sacway

I have been a pilot for 50 yr, I would never go on a small air plane in Alaska. Also I never go on one anyplace if I'm not the pilot.

I am not a pilot but experienced a year of plane and helicopter based rural health service work.

Was in Ketchikan last week on the Westerdam. There were three other lines in port. Floatplanes took off and landed nonstop. All the lines offer flights, and passesers on tours are relying on terms of contractual agreements we do not review.

Instead I took a hike in a local forest and my DH visited a cafe. We have also visited the wonderful museum in town and once took a boat based tour.

It is not possible to reduce risks of flying in small planes and helicopters to zero.

Expedited disembarkation (roll your own bag) at 7.20. Cab to airport 7.35. Almost to SeaTac at 8 am. Early, yes. One of the best airports to wait with plenty of good food shopping and wifi. Time to catch up on the world.

No time to post during our quick visit to Ketchikan. Left DH at Mermaid Cafe near tunnel (a toy shop used to be here gone now) and took a self guided walking tour to west end / new town (brochures in info shack right where we got off boat). He paid five dollars for an hour of Internet must really love the Dodgers or whoever he was reading about.

After 10 minutes deviated from tour to head up to 3rd ave and library. Along 3rd ave is access to what could be described as a municipal rain forest rough trail. Walked an hour and a half (stopped for lots of photos) and only saw five other people no small feat when *four* cruise ships in town. On way back didn't have time to visit AK outboard motors to check out political poster collection well guess I will have to visit again someday.

Nearly in Victoria which is why I can bring up Cruise Critic. Lido cafe is serving dinner early and Insurgent is tonight's movie plus some last port souvenir searching coming up. Have taken good care of ship for those of you who will follow on.

Scarce and slow

Just arrived.

We have a starboard verandah and are docked on port so no watching people stream on and off. We faced Sitka yesterday and the tendering was also done on this side.

Yesterday we enjoyed visiting KCAW public radio and the National Historic Park. Salmonberries abundant but months too early for the salmon runs.

Went to MDR last night and enjoyed the various chefs signature dishes, I had the vegetarian curry one of the spicier meals of the week. Overall food is very bland but fresh and flavorful.

Weather continues mild, was out on the verandah in bare feet this morning snapping photos of nothing in particular.

Thanks for the insight Sacaway, loving your reviews and thoughts! Would you say there are any peak times in the Lido to avoid breakfast or lunch or good times to go? Thanks, just so excited for our cruise coming up!

Lido has opened early a couple of times. Like today, Sitka, started serving full breakfast at 6 am. Main dining not open till 7:30!

In Sitka right now, at Highligher Coffee on Lake Street next to Fire Station. Yummy Coconut Lemon Pound Cake and other local eats. Lit a real beeswax candle at the Cathedral on way here asking for protection and well being of all us cruisers.

The gym has had towels available since I first posted, good step forward. Also, it is "Explorations" upstairs. And it's the Juneau Arts and Humanities Council. Been mangling my names.

Though the itinerary says we are here till only 1 pm, when we tendered signage says last tender at 3 pm so probably time to walk over to Raptor Rescue Center. If I don't go to sleep after eating this pound cake.

More soon.

I really like the Lidos with the banquette seating as well. It makes it really nice when you have a large group who all meet up in the Lido. (Though you have to be careful admitting that around these parts, people will accuse you of table hogging.)

In 1999 our extended family took a four day cruise with my 80 yr old father in law. It was the first and last time we did this and he died a couple years later. He spent most of his waking hours at a large table in the buffet as his several children and their children drifted in and out from various activities. The whole vacation was magical and unforgettable.

Some may call it table hogging but I will never begrudge families working together to accommodate the very old, very young or very frail. These are wonderful things to share.

Enjoy! We just did that cruise, first time to AK. Loved it!

Thanks for posting I always enjoy reviews after I get back. What did you like best?

Okay, best food in all our dozen-plus cruises was Oceania, next Celebrity. NCL gets dinged for food but we found excellent curries and flat breads on the NCL Star in the buffet and booked suites twice so we could have breakfast and lunch in Gatsby's. Being in a Neptune Suite give you Pinnacle Grill here on Westerdam but it's the same breakfast as in MDR so no real value for us in that.

First time on HAL so hard to be strategic in eating. But so far we liked the range of theme breakfasts in MDR (English, American, Dutch, Japanese...) and today had wonderful smoked salmon omelet made to order in Lido. Some dishes not so lucky. But veggie choices have been good, burgers and fries fine at the Dive In grill on the pool patio. I try for very small portions of anything new and if it's not what works for me oh well I let it go till next meal which of course comes soon. Four to five flavored of ice cream at Lido in cup cone or waffle always. Sherbet for those who are watching their lipids. :) overall I rate it Worthy Effort so far and the servers are very kind friendly and helpful which makes any meal better.

Also, had a fun meet up yesterday arranged with HAL (thank you Amanda Cummins) where we got the chance to meet in person some of the CCers from our Roll Call. Hope they have had as great a time in Juneau as we have had today. Will look for them on board tomorrow or for their reviews when they return home.

BTW, the State Museum here is being rebuilt. Won't reopen till next year. We stopped in the Juneau Arts and Heritage Center (may have got that name wrong) nearby as an alternative. Smallish but nice and totally local fine art and handicrafts so happy to support local arts community. Bought a hand painted silk scarf for my SIL I am sure she'll like. Nice dolls, dresses, prints paintings some but not all for sale.

Also, in Lido cafe nice corner with sofa makes a cozy zone for whatever friends or family group settles down. Terrace is good extra seating too.

For couch potatoes, good tv piping NBA finals to room, two ESPN channels, BBC News and Fox News have CNBC and MSNBC. Movie channels okay not new releases but relatively large DVD library.

So glad to hear it's going well.

 

Can you expand on the gym being too small? Do you mean in terms of space? Or not enough machines? Thanks!

The gym has about a dozen strength training machines and about a small living room size area for free weights. About a dozen treadmills and three maybe elliptical trainers and two bikes plus one recumbent cycle. Small class area where it's difficult to fit more than about nine or ten people. For a ship that has nearly 2000 pax many very active (think of all the outdoor excursions in AK) it is inadequate.

79 degrees in Juneau

great time so far.

nice Signature Suite.

great service (exception of one bartender)

many whales spotted

gym too small, no towels, bad yoga mats.

food fine.

thanks for your review, and for leaving your books at the library, we are on the current cruise and having a great time so far.

Hi -

Our best Skagway adventure was the day we rented a car and drove into the Yukon. We actually made it all the way to White Horse for lunch, where it was summer warm and sunny (appreciated this after several coastal summer foggy drizzly days). Enjoyed scenery & wildlife. Got back to Skagway with time to spare to walk around town and visit the Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park.

I read Murray's guide online for ideas. Made a list of potential stops which turned out great, plus we added a couple spontaneous breaks where we thought it was especially scenic that day. We stopped at some point where the train ends I guess and then goes back downhill. Some passengers looked longingly at our car, but I imagine many more were rail buffs who simply must ride any train anywhere. I like train rides, too, a lot. But couldn't resist this opportunity for a unique open road day.

On another extended family vacation cruise we spent half our pre-sail day with a rented van and driver, made a list of all highlights we thought people wanted to see, and had a great time talking among ourselves while driving between them and then spilling out occasionally. You could do something like this, or rent two cars as suggested above, if you decide on a road trip.

I too am big on vacation planning, it's a big part of what makes a truly memorable trip. Have a great one!

Save yourself the money and spend 1.99 at CVS for the stuff they make you drink before you get a colonoscopy.

Ha! So true. Went on a cruise and to the Elemis talk not long afterwards and informed the very kind young lady that I'd seen my innards and they looked just fine... Sort of took the steam right out of the sales pitch. Speaking of tv, didn't Katie Couric do this in public? I think once every 5-10 years is good enough. That's one 1.99 "drink" per 10 years!

Here's an article from WebMD:

http://www.webmd.com/food-recipes/features/detox-diets-purging-myths

I'm generally an Elemis fan but there's no "toxins" that are being "detox"ed with this product.

Thanks for a truly funny review that doesn't soft-peddle the cruise line's problems (this lowest-rank NCL ship doesn't have much more life in it, without some serious time in rehab.)

Here's my favorite line:

"We awake to clear skys, strong winds, and heavy seas, but we are sailing due south at normal speed and are on schedule for Punta Arenas. No. Wait! That was yesterday. Today we are adrift in the South Atlantic Ocean with no power."

It's death by 1000 paper cuts.

May I be so fortunate as to have you as a fellow cruiser on one of my tours.