The Best Cruise Ever! Glacier Bay Alaska, 5/6/09, Pictorial Review.

[Choozin Croozin]

Hi Grady. First of all, thank you for the wonderful review and pics. I looked high and dry for pictures of that cabin (which I had booked in Apr 08) to see what it looked like before I booked it. I loved the balcony. Ended up canceling and booking RCCL (long story), but seeing those pictures makes me sad that we won't be experiencing that. Now for my question:

Now I can't remember which port it was, but you (and someone else) had a picture of a park near the pier. Could you tell me how to get there? I like to paint and that looks like that would be a great photo op for a future picture.

Thank you. Sorry your cruise is over. I know how sad of a feeling that is.:(

[DarthGrady]

[quote name='vegs1']DarthGrady - That was an absolutely wonderful review. I loved reading it and it has made me so excited for our upcoming Northbound trip on the Spirit. You did a great job...and your pictures are amazing.

A question regarding your beautiful photographs. When you were taking the photos of the owl and eagle, do you remember if you used a certain setting? I love the way the bird is so sharp in comparison to the background.

Thanks again for taking the time to write this.[/QUOTE]

For those I believe I was using the outdoor portrait setting. I just tried multiple angles and distances until I got it to do what I wanted. The camera also has an excellent "Intelligent Auto" function that will almost always figure out what you're trying to do, and then sets itself accordingly.

[DarthGrady]

[QUOTE=choozin' cruzin';19612797]Hi Grady. First of all, thank you for the wonderful review and pics. I looked high and dry for pictures of that cabin (which I had booked in Apr 08) to see what it looked like before I booked it. I loved the balcony. Ended up canceling and booking RCCL (long story), but seeing those pictures makes me sad that we won't be experiencing that. Now for my question:

Now I can't remember which port it was, but you (and someone else) had a picture of a park near the pier. Could you tell me how to get there? I like to paint and that looks like that would be a great photo op for a future picture.

Thank you. Sorry your cruise is over. I know how sad of a feeling that is.:([/QUOTE]

That little park is at Skagway, on the left between the pier and town. You'll have to walk right by it as you're walking from the pier. It has a creek running through it and into the pond. It would make a great painting.

[Drew B]

[quote name='DarthGrady']That little park is at Skagway, on the left between the pier and town. [B]You'll have to walk right by it as you're walking from the pier.[/B] It has a creek running through it and into the pond. It would make a great painting.[/quote]

It actually depends on which side of the pier you dock at. They can accommodate a couple of cruise ships on the side with the park. There is also a little marina there where you catch the ferry to Haines. They also dock cruise ships on the other side. It's only a few hundred yards, but you wouldn't walk right by the park. Skagway's not big, though. It'll be easy to find. Just ask anybody.


* And if you don't end up going to Skagway, choozin, you could always just swipe one of our pictures and paint the gorgeous scenario from that... I always thought this scene would make a good painting (from near the Mendenhaal Glacier in Juneau).

[IMG]http://i329.photobucket.com/albums/l398/DrewB58/P1010071.jpg[/IMG]

So, for that matter, would this one from outside Ketchikan...

[IMG]http://i329.photobucket.com/albums/l398/DrewB58/PrettyTree.jpg[/IMG]

As you can see, I enjoyed the Alaskan scenery every bit as much as Grady...

[DarthGrady]

Those are very nice shots Drew.

Thanks for clearing that up too, it totally slipped my mind that there were more piers. Must have been some "cranial flatulence".:D

[anamanxs]

Drew and Grady, Both of your pictures are out of this world! Thank you both for sharing with everyone.

[Choozin Croozin]

Thank you both Grady and Drew for the park directions. I will make sure and head over there after our trip with Dyea Dave. Also, those pics Drew are so beautiful. If you don't mind, I might just attempt one or both. That first one already looks like a painting. Thanks again to both of you. :D

[Drew B]

[quote=choozin' cruzin';19620708]Thank you both Grady and Drew for the park directions. I will make sure and head over there after our trip with Dyea Dave. Also, those pics Drew are so beautiful. If you don't mind, I might just attempt one or both. That first one already looks like a painting. Thanks again to both of you. :D[/quote]


I definitely don't mind. And trust me - it has nothing to do with my talent as a photographer (I don't have any) or with the quality of the camera (a cheap point and shoot number). It's just that the beauty in Alaska is so staggering that you can't HELP but stumble into great photos! :D

[anamanxs]

Drew or Grady: Do you mind if someone else using any of the pic you posted. I would like to perhaps use them for a backgound on a scrapbook page. I have a CC group cruise to ALaska next year and want to do a door sign, banner and they would make a beautiful background.

You have made the days even harder to count down! Thanks again!

[techmom]

Well I did it! My husband has wanted to do an Alaskan cruise for years but I head to the sun and beach and because he loves me, he goes along with it. So I decided it is his turn and I booked one yesterday. I will keep this a secret until Christmas and then surprise him. I have been showing him all the pictures you all have posted and he kept saying wow, I want to do that, I want to go there. He is going to be thrilled. Thanks for all the pictures and information.

[jnv]

thank you so much for the great review and beautiful pics - we are leaving in 3 weeks and this has really added to the excitement. can you tell me if crab legs were ever on the dining room menu, or the supper club menu? same question about halibut? thanks again for taking the time to share your trip with us.

[Drew B]

[quote name='anamanxs']Drew or Grady: Do you mind if someone else using any of the pic you posted. I would like to perhaps use them for a backgound on a scrapbook page. I have a CC group cruise to ALaska next year and want to do a door sign, banner and they would make a beautiful background.

You have made the days even harder to count down! Thanks again![/quote]

You are more than welcome to use any picture I post however you wish. Here are a few more of the Chilkat river in Haines (across the fjord from Skagway)

[IMG]http://i329.photobucket.com/albums/l398/DrewB58/Scenefromputin.jpg[/IMG]


[IMG]http://i329.photobucket.com/albums/l398/DrewB58/Firstraftlaunches.jpg[/IMG]

and since you can never go wrong with porcupines...

[IMG]http://i329.photobucket.com/albums/l398/DrewB58/P1010163.jpg[/IMG]

[Purplehaze21]

[B][I][FONT=Century Gothic][SIZE=4][COLOR=darkorchid]Beautiful pictures also Drew! These are amazing. If I didn't have a cruise to Alaska booked, I would after this review. I can't wait for mine![/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT][/I][/B]
[B][I][FONT=Century Gothic][SIZE=4][COLOR=#9932cc][/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT][/I][/B]
[B][I][FONT=Century Gothic][SIZE=4][COLOR=#9932cc]Techmom, we have a group cruise when you are booked. Feel free to stop by our board :)[/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT][/I][/B]

[anamanxs]

Thanks Drew! I am so glad we have this group going! Our prices are wonderful too, still lower than any posted prices....Wish we were going this year!

So Cheri, can you believe these pics!

[DarthGrady]

[QUOTE=choozin' cruzin';19620708]Thank you both Grady and Drew for the park directions. I will make sure and head over there after our trip with Dyea Dave. Also, those pics Drew are so beautiful. If you don't mind, I might just attempt one or both. That first one already looks like a painting. Thanks again to both of you. :D[/QUOTE]

Nope, don't mind at all. Anyone who wants them is welcome to!

[quote name='Drew B']

and since you can never go wrong with porcupines...

[IMG]http://i329.photobucket.com/albums/l398/DrewB58/P1010163.jpg[/IMG][/QUOTE]

Dude, thats an awesome picture of the porcupine!

[quote name='jnv']thank you so much for the great review and beautiful pics - we are leaving in 3 weeks and this has really added to the excitement. can you tell me if crab legs were ever on the dining room menu, or the supper club menu? same question about halibut? thanks again for taking the time to share your trip with us.[/QUOTE]

The only crab I saw being served in the dining room was a appetizer of crab legs. I didn't have it since we were in the supper club that night.

[anamanxs]

Thanks Grady, you guys are the best!

[Purplehaze21]

[B][I][FONT=Century Gothic][SIZE=4][COLOR=darkorchid]Thanks to both of you for letting us use pictures. I want to use 1 for my desktop, but way to many great ones to choose from. [/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT][/I][/B]
[B][I][FONT=Century Gothic][SIZE=4][COLOR=#9932cc][/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT][/I][/B]
[B][I][FONT=Century Gothic][SIZE=4][COLOR=#9932cc]My goodness Annette, I can't believe them. There amazing :D[/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT][/I][/B]

[Drew B]

[quote name='DarthGrady']Dude, thats an awesome picture of the porcupine![/quote]

;)

I wish I could take credit for catching her in the wild, but it was actually on an excursion to a wildlife sanctuary. We saw everything from wolves to bobcats to arctic foxes to lemmings... Here's my niece with a flying squirrel:

[IMG]http://i329.photobucket.com/albums/l398/DrewB58/P1010197.jpg[/IMG]

...and my sister bottle feeding an orphaned baby moose:

[IMG]http://i329.photobucket.com/albums/l398/DrewB58/P1010176.jpg[/IMG]

[anamanxs]

Which tour was it?

[Drew B]

It was a Celebrity excursion out of Skagway (you actually cross the fjord to Haines and drive from there). I don't know if Carnival offers a similar tour because I haven't been to Alaska with this line. Here is the website for the sanctuary and you can do it independently, but it would be extremely difficult to get there if you're not part of a tour...

[URL]http://kroschelfilms.com/[/URL]

[anamanxs]

I was actually reading about Haines last night. There is a ferry from skagway to Haines, I think they said it was about 1 hour. But don't know how the times would match up or how you would get around one you got there. I was wondering what was there. I did not see it in the Carnival tours.

Will have to check it out more. Thanks

[HereIam]

I also want to throw in my thanks for the awesome review and gorgeous pictures. My husband and I hope to cruise to Alaska in 2011 for our 25 wedding anniversary. Our anniversary is in April so I was thinking a May cruise. Can you tell me what the weather was like, temperature wise?Hubby wouldn't mind the cold, but I can't take too much.

[DarthGrady]

[quote name='HereIam']I also want to throw in my thanks for the awesome review and gorgeous pictures. My husband and I hope to cruise to Alaska in 2011 for our 25 wedding anniversary. Our anniversary is in April so I was thinking a May cruise. Can you tell me what the weather was like, temperature wise?Hubby wouldn't mind the cold, but I can't take too much.[/quote]

The weather was really not bad at all. I think it was probably in about the 40s at night, and most days were in the 60s. The day in Skagway was the warmest, and was maybe in the 70s with lots of sun.

Of course this cruise being early in the season, the temps. were lower. I read some reviews where folks went later in the summer and had day temps. in the 80s!

I mentioned before that I really packed too much. I only needed jeans and a medium duty jacket for almost all of it. When it was sunny, I could have done shorts and a t-shirt! The only catch is that is does frequently rain there. Not constantly, it comes and goes quickly. So I wish I would have had a jacket that was more water resistant. The one I had was suede, and absorbs water.

[anamanxs]

[quote name='HereIam']I also want to throw in my thanks for the awesome review and gorgeous pictures. My husband and I hope to cruise to Alaska in 2011 for our 25 wedding anniversary. Our anniversary is in April so I was thinking a May cruise. Can you tell me what the weather was like, temperature wise?Hubby wouldn't mind the cold, but I can't take too much.[/QUOTE]
hi,

If you do decide to go in May we would be glad to have you check our the May 11, 2010 CC GROUP! Everything I read says wear layers. Some of Grady pictures fo have people in shorts, other are wearing warm looking coats.

[DarthGrady]

[quote name='anamanxs']hi,

If you do decide to go in May we would be glad to have you check our the May 11, 2010 CC GROUP! Everything I read says wear layers. Some of Grady pictures fo have people in shorts, other are wearing warm looking coats.[/quote]

A lot of that may have to do with the diverse makeup of the passengers. We had a large groups of Australians, British, Canadian and Asian folks on board. I over heard many of the British and Canadian guests saying how bitter their winters are. One joked that it felt like a summer day in England. I assume that may be why so many were dressed so lightly.