of advice she gave us was “Stay away from the P. That’s a fisherman’s bar. It’s scary.” 
 

PERFECT. 

[TxTeach79]

 

this spot was 100% locals only. And any bar with the pot of coffee on at all times…. C’mon now. 
 

 

[TxTeach79]

See that bell? Legend has it that Anyone who dares ring it has to buy the entire bar a round. OR ELSE! 😂

 

[TxTeach79]

Got a half dollar piece with my change. Score! Used to collect these as a kid, and I hadn’t seen one in a long time. My grandmother used to give them to me, and it made me think that maybe she was sayin hi. Felt nice. 
 

 

totempalooza 

 

[TxTeach79]

We really wanted to go to Ernie’s on the main drag, but so many places in Sitka were cash only and we didn’t prepare too well for that. Still, what a sign! good for Pete!
 

 

really cute quaint little town 

 

[TxTeach79]

More small town scenes 

 

 

[TxTeach79]

We’d heard about this food truck that was dishing out black cod for $10 so we had to try it. I never see the stuff on menus here in Texas, so it was worth the wait. Met some cool people in line (this is where we chatted up the hiking guide who just got done with a tour), and other than a lady from Norwegian Bliss losing her mind and screaming at the high school kids working the truck, it was an easy and fun wait. 
 

 

 

black cod on coconut rice with a Diet Coke for $11. Beyond reproach!