OVATION May 13-24 *LIVE* in ALASKA w/lots of photos

[Hoopster95]

Good morning Skagway

 

 

 

Edited May 20, 2019 by Hoopster95

[Hoopster95]

2 hours ago, jamon said:

Hoopster...how much was the tram ride up the mountain in Juneau?? thanks

 

Hi jamon. $35 adult (cant remember kids, it was discounted approx 1/2... I think $18?)

 

They also sold sold combo tickets... ie tram + trolley tour, tram + hatchery Tour, tram + 4 or 5 others, slightly discounted as a combo. 

[cft8]

Is the ship internet getting any better? Usually we get it, because we manage a large group and as leaders need to stay in touch with each other even on sea days, plus want our group members to be able to reach us. So, it's mainly needed for texting and email. But, your reports are making me feel like it might not be worth it this time, if no one is going to be able to use it to get in touch with us anyway! 

Edited May 20, 2019 by cft8

[Hoopster95]

16 hours ago, CRUISEFAN0001 said:

the photos of Mendenhall Glacier show a significant receding of it's size along the water's edge from where we saw it just a few years ago. “At this rate...there may not be much to see in another 10 years or so.“

 

Yes, it’s astonishing. The quite I got from

the Pilot yesterday afternoon was approximately 2cm per WEEK! Not a typo.

That’s approx 3.5 feet per year.... and accelerating. The last few summers have been exceedlingly warmer, with plane life and new(er) insects showing up (per guise in Icy Strait)

 

When I get home i’ll Check my older Mendenhall pics as well. Keep in mind 100 years ago the Glacier was approximately where the visitor Center is today. I’ll quite to helicopter pilot to the two kids who were on tour with me yesterday... “your kids won’t see this Glacier down here”

 

 

[Hoopster95]

6 minutes ago, cft8 said:

Is the ship internet getting any better? 

 

Yes it is. Currently sitting in theatre posting as we speak, waiting for tour.

 

Remember, Ovation will not be in Icy Strait, Sitka or Hubbard again... I fully assume internet closer to the major ports of Juneau and Skagway will always be better. Let’s see how Endicott Arm is tomorrow 

 

Druiserdmd... maybe you can post some speed tests again and comment how you’re doing with VOOM at the  moment?

[drusierdmd]

Is the ship internet getting any better? Usually we get it, because we manage a large group and as leaders need to stay in touch with each other even on sea days, plus want our group members to be able to reach us. So, it's mainly needed for texting and email. But, your reports are making me feel like it might not be worth it this time, if no one is going to be able to use it to get in touch with us anyway! 

The internet works. You'll be fine as long as you understand that the attached image means. I was able to check facebook, pay 3 credit cards, reply to email and update this post with very little waiting. Imagine clicking on this post (I use Tapatalk) and waiting 30s for it to load...images take 5 to 30s each. Earlier in the trip is was flaky..royaliq app failed (LAN) and or internet was unavailable (WAN). Now that seems more stable. This image too 3s to upload...it works and IMO is worth it...perhaps at a discounted rate.

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[Biker19]

1 minute ago, drusierdmd said:

The internet works. You'll be fine as long as you understand that the attached image means. 
 

Along with that understanding, folks should be aware that this is for Stream - Surf will be somewhat slower. 

[Hoopster95]

Hey Drusierdmd... if we see each other up at Seaplex again in the last 3 sea days please come over and hi again.

[Hoopster95]

6 minutes ago, Biker19 said:

Along with that understanding, folks should be aware that this is for Stream - Surf will be somewhat slower. 

 

Correct... and I know Drusierdmd discussed with me how intermittent VOOM was. As mentioned in Previous posts some of my multiphoto posts tool 30-45 minutes to load, with several disconnecting AND not saving after most of that time due to VOOM or some other disconnection. Super frustrating.

 

On land yesterday Photos would load in 3-4 seconds using ATT, switching back to VOOM photos here in CC still took about 30sec, so VOOM much slower than land based wifi

Edited May 20, 2019 by Hoopster95

[drusierdmd]

Along with that understanding, folks should be aware that this is for Stream - Surf will be somewhat slower. 

I wouldn't assume that. We have no idea how their it setup the two flavors...perhaps they limit surf to 5mbit (a speed limit which neither of us can hit). Anyone is welcome to post a speed test with surf to confirm.

Basically if you need gotomeeting or similar to communicate with work, don't rely on it working well at all times. If your swing trading Bitcoin...consider a Caribbean trip.

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[Biker19]

28 minutes ago, drusierdmd said:

I wouldn't assume that. We have no idea how their it setup the two flavors...perhaps they limit surf to 5mbit (a speed limit which neither of us can hit). 

Through many reports and my own testing, it's sorta been established that Surf is limited to .5Mbps and Stream to 5Mbps though lately have not seen many reports of over 4Mbps - this is regardless if the ship has O3B or not.

[cleopetra]

Some pictures from our day in Juneau touring Tracy Arm and Sawyer Glacier

[cft8]

Thanks for the feedback on the internet! I figured it might be better closer to the more major ports. We usually do get Stream, and wait to get it on sale if we are not gifted it by our sales rep. I don't need to do VOIP meetings or anything, I'll be on the ship with everyone I would need to meet with. 

 

It's also helpful for me to be able to give feedback when I get the inevitable questions from our group members about wether I think getting an internet package is "worth it." 

[eel]

4 hours ago, CRUISEFAN0001 said:

I was wondering how Ovation was going to support Tracy Arm Fjord...now we know... a tour. Thanks for sharing.

 

When we viewed Sawyer Glacier, they actually sailed Radiance of the Seas all the way to the inner turnaround pool in front of it.

 

Like my previous compare photo post about Mendenhall Glacier, it has become obvious that these beautiful nature wonders  are decreasing in scale over time (comparison views to your background glacier shot below from 2014 - the last one is pretty close to the same area view as your photo).

 

The tour to Sawyer is an independent one and takes 10 hours.  Your ship will need to be in Juneau for a long stay to do it.  Royal offered nothing comparable.

 

Great shots of Sawyer and it makes for an interesting comparison!

[CRUISEFAN0001]

1 hour ago, Hoopster95 said:

 

Yes, it’s astonishing. The quite I got from

the Pilot yesterday afternoon was approximately 2cm per WEEK! Not a typo.

That’s approx 3.5 feet per year.... and accelerating. The last few summers have been exceedlingly warmer, with plane life and new(er) insects showing up (per guise in Icy Strait)

 

When I get home i’ll Check my older Mendenhall pics as well. Keep in mind 100 years ago the Glacier was approximately where the visitor Center is today. I’ll quite to helicopter pilot to the two kids who were on tour with me yesterday... “your kids won’t see this Glacier down here”

 

I guess it would be wrong to tell anyone else “get it (tour) while it’s hot” 🙀

[Biker19]

1 hour ago, cft8 said:

It's also helpful for me to be able to give feedback when I get the inevitable questions from our group members about whether I think getting an internet package is "worth it." 

Your answer would be "Do you need internet bad enough to pay $100 for it" for the week?

[Merion_Mom]

This is utterly unacceptable!  Back to Page 1!

[sharktums]

Thanks to Hoopster and the others contributing to this thread.

 

Question - Do any of you have the unlimited dining plan?  If so, have you been able to use it for food at the Pub? Able to visit more than one restaurant a night as advertised? Order more than one entree?

 

Thanks again!

[Hoopster95]

Another astonishingly warm and gorgeous day in Skagway... wow!! Had to have been around 20C degrees midday full sun. In the afternoon I came back to the ship for shorts and t-shirt before going back out... I took a light jacket just in case and never wore it through to 5pm when I got back on. So blessed on this sailing for the weather we’ve had.

 

1st videos and photos on my way up through the White Pass ... these are a

pair of views within Tormented Valley on the Yukon side. And keep in mind that with your own naked eye you’d figure these views are better than through a bus window with an iphone6, yes? Yes.

 

For those of you who have never been to Alaska... get off your rear ends and just do it!

 

 

 

Edited May 21, 2019 by Hoopster95

[drusierdmd]

Green Jeep tours. 5 stars. 10 min walk from dock. Provided car seat at no cost. I heard 3 hr trip beforehand, we probably spent 7+. Great tour if you want to stop and take photos at your leisure.

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[Hoopster95]

Yukon Suspension Bridge ... nice little

stop for 45min or so. There’s a few exhibits within the site, including an inukshuk  “park” for you to build one for yourself before you depart.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited May 21, 2019 by Hoopster95

[Hoopster95]

Drusierdmd ... outstanding! I did Carcross/emerald Lake/etc via private a few years ago and it was awesome. Glad you posted about that.

 

Btw, to everyone reading, I am truly

sorry to say that VOOM is officially a joke. Don’t waste your money unless you go in with very low expectations as Biker has already mentioned. My post above with 7 photos?.... loading with VOOM about 5 min in and 1.5 photos loaded, it logged me out. I switched to land carrier, all 7 photos loaded and post submitted I less than a minute.

[RDempster]

drusiermd....glad to hear Green Jeep tours was good!  We have one reserved in August.  I saw on their website that they now offer picnic lunches and iPads for tour guide info with the Jeeps.  Can you confirm that?  Or maybe just with new reservations.  

[drusierdmd]

drusiermd....glad to hear Green Jeep tours was good!  We have one reserved in August.  I saw on their website that they now offer picnic lunches and iPads for tour guide info with the Jeeps.  Can you confirm that?  Or maybe just with new reservations.  

That's an on new reservations and was added as an option after we booked. We got a picnic lunch from popcorn factory with a cooler and a few bottles of water. ( I think this is who they are going to use anyways for lunch). Plenty of pull off for pics. We pretty much stopped every mile on the way up and only once or twice on the way down. There is a secret pull off right at the start of emerald lake (before the private drive and overlook). There is an awesome beach at caracross turn by the metal caribou sign.

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[Hoopster95]

I had never done the White Pass Railroad. It’s a must at least once in my humble opinion. An easy excursion for anyone with amazing views... I spent the entire time outside standing at the end on one of the viewing platforms.

 

 

 

 

Edited May 21, 2019 by Hoopster95