Shadowmeboy's Alaskan Adventure on the Sun

[shadowmeboy]

Due to the make up of our cruise, a ton of first time cruisers, we had a very inactive Roll Call. That was until the itinerary changes started happening, and the Roll Call exploded. We had about 30 say there were going to come and about 10+ actually showed up.

 

I was introduced to Hotel Director Brian Walters, who would introduce the staff, and then we could ask some questions of the staff.

 

Here are the Senior Staff from out Meet & Greet.

 

 

From Right to left (<--- for those of you who may be directionally challenged) Brian Walter - Hotel Director; Rico Taubert - Food & Beverage Director; Windchester Barracks - Beverage Manager; Mihaela Mocan - Restaurant Manager; Ailstair Fonseca - Executive Chef

 

 

 

 

From Right to Left: Edgar Horlador - Executive Housekeeper; Claudia Condurachi - Guest Service Manager; Iain Bagshaw - Cruise Director; Gringo Necesito - Group Service Coordinator

 

 

Susan and I spent a good amount of time interacting with members of our Meet & Greet Attendees.

 

Thank you to everyone who came.

 

 

 

 

 

[shadowmeboy]

After the Meet & Greet, we headed back out to Deck 6. We had about 45 minutes between the Meet & Greet and Latitudes party.

 

 

What should I do? well lets take some more pictures!

 

 

 

 

Look another cruise ship! The Regent Seven Seas Mariner passed us headed toward Seward or Whittier.

 

 

 

 

i was able to spend a few additional minutes talking to Hotel Director Brian Walters before the doors were opened. We had a nice short conversation about the ship and the cruise thus far. Finally they opened the doors to the latitudes party being held in the Stardust Theater.

 

 

 

 

The band playing on entrance.

 

 

The Latitudes Party was awesome, and the free drinks weren't bad either! Got to love me some free Rum punch!

 

 

 

 

Juan Franco - one of the Cruisenext team was MCing the event.

[shadowmeboy]

 

Captain Svedmark introduced himself and tried out his new standup routine!

 

 

 

 

Just joking! He spoke briefly.

 

He talked about how the drydock in April/May had killed all the bacteria in the water treatment plant onboard. They had yet to get the levels required by the State of Alaska to discharge waste inside State waters, thus we had to have a itinerary change to facilitate the dumping of treated sewage which did not meet Alaska levels by going to Sitka. Sitka is out on the Pacific Ocean, and not in the inside part of Alaska's Southweast. Therefore, we were able to get far enough out to Sea to discharge on our way to and from Sitka.

 

 

The Captain introduced the Senior Staff. Left to right this time: Antun Puljizevic - Chief Engineer; Brian Walters - Hotel Director; Rico Taubert - Food and Beverage Director; Iain Bagshaw - Cruise Director

 

We were one number off from winning the big prize. The people behind us won, and got 3 bottles of wine plus other gifts. We congradulated them and they asked if we wanted a bottle. We said sure, so they gave a us a Champagne.

 

We were hungry by this point and it was nearly 1:30pm. Since we were on 6 aft, we headed to Seven Seas MDR.

 

 

Lunch menu from Seven Seas

 

 

 

 

[shadowmeboy]

 

 

Inside Seven Seas

 

 

 

A boat fishing near Yukatat, AK.

 

 

 

 

 

 

I had Popcorn Shrimp.

[shadowmeboy]

 

 

Chicken Noodle Soup

 

 

Chicken Salad Sandwich

 

 

Open Air Beef Burger

 

 

Pilot Boat coming to meet the Ship.

 

 

 

 

[shadowmeboy]

See the line in the water. You can see the where the glacier melt and the Pacific Ocean are meeting.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hubbard Glacier ahead

 

 

Sugar Free Lemon Cake

 

 

'Madagascar' Vanilla Bean Creme Caramel

 

 

 

 

We found these waiting back in the room!

[shadowmeboy]

 

 

They were good!

 

 

We headed up to the outside observation deck outside the observation lounge.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The cruise into Hubbard Glacier was stunning.

 

 

[shadowmeboy]

 

 

 

 

The views were great, but it was too crowded.

 

 

A few shots more from deck 12 and we headed down to deck 6.

 

[shadowmeboy]

 

 

We saw Harbor Seals floating on the ice flows.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[shadowmeboy]

 

 

 

 

 

pushing through the light ice flows.

 

 

[shadowmeboy]

 

 

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[shadowmeboy]

Hubbard was actively calving that day!

 

 

 

 

 

 

[shadowmeboy]

 

 

This is my favorite photo of the whole bunch, its a panoramic. We took this photo to Costco and got a 20" by 30" are getting it framed.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[shadowmeboy]

 

 

 

 

 

[shadowmeboy]

 

 

 

 

 

The ship's photographers were out on deck 6.

 

After Hubbard Glacier, we changed and dressed up a bit. Susan ran off to a VIP shopping event. I sat down in the atrium watching to photographers set up and listening to the group Black Diamonds (pictured below).

 

 

[shadowmeboy]

 

 

MDR menu's for tonight.

 

 

 

 

 

Dessert Menu

 

 

 

 

The photographer's setup in the Atrium. This backdrop here was the one Captain's photos happened on.

[shadowmeboy]

 

 

 

 

See those pearl's on Susan's neck? Yeah, she won the VIP shopping event raffle and won those. She didn't want to go to that raffle either.

 

 

Our picture with Captain Svedmark.

 

 

We went up to the VIP Party in the observation lounge. This lady, we can't remember her name, is one of the Park West staff. I talked for a while with the Photo Manager. He had just arrived the day before from the Escape. Unlike you all, he had to look through the pictures on my camera screen which were not blown up. His reaction was similar to yours.

 

 

Rum Punch? Why yes! Who needs a UBP package? Not us!

 

After the event we met our friends from the train, Angie & Jeff, in Moderno.

 

 

 

 

The salad bar at Moderno. Captain Svedmark came and ate here tonight with several of his officers.

 

 

 

 

My salad bar plate and my rum punch I walked from the party with!

[shadowmeboy]

 

 

Susan loved the salad bar.

 

 

Bring on the Meat!

 

 

Jeff sizing up the garlic sirloin!

 

 

A sampling of meats. The fried bananas were killer. mash potatoes, rice, and beans spot on. The Parmesan cheese bread was divine. The Meat just kept coming as long as the card on the table was green.

 

 

 

 

The Cod was fabulous!

 

 

 

 

Executive Sous Chef Ali came to our table to check on the four of us. We told him it was excellent. He told us his philosophy about Moderno, and how he is willing to make something special if a dietary need arises. He is from India and freaking hilarious.

 

We finally turned our cards to Red (Green is ready for meats & Red not ready/no more please). Time for Dessert.

[shadowmeboy]

 

Mango Papaya Sherbert

 

 

Toasted Coconut Flan

 

 

Mango Rice Pudding

 

 

We returned to the room and found this creature waiting for us.

 

 

 

 

 

 

We got seats in Dazzles for the Newly-Wed, not so Newly-Wed Game.

[shadowmeboy]

 

 

The couple nearest to us was part of a larger deaf or hearing impaired group. Iain figured out if you say "upper Torso" the signer has to do a funky sign. He ended up saying "upper torso" almost 10 times.

 

 

packed house

 

 

After the game was Norwegian's Night Out Dance Party.

 

 

Susan and I danced for a while before going to the Casino.

 

 

 

[shadowmeboy]

Day 3 Daily

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[shadowmeboy]

VIP Breakfast as we awaited arrival into Icy Strait Point.

 

 

 

Fruits de Mer - Poached egg above seafood in brioche toast.

 

 

French Toast

 

 

Bacon and Eggs

 

 

We walked out on deck 6 and watched the docking at Icy Strait Point. This dock is new this year. ISP used to be a tender port.

 

 

The weather was beautiful.

[shadowmeboy]

 

 

Throwing lines to pull the anchor lines. You can see forward on deck 6 in this picture as well.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I wouldn't want that job.

[shadowmeboy]

 

Top of the Ziprider Zipline here in Icy Strait Point. No I did not go down it, I am not crazy.

 

 

 

 

Icy Strait Point (Hoonah, AK) is located adjacent to the entrance to Glacier Bay. So you got beautiful views all around.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[shadowmeboy]

 

Finally off the boat. Our stateroom window is part of the Sun.

 

 

 

 

 

Walking up the new dock towards the welcome center here at ISP.