Review and Journal: Sapphire Northbound Voyage of the Glaciers 8/10/2013

[JimmyVWine]

All was quiet on the Glacial Front, so it seemed like a good time for a picture of the ladies on ice.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Then, off to our left, we heard a crash. We turned, but were a hair too late. There had been a calving, but we were only able to capture the tail end.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Dang! We had waited all this time and might have missed our only opportunity to catch the iconic “National Geographic Moment” as my daughter called it. But Margerie was still making lots of noise, and we held out hope. And we didn’t have to wait long. Right before our very eyes, an ice show to end all ice shows. (I will apologize in advance for the number of pictures, but without a video, it is hard to capture the impression of the calving ice with just a few still photos. We do have video from the day, but our video equipment is dated, (and uses tape), and converting this to a digital format is, as of now, beyond my ability. But I will figure it out because the visual is too good to miss.) With that introduction, here is…

 

 

…the first of the calving ice.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This shot shows a lull in the action.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

But as I stared at the glacier’s face, I could see, almost imperceptibly, that the chunk of ice on the bottom right-hand side of the photo with the dark lines running through it and some residual ice still falling off of it, was moving. An optical illusion perhaps?

[JimmyVWine]

No. I was right. It was ready to fall!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Then, looking at the aftermath, it appeared to me that the pointed part of the ice in the top middle of the previous photo might be getting ready to collapse. Could we be so lucky?

 

 

 

Yes!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

But now it looked like that obelisk in the middle of the prior photo was getting ready to topple? Would it? Could it? Maybe? Wait for it…………………..

[JimmyVWine]

BAM!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It was at this point that my daughter remarked: “Dad, if this keeps up, there won’t be any ice left for tomorrow’s ships.” Don’t worry, dear. It’s just ice. They’ll make more. But honestly, there was a sense that what had happened over the past 20 minutes, (which was approximately the time lapse between all of this action), was a bit like that scene in “National Lampoon’s European Vacation” when Clark topples over Stonehenge. We had gotten the show of a lifetime, and one that the Pearl could not have seen before us, as betrayed by the lack of icebergs in the water when we arrived. And with all this pressure being released today, would there be anything for anyone else to see in the next few days? Well, I’m sure there would be. But I’ll add a comment from a crew member a little later in this piece. For now, we were left staring at the glacier, and I had my eye on a particular chunk that seemed to defy gravity. How could it possibly stay in place?

 

 

 

It couldn’t.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

There was whooping and hollering and cheering and applause. To whom, I am not certain, but I think it is simply a natural reaction. I tried to capture one shot that summed up the fact that all of this was being seen from the balcony of a Princess ship. So if you were on the Sapphire that day, on Dolphin Deck in an even numbered cabin somewhere between the 300 and 400 range…

 

 

 

Here you are…

 

 

 

Edited August 30, 2013 by JimmyVWine

[JimmyVWine]

There were a few more “minor” calves, and then we began the U-Turn so that the starboard side could get their look. Boy, I sure do hope that people in the starboard cabins had a chance to get out and observe when the port side faced the glacier, because after we made our turn, Margerie went silent and the show was pretty much over. As we spun around, I tried to capture a few last shots for the old photo album.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

After the turn, with little to see out of our portside cabin, we walked down to the aft of the Promenade, facing the Grand Pacific Glacier. Our wake must have stirred up some minnows or something, because about a hundred gulls descended on the water behind us. My daughter called it a water park for birds as they spun and swirled in the eddies of our wake.

 

 

 

It was fun watching them.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The show was over, and it was time to get on with the day. After we were all bathed and presentable, it was time for lunch. The choices were: Horizon Court, International Dining Room, or Alfredo’s. The vote was put to the floor, and pizza it would be. So we headed down to the Plaza Deck and waited in line for about 20 minutes for a table. We hadn’t had much of a breakfast, so this time it would be one pizza per person, but we would all share. We again ordered a Capricciosa and a Sapphire Princess, and supplemented it with a Tarantina, with mussels and “Bay” shrimp. This last pizza was just OK. The shrimp must have come from the Bay of Lilliput. They were about the size of the ones you find in egg rolls and did nothing to enhance the pizza. White Clam pizzas are sort of a regional specialty where I am from, but I should have known better than to think that something that is so hard to get right even in the area known for the dish would be well-executed on a cruise ship. It wasn’t bad, mind you. I did eat the whole darn thing. But if choosing again, I would go in a different direction.

 

By the time lunch was over, it was just about time to begin our next wildlife search. Recall that Naturalist Sandra had told us of the five (and she always emphasized this by extending out her finger-splayed palm), prime times to see wildlife, including, possibly, Dall Sheep, sea otters, sea lions, and humpback whales. One of these times was on our way into Glacier Bay (around 5:00 a.m. by her calculation), and another was as we exited Glacier Bay, around 2:30-3:30 p.m. Well, when my wife heard this, she said: “Hmmm. Let’s see now. One way in to the Bay and one way out. So in the afternoon we will be in the exact same place as we will have been at 5:00 a.m. I can do that math.” So we made it a point to go looking in the afternoon. Up to this point, my wife was convinced that this entire trip was like riding on The Jungle Cruise at Disney World (or Disneyland, depending on your coast). We had been so successful in our viewing, and Sandra’s timing had been so precise, that she figured that this was all a ruse and that the ship was “tripping” some sort of electric eye which would cause the animatronic wildlife to appear before our very eyes. And, of course, some Princess crew member had jutted of in a small craft before sunrise with an auger and some blasting caps to trigger Margerie’s glacial avalanches. So we were sure that we would see some more local fauna this afternoon. We did, but the spotting was much more sporadic. We spend some time on the Promenade, up at Skywalker’s and on our balcony, and did manage to see some sea otters and sea lions. The sea lions were spotted from Skywalker’s, so it wasn’t worth taking photos. Even with my longest lens, they were mere specks to us. We saw several sea otters from the Promenade. They were off in the distance, but I did manage to get a couple of shots to prove that they were indeed otters.

 

 

 

I think that this was the square on our Wildlife Bingo Card that my wife and daughter wanted to fill out the most. They are just so adorable.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Toward the end of this viewing window, around 4:00 or so, we were back on our balcony biding our time when we heard a neighbor shout: “Did you see that?” We hadn’t. But we sure heard something. He was talking (screaming) to others in his cabin, and said: “A whale. A whale just jumped out of the water!” So we looked down and lo and behold, right alongside the port side of the ship was a lone humpback continuously jumping straight out of the water. Two times. Then three. Then a fourth. And a fifth. I said to my wife that he must be feeding, and she said: “No. It’s like I said before. The whale is being paid by Princess. It’s all part of the act. He knew that we were coming, and he put on a show for us. It’s just like Disney World.” The funny thing is, I think she honestly believes that. Anyway, I have bored you enough with these photos, so here are a couple of the whale.

 

 

See if you can spot the place where the battery pack is inserted, or any strings or wires that guide his movement. I think the whale is real. My wife? Not so much!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I will finish up this day, and review our shipboard activities in a follow-up post. To be continued……

[JimmyVWine]

That was a whole lot of excitement for one day, and both me and my camera battery needed recharging. So I plugged in the battery and my wife and I headed up to our private Penthouse, a/k/a, Skywalker’s. My daughter went to hang with some friends. We spent a good long time up top enjoying pleasant conversation with a one-time HAL lecturer, and now frequent Princess cruiser who also enjoys the views and solitude of Skywalker’s. Eventually, (probably around 5:30 or so), we took the turn northward out of the Bay to head up toward Prince William Sound. Once you make this turn, you are cruising just like most voyages, which means out of the sight of land with no real views. Certainly nothing to see off the port side for sure.

In due time, it was time to prepare for our second Formal Night. Earlier in the day I had made a reservation at Savoy for 7:30. We arrived on time, but were asked if we minded waiting an extra 5-10 minutes for a window side table. Inasmuch as we had never, and I mean NEVER had an immediate window side table during a time when there was enough daylight to see, I said yes. The wait turned out to be about two minutes and our table was lovely. The waiter opened and decanted our bottle of 2008 Kosta Browne “Four Barrel” Pinot Noir, and no corkage fee was mentioned or collected. If you are keeping score at home, (and if you are, you need a new hobby), that is twice that we had dinner at Savoy and neither time were we charged a fee. Every other restaurant mentioned and charged the fee. I have no idea if this constitutes luck or a pattern.

Usually, when the three of us dine out, we coordinate our ordering so that we don’t duplicate any dishes. We love to try as much as possible. But we have fallen into a rut of sorts when it comes to the second Formal Night. Ugh! For the first time that I can recall, perhaps since the day my daughter was born, all three of us ordered the exact same thing. Escargot…..Veal and Porcini Ravioli….Lobster and Prawns. It’s easy for my daughter, who always goes first. And it’s not so bad for my wife, who orders second. But by the time the server get to me, I feel embarrassed that I cannot come up with anything original to say, other than: “I too will have the Escargot, the Veal Ravioli and the Lobster.” Only, when I said it, I said “Tails” with an emphasis on the “s”. The server picked up on this and said that after the entrees came out, if I still wanted a second tail, he would be happy to oblige. Turns out, that I found myself debating the calories of that second tail or a dessert, and opted for the latter.

The Escargot was as good as always. How could it not be. My daughter calls the dish a “Butter and Garlic Delivery System”. Pretty much sums it up, and how can that be bad? The Ravioli was also very good, and we all enjoyed the lobster. I know that cruise ship lobster is a dividing force here, and I grew up with a license for 10 pots and used to pull my own from the water. So I know what a lobster is and what it is supposed to taste like. Is this my favorite way to eat a lobster, without claws and with a server fussing over taking it out of the shell as if that is a task too difficult for a typical diner? No. But do I enjoy the theater and taste of the dish while wearing my tuxedo? Yup. Perhaps it is the setting and the tradition of lobster on a cruise ship that gets me. But either way, it gets me. So I get it. Got it? Good. Speaking of tuxedos, on this night, I would say no more than 10% of the men were wearing them. In our quadrant of Savoy, every gentleman within our line of sight had on, at a minimum, a tie. Most topped that with a blazer. A few others had a dark suit. And there were only a smattering of tuxedos. For what that is worth. Not much, I suppose, but the topic does come up here oh, about every three days, give or take.

The dessert that caused me to skip the extra lobster tail was a Banana Cream Pie. Something I never make at home, but something that I love. It was good. I find that with minor exception, the pastry department on Princess does a great job. As dinner was ending, our waiter brought to us a sheet of paper advertising “The Princess Cruises Dining Experience.” The following day, (our Sea Day), there would be a culinary demonstration in the theater hosted by Executive Chef Antonio Costantino and Maitre D’Hotel, Francisco Patricio, followed by a galley tour. I thought that this sounded neat, because I have never done an Ultimate Ship’s Tour, but being the foodie that I am, the galley is really the part of the ship I would be most interested in. And free sounded good. So I filed away the sheet of paper with a decided “I’ll try to make that” attitude.

After dinner, my daughter did her usual. The cruise was winding down and it hit her that her posse would be disbanding soon to return to schools all over the country, and then some. So she wanted to get as much time with them as possible. My wife and I went to the theater to see “Born To Be Wild” featuring the Sapphire Princess Singers and Dancers. No trouble finding a seat, though it did get fairly full. The show was typical cruise ship theater with good music, singing and dancing. I give the cast credit. The show was pretty much non-stop, transitioning from one number to the next with no stopping. While we, as passengers, may bemoan the shortened shows, the timing of this show offered the cast no relief. You could tell that they were exhausted by the end. So yes, the show was shorter than a typical show, say, three years ago. But it was packed from start to finish, so I felt that we got our money’s worth, if such a thing can be calculated on an all-inclusive cruise. For those who are curious, the theme of the show is a group of fun loving young lads and ladies driving cross country on Route 66 singing up-beat songs about being on the road. Having driven Route 66, I found the background visuals entertaining. The “set” itself is an old car with tail fins that the singers get in and out of. The car pivots around in time with the background to give you the same effect that you see in the old movies where a couple is in a car, in a studio, and the background is obviously projected onto a screen. But the effect here where they use the whole stage was well executed. OK. So it’s not Book of Mormon. But we were entertained and it took our mind off of packing to disembark.

After the show, we headed back to the cabin to call it a night.

To be continued……

[dforeigner]

Thank you for taking time to write a review.

[Bimmer09]

Jimmy, a rollicking good read and loved the calving photos. Right place, right time.

 

Then you mentioned my favorite dining room- The Savoy (Diamond P in my case) and then Banana Cream Pie!! I order any dessert that has bananas in it including Bananas Foster.

 

Now I have the munchies-thanks!!

 

Hate to think that your cruise is coming to an end in the narrative...

 

Norris

[JimmyVWine]

Jimmy, a rollicking good read and loved the calving photos. Right place, right time.

 

Then you mentioned my favorite dining room- The Savoy (Diamond P in my case) and then Banana Cream Pie!! I order any dessert that has bananas in it including Bananas Foster.

 

Now I have the munchies-thanks!!

 

Hate to think that your cruise is coming to an end in the narrative...

 

Norris

 

Norris: Thanks for following along. I too hate to think that this is coming to an end. Writing this has really helped strengthen the memories of the trip and codify what could otherwise be a whirlwind of fleeting vignettes.

[Gail & Marty sailing away]

Thanks for the info ...

[Bimmer09]

Norris: Thanks for following along. I too hate to think that this is coming to an end. Writing this has really helped strengthen the memories of the trip and codify what could otherwise be a whirlwind of fleeting vignettes.

 

Jimmy, that's one of the benefits of sharing your experiences on CC with photos and narrative: you can look back and re-live the experience years hence.

I started using a video camera in 1994 and have recorded every land and sea trip since then to capture the sights AND sounds of the places I've visited.

They are all on DVD now, some on Blu-ray and easy to share with friends whom I strap into an armchair at gunpoint for their viewing pleasure.

 

The rich narrative and stellar photographs pay-off for any CC members curious about a particular ship or itinerary so it's threads like yours that make CC such an invaluable resource.

 

Thanks for all the effort you put into this.

 

Norris

[JimmyVWine]

Day 6: College Fjord, (which is really a sea day, with a little College Fjord thrown in)

 

Our final day aboard the ship began with me heading down to the Passenger’s Service Desk area to speak with a crew member about getting our disembarkation assignment changed. We were booked on an independent bus from Whittier to Anchorage and the company with whom we booked was very specific about us meeting them by 8:45, which was the time were assigned to assemble in Vivaldi Dining Room for disembarkation. When I met with the crew member, he initially wanted to switch us to a 6:45 a.m. assembly time. I talked him out of that and we settled on 7:45 to the protest of my wife and daughter, but there was nothing I could do. By the time I finished waiting in line and getting things straightened away, it was almost time for the Culinary Demonstration in the theater, so I headed there to secure a seat.

 

Initially, when we were given the sheet of paper describing the event, I assumed that this was something that the waiters doled out to people who showed an interest in the culinary arts, the way they inform people about wine tastings. But the venue had me confused. Would they really need the theater for this event? After all…the demonstration would be followed by a galley tour. How many people could the accommodate? Well, it all started to come into focus as the theater filled to capacity. My wife, who had stayed back in the cabin to begin packing, made her way to the theater just in time to join me before it became standing room only. The demonstration was entertaining, with a humorous, straight guy/funny guy repartee taking place between Chef Costantino and Francisco Patricio. The Chef demonstrated the making of gravlax and gnocchi. There were overhead cameras and viewing screens to aid in the visuals. Of course, several mentions were made of the Princess cookbook. And then it hit me. There was no way that a group this large could be given a tour of the galley. Instead, we were likely headed for a perfunctory walk-through of a portion of the galley as a means to getting us to a place where we could buy the book. And that is exactly what happened. The “tour” was a single file parade much like a walk through a carnival Fun House. I can’t complain that it was a waste of time, since we did get to see a few things of interest, even if there was no one there to explain anything to you in the event that you had any questions. And it only took five minutes of our time, so nothing ventured as they say. When all of this was over, we headed back to our cabin to collect our daughter who slept in this day, and we all headed down to the International Dining Room for lunch. I ordered the Spare Rib. A risk on a ship, as there isn’t a smoker on board. But they were fine. I can’t remember what the rest of the table had, but there were no complaints.

 

As the afternoon approached, it was time to pack in earnest. Our cabin had become our home over the past week. But it looked more like Oscar Madison’s home. Not really. But you get the gist. My wife has her own way of packing, and I am too wise to stand in her way. The best thing that I can do is get out of her way and entertain our daughter while she toils away. It is not a fair division of labor, but this is how she prefers it. The day was cloudy with precipitation wavering between mist and light rain. It was the only day during which having an uncovered balcony did us no favors. So my daughter and I roamed around the ship and took a few more photos to cap off the cruise. There really was not much to look at on this day, and it is unquestionably the least interesting day of the cruise. If you are debating which itinerary to take, a “College Fjord Day” should not really weigh too heavily in your decision making. It’s certainly not a bad day by any means. But it really is a Sea Day, for all practical purposes. We were running a bit behind schedule, so we didn’t make our way into the fjord until just before dinner time. People with early Traditional probably missed College Fjord entirely. So with that less than stellar introduction, here are some photos that my daughter and I took over the course of the afternoon. The gloomy weather gave us the idea to fool around with some camera settings and filters to see what we could come up with. My daughter asked if she could use my camera for some shots, and I readily obliged.

 

 

I honestly cannot tell you which photos were taken by whom. But I do know for certain that these include some of mine and some of hers.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[JimmyVWine]

We headed back to our cabin to resume taking some photos from our balcony and to be closer to the packing action in case we were needed. It was also getting close to the time when we would have to get ready for dinner. When we got back to the cabin, my wife had the TV tuned to a Princess channel that was showing a rebroadcast of a lecture given earlier in the cruise by Libby Riddles, the first woman to win the famed Iditarod. We watched and listened to the show while intermittently walking out to the balcony to take in the scenery. I mention this because we thought that the presentation was very good. Her lecture was given at a time that was not convenient for us, but in the future, I would try to make a point of sitting through this. I am glad that they rebroadcast it.

 

 

Here are a few of the last photos that we would take aboard the ship on our way into, and in College Fjord:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

They aren’t great, but they’re all we have from that day.

 

 

While out on the balcony taking these photos, my daughter made a comment that I found poignant, but will no doubt be controversial here. But I haven’t held anything back in this review, so I will relay the conversation here. Earlier in the cruise, I had told her about the launching of the Royal and Regal and described the new ships to her. She knew nothing of the introduction of the new twin ships and was anxious to hear about them. I gave her an unbiased description knowing that it was likely that a teen would want to try out the latest and newest offering. She loved Alfredo’s on Sapphire, and I told her how Royal had an expanded version. I told her about the expanded Teen Center and the outdoor teen seating area. Of the Seafood Bar. The TV Production Studio. The Gelateria. The Fountains at the pool. The expanded Horizon Court. And I also told her that the cabin’s balconies were smaller. That the Promenade didn’t have a bow viewing area. That there were no aft pools. And that there was no Skywalker’s. So while were out on the balcony that last day, she said to me: “Dad. You know that when I go out with my friends at night, we hang out in the aft pools and hot tubs. And we (meaning our family) have spent a lot of time in Skywalker’s. And when we saw the whale coming out of Ketchikan, we were at the bow area of the Promenade. And we have breakfast together almost every day on our balcony. Please don’t ever book us on that new ship.” I told her that if we went on one of the new ships, we might find new places to hang out, and we might like them just as much, to which she replied: “Maybe. I’ll have to think about it.”

[JimmyVWine]

Our final dinner would be in Sabatini’s. We had a 7:30 reservation, and we were still in College Fjord when we were seated. We didn’t feel bad about the timing because the views were so uninspiring compared to what we had witnessed at Glacier Bay the day before. We brought with us a bottle of 2004 Maybach Cabernet and our Walmart glasses that would be making their swansong. Our server decanted the wine after informing us of the corkage fee, and commented on our glasses. We told him that after dinner, we would be leaving these glasses behind and that we hoped he could find a nice home for them. We ordered several appetizer to share, in addition to the “compliments of the chef” offerings and the pasta, which this night was a papardelle with mushroom sauce. My wife ordered the Lobster, my daughter had the Scampi and I had the Veal Chop. We all enjoyed our meals very much, but were saddened that our cruise was coming to an end.

 

After dinner, we stopped by the table that had been set up to sell DVDs of the cruise. In addition to the “”Reflections” DVD, Princess sells a “Glacier Bay” DVD that is a compilation of the “best of” Glacier Bay for the whole season. The woman manning the desk, (is it an oxymoron to say that a woman is manning the desk?) was one of the two videographers on board and we asked her if yesterday’s Glacier Bay experience would make it on to the DVD. I mentioned earlier in this thread that I would fill you in on a comment made by a crew member regarding our day at Glacier Bay, and here it is. She said that that was the single best day she had ever seen in the Bay, (though she looked like she was twelve, so I am not sure how much that meant), and that this year’s “Best of” DVD would be 60% comprised of what we had witnessed the day before. So it wasn’t my imagination. We really were blessed with a great day. Skipping ahead just a bit in time, when we got back to our room and waited up for our daughter to get back to the cabin, we watched the “looped” video that they were showing on Princess TV of the Reflections video and the footage from our Glacier Bay day. They did manage to capture some great shots.

 

After looking around at the photos to see if there was anything we couldn’t live without, my wife and I went to the International Crew Show in the theater. It was a bit repetitive of what we had seen the prior year on the Crown, but without giving anything away, (though it is easy to find on the internet), I will tell you that Billy Hygate’s performance is a “Do Not Miss”. Wow. Just, wow! After the show, there was a little more packing to do while we waited up for our daughter who had been given a slightly extended curfew for her last night with her friends. This, for all practical purposes, ended our cruise, but there will be a disembarkation wrap-p to follow.

 

To be continued………..

[IdahoCruises]

It will be sad for your posts to end...traveling along with your family on this cruise...guess us who have been following this will have sort of our own disembarkation of our own. Thanks for all you have done in your review. Boy, do I miss cruising to AK.

[JimmyVWine]

Oops. To be clear, College Fjord was Day 7. Sorry.

[JimmyVWine]

Day 8: Disembarkation and the trip to Anchorage…..or…..“It’ll be fun to try!”

 

Morning came way too quickly, and it was soon time to bid adieu to Greg, our steward, and head to the International Café for one (or two) last Crème-filled donuts and hot chocolate and then make our way to Vivaldi. No sooner had we found a table in the back then the announcement was made for us to make our way down to Deck Four for departure. The process was seamless, and our luggage was waiting for us in the large, non-descript Terminal. We had booked an independent bus “tour” from the terminal to the Anchorage airport with a company called AK-Cruise Transfers. The price was lower than what Princess offered, and they promised a stop at the Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center along the way. So that sounded nice. It would be hard for me to recommend this company, though they did deliver what they promised, albeit not without a bit of a struggle. When we got to the terminal, there were any number of independent companies with representatives holding signs awaiting their charges. But not our company. There was a sign at the end of the terminal, but no human. And no one to tell us where we should go with all of our luggage. Now, mind you, they were adamant in their literature that we be off the ship by 8:10 and ready to go by 8:45. We were. They were not. Thinking that the 8:10 and 8:45 times were concrete, I called the company on my cell and they told me that the driver would be going through the tunnel at 8:30 and would be meeting us at 8:45. So much for 8:10. We actually could have disembarked at our original time and still made the connection. But I was not happy that our company was the only one without a live representative to usher people along.

 

Once we boarded our bus, we were through the tunnel after a 10 minute wait, and on our way to Anchorage. The trip was narrated along the way, but that narration was pretty weak. In fact, at one point, the “guide” was telling us about some irrelevant thing on the left side of the bus, (now that we are on land, it is “left” and not “port”) and someone looking on the right side shouted: “Moose!” as he spied one on the right, to which our guide responded: “Oh, yeah. There is often a moose spotted over there.” So why, exactly, were you blabbering about some irrelevant something-or-other on the left as we passed an area known to be visited by moose? As we approached the Wildlife Center, he asked if we were interested in stopping there. Huh? That’s kind of the reason we booked this tour. A loud “YES!” was exclaimed in unison by the 20 or so people on the bus. I won’t belabor the point, but it went on like this for the entire trip, with pretty much a complete disconnect between our expectations and his intentions.

 

Our stop at the Conservation Center was a nice stretch of the legs, even though it was raining lightly. Inasmuch as the Alaskan wilderness is overflowing with life in the wild, a wildlife preserve can be a bit anticlimactic. OK. It’s a lot anticlimactic. But these are animals that have been wounded or abandoned in the wild and have been rescued, and they appear to be very well taken care of. So I give the place a wide berth. They are doing good work. If you are considering an independent bus up to Anchorage that offers this option, I would not book just because of it. But I wouldn’t turn it down either. Due to the rain, I kept my camera in the bag for the most part, but I did get off a few shots of some of the animals that you can see there.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

As we got closer to Anchorage, our bus stopped at a scenic viewing area overlooking Beluga Point, part of Turnagain Arm. The views were nice, but would have been better with more cooperative weather.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Not thrilled with the vista shots, I concentrated on some close-ups, a couple of which may end up hanging in a bathroom, or some other out of the way place. Or not. These proved to be the last shots that I would take on our vacation.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We were soon back on the road and got to the airport in plenty of time for the folks who had early afternoon flights to make them.

 

Our flight, on the other hand, was not until 8:30. So we had pretty much a full day to spend in Anchorage. I had reserved a rental car with National, figuring that this would give us a place to store our luggage as well as the freedom to actually see some things, and get a decent meal before our overnight flight. The cost of the car for the day was under $50, which I figured was less than what we would spend taking taxis all over the place. With car in hand, we drove to Anchorage and grabbed a quick lunch. Afterwards, we walked over to the Anchorage Museum smack dap in downtown. Part natural history museum, part art museum and part history/cultural center, this is a place that should not be missed if you have some time to spend in Anchorage. Very, very impressive. And I’m not talking about: “Nice, considering it’s in Anchorage”-impressive. I would never be so condescending. This is a top flight museum irrespective or where you are coming from. We were there from around 1:00-4:30 and could easily have spent twice that time there. But we wanted to see more of the area and decided to take a drive out to the waterfront for a view or Turnagain Arm. We went to a park called Lynn Ary Park. It was a pretty drive, and there are some serious houses out there. Then, it was time for dinner and then to the airport.

 

Using my foodie connections, I was turned on to a place called Sacks Café in downtown. It was a perfect blend of high-style cuisine and urban funky. No sign of Red Dogs a la Juneau, or Red Onions a la Skagway, or Red anything Saloons. No one in period costumes. No gimmicks. Just real good food and a decent wine list with welcoming and professional service. I had a Halibut with Curry appetizer and Crab Legs. My daughter had a Tempura Salmon Roll and Halibut, and my wife had some well composed salad and Pan Roasted Salmon. Highly recommended, and if we ever find ourselves back in Anchorage, I am certain that my wife and daughter will insist that we go there again. Satisfied that we would make it through our overnight flight, we drove back to the airport to begin the trip home.

 

Which brings me to the……

[JimmyVWine]

EPILOGUE

 

Before I conclude, to those who have followed along to this point, I thank you for indulging what has undoubtedly been a self-indulgent piece. My hope was to capture the impressions of our travels in a way that would serve as a diary for myself, but also to allow others to re-live their own fantastic trips as well and help others who are thinking about taking a similar cruise. With any luck, our stories and photographs will prove useful for both past and future travelers. I know that your stories, reviews and photos have been a tremendous help to me, so it is only fair that the debt be repaid. I hope that this has been the case. As Norris (Bimmer09) noted above, much of this was “right place at the right time”. But luck is the residue of design and good planning, and I hope that I have given back something useful for future planners.

 

And now, my closing thought, which, of course, takes me back to yet another, (and unquestionably the most perfect) quote offered by my teenager during the entire trip. Flash back to our last night’s dinner in Sabatini’s. We are enjoying our dessert. And the conversation goes like this:

 

Her: “Dad. You said that this trip would be a once-in-a-lifetime trip. But I think that it is a once-in-a-lifetime trip that should be done more than once in a lifetime.”

 

Me: “That is true. And I hope that someday you are able to do this with your family. And I hope that I can do it again too. But remember that a lot of what we did and saw was so perfect that it would be unrealistic to think that we could ever repeat the experience. The 80 degree weather. Not a drop of rain in a rainforest. The whale off the bow. The eagles outside our balcony. The bears at the river. The swimming moose. The perfectly still, reflective lake in the Yukon. The colors at Emerald Lake. The calving glaciers. The breaching whale. All of these things were the result of some planning, but a good bit of luck as well. I don’t know if this could ever be repeated.”

 

Her: “Yes. But it’ll be fun to try.”

 

Indeed it will.

[las313]

Great review. Amazing pictures. Thanks.

Louise

[Lance1224]

EPILOGUE

 

Before I conclude, to those who have followed along to this point, I thank you for indulging what has undoubtedly been a self-indulgent piece. My hope was to capture the impressions of our travels in a way that would serve as a diary for myself, but also to allow others to re-live their own fantastic trips as well and help others who are thinking about taking a similar cruise. With any luck, our stories and photographs will prove useful for both past and future travelers. I know that your stories, reviews and photos have been a tremendous help to me, so it is only fair that the debt be repaid. I hope that this has been the case. As Norris (Bimmer09) noted above, much of this was “right place at the right time”. But luck is the residue of design and good planning, and I hope that I have given back something useful for future planners.

 

And now, my closing thought, which, of course, takes me back to yet another, (and unquestionably the most perfect) quote offered by my teenager during the entire trip. Flash back to our last night’s dinner in Sabatini’s. We are enjoying our dessert. And the conversation goes like this:

 

Her: “Dad. You said that this trip would be a once-in-a-lifetime trip. But I think that it is a once-in-a-lifetime trip that should be done more than once in a lifetime.”

 

Me: “That is true. And I hope that someday you are able to do this with your family. And I hope that I can do it again too. But remember that a lot of what we did and saw was so perfect that it would be unrealistic to think that we could ever repeat the experience. The 80 degree weather. Not a drop of rain in a rainforest. The whale off the bow. The eagles outside our balcony. The bears at the river. The swimming moose. The perfectly still, reflective lake in the Yukon. The colors at Emerald Lake. The calving glaciers. The breaching whale. All of these things were the result of some planning, but a good bit of luck as well. I don’t know if this could ever be repeated.”

 

Her: “Yes. But it’ll be fun to try.”

 

Indeed it will.

 

Thank you for sharing you cruise experience. We will be on the south bound cruise on 9/14. Your daughter has a very insightful nature for such a young person. Treasure the time together.:)

[HRPro]

You're a great writer and an even better photographer so I have thoroughly enjoyed your review. Thanks for taking the time to share your wonderful memories. When you go back to Alaska and that "when" is deliberate since Alaska has it's own allure, you should consider a land tour or cruise tour . You would thoroughly enjoy Denali, which has scenery to rival Glacier Bay--not to mention all the wildlife. Your daughter would love it too, so another good excuse to return to Alaska. We've been twice and would go again in a heartbeat--every trip has it's own charm.

[amazinglife]

really, really did I say really enjoyed your cruise review...THANKS.

 

We are on the Coral Sept. 11, 2013 and after your comments and pictures we just can't wait! :)

[JimmyVWine]

You're a great writer and an even better photographer so I have thoroughly enjoyed your review. Thanks for taking the time to share your wonderful memories. When you go back to Alaska and that "when" is deliberate since Alaska has it's own allure, you should consider a land tour or cruise tour . You would thoroughly enjoy Denali, which has scenery to rival Glacier Bay--not to mention all the wildlife. Your daughter would love it too, so another good excuse to return to Alaska. We've been twice and would go again in a heartbeat--every trip has it's own charm.

 

Thank you so much for the kind words. We hope to get to Denali, but scheduling (and price) conspired against us this year. My mom did an RCL cruise tour including Denali and loved it. So we hope to get deeper into that great land.

[Buck-White Boys]

EPILOGUE

 

As Norris (Bimmer09) noted above, much of this was “right place at the right time”. But luck is the residue of design and good planning, and I hope that I have given back something useful for future planners.[/size][/font]

 

I am as sad for this review and post to be over as I am excited to be leaving on the same itinerary on Sapphire in 6 days, 2 hours and 7 minutes. (But who's counting?)

 

Terrific writing style, great pictures and you helped take some of the guess work out of a few things and added clarification to others. As well as things to avoid (escargot? Howsabout no?)

 

Great job! We always put together a scrapbook and video after the cruise is over and it's such a let-down after that's complete 'cause then it's really over. I imagine you feel the same way after this review?

 

Thank you for putting the time and energy into doing it - GREAT fun!!

[Bimmer09]

You're a great writer and an even better photographer so I have thoroughly enjoyed your review.

 

 

What he/she said.

 

Norris

[Woobstr112G]

Thanks for taking us along on your journey......:):):)

Bob