4 SD Regulars Cheating a Little With Regent In Alaska

[vandrefalk]

So sorry about your AC, Whatnot!! It's been miserable here, but at least the AC is working.

 

I'm still working on my pics. Since Kodak Gallery went away, I'm having to figure out how to edit (currently trying Picasa) and then will have to figure out how to upload to Shutterfly. Will post the link when I'm done as I think I did get some lovely shots -- probably too many, of course, but oh well!:rolleyes:

 

Will piggy-back on Whatnot's comments -- we arrived separately in Anchorage and met up for dinner. We went to Sacks Cafe which was quite nice. I'm not a big fish fan (even in Alaska :)) but had some very good halibut. Next morning we took the train to Denali -- lovely rail car and we were at the very end, so you could go out to the platform and take pictures. The views were very nice, particularly the farther north you went. They sent you down to the dining car in shifts and the food was quite good. Arrival in Denali and we took a bus to the McKinley Chalets. A bit rustic and spread out, with a killer hill back up to reception, but certainly adequate. DH and I went to Jeff King's dog sled demo that evening. He's won the Iditerod 4 times and is quite the performer -- as well as the dogs! Up EARLY the next morning for the 13 hour trip in and out of the park. Old bus and we were in the very back seat -- several vital organs got rearranged more than once on the trip, but think they are all back where they should be! :D

 

Denali was lovely -- tundra landscape and we did see caribou, sheep, bear, etc., albeit from a long ways away. Our driver was really the highlight in many ways. She was born in Greenland, lived in Norway and Denmark and married a man who lived in the backcountry. She spent something like 18 years in the wilderness and had three children -- all at home (well, one was born in a fishing camp). It was a hoot listening to her and you got a real sense of how self-sufficient Alaskans can be. She now drives a school bus and is divorced, but built her own house -- which still doesn't have indoor plumbing or TV! We went to the lodge at the end of the road (92 mile road in a 6 million acre park!) and saw another sled dog demo. The park rangers patrol the park with dogs during the winter. The heavens opened while we were there and we had thunder, lightening and hail -- made the drive back on narrow, cliff-side roads a bit sporty! We saw part of the mountain -- they say only 20-30% of people ever see the whole thing. We couldn't see much that day, but could see the mass rising above the front mountains -- gives you a sense of how huge it is! The other interesting thing to me was that while the mountains in Colorado are several thousand feet high (Pikes Peak is 14K), they are rising off an elevation of 6-7K feet. In Alaska, the mountains are about as high, but they are coming off an elevation of only about 2K feet -- and McKinley is 20K feet. So they look much, much higher!

 

Up EARLY again the next morning (can you tell I'm not a morning person?) for the coach to Seward. Stopped at Talkeetna Lodge, where we did have an excellent view of McKinley and then again in Anchorage. Grabbed lunch and then back on the bus. The drive to Seward along the Turnagain Arm was spectacular! The water is glacial (which means it is very silty and fish can't live in it for the most part) and the mud can be deadly -- sort of like quicksand. Seward is quite cute and a serious fishing town. The Windsong Lodge was really very nice (rustic) with an excellent restaurant. We took the Kenai Fjords trip the next day and saw orca and humpback whales, dall porpoises, otters, tons of birds and a calving glacier. Fantastic trip!

 

On to the ship, which Whatnot has covered quite well. We had plenty of time to wander the ship before the cabins were ready. It really is quite lovely and the public rooms are nicely spruced up after the recent dry-dock. Several little bars and we especially liked the outside of Gallileo's (with heat lamps!) on the stern. I think the actual living area of the cabins is similar to SD and perhaps seemed a bit brighter with full sliding glass doors instead of portholes or even the picture window. Where you really get the space is in the closet (although I've never had a problem with space on SD, even in Norway when I had heavier clothes) and the bathroom, which is a clear winner over SD! And our large suitcases fit nicely under the bed. We had a full bottle of champagne waiting for us and fresh fruit. Unfortunately, it was a bit too windy to use the balcony much, but did try it once or twice (and leaned over the rail to say hi to Whatnot).

 

Food was good, but I didn't think it was quite up to SD's standard. Prime 7 was wonderful and I wish we could have eaten there again. La Veranda was usually very crowded during lunch and I'm not a huge fan of buffets, so it was my least favorite -- except at night when it was Seti Mari. Food was the best on the ship, I think. Wine selections were excellent and varied and you could get more than just one white or red -- so I could have pinot noir every night! Umberto was the only waiter I saw who might have a future on SD! All were nice and some tried to make conversation, but most didn't.

 

The pool was a zoo during the day especially the day of the "burger" lunch. That's when I really felt the difference between 112 and 490 people!

 

The tours were all good. We did the raptor center in Sitka and the totem forest, Tracy Arm (unbelievable!), an evening whale watching trip, the White Pass train ride and suspension bridge (which I did not cross) and Misty Fjords (which were quite misty). Ketchikan was the only place we got "real" Alaskan weather -- cold and rainy. The rest of the trip was sunny and hot! Everyone said we were getting the best weather they had seen all season.

 

The other thing I found interesting is that Alaskans make all their money during the 4 months of tourism for the most part. They either leave during the winter or do odd jobs. So it was a bit strange to see all these towns that just curl up and go to sleep in the winter -- someone said Denali is an absolute ghost town because EVERYTHING closes! I think it takes a special kind of person to embrace that life!

 

So -- bottom line -- we really enjoyed the ship, although I did miss the camaraderie we have with SD crew and I would do Regent again (probably the Navigator as the other two are 700 and I don't think I could take that) if she went somewhere SD didn't. Otherwise, my heart still belongs to SD :) Alaska was spectacular -- a lot of the Inside Passage reminded me of Norway, but Hubbard Glacier on the Gulf of Alaska was something to behold. We had a wonderful time and it was especially nice to share it with Whatnot and her DH!

 

Vandrefalk

 

P.S. Making final payment today for October in Italy -- 2 weeks on SD!!!

[CDreamer]

Whatnot and Vandrefalk welcome back! Excellent trip reports from you both! Now I know I'm sorry we didn't join you this time. :(

 

Whatnot, congrats on your Salmon haul - that's a big catch!! Understand about the bed - I'm the opposite... need a softer bed, which can be just as difficult to get! Glad they at least addressed it so you didn't have to deal with a bad back the whole trip. Bet you and Mr. Whatnot wish you could flash freeze yourselves with that heat you're having there now! Hope your A/C gets fixed soon. :eek:

 

Vandrefalk - was laughing out loud when I read about your innards being rearranged on that 13 hour trip on an old bus... Vieques ring a bell?! At least THAT rickety bus ride was just a short one! Will really look fwd to seeing your pics - esp of all the wildlife.

 

Overall it sounded like Regent was a good choice for this trip, but I know what you mean about missing SD's personable service and having to deal with more passengers on board. We felt the same way on Le Ponant - generally "nice" service, but the 'at ease-ness' and friendliness of the SD crew and the one on one relationships that you develop on SD was definitely missing.

[Mike in AR]

Glad you had a great trip to Alaska! My wife and I need to schedule that trip.

 

I have cruised on the Navigator (Greek Islands in 2009) and your description of the ship and crew are spot on. I would cruise on this ship again.

 

Now to SD. We did our first trip this past December. We liked it so much, we booked another trip this coming December. :)

 

Mike

[vandrefalk]

I went back and read FT's review of her Navigator cruise last year -- and agree with the vast majority of it. Note, I think we had the same guide in Sitka!!

Had a conversation with the Assistant Cruise Director who stated that Navigator really isn't designed for kids. They don't have a formal kids' program, but, with the number on board, were trying to do things like movie and pizza nights. I found that interesting -- guess they get a lot more families in Alaska!

 

Now for pictures -- I think I've got the link for my pics on Shutterfly. First time I've used it and it's been a bit of a challenge. Also have Picasa software, but it won't let me upload, so we'll have to try this. Hope you enjoy!

 

http://share.shutterfly.com/action/welcome?sid=1AZsmTFo1YtXFA

 

Vandrefalk

[Jim Avery]

Great pictures. Thanks for taking the time to share them. They brought back many memories of when I worked those waters. The views still remain the same. Loved the seals on their backs. They always came along side my ship when docked. Loved it when the cook tossed them the scraps.:D To avoid the kiddie issue, May is the best month. September works too but May has the added advantage of less chance of fog as it is generally cooler. It is Alaska afterall so dont go for the warmth.:eek: We are looking at next year in AK. Silversea is at the top as it is less kid friendly (our anniversary is in August) and there are only 300 some odd on board a similar sized ship to Regent. Choices, choices. Thanks again for the pix. Glad you had such a good time.

Jim.

[frequent traveler]

Great pictures. Thanks for taking the time to share them.

 

We are looking at next year in AK. Silversea is at the top as it is less kid friendly (our anniversary is in August) and there are only 300 some odd on board a similar sized ship to Regent. Choices, choices. Thanks again for the pix. Glad you had such a good time.

Jim.

 

I agree, thanks for the pictures . . love to look at them. Just don't take them myself. Jim, we will likely head back to Alaska next summer also - but I'm thinking about one of the really small ships - there's a new one up there that has larger cabins than the older ones and goes to some really neat places.

[Jim Avery]

I agree, thanks for the pictures . . love to look at them. Just don't take them myself. Jim, we will likely head back to Alaska next summer also - but I'm thinking about one of the really small ships - there's a new one up there that has larger cabins than the older ones and goes to some really neat places.

 

The problem with the very little ships is speed. Most do 10-12 knots. The distances are fairly long. Let me know what you are looking at. Maybe that time working up there will come in handy.:eek::D

[dutchies47]

Hi This is Lena great pictures on your cruise in Alaska. Some of the scenery reminded me of the SD cruise last year in. Norway etc We are doing a cruise July 17th from Amsterdam on Azamara for 11 days through Norway with Johannes and looking forward to that We like Azamara but still is not SD you cannot compare them Did it for the itanerary