Lowyfer

Can anyone confirm there are TV's in the golden lion on Queen Elizabeth? Have tried looking at pictures but have not been able to spot any.

Had a lot of this in July as well... including one that went to my travel agent to forward to me... despite them coming direct too...

Was on the Konninsdam a few weeks ago and found it as difficult to figure out the schedule / routine as you are finding..

We ended up going with any time dining just to give us flexibility as we found the cruise sometimes did two shows of the same type per night and sometimes it did not.

We played it by ear each day.

There was also sometimes different things going on in two places at once and we had to choose for evening entertainment..

Some of the enrichment talks were also earlier in the day.... even though they could also be like the night show.

It really felt like they were trying to push people out to different venues instead of the usual stampede from dinner to the theatre show twice a night.

it was a different experience. Still processing what I thought about our first Holland cruise.

Just came back from an Alaska cruise about a week ago on NCL.  Really did not see much COVID.

Very few people were masked on the cruise. Elevators were packed, port shuttles were packed, we did an excursion that was close quarters.

Neither of us picked up covid (unless it was entirely without symptoms) despite pretty much forgetting it existed.

Some places in Alaska might ask you to put on a mask when indoors but we did not run into any of them in our walking around.

On 1/30/2022 at 12:34 PM, Ferry_Watcher said:

We are booked on a May '23 Alaska cruise and ISP will be one of the port-of-calls.  I am looking forward to getting back there (maybe by then I will have become brave enough to go on the zipline - LOL.  ;  )

 It does look pretty epic! Most impressive zip line I have ever seen!

You should totally do it.

21 hours ago, jskinsd said:

I think Lowyfer is referring to Kroschel wildlife refuge.  But it is in Haines not Skagway.  Can't drive a car to it.  You take a boat from Skagway.✌️

Yes it is the Kroschel Wildlife Refuge. We went to it from the Skagway port, it was a bit of a trip and as a result we had very little time to spend in Skagway itself which is what we are picking up this upcoming trip.

On 1/28/2022 at 3:05 PM, jskinsd said:

 Did you even know Icy Strait point was a stop?  Did you research activities to do in Icy Strait? 

 

Yes, and nothing stood out. This was a few years ago now... maybe it has developed?

Hey I am glad you love the port, we did not.

On 1/27/2022 at 8:28 AM, jskinsd said:

How many times have you been to Icy Strait Point?  What did you do on your stops?  What did the other ports have better to offer?  More shopping, restaurants or maybe better tours?  It is all about seeing something different.  One time, one place there is better chance to see wildlife in Hoonah/Icy  Strait than any other port.  Whales, Orca, Sitka deer, sea otters and the best eagles nest you can get close to.  Oh yea, I forgot the Bears at Spasski river.  There are land and sea combo tours where there is a chance to see all.  Or maybe you like to fish.  I once caught a 60 lb halibut on one of my stops.  That sucker was 6 ft tall. ✌️

 

 

Just the one time we did our Alaska cruise. As mentioned we are from the pacific north west so a lot of the culture, history, and wild life is the norm for us.

When in Icey Point we walked along the boardwalk and passed the restaurent(s) and such. Looked at the zip line from the bottom.. did a little browsing at the few shops they had. Enjoyed the mini-cannery mueseum. On our way back to the boat we did a short nature walk through the forrest and noticed "Hey what the heck flower is that? We do not have that one where we come from."

We ended up going back to the boat pretty early to use our drink package and go for a swim.

The other ports had WAY more shopping which is not exactly our thing but I did buy a wat- wait, I am informed I have to call it a "time piece".

For other ports:

We did the mendenhall glacier by taking a bus (not with cruise) which was amazing. They have a neat interpretive center and I got to see white fuzzy mountain goats! Not the usual big horn I am used to seeing on the highway but the small fuzzy ones. We also did the nature walk to the waterfall and looked at the glacier. It was great!

We went to an animal rescue and saw a bunch of animals that I had not seen in person before. I saw a Lynx which was amazing. Whatched a wolverine bite a guy right on his butt. I kissed a moose right on it's schnoz! and also fed a cariboo some food. That was skagway which caused us to miss doing the train trip everyone does instead. We are doing that and the saloon on our upcoming trip this year.

We did a kayak trip post cruise in seward so that we could kayak amongst ice burgs, that was awesome. We also did a glaicer husky dog sled thing post cruise (found what I thought was the most ethical, and with snow).

Those were the big things we did. Whale watching we did not do because when not cruising we go to a kayak camping spot where they wander by twice or more a day so was not a must see for us.

So again for us icey point did not have that much to offer and totally understand why someone from across the planet would be way more hype about it.

Sitka is a new port for us this trip and we are ALL over the eagle and bear rescues. Super excited to do that.

It is not a bad port, and compared to every other port, found this one to be the least interesting.

There is a bias as I am from the pacific north west. It was similar enough to home that the rain forest was the same as going for a walk in the back yard. The canning station was cool for the history and I did end up buying my hunneh a nice whal tail necklace.

No one has mentioned it but there is also a pretty impressive zipline if you are into that.

Again.. not a bad port but we found it just not as good as every other port.

My favourite part was this port actually did a greeting where they had first nations children in traditional outfits performing music on the dock.

As was mentioned unless you do an excursion this should be a quick port for you.

On 11/30/2021 at 5:03 PM, flwinejunkie said:

Thought about maybe going to Public Market.  Any must see places in the market?

 

Any other suggestions?  

 

Appreciate your help!

Mary Jon

As a local, when I saw this post I had to google because I thought to myself:

"There is a Victoria Public Market?"

We drive past it all the time and never stopped to investigate it.

My hunneh and I did a scouting mission for you today to the public market!

It is rather small compared to for example granville island public market in Vancouver.

It is 1.25 floors and it is mostly small places to eat currently and not so much in the retail therapy department.

Currrently (and most likely due to covid, and it being Sunday) there were about 4 stores closed.

Mostly food to be had.

The pie place which uses local produce that is ugly was sadly closed. Same with the other bakery.

We tried "the big spoon" for breakfast and it was very good. We also tried the pasta making place and the macoronie and cheese was good.

There is very little room for local artisans and such, just a line of tables in the middle of the hallway and about 2-3 retail spots that were small store sized.

There was some fun t-shirts, some jewelry, a kitchen gadget store, an Indian (India) clothing and crafts store. A mushroom tea table which was odd and that is all I remember about the retail portion.

The most interesting store for me was the chocolate store / school. It is hevay on education and fair trade chocolate. They currate their chocolate bars to award winners from around the world and fair trade ethical chocolate. There is no hershey or lindt or cadbury it is all small batch lot sized stuff.

Each bar goes for $10-15 per small bar but it is like buying a bottle of wine and each bar comes with its own little story. The owner acts like a chocolate sommelier.

Overall if you are wandering around the area then by all means stop in, but I would not target it as a must see.

Hope that helps!

......also thanks for making us play tourist in our own town!

Have not done that hike but there is a short little walk through the forest to the left at the end of the boardwalk which has a nice little loop that was interesting enough and did not cost anything. It takes maybe ten to fifteen minutes.

On 11/8/2021 at 3:10 PM, Kitty Ellas Mom said:

 I've wondered if I'm shortchanging myself by not doing the fancy excursion where you take the helicopter up to a glacier and do the dog sledding there. 

I have not done the on land version, we did the helicopter version though we did it post cruise by staying an extra day in Alaska.

This was pretty much my "I will go to Alaska hunneh if I get to go husky dog sledding..."

The helicopter ride was amazing especially coming down into the camp with all the dogs.

Also had a beautiful sunny day and rode around in the snow with the dogs. We did have a flat tire at one point. Luckily some belly rubs helped.

I think it is much more of a typical experience and I would have been let down if I did not have the full experience by doing the land tour.

One caution I would suggest is do your research on the excursion to make sure they take care of the animals. That to me was the most important part.

On 9/27/2021 at 9:48 AM, Heidi13 said:

Couple

 

Couple of points to consider. The OP may have meant "Afternoon Tea" as opposed to "High Tea", as high tea is more a full meal, with the treats. In addition to the Empress, which is touristy, you have other options.

 

Our preference in Victoria is the White Heather Room for Afternoon Tea. Fair bit cheaper than the Empress and similar standards.

I would suggest going all in at the empress with the champagne tea myself! Did that once and it was awesome.

To help -

The port is waterfront station. (Top left of map). You will take the CANADA LINE, which is the one heading straight south on the map. The trains will alternate between ones that go to Richmond-Brighouse and ones which go to YVR-Airpot. The train itself will say something to that effect, and I believe they announce "this train is bound for..." to assist.

So just make sure to be on the YVR train.

The only other tricky part would be just getting into the station and going to the right platform which is where the signage comes into play. I can't help as easily with that because it depends which door (or stairs you go down) on your way from the port. The station is a block or less from the port.

Sadly our Cunard Alaska trip is in July otherwise we would personally escort you.

I live part time in Victoria and quite often just go for a walk downtown. There is a mueseum to visit, the parliament building... you can go for tea at the empress and it is all within walking distance or a brief taxi away.

Really nice walkable port.

On 9/30/2021 at 9:54 AM, cruiseryyc said:

"Do locals prefer Canadian or American dollars, we'll just be there 3 days/2 nights."

 

I can't think of anywhere you can't use your debit or credit card unless its slipping a tip to someone.

There are some small food vendors or other small stores that are cash only, but they are very few and far between. Tipping can also mostly be done by the card machine. Living in Vancouver I can have a twenty in my wallet for literally months at a time without ever having to actually use it. It is usually a surprise when I find it.

The others have been on the mark with US currency, it can be used quite often but not advised compared to a card.

Local here... what sorts of things are you into?

There are the usual tourist traps I can recommend like the gastown steam clock..... which I have no idea why it is considered so cool.

Granville island market is a thing, though again not sure what the fuss is there.

Stanley park and the Aquarium is neat, though modest compared to some in the world.

Up grouse mountain by cable car to have a great view and a nice meal or walk around?

              Or hard mode, do the "grousee grind" and hike up that mountain like a boss!

The suspension bridge I have not been to but is all the rage with tourists.

Not near an ocean? I can recommend some ocean.

From somwhere that is flat or has hills only? Up a mountain I shall recommend.

If you have the two days, a day trip to Victoria could be fun.

How can I help?

<<This user may vanish when Granville island business owners track him down>>

On 10/8/2021 at 2:18 PM, david,Mississauga said:

We have also taken a metered taxi. It was only $30 - $35 or thereabouts. The Cunard coach transfer was an outrageous price so we didn't consider that.

 

As a local I would just caution that traffic from the port to the airport requires two bridges minimum and that our traffic tends to pile up at them.

You would be for the most part going against traffic, however it would be rush hour if your cruise ends on a weekday. All it takes is one crash on one of the bridges and it can cause quite the delay.

I recommend you adding a bit of a buffer and worst case you get to the airport early and have a drink at the bar while cursing me for being too risk averse.

The skytrain would be a more consistant choice with a predictable travel time. As someone mentioned it is a very short walk from the port but requires just a little thought to get on the correct train to the airport. Everything is very nicely signed (though as a local I admit I may have rose coloured glasses on that).

10 hours ago, excitedofharpenden said:

Just to tide you over! 

 

https://www.azamara.com/sites/default/files/pdfs/aqualina_2019_april_2.0.pdf

 

They were also in the process of rolling out the new Prime C menu when I was on Journey just before the pandemic and it was due to be rolled out on the other ships shortly after, but then of course that didn't happen. I wrote about it here :

 

 

Phil 

 

 

Wait... wait just a minute here. Does this new menu mean I can not try lobster thermodore like I planned to?

14 hours ago, curmudgeon98 said:

You need to go to Aqualina (specialty restaurant) and order the chocolate souffle.  It will make you forget any creme brulee, even the best.

I find that hard to believe... but I will play your game, rogue!

Will certainly try it out!

3 hours ago, Dr H said:

Where are you going? David

Thank you for confirming the sugar will crack!

We are going to do the Northern Europe / Baltic Capitals cruise next year on the Quest. We have always been about the itinerary and so Azamara seems like the next line to try for that reason.

We sometimes worry about our complete lack of loyalty but it really is about the places to add to our list more than the boat or line specifically.

Also pretty hyped for the chocolate buffet / night / event. Heard stories about them but never been to one. It is next summer so hopefully things will calm back down and white nights and all the other fun can return.

I have booked my third cruise of my life for next year and it will be with Azamara. My hunneh is terrified that the entire cruise will be ruined in just a single moment of time. I need you to tell me it will be okay. I need you to help me learn to trust the MDR. Then slowly I can learn to love again.

Help my Azamara Club cruising mentors - you are my only hope.

My first cruise was Celebrity to Alaska and I am thankful to all the help cruise critic users gave me in preparing as a newbie for that cruise. You helped me out of my comfort zone and into something new and exciting. You also cursed me.

I enjoyed over many nights the creme brulee for dessert in the MDR. I would strike that sugar shell with the spoon and hear the mighty crack of success.

In that moment I learned what true luxury was. Cruising was no longer something other people did... I was now walking amongst the gods as a cruiser!

The bar was set high indeed.

Cruise number #2 was to the Med with Royal and for months before that cruise all I could think about was that beautiful moment when like the mighty Thor wielding Mjollnir I would break through all resistance and find that vitalizing velvety vanilla cream beyond once more.

The first night in the MDR I did bring the hammer down and was rewarded with a:  "splurch."

I was beside myself. The build up to this moment and I hear a splurch!? An entire year forsaking all other creme brulee (because it is really really not good for you) so that when once again I was cruising I could sate my desires for strong and fearsome burnt sugar hiding soft and pillowy vanilla. This was the result!? SPLURCH!?

In my desperation I turned to my waiter... surely he could see the problem, would be aghast at this turn of fortune which had rendered me once more mortal!

He would not hesitate to make this right and I awaited his sage wisdom on the matter.

"They will all be like that sir." I was told.

Had the pastry chef been killed? Just replaced by a vile trickster with insipid plans on ruining the cruise with sub standard creme brulee? Perhaps the first cruise was a fluke and creme brulee is simply so difficult to prepare that I was demanding ambrosia from Olympus to be served like bread and not the miracle that it truly is!

A dark shadow hung over the rest of the cruise making me see all the other flaws including minor things that would have been ignored in a proper sugar coma. I was not pleasant company and to this day I am not sure how my dearest hunneh put up with me bemoaning the unfairness of the universe and the suffering that was my life.

It followed us home. I could not rest until I could understand. For months I learned the ways of the brulee. I went through recipe after recipe preparing myself to cook well beyond my comfort and skill level. I was buying vanilla beans, actual vanilla beans in order to bury them in sugar for weeks in preparation of my attempt at the brulee. I was buying a torch to use on food! I had strayed far from the light and entered the veil of obsession. I had just one shot to make it work, to prove it either was simply beyond the reach of mortal man to make creme brulee properly or something had gone terribly wrong on that accursed ship.

I would like to say no lives were lost that fateful night when I picked up torch and sift. I will because there were no lives lost, it was only making dessert it is not that serious.

While the burning of the sugar top with the torch was much trickier than I anticipated... moving around like it was a living thing..... when I struck that surface with my spoon. I heard it again... I heard that long forgotten sound.... it went: CRACK!

Now humble readers... now that you know my tortured soul... I ask you... those who have gone ahead of me on the Azamara Quest.

When the moment of Truth comes. When I bring down that spoon....

What will I hear?

19 hours ago, flyingron said:

I'm mostly a wine drinker, so I decided to wait on the drink packages.   I ended up not getting any.   The well selections were good enough for me most days.

Wine is the area I am most concerned for my hunneh. She will have the drink package, but what if they do not have a nice red for her?

Buying by the bottle with no discount... not a great plan.

Wine package on top of premium package? Pretty sure her doctor would slap me.

23 hours ago, Mackdogmolly said:

If you already have an upgraded package, say Premium, I believe that you can upgrade to Ultimate for the difference in price between the two packages. Others will correct me if I’m wrong!

Appreciate that, and I am being even more finicky. I am already going for the ultimate package.

When on a cruise I like to look at the menu and say "I want that!" without having to pause and think:

Is that in my package? How much is it all in?  How much have I spent up until this point?  How much am I projected to spend at this rate.....?

So I usually go for the premium / ultimate etc. drink package because when I see something shiny on the menu I would like to order it guilt free.

The down side to this... is when I see something on the menu that is is shiny and NOT part of my drink package.

I was never more offended and first world crisis harmed like when they had drinks in a pineapple on a pool deck which were NOT part of the premium drink package. The scandal of it! The outrage! Trip ruined!

It sort of breaks my "suspension of disbelief" is the best way to explain it.

So on other lines knowing it is just the difference of a few more dollars for that shiny thing, I go for it.

I will need to behave myself  more on Azamara.

9 hours ago, excitedofharpenden said:

No, you will pay the full price of the drink.

 

Phil 

Drat. I was afraid of that.

I appreciate the answer Phil (and others) even if it means some of the more exotic whiskeys and wines are now far more extra cost than I was hoping for.