They're coming....THE FIRST TRIP REPORTS...POST EM POST EM

[sharecruises]

OH WOW...

 

I am beyond excited...I can't wait to read the first trip reports

 

I sail on May 22...so won't have too many to read...but please early May cruisers post em up.. I can't wait to read

 

Would love to see some Spirit reviews info

 

I will post a trip report when I get back

 

Getting excited !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!:D

[Ashland]

I love the first cruise of the season...I'll be on the first RCI Radiance next May 17, 2013...Everything is so fresh & new and everyone is usually so excited the season has begun :D

[Putterdude]

Out of Vancouver the first 7 day return was the Volendam which went by the house on Wednesday so from this front there will be no reports until after Wednesday of next week.

[Teacher_91]

I'm anxiously awaiting the first trip reports myself! I went to my Roll Call page and basically BEGGED :p all the people that cruise on the STAR before me to write long, newsy trip reports. This will be the Mr. & my first cruise together and his first EVER, so we are really getting excited. Only 56 days and counting for us! :D

[Mocha'shuman]

11 sleeps until Island Princess sails on May 16 [not that I'm counting]:D. I hoping to read some trip reports prior to that sailing to get a feel for the cruises from start to finish and everything in between. So exciting - my first cruise ever:)

 

Fern

[houstonmomof4]

I've been thinking about the upcoming trip reports, also! I'm sure hoping someone on the Island Princess posts a review! We leave in 5 weeks...not too much more research time. ;)

[houstonmomof4]

11 sleeps until Island Princess sails on May 16 [not that I'm counting]:D. I hoping to read some trip reports prior to that sailing to get a feel for the cruises from start to finish and everything in between. So exciting - my first cruise ever:)

 

Fern

 

I'll be on the Island a few weeks after you! What deck and cabin are you assigned to? Do you have any excursions booked yet? What are your "in port" plans? Share your information if you would not mind!!!

[missouri01]

Friends are posting great pictures on Facebook...loving their cruise. Weather for them appears to be sunny and crisp. Can't wait for their full report. We don't go on our SB Sapphire trip until August. :(

[Pittypatbr]

Just a week for me so I probably won't see many cruise reports but I will definitely post when I get back. I am not taking my computer so it will be May 27 or 28 before I post - we have a tour after the cruise. I will try to post something from my iphone along the way, though.

[Mocha'shuman]

I'll be on the Island a few weeks after you! What deck and cabin are you assigned to? Do you have any excursions booked yet? What are your "in port" plans? Share your information if you would not mind!!!

 

I started to book this cruise by myself back in August and then a friend got excited and asked to come along so we did a lot of research and picked Island for the ports we wanted to see so... We ended up having a guarantee oceanview obstructed and have been assigned E320 on Emerald deck - I will be sure to let people know what I think of this cabin because I've been curious about it myself. We fly into Vancouver the day before the cruise and are staying at the Pan Pacific so as to be close [on top of

] the pier and after some great advice on cruise critic will likely just wander around the night before into Gas Town - eat dinner - check out the view from Vancouver Lookout and then see what Canada Place is all about. We are to board at 1 ish and sail a 4:30 the following day. Because we are both first time cruisers and both prone to worry about things that could [but might not] go wrong:o we booked our tours through Princess. We each picked things we wanted to see and then kind of blended the 2 - in the case of Skagway we both pretty much wanted to do exactly the same thing so that was good. We also figured that since we weren't sure we would be back to enjoy ourselves and not worry too much about cost - although there are no flights involved [in part because we had read that flights can be dependent on weather conditions] In Juneau we are going to the glacier and whale watching, Skagway the Train to Fraser/bus to Liarsville/gold panning/Salmon lunch and Red Onion Saloon; Ketchikan the rainforest and crab feast. When we get back to Vancouver we have booked a tour from the ship of Vancouver dropping us off at the airport for our return flight to Saskatoon. Wow - all to begin in 10 days:D:eek:

 

I will be sure to let you know how it all goes

 

Fern

[Italy52]

If looking for trip reports make sure to also check the cruise line board that you are sailing as some cruisers have been known to post there rather than on the Alaska board.

[sharecruises]

[jonbgd]

OH WOW...

 

I am beyond excited...I can't wait to read the first trip reports

 

I sail on May 22...so won't have too many to read...but please early May cruisers post em up.. I can't wait to read

 

Would love to see some Spirit reviews info

 

I will post a trip report when I get back

 

Getting excited !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!:D

Im not sure I will be back early enough for you and will be on the Radiance. But you might have better weather than we will have

[Gypsywych]

 

 

 

Yeah, what Esty said! :D

[pkt1976]

I'll be doing a nice, long trip report when I get back. First, I have to go find out how to post pictures here though lol

[Linda the Book Lover]

That says it all!! I can't wait to hear all of the inside passage trip reports. Have a great trip!

[Aim2CruiseGirl]

Anyone who is sailing the Spirit to Alaska this season, please write a report when you come back!! :)

I do have one rather silly but specific question.....what day is the laundry special (the one where you get a bag of laundry done for one price)? I will be in Seattle for almost a week pre-cruise and would like to make use of that service. I need to know how many unmentionables I need to pack!! ;)

Thanks for our help!

Sailing June 12th and I can't wait....:D

[texascruiseaddict]

Anyone who is sailing the Spirit to Alaska this season, please write a report when you come back!! :)

I do have one rather silly but specific question.....what day is the laundry special (the one where you get a bag of laundry done for one price)? I will be in Seattle for almost a week pre-cruise and would like to make use of that service. I need to know how many unmentionables I need to pack!! ;)

Thanks for our help!

Sailing June 12th and I can't wait....:D

 

I will post that for you. I sail May 29-June 6....:)

[firsttimer2012]

We are sailing on the Spirit on May 15-22. I plan on writing a report as soon as I get back and post pictures as well...:)

[smilealot1882]

He's not on a cruise, but Murray was in Skagway to get pictures of the Carnival Spirit arriving yesterday, and check out the bears (!!!) at Chilkoot Lake at Haines, a place that I see mentioned here as not having good bear viewing anymore. http://explorenorth.com/wordpress/

 

Thank you so much for this! We will be in Haines on July 4th on HAL and have a bicycle ride scheduled along the Chilkoot! This really got me excited and hoping to see bears. :D

[Linda the Book Lover]

smilealot1882 - Thanks for posting the link. I enjoyed looking at the photos especially of the Spirit entering into Skagway. Seeing the ship entering and then the wonderful bear pictures made my Sunday afternoon.

[sharecruises]

We are sailing on the Spirit on May 15-22. I plan on writing a report as soon as I get back and post pictures as well...:)

 

Whoo whooo...I will be looking for your report....

I will check in to the boards from the computers at our hotel, Quality Inn

in Seattle, near the Space Needle

 

they have computers in the lobby so I will be looking haha

[Aim2CruiseGirl]

Thanks so much, TexasCruiseAddict!!

And, SmileALot: can you give me some information about the bike ride on the Chilkoot? Is it a ship excursion or are you booking on your own?

Thank you!

[kr9457]

Can't wait to hear how you liked the Skagway tour. We are going in July and that is the only port that I haven't booked yet, I too am leaning towards the Skagway Extraganza.

[smilealot1882]

Thanks so much, TexasCruiseAddict!!

And, SmileALot: can you give me some information about the bike ride on the Chilkoot? Is it a ship excursion or are you booking on your own?

Thank you!

 

You can go to Sockeye Rentals, Alaska and find the Glacial Fjord Bicycle Tour to do on your own (I tried to copy the link but it won't move to this site) I will copy the page but you can also search yourself:

 

Enjoy a scenic bicycle ride along a glacial fjord to salmon spawning grounds overlooking an emerald lake!

On this tour you ride along the shore of the saltwater Lynn Canal to Chilkoot Lake. Eagles and bears are often feeding on salmon in the river that connects to the glacial lake.

Cost: Adult $83.35 Child (10-12 y/o) $63.25

 

Duration: 3 hours

 

Distance: 9 miles Rating: Easy

 

Restrictions: Minimum age is 10 and minimum height is 4' 6"

 

 

 

 

OverviewPhotosVideoEnjoy a scenic bike ride along an ocean estuary to salmon spawning grounds in a glacial lake!

 

A narrated twenty minute van ride takes you to the shore of Lutak Inlet where you begin riding your comfortable hybrid bike. You cruise along the flat paved road carved into the steep-walled fjord. As you pedal along you might spot bald eagles, salmon, whales, sea lions, seals, and even bears. Your journey takes you to the end of the inlet where the Chilkoot River joins the ocean and salmon congregate for their ancient quest to reach the spawning grounds.

 

You ride along the river to Chilkoot Lake, the spawning ground for the Sockeye Salmon. Take in the gorgeous views across the emerald lake, surrounded by glaciers, waterfalls, and jagged mountain peaks. This is a wonderful way to combine fresh Alaskan air and mild exercise in beautiful Haines, Alaska. You return by bike to the van and your transfer back to Fort Seward.

 

TRIP HIGHLIGHTS

 

•Enjoy an intimate touring environment with a 1:6 guide to guest ratio.

•Excellent opportunities for wildlife sightings, bears are often sighted on this tour.

•Experience three local ecosystems: ocean, river and lake on one bike ride.

•An easy way to get some exercise, flat riding, no hills!

 

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Here is the excursion that we are taking through HAL off of their excursion list, http://www.hollandamerica.com/cruise-destinations/ExcursionDetails.action?excursionCode=8096&portCode=HNS&destCode=A&requestSource=shoreExcursions