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

[Fishbone]

15 hours ago, cruisequeen4ever said:

I so enjoyed this! We live in Anchorage, so I was interested to see what you experienced. Kaladi Bros really is the best coffee here. Moose’s Tooth is the nationally famous local pizzeria. You really scored getting a Friends and Family discount at the Sheraton and Marriott as those hotels are sky high in the summer as are the other top downtown hotels. You did a great job hitting all the main spots on the Kenai Peninsula. I wouldn’t stay in Whittier as there aren’t any nice places to stay and not enough to do. I’m so sorry you took home a souvenir of Covid. 😔 Yay; enjoy your planning for next summer! You had a good idea to go later for the salmon. No 2 Alaska cruises are identical, so I’m sure you’ll have another exciting time. If you want some different ideas for land exploration, I suggest…

1) Drive north to Wasilla/Palmer to go to the Reindeer Farm where you can feed the reindeer and moose. 
2) Stay at Alyeska in Girdwood if you go south again. Hike Winner Creek Trail next to the resort, and take the tram to the top of Alyeska. Eat at Double Musky or The Bake Shop. 
3) In Anchorage, have lunch at 49th State Brewery or F Street. Both are stellar offerings of local food. Simon and Seaforts or Glacier Brewhouse are great for dinner. 
4) In Anchorage, go to the zoo to see rescued Alaskan animals. 
5) In Anchorage, tour the Alaska Native Heritage Museum for an engaging educational experience for your son. You can see what life is like for each tribe through outdoor exhibits. 
Thank you for sharing this year’s adventures, and happy planning of next year’s! 

 

Thank you so much, @cruisequeen4ever!

 

The Friends & Family rate is exceptional! I tell my brother that he owes me for all the mean things he did to me when we were little ... like the one time he hit me over the head w/ a cucumber!

 

I greatly appreciate your suggestions for next year! Those are excellent ideas! Currently, I'm planning the road trip portion for the last week of July 2024 & a southbound cruise the first week of August 2024. Do you think we'll have a good chance of seeing the salmon run? Now that I know what to expect, I'm having a great time planning!

 

It's hit 100' here in Florida for many days in a row & I just flew home from Texas, where it was even hotter ... maybe Alaska wasn't so cold after all!  

[Fishbone]

15 hours ago, AJSkarbo said:

So happy to read the rest of your journey! I was following closely as we boarded the Majestic July 15. Must be the ship, or the state as 6 our of 8 of my travelling party came down with a bug. 2 have tested positive for Flu A(negative for the vid). The rest of us are on the mend. Your posts have inspired me to take a great Alaskan roadtrip some time in retirement(14 years away) as I am jealous of your son's passport stamps. He has more than I do! Glad you are feeling better and you all had a wonderful time despite feeling ill. 

 

I hope you had a great cruise @AJSkarbo! So sorry so many of you got sick too! It did seem like the Majestic was very enclosed, which I thought was odd. Maybe it IS the ship! LOL! 

 

Don't wait to take a great Alaskan road trip! 14 years is a long time!

 

I just got back from a work trip & missed the guys terribly. While I was away, one of them fell off the ladder & also caught poison ivy. Sigh. The good news is that I had so much free time on my hands without them, that I started dreaming about not only a return trip to Alaska, but also to my beloved Hawai'i! I turn 50 next year ... it could be epic! 

[cruisequeen4ever]

1 hour ago, Fishbone said:

 

Thank you so much, @cruisequeen4ever!

 

The Friends & Family rate is exceptional! I tell my brother that he owes me for all the mean things he did to me when we were little ... like the one time he hit me over the head w/ a cucumber!

 

I greatly appreciate your suggestions for next year! Those are excellent ideas! Currently, I'm planning the road trip portion for the last week of July 2024 & a southbound cruise the first week of August 2024. Do you think we'll have a good chance of seeing the salmon run? Now that I know what to expect, I'm having a great time planning!

 

It's hit 100' here in Florida for many days in a row & I just flew home from Texas, where it was even hotter ... maybe Alaska wasn't so cold after all!  

🤣

 

I do think so. I can’t guarantee it of course, but that should be a good time. I believe the salmon start dieing off late August.  Florida is my favorite state because I love the sun and warmth and cruising! Must have AC, though! We don’t have it in AK, so when it gets in the 70s, our homes get in the 80s, and there’s very little reprieve! 
 

Have fun planning!

[quack2]

On 6/22/2023 at 12:31 PM, Fishbone said:

Day 14 - Tue Jun 20

 

Greetings from Icy Strait Point on Chichagof Island in Hoonah, Alaska!

 

We enjoyed a nice breakfast from the buffet & then headed out to explore.

 

Icy Strait Point. Our port call was from 6:00AM to 7:00PM. I’m not a fan of manufactured ports, but it’s quite nice.

 

Because of the number of ships in port, we were advised that the Majestic Princess would move out at around noon & subsequently all access to/from the ship would be via tender.

 

“Transporter”! We took a round-trip spin on the free gondola. Pretty fancy ride for such a small port.

 

Glacier Winds! At high noon, we headed over to the “excursions hub” to meet up w/ Glacier Winds for our whale-watching tour (3.5hrs). I had booked w/ this family-run company back in 2020, but had to cancel due to the onset of the pandemic. They immediately refunded my money & thus I vowed to give them my business if we ever made it to Alaska. $641.25/3=$213.75 per person

 

Not only do they provide exceptional customer service, their tour was also great. We loaded into a new van for a short drive into town, where we boarded a small catamaran (13 guests/2 crew). The boat handled the waves very well & we saw many humpback whales (moms w/ baby calves). The babies were frolicking in the waves, splashing all about. Our two crew, Casey & Kyle (the sons of the owners), were extremely knowledgeable.

 

Hoonah! After our excursion, we had intended to walk back to the port, but we were so tired! Thus, we took a few pictures & then were driven back in the van. We took a quick stroll through the shops & toured the museum.

 

Salmon Cannery Museum! Very interesting little museum. The old fish processing center was run by … women! 

 

The Cookhouse! We noshed on Halibut/Chips & a cup of Smoked Salmon Chowder. And an ice cold Dr Pepper from the fountain. Our order was served quick/hot & was delicious!

 

Afterwards, the guys skipped rocks from shore, explored the beach, and then we headed back to the ship via tender. There was no wait & the process was seamless.

 

Back on the ship, Colt headed immediately to the Beach House. My husband & I headed to dinner. Despite having just eaten, we were hungry!

 

Symphony Dining Room. Tonight, I did the unthinkable. For the first time in nineteen cruises, I wore jeans to dinner. Gasp! I was cold, tired, under the weather, & maybe (just maybe) a little bit lazy. I did throw on a sweater set & a cute pair of sandals, but nevertheless, I wore jeans. Did anyone notice? Nope. Did anyone care? Nope. I still feel guilty! 🤣

 

My husband always tells me not to ask for a specific table, because it will end up being a doozy, but do I listen? Sigh. I really wanted a table by the window. I got one, but it was next to a group of four – dressed to the nines. I felt a little subconscious in my jeans. Sadly, the tables are so close together that we heard every word they uttered & muttered. They talked about catheters (which was very unappetizing); they trashed talked their family members (which is always unfortunate); but mostly, they talked about their wealth. Not a word about Alaska. After about 15 minutes of hearing about their homes in Denver, Boulder, Aspen, Telluride … we focused on … Italian Night! “Bring it,” we said. And bring it they did! We ate too much & I staggered away ... in my jeans!

 

We explored the ship for the rest of the night, admiring all the brave souls who were bundled up on deck watching the movie. Our time on the ship really is going by very fast. I think we're gonna need another vacation very soon!     

Glacier Wind is a great company.

[aussielozzie18]

@Fishbone fabulous report of your landtrip & cruise.  Great photos too.  Thanks for sharing.  I hope you consider doing another report next year.  Going on the Majestic for the first time later this year & aiming to do a land trip of Alaska next year so your report was super helpful as were @cruisequeen4ever suggestions in her reply to you.