Pictures from Alaskan Cruise and Landtour

[CRUISERSWITHKIDS]

Hello everyone! We returned from Alaska on July 21st after an amazing 7 day cruise and 7 day land tour! We were on the Island Princess NB on July 6th. I have written my review, just waiting for the CC bosses to review it and post it. It said it may take a few days. In the mean time, I have uploaded a few of my favorite pictures from our vacation for you to enjoy and see what you have to look forward to or to bring back some wonderful memories.

I have never taken so many pictures before. I took over 2,500 photos! I narrowed it down to 1,199 to process. It cost me $197.00 for single prints! Don't forget to add that to your vacation budget!

from what I understand we had unusually amazing weather while we were there. ALL the ports were overcast in the morning, but cleared by mid morning with temperatures in the mid to upper 60's. NO RAIN!

If anybody has any questions feel free to ask! I'm happy to answer and love talking about this amazing trip!

This is the first time I have ever uploaded pictures to a web album so I hope it works. Let me know if it didn't and I will try again.

http://picasaweb.google.com/billandtracy92/AFewFromAlaska?authkey=Gv1sRgCOPD1rfsy6_2Bg&feat=directlink

[christee52]

Great, Great pictures, 6 of us leave for Alaska 20 August. I am hoping we have the great weather you had. I see you are in Missouri. We are in St Clair County, IL not far from St Louis. Will be waiting for your review. Thanks for sharing.

[CRUISERSWITHKIDS]

We are clear over on the other side in the extreme northwest jut north of KC. We get over that way (not as often as I would like) occasionally. We have some dear friends that moved to O'fallon Illinois just over the mississippi.

Yes it was amazing weather! And hope it holds for you!

[hensus]

Great pictures! We are sailing on Aug. 24 southbound after a landtour. I'm looking forward to your review. Did you do a glacier walk? Where? It looks fantastic! Thanks for your answers.

[CRUISERSWITHKIDS]

We actually did 2 glacier walks but had signed up for only 1. In Juneau we booked the Pilots choice Ice Age exploration through Princess and it was well worth it! They landed us on a glacier and then again on the Juneau ice field. The second one that was a surprise to us was in Skagway. We had booked The Glacier Point Wilderness Safari. This excursion is only available to book through the ship. No independent tours. We were only supposed to take a canoe up to the snout and back but since we were the only group that day, our guide took us up onto the snout! That was amazing!

[Kmom1]

I can't wait to read the review. We leave for our 1st cruise on Aug. 31st on the NB Island Princess. Any advice for shore excursions? I have a car booked in Skagway to venture out on our own.

 

What about packing? I see you cruise w/ kids. Us too, we'll have our 9mo old along. Any tips/tricks?

 

Did you stay in Vancouver before the trip? We will but no hotel yet. Will probably book on Priceline.

[nannyd43]

Great Pictures! I see you are from Missouri, I live in Arkansas and am taking my first cruise Sept. 7th. Will leave out of Vancover going to Whitter and then a 4 day land trip flying back out of Anchorage. Hopefully I will get some good pictures also. D:)

[CRUISERSWITHKIDS]

I can't wait to read the review. We leave for our 1st cruise on Aug. 31st on the NB Island Princess. Any advice for shore excursions? I have a car booked in Skagway to venture out on our own.

 

What about packing? I see you cruise w/ kids. Us too, we'll have our 9mo old along. Any tips/tricks?

 

Did you stay in Vancouver before the trip? We will but no hotel yet. Will probably book on Priceline.

We stayed at the Pan Pacific Hotel that is connected to Canada Place in Vancouver. It was well worth the money! When you are ready to go to board the ship, just call the front desk and they will take your luggage to the ship for you! It is a free service they offer though we gave a generous tip for the convenience. What else were we going to do with the Canadian money we were given in change? haha!

Our kids are 14, and 15 years old. A lil bit different than traveling with a 9 mo. old! We did see some people that had little ones but it was pretty limited. We didn't start taking long vacations until the youngest one was about 4.

We did zip linning in Ketchican, glacier landing in Juneau and the glacier in Skagway. None of which would be too friendly for a little one.

Packing was a hard one for us. I packed with the intention of layering which is the most common advice on here. Though with the weather we had I honestly feel as though I over packed. You just never know.

In Juneau, if you have the time and some money burning a hole in your pocket, try the crab legs at Tracy's King Crab shack! You will not be sorry! It was amazing!

[hensus]

Thanks so much for the quick response. I am so excited -- we had already reserved the pilot's choice in Juneau, so, hopefully the weather will cooperate! It looks amazing. We decided on the bus/train trip in Skagway -- did you hear anyone talking about this one? In Ketchikan, we are going to fly out to Traitor's Cove and see the bears (we hope!) Any further information is certainly appreciated.

[JWJs]

Hey there. We are almost neighbors ~ we live in Overland Park, Kansas, just right over the MO/KS stateline.

We are set for our 1st Alaska cruise/tour. Leave here 9/8 for Anchorage. Then train to Denali Park and bus to Fairbanks. Then fly back to Anchorage and on to Whittier for embarkation on 9/14.

Your pictures are fabulous. What camera/lens were you using? Looking forward to reading your review. Your kids are cuties. Looked like they had a wonderful time.

Best regards,

Jeanne J

[CRUISERSWITHKIDS]

Hey there. We are almost neighbors ~ we live in Overland Park, Kansas, just right over the MO/KS stateline.

 

We are set for our 1st Alaska cruise/tour. Leave here 9/8 for Anchorage. Then train to Denali Park and bus to Fairbanks. Then fly back to Anchorage and on to Whittier for embarkation on 9/14.

 

Your pictures are fabulous. What camera/lens were you using? Looking forward to reading your review. Your kids are cuties. Looked like they had a wonderful time.

 

Best regards,

 

Jeanne J

 

We go to OP occasionally. Love the mall there! As does our daughter$$$$$ Since they built Zona Rosa, we don't get there as frequently as we used to.

I have a Cannon 40D. I used my 70-300mm zoom lens for many of them.

Thanks for the kind compliment about my kids. I am pretty partial to them:-) We all had a blast. I think we would all agree that this was the best vacation we have taken. It even tops Hawaii for me! My hubby says you can't compare them though since they are so different.

[Coolcruise02]

Great pictures, thanks for sharing! Let us know when your review is posted.

[CRUISERSWITHKIDS]

Great pictures, thanks for sharing! Let us know when your review is posted.

 

Sorry. I started a new thread that was telling everyone that it was posted. I woke up this morning to the email notification.

[nurse@sea]

amazing...amazing...beautiful photos!!! My daughter and I are just ready to book for sept 2010. i can only hope we see nature the way you captured it with your camera. absolutely stunning. without sounding dramatic...your pictures brought tears to my eyes, and the otters, a smile to my face. thank you so much for the wonderful preview. vickie

[CRUISERSWITHKIDS]

Vickie, thank you for your kind words. I'm glad you have the same reaction that I do when I look at them. To be honest, the camera did an excellent job at capturing the image, but honestly does not do it justice. It is something that you honestly have to see to FULLY appreciate. You can not reproduce the sounds of nature like that. You will understand what I mean when you get there.

[mek]

Thanks for the memories - we're going back this September!

[texkan]

Enjoyed viewing your pics. Will be there in a couple weeks.

 

Hi to Overland Park, Kansas - GREAT PLACE to Live. We were there for almost 30 yrs.

Hope to retire back there in afew years.

[stevecmo]

Wow, you had a wonderful trip! We're your neighbor too! North of Kansas City south of the lake. :)

 

Great pictures. You are so right about pictures looking great but not really doing justice - ya just gotta see it! We went in June this year for our anniversary. We've been back for over a month and I still enjoy going thru the pictures. :)

 

If you're interested you can see them here:

 

Thanks for sharing your pictures. I'm off to read your review!

[CRUISERSWITHKIDS]

Wow, you had a wonderful trip! We're your neighbor too! North of Kansas City south of the lake. :)

 

Great pictures. You are so right about pictures looking great but not really doing justice - ya just gotta see it! We went in June this year for our anniversary. We've been back for over a month and I still enjoy going thru the pictures. :)

 

If you're interested you can see them here:

 

Thanks for sharing your pictures. I'm off to read your review!

 

Love your pictures! Looks like Im ping to have to go back since I missed doing some things!! Ha!

[zeb1226]

Thank you for sharing your experience and your beautiful pictures!!! It definitely makes it seem closer and more real! We leave on our first land/cruise ever from Fairbanks on Sep 7 and finish in Vancouver Sep 21. We only booked a couple of "must-do's" - want to see how the weather is on a given day. Thank you again for posting.

[slabeaume]

Lots of fellow Missourians here! Loved your album. We're heading off on an Alaska cruise in 2 weeks! I went on one a couple years ago and loved it so much that I'm making my husband go on his first cruise there in 2 weeks. I talked so much about it that my brother, SIL, uncle and aunt are all taking their first cruise there with us.