Westerdam in Sitka - July 9

With an early excursion, the day began with a Room Service Breakfast that again was served at an acceptable temperature. The grits and chocolate croissants write-ins continued to be available.

All excursions passengers gathered in the Queen's Lounge prior to boarding the tenders, separate from the tenders used by the other passengers. There was a chill in the air and clouds hovered low in the sky as we boarded the Allen Marine catamaran for the Otters, Raptors, and Bears, Oh My! excursion. Grey and humpback whales, otters, Sitka deer, eagles, and a bear were spotted during the water portion of the excursion.

The next stop was at the Bear Fortress where bear cubs of dead mothers are given an alternative to being euthanized. Bear cubs are not permitted to be released into the Alaska wild and saving the little cubs to find them a home in a zoo is the goal of the Fortress of the Bears. On old sewage treatment plant has been converted to a bear habit where the bears are treated as if they were in the wild to include forced hibernation.

A brief stop at a raptor center allowed us to see raptors undergoing rehabilitation for hopeful release back into the wild.

The return to Sitka from the excursion left little time for shopping before the all aboard time.

After leaving Sitka, the sun broke through the clouds for the first time during this cruise week.

Dinner at Le Cirque was exceptional. The onion jam was a new experience and the Chateaubriand was perfectly cooked.

Sadly, I must now report that both of the bowls of sprinkles at the Ice Cream station were empty after I spent six minutes in the waiting line.

The day ended with posting a daily review on CC, watching the sun set just before 10:00 PM, and closing the curtains to darken the room.

As an aside:

I was asked to discover the brands of Alaskan beer served on the Westerdam and can report that Juneau Brewery provides Summer, Amber, Pale Ale, and Ice Bay to the Westerdam.

In addition, I have been promised the HAL Kids daily activities for this week (all three age categories) to help those with children know what is happening.

[quote name=Crew News;43359622

In addition' date=' I have been promised the HAL Kids daily activities for this week (all three age categories) to help those with children know what is happening.[/quote]

Thank you. Sounds like a wonderful day in Sitka. Hopefully you will get some sprinkles soon...

I think the Westerdam is one of the few ships with Chocolate Seduction. Have you seen it open? I read awhile back that a cc member was disappointed that it was never open

Thanks for this report.

At the Ice cream station, did you ask if more sprinkles were available?

I think the Westerdam is one of the few ships with Chocolate Seduction. Have you seen it open? I read awhile back that a cc member was disappointed that it was never open

It was open on our 2013 cruise -- but rarely did you ever see anyone there. That is why it may have been closed. The prices for chocolates were very high. Chocolate drinks are very limited -- they couldn't even make a chocolate martini!!

Thank you for the report.

Sitka is one of our favorite ports. We love doing the whale watching and sea otter and other wild life tours there.

Thanks for the update.

Hope tomorrow is sunny and there are lots of sprinkles.

Thnx for the report + thnx for the Rogerisms u sent..

Am avidly following , but it is hard with different threads.

Could u combine them as 1 liike other live reports?

It would be so much easier to follow u that way.

Hate to miss anything.

Actually, I now like CrewNews' new format. At first I did not, but now I do and just look for "Westerdam in..." authored by CrewNews each morning - this way I can always see his review at the top of the post and don't have to scroll down through all the comments. And he is on the ship for two weeks so it would have gotten tedious towards the end to scroll down to find the latest report.

Actually, I now like CrewNews' new format. At first I did not, but now I do and just look for "Westerdam in..." authored by CrewNews each morning - this way I can always see his review at the top of the post and don't have to scroll down through all the comments. And he is on the ship for two weeks so it would have gotten tedious towards the end to scroll down to find the latest report.

Agree this is an excellent format. Thank you Crew News. Now hopefully other "live from" posters will use this daily format also.;)

Agree this is an excellent format. Thank you Crew News. Now hopefully other "live from" posters will use this daily format also.;)

It's a pretty good format, but with a 12 day cruise (I think this is) that's a lot of new threads on the first page. My personal choice is all-in-one and added to as they go along, but I also like those that have a link to a blog. However, you have to remember to bookmark those.

I'm beginning to wonder if the sprinkles actually exist. Have you witnessed any? Maybe they just put out bowls with sprinkle remnants in them to make you think that there WERE sprinkles at one time and you just missed them. :p

Thanks for your report. I've only been to Sitka once but it is my favorite Alaskan port. ;)

I also like the new format. I don't like having to scroll down through all the comments to see the next day's report. :)

Thanks for the report! Sorry to hear about the sprinkles!

It's a pretty good format, but with a 12 day cruise (I think this is) that's a lot of new threads on the first page. My personal choice is all-in-one and added to as they go along, but I also like those that have a link to a blog. However, you have to remember to bookmark those.

JMHO but I really don't like blogs in place of a CC trip report. I've seen some really vile, untrue, misleading comments on peoples' personal blogs (linked on CC), about CC, HAL and CC posters. CC can't stop those comments, nor can people respond to untrue assertions. As I said, JMHO.

Sounds like a great day in Sitka. We've done the Raptor Center and Bear Fortress but never the Allen Marine catamaran. Sounds like fun seeing all the whales, bears, eagles and deer. We've always enjoyed Sitka especially going thru their park.

Have to ask how is Joanie doing? I'm sure she is enjoying her aft cabin and the aft Lido with all her buddies. Tell her we say 'Hi'.

Thanks for all your great live reporting and I agree with others, I like this format too. :):)

I think the Westerdam is one of the few ships with Chocolate Seduction. Have you seen it open? I read awhile back that a cc member was disappointed that it was never open

Chocolate Seduction was open and Joanie took the plunge but was disappointed when a packet of mix was opened and then hot water added. She did not like what she purchased. There is a good chance she will go back and try something else this week. She did purchase five pieces of candy that have yet to be tasted.

I wondered if they used the same instant chocolate to make drinks as they use in the Lido.

We didn't buy anything there.

Thanks so much for the beer selection Crew News! Love the live report!

Thanks for another update, I've been enjoying reading them.

You mentioned going to the fortress of the bear and the raptor center, but nothing really about what you actually thought of them/your time there. How were they? I'm back and forth on wanting to visit or not.

I was happy to see your report on the beer. I hope they have the same on the Amsterdam. It'll make my husband very happy :)

Thanks for another update, I've been enjoying reading them.

 

You mentioned going to the fortress of the bear and the raptor center, but nothing really about what you actually thought of them/your time there. How were they? I'm back and forth on wanting to visit or not.

 

I was happy to see your report on the beer. I hope they have the same on the Amsterdam. It'll make my husband very happy :)

You climb a number of stairs to a wooden viewing platform that overlooks two huge, former sewage treatment plant tanks, with one containing two full-grown brown bears and the other two. There is a smaller enclosure with three yearling black bear cubs whose mother was killed.

The bears are fed fish heads which they hardly chew before swallowing them. I will have pictures and videos on my website soon.

The raptor center is a tour through the flight training areas for rehabilitated raptors, A full-grown eagle, perched on a handlers arm, is brought into a small theater-like area for pictures and the handler answered questions. There is an outside, very large enclosure where several eagles can be seen and photographed.

Since Joanie and I both watch the bears at Brooks Falls Live Cam, I enjoyed filming these bears playing and one riding a piece of wood like a surf board. This was my favorite excursion of all that I have taken in Sitka.

Very nice report.

Keith

Thanks for the report!

I'm beginning to wonder if the sprinkles actually exist. Have you witnessed any? Maybe they just put out bowls with sprinkle remnants in them to make you think that there WERE sprinkles at one time and you just missed them. :p

There were chocolate sprinkles a couple of times early in the week, but only the color ones on the last day.

Crew News, would you mind telling me where the Chocolate Seduction is located on the Westerdam? I've checked the deck plans and can't find any reference to it.

I'll be on her at the end of September for a repo cruise and want to check it out. I know some people haven't been impressed. I'm hoping that it may have improved but I'm an optimist at heart.

How did Joanie like her purchases?