Star Princess North to Alaska! Sept 10 2016

[ar1950]

Maybe my last Alaska review ran 11 pages but I was so much older then, I'm younger than that now (to quote a favorite pop lyric)

................................

Norris

 

Ah, yes! Bob Dylan song made famous by the Byrds. Always love the "old stuff". :eek:

 

Just catching up after returning from our trip to Maine. Thanks for the review Norris. :)

[ar1950]

We are on the 9 night Alaska sailing departing on 24th July 2017.

 

In this case, whole family goes free! We are guests of a good friend who is 'working' as a Youth Activities Co-ordinator B2B on this sailing and the next 5 night one departing 2nd August. She can bring up to 3 guests along free of charge on DCL and when she asked if we wanted to accompany her, we gave it some serious consideration - that was a tough 10 seconds, I can tell you.

 

I'm enjoying these Vancouver photos. We're building in 3 nights in Vancouver and 5 nights in Seattle (where our cruise companion currently resides) to the trip and this is giving me a bit of flavour of what to expect.

 

Great deal on the cruise. As far as Seattle, there is so much to see and do. You may want to check out the cruise port reviews here on CC as everyone has their own favorite activity or place to see. We certainly have ours, but, encourage you to see all of the posts to make up your own mind. The same advice applies for Vancouver. Enjoy the cruise and the pre and post stays.

 

BTW, welcome to Cruise Critic. Hope you have some great input like your uncle. (No pressure!) :D

[Bimmer09]

Our 2nd cruise on Princess was on Island to Alaska in Sep 2013. Loved that it was cold since we are from FL it was a nice change. Our daughter was homeschooled so we were able to go when we wanted and have it be less crowded. I think we went the week before the season closed.

 

It got us hooked on Princess. We booked the Canal cruise on Coral before leaving the ship.

 

Love your commentary, it's great when people don't take themselves too seriously and just kick back and have fun. Everyone experiences something different when on a cruise so I always take trip reports with a grain of salt and a little sugar ;). Your pictures are wonderful as well. Total respect for carrying so much equipment around. I know my shoulder hurt like h---- when I got back from our cruise from carrying the camera bag.

 

Hi and thanks for coming forward and introducing yourself.

 

Thanks for the comments on the commentary-it has to be lighthearted because that's me generally and the "jokes" come as I write.

 

There was 9 lbs of stuff in my camera bag and I was certainly aware of the weight but it's worth it to be prepared. On one trip I didn't take the zoom (3lbs) as I knew I wouldn't be using it (Dog Sled) but it came in handy in the Misty Fjords and was essential for glaciers-in-your-face close ups.

 

Welcome aboard!

 

Norris

[Bimmer09]

Great deal on the cruise. As far as Seattle, there is so much to see and do. You may want to check out the cruise port reviews here on CC as everyone has their own favorite activity or place to see. We certainly have ours, but, encourage you to see all of the posts to make up your own mind. The same advice applies for Vancouver. Enjoy the cruise and the pre and post stays.

 

BTW, welcome to Cruise Critic. Hope you have some great input like your uncle. (No pressure!) :D

 

AR I am very fond of Seattle as we have been there several times for Operas.

A great city and a gateway to some amazing wilderness...Mount St Helens has to be seen but it's a lengthy scenic drive. Mt Rainier....yikes and there's Snowsqualmie Falls and the drive up to Dungeness. Plus it's a cool town for eateries.

 

I am sure Julie will do some research and milk each city for what it's worth.

 

Cheers!

 

Norris

[Bimmer09]

Once again, Norris, I enjoyed your review. Nobody does it like you do, and I rarely follow them. You are the exception.

 

It's so gratifying to read comments like this and makes all the hours of "work" worthwhile. I spent about 2 hours prepping the photos for Misty Fjords but I have to have the photos look as I remember them.

 

I read a lot of good photo reviews but to find them I surf most of the boards including lines like MSC and Oceania, Carnival and Royal, Celebrity for sure and there are a bunch of fine photographers out there with nice equipment. I'd gladly drop some names that I enjoy if you want to read some.

 

Some of them like Scubacruiserx2 (Joe) and Miaminice (Oliver) have pushed me to learn my camera more fully just to keep up with them.

 

I'm enjoying a great learning experience and the cruises give me a chance to see how my photos look on the Web and getting feedback like yours tells me I am improving and that's my goal.

 

I think a good photo can put you "right there" with me and then my next task is to try and let you know what (if anything) the moment meant and I don't purport to mean anything deep. Cruising is where one great moment is followed by another and another and soon you have enjoyed a day full of highlights.

The mundane and humdrum repetition of everyday life is replaced by one delight after another . It's possible to spend a whole day smiling on a ship, especially in Alaska where we both had many "pinch me" moments.

 

Thanks so much for expressing yourself.

 

Norris

[Bimmer09]

'Tis is the kind of thing that gets me up early the morning-arriving in port. For a while we were sailing along in the dark, then the silhouettes of nearby mountains were evident and then there were the lights up ahead in Ketchikan. It's about 5.30 when we have our starboard side facing the town....

 

 

[YOUTUBE]g2hDDfGnJB8[/YOUTUBE]

 

Norris

[Bimmer09]

We had to turn back our clocks one hour last night.

 

Carol ate in the IC as she is not a buffet person. I had eaten at the buffet as you have already seen.

 

We made or way off the ship separately and met on the dock, early for our 7 a.m excursion. Two gangways, deck 5 and 6 were open.

 

 

and later...

 

 

While we are on this kind of photo...

 

 

We found someone holding aloft our tour number and were instructed to take our seats in a bus that looked like an old streetcar from the 1920s and our young peppy driver, like many here a summer worker from the lower 48, drives us a half mile or so to where our boat for today is docked.

 

Here we are

 

 

Norwegian Jewel

 

 

We are onboard the St. Nona and she can do 30 knots. We have a 110 mile round trip ahead so that speed will be put to good use. The group that fit into a small bus now has a boat that can hold over 100 to spread out in. We head up to the top deck where there is no bar and have the deck pretty much to ourselves for most of the trip which is good as I have a seat to spread all my camera gear on.

 

We are off on an early morning tour! The ship leaves at 2.30 today but we'll be back in port by 11.30.

 

See you on the water!

[hockeyguru32]

Here begins the tale of our latest cruise where we (Norris and Carol) will boldly go where no man has gone before-Alaska! Oh, wait a minute-apparently that's not quite true as people have been going there for years and some even live there.

 

Hmmm...I fired my last fact checker and didn't bother to replace her as I figured she was "surplus to requirements" and her "core competencies didn't fit my paradigm". I'll call her later and offer her the job back (note to self).

 

OK we just got home at 6 a.m this morning from Anchorage and my return to Chicago got off to a bad start when I went to check the photo edits I did in Lightroom (Adobe program) when I was on the ship and on the plane last night.

 

 

To be continued....

 

Norris

 

 

WOW WOW WOW I knew you were going and I'm 15 pages behind already. I'm such a slacker but at least I know what I will be doing this weekend....

 

I'm here now Norris I have my rum poured and sitting on the rum barrel and all set for another awesome review BONUS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Edited September 30, 2016 by hockeyguru32

[SOLIVITA LADY]

Norris, just found your excellent review. Sorry I'm late to the party but I'm here now.

 

We will be heading to Alaska with the grandkids in June 2017 so interested in seeing your thoughts on the ports.

 

We're off to do a Hawaii cruise on Oct 5 but will make sure to check into this thread while gone.

 

Jackie

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[ar1950]

'Tis is the kind of thing that gets me up early the morning-arriving in port. For a while we were sailing along in the dark, then the silhouettes of nearby mountains were evident and then there were the lights up ahead in Ketchikan. It's about 5.30 when we have our starboard side facing the town....

 

 

g2hDDfGnJB8

 

Norris

 

It would appear that the video is "private".

[JimmyVWine]

'Tis is the kind of thing that gets me up early the morning-arriving in port.

 

It would appear that the video is "private".

 

:eek::eek::eek:

[Bimmer09]

:eek::eek::eek:

Jimmy I read this at work and immediately dropped what I was doing-I'm a surgeon and was doing a triple bypass so I left one of the nurses to finish up.

 

The video is anything but private now.

 

I actually put this video up yesterday and left it private until this morning so that it could be seen while I was away. I called the Youtube Brothers-it's two guys in a garage with half a dozen vcrs hooked up to a Dell desktop-and they have apologized and all is well now.

 

Please enjoy!

 

Norris

[YOUTUBE]g2hDDfGnJB8[/YOUTUBE]

[Bimmer09]

Norris, just found your excellent review. Sorry I'm late to the party but I'm here now.

 

We will be heading to Alaska with the grandkids in June 2017 so interested in seeing your thoughts on the ports.

 

We're off to do a Hawaii cruise on Oct 5 but will make sure to check into this thread while gone.

 

Jackie

 

Jackie! Great to see you here!

 

Wishing you bon voyage!

 

Norris

[Bimmer09]

WOW WOW WOW I knew you were going and I'm 15 pages behind already. I'm such a slacker but at least I know what I will be doing this weekend....

 

I'm here now Norris I have my rum poured and sitting on the rum barrel and all set for another awesome review BONUS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

LATE IS LATE-drop down and give me 20!

 

Great to see you here and save me some rum.

 

Norris

[Bimmer09]

The St Nona left the dock and proceeded in a Misty Fjordly direction.

 

 

 

We're not zooming along at this point

 

 

We have the upper cabin to ourselves with room for 40 more. Plenty of empty aisles so I can spread out my gear for ease of use.

 

People are living along the water's edge hence the sedate speed

 

 

The Star is a pretty ship

 

 

Outer Ketchikan, too far to walk from the ship

 

[Bimmer09]

We're putting some distance twixt us and the Star so I've switched to the zoom lens as I need to practice using it while moving.

 

 

There are urns of coffee/hot chocolate and tea a few feet away and cookies to nibble on as we'll be on this boat for a few hours.

 

There is a Naturalist on board giving a useful commentary. She's been living in Alaska for about 40 years.

 

 

Up ahead we already see MISTS!!

 

 

I'm too excited I have to turn away

 

 

We are still close to civilization

 

 

[Bimmer09]

 

 

A little faster now

 

 

Looks kind of foreboding.

 

 

 

(taken through the window)

 

We are still a ways to go...will the mists ever lift? (hope not as I am enjoying this display of nature)

 

[New York Nana]

Hi Norris! (I feel like we're on 1st name basis since I've been 'with' you on all of your trips!)

We just did a r/t from Seattle on the Ruby in May, so your review is filling a need to revisit our trip. I did a CC review on it, but I bow down to the master! You gave me the courage to add a bit more detail and photos to it - so THANK YOU!

We're headed out next week for our 30th anniversary cruise to Hawaii on the Crown Princess. I hope to do a review of this trip - BUT I will be trying to keep up with yours while we float away!

Thanks for the memories!! (Cue golf swing...)

Barb

[Bimmer09]

 

 

One of the few places in the USA without a Starbucks

 

 

 

 

I scour the trees for bald eagles but with a density averaging one every 10 square miles in Alaska it may be a fruitless scour.

 

[Bimmer09]

Hi Norris! (I feel like we're on 1st name basis since I've been 'with' you on all of your trips!)

We just did a r/t from Seattle on the Ruby in May, so your review is filling a need to revisit our trip. I did a CC review on it, but I bow down to the master! You gave me the courage to add a bit more detail and photos to it - so THANK YOU!

We're headed out next week for our 30th anniversary cruise to Hawaii on the Crown Princess. I hope to do a review of this trip - BUT I will be trying to keep up with yours while we float away!

Thanks for the memories!! (Cue golf swing...)

Barb

 

Barb I was just about to sign off for today as we are going out to see the musical Hamilton in half an hour and here you are!

 

Welcome back!

 

I will search for your review tomorrow as we are heading to dinner after the show (eating at 10.30)

 

Detail and photos? Sign me up!

 

Everybody is cruising to Hawaii...I wish we had the time (7 days is our max currently)

 

Glad to have you aboard!

 

Norris

[SOLIVITA LADY]

Hi Norris! (I feel like we're on 1st name basis since I've been 'with' you on all of your trips!)

 

We just did a r/t from Seattle on the Ruby in May, so your review is filling a need to revisit our trip. I did a CC review on it, but I bow down to the master! You gave me the courage to add a bit more detail and photos to it - so THANK YOU!

 

We're headed out next week for our 30th anniversary cruise to Hawaii on the Crown Princess. I hope to do a review of this trip - BUT I will be trying to keep up with yours while we float away!

 

Thanks for the memories!! (Cue golf swing...)

 

Barb

 

 

 

We'll see you on the Crown as we're on her celebrating our 50th.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Bimmer09]

This hillside was like this before we got here-nothing to do with us, I promise!

 

 

Carol is keeping an eagle eye out for...um, eagles. We had brought our own Nikon binoculars but they had a pair of binocs for each passenger on the boat.

 

 

We slow down whenever there may be a chance to see eagles in the trees.

 

An eagle's nest

 

 

 

Not an eagle at the top of the tree on the right

 

[Bimmer09]

Not an eagle either

 

 

 

 

 

Up ahead, still not in the Fjords is Eddystone Rock

 

[RBAlbany]

What is this excursion? Who is it through? Enjoying being part of your trip.

 

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G930A using Forums mobile app

[Bimmer09]

What is this excursion? Who is it through? Enjoying being part of your trip.

 

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G930A using Forums mobile app

 

Hi RB, it was a Princess excursion, part of their Discovery series.

Misty Fjords fastboat. No beach or jewelry shopping.

 

Norris