Carnival Spirit, 9/2 Glacier Bay, Long Review

[ninetyfeet]

First off, I have a whole new appreciation and respect for cruisers who have to travel to a port. All 4 of my previous cruises have been out of Tampa which is only 20 minutes from my house. This time, we had to fly from one corner of the country to the next, literally.

 

In order to minimize expenses, we used free Southwest tickets that I had earned from business trips. Since they don't fly to Vancouver we went to Seattle, stayed the night at the Marriott Renaissance Hotel in downtown, then took the 4 hour Amtrak Cascades train ride up to Vancouver.

 

Our flights connected in Denver and were fine - mostly on time. We arrived to Seattle after 9pm and we used hotel points (again, from business trips) to score a free night in a downtown hotel. The cab fare was around $45 but we knew we would either pay now or pay in the morning and we wanted to be as close to the station in the morning to avoid any issues/delays. The Renaissance staff were top notch and the room was amazing. It didn't hurt that our view from our bed on the 22nd floor included the space needle!

 

 

We got up bright and early, took a $7 cab fare over to the Amtrak station and boarded the train. We purchased business class tickets which I highly recommend as they were only $13 more, included a $3 food voucher, and saved us a ton of time. We got to board first, had larger seats, got to get off first, and go through customs first. According to what I've read, the bus can be a pain as they pass through customs but the train was a breeze! As you can see from just one of my pics, the scenery from the train was a great sample of what was to come ...

 

 

After arriving in Vancouver we walked across the street to the Sky Train station. $2.50/pp and 5 minutes later, we were standing right in front of Canada Place looking at the Spirit! I took a quick pic of the painted eagle next to the port - unfortunately, we didn't plan ahead and get the boat in the background ...

 

 

The good:

Grilled Cheese sandwich from Delish at SEATAC (YUM!)

Staff at Madison Renaissance Hotel

Scenery from the Cascades train

Perks of business class tickets

Oatmeal from the bistro car

Ease of travel via Sky Train

 

The bad:

LONNNNNGGGG flights across country

Time changes

 

Well this covers how we got there ... more to come later as time permits!

[JesMil]

Now you know how the rest of us feel with the long trips to port. But, it's all worth it. Keep the review coming. I'm looking forward to your description of the ship.

[smarks]

We made the trek from Ga. to Vancouver by car. That was a quite a trip. We love the Spirit. Can't wait for your review.

[ninetyfeet]

We pretty much headed straight for the ship since we like to be on early, eat, and unpack. Our first view of the Spirit:

 

 

Despite the horror stories that I read, going through customs, checking-in, and getting on the ship was relatively organized and easy. I'm not sure if it was because I read the horror stories and had low expectations but they really did a good job of sitting people down IN ORDER and boarding them on the ship IN ORDER. I would say the process after checking-in was actually easier than from Tampa which always gets high accolades on cc.

 

As usual, we carried our bags on with us, took the elevators up to Lido then went down one flight of stairs to our room. We are one of *those* people who go to the cabin early to drop our stuff off and quickly get out. This time, since we weren't on the ship as early as usual, the cabin was actually completely ready so we spent more than the 30 seconds we typically spend ... maybe more like 3 minutes since I was more than ready for my first cruise meal! We were on deck 8, right under Lido, in an extended balcony room (8226).

 

We grabbed some grub then went to search for a table which was VERY difficult and we ended up near the covered pool as that was the only table we could find. I believe the difficulty was due to us getting on a little later than normal as we are usually one of the first people on board. As we ate near the pool I was so mad that I didn't pack my bathing suit. I knew this was going to be one of the few, if only, cruises that I would be able to swim without 3/4 of the ship in the pool with me!

 

 

As per our usual routine, we toured the ship after lunch. I love the layout of the Spirit class ships but didn't find the decor on the Spirit as appealing as the Legend. For some reason, the "wow" factor wasn't there for me. The atrium was pretty but most of the ones I've seen are all aesthetically pleasing.

 

 

After the walk around the ship, and the request for a table for 2 (we were told to stop by again before dinner for an assignment - not sure why they couldn't do it then like on other cruises), we headed back to the cabin to unpack and rest a bit before sailaway. The muster was typical, if anything, it seemed to go by faster than others. I did find a life ring and thought it was a great picture taking opportunity! (My hair is still growing back from radiation ... slowly). In an effort to be healthy we took the stairs both ways ... the 5 flights down were a breeze ... wish I could say the same about the return trip!

 

 

We went back up to lido after dropping off our life vests to watch us sail away ... but we waited ... had an ice cream ... and waited ... and waited ... got plenty of views of Vancouver ...

 

 

and waited ... watched multiple sea planes take off and land ... then finally the captain informed us that the traffic under the bridge was holding us up ... finally, it was our turn. We went to the front since I wanted a picture of us leaving the harbour ... sadly, their bridge doesn't compare to the Sunshine Skyway but it was still neat to see as it marked the true beginning of our cruise!

 

 

At last, we were set free and I snagged one final pic of the sunset before heading back indoors ...

 

(image was deleted due to the 6 photo limit)

 

Due to the REALLY long delay, it was now almost time for the liquor tasting which my SO enjoys. Typically, on our past cruises, we find 30-40 people waiting for the gift shop to open and then it turns into a quasi mob-like affair ... NOT THIS TIME!! It must be the crowd because there were only a few of us there, everyone was very calm, well behaved, and actually had manners! Fellow cruisers were so tame that we were even offered to try seconds which is unheard of on warm weather cruises! We both tried probably 5 or 6 before getting tired of trying them and headed out. This is one of the GOOD parts about cruising with an older crowd.

 

I wanted to 'check out' the casino and the SO wanted to 'check out' the sushi so we split up. I hit a fast $50 on the slots, grabbed my SO, and we went back to the room while I was ahead. Of course, I knew I would donate it later in the cruise but I don't like to push my luck.

 

When we got back to the room I caught a glimpse of some sort of pod of mammals but have no clue what it was. By the time for our late dinner seating we were both tired and cranky (now a 3 hour time difference). Dinner was okay, nothing spectacular, then we went straight to bed after. I am one of the cruisers that actually enjoys seeing the shows so I was a bit bummed but knew I needed the rest more than the show.

 

(not-so) Quick story: On the first night they put a man in an electric wheelchair in the BACK of the dining room. I'm not sure if this was a rental or if he just got it but he obviously wasn't very good at steering the joystick type chair. On the way back down the aisle, he hit almost every table - sometimes pulling the tablecloth off to the side. I couldn't believe they would put him all the way in the back. We sat down and then noticed he was coming back to the front (apparently he couldn't navigate around all the tables in the back). On the way back up he swerved from side to side hitting practically every booth, table, and column on the way. Yes, I laughed (I push my 92 yr old grandfather around in a wheelchair so I have sympathy but this situation was just amusing to watch). Fortunately, they allowed him to sit closer to the front for the rest of the cruise. Seriously Carnival - this should have NEVER happened! Put special needs people up front for everyone's safety and sanity.

 

The good:

Fast check-in process at Canada Place

Room ready way before 1:30

Plenty of sea plane activity near the port

No lines at the liquor tasting

Winning $50 the first 5 minutes in the casino

Starting our cruise in Alaska with a great balcony room!

 

The bad:

No "wow" factor from the decor

LONG delay out of the harbor

Carnival assigning tables in the back for people with electric wheelchairs.

Our "temporary" table assignment for the first night

Below average service in the dining room

Missing the first show due to the time change

[ninetyfeet]

Since we went to bed right after dinner we were up by 8am. As soon as I opened the curtains, we were greeted with a beautiful sunrise. THIS is exactly why I love cruising so much ...

 

We decided to do breakfast in the dining room and I went back to eggs benedict which I discovered after reading the rave reviews on cc. I don't really like poached eggs, canadian ham, or english muffins but I sure do love eggs benedict - go figure?!? Again, the servers were slow and not nearly as good as I have been use to on previous carnival cruises.

 

After breakfast we headed up to Lido for our cc meet & greet as coordinated by Sandy. There was a baby whale playing off the side of the ship which we captured - quite a sight for us to see! He kept smacking his tail against the water and looked like he was having a blast.

 

 

After seeing the whale we found the cc group all huddled around and introduced ourselves. Had some very nice conversations, put a face to a name, and finally actually made it to a meet'n'greet! BTW, great idea Sandy to have it the day after we board as things were a lot less hectic!

 

After chatting away it was almost time for the wine tasting and I definitely wanted a little more food in my belly beforehand so we grabbed some pizza then headed up to the supper club. The sommelier was excellent and I always learn something new at these events. They are well worth the $15 just for the tastings, food, and information!

 

 

After the wine fest, it was tea time which is one of my SO's favorite activities so we went and enjoyed a cup of earl grey and tasty treats.

 

It was the first formal night for dinner but neither of us were interested in going to the Captain's party so we skipped out and played cards (picked up for free at the pursers desk) in our room while watching the ocean. We did go to dinner where we were assigned a permanent table which was actually a booth so it was comfortable and roomy. We were quite relieved when we met our servers who were fast and friendly.

 

Since we were more awake, we did attend the show - the Big Easy. I must admit that the show was one of the best I've seen on a cruise and the performers were all top notch. Some of the shows I've seen on other cruises were sad and looked like a bunch of people just met that day to start rehearsing - not this one! These dancers and singers were talented, prepared, and professional! Two thumbs up from me!

 

The good:

Beautiful sunrises and scenery

Seeing a baby whale on our first day!

Meeting nice and friendly cc folks

Wine tasting

Tea time

Excellent dinner servers

Entertainment singers and dancers

 

The bad:

Slow service at breakfast

[ninetyfeet]

We made the trek from Ga. to Vancouver by car. That was a quite a trip. We love the Spirit. Can't wait for your review.

 

You're a brave soul ... I found it quite painful to fly across the country ... then again, if I had plenty of time it might be less stressful!

[NMCRUISERS]

Ready for more of your review! I loved this trip last year.

[Payd]

Great review...looking forward to the rest!!

[ninetyfeet]

So we got to roll our clocks back ANOTHER hour, pushing us four hours behind our normal schedule. Talk about messing us up royally!

 

We both woke up at 6am, checked out the scenery, enjoyed breakfast in the dining room, then went to the dance lesson. It was an overcast day as you can see but still better to look at than work!

 

 

After our dance lesson with Lou and Amor (we were now pros at the Waltz - lol) it was time for the art discussion so we sat in and listened. Some good info, some blah, but we usually have fun and enjoy the time looking at pretty pictures. Since we were pulling into Juneau at 2pm we wanted to grab lunch before getting off the ship. Unfortunately, every single other passenger had the same idea and the lines were wrapped around the corners and out the door. We grabbed lemonade and went to our room to order room service. It did give us time to casually change for our whale excursion. The food was mediocre at best - well, the chips were the best part of my meal if that says anything. I am still perplexed why the food on this cruise wasn't as good as the others.

 

As we were docking, I turned on my cell phone to check on things at home as we were back in US territory with standard cell rates. As soon as we were tied up we headed down to meet our tour operator. We booked through Captain Jack and I can't say enough good things about him. His boat was comfy and he only had 6 passengers on along with him and his helper/daughter. He runs the tours as a hobby moreso than a job so he does what he enjoys and you can really tell just by talking with him. We did get to see several humpbacks although none of them breached, nor did I have expectations though it would have been a welcome sight! I didn't get a good photo of a tail but I did get several of them on video ... since video isn't allowed on here ...

 

 

After seeing multiple whales surrounding us we went over to check out an island filled with Stellar sea lions then to a buoy with more. They were cute, huge, and quite stinky but awesome to watch. We were told that an orca had "snacked" on one the day before so some of them took off and left ... while I would have loved to watch a real-life national geographic moment it was probably best that we didn't.

 

 

 

On the way back in to the dock, we saw a TON of bald eagles all hanging out on the shore line. Most of them looked rather young but it was neat seeing so many in one place at one time. We found out that the tide shifts 20+ feet between high and low tides so we couldn't pull up to where we were before. After getting off the boat and thanking our crew we headed over to the mendenhall glacier. To keep things simple, we just did it through Cap't Jack as it was only $20 and we didn't have to worry about transportation. Our driver dropped us off and was waiting for us when we were all done.

 

The glacier was beautiful as was the movie in the visitor's center. It is scary to think that it is receding 250 FEET per YEAR!

 

 

In a moment of genius or ghetto-ness, I figured out how to create my own telephoto lense using one of the telescopes in the visitor's center. Yes, I know it is cheesy but the photos actually came out and you can really see the details! I definitely don't have enough zoom on my Olympus to get as close up as this:

 

 

We were told that each state capitol was given a sculpture of their state bird but when Alaska unveiled theirs it was a pelican. Apparently, our ever-so-capable government sent Alaska's eagle to Tallahassee and Florida's pelican to Juneau. At least the eagle won't look ridiculous in Florida! We didn't get to visit the capitol to get a photo but I'm sure someone will post one on here eventually.

 

As we headed back to the dock we were told by our driver that Tracy's Crab Shack was a great place to eat. Since this was the second time we were told this, we decided that we would try it out. We assumed (yes, I know the saying) that the term "shack" was just a cutesy name for the restaurant but no ... it was LITERALLY a shack. The food might be amazing but they were closing and I wasn't all that disappointed as I've seen state fair food trailers that were bigger than this. Let alone the fact that I expected to sit at a table inside a building shielded from the rain and cold.

 

We quickly decided that dinner on the ship was meant for us that night and went around the corner to find a HUGE LINE of people all waiting to get on. I've never seen such a slow line from a place without a tender. Heck, I think some of the lines at tendered ports move faster than this. The only reason I can come up with was because of the age of the passengers? Then again, the setup for x-ray and screening was poorly arranged and not optimal for flow. Still it took us over 30 minutes to get back on the ship and head to dinner (a little late).

 

The good:

Fun dance lessons

Awesome whale excursion

Seeing humpbacks and sea lions

Cap't Jack's boat and crew

Seeing Mendenhall glacier

Pimping my camera with a "telescopic" lens

 

The bad:

Another time change

Long lines at lido

Mediocre food from room service

Shack actually meaning SHACK

Long line to get back on the Spirit

Poor setup for the x-ray machines

[tiggerman101]

Thank you so much for taking the time to write this. I can't wait for my Glacier Bay cruise next year. I can't wait to read more.

[DarthGrady]

Looking good so far! Bringing back some great memories.

 

I wish we would have taken the Amtrak, I wasn't a fan of the bus ride.

[CruisingAgain]

This is fun reading!!! You tell a great story. Keep it coming.

[ninetyfeet]

Well, bright and early we arrived in glacier bay. My SO was so excited, I was woke up at 6:45! Since we were travelling cross country and wanted to minimize luggage we decided to do one load of laundry on this day. It actually worked out well as we had everything ready and just dropped our stuff in the washer first thing in the AM. We took up both of the washers on the deck below ours. As stated, it cost $3 to wash and we used the 3 in 1 sheets which worked out great! I didn't really mind the time it took to wash, dry, and fold as it was a LOT easier than hauling a big suitcase each. I ran down before breakfast to put them in the dryer (just used one but ran it twice) then quickly folded and put everything back in my suitcase to roll up to our cabin. Really easy, took care of EVERYTHING we had with us, and only cost $12 - I like the $15 laundry special but they don't always do jeans and I knew with all the sweatshirts that we would need multiple bags. BTW, those 3 in 1 sheets keep everything in your suitcase smelling wonderfully fresh!

 

**RANT WARNING** So at breakfast we broke from the norm and agreed to any table as long as it was near a window as we wanted to look outside. I suppose the hostess thought that all gays and lesbians like to be clustered together so we were placed at a table in the very back corner of the dining room. It was obviously deliberate and I'm not sure how I really feel about this practice. It wasn't requested and I found it odd. Plus, sometimes it is neat meeting non-gay cruisers while eating as we are not socially impaired and CAN function in a heterosexual environment. I didn't think too much into the situation at this point. Then we waited, and waited, and waited. The people on both sides of us were promptly greeted, given drinks, were served, and some were even done eating by the time our server came over. This morning, for some reason, it took over 30 minutes for any of us to get coffee, juice, tea - and even then it was delivered with a side of attitude. It then took another 15 minutes for the server to come over and take our order and another 30 to get our food. I have never had this happen on any cruise and was quite frustrated. I can't say with 100% certainty that it was blatent discrimination but if it quacks like a duck, walks like a duck, and looks like a duck ... I surely hope this is an isolated occurence and it has never happened on any of my other cruises so hopefully this is the exception not the rule.

 

Isn't it funny how quickly your mood can change when you look out your balcony to see this:

 

 

So even though breakfast was awful, the views brought me back to bliss. We were being goofy and just happened to catch a great photo - check out the reflection in the door. I thought it was a stroke of genius though I wish I could say I did it on purpose!

 

 

As we sailed around to the next glacier, I took a little nap with my face aimed out the window so that I could keep an eye out for the next big ice cube. We did go up the other inlet but didn't get as close or hang out as long. I'm so glad we took this itinerary this year. I wanted to sail the inside passage from Vancouver and wanted to see Glacier Bay. Next year the sailings are from Seattle and I'm not sure if it will be as scenic as our cruise was. Also, there is only 1 sailing to Glacier Bay which got better reviews than Tracy Arm Fjord and I didn't want to wait a whole year to book glacier bay.

 

As we were heading out of Glacier Bay Park we went to the next dance lesson which was way too crowded and filled with uncoordinated people. We did get to practice a bit and work off some of the calories eaten earlier that day. The sun came out as we were in the park and the sunset that night was beyond amazing ...

 

We went to the blues brothers show and both of us were impressed. The cruise director and the assistant cruise director pretty much did the whole show and it was entertaining. They had the entire audience up and doing goofy dances. The entertainment on this cruise has exceeded my expectations a LOT and I wished that I would have made it to the other shows.

 

We made it to dinner but both of us were getting sleepy. My SO did find the name of the electric scooter amusing ... sorta like the Daytona 500 but a little less?

 

Since we are going to be in Skagway early in the morning we decided to skip the comedy show and go straight to bed.

 

The good:

Watching the calving IN PERSON and hearing the snap, crackle, pop!

Amazing scenery!

Empty washing machines and dryers when we needed them

Sunny day in glacier bay

Beautiful sunsets

Fun Blues Brothers Show

 

The bad:

Blatent discrimination at breakfast

[cruzlover]

Hi Vicky and Kista. It was great meeting you both. I'm really enjoying your review. I agree with the food and service. I've certainly had better. There was very little that I was really impressed with as far as the food was concerned. I know what you mean about finding a table in the cafeteria. It seemed there were so many people just hanging around looking out the windows.

 

The scenery was amazing and the weather was unbelievable. This was the most stress free and relaxing cruise we've ever taken. Of course, it was the first cruise since our first cruise in 97 that we went by ourselves. While it's a lot of fun to go with friends, it's certainly more relaxing when you're alone.

 

Looking forward to reading the rest of your review!

 

Melinda

[ninetyfeet]

Our ship arrived early to Skagway and we were scheduled to meet our tour guide Dyea Dave by 7:30am. We wanted to ride the train up at least one way and decided to take a different route down - we ended up using Dave as the less expensive alternative.

 

Unfortunately, we used room service as our wake up call and they delivered breakfast as late as possible which meant my SO didn't have her usual primping hour. I munched on some cereal and got dressed and ready for the day. It was a lot warmer than our day in Glacier Bay or Juneau and it was relatively clear. After we got off the ship we found Dave and he told us to go ahead and take the train up since it was a pretty day and that his sister would pick us up at the station in Frasier. He drove us over to the train station at the end of the pier and said the fares there were less expensive than the ones over by the ship. I didn't verify this information.

 

We got a seat on the left side and enjoyed the 1:30 ride up to the summi and a little past it. The US/Canadian border is at the very top but customs are a considerable distance from it. My SO saw some mountain goats on the ride up. All I saw were white dots. We were told that customs is open 24/7 and since no one wants to stay up at the summit where they get 40+ feet of snow, that they both decided to leave the top as an unsecured area. The train ride was neat and scenic and one of those trips I would describe as do it once, twice if you're really a train fanatic and have the cash. I personally, thought a one-way trip was sufficient especially considering the ticket fares. Here is a pic of the old bridge and a view from the train:

 

 

 

 

We stopped at a few places on the way down to take photos of waterfalls and scenery. Woo, Fraser!

 

Scenic waterfall on the ride back down to town:

 

After we got back into town, and when I say town I mean an area 22 blocks long and 4 blocks wide, we did a little shopping while waiting for the brewing company to open for lunch. The food was ho-hum for me and my SO said her salmon sandwich was just okay. It is one thing to get crummy food on the ship, a whole other kind of disappointment when we pay for it. The BEST part about lunch was seeing this guy in the gift shop. I hope he isn't a cc member and if so, here is a great pic of you *wink* (his wife had matching pants).

 

 

We walked outside and the sun was shining - quite a beautiful day and one I can't complain about (I'm beginning to wonder if every time I have a crummy meal I get a pretty day). I convinced my SO to check out the Red Onion Saloon as we had plenty of time left before the ship set sail. We purchased our tour ticket $5/pp for 15 minutes - the same prices they had back in 1898. We enjoyed a drink/dessert while waiting for the tour to start. I immediately noticed they served a red velvet cupcake called a Happy Ending for just 3 bucks so when the waitress came over to our table, I ordered a coke and a happy ending. Of course, I was given a look by my SO who didn't know what the heck I was talking about. I suggest ordering this just for the shock factor though I take no responsibility for angry wives!

 

I would highly recommend this tour to anyone who has time as it was quite interesting and filled with fun innuendo. BTW, leave the kids at the bar (hehe). Oh, and the madam does give a quick plea for tips and accepts them in her "tip jar" aka bra. If you need your DH to do/buy something for you, this might be a great incentive ...

 

 

We finished the tour, did a little more shopping, then went back to the ship. Since we got up early, I suggested that we take a little nap then eat dinner at the buffet so that we could do other things and still go to bed relatively early. We both enjoyed almost a 2 hour nap which was much needed. During dinner we saw a pod of orcas swim by the ship. We did a little walking around to the casino, between the two of us, we came out ahead. My SO was a little sleepy so she skipped the show but I went to it alone.

 

I ended up leaving early since the guy behind me kept kicking the back of my seat to the point where it was more annoying than enjoyable (I gave him and his wife multiple looks but they didn't seem to really care). I ended up back at the casino and kept up the good luck before heading to the room for bed. Ironically, the guy and his wife sat next to me at blackjack right before I got up. Again, if that guy is on cc and reads this, please learn how to sit properly in a theater and if you need extra room, sit in the front row or down on the floor where you will have plenty of space. I try to be a little more laid back but I really did want to ask that guy if he wanted to switch seats so that I could kick the poop out of the back of his chair for a half hour. Making money at blackjack (even if just a little bit) is more fun than being aggrivated any day!

 

The good:

Beautiful day in Skagway

Scoring seats on the 'good' side of the train

Scenery from the train

Having a driver all to ourselves

Scenery along the road back down to town

Ease of getting through Canadian and US customs

Taking the Red Onion Saloon Tour

Winning at blackjack

 

The bad:

Crummy food for lunch

Annoying guy behind me at the theater

[ninetyfeet]

Fortunately, we weren't scheduled to arrive until 11am so we didn't have to wake at the break of dawn. I think we ended up awake around 8ish and casually got ready and went down for breakfast. The service was excellent this morning and we both ordered the veggie omelet which was a nice change. We came back to the room and played a little rummy while the ship pulled into the port - when we arrived there were already two ships docked - later that day there were 5 ships total in port.

 

 

We got off the ship just a little after 11 and walked around town looking at the totem polls, salmon swimming near Creek Street, and a little shopping. Our floatplane tour didn't leave until 2pm so we had plenty of time and found ourselves (at least me) getting hungry again just a little after noon. Since I knew I couldn't wait until after the tour to eat lunch (4pm) I told my SO that we either needed to go to a restaurant or get back on the ship and eat for free. We walked down the street to Anabelle's, looked at the menu (and prices), then decided we would just assume eat for free on the boat as we haven't been very impressed with the restaurant selection. Since I can't stand salmon no matter how many times I try it, I could care less about how fresh it was. In fact, I was tired of smelling the wretched stench!

 

 

So, we got back on board, ate lunch, enjoyed an ice cream cone, then headed to the visitors center for our tour. We got off the ship much faster than I expected so we went to another store and looked around again for some items we couldn't find earlier. Just after that it was almost time for our tour so we went back to the "liquid sunshine gauge" and waited. Our van arrived and two other couples joined us for our tour (both of which just happened to be on the Spirit as well). We drove up the road, maybe a mile or so to the dock area and waited on the dock for our plane.

 

Michelle (our pilot) from Island Wings pulled up and let out the previous tour and we all boarded the *enormous* 7 passenger plane.

 

 

The last seat in the back of the plane gets a window on each side. The only restriction is that the passenger can't be more than 170ish so the two skinny people on our tour (I don't qualify - oh darn!) swapped turns riding in the back. I rode in the middle on the way up and in the front co-pilot seat on the way back. The view from the front was better and despite being tempted, I didn't try to grab the controls!

 

Back to the exciting part of the tour .. We all got on the plane, buckled in, our headsets on, and started to push off the dock when ... it didn't start. We were pulled back to the dock and the mechanic was called out to see what was wrong. Michelle said if it was the starter cable that came loose, he would fix it and we would be on our way. Since our ship wasn't leaving until 7pm we had a little flex time. He came out, it was the contacts on the starter cable - so he replaced them and we were once again on our way. Yes, everyone made lots of comments about how we were glad it happened at the dock and not up in the middle of a lake at the fjords where it would require another plane to get the mechanic to us - and it would likely cause us to miss our ship. Regardless, we all got back on the plane and crossed our fingers that everything would run smoothly from here out. Before I forget to comment on the tour, I would definitely book again with Michele as she was very nice, helpful, and informative during the tour. Again, you can tell she really enjoys her job and she was more than willing to answer any and all questions during the flight.

 

The fjords are actually on the mainland and we had to fly over the island that Ketchikan is on and another island to get to them. There is also a large area that is federal land and they will sell off the rights to some areas for harvesting lumber. In the national monument area, there isn't any harvesting allowed in order to preserve the area in pristine condition. Here is some of the land that is harvested:

 

 

By the time we got into the fjords the clouds were starting to rest at the mountain tops - as we started to land it began to rain.

 

Our pilot asked if we wanted to land in a spectacular area in the rain or a less than spectacular area that was overcast. We decided on spectacular since it wasn't really raining that hard (at least right then it wasn't). We landed in a lake up at the top and were allowed to get out and walk around a bit to see the waterfall and amazing 360 degree panoramic view!

 

 

I rode shotgun on the way back. I was told that the plane we were in cost around $500k and $75-80k a year to maintain. The trees in the forest actually die around 800 to 1,000 years old. Many of the trees were showing their age and it is hard to believe they have been standing there for so long. Puts a nice perspective on life and how small we really are!

 

The forest service has some cabins up in the fjords that are available for rent. The only way to get to and from the area is by floatplane so it really is a way of life for a lot of people. By the time we got back to Ketchikan I was ready for a nap as it was almost 6pm (yes, I turn into a senior citizen when on a cruise vacation). We waited to get back on the ship, again, and we are convinced that the old people are just slow to get through security. As soon as I got back to the room I pretty much changed into my pajamas and took a little siesta. When I woke up at 730 I found out that my SO went on a cookie binge and stuffed herself with as many cookies as possible in that 90 minutes, including 5 trips to the lido buffet. I didn't find this out until dinner when she declined dessert because she already had some cookies earlier. This also explains why she kept talking about watching what we eat - guilty conscience! I'm hoping that I don't end up gaining much weight this cruise as it hasn't been as tempting and my appetite still isn't that big.

 

Dinner was okay, nothing spectacular which seems to be par for the Spirit. The food on the Legend and even the Inspiration seemed to taste better (then again, during my last cruise I was still taking my steriods and my appetite was crazy mad - every plate was cleaned and I didn't miss a course). Our servers were excellent though - both friendly and fast. We stopped by our room, found our towel eskimo, took pictures, then headed down to the casino. I instructed my SO to double her money - she didn't but she didn't lose too much either. I increased mine by 50% so I was content and the table we were at was filled with fellow Floridians (a miami fan, an FSU fan, and a gator fan). Of course, us Gators are the only ones worth a darn *big smile*!!!

 

We *get* to set our clocks ahead an hour which will help cushion the blow we will endure on Thursday when we have to set them three hours ahead in one day. Fortunately, we have a full day at sea tomorrow to do whatever we want.

 

The good

Yummy breakfast food AND service

Great floatplane tour to the fjords

Consistent food service at dinner (thank you Jerald and Sarjento)

Not losing money in the casino (thank you Ivan and Wendy)

Setting our clocks ahead an hour closer to EST

 

The bad

Losing an hour of sleep due to the time change, again.

[Luckysll]

Didn't we just get the best weather on this trip? I was a little worried because of the gloomy weather forecasts before we left, but it was an amazing day in Glacier Bay (best day of the four Alaska cruises I've done)!

 

Roger, Barb and I ate in the dining room every day for breakfast and on one day we did get a waiter who, I'm hoping, was just having an off day. I sure hope he wasn't that way at dinner. He wasn't horrible, but he did splash the coffee while trying to pour it and he wasn't very fast with the service. We did had an amazing team of waiter, assistant waiter and bar waiter during dinner. Roger ordered a Budweiser the first night and the way the bar server pronounced it, it came out "Bood-weiser", so it became a running joke each night when Roger would order a "Bood".

 

I'm enjoying the cruise all over again from reading your review. I hope we meet again on another cruise.

[jrmende63]

I have not been on the Glacier bay sailing but one day!! I did do the Northbound...I loved it...I should say we loved it!

[ninetyfeet]

Since it was our last sea day, we opted for one final hoorah in the dining room. We opted for the veggie omelet with cheese since it was so good the day before. Service was good today and relatively prompt.

 

After putting on some pounds we went to burn them off at the dance lesson. There were two of them scheduled today and we wanted to go to both. We made it down to the first lesson and were doing something different - the cha cha! We did run into Melinda from cc but she left as she was looking for the ballroom lessons which were the previous days.

 

As usual, about 10 minutes into the dance I worked up a sweat and didn't need anything but a tee shirt - cha cha cha. The lesson could have gone much faster if it weren't for the bass ackwards couple who didn't have any rhythm or coordination. It was quite awful to the point where the instructor started the entire lesson over again. Again, I hope they aren't reading this review ...

 

We went back up to Lido for a light lunch, to put back on the pounds we just worked off. By the time we finished it was almost time for the art auction. They had a lot of pieces out on display which was nice but it meant that there weren't any places to sit. We did stay to see what a few of the mystery pieces were but since we didn't have $10k+ to spend on a Peter Max we just enjoyed looking at the pretty pictures.

 

I wanted to play some blackjack since I had been doing well. My SO wanted to attend tea time since she loves the hot tea and pastries. We agreed to split up for a bit. I believe I left the table even or up a little and she came back with a great sighting of orcas right next to the boat. Of course, she takes photos of EVERYTHING but the whales! She said there was a whole pod next to the boat including several babies - since they don't announce that stuff in the casino, I completely missed it as I was concentrating on getting 21.

 

I was finally pulled out of the casino as my SO wanted company again. We played some rummy where my luck continued as I whooped her hand after hand. I will admit that she won a few but tonight I pretty much ruled the roost! This was when I got the story about the whales and a watch she found in the giftshop that she liked. Since my luck had been up I agreed that if I won enough to cover the watch we could splurge and buy it on the ship.

 

 

We enjoyed the final night at dinner with our WONDERFUL waiters which pretty much saved the whole eating experience for us. Just before the shop closed I was up enough and went to get her the watch. Of course, when I got back to the cabin she was looking at it and noticed that it wasn't ticking and the battery was dead so she marched back to the gift shop and let them know about the defect. They didn't have another nor did they have a battery, so they knocked 20% off the watch. This meant that we both ended up even more ahead than we were before.

 

She came back to the cabin and I was almost done jamming the suitcase full of clothes. We separated the clean from dirty and put all of the gifts/souveniers in one to make things easier when we got back. Both bags were again stuffed despite the two insulated cups and tattered hiking boots that got left behind (I love those dollar store items that I don't feel guilty trashing after a trip). I was just thrilled that everything fit. We wanted to buy one of the flat rate boxes and ship some of the stuff home to ourselves but never made it to a post office. Next time I may consider buying one ahead of time if it folds down to a small size so that we can stuff it as we go and just drop it off. Er, next time we cruise it will be back to Cozumel and Grand Cayman where that won't apply.

After all the bags were packed we ordered a soda from room service (since our mini bar was locked the whole cruise) then went to bed watching Family Guy. The last night on the sea ...

 

The good:

Excellent service at breakfast and dinner!

Learning the cha cha

Winning enough at blackjack to splurge on a watch

 

The bad:

Not getting any photos of the orcas OR getting to see them myself!

Having to pack so that we could leave the next day

[ninetyfeet]

My SO woke up at 5:50am so that she could shower, eat breakfast (which we had delivered at 6:30), and get dressed in time for early debarkation. I woke up just a little before 7 since I'm a lot more speedy than she is in the morning. After my bran with two scoops of raisins we were called to get off the ship. Fortunately, this was the fastest experience we have ever had getting off a ship, even after our cruises from Tampa. Within 10 minutes we were outside of Canada Place and walking to the SkyTrain. Once again, it was a quick 5 minute ride over to the Amtrak station where we placed our bags in a locker.

 

Since it was a rainy day in Vancouver and relatively cold we decided to do something indoors - my dear SO picked Science World which was within eye sight of the train station. We walked over there excited to have a low key day that was warm, dry, and fun. Unfortunately, they decided that TODAY was the perfect day for them to have staff development so the whole damn center was closed.

 

 

We mumbled about what we wanted to do that didn't include us getting exhausted and wet. Finally we decided to go to Stanley Park and visit either the aquarium or art museum - with the aquarium being our first choice if it was mostly indoors (and it was). We grabbed a taxi since the sky train didn't go to that area and $15 later we were there. The admission prices were reasonable at $22 and they had some very nice exhibits including two baby beluga whales which were both born at that aquarium.

 

They also had pacific white sided dolphins which were quite speedy through the water - at least they seemed faster than the atlantic bottlenose that I'm use to seeing.

 

 

This little guy was as cute as can be ... and QUITE the MAN!

 

 

Fun exhibits make for great goofy photo ops!

 

 

We spent a few hours at the aquarium until our feet were tired and grabbed another taxi back to the train station. Overall it was a nice relaxing visit and Stanley Park looked like a great place to hang out at - similar to Central Park in NY. If the weather was nicer, I would definitely add that to my list of places to go in Vancouver. Since our train didn't board until 4:30 we grabbed a little snack at the McDonalds in the train station. We purchased the business class tickets again and were the second ones through US immigration (customs, I was told, are the ones who board the train). This time we were on the second car seats 4a and b. The line for coach was huge so we were pleased again with our upgrade. I thought this sign was so great we took a picture of it - those crazy Canadians!

 

 

We played cards (thank you Carnival for the countless hours of entertainment) while waiting for the train to leave then went back to the bistro car to get another snack. Sadly, the food on the bistro car has been some of the best during the whole trip. Then again, the oatmeal last week, my mac'n'cheese, and SO's clam chowder were all way above average, IMO. This time she remembered to use the $3 vouchers we were given so we won't have to spend them on candy this time.

 

The sky has cleared and now I'm enjoying a beautiful british columbian sunset as we ride the train down to Seattle. We are supposed to get to the hotel after 11pm tonight and then we have an early flight in the morning so I knew I wouldn't have any time to write this before tomorrow. The US customs guys just walked through and asked me to wake my dear SO ... I suppose they didn't want me to pull a weekend at Bernies with her. He then asked her if she was hung over, lol. I guess she looked like it?

 

We are staying at a Doubletree near SEATEC that I scored for $40 on Priceline! Plus, they have a shuttle to the airport in the AM so we won't have to drive far. Our train arrived back to Seattle on time and we took another taxi right to the doubletree. So the $40 hotel was worth exactly that! The lady at the front desk offered me an upgrade to the tower for $10 more but since we were only there for 5.5 hrs I declined. She then drew me a map of how to get to our room. Now I'm pretty good with directions but the instructions were so elaborate that I actually had to open the map to follow it as we walked around a corner to the elevator, up to the second floor, down the hall, across the covered walk on the left, down the elevator to the first floor, around the corner, then down a long hall to our room which was almost at the end. We didn't see one person the whole walk and I'm not sure why there wasn't a room closer but I suppose this is where they put the cheap people who book on priceline. However, this was a Doubletree and I expected something a *little* nicer!

 

We both took our showers, got everything ready, and crashed. Up bright and early at 4:30, got dressed, and ran out to catch the shuttle. We squeezed on the 5am shuttle which was packed and took the 5 minute drive over to the terminal. The whole place was jammed full of people - I suppose west coast airports start a lot earlier than east coast airports.

We made it through security relatively easy then I sent SO to get us a grilled cheese while I went to the gate to check on things. She came back empty handed as they don't make them in the am. We were both SERIOUSLY bummed. Ended up getting a muffin from the cafe next to our gate.

 

Finally, it was time to board so we all got on the plane ... and waited ... and waited ... then they came on and took some people off the plane - said because they would miss their connections so they wanted to re-route them. And we waited some more. Finally, we were told that our plane was having issues and rather than waiting for a mechanic we were going to get on another plane and head out. Of course, NO ONE had their boarding passes or anything so I was interested in how they were going to manage the swap. The boarding agent ended up calling everyone by name from the tickets he stacked as we got on the first plane. It wasn't fast or efficient but we finally got on. We were all assured that they were holding our planes for us in Denver.

 

But no, they didn't. In fact, they gave away our seats and put us on a flight that would stop in St. Louis and arrive 3+ hours later. The 15+ people were all just thrilled about the change in plans! Fortunately, the drama ended there as the rest of the trip went as planned. We even scored empty middle seats the whole ride back so perhaps it was all a blessing in disguise as we had someone sitting in the middle on our very first plane.

 

It was an overall great cruise and incredible scenery. Next time though, I can't wait to just drive 20 minutes to the port. Just a few more months before our 5 day back to the Caribbean OUT of Tampa!

 

The good:

FAST debarkation!

Nice afternoon at the aquarium

Easy train ride back up to Seattle

Empty middle seat on the plane ride back

 

The bad:

Wet day in Vancouver

Science World closed for "staff development!"

1950's style Doubletree near SEATAC

Broken plane out of Seattle

3 hour delay getting home

[travlngrl1996]

My husband and I are loving your review. I enjoy your wrap up at the end of each review with the good and the bad. We loved your cool pictures. This gives us something to look forward to when we take this same cruise.

[NMCRUISERS]

GREAT review and pictures!!! Thank you so much for sharing your trip--i had a good time :)

[ninetyfeet]

Thank you for all the kind words. I wanted to give something back to cc since I gain so much information from others. I planned my whole trip from advice gained on these boards so it was the least I could do, IMO.

 

It was truly a great cruise and one I will remember for a lifetime.

 

I will also have a whole new appreciation for those travelling cross-country for a cruise. I will consider an Eastern Caribbean out of FLL or MIA next year but at least we'll be able to drive to that one!!

[JesMil]

Ninety Feet, love your style of review! Could you post some photos of your room and extended balcony? Thanks for taking the time to post your review, we all appreciate it.

[nanbob]

What a great review...you provided me with wonderful memories of the exact cruise we took to Alaska this week last year. I know what you mean about the travel to the port...we are also spoiled to live within a short drive to Ft. Lauderdale or Miami ports and are also looking forward to our next Western Caribbean cruise :-)