RickinStl

IPhone 6s :)

Nikon D3300-We bought this ne specifically for our Alaskan Cruise and NHRA photo shoots.

Nikon Coolpix s630 its an older model but still works well for a point and shoot

We just used our Hilton points to book downtown.. guess putting our cruise on a credit card has some benefit lol

Its a once in a lifetime trip for us. My wife and I have never been so we spared no expense since we haven't really taking anything but a long weekend since 1999.

I understand your concerns with prices, we thought it was high.. but my wife talked me into it :)

It's a tricky one Dani - advertising your business is specifically forbidden, but you don't actually say the name, website etc. Effectively you're using CC members for market research, which seems to fly in the face of the spirit of the rules... personally speaking I won't flag your posts to Mods unless you definitively break the rules, but don't be surprised if this thread disappears because someone else was miffed about it!

 

As to Rick's poutine query - any time you ask for two non-related factors like 'closest' and 'best' you're making things more complicated; I don't know you at all so have no idea whether you'd be willing to go to a little extra effort/travel/cost to get the best, or if 'good enough' is good enough as long as it's very conveniently located... in general all of the Victoria poutineries, as opposed to pubs or restos who just happen to have some poutine on their menus, will involve a long walk or a cab ride.

 

La Belle Patate would be the place to go for probably the closest thing to an old school Quebecois poutine; Poutine66 offers many less traditional combos of toppings. You can probably find a basic poutine in any bar in the city, and many bistros offer a swankier version of the concept, e.g. with duck confit (if close if your primary concern, the Heron Rock Bistro is very close to the cruise pier).

Thanks for the Info.. I'd be willing to take a cab ride..

I just want to know the closest and best place to sample poutine. Other than we'll just stroll around the city

I'm taking my new DSLR in July. Spent a fortune on a new Nikon D3300 with a 55-300 zoom lens. I just need to figure out how to use the damn thing now lol

Congrats. When you get back please post a review as my wife and I are taking the same cruise in July :)

Hi all,

I was wondering how long it may take to disembark after cruise on the Explorer of the Seas. The website says that the ship docks in Seattle at 0600. I'm wondering if we booked a noon flight would we be able to disembark and get to the airport on time?

Thanks for the help

Wonder if these machines have Diet Dr. Pepper.. if they do then I'm set.. :)

30 days of night :)

We did the drink package on our 12-day Anthem cruise in November. I got the premium, my BF got the ultimate because he likes specialty coffee, whereas I do not drink coffee very often. We felt we got our money's worth. In the late morning, I would have 1-2 bloody mary's by the pool followed by several seltzers and/or diet cokes in my fancy insulated soda cup they give you with the drink package. By afternoon we moved on to cocktails like Tom Collins or margaritas. Had a few of those. We always went for pre-dinner cocktails at one of the lounges and typically had two cocktails each there. Moving on to dinner, we had 1-2 glasses of wine and/or cocktails (main dining rooms have featured drinks on their menu which is fun). Then round things off with a nightcap at the Bionic Bar or another lounge, 1-2 drinks each, it was worth it. Don't forget the bottled water you get and soda. I ordered an after dinner cappuccino or espresso a few times and even though I had the premium, they did not bill us. I assume they put the coffees on my BF's ultimate package (even if he had coffee too) so that was nice. We did go on excursions at almost every port but got back early enough to enjoy the drink package throughout the day and night. I never encountered ordering a cocktail or glass of wine that was not included. Mind you it sounds like a lot of drinking but we paced it out and were never really drunk and had no hangovers. That being said the drinks are not weak by any means and the wine pours were quite generous.

Well said.. In the morning I have to start my day with a diet dr pepper because I don't drink coffee. With Breakfast on vacation, I love a couple of bloody's and Ill drink beer throughout the afternoon and evening hours. This Package will be well worth it for me.

If you want to keep track of you children, I would suggest buying a set of walkie talkies. they're relatively inexpensive and most have a range of a mile or more

Thanks for posting these.. Cant wait to sail her to Alaska in July.

The couple was ordering TWO drinks at once for EACH of them. Rules are only ONE drink at a time per transaction per person. So the Patron was included free for each, but one beer was charged and the other beer free, BOGO, on suites perk card.

 

What they should have done, IMHO, would be to have the Patron transaction run through on each of their cards and then, when that transaction was complete, they could have ordered the beers, totally free and included.

 

There is no time limit between drinks. I was so thirsty one afternoon that I slammed a vodka and tonic and ordered another one in about 30 seconds.

That makes total sense now.. Thanks for clearing that up.. Its like when I try to buy a round at a Cardinals game.. "Sir, you're limited to two alcoholic purchases per transaction".

Navigator this week, 12/6-12/2015. A couple was at the pool bar next to me: They ordered two shots of Patron and two bottles of beer as chasers. They each had the PP. So the Patron was no charge. But they had to pay for the beers. They had suites gold card which had a perk benefit of buy one beer and get one free.

Why did they have to pay for beers? I thought everything was included with the premium package.

In Skagway... the Red Onion will offer you a great lip service excursion.

And its haunted too.. :eek::eek::eek:

Looks like its going to be a cold swim in July going to Alaska..

Very touching stories :)

Hello all. My wife and I have booked our first cruise ever on the Explorer of the Seas RCCL to Alaska in July of 2016. I'm just wondering what we can expect.

We've never been on a cruise and honestly we haven't taken a true vacation since 1999.

Any Ideas or experiences you've had and would be willing to share would be extremely helpful.

We have booked this for Alaska next year.. thanks for the info.. We have never cruised or been to Alaska before so this will be a total new experience for us.

Thanks so much for the time and effort you put into this review.. I cant wait to go on our cruise in July of next year..

Hello all. My wife and I are taking our first cruise to Alaska next July. I would like to know if there is an easy way to do some fishing with we're docked in either of these ports.

Any help would be greatly appreciated

My wife and I booked a balcony Saturday for the 15th through the 22nd of July 2016. Not a problem at all. It's our first cruise.