Trip Report [May 10 2019] - Celebrity Millennium: Vancouver to Seward

[quilty964]

We leave in 2 weeks, can't wait!  Great pictures! 

[relmondcrsise]

Gorgeous photos.  We're on this itinerary in a few weeks, so I'm following this closely!

[plagmah]

11 hours ago, hvbaskey said:

A few photos from our "Adventure Bound" Tracy Arm Fjord excursion.  If you have a long day in Juneau, like we did - highly recommend.  It's 10 hours of awesomeness!

 

 

GREAT PICTURES....What kind of Camera and Lens?   I am trying to decide what to pack  for my June 7th cruise.  I have a Nikon 5600   I usually carry a 18-140 and a 70-300

 

Thanks

Edited May 16, 2019 by plagmah

[Mountaineer0313]

Following along. We're booked in an aft facing cabin in August 2020 on Millennium. Can't wait to see your full report!

[Cairns Cruisers]

Amazing photos alright, wow you have seen nature up front & personal for sure. We are on Carnival Miracle in May next year, these pictures just really whet the appetite alright! I hope you keep having a great time.

[Rondo]

Those are some awesome pictures! I’m following along to get new ideas for our 2nd Alaska cruise in 2021. So far, I like your choices!

[hvbaskey]

On 5/15/2019 at 11:47 PM, Ariyel said:

I'm in love with your pics.  Those shots of the bears!!  What kind of camera are you using??

 

I booked what I hope is a similar excursion - Endicott Arm Fjord and Glacier Explorer.  Sure hope we have half as much luck as you did with the bear sightings!

 

Thank you for your kind words.  I use a Nikon D7100 with a Sigma Telephoto (600 mm) lens.

[hvbaskey]

On 5/16/2019 at 10:41 AM, plagmah said:

 

 

GREAT PICTURES....What kind of Camera and Lens?   I am trying to decide what to pack  for my June 7th cruise.  I have a Nikon 5600   I usually carry a 18-140 and a 70-300

 

Thanks

Thank you for your kind words.  I use a Nikon D7100 with a Sigma Telephoto (600 mm) lens.

[hvbaskey]

I will be updating this trip report from bow to stern once I return home to Canada.  I just didn't have enough time in the day to do it live - but a full report coming by month's end!

Today, finally checked off "moose" from my Alaskan wildlife list 🙂

Photos taken in Potter Marsh, Anchorage (Post Cruise)

[scrapcreator]

Thank you for sharing your trip report. I’m looking forward to the rest as we wait to board the Millennium on June 7th. Your photos are fabulous!

[worldtraveller99]

Your photos are so good that I cannot show this to my husband else he will want a 600mm fixed lens too! Thank you very much for sharing with us.

 

We are still waiting to see our first moose in the wild - if we do the Potter Marsh boardwalk in the afternoon is that where you saw her?

[hvbaskey]

On 5/19/2019 at 10:39 AM, worldtraveller99 said:

Your photos are so good that I cannot show this to my husband else he will want a 600mm fixed lens too! Thank you very much for sharing with us.

 

We are still waiting to see our first moose in the wild - if we do the Potter Marsh boardwalk in the afternoon is that where you saw her?

We saw her in the afternoon (late) and also the next morning.  We also saw a bull moose walking along the coastal trail - clearing the path as he went along - LOL!   Cyclists and walkers were “most respectful” of the bull, moseying along the walking trail.  Apparently, Anchorage has a resident population of 1000 moose; so keep your eyes open!  especially in the morning and late afternoon/early evening 🙂

[worldtraveller99]

Brilliant - thank you, will do!

[hsk1977]

Your pictures are amazing!!! We are taking our first Alaska cruise in August and can't wait. I have a Nikon D3400 and am contemplating upgrading my lens for the trip, but I don't think I'll be able to justify a telephoto quite that powerful. Hopefully I can get some decent shots anyway.  I am looking forward to more details from your trip!

[Mountaineer0313]

22 minutes ago, hsk1977 said:

Your pictures are amazing!!! We are taking our first Alaska cruise in August and can't wait. I have a Nikon D3400 and am contemplating upgrading my lens for the trip, but I don't think I'll be able to justify a telephoto quite that powerful. Hopefully I can get some decent shots anyway.  I am looking forward to more details from your trip!

 

I have the D3400 also and I recommend this lens. It'll save you from having to quickly switch between lenses and missing a good shot.

[worldtraveller99]

I went for the Tamron 16-300, because I reckoned I would take more landscape photos than needing to go from 300 to 400. 

[hsk1977]

2 hours ago, Mountaineer0313 said:

 

I have the D3400 also and I recommend this lens. It'll save you from having to quickly switch between lenses and missing a good shot.

Thanks! I have been looking at the Nikon AF-S DX NIKKOR 18-300mm. I'm going to check into the Tamron now.

[Mountaineer0313]

3 minutes ago, hsk1977 said:

Thanks! I have been looking at the Nikon AF-S DX NIKKOR 18-300mm. I'm going to check into the Tamron now.

 

My brother, who is a real photographer, recommended it. I lost a great shot of a moose in Skagway because I had on my short lens and couldn't get it switched in time. The 400 mm can get you pretty up close and personal with just about anything, while still being able to get the close up shots.

[hsk1977]

2 minutes ago, Mountaineer0313 said:

 

My brother, who is a real photographer, recommended it. I lost a great shot of a moose in Skagway because I had on my short lens and couldn't get it switched in time. The 400 mm can get you pretty up close and personal with just about anything, while still being able to get the close up shots.

 

Thanks.  I'm very much an amateur and still learning a lot about my camera and DSLRs in general.  I'm definitely checking into the lens you recommended.  I don't know if we will ever get to do another Alaska cruise, and I want to be able to document this trip as well as I can. 

[Mountaineer0313]

2 minutes ago, hsk1977 said:

 

Thanks.  I'm very much an amateur and still learning a lot about my camera and DSLRs in general.  I'm definitely checking into the lens you recommended.  I don't know if we will ever get to do another Alaska cruise, and I want to be able to document this trip as well as I can. 

 

You'll get great shots with the D3400. I blew up one of mine into a 3 foot wide canvas and it looks awesome. But I definitely wish I'd had the different lens. We're doing Canada/New England this year and Alaska again next year, so I'm excited to use it.

[hvbaskey]

3 hours ago, hsk1977 said:

Your pictures are amazing!!! We are taking our first Alaska cruise in August and can't wait. I have a Nikon D3400 and am contemplating upgrading my lens for the trip, but I don't think I'll be able to justify a telephoto quite that powerful. Hopefully I can get some decent shots anyway.  I am looking forward to more details from your trip!

 

You should get lovely shots with the D3400.   For years I used the 70-300 mm lens (and I still have it!) with a 1.4 teleconverter ring;  but then the Sigma Contemporary Lens (150-600 mm) came along and it was a gift from DH ... I have used it since.  The 150 mm tends to be too close for landscape photos; so I carry with me my 18-140 mm lens for those. They switch out easy enough.  I would love to upgrade the Sigman to an actual Nikkor lens ... but that is in a distant future 😉

Edited May 21, 2019 by hvbaskey

[hvbaskey]

1 hour ago, worldtraveller99 said:

I went for the Tamron 16-300, because I reckoned I would take more landscape photos than needing to go from 300 to 400. 

 

That is a very nice range, indeed!

[hvbaskey]

24 minutes ago, hsk1977 said:

Thanks! I have been looking at the Nikon AF-S DX NIKKOR 18-300mm. I'm going to check into the Tamron now.

 

Nikkor 18-300 is a very nice range.  I find the start at 150 mm a wee bit of a pain when I want to do landscapes!  I have to switch out to my 18-140 for the lower range.

Edited May 21, 2019 by hvbaskey

[Kelli0927]

Looking forward to your full report. We're 25 days out from our Alaska adventure.

[ParRoo]

On 5/2/2019 at 1:53 PM, hvbaskey said:

How do you put a Move Up bid in?

 

and just like that - we have gone over budget!  we lost our battle with temptation (note original post, where we had restraint!) and had placed a “MoveUp” offer for a Suite and it was accepted today.  

We never thought it would go through as according to the Celebrity “indicator meter”, it was weak (deep red LOL).  We bid slightly over minimum.   I don’t think the “$3” that was available in my Budget Planner is going to cover it.

Never say never (as we did)!  Although we are now unexpectedly over budget, I am deep down over the moon excited to have a suite for our Alaskan adventure on board the revolutionized Millennium.   

Now to reprint luggage tags ... again ...