Live and life from Nieuw Amsterdam's third Alaska sailing

[Jinty684]

That looks like the fantastic Carlos and Ashley as lead singers in the BB Kings band - love, love those two!

[Oceansaway17]

5 hours ago, Copper10-8 said:

Just a heads up, we're about to enter Glacier Bay National Park so will fer sure be losing internet service when we get in there ..................

oh do tell us how the snow and ice levels are in the BAY?

 

And did you get a normal vibe in Juneau? How was the mood around town?

thanks

[Quartzsite Cruiser]

While some did not like the production shows with the singers and dancers, i really enjoyed them, and would like to see them return.  

 

I'm enjoying your posts and pictures

 

Lenda

Edited August 10, 2021 by Quartzsite Cruiser

[57redbird]

1 hour ago, Jinty684 said:

That looks like the fantastic Carlos and Ashley as lead singers in the BB Kings band - love, love those two!

So do we!!

[canadianbear]

Just now, Quartzsite Cruiser said:

While some did not like the production shows with the singers and dancers, i really enjoyed them, and would like to see them return.  

 

Lenda

Me too!  Hubby not so much but we agreed if he came to those I’d go to the comedian.  Lol 

[1ANGELCAT]

Just looked at webcam for Hoonah, weather looks good . There is an NCL ship there now, hope she’s leaving soon . OurBHB is on the way.

[Copper10-8]

1 hour ago, Jinty684 said:

That looks like the fantastic Carlos and Ashley as lead singers in the BB Kings band - love, love those two!

 

Understand her name is Charise

[Copper10-8]

30 minutes ago, 1ANGELCAT said:

Just looked at webcam for Hoonah, weather looks good . There is an NCL ship there now, hope she’s leaving soon . OurBHB is on the way.

 

We just dropped off the two rangers and the native interpreter off Bartlett Cove and are on the way to Icy Strait Point/Hoonah, ETA 6:30 PM local, 7:30 PM PST

[TiogaCruiser]

4 hours ago, Overhead Fred said:

 

I had heard this on another thread awhile back. It is where the Microsoft Studio was next to Rolling Stone Rock Room. Rumor is that the same changes will be made for Koningsdam and Nieuw Statendam.

So does that mean the contract with Microsoft is over with?

[shipshapegirl]

1 hour ago, Copper10-8 said:

 

Understand her name is Charise

She has a great voice!  We enjoyed listening to both of the singers at the BB King. The One Step Dancers had three performances the week we were on the ship.  Their third show called, In Tandem,  the male singer from BB King joined them and sang two songs.  He was really good and we thought he added a lot to the show.  Hope you all enjoy it.

[Copper10-8]

Monday - Juneau, AK

 

After paralleling the west coast of big Vancouver Island for most of Sunday, we left its northern point and headed for the (also still Canadian) Queen Charlotte Islands, now (since 2010) known under their current name of Haida Gwaii Islands, literally "Islands of the Haida people. The U.S. (Alaska) – Canadian border can be found just north of these islands.  Nieuw A then turned up the Chatham Strait, the narrow passage of the Alexander Archipelago which separates Chichagof Island and Baranof Island to its west from Admiralty Island and Kuiu Island on its east side. From Chatham Strait, we turned into Frederick Sound, also known as Prince Frederick Sound or Prince Frederick's Sound. 

 

The town of Kake is situated on the northwest coast of Kupreanof Island and that’s also were the Kake/Cornwallis pilot station which is served by the Southeast Alaska Pilotage Area, is located The town name comes from a Tlingit word that means “mouth of dawn” or “opening of daylight”. So around 0645 hours, we picked up that pilot from his boat ‘Vallenar.’

 

Once he was safely on board, Nieuw Amsterdam continued in Frederick Sound which led us into Stephens Passage, the channel which runs between Admiralty Island to the west and the Alaska mainland and Douglas Island to the east. Our destination, Juneau, the capitol of Alaska, is located near the north end, on the Gastineau Channel which separates Juneau on the mainland side from Douglas (now part of Juneau), on Douglas Island. The channel is navigable by large ships only from the southeast as far as the Douglas Bridge, a distance of approximately 9.7 miles. Meanwhile, we wound up having our leisurely PG breakfast

 

So, we proceeded up the Gastineau Channel, passing both Marmion Island and the Douglas Marina on our port side and headed for our berth, #1 position, also still known as the Alaska Steamship Dock. We were safely berthed, starboard side to, at 1247 hrs. The big shore-side gangway was attached to Deck 2 via a fork lift known by the name "Big Bertha" and Juneau Port Agent Ryan came onboard and cleared the ship for all pax and crew, meaning we were good to go. The crew just recently (last week) received shore leave (after having been confined to the ship due to Covid) last week so they were happy campers.

 

As reported yesterday, we had a leisurely lunch at El Sombrero and afterwards did some strolling downtown and even found a Starbucks to consume. We had plans to have dinner at the Red Dog Saloon but it started raining so those plans went in the water and it was the Lido Marketplace instead.

 

Due to the lateness of our departure/all aboard at 9:30 PM, the entertainment tonight was limited to a comedian inside the BB Kings Blues Club and the classical group in the Lincoln Center. We chose to watch one of the many movies on demand in our room "Captain Corelli's Mandolin" with Penelope Cruz, Nicholas Cage, Christian Bale, John Hurt and others 

Edited August 11, 2021 by Copper10-8

[zelker]

2 minutes ago, Copper10-8 said:

We chose to watch one of the many movies on demand in our room "Captain Corelli's Mandolin" with Penelope Cruz, Nicholas Cage, Christian Bale, John Hurt and others.

Great movie!  

[VintageGeo]

There y'all are...

[Himself]

Thanks for the good reporting, John

[Coffeeluvr05]

1 hour ago, Copper10-8 said:

Monday - Juneau, AK

 

After paralleling the west coast of big Vancouver Island for most of Sunday, we left its northern point and headed for the (also still Canadian) Queen Charlotte Islands, now (since 2010) known under their current name of Haida Gwaii Islands, literally "Islands of the Haida people. The U.S. (Alaska) – Canadian border can be found just north of these islands.  Nieuw A then turned up the Chatham Strait, the narrow passage of the Alexander Archipelago which separates Chichagof Island and Baranof Island to its west from Admiralty Island and Kuiu Island on its east side. From Chatham Strait, we turned into Frederick Sound, also known as Prince Frederick Sound or Prince Frederick's Sound. 

 

The town of Kake is situated on the northwest coast of Kupreanof Island and that’s also were the Kake/Cornwallis pilot station which is served by the Southeast Alaska Pilotage Area, is located The town name comes from a Tlingit word that means “mouth of dawn” or “opening of daylight”. So around 0645 hours, we picked up that pilot from his boat ‘Vallenar.’

 

Once he was safely on board, Nieuw Amsterdam continued in Frederick Sound which led us into Stephens Passage, the channel which runs between Admiralty Island to the west and the Alaska mainland and Douglas Island to the east. Our destination, Juneau, the capitol of Alaska, is located near the north end, on the Gastineau Channel which separates Juneau on the mainland side from Douglas (now part of Juneau), on Douglas Island. The channel is navigable by large ships only from the southeast as far as the Douglas Bridge, a distance of approximately 9.7 miles. Meanwhile, we wound up having our leisurely PG breakfast

 

So, we proceeded up the Gastineau Channel, passing both Marmion Island and the Douglas Marina on our port side and headed for our berth, #1 position, also still known as the Alaska Steamship Dock. We were safely berthed, starboard side to, at 1247 hrs. The big shore-side gangway was attached to Deck 2 via a fork lift known by the name "Big Bertha" and Juneau Port Agent Ryan came onboard and cleared the ship for all pax and crew, meaning we were good to go. The crew just recently (last week) received shore leave (after having been confined to the ship due to Covid) last week so they were happy campers.

 

As reported yesterday, we had a leisurely lunch at El Sombrero and afterwards did some strolling downtown and even found a Starbucks to consume. We had plans to have dinner at the Red Dog Saloon but it started raining so those plans went in the water and it was the Lido Marketplace instead.

 

Due to the lateness of our departure/all aboard at 9:30 PM, the entertainment tonight was limited to a comedian inside the BB Kings Blues Club and the classical group in the Lincoln Center. We chose to watch one of the many movies on demand in our room "Captain Corelli's Mandolin" with Penelope Cruz, Nicholas Cage, Christian Bale, John Hurt and others 

Wow, how do you know all this information? I wish I was able to keep such an account of my travels as you are able to for the rest of us. Looking forward to my turn at all of this beginning this Saturday. 

[IslandThyme]

John, I'm feeling like an idiot here, because of course if you're going to give Gan a hug he doesn't know my CC name (unless you show him my avatar photo, because he's the one who took that shot). I'm Abra.

[Overhead Fred]

2 hours ago, TiogaCruiser said:

So does that mean the contract with Microsoft is over with?

I have no firm knowledge about that. The Microsoft Studio is a blank space on the latest Nieuw Amsterdam deck plan but it still shows up on the current Koningsdam deck plan. I haven't tracked down the thread where I first saw this info but I'll keep looking.

[Overhead Fred]

Here is where I first saw hints about the Pinnacle class libraries -

 

[aliaschief]

We have had no live TV news or other programming on this cruise. It appears it’s hard too get a signal up here is what we are being told.

[Vic The Parrot]

22 minutes ago, aliaschief said:

We have had no live TV news or other programming on this cruise. It appears it’s hard too get a signal up here is what we are being told.

You're not missing much in the real world. Same ol horse manure, as usual.

Edited August 11, 2021 by Vic The Parrot
Redundancy

[Vic The Parrot]

4 hours ago, Coffeeluvr05 said:

Wow, how do you know all this information?

Umm, Frommers?  🤣😎

[adrift@sea]

9 hours ago, Copper10-8 said:

 

Understand her name is Charise

I believe she uses Charise professionally. She was introduced initially as Ashley Mack on board the Eurodam going back five or six years ago.  Her and Carlos Strong (the male singer) are cousins.

 

I think that they are probably two of the most talented BB King singers out there. We love to sail with them.

Edited August 11, 2021 by adrift@sea

[Gail & Marty sailing away]

9 hours ago, TiogaCruiser said:

So does that mean the contract with Microsoft is over with?

On all ships ????

[leerathje]

Here's a photo of how the (empty) library looks on the new Rotterdam....looks like lots or room for books and comfy chairs!

 

L.

 

[oaktreerb]

Copper, great inside reporting and thanks for the beautiful descriptions of the route. 

 

Question re:  Juneau.  You mentioned that many crew members had been released from Covid restrictions and went ashore in Juneau.  The Juneau webcam showed some great close-ups  of a variety of people disembarking.  There seemed to be two gangways.  Lots of touristy cruisers getting off on the main gangway but the other gangway further forward showed what looked like crew, others with suitcases, and some older couples who looked like HAL regulars going ashore.  In order to promote distancing, does the ship have a process to keep people from bunching up in the ship walkways and stairways as they rush to go ashore?