Mrs. Regular Posted April 24 Report Share Posted April 24 Greetings, RC Blog friends! It's me, Mrs. Regular, back again for another blog. This year we are leaving the Regular kiddos at home and making it an extended family affair! Follow along for preparations, travel, and semi-live updates from the Brilliance of the Seas! Background Info Picture it... Sicily, 1929... Just kidding. I'm in my Golden Girls era so I often channel Sofia when I begin telling a story. Picture it... my living room, November 2022. Alaska 2024 deployment would be announced and bookings opened within a few days. We already had cruised in the Mediterranean, cruised from NYC down to the Bahamas, and were booked for summer 2023 on the Mariner of the Seas for my 40th birthday. Generally we are a "one cruise at a time" kind of family but something struck me about the 2024 Alaska deployment that just felt.... right. Like it was the exact right time for Mr. Regular and I do book something for ourselves. A treat. A reprieve. Alaska has been on our bucket list for a long time and at first glance when bookings became available, the price was pretty good. I knew I couldn't just book something without speaking with him first, so I laid out all the benefits and trade-offs (small ship! leaving from Vancouver! Aft balcony! I just got a pretty sizable raise so I will foot the bill! He saw no tradeoffs, lol), and got his ok to contact the travel agent. YES! It was so early in the deployment I got to hand pick our room and with over 600 days to go, we started planning and researching. Eventually, our other extended family (mainly our parents) caught wind of our plans. We scheduled a mid-May itinerary for a few reasons, one of the best being our kids wouldn't be able to go. I know, we are Regular mean parents. But also because the likelihood of the ship being overrun by school kids would be lower. We love kids, we have two, we have kids in our family and extended friends group. There's nothing wrong with kids. But, we loved our experience cruising during a non-break time. The last two cruises we've taken have been with our kids during school breaks and they have been vastly different experiences. Not bad, but different. We wanted to return to those non-break vibes. But this time in Alaska. Anyway, our parents wanted to tag along and we were ok with that. Getting my sister to come rounds out our merry group of 6! The Intergenerational Regular Family Tree Me, Mrs. Regular. 40 years old. Working at a university full time and full time PhD student. I am finishing up coursework and successfully defended my proposal last month. This itinerary falls over the one break I have between spring and summer terms. I have been on 3 RC cruises and will reach Emerald on this cruise. Husband, Mr. Regular. 45 years old. Working at the same university and teaches snow sports on the side. He is bummed there will be no skiing or snowboarding while visiting Vancouver or Alaska. Has been on the same cruises as me and will reach Emerald. Regular Mom. My mother! 70 years young. Doesn't travel much, retired 3rd grade teacher. Has always wanted to go to Alaska. Will be her first cruise. Regular Sister. My sis! My best friend. 38 years old, never cruised before. Just there to show up and have fun! Regular Father-in-Law. Mr. Regular's dad. 79 years old, has cruised once before from FL. Certified renaissance man, he is an acrobatic pilot, flight instructor, motorcycle racer, and welder. Ran a multi-million dollar business but never earned a bachelor's degree. He is just so cool. Regular Mother-in Law. Mr. Regular's mom. 84 years old, has cruised once before from FL. Recovering from a mild stroke in January, she is a remarkable person. She's improved so much in 4 months mobility and speech wise. She's still sharp as a tack but just a little slower than before. In her 80's but acts not a day over 60. Why are we "regular people"? My username and the name of my cruise blogs came out of an observation that post-COVID restart, most people in the RC Blogs were taking their "revenge" travel trips and there was a run for a while of suites only travel blogs. No shade to the "suite snobs" out there or to those who are blessed enough to cruise frequently at the premium of a suite. But, while I am still fairly new to cruising I wanted to read more from perspectives that didn't go for all the extras or bells and whistles. Thus, "regular people cruising" was born! Not only do we not tend to travel in suites with the amenities, we also don't splurge on other luxuries like drink packages, unlimited dining, spa treatments, a lot of excursions, etc. Now, this will change a little bit this trip because I think Alaska affords some special opportunities. Our Itinerary My in-laws are flying in on their own schedule, but mom, Husband, Sis, and I are all traveling together from NJ on a direct flight to Vancouver on the 11th. Crossing fingers for smooth travels! We are all staying at the Sheraton downtown and will get brunch on the 12th before heading to Canada place to board our ship! Day 1 - Vancouver Day 2 - Inside Passage/At Sea Day 3 - Sitka in the afternoon. No plans other than walking around port and maybe going to the totem poles Day 4 -Juneau. Mom, Sis, Husband and I have the dog musher's camp excursion in the morning. Regular in-laws may or may not get off the ship, much will depend on how MIL is doing. She can do activities in small bursts but then needs time to sleep and recover. We will be done at the camp by 1 but the ship is in port until 7 p.m. so I am sure some sub-group of us will explore Juneau a bit. This night Husband and I have date night at Chops. Day 5 - Haines. We all have the White Pass Railroad excursion booked through RC. Most looking forward to this one! Day 6 - Tracey Arm and glacier viewing/At Sea Day 7 - Inside Passage/At sea Day 8 - Vancouver. The Regular In-Laws are staying at a hotel on Vancouver Island to relax for a few days and traveling home later in the week. The rest of us have a red-eye back to NJ. We will look into storing luggage somewhere and taking a tour around Vancouver before heading to the airport. Next Update: Packing! Packing! Packing! melmar02, Ampurp85, KristiZ and 10 others 11 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnK6404 Posted April 25 Report Share Posted April 25 Have a great time! Mrs. Regular 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sweety Posted April 25 Report Share Posted April 25 I love Alaska. You are going to be for a treat. Love the dog musher's excursion. Hubby always warn me, "We are not buying a husky." They are so cute. Wait until you see the eagles and whales. Beautiful. I will be following. Mrs. Regular 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
melmar02 Posted April 25 Report Share Posted April 25 We loved Alaska (even with the kids). I think it would be magical without them though, and you are in for a treat! Mrs. Regular 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OCSC Mike Posted April 25 Report Share Posted April 25 15 hours ago, Mrs. Regular said: Alaska has been on our bucket list for a long time I never even considered Alaska but my wife did and spent a year planning (with an outside company) what turned out to be a bucket list type extravagant 18-day land/sea trip in 2018. It cost a small fortune (especially given that we normally just drive to PC for 7N's in the Caribbean in an interior) but it was the best trip we've ever taken. I've been thanking her for making me go ever since. Enjoy! Mrs. Regular, Sweety, PPPJJ-GCVAB and 2 others 3 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skywalk640 Posted April 25 Report Share Posted April 25 Alaska is amazing, went in 2017 and it's still my favorite vacation/cruise. The White Pass Railroad is a great excursion, definitely one of the highlights for my family. Enjoy this trip! Mrs. Regular 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ampurp85 Posted April 25 Report Share Posted April 25 I am doing my first Alaskan cruise this Sept on Quantum. I too normally cruise regular. We are in Interior VB and have excursions planned for 3/4 ports. So, I am looking forward to this blog. Cactus527, Mrs. Regular, OCSC Mike and 3 others 4 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrs. Regular Posted May 1 Author Report Share Posted May 1 On 4/25/2024 at 4:06 PM, Ampurp85 said: I am doing my first Alaskan cruise this Sept on Quantum. I too normally cruise regular. We are in Interior VB and have excursions planned for 3/4 ports. So, I am looking forward to this blog. I've sailed on the Anthem before so if you have any Q class questions, let me know. I'm so excited to explore the ports! On 4/25/2024 at 12:52 PM, skywalk640 said: Alaska is amazing, went in 2017 and it's still my favorite vacation/cruise. The White Pass Railroad is a great excursion, definitely one of the highlights for my family. Enjoy this trip! We are so excited for that one, and even though we dock in Haines there is time to explore Skagway a bit before getting the ferry back. On 4/25/2024 at 9:42 AM, OCSC Mike said: I never even considered Alaska but my wife did and spent a year planning (with an outside company) what turned out to be a bucket list type extravagant 18-day land/sea trip in 2018. It cost a small fortune (especially given that we normally just drive to PC for 7N's in the Caribbean in an interior) but it was the best trip we've ever taken. I've been thanking her for making me go ever since. Enjoy! Sounds incredible. I wish we were able to take more time to do a land and sea situation. Hopefully next time! On 4/25/2024 at 9:33 AM, melmar02 said: We loved Alaska (even with the kids). I think it would be magical without them though, and you are in for a treat! With our without our kids we always have a great time cruising! On 4/25/2024 at 1:47 AM, Sweety said: I love Alaska. You are going to be for a treat. Love the dog musher's excursion. Hubby always warn me, "We are not buying a husky." They are so cute. Wait until you see the eagles and whales. Beautiful. I will be following. We LOVE dogs and I am so excited to get to cuddle puppies. I admire Huskers from a distance, we are Lab people. Still work but a lot less maintenance! On 4/24/2024 at 11:21 PM, JohnK6404 said: Have a great time! Thank you! JohnK6404 and Sweety 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrs. Regular Posted May 1 Author Report Share Posted May 1 Packing! Packing! Packing! Thanks to the internet, I've found a ton of helpful information about preparing for an Alaska cruise. Between RCB and YouTube, there's so much out there. If there's one thing to remember, it's that layers are key. Here in the northeast, we are no strangers to varying weather conditions from March to May (and sometimes June)! My drawers are a mix of sweaters, fleece, light weight blouses, and cardigans. So, all of that will be coming with me, hahahah! I just returned from a long weekend at Disney World, so much of my travel toiletries and bits and bobs are already in the carryon suitcase. We will be checking 3 bags and using carryons and backpacks for onboard the plane. So far, here is the list! Clothing - for all weather! Jeans, leggings, sweaters, "fancy" dresses for formal night and Chops, swimwear for hot tub time, gym clothes Outerwear - for all weather, but mostly chilly! I plan to bring a puffy vest, base layer, fleece jacket, water proof outer shell, knit hat, gloves, sneakers, sunglasses, and waterproof hiking shoes. Games, books, etc, for sea days. We are on northeast time and with the sunlight going from 4:30 a.m. to 10 p.m., we anticipate being awake a lot this week and needing something to do in addition to gazing at the incredible scenery. Alaska or cruise specific items - binoculars, bonine, hand warmers, magnetic hooks, cruise lanyards, luggage tag holders, reusable water bottles, bottles of wine (bought in Vancouver) Anything else you would recommend adding to the list? I'm going to get a start on packing over the weekend. 11 days to go! JohnK6404, skywalk640 and OCSC Mike 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OCSC Mike Posted May 1 Report Share Posted May 1 13 minutes ago, Mrs. Regular said: water proof outer shell Dunno if it's important based on your listed excursions (or if this is included under the above) but we found froggtogg waterproof pants very useful... however we also did 10 days on land pre-cruise, a glacier hike, dog sledding up on a mountain glacier, etc. so we used them more for being on the ice/snow than for rain, although they worked for both of course. They fit right over your jeans/hiking shoes. Mrs. Regular 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DDaley Posted May 3 Report Share Posted May 3 On 5/1/2024 at 6:03 AM, Mrs. Regular said: I admire Huskers from a distance, we are Lab people. Still work but a lot less maintenance! I gotta say, my step Husky is the best dog I’ve ever owned and he seriously doesn’t take a lot of maintenance! He gets groomed 3 times a year and otherwise I brush him randomly (maybe like every 3 months?) when he looks a little fluffy. He is the calmest and sweetest boy. On walks everyone is barking and going absolutely apes%&* when they see us and we just trot right by smiling! Your Alaskan packing list sounds perfect! Happy to see binoculars made the cut, I spied on a treetop filled with 4 eagles with mine! If you can squeeze a mini one in, I’d recommend an umbrella too. Ampurp85, MaryS, Mrs. Regular and 1 other 3 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrs. Regular Posted May 6 Author Report Share Posted May 6 On 5/1/2024 at 9:32 AM, OCSC Mike said: Dunno if it's important based on your listed excursions (or if this is included under the above) but we found froggtogg waterproof pants very useful... however we also did 10 days on land pre-cruise, a glacier hike, dog sledding up on a mountain glacier, etc. so we used them more for being on the ice/snow than for rain, although they worked for both of course. They fit right over your jeans/hiking shoes. Thanks for the suggestion, I'll keep an eye on it and run down to EMS just in case. We are now adding a bike and hike in Sitka and it could or could not rain at all, just depends. On 5/3/2024 at 12:54 PM, DDaley said: I gotta say, my step Husky is the best dog I’ve ever owned and he seriously doesn’t take a lot of maintenance! He gets groomed 3 times a year and otherwise I brush him randomly (maybe like every 3 months?) when he looks a little fluffy. He is the calmest and sweetest boy. On walks everyone is barking and going absolutely apes%&* when they see us and we just trot right by smiling! Your Alaskan packing list sounds perfect! Happy to see binoculars made the cut, I spied on a treetop filled with 4 eagles with mine! If you can squeeze a mini one in, I’d recommend an umbrella too. I hear you on the grooming, my lab gets a bath and nails once a month but she sheds from December to July, and then from August to November LOL! We do have umbrellas! OCSC Mike, Sweety and DDaley 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrs. Regular Posted May 6 Author Report Share Posted May 6 BIG NEWS! we get to add "visit the next cruise desk" to my embarkation day agenda. Last night I somehow convinced Mr. Reg to book a Symphony 7 Night Bahamas and Perfect Day out of NJ. Don't ask me how, don't ask me why, just ask me when, lol. I think it's because when pricing a 5-day Disney trip vs. a 4 night Utopia cruise vs not flying anywhere and doing 7 nights on Symphony, the money spoke for itself! I'm letting my Disney AP lapse since I don't anticipate being able to go much over the next year (I logged 17 days on my current AP but my circumstances, sadly, are changing). I still need to look a little closely at when the current promotion expires and if a different promotion takes effect on Sunday and if it's better or not as great. If it's not as great, getting $100 or whatever in onboard credit (that's usually what you get for a balcony) and a reduce deposit at Next Cruise is not really worth waiting for and I'll just ask my TA to book it before we go. We are looking at September 22-29, so I know it's a bit of a calculated risk weather wise with hurricane season but honestly we aren't in it for the itinerary as we've done it before and been to Perfect Day twice. It's all about that ship for me. Do they still give a gift for booking at Next Cruise on embarkation day? Anyway, back to the cruise at hand (one cruise at a time, as my TA likes to say!). We are t-minus 6 days! The packing has started, the last minute bookings have been made, planning for pre-embarkation brunch in Vancouver is solidified, and the weather is looking pretty ok for traveling on Saturday (so far). Photos of packing and suitcases and backpacks, etc. to come later this week. Of course our daughter is moving out of college early now so she needs allllll the suitcases and I told her she must empty our brand new one no later than Thursday. Mama needs to get packin! Sweety, WAAAYTOOO, DDaley and 4 others 6 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skywalk640 Posted May 6 Report Share Posted May 6 5 hours ago, Mrs. Regular said: BIG NEWS! we get to add "visit the next cruise desk" to my embarkation day agenda. Last night I somehow convinced Mr. Reg to book a Symphony 7 Night Bahamas and Perfect Day out of NJ. Don't ask me how, don't ask me why, just ask me when, lol. I think it's because when pricing a 5-day Disney trip vs. a 4 night Utopia cruise vs not flying anywhere and doing 7 nights on Symphony, the money spoke for itself! I'm letting my Disney AP lapse since I don't anticipate being able to go much over the next year (I logged 17 days on my current AP but my circumstances, sadly, are changing). I still need to look a little closely at when the current promotion expires and if a different promotion takes effect on Sunday and if it's better or not as great. If it's not as great, getting $100 or whatever in onboard credit (that's usually what you get for a balcony) and a reduce deposit at Next Cruise is not really worth waiting for and I'll just ask my TA to book it before we go. We are looking at September 22-29, so I know it's a bit of a calculated risk weather wise with hurricane season but honestly we aren't in it for the itinerary as we've done it before and been to Perfect Day twice. It's all about that ship for me. Do they still give a gift for booking at Next Cruise on embarkation day? Anyway, back to the cruise at hand (one cruise at a time, as my TA likes to say!). We are t-minus 6 days! The packing has started, the last minute bookings have been made, planning for pre-embarkation brunch in Vancouver is solidified, and the weather is looking pretty ok for traveling on Saturday (so far). Photos of packing and suitcases and backpacks, etc. to come later this week. Of course our daughter is moving out of college early now so she needs allllll the suitcases and I told her she must empty our brand new one no later than Thursday. Mama needs to get packin! Being able to drive to the port and not having to fly is such a gamechanger, especially with how inconsistent flights have become. It's not just the money, but the peace of mind that makes it an appealing option even with more limited itineraries. Good luck with packing! OCSC Mike, Sweety and WAAAYTOOO 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrs. Regular Posted May 7 Author Report Share Posted May 7 17 hours ago, skywalk640 said: Being able to drive to the port and not having to fly is such a gamechanger, especially with how inconsistent flights have become. It's not just the money, but the peace of mind that makes it an appealing option even with more limited itineraries. Good luck with packing! AMEN TO THAT! WAAAYTOOO, Sweety and OCSC Mike 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrs. Regular Posted May 10 Author Report Share Posted May 10 Just a little over 24 hours to go before we board our plane from NJ to Vancouver! Weather in the NE is terrible today but it looks like everything should be clearing up tomorrow. My travel anxiety will continue to be high until wheels are down in Vancouver but oh well. That's what cocktails are for, right? We are packing away! It seems like we can get by with 1 checked bag, 1 rollaboard, and 2 backpacks between Mr. Regular and me. I keep reminding my mom, who has never packed light in her life, that her checked bag can't weigh over 50 pounds and she keeps buying bigger and bigger suitcases but that will be her problem to have a bag check tomorrow, I guess. Can't wait to add another mug and magnet to the collection! I have a long list of housework, errands, and chores to tackle today. Oh, and doing my full time job too. Will check in from travel tomorrow! MaryS, DDaley, WAAAYTOOO and 3 others 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrs. Regular Posted Sunday at 01:33 PM Author Report Share Posted Sunday at 01:33 PM Good morning from Vancouver! Long travel day yesterday so I decided to go to bed and post an update when the jet lag set in. Ultimately, we all made it, but we did not get off to a good start. Here's what happened: The morning started off fine. Mr. Regular and I got up and packed the car. As we were about to get going to pick up my mom, my FIL called. This normally wouldn't be cause for concern except for the fact he and MIL were supposed to be on an airplane at the time. Sadly, he was calling because they missed their flight. Apparently they made it to bag drop just fine, but FIL grossly underestimated the amount of time it would take to get through security at 5 a.m. on a Saturday morning. We love him, but the hubris of a private pilot flying commercial is tough to fight. Luckily they were rebooked but that meant instead of landing in Vancouver at noon local time they were now going to arrive at 9 p.m. local time. They decided to stay at the airport in the lounge until their next flight and they did land in Vancouver right on time last night. Meanwhile, I was losing my mind in the car because I hate the drive to NYC. We regularly drive to NYC but usually not on such a high stakes deadline like the only direct flight across the continent. We left with 6 hours to spare but the drive to Newark was awful. It usually is but I think my anxiety was just so heightened. I am so glad we aren't flying to our next cruise, lol. We made it to Newark two hours before boarding. We parked at the exact opposite end of the airport so it took about 25 minutes to get to the terminal and luckily bag drop and security were very slow. We got to our gate area with 30 minutes to spare, which is not my preferred arrival time but it all worked out. Smiling through the stress. Our flight was smooth and uneventful, we landed in Vancouver and decided to rent a car instead of coordinating multiple ride shares and we wanted to return to the airport later to pick up the in-laws. After such a long and stressful day for them, we wanted to make it as easy as possible to get to the hotel. We went through customs, picked up our luggage, got the car, and checked into our hotel. We are at the Wall Centre Sheraton downtown. Highly recommend this place, it's very nice and the location is fantastic. We are LOVING the city of Vancouver and I wish we could have come out a day or two earlier to explore more. It's beautiful here. We ate a delicious dinner at Earl's Test Kitchen, then went back to collect the in-laws after they arrived. After a quick stop at wine store to get our carryon wines, we collapsed into bed. I expected jet lag to have me up at 3 a.m. local time but the events of the travel day helped me stay asleep until about 5:30. Now all we have to do is look forward to boarding the ship in a few hours! Here are some views of the descent into Vancouver, with Tahoma (Mt. Rainier) in the distance. Next stop, Brilliance! Sweety, JohnK6404, Traveler and 3 others 3 2 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sweety Posted Sunday at 05:26 PM Report Share Posted Sunday at 05:26 PM Have an awesome cruise. An Alaskan cruise is one of my favorite cruise. Mrs. Regular and Ampurp85 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WAAAYTOOO Posted Sunday at 06:17 PM Report Share Posted Sunday at 06:17 PM UGH. Flying across the country is hard enough without the added stress of one of your party missing their flight ! Your FIL should know better !! Glad you made it without incident. Ampurp85 and Mrs. Regular 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrs. Regular Posted Sunday at 09:08 PM Author Report Share Posted Sunday at 09:08 PM Greetings from Canada Place! Embarkation was a long winding road but we all made it on. My MIL got a wheelchair and the lovely port staff fast tracked her and my FIL through security, customs, check in and they are comfortably hanging out in their stateroom while we are enjoying Windjammie lunch from the back dining area watching the sea planes go by. It’s the most beautiful day in Vancouver! Our aft balcony room is ready and waiting for us! See ya for sail away! JohnK6404, MaryS, Ampurp85 and 1 other 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrs. Regular Posted Sunday at 10:47 PM Author Report Share Posted Sunday at 10:47 PM A bonus surprise, kettle with instant coffee, tea, and all the fixings in regular staterooms. What a treat! we are in aft balcony on deck 8. The ship is showing her age but the crew couldn’t be lovelier and friendlier! DDaley, JohnK6404 and MaryS 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrs. Regular Posted Sunday at 10:49 PM Author Report Share Posted Sunday at 10:49 PM 4 hours ago, WAAAYTOOO said: UGH. Flying across the country is hard enough without the added stress of one of your party missing their flight ! Your FIL should know better !! Glad you made it without incident. I think he felt the worst out of all of us. Lessons were learned that day! Sweety and WAAAYTOOO 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrs. Regular Posted Monday at 04:03 PM Author Report Share Posted Monday at 04:03 PM Good morning from the inside passage. Cloudy/overcast when I got up but it’s clearing up. Last night we went up to the Starquest lounge to take in the views and then passed out because, jet lag. My sister and I went to the gym this morning, she took a nice but uninspiring yoga class and I did my own workout with dumbbells and then a treadmill walk. We are spending this sea day hanging out and taking it easy, probably doing some trivia and taking in the views. It’s formal night and the first production show Now and Forever. I’m always here for a Broadway review show! WAAAYTOOO, JohnK6404 and MaryS 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrs. Regular Posted Tuesday at 04:28 PM Author Report Share Posted Tuesday at 04:28 PM Good morning from the Windjammie! Unfortunately in cold weather climates the seating area inside is too small for a nearly full ship if you get here any time after 7:30 a.m. You have to stalk and hover for an empty table or take your plate outside or to another area of the ship. Several of us are suffering from tummy discomfort due to jet lag and general adjustment to cruise food. Overall the food has been fine but we are only in the morning on day 3 and we are already getting tired of it. Luckily we have opportunity to eat in port the next three days. No one is going hungry or complaining. If you went to college in the US any time after 1995 you may be familiar with the buffet style dining halls that are often billed as “all you care to enjoy.” I usually refer to it as “more than you care to enjoy” and that’s where we’re at. Paired with some increased rocking and rolling I think we are all ready to get into port this afternoon! We will arrive in Sitka around 12:30. My sister, Mr. Regular, and I have the bike and hike scheduled and our parents are going to hang around town. Sweety, JohnK6404, WAAAYTOOO and 2 others 4 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrs. Regular Posted Wednesday at 03:04 PM Author Report Share Posted Wednesday at 03:04 PM Had a great day in Sitka! The bike and hike was a great time, we recommend this but only if you have zero mobility challenges and can manage a 21 speed road bike with long but gentle uphill climbs and a two mile hike on uneven gravel trails. You do not need a lot of biking experience but you should be comfortable with cycling outside next to sporadic traffic. It was a fantastic way to learn about Sitka history and the ecology of the island. Our bus dropped us off downtown and we walked to the totem park, then shopped for our traditional magnet souvenir at a charming artisan boutique. We caught one of the last shuttles back to the pier. We were too late for our dinner time so we took a chance on the Windjammie and were pleasantly surprised by the quality. Lunch has not been the best there but dinner was much better. Depending on how long we are in Juneau today we may or may not make it back to the MDR. I might make the effort because it’s the Italy menu, which is one of my favorites. my mom went on her own tour she booked at the port that was essentially a three hour highlights tour. It stopped at the raptor center, fortress of the bear, totem park, and drove around the island. She loved it and thought it was worth the money, about $100. My in-laws stayed on the ship to rest and they plan to go to the glacier today in Juneau. Last nights entertainment was a very fun performer who had been on AGT and after I found the perfect espresso martini before bed. Super smooth waters and no rain but overcast skies this morning as we sail into Juneau. skywalk640, Sweety, Ampurp85 and 3 others 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrs. Regular Posted Thursday at 03:58 PM Author Report Share Posted Thursday at 03:58 PM Just pulled up to the dock in Haines and it is the most incredible day! But first, yesterday Juneau was soggy good fun! Mom, sister, husband and I did the sled dog musher’s camp in the morning. We had a great time and learned all about the history of dog sledding and the Ididerod. It rained off and on the whole day but it didn’t impede the fun at all. There weren’t any puppies, we were a little early in the season and the mama dog won’t give birth to her litter for another week yet. But we did get to meet the dog team that pulled our sled. They love running and then cuddling. our excursion brought us back downtown around 11:30 am and we got a nice lunch at Hangar on the Wharf. It was much quieter and we got a table immediately than if we had gone to the Red Dog or Tracy’s Crab. Afterward we walked around town and eventually did go to Red Dog Saloon for a duck fart. We shopped for some souvenirs and then mom and sister decided to book a shuttle over to the glacier. Husband and I met up with the in-laws after their glacier tour and salmon bake at Alaska Brew Pub for some good IPAs. FIL is not happy with the beer selection onboard even though I warned him before we left. So he was in dire need of hops. We went back to the ship and got dinner at the Windjammer, which was again very good. I read my book and enjoyed some wine on the balcony and the clouds finally parted. We watched sail out as the sun went down. We have the white pass summit excursion booked today and we have the most amazing weather, finally! WAAAYTOOO, JohnK6404, Sweety and 1 other 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrs. Regular Posted yesterday at 01:30 AM Author Report Share Posted yesterday at 01:30 AM It was an absolutely stunner of a day in Haines/Skagway. I’ll let the photos speak for themselves. Now we have two cruising days before docking back in Vancouver. Tomorrow Tracy Arm and (hopefully) glacier, then back down the inside passage. JohnK6404, DDaley, MaryS and 3 others 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ampurp85 Posted yesterday at 02:31 AM Report Share Posted yesterday at 02:31 AM The weather looks great and you are right. The views are stunning . Mrs. Regular 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrs. Regular Posted 9 hours ago Author Report Share Posted 9 hours ago Got very lucky with another amazing day for our glacier viewing! We started down the Tracy Arm fjord around 6 a.m. and reached the glacier near 8. Couldn’t have begged for a better experience! WAAAYTOOO, Sweety, MaryS and 2 others 4 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.