Travel R

4. Layover in Montreal [PS: I may have a solution to my photo issues, so I should (hopefully) begin displaying the photos over the weekend, in the meantime, I will slowly continue with our (not too exciting) saga of getting to the cruise port. A saga I have titled "A Funny thing Happened to Me on the Way to Vancouver Port."] When going through customs in Montreal they check your passports and scan your face. My DD22’s passport did not scan and she had to go on yet a separate line, and my face did not scan (an “X” appeared on the printout – but they let me pass through without a word). [Travel Tip: Have your boarding pass, passport (or other ID), and ArriveCAN verification code/info out and ready to be viewed whenever passing through any/all of the security & customs areas. You will be asked to provide these on multiple occasions. It may also be wise to place all of your personal items (wallets, phones, belt, etc.) into your carry-on while going through security – it just makes it easier to keep track of all your valuables.] One of the benefits of booking with Air2Sea was that they also reserved us a room at a hotel (they paid for it). We stayed at the Fairfield Inn Marriot, which was a very nice hotel even though it was not a very long stay. The hotel was about ½ mile away from the airport, and a free shuttle service was provided, which was an additional nice perk. It would have been nice if we did not have a Saturday night layover and stay at a hotel, but since this was our circumstances, it is not the worst position to be in. Speaking to people on our flights and in the terminals (on Saturday and Sunday), we heard many horror stories of how some passengers were stuck for two and even three days without any flights back home or to their destinations. There were people sleeping in many terminals of the gates or telltale signs of passengers being camped out for many hours awaiting their flights. One young woman we met was stuck in Nova Scotia for two days after travelling back (overseas) for business, and then stuck in Montreal that evening (for a third day of layovers) to finally (and hopefully) fly home the next day; she was also a young mother with two children she wanted to desperately see. One person we spoke to had slept at the airport the past two nights. Her tale was not unique, we spoke to many that had similar stories, and I felt lucky that myself and my family were able to get flights and make it to meet our ship before it set sail without us. Although I had visited Montreal before, we did not get a chance to really see or experience the wonders of the city, it was the first time visiting the city for one of my DDs and my DW. We had arrived at the hotel after dark and the sun had only begun rising when we made our way back on the shuttle. A quick note about the airport in Montreal. It seemed disorganized, and the structure itself showed signs of wear and tear and not properly maintained (especially the bathrooms which looked dated, dirty, and the garbage was left to overflow). At our initial check-in, we were issued luggage tags with Vancouver printed as our final destination, yet we were told to pick up our bags from Baggage Claim regardless of where we were travelling to next (even if we had connecting flights). We went down to Baggage Claim and went to the carousel we thought was ours (according to the monitor), but they did not appear. Eventually we picked up our bags after finding them upon a carriage that was not indicated to be ours. Fortunately, we marked them with silver tape to ensure that they are distinct from others, which is how we spotted them (I had posted a photo in an earlier post). We then searched the large room for someone to talk to about where to take out luggage. The terminal was full of luggage not attached to people (literally, just piled or lined up in various areas). There was also a very long line of people that snaked about 70 or 80 yards to almost the middle of the baggage claim area (of people not attached to luggage). Upon further investigation, we discovered the purpose of this queue, these individuals were in line waiting to talk to someone at the luggage claim booth. Besides all of the cancelled flights and delays, lost luggage was also another hazard for travelling during this tumultuous time. Unfortunately, we did meet passengers on our cruise that sailed without their luggage. [If you see a party or individual on formal night that is dressed like they are going out to play ball in the park, hold back your scorn; they may be cringing inside that they are not "dressed up" and their tuxedos and full-length gowns may be circling around a carousel at the airport in Newark, Miami, Las Angeles, Rome, or other location while these poor passengers only have what they had packed in their carry-on.] There was no one to speak to in the huge baggage area (except for the two miserable and tired looking people in baggage claims, so we did not dare approach). We went upstairs to the next level to be greeted by another very long line of people waiting for their chance to talk to someone at the Air Canada counter (overhearing conversations - some were trying to reschedule their own cancelled fights). My wife went ahead to see if this was the right line and simply asked an Air Canada worker walking nearby “what do we do with our luggage?” Before my DW asked the question, the worked stated “there are no hotel rooms available” to which my DW replied, thank you, we already have a room, and quickly tried to give her our situation . . . we already have rooms, we just arrived from the US and have a connecting flight to Vancouver tomorrow; where do we put our luggage?” The person the hastily answered, “just take it with you.” That’s exactly what we did (and in hindsight, it was better we kept the luggage in our possession that sending it into the tohubohu at the airport [tohubohu is a fun word to use; it is an archaic term which means "chaos"]. My challenge to each of you is to use this word in a conversation over the next week.). So, we schlepped our luggage to the shuttle area and brought it with us to the hotel, then back to the airport again the following morning. We did not need the suitcases, we had already removed whatever we needed (change of clothes, toiletries, etc.) since we thought we would not have them again until Vancouver. It was just an odd situation. [An article I read online in the DailyHive the following day summed up what was going on in its lead sentence: “Absolute sh#%show at the Montreal Airport. . . .”] The hotel, Fairfield Inn Marriot, and room was nice, but it was already late when we arrived and we did not have much energy for more than was checking-in, showering, eating the sandwiches I had made earlier that day, setting the timers on our phones, and finally making our way to land of slumber. The alarm rang at 3:50 AM and we all hopped out of bed and got dressed. The hotel provided coffee and some pastries (raisin bread) and fruit by the front desk, so I helped myself before the (free) shuttle arrived. The coffee was not great, but it began to unfurl the cobwebs of an exhausted mind after a restless evening (I was up at 2 AM playing games on my cellphone); I could not sleep worrying about whether there would be more issues with our flight the following day (also if I would have enough room in my inside seat and have an uncomfortable 5 hours of flying. I am not a “big” guy, but my shoulders are usually broader than most airplane seats.). Upon checking out the following morning, they confirmed that the stay had all been paid by Air2Sea (I did not even inquire about receiving any Marriot Bonvoy points). If you are wondering, I saw the bill – the cost of the room was 306 CA dollars (kind of high (IMO) for a non-premium Marriot, but I was not paying). As we made our way to the airport on the small shuttle, the sun began to rise over the Montreal countryside. Next Up . . . . . Finally, Vancouver

My parents friends have cruised over 100 times, and I have met these mega cruisers over the years - it's unbelievable that people have spent so much time on the seas without being a mariner or in the Navy/Marines. Then there are people like Super Mario - had sailed 355 days a year on RCI ships for 23 years (until COVID), but from what I understand, as soon as the ships began sailing he is back to his old ways. From what I understand, he sails out of Florida, and has been on different ships over 100 times each. For a simple guy like me that has only 10 sailings and averages a cruise once every 3-4 years, what he is doing is almost mind boggling.

I needed to fly into port the day of the cruise so I used Air2Sea, and happy I scheduled the flights through them (for the first time). I just posted the story in my review (Post #58):

You may also want to get in touch with the special needs department - especially if you may require special diabetic foods . . . https://www.royalcaribbean.com/resources/guest-special-needs

Continuing to provide shorter portions of my posts while I try to get my photos (and I did take a few pics while on the way to the airport, and in the port). 3. Onto Newark Queens Because my usual car service was experiencing staffing issues, I took my chances on a different service operating in the adjoining town - and their communication was superb (in fact my DW just used them on her quick trip across the lake to London; after being behind 3-4 hours two weeks ago, then being 5 hours ahead this past week, she does not know if she should be going to sleep or waking up). A late model Caravan pulled up to pick us up, and it easily held us and all of our luggage. However, once we hit the highway, the engine began making all kinds of unnatural noises and the car was shaking, which I was trying to ignore while I prayed that this car would not break down on the way to the airport. One more layer to add to the stress - but thankful for every mile we came closer to the airport. While fate tried to play a cruel trick by eliminating our flights for Sunday, it was kind to us in terms of traffic on that afternoon. Although there was a few slow-downs (hey, it’s New York, you cannot avoid it), we arrived at the drop-off zone for the terminal within two hours, leaving us at the airport with just over two hours before the flight was to take off. One costly issue about departing from LaGuardia is that the cost for the car service is three times greater than going to Newark. We could not really have the option to drive their ourselves (because it would have meant leaving our car in Queens, while our flight back was heading into Newark, New Jersey (long term parking is $32/day at LGA on-site, and although $8.50 off-site, not sure how long it would have taken us to get from the lot to the terminal). On the bright side, I was reimbursed for paying extra for the "convenience" of choosing our seats on the cancelled flights, which helped ease the cost difference. [In hindsight, I probably could have called a friend with a large enough car/SUV.] When we arrived at the terminal there was no line for check-in and walked right up to the agent at the desk, in addition, there was a very short queue for customs, so we passed through very quickly. However, they did stop myself and DD17 to ask us about items in our carry-ons; for me, they inquired about the “can” I had, which I responded was a can of nuts (a great snack for flying). I wanted to note that there is still a requirement to wear mask in airport terminals and on the airplanes (unless eating) – so myself and my family were masked up several times in our travels to and from Vancouver. Although masking requirements have eased the past few months, it was not too strange or difficult to mask up for the time we were travelling. I did keep a mask with me, in my pocket, throughout the entire trip, even while on the cruise . . . . just in case. Although I had packed sandwiches and snacks for all of us, there was a Shake Shack less than 30 paces from our terminal. We were stressed, tired, and hungry. Our stomachs outweighed our pocketbooks, and we were soon feasting upon burgers and fries to satisfy our hunger. I had the smoke burger (without cheese) – it was not bad, and it packed a slight amount of flavored heat. I've only been to Shake Shack once before many years ago in NYC - as my DD told me, one will be opening up close to where we now live. Even when I lived in Brooklyn, I rarely took a flight out of LGA if I did not have to – Kennedy airport was closer and a lot more convenient (although there was (and still is) traffic to get to both, I knew some of the back-roads to JFK). The last time I was at LGA I was dropping off my DD to go to Costa Rica and the airport they were beginning their revitalization and there was construction everywhere. I have to say that they did a very nice job fixing up the place. Our first flight was on American Airlines (originally, we were scheduled to fly exclusively on Air Canada). We did not all sit together, but my DW did have an aisle seat, and it was a fairly short flight. [Did you know: I was in row 18, which in some cultures, such as Judaism, is a lucky number – the numbers in Hebrew for 18 also spell the word which translates to like “life.” In some communities in China, the number 18 is associated with prosperity and success. I took this as a good omen.] Note, the screenshot is from a different flight showing how our seats were dispersed (in fact, on the second flight, the other two seats were not even in this section of the plane). Up Next . . . . Layover in Montreal

Because of that I was quite paranoid for the return trip, and continued to check my email whenever I had internet access during the trip (and especially when we had returned to Vancouver for the final day of our vacation). As a teaser, although our flights were not cancelled, there was a rather lengthy delay taking off that morning which almost caused us to miss our second flight - we literally sprinted across the length of the entire Calgary airport and barely made it before the airplane hatch was closed. We have been talking about another cruise for next year with my extended family (aunts, uncles, cousins). I am going to refuse any suggestions other than domestic ports, and if I fly, it has to be a direct flight. Although something out of NY/NJ would be ideal so I can drive, right now the most enticing cruise is out of Galveston (and will insist on a direct flight - and arriving a day or two beforehand).

Good idea - and there is still a few hours to Prime Day. I'll take a look during my lunch break. Thanks!

“A Journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.” [Lao Tzu] B. Our Challenge: Arriving in Vancouver Prior to the Ship’s Departure 1. Flight Cancellation & Rescheduling As I had alluded to in my colorful recount above, our travel to Vancouver was a harrowing experience. Having been almost entirely packed Saturday morning, myself and DD22 went out to pick up some last-minute items, such as bread, cold cuts, and bagels for Sunday’s trip in addition to a few OTC “just in case” medicinals. Our plan was to take it easy in the afternoon, maybe watch a movie (my DD17 arrived home after 3AM and was going not going to get out of bed if she did not have to) and then order in dinner, clear out the fridge, then get to sleep early. [But you know what they say about the best laid plans.] I awoke early and after walking the dog, took charge of the kitchen and prepared an omelet with the remaining eggs, onions, accompanied by my faithful morning companion, a cup of coffee. We left the house around 9:30 AM and returned at around 11. I logged into my computer to check something for work, but then decided to check my personal email (which I had viewed earlier that morning). To my surprise there were emails (in French) about cancellations, followed by one in English with a “change to my itinerary.” To my astonishment both of our flights for Sunday morning were cancelled (due to pandemic-related matters – meaning they did not have enough crew), and their change was to new flights that would get me into Vancouver on Sunday evening at 8:59 PM (3 hours and 59 minutes after our ship was scheduled to depart). Since my daughter’s graduation was on Friday evening, which included a late-night school-wide graduation party that was not going to be finished until the wee hours of the morning, and due to the fact that I booked this cruise during the height of COVID, I did two things I have never done before. The first was to schedule the flight into the port of departure on the morning that the ship was set to sail. The second was booking my flights through the cruise line. For Royal Caribbean, their air service is called Air2Sea. Although I had performed my research on this program and saw that most people had good things to say about it, I was still a little skeptical using an outsider to handle my reservations. However, I figured if COVID cancelled the cruise, it would take the hassle out of dealing with cancelling the air flights as well. 2. Air2Sea to the Rescue I phoned the general Air2Sea number and an agent answered after only a few rings. After explaining my predicament, she transferred me to the Emergency Department. I knew that I was not alone – I had read about cancellations from other airlines (Delta had just 86’d 50 flights from Newark alone – the airport I was leaving from). However, I did not expect to be on hold for over an hour (almost 1h 15min) – the longer I waited, the greater the fear and dread of not finding a flight had become. While I was waiting, I had my computer open and was looking for possible flights. I was disheartened by what I was seeing. There were only a few flights still available, and all that I could see did not include four empty seats (at that point I did not care if they were on different parts of the plane, as long as all four of us were on the same flight). All of the planning, all of the time spent researching, and all of the money spent . . . . out amazing cruise vacation all seemingly taken away by the simple cancellation of one flight. When an agent finally answered, she quickly sensed my fear and told me to calm down, relax, and she will get us to our cruise on time. That was a bold statement, but just like Broadway Joe’s prediction, she held true to her words. Her name was Barbara – she was very nice and helpful during the entire experience, which took almost 45 minutes. She looked at various routes with and without layovers, even if they brought us to different (and quite illogical) parts of the country. For instance, one flight she looked at had a stopover in Houston, Texas. Although a wonderful city, it is in the opposite direction to get to Alaska when leaving from New Jersey. She looked at all of the airports in the tristate area until she final came upon one flight out of LaGuardia (LGA) with a 10+ hour layover in Montreal. I want to give a shout-out to everyone on the Serenade Facebook page – I had posted my predicament, and my fellow FB members either tried to provide encouragement, or tried themselves to find and recommend possible flights. Thank you all!!!! Sound good? Not exactly. LaGuardia Airport is about 1 ¼ to 1 ½ hours from my home on a good day but with traffic, the drive could literally the take over 3 hours; our flight was taking off approximately 4 1/2 hours from the time she discovered it. Since it was our only option, I quickly exclaimed “book it.” While this was going on I had been in contact with the car service (via text) and let them in on the entire situation – once I booked the flight, the driver arrived at my house within the hour. [Side note: I took a look at the cost for the new flight and it would have been over twice the amount that we had initially paid for the flight, and we were not charged the difference (not that I expected to be).] Although we had to rush to get the sandwiches and bagels together and gather the last few items for our carry-ons, we got everything together very quickly (not being last-minute packers and being ready and prepared had major benefits), and I even had time to make a quick repair to the gazebo on our back porch. Believe it or not, for shorter trips 2-3 days I am that last-minute packer (I will throw everything together within an hour of leaving), but for longer trips away, I am sure to pack and be ready early. [Did you Know? Vancouver is a fairly young city, founded in 1886, named after English navigator George Vancouver (he surveyed the area in 1792). It would have taken 5-6 weeks by horse/wagon to travel there from New York City in the late 1800s, but only 3-4 days by train. [My parents had been planning a trip via locomotive from (I believe) Toronto to Vancouver before my dad was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s. It was a trip they put off for obvious reasons, and sadly never embarked upon.] Another fact: there are two cities named Vancouver, besides the more well-known city in Canada, there is also a Vancouver in Washington State, USA.] The worst part of the morning? I did not get a chance to exercise that morning, which would have been followed by a nice long shower and some well needed rest and relaxation. Next Up . . . . On our way to the Airport

UPDATE: I still have not resolved my photo transfer issues, so I will begin posting and then catch up with pictures later on. To tell you the truth, I went out for dinner with my DDs and one of their friends, came back, did some reading and fell asleep, so I did not even take a look at the camera.

I finally began to feel better yesterday. I was also sure I had COVID, but the tests disagree (and the odds are against so many false negatives). I guess in 2022 it is okay to get ill and not be COVID-related. We did not visit Stanley Park. Although it was a place we had listed, by mid-afternoon we were just too exhausted to go anywhere but back to the hotel for a short rest (I took a nap), then out to dinner. Glad you did not get it and hopefully feeling better.

$15 to get the fibreglass cast? The medical coverage in the US vs. Canada is a whole story unto itself.

Being able to cruise has been an amazing privilege which I have been very fortunate to do, and share with my family. Although there were some experiences that I am not sure I would have ever had if I was so fortunate early in life. Growing up my parents did not have much money, so our vacations began by my parents throwing us into the back of the station wagon along with tents and supplies and heading onto the road. I did not stay in a hotel until I was almost 10, and almost never ate at a restaurant while on vacation (either sandwiches, or the food cooked on a fire or a propane stove. Travelling up north through Maine to the East by Acadia or into the interior (e.g., Baxter) and up to Canada was part of the experience. By the time I was 12 or 13 I had already visited most of the states east of the Mississippi. I have seen some incredible places and met a lot of nice people (I remember meeting tons of other campers (adults and kids) over the years. I have spoiled my children. While on vacation, taking a shower meant walking 1/4 of a mile to an old hut-like structure near the campground entrance, and showring in an a then-ancient stall which usually had only one very dim light in the shower area. Of course, at night there was a light just outside the entrance, which had some of the largest bugs you ever saw buzzing around it. My dad was an outdoorsman by heat (although lived in NYC his whole life) - so camping also meant a day trip walking along all types trails even when I was very little (and he would carry my younger sister in a carrier, like a backpack that he called a papoose. Thinking about Maine and Acadia have brought back a flood some great memories and good times spent with my parents - thanks. [I am still kind of emotional when it comes to my parents.] Although we were in (Southern Maine) last year, its been a while since I have returned to Acadia. My DD17 will be attending URI, which opens up a whole lot of possibilities for some 4 day weekends while dropping her off, picking her up, or just stopping to say hi on our way up there. Yeah, her school is only about 1/3rd of the way to the Park, it is 1/3rd closer than we would have been if she did not go there - my DD22 went to school in the South. [If you were on our cruise, my family did sport our URI wear, along with Rutgers swag, and JMU; and we surprising did see another JMU family. Speaking of JMU - a nice detour to/from the school was driving through Shenandoah National Park in Virginia.]

I. Pre-Cruise The months and days crept by slowly as the anticipation of our Alaskan adventure steadily increased like a jet plane making its way up the runway until that final second when the craft takes flight. It was a year of turmoil, with valleys as deep as the abyss of the Grand Canyon with a few moments of unbridled joy sprinkled in to sometimes abate the chaos. The term rollercoaster may sound all too boorishly cliché, but most accurately describes the ups and downs that had transpired. Planning for the cruise was sometimes a burden, but most often an escape from the nightmares of reality. Before a bag could be packed, decisions were to be made to dress for fire or ice. Plans were created, checked and rechecked. And finally, the simple prodding of a cotton swap decided upon our departure into a world of adventure or a week of boredom and isolation. Our excitement was almost immediately quelled by a storm that came upon us from out of nowhere. The hail came down upon us like quivers of arrows, while the thunder clapped, and the wind blew in its most horrible fury. Our means to the distant shores had abandoned us before it even arrived. The skies were in disarray, and it seemed that there was not a bird to be flown. The skies went alight for a brief moment and a single ray shined down upon our tormented souls. It was a ray of hope and a route to the land of Vancouver had been found – it meant rushing so we could depart from a more distant location, but we were prepared for the task and took on the challenge. What was meant to be a seven-hour journey took over a full score of hours to complete, but at journey’s end, it was the Serenade that offered this group of adventurers a warm welcome. A. Overview of Cruise Preparations (ArriveCan, Testing, Packing, etc.) I have previously scribed dozens of pages regarding my pre-cruise preparations and planning in a prior thread [see https://boards.cruisecritic.com/topic/2839026-a-99-day-journey-to-alaska-serenade-by-the-sea-with-a-teen-and-young-adult-over-21/page/11/#comment-63507778], so I will only be augmenting that with a few comments here, as it relates to the two days prior to travelling which I may have left out of that thread. Testing – Once we had received our test results we were all extremely relieved. We then knew that a cruise was in our future. In the news NCL has just announced that tests (more specifically test results) would not be needed on specific sailings. I cannot comment on which I believe is more conducive to a healthy cruise, so I’ll keep quiet. However, to get the test with the quicker results did come with a price (more side-costs to add to the total price of this vacation). ArriveCAN – I will have to admit that the ArriveCAN app was very easy to use and enter our information. The one snag came when we arrived in Canada and approaching the custom’s line where we could not figure out how to connect to the internet. Luckily, I had taken a screen shot of the code from the ArriveCAN email and used it when entering the Security Area (and it worked without any issues). Note that we had to access ArriveCA prior to boarding the ship to fill out a final health questionnaire (by that time we figured how to get Internet Access – with our AT&T plan, we had to switch the phones to allow roaming. Although it showed as roaming, we would not be charged while in Canada). [Tip: before you fill out the ArriveCAN form, gather all of the needed information. I created a sheet with all of the info (personal, passport & vax) so I had it handy. This sheet will also come in handy when entering out your check-in info for the airline (if you are flying) and when entering the check-in and health info for the Royal App).] Packing – Although I had a very comprehensive Packing List (see attached), I did not know the quantities for some of the articles of clothing I would wear until three days prior to our expected departure. On Thursday evening (we were to leave on Saturday), myself and my family looked at the forecast for each of the ports (I used Wrangell, AK as my point of reference for Hubbard Glacier), and packed accordingly. I removed a sweatshirt and two pairs of long pants and replaced them with two pairs of shorts. I also relieved my bag of a few hand and toe warmers (but not all); however, the gloves and scarf remained which laid idle throughout the entire cruise. The wool hat did come in hand on a few occasions, as had the one light jacket (hooded sweatshirt). By Friday, with two days till we depart, our suitcases were packed (and some were even already locked), and we only had a few last-minute items to place into our carry-ons (food/snacks, cell phones, meds, wallets, etc.). [Tip: Although it may not be the most aesthetic, I have always marked my luggage with tape (see attached) - the markings allows for easy identification when coming of the baggage conveyer belt (and helped us find our luggage in the vast underbelly of the Montreal Airport).] Royal App - All documentation and pre-check-in info has been uploaded and entered into the Royal App. My family all has uploaded it to their own phones as well. [Tip - pay attention to what you need to upload and the suggested dates to do so. But also note, there are people on CC that have stated they cannot or do not want to use the App, and were able to check-in "the old fashioned way" when they arrived at the terminal. However, from what I saw, it would be much quicker/easier for you if you did the check-in online.] For the most part, it has been easy to use. I will provide a more in-depth look at the App later in this review. Up Next . . . Will we be able to get to Vancouver in time to make the ship? PACKING LIST FOR SEA N LAND.pdf

While we are waiting for me to figure out a way to get my photos transferred from my camera (I was still not feeling well last night and didn't bother), I figured I would at least post a quick post summarizing our Pre-Cruise activities (a 4 paragraph summarization of the 200+ posts in the 99-Day Journey thread). Also in the meantime, if anyone has any questions about the Serenade, this itinerary, or cruising to Alaska, please shout it out.

Good to hear that you hand is doing well and you also feeling better (as I just posted - sick, but luckily not COVID). Hopefully your doctor should be able to help you out with the recovery letter (without much additional cost). My doctor's practice had recently "partnered" with the local (large) hospital system, so every little procedure is documented and charged - for instance, a blood test as part of a sick-call is now an additional charge since the phlebotomist, which is in the same exact office is a separate department (frustratingly stupid)

I've been up to Maine many times over my lifetime. I love it because it is wilderness (and hopefully you can take a drive over to Arcadia) - but when you need something, it is usually many, miles away. I am still not 100% (but better) - I have taken two tests, one the day after becoming ill (Thursday) and another yesterday, and both show up as negative - so I am fighting some type of summer cold (according to my doctor).

We are currently thinking about Summer 2023 cruise, and considering sailing out of Bayonne due to the cost of flying (x4) as opposed more tropical locations that we have never visited. However, I would be in London with my DW right now if it were not for the current prices for airfare.

We really enjoyed seeing Hubbard. It was an amazing view, I only wish the ship went closer (there were a ton of icebergs, so we were a ways back - see photo in prior post) - next time we sail here we will take the catamaran to see the glacier up close. ISP was not on our itinerary - but did see those critters in various other locations; we also took a whale watching excursion (Juneau), which was amazing - a mother whale and her calf, seals, porpoise, brown bear, eagles among other wildlife. On the walk in Sitka, I did look out onto Sitka Bay, but did not see any whales (according to a local, they are more plentiful in that area earlier in the season). There is a Whale Bay (which people had referred to this area), but Whale Bay is about 30 miles from where we were. Although I did enjoy the ports on our itinerary (Sitka, Juneau, and Ketchikan), Skagway is the one of two ports I really would have liked to visit. Since we were so taken by the beauty of Alaska, it is on our future queue of places to visit/revisit. Although a Southbound from Seward that stops at Glacier National Park and Seward with a few days pre-cruise to Anchorage, Denali, and maybe other points north and east. However, it may also just be a land trip beginning in Anchorage. But right now, there are other destinations in sight. 2023 is in the planning; I was told that I should look for somewhere warm and departs from the US, the locations being thrown around are mostly: Bermuda, Bahamas, or Western Caribbean (if it includes Mexico); I actually found and suggested a cruise with ports in Mexico, Belize, and Honduras, and 2024 will be our postponed 25th Anniversary cruise from 2021 (Italy and Greece) which has now become a River Cruise (it is down to either the Danube or Rhine). We also have another 4 years of college to pay for, so Alaska will have to wait a little while until the Travel R family to return.

Sorry for the media blackout, whatever got me ill stayed around longer than I liked and hit me hard, so I have refrained from writing. I did write a few things before I went down for the count (at least enough for two or three full posts), however, I have not figured out a way to download the photos from my digital camera. The problem is that I have an old camera a new computer. I the past I have easily taken the data card out of the camera and inserted it into my laptop. I do not have a slot for the card in this laptop. No problem - there are two possible solutions: 1) There is a slot for what may be for a data cable. I can try to find (or purchase) the correct cable and download the files in that fashion, or 2) Get out my old computer and use the old machine to post my cruise vacation chronicles. [Note: the pictures I have posted so far have been photos that I have captured with my cell phone, and I used my camera to take a vast majority of the visual memories.] Give me a day or two and I will have a ton of material and photos to post. Another random shot (from my cell phone) - this was taken from our balcony during the side-voyage down the Tracy Arm looking through a valley that leads to another snow-capped mountain. I was very nervous whether we would see anything that morning. When I went on top to run in the morning the cloud cover was very thick and could not see 10 feet beyond the railing of the ship. You can still see a number of stubborn clouds in this photo that remained. You can also see a number of icebergs in the water, which was another concern (an NCL ship hit an iceberg while viewing Hubbard either on that day or the following), and our captain did a good job of avoiding them - especially when the ice field began to thicken up closer to the Sawyer Glacier.

Note: Although I have the next post written, illness has stuck, and I have not been able to download my photos. I''ll get to it later today or tomorrow when I have more energy. Although I have some COVID-like symptoms, I tested negative. I talked to my doctor that said I may have to wait another day or two to take the test again to be sure, if not, I have a bad cold. In the meantime, I am quarantining myself away from the family, and wearing a mask if/when I need to go upstairs (to the kitchen) or my family masks-up if they need to pass through this way (to the basement/laundry room). It started hitting me on Wednesday night (took the test Thursday). If I did contract it, I believe it was during the flight. Although everyone wore masks in the airplanes and terminals (except when eating) . . . [discussion on the viability of wearing masks to combat the spread has been deleted.] Since I am stuck in bed (can't go outside, or cannot even exercise inside), I will watch the idiot box, do some reading, write some of the future posts for this review, and maybe even do some work (for work).

Sorry for your loss. As an animal lover and owner of many fur babies over the years, I understand the loss. Although we have a good dog sitter, our dog does not like it when we are away for very long.

Also trains could go on strike at any time in Italy.

You are going to have an amazing journey! I am hoping some post live updates - would definitely be following those - as would most of Cruise Critic. I actually wrote up a bucket list about 5 years ago, and pulled it up yesterday. I was able to strike out a few items, it was a good feeling and getting close to striking off others (e.g., Alaska was my 45th state). Antarctica is on the list (as is the Galapagos islands), and would love to visit all of those South American countries and sites (Machu Picchu is one of the places at the top of that list). One day . . . .

Wow - any one of the segments sounds like a journey of a lifetime. We saw Humpbacks while on an excursion. Off the boat, I saw orca.

Yes, the casino had varying hours depending on when we were in port. However, I will admit that I did not spend any time relaxing in the casino during this cruise - and rarely even walked through it. So RCI did not gain any additional compensation from me during this cruise, and luckily the losses were very light from my DW and DD22.