Our Alaska Adventure - B2B on the Diamond Princess (long)

[karatemom2]

Friday, June 19 - Vancouver - We flew to Vancouver from LAX via Air Canada and arrived right on time at about 2 p.m. It took about 30 minutes to get through the immigration process, but once that was completed we were easily able to get a taxi and were at our hotel by just after 3 p.m. We had a room reserved at the Wedgewood which I had learned of here on CC. It is a lovely, boutique hotel right in the heart of downtown within easy walking distance of Robson Street and just a short drive to Canada Place. The staff was as friendly and helpful as could be and the room was so pretty and comfortable. I would stay there again any time we visit Vancouver. My daughter and I took a walk down Robson Street while my husband and son napped. We discovered a really cute cupcake shop and bought a dozen of the mini cupcakes to take back to our room. Just one of the nice little surprises you often find unexpectedly. I surprised the family with tickets to see “Les Miserables” at the Stanley Theater. After consulting with the doorman at the Wedgewood we decided to walk to the theater, but it was a really, really long walk! I’m not sure I would do it again, but we did get to see a lot on the way. We had dinner at a fantastic Asian restaurant near the theater and then went to the play which was excellent. All in all it was a really great start to our trip.

 

Saturday, June 20 - Embarkation - It was pleasant to just sleep in and have a leisurely morning preparing to head to our cruise. We didn’t bother to eat breakfast, knowing that there was plenty of opportunity for gorging ourselves in the hours ahead. The hotel called a taxi for us and we were on our way at 11 a.m. It took only 10 minutes to get to the port and we were through the immigration and check in process in less than 30 minutes. It was so quick! And once we were through they told us we could board immediately so we were on the Diamond and in our room before noon. Our inside cabin was spacious, even with four of us and was very clean and pleasant with plenty of storage. Our room steward. George, was there to greet us and throughout the entire cruise was just wonderful. We decided to head right to the dining room for lunch and were the only people there, but they were happy to accommodate us. It wasn’t long before we were joined by a handful of other diners. By the time we finished lunch and headed back to our room, our luggage had already been delivered so I unpacked right away and we headed out to enjoy the views. We met up with our CC friends at a M & G shortly before sail away and had a chance to get to know a few of our fellow cruisers. The one thing I noted was that we did get a special letter about Norovirus precautions and the Captain took a few moments to mention the importance of hand washing prior to the safety drill due to both Noro and Flu prevention. We had heard that there was some problem on one of the cruises prior to ours so we were happy to see they were urging prevention.

 

Sunday, June 21 - Sea Day - I woke up early and decided to take a walk on deck since the family was still fast asleep. I slipped out of the room and headed up to Deck 7 and heard the naturalist speaking over the PA. The views were amazing and suddenly she was announcing that we had Orcas in sight. I ran up to the bow in time to see an Orca and her two babies. And then there was another male Orca along the Port side of the ship that we were able to watch as we passed. I felt so lucky to have walked up just at the right time. What a great way to start off a cruise! Since it was Father’s Day, my daughter and I headed to the shop and purchased a nice shirt for my husband and we proceeded to enjoy a relaxing sea day with many activities onboard.

 

Monday, June 22 - Ketchikan - We were up and off the ship early as this was our short day in Ketchikan. It was a sunny, cool morning and just a gorgeous day. We walked into town and took the funicular ride up to the Cape Fox Lodge where we had breakfast in their restaurant overlooking Ketchikan. I highly recommend the sourdough pancakes! After breakfast we walked back down via the Married Man’s Trail and visited the Deer Mountain Hatchery and Eagle Center and the Totem Heritage Center. We were able to get a wonderful view up close of two eagles who are cared for at the Center due to injuries and the tour was interesting, even though the salmon weren’t yet running. It was also very interesting viewing the very old, original totems at the center and learn more about local native culture. We also made a stop at the local Ketchikan museum at the library which has a very nice collection of local memorabilia, native artifacts and extensive local historical photos. It was a bargain at just $2 for the adults and free for the kids. Definitely worth a stop if you have the time. After that we took a walk around Creek Street and looked at the cute shops there before heading back to the ship. Considering it was a short day, we actually packed quite a lot in!

 

Tuesday, June 22 - Juneau - Today we had reserved a cruise with Adventure Bound to Tracy Arm Fjord. It was cool and rainy, but that didn’t slow us down. We headed off the ship right at 8 a.m. and took the long walk to the Adventure Bound office. It took about twenty minutes to get there, but they checked us right in and we were soon on the boat headed for Tracy Arm Fjord. It is a long ride to the fjord, but very scenic. Once we entered Tracy Arm there aren’t even enough adjectives to describe all the beauty of the sheer granite cliffs, tumbling waterfalls, lush green plant life, delicate flowers and of course blue ice everywhere you look. The captain was amazing, getting us right up to the waterfalls, so close you could touch the rock walls and feel the spray. And then as we approached Sawyer Glacier we were surrounded by ice and on many of the ice floats were harbor seals with their pups, just staring at us as we stared back at them. There was so much ice I was certain we would never get close to the glacier, but our captain forged ahead and brought us right up in front of the glacier. It was really almost otherworldly, with the glacier right in front of us and a sea of ice and little seals all around. And we stayed long enough to see some calving and truly take in all of the amazing sights and sounds. On the long trip back we were fortunate enough to also see a humpback whale and of course eagles. It was a really long day, but just so amazing. I have done many excursions, but this was truly outstanding in every way. I am so grateful our itinerary allowed us time to do this because it is something I will always remember.

 

Wednesday, June 23 - Skagway - For our day in Skagway I reserved a car with Avis. Since we had a very long day, we didn’t rush getting off the ship and had a nice breakfast before we left. It was nice to get to the Avis office and not experience a long line as we had waited for the early rush to subside. Our first stop was Dyea for the free ranger led walk at 10 a.m. Avis does not prohibit you from driving their vehicles to Dyea, but they do make it clear that you are responsible for any damage that might result to the vehicle. I paid the extra for the collision coverage and we proceeded carefully. The road is really not that bad. It is amazingly beautiful and I’m so glad we opted to go. The ranger walk through the woods where Dyea once stood is very informative and we saw lots of bear “evidence”. Apparently in one of the recent days a local brown bear was spotted three times during the morning tour so they cautioned us to all stay together and make noise, oh and to watch where we were stepping!! We didn’t see any bears, though we did deal with a real menace. The Alaska State Bird (mosquitoes) were literally everywhere and let me tell you they are huge and aggressive! Although I had repellant, I didn’t think to bring it along that morning and I regretted it. I was constantly waving and batting the darned things away and still came away with one annoying bite. My husband managed to get two bites, but fortunately my kids came away bite free. Although I highly recommend this trip out to Dyea, just be prepared with repellant if you go! After we left Dyea we took the scenic drive out to Emerald Lake with lots of stops along the way. My husband and daughter even found a patch of snow along the road big enough for a snowball fight! It was a beautiful, clear day which was nice as we had excellent visibility for all of the amazing scenery. On our way back into town we stopped at the Gold Rush Cemetery and hiked up to Lower Reid Falls which is just a short distance up from the cemetery. We returned the car and made a final stop at the National Park museum to look at the displays about the gold rush and watch the short film which is very informative and well done. After purchasing a few books at the museum we headed back for a relaxing evening on the ship.

 

Thursday, June 24 - Glacier Bay - Last time we were in Glacier Bay a couple of years ago it rained all day and was so cold you could barely stand out on deck. Our day in Glacier Bay this time was the complete opposite. It was so warm people were swimming in the outdoor pool and a few young ladies were sunning themselves in bikinis. I have to say it was actually hot! We were treated to all sorts of gorgeous views and some excellent calving action at Margerie Glacier. We spent a lot of time out on deck enjoying the views. The only problem was that I was overheating! As we left Glacier Bay and made our way through the waters around Icy Straight Point we found a large pod of humpback whales and got to enjoy some great whale action, including breaching, backs, tails, spouts and fin slapping. I am so glad we brought really good binoculars. They really made all the difference in enjoying all of the scenery and wildlife we saw from the ship.

 

Friday, June 25 - College Fjord - Today was another relaxing day of scenic cruising. We enjoyed activities around the ship and then made sure we had a good spot to enjoy our late afternoon cruise in College Fjord. I have to say that for me, College Fjord is even more impressive than Glacier Bay. There are a number of beautiful glaciers just one right after another and then at the end of the fjord is Harbor Glacier. We were so fortunate as our naturalist said that this was the closest the ship has gotten. We were literally right in front of this huge, amazing glacier that is just as beautiful and impressive as Margerie Glacier. It was awe inspiring. We also got to see a black bear roaming around up on the hillside (again, thank goodness for binoculars) and we spotted otters and harbor seals as well.

 

Saturday, June 27 - Whittier - For most this was the end of the cruise and they were headed off on land tours or home, but we were happy to be staying aboard for the second leg of our journey back to Vancouver. Our new cruise cards had already been delivered and we exited the ship easily using our old cards. We picked up our rental car from Avis and lined up at the Whittier tunnel to await our turn to drive through. Driving through the tunnel is an adventure in itself. I had no idea how long it is. After exiting the tunnel our first stop was the Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center. We enjoyed seeing the native animals like the musk ox, caribou, elk and moose. It is a very natural setting, even though the animals are behind fences, they have a wide area to roam. My only disappointment is that the bears did not come out while we were there. I was really hoping to see one of the brown bears, but they were somewhere out in the bushes during our visit. It was great to see the other animals though, especially the moose. There is also some very interesting evidence of the 1964 earthquake still visible there in the Portage area as well. We drove along Turnagain Arm all the way to Anchorage. It is truly an amazingly beautiful drive. We stopped at many of the turn offs both on the way, and on the trip back to enjoy the views. No Belugas at Beluga Point, but lots of pretty views. In Anchorage, we walked around downtown where there was a street fair going on and a weekend market where we enjoyed salmon quesadillas and funnel cakes with fresh berries. We made some purchases and visited the Alaska Experience Theater to see the Imax movie about Alaska and also the movie about the 1964 Earthquake with the virtual earthquake experience. Both were enjoyable. We had a leisurely drive back again along Turnagain arm and now the tide was out so we were able to see the miles of mud flats. You can understand why they have signs all along the way warning people to stay off of the mud. It was an amazing sight! After a brief detour through the small, scenic town of Girdwood we headed back through the tunnel and to our ship for the second half of our Alaska adventure.

 

To be continued…

[jenjens1023]

Great review. That's pretty much the way I saw the trip, too. Except I was still in my jammies when I heard about the Orcas, so I missed seeing them. It was a wonderful trip, with some great new friends (like the OP :)--we made a great trivia team!).

 

I was impressed with the ship and would definately sail the Diamond again. I agree that some of the food wasn't what I would expect from cruise cuisine, but any meal I don't have to cook is a good one!

 

Also really enjoyed the crew and the funny, friendly cd staff.

 

I'm looking forward to the second half of your review.

[vbmom87]

Thank you for a detailed and interesting report.

 

One comment about Skagway and renting a car. Although I haven't seen mention of it this year, I do remember reading last year that you should try to get to Avis early, as sometimes they overbook and if you go late, you may end up not getting a car.

 

Glad you liked Tracy Arm. It was our favorite excursion.

 

I have read of others besides yourself who liked College Fjord better than Glacier Bay. I felt differently and definitely liked Glacier Bay better. We are all different in how things affect us.

 

You had a great itinerary!!! Thanks again for reporting back/

[poolwife]

Loved your review of the first leg of your trip and are also anxiously awaiting your second report.

 

I do have a question about your Adventure Bound tour in Juneau - I don't know what you did in Juneau on your second leg yet but it sounds like you really loved this excursion. How does it compare to seeing Glacier Bay? And those College Fjords? Also, did you go see Misty Fjords while in Ketchikan on your second leg, if so, how did Tracy Arm compare to that? Thanks. I have read so many good things about this tour. I want to take it some day. We are going to Juneau on our cruise the end of August. Have been to Juneau twice already but still never went to Mendenhall glacier and waterfall or the top of Mt. Roberts tramway so I thought we would just do the simpler things this time. First time we went in 2001 it was so rainy and drizzly, we just walked around town then went back on the ship. The second time in 2005 we went whale watching then walked around town. So still never went to the Mendenhall glacier which is so close. But, yet I really want to go on that Tracy Arm Fjord trip. So hard to decide. Guess I have to save something for the next time. This will be our fourth time to Alaska and I feel like I wish we could go every year I enjoy the beauty and serenity of the surroundings so much. What I always say is that the awesomeness and majesty of the scenery is so peaceful to the psyche.

 

Anyway, glad you had such a great trip. Look forward to your next leg. Love reading any details you write.

[karatemom2]

Great review. That's pretty much the way I saw the trip, too. Except I was still in my jammies when I heard about the Orcas, so I missed seeing them. It was a wonderful trip, with some great new friends (like the OP :)--we made a great trivia team!).

 

I was impressed with the ship and would definately sail the Diamond again. I agree that some of the food wasn't what I would expect from cruise cuisine, but any meal I don't have to cook is a good one!

 

Also really enjoyed the crew and the funny, friendly cd staff.

 

I'm looking forward to the second half of your review.

 

We really were blessed with a wonderful cruise! It was so great meeting your family and I'm glad the land portion of your trip was just as great with all of the wildlife you got to see.

[karatemom2]

Thank you for a detailed and interesting report.

 

One comment about Skagway and renting a car. Although I haven't seen mention of it this year, I do remember reading last year that you should try to get to Avis early, as sometimes they overbook and if you go late, you may end up not getting a car.

 

I had heard this too so I was very specific about the pick up time when I reserved the car. We were booked to pick it up at 9 a.m. and she assured me they hold the car for an hour beyond your reservation time at which time if you haven't picked it up they can rent it to someone else. We got there around 9:20 a.m. and it was nice because there was only one person in line in front of us at that point.

[karatemom2]

Loved your review of the first leg of your trip and are also anxiously awaiting your second report.

 

I do have a question about your Adventure Bound tour in Juneau - I don't know what you did in Juneau on your second leg yet but it sounds like you really loved this excursion. How does it compare to seeing Glacier Bay? And those College Fjords? Also, did you go see Misty Fjords while in Ketchikan on your second leg, if so, how did Tracy Arm compare to that?

 

While College Fjord and Glacier Bay were both really beautiful, I have to say that seeing Tracy Arm Fjord in the small boat was so superior. You are so up close and personal with everything around you. That's just not possible from a big cruise ship, so even though we totally enjoyed our scenic cruising on the ship, the small boat experience really was not to be missed. I have heard the Misty Fjords is beautiful as well. We didn't do that this trip, but maybe someday. I would totally encourage you to do Adventure Bound someday when you get the chance.

[poolwife]

Nice you are online tonight. What did you do in Juneau on your second leg? Guess I am antsy for your second leg review.

[Putterdude]

Wow, Mary, I can't believe that you walked from the Wedgewood to the Stanley but good on you. Will look forward to the second chapter of your review. Did miss your wave though.;)

[Budget Queen]

[

 

Friday, June 25 - College Fjord -There are a number of beautiful glaciers just one right after another and then at the end of the fjord is Harbor Glacier.

 

QUOTE]

 

For clairfication it is Harvard Glacier. ("colleges")

[karatemom2]

Our Adventure Continues…

 

Sunday, June 28 - College Fjord - Our second leg of the cruise started with scenic cruising through College Fjord bright and early with the viewing time from 6 a.m. to 9 a.m. Since we had been fortunate enough to have such excellent views on our previous day in College Fjord I didn’t feel pressured to be up at the crack of dawn, but I did make a point of heading up on deck be 7:30 a.m. to get another view of Harvard Glacier (thanks Budget Queen, I misunderstood the naturalist). It was sunny, but quite cold at that hour and we were unable to get anywhere near as close as we had on our previous week, but it was still an impressive site. It was nice to be able to see it at a different time of day. The naturalist spotted two moose on the shore while we were near the glacier, but try as I might I could not find them. She commented that it was the first time she had ever spotted moose from the ship. Even after we left College Fjord the scenery continued to be magnificent and we enjoyed another relaxing day on the ship capped off by our victory in the Princess Jeopardized Trivia contest that evening.

 

Monday, June 29 - Glacier Bay - Today we were back in Glacier Bay and it was still a nice day, but definitely a bit cooler and mistier than the previous week. Where we had easily seen the mountain peaks the week before, this day most were shrouded in mist. It gave it a lovely, but different look which was nice. My daughter was not feeling well, so we spent most of the day relaxing around the ship and later in the afternoon we took advantage of the fact we were in the park late that evening to sit up in the buffet at one of the large windows just playing cards, listening to the ranger’s commentary and watching the scenery go by. We were able to get an especially nice view of Lumplugh glacier in John Hopkins Inlet in the late afternoon light which gave it a totally different look. One great advantage of the two different itineraries is that you get to see things at different times of day and under different conditions, so it gives you another perspective. I honestly could never get bored of just looking at the scene unfolding in front of me, even if I had seen it before.

 

Tuesday, June 30 - Skagway - I’m a planner by nature, but even the best of plans have to change sometimes and that’s not always a bad thing as I discovered on our second day in Skagway. This was to have been our big trip by ferry to Haines for a day of site seeing there. I had our ferry reservations pre-booked and confirmed and we were scheduled to be on the 8 a.m. ferry. Unfortunately my daughter was still not feeling well and had developed a minor fever. The people at the Haines Fast Ferry couldn’t have been nicer. They kindly cancelled my reservation and issued a full refund minus a small cancellation fee. It will have to be on our list for our next visit. A visit to the ship’s medical center confirmed my suspicion that she had a UTI and needed an antibiotic. Fortunately like most kids, she is quite resilient and by midmorning after drinking lots of water, starting her antibiotic and getting a little Motrin she was feeling better. Even though the trip over to Haines was not going to happen, we still were able to salvage the day. The ship’s physician had said as long as she was feeling up to it there were no restrictions on her activity so once she perked up we headed into Skagway and had a chance to explore. Our day the week before had been so full, we really didn’t get a chance to see the town so it was nice to walk around and see all of the historic buildings. We visited the Corrington Museum and shop which has some very interesting items and we also enjoyed a visit to the Skagway Museum and Archives. I happened to remember that one of the things on my list of things to do in Skagway was the “Days of ‘98” show and since our timing was perfect to make the 2:30 p.m. show we bought our tickets and got front row seats before the tour arrived. It was really entertaining and my daughter thoroughly enjoyed it. She had been feeling bad about causing our change of plans, but it turned out to be such a fun day that we decided it was all meant to be. We were back on board early enough to catch the show by a local entertainer that Princess brought on board before we left. His name is Steve Hite and he sings songs, recites poetry and tells stories about the history of Alaska and the gold rush. He is very entertaining and we were all glad we made it back in time to enjoy his show.

 

Wednesday, July 1 - Juneau - This was our short day in Juneau so we had planned to explore the town and take the Mount Roberts Tramway up the mountain, but the day was cold and rainy and the mountain was shrouded in fog so we opted to forgo that plan. I tend to push my family pretty hard on port days, so I decided to let them off the hook and they stayed on the ship while I headed into town to do a little shopping. I love tea and try to collect a teacup and saucer to add to my collection on every trip and I found a really pretty cup and saucer at the Russian store before completing my shopping and heading back to the ship. A couple of reasons the family really wanted to stay close to the ship today was because of some special events onboard. In honor of Independence Day, Princess arranged a special viewing of one of only a few original copies of the Declaration of Independence in the atrium from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. My son is a huge history buff and he didn’t want to miss the opportunity to see this document. It was an impressive display with a huge American flag behind the framed document and gentleman dressed on colonial garb standing guard. Also, Libby Riddles came aboard to give a talk at 2 p.m. about her life in Alaska, raising sled dogs and winning the Iditarod. I barely made it back in time and missed the beginning of her film, but the rest of the family got to see the entire presentation and it was a big highlight for all of us. She is really an exceptional woman. My daughter was able to talk with her and we bought one of her books which she autographed. So even though our plans changed a bit once again, it was another very wonderful day.

 

Thursday, July 2 - Ketchikan - I was very excited to be back in Ketchikan. Since we had a short day there the week before we concentrated on things close to the ship, but today we had a full day and I was eager to get outside of town and see the scenery. We rented a car from Alaska Car Rental and they were great. They picked us up at the ship and upgraded us to an SUV which my 6’7” husband and 6’4” son greatly appreciated. They also gave some good advice about places to explore. We headed first to Ward Lake and did the scenic hike all the way around the lake which takes about an hour if you really take time to enjoy the beauty. We saw two families of ducks with their ducklings and we saw salmon jumping. It’s still early in the season, so we were really happy to see the salmon. Next we headed to Settler’s Cove to view the waterfall there and hike down the trail to the beach. Now it was time to set out in the other direction, so we stopped and picked up some sandwiches, chips and sodas at a local market and after a picnic at the beach, we headed to Herring Bay where we parked in a little inlet where the creek runs down to the beach. It was recommended as being a great place to view salmon, eagles and black bears. And we hit the jackpot. There were eagles everywhere, with a large number of juvenile eagles still developing their colors. And within minutes of arriving, my daughter called out “Bear” and there across the creek was a small black bear loping across with a salmon in its mouth. It disappeared for a short time in the high grass, but soon reappeared crossed the stream and headed up to the waterfall on the other side where it proceeded to catch another salmon before our eyes and then head off. As we were watching a few hardy salmon heading upstream and waiting for our little bear to reappear I heard my son yell “Bear” and in the opposite direction, from the mouth of the creek another very large black bear appeared walking upstream and we watched him for quite some time before we had to reluctantly make our way back to the ship. It was about as perfect a day as one could ask for in Alaska!

 

Friday, July 3 - Sea Day - We knew it was coming as it does on every cruise, but the last full day aboard is always bittersweet. We had a great trip and were ready to head home, but it’s always hard to say goodbye so we made the most of our last day onboard, playing trivia, seeing our daughter in the kid’s talent show, last minute shopping, and once again sitting in our favorite spot and enjoying the scenery of the Inside Passage on the way to Vancouver where we spotted some whales, seals, eagles and even some dolphins. It was a lovely way to end our trip.

 

Saturday, July 4 - Debarkation and Heading Home - Remember when I said how wonderful and easy embarkation was? Well, I should have known that it couldn’t be that easy both ways. Actually getting off the ship was the easy part. We had a nice breakfast in the dining room and then got to enjoy the amenities of the Captain’s Circle lounge for the first time as newly minted Platinum Members. Since our flight home was not until 7 p.m., I had reserved a rental car at the Alamo located in the Pan Pacific Hotel right at the port so we could do some exploring and then turn it in at the airport. Unfortunately, after pushing our luggage all the way over to the Pan Pacific so I could run in and collect our keys we discovered that the elevator down to the parking garage where the car was located was back at the terminal we had just exited. So, like salmon swimming upstream we had to fight our way back with luggage falling off our cart and my husband looking increasingly stressed until we finally reached the elevator that took us down to our car. At that point we were all a bit frazzled, but we tried to make the best of it and see a bit more of Vancouver before heading home. We drove through Gastown and saw the Steam Clock and then headed over to Granville Island and Kitsilano Beach where we took a walk along the shore and watched a big flotilla of small sailboats that looked like they were competing in a race. We managed to find our way back to Stanley Park and we took a leisurely drive around the park, seeing the totems and seeing all the scenic views. We toyed with the idea of visiting the Aquarium, but the wait to get in was really long so we forged on. After another visit to my daughter’s favorite spot in Vancouver - the cupcake shop - for another dozen mini-cupcakes for the road, we headed for the airport. I must say that the Vancouver Airport is one of the nicest airports I have visited. We still had a couple of hours until our flight, but we enjoyed the nice variety of shops and dining options. Before we knew it was time to board. Our plane was in place and ready to go and we even actually watched our luggage roll up the conveyor belt. But something important was still missing… our pilots. They were delayed coming in and still were clearing customs, so there would be nearly a one hour delay. Oh well, it happens. We finally boarded the plane, and were kindly greeted by the flight staff only to discover that because of the flight delay the current flight staff was going to exceed the legal limit in flying time so we had to wait for a new flight crew. OK, well at least we were on the plane. Finally the new flight crew arrived and we were ready to go. But wait, the ground crew left and we have to wait for them to return. At this point an angry mob mentality was starting to develop, but it was quickly assuaged by the promise of free snacks and liquor!! Hurray, the ground crew is here we are finally in the air after a two and a half hour delay. And while I’m annoyed that my family will now get home at 3 a.m., I enjoy my free Pringles and Rum and Diet Coke while reflecting on a wonderful two weeks in beautiful Alaska.

[poolwife]

Thank you for all the time you spent writing your reviews. When I saw you wrote your second leg, I went and got my breakfast, brought it to my computer and settled in for a good read. So, nice you still had great days when plans changed and made the best of the changes.

 

Where are you all from? How old are your kids? Did they not mind staying on the ship for 2 weeks?

 

I can picture loving to take a two week back to back cruise to Alaska or maybe better two different ones back to back on different cruise lines that have different itineraries such as one that goes to Glacier Bay and the other to Hubbard Glacier.

 

We sail on August 28 which is our 3rd cruise to Alaska and our first time going northbound. My husband could take it or leave it - he always just says to put him on a cruise and he is happy. Where I could cruise Alaska every year. I do have to cruise warmer weather ports to please him also, but I do watch what months I pick to make sure the amount of humidity is as low as possible. I hate that humidity.

[karatemom2]

Wow, Mary, I can't believe that you walked from the Wedgewood to the Stanley but good on you. Will look forward to the second chapter of your review. Did miss your wave though.;)

 

So I wasn't imagining it! It really is a long walk. I have to confess we did opt for a taxi back after the play.

 

Sorry you missed my wave, but we did drink a toast to you on Canada Day!!

[karatemom2]

 

Where are you all from? How old are your kids? Did they not mind staying on the ship for 2 weeks?

 

I can picture loving to take a two week back to back cruise to Alaska or maybe better two different ones back to back on different cruise lines that have different itineraries such as one that goes to Glacier Bay and the other to Hubbard Glacier.

 

 

 

Poolwife I just noticed you are from Thousand Oaks. We are practically neighbors. We live in Oxnard.

 

My kids are veteran cruisers now and they love it. I think they would happily live on a ship! My son is 15 and my daughter is 9 (almost 10). They really have a wonderful time on our cruises and we have found it's a great family vacation. I love your idea of trying B2B on different lines. I might have to think about that for next summer!

[poolwife]

Wow! Mary that is a wild coincidence that you live so close by. so there are other cruise addicts in my area.

[plenox]

excellent review. thank you

[eyedocdanita]

Great review- I'm another excited Thousand Oaks resident going on our first Alaska cruise with my 12 year old and 19 year old.

[karatemom2]

Great review- I'm another excited Thousand Oaks resident going on our first Alaska cruise with my 12 year old and 19 year old.

 

You and your kids will love it. We live in a really beautiful place as you know so our kids can be hard to impress, but nothing compares to Alaska. I asked my two last night what destination they preferred, Hawaii or Alaska, and they both did not hesitate to say that Alaska is their favorite. It is just so different from Southern California that I think they really have an appreciation for how special it is. Have a great cruise!

[CandCrew]

Great review . . . and now I'm positively chomping at the bit, ready to leave NOW for our July 25 SB cruise! Quick question . . . where did you go for viewing in College Fjord and Glacier Bay (and were those areas crowded)? I'm planning on scoping the ship out once we get on board but would be delighted if we can find a less known about spot (and hence much less crowded). TIA!

[karatemom2]

Connie one of the great things about the Diamond is that it is so large it seems roomy even when there are a lot of people on deck. Some of our favorite areas for viewing included:

 

Deck 7 - Bow area. As you walk toward the bow on deck 7 (Promenade) you will see stairs that will take you up to the bow. There would always be some people there, but it was never crowded. It offered amazing views from the front of the ship.

 

Deck 14 - Indoor Pool. There are full length windows all around, but it was protected from the wind and cold so we would get a table and sit there and snack or play cards while watching the scenery. There are stairs up to deck 15 right there and you can run up and outside quickly if wildlife is spotted.

 

Far Aft Buffet - Another spot we enjoyed was the far aft area of the buffet. It was never crowded back there. We would get the very back table and sit right by the window. It's an easy exit to the aft deck for outdoor viewing as there is a back door there and the aft bar is right there for drinks.

 

Have a great time. I will look forward to your report!

[Bucky3]

Hi Mary - We met you on the Dawn Princess in Alaska a couple of years ago! Just came across your review of this year's trip. Great information and how lucky you were to see those bears while touring Ketchikan! Really loved your description of the Tracy Arm small boat cruise. That is such a beautiful place, and next time we go I want to make sure we're in Juneau long enough to take that excursion. We've done the Misty Fjords small boat from Ketchikan and absolutely loved it. Once there, we thought it was like what Yosemite would be if the valley were a lake!! Gorgeous!

 

Bobbie

[karatemom2]

Hi Bobbie - Of course we remember you! The Dawn Princess cruise to Alaska was our first Princess cruise and our first time in Alaska so we remember it very fondly. Are you still joining us in Hawaii this Christmas? I hope so!

[jenjens1023]

we enjoyed another relaxing day on the ship capped off by our victory in the Princess Jeopardized Trivia contest that evening.

 

More luggage tags!! I'm so happy for you :D But I'm sad that you didn't need our help this time.

[PennyAgain]

Thank you ! All those details will be very helpful to folks seeking accurate information.

 

You certainly did accomplish a great deal.

[Bucky3]

Mary - Not absolutely certain about the Christmas cruise, but we're booked! We are doing the Star b/b from SF-Syd and return to LA - 60 days in all - back November 22nd, so not sure hubby will go for the Christmas one YET!! Our kids live near you in Wood Ranch, and they are the instigators of the trip, so we'll see!

 

Bobbie