Off the Beaten Path on the Grand

[biker1972]

Just had a mental picture of an orange life preserver with yellow mustard neatly spread over it. ;)

[Mommypig]

First sea day was a day of blessed rest. Got up early to go online in the IC, ate breakfast in buffet with hubs and a couple from Ohio. Did a little shopping and hubs went to the Alaska port lecture. Lunch in the MDR. Determined that Princess apparently has never been to Philadelphia based on the cheesesteak sandwhich. Just ate the meat and a caprese salad so I could enjoy the fruit tart, which was both tasty and nicely presented.

 

Took a nice nap, and showered and dressed for formal night (as formal as we were getting). Hubs did wear a shirt and tie, and I wore a lacy top with black pants with pretty flats. Since I will be in jeans or hiking pants the rest of the dinners that was pretty dang formal. Alaskan Salmon for dinner, and the raspberry mousse thing for dessert. Yum!

 

Watched Tomorrowland on MUTS (why yes I NEED three blankets) and hit the hay to be ready for Ketchikan excursion.

[Mommypig]

Just had a mental picture of an orange life preserver with yellow mustard neatly spread over it. ;)

 

 

That's what the grandboys called it when I took them on a cruise a few years ago. It stuck and we have always called it the mustard drill since. 4 yr old was wondering when they brought the hotdogs..... Maybe it will become a cruise critic term like Stewart.

[partybarbie]

So glad to hear that things worked out for your dad. It sounds like you are enjoying the cruise. Keep the live posts coming.:D

[shredie]

So glad to hear that things worked out for your dad. It sounds like you are enjoying the cruise. Keep the live posts coming.:D

 

Next time, dad! :) I'm happy to hear the prime rib was good. I always have problems with that dish on Princess, so I've stopped ordering it. Have you had any of the Alaska dishes they have on that itinerary yet?

[timtrek]

That's what the grandboys called it when I took them on a cruise a few years ago. It stuck and we have always called it the mustard drill since. 4 yr old was wondering when they brought the hotdogs..... Maybe it will become a cruise critic term like Stewart.

 

That is cute. 25 years ago when my son saw the Statue of Liberty for the first time he yelled out, "Look, its the Statue Delivery!". Needless to say, to this day we still refer to it as that. :D

[Crystabel]

I hope your dad manages to sail to Alaska next Spring. It's a wonderful cruise.

 

Please let us know how you find the ship. We've never been on the Grand, but will be sailing on her later this year.

Edited August 31, 2015 by Crystabel

[partybarbie]

I hope your dad manages to sail to Alaska next Spring. It's a wonderful cruise.

 

Please let us know how you find the ship. We've never been on the Grand, but will be sailing on her later this year.

 

I'll be on the Grand with you.:cool: FYI, the Grand had the Skywalker's nightclub removed and replaced it with the One Five nightclub. They also have a yummy pizza parlor in the atrium.

 

Mommypig, If you get a chance, can you post who the captain, cruise director, and maitre'd are? Also, would like to hear about the production shows and the MUTS movies.

[Mommypig]

First stop Ketchikan. Very quaint little town and am very glad we will be stopping on the south bound cruise in a couple of weeks. We did the Alaskan Fishing and Wilderness Dining tour. My hubs really really really wanted to do this. I was a bit skeptical, but...that's what we did. It was interesting and fun except for the part where I was not fishing but tossing my cookies. Apparently I can ride in a 6 man skiff when it is going fast so all the bumps feel like they are coming from the same direction. But when cruising slowly, jigging fish off the bottom, in choppy water, even 2 Bonine won't work. I did catch a silver rock fish when we were jigging in a calm inlet, and by lunch time I had recovered enough to enjoy it. The fish was prepared at a wilderness beach inlet, by a restaurant called Fish House. Very good. But next time he can fish and I will shop.

[Colo Cruiser]

First sea day was a day of blessed rest. Got up early to go online in the IC, ate breakfast in buffet with hubs and a couple from Ohio. Did a little shopping and hubs went to the Alaska port lecture. Lunch in the MDR. Determined that Princess apparently has never been to Philadelphia based on the cheesesteak sandwhich. Just ate the meat and a caprese salad so I could enjoy the fruit tart, which was both tasty and nicely presented.

 

Took a nice nap, and showered and dressed for formal night (as formal as we were getting). Hubs did wear a shirt and tie, and I wore a lacy top with black pants with pretty flats. Since I will be in jeans or hiking pants the rest of the dinners that was pretty dang formal. Alaskan Salmon for dinner, and the raspberry mousse thing for dessert. Yum!

 

Watched Tomorrowland on MUTS (why yes I NEED three blankets) and hit the hay to be ready for Ketchikan excursion.

 

 

Thanks for the live updates!!

 

 

Next time, dad! :) I'm happy to hear the prime rib was good. I always have problems with that dish on Princess, so I've stopped ordering it. Have you had any of the Alaska dishes they have on that itinerary yet?

 

You know we used to have issues too. Seems lately its been excellent, not sure if they are getting better meat, cooking it a different way ? Who knows all I can say is its been very good. Even the corn on the cob was good and I used to gag when I saw it all soggy.

Edited September 1, 2015 by Colo Cruiser

[Mommypig]

Thanks for the live updates!!

 

 

 

 

You know we used to have issues too. Seems lately its been excellent, not sure if they are getting better meat, cooking it a different way ? Who knows all I can say is its been very good. Even the corn on the cob was good and I used to gag when I saw it all soggy.

 

 

I think the corn on the cob is good when fresh corn is available. But if it's frozen it is gross.

[Mommypig]

Took a helicopter ride to the Mendenhall glacier and visited a sled dog camp. Rode around in a dog sled for a couple miles. Beautiful blue sky and fresh white snow made for a glorious experience. Then back to camp to cuddle sled dog puppies. There was a 12 week old litter, and an 11day old one. Such fun to snuggle! Back to Juneau for lunch and shopping.

[shredie]

Puppies! :D:D:D:D

[rdsqrl]

So, did they count the puppies as you left? They didn't, like, check your purses or, say, large tote bags, if you happened to be carrying one, did they? No pat downs of puffy down vests, for example?

[Mommypig]

So, did they count the puppies as you left? They didn't, like, check your purses or, say, large tote bags, if you happened to be carrying one, did they? No pat downs of puffy down vests, for example?

 

 

LOL! No, we weren't allowed to bring bags or totes on the helicopter. No room as you are really packed in there. I did get to sit in front this time both ways so had great view for photos.

[cr8tiv1]

I am really enjoying your thread. It is so "off the beaten path". It is too bad your father could not join you for this voyage. Enjoy this long vacation. And yes, I was traveling with an older person who got lost on the Grand, several times. Hope he takes your advice and cruises out of Seattle in the Spring. Especially if he was planning on doing a one way Vancouver...Whittier.

[Mommypig]

Because we are doing an excursion in Skagway on our return journey, we decided just to relax and enjoy the town, and do some shopping. The town is not very big so it is easy to walk to and get around. They do have some Smart Shuttle buses you can take, but with all the fine dining recently I felt I should say byebye to some calories.

 

There is a lot of the usual souveneiry stuff, especially close to the pier. I have to admit that I am not a fan of buying jewelry from Diamonds international, etc etc etc on any cruise. Buying from these chains does not benefit the local economy, and I am a big fan of buying local. But I wanted a whale tail necklace. I did glance in the windows of the big name shops, but did not find anything with any character to it. So I kept walking. Found a shop owned by locals and a lovely whale tail with gold nuggets on one fluke, and gold laced quarts on the other. A ammonite (sp) gem decorated the thingy where the pendant hangs on the chain. In another local shop found earrings and pendant of opal, sweet turquoise (very soft turquoise that can be worked with opal) and black onyx. In a third shop found gorgeous pendants with beaded chains carved by a local carver. The pendants are faces carved of mammoth tusk and walrus ivory. The beads were all semiprecious stones and hand carved walrus ivory. Truly evocative of Alaska through the ages.

[Mommypig]

Of course we had to eat in Skagway. Stopped at the Red Onion for pizza and clam chowder. The brothel ambiance was very amusing. Also picked up some more locally dyed yarn, yak and silk fiber for spinning, and some Alaskan themed batik quilt kits. Returned to ship for a nice nap before dinner.

[Mommypig]

What more can you ask for in a cruise when the sea day includes a top to toe massage and facial, followed by a mani pedi while watching glaciers calving and glorious scenery?

 

Formal night was lobster night (which is nice but no biggie to this girl who has spent plenty of time eating the real deal with gallons of fresh drawn butter and wearing a bib made of giant cloth diapers (purchased years ago just for this purpose). Frozen south African lobster tails are nice but not fantastic. Still wonder why they would serve something with drippy butter sauce when people are probably wearing dry clean only stuff.

[Mommypig]

Stewart made a funny.

 

We always swear we will keep the stateroom tidy "next time". Well it was its usual disaster, the Grand balcony stateroom being a tad shorter than the Pacific Princess and less drawer storage. So dear Stewart TRIES to make it look nice around our disarray.

 

So Stewart comes in to do turn down and there is stuff all over the bed as usual. When we came back from dinner everything was arranged artfully around my knitting bag which says "I am CREATIVE. That doesn't mean I am NEAT".

[happiness is cruising]

Steward the other way is a man's name!!

[Mommypig]

Steward the other way is a man's name!!

 

 

Our steward is always Stewart, the muster drill is the mustard drill, and public restrooms are mine fields. Gosh I wish they provided poo pouree!

[JF - retired RRT]

Our steward is always Stewart, the muster drill is the mustard drill, and public restrooms are mine fields. Gosh I wish they provided poo pouree!

I bring my own:D:D

I have the regular size, a small size and a travel "stick". Great stuff, but too expensive for everyday use.:eek:

[shredie]

Steward the other way is a man's name!!

 

It's a standard joke around here. :)

[Mommypig]

I bring my own:D:D

I have the regular size, a small size and a travel "stick". Great stuff, but too expensive for everyday use.:eek:

 

 

Got some that is sort of piney lemony (and much lighter than pine sol) called called Crapper Trapper for our Alaskan adventure.