Alaska - on board

In Sitka today and the weather is rainy and windy ...... and we are tendering!

 

Sitting in the Observation Lounge this morning and Damien shows up with a tray full of Mimosas (Bucks Fizz). It would have been churlish to refuse.

 

Off to do the Sea Otter Wildlife Quest this afternoon. Hopefully the weather will get better.

So the Sea Otter Wildlife Quest exceeded all expectations. First we saw a humpback whale 'bubble feeding' and were able to get quite close up:

Then we saw sea lions hanging out on a buoy:

We also saw eagles galore and an eagle nest with Mother sitting on it:

And finally a 'raft' of sea otters (remember that for trivia) who were as interested in us as we were in them:

Thanks for all the comments on the Alaskan sailings. We will be on the Sept 21st rt from Vancouver.

 

It will be our 7th cruise to Alaska since 1991. Plus we have done two, month long RV trips. So we have done many of the land and water based actives. We keep coming back just because we enjoy cruising the Alaskan waters.

 

I have a question about the shore excursions. Have the catamaran tours been open to book once on board? We have a huge amount of OBC and I would like to use it to book some of the catamaran shore excursions after we board.

 

Thanks for any information. Can't wait to sail! The Sojourn is probably our favorite ship!

Yes, we were able to book the catamarans once on-board.

Roxburgh,

Thanks for the reply. Love your pictures.

The Sitka Otter Wildlife Quest looks like it was lots of fun. Were there any other tours that you thought were really good?

Thanks,

Carolyn

Roxburgh,

 

Thanks for the reply. Love your pictures.

 

The Sitka Otter Wildlife Quest looks like it was lots of fun. Were there any other tours that you thought were really good?

 

Thanks,

Carolyn

We thought that all the tours were good and that Seabourn did a good job of setting expectations for all of them. Although we were a bit disappointed in the zodiac tours not happening in the USA, in hindsight, the catamaran was probably a better way of seeing the glaciers. I would definitely recommend that.

There was a different feel to the tours than we get on other Seabourn cruises. First, English was the first language of all the guides. Second, it was very nature focused and the tour companies specialized in that. Third, living in America, the 'cultural feel' of the guides was very familiar to us.

Some tours provided an unexpected bonus. For example, when we went salmon fishing, 5 Orcas showed up doing their own fishing:

The trip to the Bear Sanctuary from Prince Rupert was also very good. We saw 5 grizzlies although it is hard - and not desirable - to get too close to them. Good binoculars are advised. This was as good a photo as I could get:

However, as a bonus, they fed the eagles from the tour boat on the way back and we had about 20 eagles swooping up and around us:

A lot depends on what you like. We did a float plane excursion from Ketchikan. It was fun but, to be honest, I could take it or leave it. It was more my better half that wanted to do it. We also did a hike in the rain forest (Wrangell) which we both really enjoyed. But it involved a climb of some 600 steps and that might not be for everyone.

Hope this helps.

I am new to Seabourn (been on many other cruise lines, lastly Regent Explorer).I am holding a GTY for Aug 26. I have been following this thread with the very helpful posts, which I greatly appreciate.

I have some newbie questions, for which I apologize in advance.

Is viewing the glaciers and wildlife repetitive and "boring" after a while? Is 2 weeks too long? (been to Sitka, Ketchican, Juneau before)

Are the catamarans rocky for people prone to motion sickness? Do they get close enough to calving glaciers to be dangerous?

Is the ship so small that there is not enough going on to keep occupied?

Is the evening entertainment good(on Regent we spent lot of evenings watching movies after dinner)?

Thank you very much for any help in reassuring us.

I am new to Seabourn (been on many other cruise lines, lastly Regent Explorer).I am holding a GTY for Aug 26. I have been following this thread with the very helpful posts, which I greatly appreciate.

I have some newbie questions, for which I apologize in advance.

Is viewing the glaciers and wildlife repetitive and "boring" after a while? Is 2 weeks too long? (been to Sitka, Ketchican, Juneau before)

Are the catamarans rocky for people prone to motion sickness? Do they get close enough to calving glaciers to be dangerous?

Is the ship so small that there is not enough going on to keep occupied?

Is the evening entertainment good(on Regent we spent lot of evenings watching movies after dinner)?

Thank you very much for any help in reassuring us.

1. I didn't find viewing glaciers or wildlife boring or repetitive. But it really depends on what you like and what you find interesting.

2. I never found the catamarans rocky. We generally had pretty calm seas. Bear in mind that the glaciers are at the end of fjords and not in the open sea so less likely to have a lot of movement in the water. I think we got close enough to the glaciers for it to be interesting but not dangerous. I felt very confident that the catamaran crew knew what they were doing. It is, after all, what they do.

3. I was not big on Ketchikan or Juneau as places. They were very touristy and geared to the big cruise ships. Sitka I liked better. Most of the places we stopped were small and not much there. It really is all about the scenery and the wildlife.

4. We have been on 13 Seabourn cruises and haven't got bored yet; even on the crossing where there are many sea days. Two weeks is the minimum time I like to cruise. Anything shorter feels 'rushed'.

5. I think that the entertainment on Seabourn is average at best and we don't tend to go to most shows. That isn't a problem for us because we are happy with good conversation over dinner and in one of the bars afterwards.

Roxburgh,

Thanks again and again the pictures are great! I am looking at the tours now. Ordered our jackets today!!

The excitement builds.

Carolyn

Roxburgh,

 

Thanks again and again the pictures are great! I am looking at the tours now. Ordered our jackets today!!

 

The excitement builds.

 

Carolyn

Don't worry if the jackets don't fit right when you get on board. There will be the 'great jacket exchange' on the second day where you can swap yours for one that really does fit.

The jackets are pretty good and we wore them quite a lot. They also have a hood which can be practical given the Alaska weather.

Hi Roxburgh. Thanks for the top info and pics. Can I ask whether you did the wrangell rainbow falls up and over strenuous hike, or the easier one?

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Hi Roxburgh. Thanks for the top info and pics. Can I ask whether you did the wrangell rainbow falls up and over strenuous hike, or the easier one?

 

 

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Only two people wanted to do the up and over and that was us. So we just went up and back down again.

Even so, it was a lovely hike. It is nearly all on boardwalk which is quite narrow so we hiked up in single file. Some people stopped at the first viewing platform while the rest of us went to the top. While at the top, we discovered why they call it the rain forest. :D

The forest is beautiful and has a peaceful primeval quality to it.

I am on Aug 26th cruise and have been checking the weather. It seems everyday shows rain. How was your weather ? Did you have many sunny days ? This will be my 6th cruise to Alaska and know SE Alaska weather can be miserable even in summer. I hope to enjoy outdoor dining. Heather

As to the eagles you say "they fed from the tour boat" I have to say that I am appalled that Seabourn would condone a tour where wild animals are fed to attract them in the wild for the pleasure of tourists. This against all ethical animal practices and is a black mark against the tour company and Seabourn in my book. Shame on them.

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How many formal nights did you wind up having and which nights were they?

I am on Aug. 26th cruise. I am wondering what cabin people received when booking balcony GTY.

It's a crapshoot with the GTY cabins. On our recent transatlantic cruise on the Odyssey we were very fortunate to be assigned a category 4 veranda stateroom (804) for the price of an ocean view stateroom. We were pleased. We're also doing the GTY on the August 26th cruise, and we'll be happy with whatever cabin we're assigned. Remember that the layout and amenities of all the veranda staterooms are the same (except for the disability rooms), the only cost difference is in their specific location on the ship.

One lesson that we learned from our recent Seabourn cruise is that no matter where you're bunked, you're going to have a good time. It's a very good cruise line, head and shoulders above Regent Seven Seas which we had previously sailed.

As to the eagles you say "they fed from the tour boat" I have to say that I am appalled that Seabourn would condone a tour where wild animals are fed to attract them in the wild for the pleasure of tourists. This against all ethical animal practices and is a black mark against the tour company and Seabourn in my book. Shame on them.

 

 

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I doubt that Seabourn had any idea it was going to happen. We certainly had no idea that they were going to do that. I believe it would be illegal in the USA but this was in Canada. As it happens, I agree with you on the ethics.

I am on Aug 26th cruise and have been checking the weather. It seems everyday shows rain. How was your weather ? Did you have many sunny days ? This will be my 6th cruise to Alaska and know SE Alaska weather can be miserable even in summer. I hope to enjoy outdoor dining. Heather

Generally speaking, the weather was pretty good. But it is Alaska and much of the area you will be sailing is is temperate rain forest. So the chances of rain are high. However, we had days which were changeable, but none where it rained constantly. The last few days were sunny and warm but that was when we were a lot farther south.

How many formal nights did you wind up having and which nights were they?

Two formal nights, one in each week. I can't remember exactly which days.

Zelker your cruise documents will show you the number of formal nights. If you are on the 14 cruise, as we are,there are two formal nights. Often (but not always) the first formal night is the second night of the cruise.

Maggie if you go to Accueweather.com you can pull up various locations in Alaska. If you look at the monthly calendars it will not only have projections on a day by day basis but show you the historical averages for each day as well.

Roxburgh please don't think I am being critical of you. As you say you could not have know this in advance. As to being illegal in Canada as progressive as they are I would be surprised it it wasn't illegal there as well. Great pics by the way! Reminds me of some shots from our Antarctica cruise.

Starting to get excited. We leave this Saturday for a week precruise hiking etc. then on the 7th we take the train with Frantic and her DH to Seward to board the ship. Looking forward to some cool weather!

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Hi Roxburgh,

Thank you for answering my question about Sojourn going into the glacier area.

Your photos are stunning. I am curious what lens you needed to use to get the glacier calving and bear photo? I am taking my Nikon 18-300mm but want to manage my expectations about how beneficial this will be for getting good photos. I know it is also dependent on the skill of the photographer.....I am not up to your level.:D

Also the Wrangell hike. We were thinking of just doing some hiking on our own in that area as there seems some good trails close to town. Was this hike you did just near the town?

Julie

Hi Roxburgh,

 

Thank you for answering my question about Sojourn going into the glacier area.

 

Your photos are stunning. I am curious what lens you needed to use to get the glacier calving and bear photo? I am taking my Nikon 18-300mm but want to manage my expectations about how beneficial this will be for getting good photos. I know it is also dependent on the skill of the photographer.....I am not up to your level.:D

 

Also the Wrangell hike. We were thinking of just doing some hiking on our own in that area as there seems some good trails close to town. Was this hike you did just near the town?

 

Julie

Julie

I was using my Nikon 55-300mm lens. For both the bear and the calving, I had the camera on 'continuous shutter' and, as soon as I heard the glacier started shooting on the grounds that a couple of the photos would work. I probably took 10 photos of one calving event in quick succession but just kept a couple of them.

I was also using shutter mode (S on the dial) and set the shutter speed at 1/500 second and ISO at 400. That gives you a better chance of catching the action than a slower shutter speed.

If you can get a good crisp photo then cropping is very doable to get a larger image.

For Wrangell, the trail head was maybe three miles from town. I would inquire ahead of time as to what trails start close to town or different options for getting to the trailheads.

Two formal nights, one in each week. I can't remember exactly which days.

Just wanted to double check with someone who's sailed already. Thanks for confirming.

Julie

 

I was using my Nikon 55-300mm lens. For both the bear and the calving, I had the camera on 'continuous shutter' and, as soon as I heard the glacier started shooting on the grounds that a couple of the photos would work. I probably took 10 photos of one calving event in quick succession but just kept a couple of them.

 

I was also using shutter mode (S on the dial) and set the shutter speed at 1/500 second and ISO at 400. That gives you a better chance of catching the action than a slower shutter speed.

 

If you can get a good crisp photo then cropping is very doable to get a larger image.

 

For Wrangell, the trail head was maybe three miles from town. I would inquire ahead of time as to what trails start close to town or different options for getting to the trailheads.

Hi Roxburgh,

Thank you for that information. I do have the 55-300 but just bought the latest 18-300mm to save on weight for travelling so will leave my 55-300 home. As we have quite a bit of pre and post cruise travelling. I appreciate the extra information re shutter speed and ISO as I liked how you "froze" the calving.

I will do some further research about the trail heads in Wrangell.

Julie

Roxburgh, thanks for being so kind in answering all our questions. A few more, if I may...

Since the zodiacs were cancelled, did you go out on the catamaran at the Inian Islands and/or Misty Bay?

How long would you guesstimate it took from the time you lined up to board tenders in Ketchikan until you unloaded at the pier? And did they bring you in on the opposite side of the Tongass Trading Company from where the Visitors Center and Gold Rain Gauge is? Trying to figure out how much time to allow if we're meeting our guide at 10:45 by the gauge.

Were they running a shuttle between where the tenders dropped you at ISP and Hoonah and if so, was there a charge?

Did you visit the Big House in Klemtu and if so, did you enjoy it?

Thx!

Barb

Roxburgh, thanks for being so kind in answering all our questions. A few more, if I may...

 

Since the zodiacs were cancelled, did you go out on the catamaran at the Inian Islands and/or Misty Bay?

 

How long would you guesstimate it took from the time you lined up to board tenders in Ketchikan until you unloaded at the pier? And did they bring you in on the opposite side of the Tongass Trading Company from where the Visitors Center and Gold Rain Gauge is? Trying to figure out how much time to allow if we're meeting our guide at 10:45 by the gauge.

 

Were they running a shuttle between where the tenders dropped you at ISP and Hoonah and if so, was there a charge?

 

Did you visit the Big House in Klemtu and if so, did you enjoy it?

 

Thx!

 

Barb

Barb

We went out on the catamaran at the Aialik Glacier and at the Dawes Glacier.

The tender was pretty quick into Ketchikan. Cannot remember exactly where we landed but you are probably only 5 mins away from your guide.

We actually docked at Hoonah so no shuttle was needed. There was a 'people mover' for those not so mobile to move around the various buildings.

Klemtu was interesting and Seabourn did a very good job in a challenging environment. The Big House was quite spectacular. However, I found the cultural experience to be not so interesting.

Unless something big has changed in the last two years, there isn't a dock in Hoonah, only at Icy Strait Point (which is where the old cannery building is, close to the zip line , etc. - basically built for the cruise industry). Hoonah is the actual original non-touristy town down the road a bit and the harbor there is for small local boats - it's walkable but usually there's a shuttle of some kind.

Disappointing to hear you found the Klemtu cultural experience wasn't too interesting. What time of day was that and about how long did it last? Wondering if there's time to book one of the kayak or zodiac trips AND visit the Big House?

As always, thanks!