Majestic Princess / June 17 2023 / Semi-Live Trip Report w/ Pre-Cruise AK Adventure … Let’s Go!

[Fishbone]

Day 7 – Tue Jun 13 (48° at Midnight) 

 

Greetings from Homer, Alaska! We were very tired last night, so we decided not to set the alarm & to just wake up “whenever”. Thus, we finally “slept in”! Hooray! 

 

We tried to grab bagels at a nearby shop, but they were closed. 

McDonalds! Since we had already driven out of the Spit in search of the bagel shop, we decided to just grab breakfast here. Apparently, everyone else decided on breakfast here too ‘cause the drive thru line was standing room only. 

 

My husband & Colt decided it would be quicker to go inside & I’m glad they did because theirs was the last breakfast order. My husband said the person behind him caused a scene because she wanted breakfast too. I guess she’s not “lovin’ it”! 

 

Beluga Lake! Short walk to a small dock on the lake where apparently, everyone owns a floatplane. 

 

Skyline Drive! Great views! So glad we drove up here ‘cause it gave us a great perspective of the Spit!

 

Wynn Nature Center! Set in a boreal forest, we walked the squishy boggy trails. They were not yet “officially” open for the season & thus we were let in free.
 

Lots of poop, but no animal sightings, although they said a porcupine was sighted just prior to our arrival. 

 

Alaska Maritime National Wildlife Refuge Visitor Center! Quick stop to stamp Colt’s NPS Passport. 

 

Bishop’s Beach! Beachcombing! My husband found an interesting starfish.
 

Lots of dogs here running free. Really makes me miss my beloved Bruno & Copper the Whopper. My mom tells me that my dad is walking them. I sure hope he hangs on tight ‘cause he’s in for one wild ride. 

 

Swell Taco. Rockfish tacos for the guys & a halibut taco for me. These were expensive single bite tacos, meaning it literally took us each one bite to finish them off. Our very hungry stomachs were disgruntled. 

 

Sea Sweets. Six mini cinnamon & sugar donuts to share. 

 

Seafarer’s Memorial! In memory of those lost at sea. 
 

End of the Road Park! The guys trekked down to the water & set up camp: two poles lodged into makeshift holders assembled from driftwood & rocks. The rest of their stuff was scattered all about in complete disarray. 

 

And then they waited. And waited. And waited. Until lightning struck. They were on fire. Both of them were reeling in fish. One after another after another. They even reeled in a pair at the same time. They were jumping up & down, dancing, giving high fives. Their laughter was contagious! 

 

They ran out of bait at one point, so they drove to Sportsman Supply to purchase more. They were greeted by the friendly staff there as “The Florida Boys”! 
 

When they resumed their fishing bonanza, I noticed that my husband was wading out further & further in an attempt to cast out farther & farther. He does that a lot in Pensacola too, but there it’s swim trunks in the steamy Gulf. Here it’s waders in the icy Pacific! I guess in his excitement, he lost all situational awareness & now he has to throw in another load of laundry! He tried to pretend like nothing happened, but when he took his waders off, I saw him dump about a gallon of ice cold ocean water out of each one. Sigh. 

 

While they were fishing, I watched otters do the backstroke - they are so cute! There were lots of bald eagles soaring overhead. I also watched the ferry being loaded & was quite surprised by the variety of vehicles - in addition to cars, trucks, & vans, there was a bulldozer & a “fish school bus”. 

 

Boardwalk Fish & Chips! Cod basket for my husband, cheeseburger for Colt, & salmon burger for me. 
 

After dinner, the guys ran around on the beach for several hours. 

 

Salty Stays Oceanfront Room #1! We headed back to our cozy room for what I thought was the rest of the night, but the guys decided to … go fishing again! 
 

They fished long after the sun had officially set … just past midnight. Making every minute count!

 

I watched another ferry being loaded; found more otters around the bend; discovered a swing under the dock; & photographed an eagle that wasn’t bald. At first I thought it was a different kind of eagle, but now I wonder if it was a baby baldy? 

 

4 more “goodnight moons” until we board the Majestic Princess!

[cr8tiv1]

New to your thread.  Glad I stopped by.  What a delightful journey you are taking us on. 
 

I learned to fish in Makaha.  Happy to hear the boys finally struck gold in Homer.  
 

Mahalo Nui Loa…following 

[Fishbone]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Fishbone]

Mahalo for your kind words @cr8tiv1!

 

Oh how I miss those gorgeous Hawaiian sunsets from the west side! 

 

 

[cr8tiv1]

Did you see this Air BnB?  A little bit of Hawaii.  Folks that run it are from Molokai.  They also have a fish processing company.  Freezes the fish and you take home.  Guess that wouldn't work for you on this trip.  But, if you ever make it back!  You never know when you are going to run into someone from Hawaii.  

 

[Fishbone]

@cr8tiv1 Nice! There’s nothing better than a little more Aloha in our life!

[Stealthdog]

On 6/3/2023 at 10:44 AM, Fishbone said:

 

@Stealthdog I'm anxiously awaiting your post! And since you offered ... I'd love to know what movies are playing on the big screen & if hot chocolate is available for free on lido!  

Your photos looks amazing - can’t wait for our Denali part!  Your own adventure looks like alot of fun and you are having a great time!

 

Wanted to update you so you can start planning.  There are free hot chocolates on deck - I saw crew handing them out a few times.  I’m not sure if they are up there everyday, but on the scenic cruising days hot chocolates are there.

 

You can also get flannel wraps to wear while on deck - pick them up where you also get towels for the pools/hot tubs.

 

They are showing 1-3 movies per day on the big screens. I posted the daily patters/events on my thread so you see which days had which movies - your sailing may go in reverse order and even mix up the movies being shown.

 

Ive been cold almost every day on the ship.  With you getting accustomed to the colder weather in Alaska pre cruise hopefully you are already adjusted.  Even so, when outside on deck you will want to layer.

Edited June 16, 2023 by Stealthdog

[gottagoacruzn]

Hey Fishbone, 1 more nite to go, then its off to the wild blue yonder, oh do try to have a good time!! Will be thinkin of ya, an take pictures.

[Fishbone]

@Stealthdog Thanks so much, JC! Appreciate the information! I've been reading along & hope you & Eric have had a fantastic cruise! I imagine that you're all packed up & ready to get off the ship. Enjoy your last night! Drink a glass of champagne for me & know that tomorrow I will be thinking of you as you disembark & we embark! Enjoy Denali! Safe travels back home!  

[Fishbone]

@gottagoacruzn Thank you! I am so ready for this part of our trip!

[Fishbone]

Somehow, I've fallen behind. Let's see if I can catch up before we embark on our cruise tomorrow! I just took an hour long shower & am now sitting w/ my feet up in a comfy chair by the window of our hotel room on the 10th floor overlooking Knik Arm. The sun is still very high. I asked my husband to go buy me a little bottle of champagne from the hotel lobby, but he said he's "too tired". I bet he wouldn't be "too tired" if I asked him if he wanted to go fishing! Sigh.

[Fishbone]

Day 8 – Wed Jun 14 (41’ at 10PM)

 

Greetings from Whittier, Alaska!

 

This morning, we stopped by the Fishing Hole in Homer for one last look. We pulled in next to a white truck w/ large black trash bags in the bed. We jokingly questioned the contents. My husband laughed & said the bags were moving. It was all very funny until we noticed a red tag on one of the bags. It was labeled: DEAD. Clearly we’ve watched one too many episodes of Forensic Files ‘cause my husband threw it into reverse & said our time in Homer was officially over. 🤪

 

Bagel Shop! I’d never had a bagel (or even heard of bagels) until I was in high school. After gym class one day, a girl threw up in the sink. “What the heck did you eat?”, I asked, peering disgustingly at the chunks of bread that she had regurgitated. “A bagel,” she responded through tears.

 

Despite our terrible introduction, I’ve grown to love bagels, especially poppy seed bagels! The more, the merrier!

 

The Bagel Shop was very nice! Warm & cozy! Umami Lox on poppy seed for me. Surf ‘n Turf on multigrain for my husband. Cream cheese on poppy seed & a hot chocolate w/ whipped cream for Colt.

 

Sterling Highway! After breakfast, we hit the road. About 5 minutes out of Homer, my husband proclaimed that he was sleepy (didn’t we just wake up?), so I drove us across the Kenai Peninsula en route to Whittier. We made a few stops along the way, but mostly we just focused on gettin’ to where we’ were gettin’.

 

We passed a tackle store near Cooper Landing & suddenly my husband wasn’t so sleepy anymore. Sigh. I stopped & the guys bought a few flies (despite not being fly fishermen). The flies are super cute though & look like little bugs - an ant, a bee, etc.

 

We also stopped at a post office, where we bought a box for the fishing poles. Sigh. Not sure if Princess will even allow us to take them on the ship! Double sigh.

 

Traffic in Alaska has been non-existent. We haven’t experienced any delays. The speeds are a little slower than we’re accustomed to, but the roads are also much more winding. The snow & ice must wreak havoc, as many of the roads we’ve driven on are in poor condition (pot hole after pot hole). We noticed that there are far fewer 18-wheelers to share the road with (in comparison to 75 in Florida where it’s essentially a big rig convoy 24/7). We also noticed that there’s no garbage blowin’ all around & there’s no dead animals on the sides of the highways.

 

Portage Glacier. The park rangers were a little grumpy, but I guess we all have bad days. We had hoped to hike the Byron Glacier Trail, but it was pouring rain & freezing cold, so we stamped Colt’s NPS passport & moved along.

 

Anton Anderson Memorial (Whittier) Tunnel! We hadn’t timed it, but literally arrived about two minutes before it opened for southbound traffic. The tunnel was not as daunting as expected. Every so often, we passed a “Safe Room”, which of course resulted in discussions of alien invasions and nuclear fallout. Sigh.

 

Whittier Sign! Photo opp!

 

Anchor Inn. Sigh. It’s not as though there were many options. Similar to the Breeze Inn in Seward, we paid a 3 star “lower-48” rate for 2 star digs. There are two buildings that comprise “The Anchor Inn”: A three-story building that contains a bar/restaurant on the second floor (which is where we checked in) & a two-story building in which the motel rooms are housed (on the second floor, over the Prince William Sound Museum). $189 night.

 

Someone at the bar pointed me to the check-in desk, which was in the middle of the restaurant, inches away from a guy enjoying his dinner. About 20 minutes later, someone showed up, handed me an old-school key, & sent me on my way.

 

I must admit that I had a little panic attack upon entering the building in which the hotel rooms are located. Maybe it was more than a “little panic attack”. Maybe I’m a little homesick, very tired, super cold, & completely exhausted. Maybe it’s knowing that I’m literally trapped in this town with no way out until tomorrow. Maybe the room smells a little … a lot. It smells terrible. The room is clean, but the smell is overpowering. Much to my husband’s dismay, I opened the window. Wide. It’s in the low 40’s, but a girl has got to breathe!

 

We set out to explore Whittier & to get some fresh air.

 

Begich Towers! Almost everyone in Whittier lives in this building? Say it isn’t so! I grew up in military housing, but at least there was more than one building in which to live.

 

Whittier Creek Falls! Small falls off the side of a parking lot.  

 

Whittier Harbor! Lots of weather-beaten boats hanging tight to rusty old cleats on frayed lines.

 

Buckner Building. I have no words.   

 

Whittier Ice Cream & Pizza! Their pizza is of the flatbread variety. Hawaiian for Colt, All Meat for my husband. Pepperoni for me. Super cheesy! After we ate, I felt a lot better. The two employees manning the shop (one from Guam, one from Texas) were super friendly.

 

Back at the old Anchor Inn, the guys washed & dried another load. I’m so grateful! There’s a laundry mat right on the premises, which is convenient, but it needs “a little something” … like a disco ball, 70’s jams, old school arcade games, cupcakes, whiskey shots … anything to make the spin cycle a little more exciting.

 

The smell in the "inn" is overpowering. I texted my old German mom back home in Florida & she told me to brew some coffee. I thought it was a great idea, so I tried, but the coffee machine was broken.

 

I spent the rest of the night in front of the open window. We were literally a few yards away from the rail yard & it was fascinating to watch. They were loading all kinds of machinery onto rail cars - RVs, boats, heavy equipment, etc. Those fork lifts were pulling double duty! It was very evident that whoever was driving them was very skilled.  

 

3 more “goodnight moons” until we board the Majestic Princess! 

[Fishbone]

Day 9 – Thu Jun 15 (43° at 10PM)

 

Greetings from Seward, Alaska!

 

This morning in Whittier, we woke up early & drove over to the Phillips Cruises lot. We parked & then took a long walk, as we had plenty of time before our departure.

 

Lazy Otter Café! My son learned about instant karma & doing the right thing even when you don’t want to. We walked down to this snuggly little cafe & were greeted w/ warm smiles & a friendly welcome. As usual, the guys took a while to decide on what they wanted, but the employees were so patient & kind.

 

As we were waiting on our order, a “gentleman” who had been eating breakfast in the cafe proceeded to leave, but prior to doing so, he began to complain to the staff that his food “could have been warmer”.

 

I’m not sure what you can expect in 40’! There are icebergs floatin’ around up here!

 

As he was complaining, I noticed he left his wallet & phone on the table. I really wanted to let him leave without them, but I couldn’t bring myself to let him, so I said “Excuse me sir,” about five times while tapping him on the shoulder, but he refused to turn around or acknowledge me & walked out the door. I reluctantly resorted to a loud “Hey you! You left your wallet & phone on the table”. He finally turned around, looked at me, came back inside to pick up his stuff, & left without saying a word. Sigh.

 

We walked back to the parking lot in the rain & boarded the M/V Bravest for our day cruise. How does that song go again? “Just sit right back and you’ll hear a tale. A tale of a fateful trip. That started from this super cold port. Aboard this tiny ship.”

 

Phillips Cruises. 26 Glacier Cruise. We made it out to Harvard Glacier & marveled at the cracking ice. We witnessed a little bit of calving. Shortly thereafter, they informed us that we’d lost an engine & were headed back to shore. Thus, we missed the majority of the tour. Such is life.

 

The cruise included a “hot meal”, which consisted of “wild Alaskan smoked salmon chowder w/ oyster crackers; fresh julienne vegetable salad; multi-grain roll; a cheddar cheese snack; a fruit snack; & peppermint patty”.

 

Our assigned seats were at a tight table for six with another family of three from Detroit. They were very nice & we were fortunate to have them as our tablemates.

 

In hindsight, I should NOT have booked an expensive day cruise out of Whittier, especially since we’ll soon be boarding the Majestic Princess in all her glory! Expensive lesson learned. $641.85/3=213.95.

 

Our valuable time would have been much better spent on our own, with an extra day continuing our exploration of either Homer or Seward.  

 

After we docked, we tried to high-tail it out of Whittier, but our “release” was delayed. First, we had to wait for an incoming train. Then we had to wait for an outgoing ambulance. Once we got to the other side, we were stopped again. A rescue helicopter was hovering overhead & proceeded to land directly in front of us. The ambulance was there waiting. We counted our blessings & threw a few prayers up for all involved. Life is so short.

 

By the time we got going, I really had to pee! We stopped by the Portage Glacier Welcome Center, but it was closed. We stopped by a stand-alone bathroom on the side of the road, but it was locked. Not a porta-potty to be found. Good lord.

 

Exit Glacier Lodge! Fabulous! Super clean, all warm & cozy! And a nice bathroom! 😉

 

2 more “goodnight moons” until we board the Majestic Princess!

Edited June 17, 2023 by Fishbone

[gottagoacruzn]

8 hours ago, Fishbone said:

Somehow, I've fallen behind. Let's see if I can catch up before we embark on our cruise tomorrow! I just took an hour long shower & am now sitting w/ my feet up in a comfy chair by the window of our hotel room on the 10th floor overlooking Knik Arm. The sun is still very high. I asked my husband to go buy me a little bottle of champagne from the hotel lobby, but he said he's "too tired". I bet he wouldn't be "too tired" if I asked him if he wanted to go fishing! Sigh.

Yup, had to laugh at that!!! Being to tired from goin fishin, HA HA, whose he foolin anyway?

Virginia

[bandyttu]

8 hours ago, Fishbone said:

Day 8 – Wed Jun 14 (41’ at 10PM)

 

Greetings from Whittier, Alaska!

 

This morning, we stopped by the Fishing Hole in Homer for one last look. We pulled in next to a white truck w/ large black trash bags in the bed. We jokingly questioned the contents. My husband laughed & said the bags were moving. It was all very funny until we noticed a red tag on one of the bags. It was labeled: DEAD. Clearly we’ve watched one too many episodes of Forensic Files ‘cause my husband threw it into reverse & said our time in Homer was officially over. 🤪

 

Bagel Shop! I’d never had a bagel (or even heard of bagels) until I was in high school. After gym class one day, a girl threw up in the sink. “What the heck did you eat?”, I asked, peering disgustingly at the chunks of bread that she had regurgitated. “A bagel,” she responded through tears.

 

Despite our terrible introduction, I’ve grown to love bagels, especially poppy seed bagels! The more, the merrier!

 

The Bagel Shop was very nice! Warm & cozy! Umami Lox on poppy seed for me. Surf ‘n Turf on multigrain for my husband. Cream cheese on poppy seed & a hot chocolate w/ whipped cream for Colt.

 

Sterling Highway! After breakfast, we hit the road. About 5 minutes out of Homer, my husband proclaimed that he was sleepy (didn’t we just wake up?), so I drove us across the Kenai Peninsula en route to Whittier. We made a few stops along the way, but mostly we just focused on gettin’ to where we’ were gettin’.

 

We passed a tackle store near Cooper Landing & suddenly my husband wasn’t so sleepy anymore. Sigh. I stopped & the guys bought a few flies (despite not being fly fishermen). The flies are super cute though & look like little bugs - an ant, a bee, etc.

 

We also stopped at a post office, where we bought a box for the fishing poles. Sigh. Not sure if Princess will even allow us to take them on the ship! Double sigh.

 

Traffic in Alaska has been non-existent. We haven’t experienced any delays. The speeds are a little slower than we’re accustomed to, but the roads are also much more winding. The snow & ice must wreak havoc, as many of the roads we’ve driven on are in poor condition (pot hole after pot hole). We noticed that there are far fewer 18-wheelers to share the road with (in comparison to 75 in Florida where it’s essentially a big rig convoy 24/7). We also noticed that there’s no garbage blowin’ all around & there’s no dead animals on the sides of the highways.

 

Portage Glacier. The park rangers were a little grumpy, but I guess we all have bad days. We had hoped to hike the Byron Glacier Trail, but it was pouring rain & freezing cold, so we stamped Colt’s NPS passport & moved along.

 

Anton Anderson Memorial (Whittier) Tunnel! We hadn’t timed it, but literally arrived about two minutes before it opened for southbound traffic. The tunnel was not as daunting as expected. Every so often, we passed a “Safe Room”, which of course resulted in discussions of alien invasions and nuclear fallout. Sigh.

 

Whittier Sign! Photo opp!

 

Anchor Inn. Sigh. It’s not as though there were many options. Similar to the Breeze Inn in Seward, we paid a 3 star “lower-48” rate for 2 star digs. There are two buildings that comprise “The Anchor Inn”: A three-story building that contains a bar/restaurant on the second floor (which is where we checked in) & a two-story building in which the motel rooms are housed (on the second floor, over the Prince William Sound Museum). $189 night.

 

Someone at the bar pointed me to the check-in desk, which was in the middle of the restaurant, inches away from a guy enjoying his dinner. About 20 minutes later, someone showed up, handed me an old-school key, & sent me on my way.

 

I must admit that I had a little panic attack upon entering the building in which the hotel rooms are located. Maybe it was more than a “little panic attack”. Maybe I’m a little homesick, very tired, super cold, & completely exhausted. Maybe it’s knowing that I’m literally trapped in this town with no way out until tomorrow. Maybe the room smells a little … a lot. It smells terrible. The room is clean, but the smell is overpowering. Much to my husband’s dismay, I opened the window. Wide. It’s in the low 40’s, but a girl has got to breathe!

 

We set out to explore Whittier & to get some fresh air.

 

Begich Towers! Almost everyone in Whittier lives in this building? Say it isn’t so! I grew up in military housing, but at least there was more than one building in which to live.

 

Whittier Creek Falls! Small falls off the side of a parking lot.  

 

Whittier Harbor! Lots of weather-beaten boats hanging tight to rusty old cleats on frayed lines.

 

Buckner Building. I have no words.   

 

Whittier Ice Cream & Pizza! Their pizza is of the flatbread variety. Hawaiian for Colt, All Meat for my husband. Pepperoni for me. Super cheesy! After we ate, I felt a lot better. The two employees manning the shop (one from Guam, one from Texas) were super friendly.

 

Back at the old Anchor Inn, the guys washed & dried another load. I’m so grateful! There’s a laundry mat right on the premises, which is convenient, but it needs “a little something” … like a disco ball, 70’s jams, old school arcade games, cupcakes, whiskey shots … anything to make the spin cycle a little more exciting.

 

The smell in the "inn" is overpowering. I texted my old German mom back home in Florida & she told me to brew some coffee. I thought it was a great idea, so I tried, but the coffee machine was broken.

 

I spent the rest of the night in front of the open window. We were literally a few yards away from the rail yard & it was fascinating to watch. They were loading all kinds of machinery onto rail cars - RVs, boats, heavy equipment, etc. Those fork lifts were pulling double duty! It was very evident that whoever was driving them was very skilled.  

 

3 more “goodnight moons” until we board the Majestic Princess! 

I felt this way about our hotel in Anchorage last night. We had spent the last few days in Minneapolis doing a "land tour" for my son. He loves prince, so we did that jaunt first. 

Decided to save some money on our one night in Anchorage. 

Arrived to the Chelsea Inn. We contemplated going back and sleeping on the floor at the airport! But at least the room didn't smell thanks to the air fresheners they had hanging on the fan. Can't wait to get on the boat!! 

[gottagoacruzn]

Hey Fishbone, I live in Whittier Ca, an you're also in Whittier, ak. We got somethin in common.

[Fishbone]

3 hours ago, bandyttu said:

I felt this way about our hotel in Anchorage last night. We had spent the last few days in Minneapolis doing a "land tour" for my son. He loves prince, so we did that jaunt first. 

Decided to save some money on our one night in Anchorage. 

Arrived to the Chelsea Inn. We contemplated going back and sleeping on the floor at the airport! But at least the room didn't smell thanks to the air fresheners they had hanging on the fan. Can't wait to get on the boat!! 

@bandyttu This made me laugh out loud! At least they made an attempt! 🤣

[cr8tiv1]

3 hours ago, gottagoacruzn said:

Hey Fishbone, I live in Whittier Ca, an you're also in Whittier, ak. We got somethin in common.

 

I went to Whittier College.  May I join the club?

 

Aloha @Fishbone.  It is a special talent to be able to bring such humor to one's writing.  I am enjoying your travel log.  Not to be a spoiler, but your Majestic cruise will be so tame compared to the adventures you, DH, and Colt have experienced.  

 

Hopefully, Alaska, the last wild frontier, will provide you with some excitement off the ship.  

 

Just think:

You can take as long as you want in the shower.  There will be continuous hot water.

Cabins are smell proofed.  No worries about unpleasant odors (unless your toilet backs up).

No fishing for your meals.  

 

Looking forward to the next chapter.

Edited June 17, 2023 by cr8tiv1

[gottagoacruzn]

Of course you can!!! Yup, the cruise will seem very tame, an ya don't have to cook your own meals.

[minniegidget]

So what did you do with the fish that they caught?

 

[Fishbone]

18 hours ago, minniegidget said:

So what did you do with the fish that they caught?

 

 

@minniegidget The guys "catch & release" on all of our vacations. They literally go fishing once a week back home (kayak or boat). A girl can only handle so much fish guts. Not on vacation! Sometimes, we give the fish to locals. My husband once caught a Pompano in Pensacola & the people next to us flipped out when we released him. 🤣 

[Fishbone]

Day 10 – Fri Jun 16 (46° at 10PM)

 

Greetings from Anchorage, Alaska! We spent the morning in Seward, as we had rescheduled our day cruise from there a few days ago due to terrible weather.

 

Lighthouse Cafe & Bakery! A chocolate donut with sprinkles for Colt. Oatmeal for my husband. A raspberry bear claw & a Dr Pepper from the fountain for me.

 

Kenai Fjords 6 hour National Park Tour. We had high hopes for today, considering that yesterday’s day cruise was a total bust. We didn’t break down, but the cruise was meh. We were fortunate to find a window seat together upon boarding (seats were not assigned). Many families were forced to sit apart. We shared a table for six w/ a mother/daughter who were very nice.

 

The cruise itself wasn’t what I imagined & was literally just a drive from Point A to Point B & back. We saw a little wildlife, but have seen much more on our own on land.

 

Unfortunately, many people were sick & they were handing out vomit bags non-stop.

 

Perhaps these day tours are a good value for people from states that are landlocked. Or for those who have never cruised. In hindsight, we would have saved a whole lot of money by not taking these little day cruises & had a much more enjoyable time exploring Alaska on foot (especially Seward & Homer). But you never know until you try! Now that we’ve tried it, we know that they are not a good value for us.

 

Our day-cruise included a small lunch: chicken wrap, chips, granola bar, & cookie. I knew that wouldn’t be enough for the guys, so I brought extra snacks. I’m sure that anyone w/ a super athletic 13-year old teenager can sympathize. He’s constantly hungry. And note that he constantly eats. Please don’t tell me to “Give that boy a hamburger!”, ‘cause he probably just ate two. Mind your business. 🍔

 

After our cruise, we got gas, stocked up on essentials (cold drinks & a warm salted pretzel) & headed to Anchorage.

 

Wee B’s! A hamburger joint w/ greasy burgers, shakes, & arcade games (which I previously noticed in images posted online). When we got there, I handed the guys a bunch of quarters & instantly moved up the ranks for “mom of the year”.

 

6^th & H Street Garage via Easy Park Alaska! We parked in this public garage diagonally across from the hotel. Easy, safe, & cheap. $1.25 per hour.

 

Marriott Anchorage Downtown! Special “friends & family rate” for “doubles”. We opted to stay in the room for the rest of the night. I think our travels have caught up with us & we’re all very tired. And cold. It’s not “layer up & you’ll be fine” weather. It’s cold. Very very cold.

 

Out of the two Marriott properties (Marriott Anchorage Downtown vs Sheraton Anchorage Resort & Spa) the Marriott Anchorage Downtown is far superior. Rooms were very modern & well appointed.

 

1 more “goodnight moon” until we board the Majestic Princess! Wait … what? Yipee!

[Fishbone]

Day 11 – Sat Jun 17: Part 1/3

 

Greetings from Whittier, Alaska!

 

This morning in Anchorage, we woke up early & ate breakfast in the room. We didn’t want to take any food on board the ship, so we gobbled up a random assortment of leftovers from our week on the road (box of cereal, granola bars, etc).

 

Budget! We returned our rental to the airport w/ no issues & then walked over to the terminal for our pre-arranged transfer.

 

While we were standing in the terminal, a lady came down the escalator carrying a tube. My husband laughed & said "Look, there's someone else who has a tube just like ours!". Except it wasn't "someone else's tube. It was ours! We accidentally left it at the rental counter. I'm not sure how we forgot it, considering that it's a massive tube that my husband bought at a UPS Store in Anchorage in which to transport his fishing poles.

 

Starbucks! Breakfast sandwiches for the guys & a slice of lemon pound cake for me. Two lemonades to share.

 

Alaska Cruise Transportation (ACT Big Bus)! I had originally planned to book a transfer from Anchorage to Whittier via Princess, but there were no details provided on the website in terms of specifically what that entailed & I’m a detail kind of girl! After hours of research, I surmised that we would first be transferred from the airport to the Egan Convention Center in Anchorage, before continuing on to Whittier.

 

I’m not sure if my understanding was correct, but nevertheless, I wanted a direct transfer, not one w/ a stop-over (of an undermined length). Thus, I booked us on the ACT Big Bus. Cheap, quick, & easy. $157.29/3= $52.43.

 

We’d already driven the route in our rental car, so it was hard to justify the cost of the train, although it sounded fun. When Colt was little, he loved two things w/ a passion: trains & Curious George. Thus, for his 5^th birthday, we took an Amtrak train from Palatka, Florida to New York City! What an adventure! Where did all the time go?

 

The ACT Big Bus picked us up from the airport at 10:00AM & we arrived in Whittier before the train. Our seats were

next to the bathroom which had a big sign that read “Emergency Use Only”. I guess a lot of people had an emergency. I didn’t get too irritated ‘cause when you’ve got to pee, you’ve got to pee.

 

Because we had already spent a night in Whittier, we didn’t mosey around. Instead, we headed directly to the massive ship (which towered over the harbor) to board the beautiful Majestic Princess! Road trips are fun, but now it’s time for the guys to spoil ME! ME! ME!

 

Seward Cruise Ship Terminal. The Majestic Princess appears to be the only ship in port. Not really sure if tiny little Whittier can handle more than one cruise ship at a time?        

 

Embarkation! It was easy & we had no issues. Well, we did get asked "What's in the tube?" over & over again. The lines were incredibly short (unlike any of the terminals in Florida) & I think we must have also arrived in advance of those coming via Princess transfers, including the train. Yay! I had paid for everything & had registered everyone online in advance, so we sailed through. We used our passports as identification.

 

Ocean Medallion App. I downloaded the app in advance. I’m fairly technologically “savvy”. Shoot, I still vividly remember the day my first PC, a Gateway, was delivered in a box disguised as a Holstein! And the day I installed the After Dark screensaver from a floppy disk so that toasters would fly across my screen. Those were the days! Unfortunately, a lot of the recently touted “technological advancements,” are BURDENSOME!

 

I can’t check my work email anymore w/out first authenticating who I am via the DUO app; I can’t get a simple signature on a PDF anymore w/out going through DocuSign; & we recently gave up our Walt Disney World Florida Resident annual passes (that we’d previously renewed for years) because I can’t ride Space Mountain anymore w/out pre-planning my every move around the Kingdom on the My Disney Experience Sucks app! Sigh. 

 

Ocean Medallions! They function kind of like Disney’s Magic Bands, but look like Apple AirTags. I find them annoying & intrusive. You can pay to have them shipped to you in advance of your cruise (why?), or you can pick them up at embarkation like we did. They come w/ a lanyard to wear around your neck, but I brought along three AirTag bands that I bought on Amazon so that we can wear them on our wrists. …

[Tyskie]

9 hours ago, Fishbone said:

 

Ocean Medallions! You can pay to have them shipped to you in advance of your cruise (why?), or you can pick them up at embarkation like we did. 

 

They used to ship them to you for free - pay is something new since ?maybe March (we were on Enchanted in February 2023 & it was free). 

 

When they first were launched, I thought I would hate them but after multiple cruises I love them!  Great for having a Cappuccino delivered to your cabin pipping hot! (hint)

 

btw:  great blog - great to look back on the memories!

 

 

 

Edited June 19, 2023 by Tyskie

[Fishbone]

Day 11 – Sat Jun 17: Part 2/3

 

Majestic Princess! Love! Exciting & new! We’re all set to sail on a 7-night southbound Alaskan-cruise in a “deluxe balcony obstructed” cabin. Cruise fare (includes taxes, fees, & port expenses) - onboard credit: $3595.00-300.00=$3295.00/3=$1098.33 per person.

 

Sat 06/17: Whittier; 8:30PM

Sun 06/18: Hubbard Glacier Scenic Cruising; 3:00PM-8:00PM

Mon 06/19: Glacier Bay National Park Scenic Cruising; 9:15AM-7:30PM

Tue 06/20: Icy Strait Point (Hoonah); 6:00AM-7:00PM

Wed 06/21: Juneau; 6:30AM–5:00PM

Thu 06/22: Ketchikan; 10:00AM-6:00PM

Fri 06/23: At Sea

Sat 06/24: Vancouver; 7:30AM

 

They rolled out the red carpet & we were welcomed aboard with pomp & circumstance. Now that the formalities are out of the way … it’s time to eat! We headed directly to the Lido for a light lunch.

 

Horizon Court (World Fresh Marketplace)! There was an ample assortment of delicious food. My husband wasn’t very hungry, but Colt & I gobbled up a little grub.

 

My most favorite treat on all the ships I’ve ever sailed on was at the old Fish & Chips on Carnival’s Conquest-class ships: Ahi Tuna on Watermelon. Sadly, both the Fish & Chips spot & my beloved little squares of perfection are no more.

 

After lunch, we followed the yellow brick road to the Emerald Deck!

 

Deluxe (boujee) “Stateroom”! It’s technically an obstructed view cabin, but there’s really no “obstruction” in terms of a life boat, etc. Instead of a balcony “wall” made of glass, the hull of the ship serves as the “wall”.

 

Because of our room’s location near the front of the ship, the balcony itself is about three times that of a normal balcony, providing more than enough room for all of us to relax! It was an incredible bargain for an exceptional room.

 

I was worried that I wouldn’t be able to see over the rail, but it’s not an issue. When I’m out there, I bring a large couch pillow to sit on. It’s super comfy & raises me up 2-3 inches. I’m about 5’6” & think I have an excellent view.

 

Room “Stewart”! Our room steward is Ryan Bueno from the Philippines. After quick introductions, I asked him for three extra blankets. He gave me a little side eye (although my husband said I was imagining it), so I explained that we were from Florida & thus were already cold. Once Florida was mentioned, he seemed to be more sympathetic to our plight & shortly thereafter, he delivered three blankets to the cabin. Yes, I know … temps in the 60s is not COLD … if you live in Michigan. But if you live in Florida, it’s cold! Just like when ya’ll tourists come to Florida in August & loudly (& endlessly) proclaim “It’s soooo hot!” It’s all relative.  

 

Tips! We pre-paid the “crew appreciation” fee in advance. $336/3=$112 per person.

 

I don’t “tip” in advance, but depending on service, will do so at the end of the cruise. We’ve never removed the “crew appreciation” fee & we’ve never not tipped extra. Only once have we had a “Bad Stu” & we still tipped him, although in hindsight, I wish we hadn’t.

 

Despite my “Type A” label, I think I’m pretty easy-going (although the guys might disagree). For me, it’s all dependent on how nice someone is. And by nice, I don’t mean doing things for me or giving things to me – I mean just genuinely nice. In fact, we had a super nice Stu once (he was so kind to my old German mom), that we didn’t even care when we came back to the room at midnight to discover that he forgot to pull the upper bunk down. And since it was so late, we figured he was probably sleeping (or partying), so my husband figured it out. No big deal.

 

“Mustard” Drill! The muster drill has changed dramatically since our last cruise in 2019. We tried to watch the overview on my iPhone while eating lunch, but it kept glitching. We subsequently watched it in the cabin & then stopped by our muster station, where we were advised that we needed to go back & watch the overview? Wait what? We just did. He didn’t believe us, so back to the cabin we went to try again & again & again. I eventually stopped by Guest Services & told them we weren’t watching it again. They agreed & overrode the system.

 

The best muster drill I’ve ever experienced was by the “Reverend Dr E” on Carnival. Hands-down, he wins. “Man overboard, man overboard, oh my God, there’s a man overboard”.

 

Afterwards, we toured the ship from top to bottom, forward to aft, port to starboard! All 15 decks! We also stopped by the “Beach House” (the designated teen hangout) to finalize Colt’s registration.

 

Closet! The closet is a little weird – it’s primarily just an open hanging rack w/ a few small shelves off to the side. To make it easy, I positioned both of our bags on the bottom & organized our stuff accordingly: 1 bag for me & 1 bag for the guys. Clothing hung up over each respective bag.   

 

Magnetic Door! I like to affix a magnet to our door to help us quickly identify our cabin. In December, on Oahu, we parked our rental (a white Nissan sedan) in an empty spot & the guys ran inside a fishing supply store while I waited in the car. While they were inside, a white Nissan sedan pulled into the spot on my left & then another white Nissan sedan pulled into the spot on my right. When they came out of the store, Colt got into the backseat of the car on my left … put his seat belt on … & discovered that the lady in the front seat was NOT his mom! Fortunately, she was super nice about it, although Colt was super embarrassed. 

 

Sofa Bed. The sofa is currently hiding Colt’s berth. I’ve already told the room steward that once he converts it, we do not want him to switch it back – he can just leave it as a bed for the duration of our stay. The bed totally obstructs the balcony door. No worries – the guys will slide across it a la Bo & Luke Duke. Me? I’ll stop, drop & roll.

 

Blankets! In addition to the extra blankets brought to us by the room steward, I also placed warm & snuggly blankets that we brought from home on the beds. You’re probably wondering why we need so many blankets. Reminder: we’re from Florida! Plus, I hope to leave the balcony door slightly ajar overnight to hear the waves crash against the hull & to breathe in fresh air. I’ve never ever left the window open overnight in Florida. Why? Humidity, pollen, bugs, reptiles, bad guys … need I say more?

 

Stateroom Bottled Water Package! We purchased 12 (500ml) bottles of water in advance. It hasn’t arrived yet, but our steward has advised that room service will be delivering it later in the day. $7.08/12=.59 bottle. 

 

MedallionNet Internet Plan! I purchased a single-device plan in advance of boarding via the app. It’s kind of an unnecessary expense, but how else would I be able to post updates for my super old German mom? $105/7=$15 night. …