My six month B2B last call SUN

My cruises start on May 15, 2017 in San Francisco and ends on October 5, 2017 in San Francisco. Sailing on the NCL Suns last season in Alaska. My journey really starts on CC with the May 15 roll call. On the roll call I find out that I will be cruising with the person that a lot of you out there likes to bash. But a person whose advice I have always taken as being correct on CC. My new friend Budget Queen. Because she needed some more people to fill a tour I contacted BQ jumped at the chance to join her. Main reason the chance of seeing Puffins. That being said I will now continue with what I might think I remember (If any of you were of these cruises and remember that crazy old man, this is me). I usually cruise solo but this time I traveled with friend. The B2B starts like most of my Alaskan trips with me driving from San Diego to San Francisco. Stayed at the Argonaut Hotel the day before. Fantastic location by the Wharf but nothing really special. Even had to pay extra to park my truck for the night.

Day 1 San Francisco

Because I needed two weeks parking, I made earlier arrangements to park my truck at a hotel near the airport for $105. Parked truck and called Uber. Since this was my first time using Uber, my first ride ended up being free from the hotel to the cruise port. 30 minutes front door. Easiest embarkation I can remember. Forward facing mini 1202. Right under the Observation lounge. Forgot something at the hotel and was able to board, get off, correct my mistake, go back through embarkation and all it cost me was my first two hours of drinking (I also made up for this time later that night). Sailed under the Golden Gate Bridge with a Bahama Mama.

Day 2 Sea Day

Since I have sailed on the Sun many many, yeah many times, I have had the pleasure of sailing with most the hospitality/ customers service officers and was able to talk about old times before the M&G

M&G. The organizers of M&G did a great job organizing the event through the roll. Thank you whoever who were. Then everyone who participated on the roll call actually showed. The hosts were overwhelmed after the Officers introduced themselves. To many groups talking at the same time. But this was the time I first met BQ.

Day 3 Astoria, Oregon

First time in Astoria. Very nice town. Down home folk. Just like any small town but with a great view. Took round trip shuttle to town. Did some shopping. Returned to ship to eat and drink.

Day 4 Sea Day

Saw a few humpbacks and a lot of either white-side dolphins or Dall's porpoise. I cannot tell the difference, but the experience was neat.

Day 5 Ketchikan

Went to my favorite drinking hole. The Asylum Bar. Right next to the Burger Queen, just under the bridge. I know the owner and Carlos. Four years ago on the recomendation from the casino staff I found this bar. He gave me a free shirt and he has had a customer for life.

Day 6 Tracy Arm/ Juneau

We went to Endicott arm instead. A little far out but still a good look at a glacier. Then docked in Juneau. All I did was take the city bus. To Mendenhall glacier and on the way back stopped at Fred Mayer. $6 total transportation.

Day 7 Glaicer Bay

I cannot remeber anything happening special but made it to the face of the Margerie glacier and it was a great view.

Day 8 Skagway

Rented a car and went to Whitehouse. On the way I saw frozen lakes, snow capped peaks, Emerald lake, waterfalls, goats, and even saw a bear. Back in town I had a few beers at the Bonanza. When we sailed out lated that evening I found out that many people saw bears from there rent a cars that day.

Day 9 Hoonah/ Icy Strait

My favorite port in Alaska. This is the real Alaska. This is a village, not a commercial. The only place in Alaska that if you stay in one place for two hours, nature will come two you. Like most cruisers I am feeding my face in the Outdoor Cafe. While eating and as I am looking out and not in I notice a lot of birds gathering close to the water. Then BOOM bubble net feeding. The next thing you notice is all the whale watching tours are now at the bow of the ship. The show lasted a long time. The people on the tours paid $100 plus for a tour and me and the people feeding are faces in the Outdoor Cafe got a free show.

Day 10 Hubbard Glaicer

The third glacier visit on this cruise. I really cannot remember how close we got but if I were to Hazard a guess I think we got close.

Day 11 Sitka

My tour with BQ. Her knowledge is unquestionable. I saw everything that was promised. Seals, sea lions, sea otter, eagles, starfish (we were at low tide), humpbacks and even a bear. But my mission was a Puffin. I got my first Puffin. Now my cruise has been a success.

Day 12 Prince Ruppert

I was in Prince Ruppert for the first time 2009 and just walked town. This being day 12, that is all I did again. I did see eagles at this port.

Day 13 Sea Day Inside Passage

This is usually one of the best last sea days one can have on a cruise this is the second to last day on this. Sailed through Alret bay towards Robson bright. Saw a couple humpbacks.

Day 14 Nanaimo

Never have been here before. Just walked the the town and was suprised. Not a lot but some great old buildings and history. Found one that was turned into a bar (are you suprised) and had a great time kicking it with the locals. Getting ready to end this cruise the next day in Vancouver. What I thought was silly about this stop was as we started to sail, five minutes out to sea we could see Vancouver. It seemed that whole night the ship just driffited and when she was ready to go to Vancouver it was just a stoned away.

Day 15 Vancouver disembarkation

Now if you all recall I have a truck parked in San Francisco. How to get to point A to point B? Because of CC I saw someplace someone mentioning a rental car. So I made arrangements to rent a car at Canada Place with my drop off at SFO. I am Platinum with NCL so I am first off and walk. I pick up the car at 9am. Two days unliminited milage $100. The car had California plates and maybe that is why I got what was I think was a grate rate. Minimum wait at the boarder. Since I have two days with the car, I travel to Multnomah Falls, Oregon. What a gorgeous waterfall. Made me think that I was one of the seven dwarfs walking home from work. The area also has a few other cool waterfalls. Stayed in Roseburg, Oregon.

Day 16 To pick up truck.

Roseburg to San Francisco is about 460 miles. I got an early start and was able to pick up my truck at the hotel near the airport around 3pm. It was to late to try to head back to San Diego so we decided to go to Santa Cruz Boardwalk. Spent the night in Santa Cruz

Day 17 drive to San Diego

To get from Santa Cruz to San Diego means you have to go through Los Angeles. LA nice city, bad traffic. Never really a good time to go north/south but somehow made it through LA with the car pool lane pretty easily. Got home in a reassonalbe time.

Sub total

14 days on the Sun. Three glaciers, seven ports. Many bars. Mother Nature. Wildlife. Many crew members I have sailed with in the past. The locals I made friends with. And PUFFINS:D

To be continued when I feel motivate again (I think you all know what I mean)...............July 17, 2017 through July 30, 2017. B2B Vancouver to Seward to Vancouver. Time to go nite nite

Alaska is on our bucket list! Can't wait for the next installment!

Thanks for review. Am jealous you got to meet BQ and even go on a tour with her. In 2010 when hubby and I took HAL's 14 day AK cruise, BQ's posts in the AK forum helped so much in planning our outings.

I'm even more jealous that you saw a PUFFIN. That's one of my hopes.

Thanks for review. Am jealous you got to meet BQ and even go on a tour with her. In 2010 when hubby and I took HAL's 14 day AK cruise, BQ's posts in the AK forum helped so much in planning our outings.

 

I'm even more jealous that you saw a PUFFIN. That's one of my hopes.

BQ is a wonderful woman. She has the same passion for Alaska as I do. But we do Alaska totally different. BQ is big on tours and land time. She likes to see cruisers try to get every opportunity to see Mother Nature at her finest. She likes to go where the action. We both rarely leave our cabin without our binoculars. Me I don't do many paid tours when I cruise Alaska. The tours I have taken in Alaska usually turn out OK but not really that wow factor. In fact I have taken over 30 Alaskan cruises and have never been to Denali. Me, I like playing "Where's Waldo". Every morning 5am or eariler, as the crew cleans and sanitizes the Outdoor Cafe deck, watching the sunrise, I am with my binoculars and my headphones, dancing by myself, drinking my coffee. I am an Alaskan Geek. I like to watch paint dry. And since I usually cruise by myself the only other people I get to share the experience with is the early morning cleaning crew. And when the rest of the cruisers finally get up to eat again and see me with my binoculars they ask me "did you see anything" I always reply "I see everything" And it is easier with my binoculars. Usually the cruisers response to my sarcasm is "I brought binoculars but they are in my cabin" and my response back is "great place for binoculars when you are in Alaska and sailing in an inside cabin". Back to BQ, I was able to bump into her almost every day to pick her brain and share our similar experiences.

Alaska is on our bucket list! Can't wait for the next installment!

Alaska is my Disneyland. Once you have been there and think you saw a lot, you still haven't seen anything yet. Mother Nature is a tease. She gives you a little here and a little there that makes you want to back again and again and again.

That was an interesting AK itinerary and experience. Looking forward to your July account.

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That was an interesting AK itinerary and experience. Looking forward to your July account.

 

 

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Once in a lifetime itinerary. First Alaska cruise of the season. It felt like a repositioning cruise because we started in San Francisco and ended in Vancouver.

Sun Week 3

Cruising solo this time. As I normally do. My journey again begins weeks earlier on CC with monitoring the roll call. Sad to say but this was one of the smallest following rolls calls I have seen. No one even set up a M&G or I just missed it because of little activity on the roll call.

The road trip starts at 3:00 Friday morning leaving San Diego with my destination Vancouver. A little 1400 miles. I always leave no later than 3:00 is because the only good time to go through Los Angeles is before early morning rush hour. I usually drive about 16 hours the first day with regularly 15 minute stops to rest my eyes. Usually stay somewhere around Portland. Next morning drive to Bellingham , WA. Anywhere between 6 to 8 hours to get there depending on Seattle traffic. Spent Saturday night there. Sunday morning and I am less than 50 miles from Vancouver. Since I have a lot of extra time I decide to get 18 holes in at Semiahmoo golf course. Did I forget to tell you that I always bring my clubs when I travel by car. Finish golf and the boarder is only 10 minutes away. Getting into Canada is easier that trying to get back to the US. The wait was less than expected. Travel to my hotel in Richmond. Made arrangements for lodging, 14 days parking and shuttle to and from Canada Place for less than 200 CAD. I always carry Canadian cash. Spent the night. My cruise starts tomorrow.

Seasons Alaska cruise day 15 Vancouver

Shuttle picks me up at 1pm. I was about a 45 minute drive to Canada Place. I like arriving later than earlier to hope to avoid longer lines at embarkation. Walk on with my luggage and I think the process took about 45 minutes. This time sailing in a mid ship balcony, deck 8. Let's get the party started. The highlight of the day. Minimun wait times in lines and sailing under the Lions Gate bridge

Day 16 Sea Day Inside Passage

Got up early enough to enjoy the last hour of the passage in the Queen Charlotte Strait. Saw a couple humpbacks. Since the roll call didn't have a M&G, I had to find another way to reacquaint with the officers. I have another game to play. Find the pictures in the pyramid. So most of the day I went officer hunting. The easiest person for me to find that day was Captain Borg. Day two is usually picture day with the captain and I knew if I wait turn my time would come. I have sailed with Captain Borg many times and this time it was my turn to say thank you. Able to present him with a hippie tie dye shirt with "San Diego" on it. One of the best pictures I have is with us shaking hands and holding up the shirt. Something he will probably never wear, but he will remember the crazy old man.

Day 17 Ketchikan

The morning starts with me wearing my Asylum Bar Ketchikan t-shirt. The owner gave me the shirt for free a couple years ago and I proudly wear it as a walking billboard. I have no plans for the day. So I go to the Asylum bar. Dive bar with great beer prices for pint drafts. I am on the patio working on my second pitcher beer when I see someone I recognize and I yell "FRED". As it turns out Fred comes back and is surprised someone knows him. Fred is the comedian preforming on the ship that evening. Had the pleasure of meeting Fred a year earlier on the Sun and in the same bar. Shared experiences for about an hour. He drank coffee and I finished my pitcher. Sailed later that evening through snow pass and saw another humpback.

Day 18 Juneau

One the way onto Juneau and just as we are passing the entrance to Tracy Arm I spotted a dorsal. I have my binoculars. ORCA. Killer whale time. The ship arrives around 11:00 am I take the city bus again out to Mendenhall glacier $2. The city bus stops about a mile from the ranger station. Walked out to Nugget falls and saw a porcupine. Then walked around Steep creek and saw a lot of salmon. I spent about 3 hours at the park. Take the city bus back into town $2. Now I am a little thirsty so guess where I go. The Viking Lounge downtown. The beers there are a little more expensive than the Asylum but reasonable. Had a special promotion buy a pitcher of Alaska Amber and get a free glass. Who could pass up a bargain like that. Picked up two glasses. Got back to the ship a checked my smart watch and realized I walked over 6 miles. Sailing towards Skagway saw more humpbacks. This was another good day.

Day 19 Skagway

This is our longest port stop. 8am-8pm. I have nothing planed. I have been to Skagway over 30 times so this port is usually a day of rest. Mid afternoon I walk the town (10 minutes). I check to see if my cabin was selected at the t-shirt store for $100 free shopping. No luck. Next stop the library for free WIFI. Go to the Bonanza bar and have a pitcher Amber. I paid the highest price here for a pitcher of Amber. Back to the ship, check watch and I walked 2.5 miles. Tomorrow Glacier Bay.

Day 20 Glacier Bay.

I wake up early enough to see the sunrise. As this ship approaches Gustavus to pick up the rangers and off in the distance I spot water spouts. I see about four humpbacks. One seems to be flapping a fin. This goes on for a couple of minutes. Then one whale starts breaching. Now since I mention before I always have my binoculars, I was ready for this show. We pick up the rangers. On the way towards the Margerie glacier I was able to see a few more water spouts, a whale tail, seals, sea otters, and even a few goats on the side of a mountain. The glacier was beautiful as ever and cooperative. There were a few calvings. On the way out saw a lot of sea lions on a little island. Another wonderful day.

Day 21 Hubbard glacier

Here is where my confusion starts. Since I am doing a B2B, I am lucky enough to visit Hubbard glacier 2 times in 3 days. What I remember about the two visits is that one time we were really close to the glacier. On that visit there were a lot of calvings. The other visit not so close but the glacier visible. This is why a like this B2B itinerary. If you miss Hubbard on one trip you always have a second chance. Tomorrow turn around day.....Seward

Day 22 Seward

Subtotal for 7 days: 4 ports, 2 glaciers, humpbacks, sea otters, orca, eagles, porcupine, salmon, goats, sea lions. Sun rises and sunsets. Changing weather. Zero money spent on tours. $4 on the city bus and finally five pitchers of Alaskan Amber $82+ tips:D.

My onboard subtotal: $13.99 (service charge) x 7=$97.93. Now I may not have mentioned this. By booking with my travel agency I received $100 refundable OBC. And being a stockholder I get $100 non-refundable credit. So my total bill for the week is $97.93-$100= -$2.07 That is money they still owe me and I still have $100 non-refundable to spend for the next week.:D:D The bill carriers over. Week four begins.

I was on the 14 night San Fran to Vancouver too... ISP was my favourite day EVER!!!! I got sun burnt that day (pale skin, red hair) on the shore line watching the whales going back and forth all day bubble feeding, they came so close at some points you heard them trumpeting really loud. Then when we were back on the ship and they bubble fed right next too it, we were looking down on them as they came up... Was AMAZING!