Cate M.

My DH and I went on our first Alaska cruise this year. We left home May 30th arriving in Anchorage a day before we needed to be there. We had a day to ourselves getting used to the time change and were able to travel around on foot taking in the sites. The weather was beautiful and the flowers and blossoms were wonderful. Were able to sit outside at outdoor pubs in short sleeves. We started on a Celebrity three day land based and seven cruise tour on the 1st of June taking in the Talkeetna and Denali area first. We were able to tour Denali state park. Days were long and that was an extra bonus. On the 3rd of June we boarded our cruise ship at Seward and had a terrific cruise especially enjoying the long days as stated before. It was easy to have an early dinner and go ashore again in the evening. We had stops at Hubbard Glacier, Juneau, Skagway, Icy Strait Point and Ketchikan. We had little rain (drizzle at Juneau) but for the most part it was light jacket days. We were so pleased that we did the cruise one way from north to south and couldn't imagine doing the trip up and back in one week. I would certainly recommend the timeframe that we took.

At Juneau at beginning of June and wore heavier windbreaker as it was drizzle most of the day.

For our land/cruise trip I took heavier and lighter windbreakers. Only wore heavier one in Juneau and Glacier Bay.

The only part I did not like of our land/cruise tour were the inconsiderate rude people. On the bus part certain people - two couples from New Jersey - always left something on the seats so they could have seats near the front. Seats were not assigned. I almost put one of their pink flowered bags on a back seat. One of the ladies always made a comment out loud to everything our guide said.

One lady also talked to her daughter via handheld computer when Matt our guide was talking up front. My DH and I were behind this lady and had a hard time hearing the commentary. All we heard was her and her daughter talking about what her grandson had done that day. Talk about rude.

Also we found that we would go to the entertainment at night on the cruise and invariably there was someone talking when the cruise director was talking on stage.

I am hoping by relating my story that it might help someone else.

I guess I have what you would call an invisible disability. Four years ago I was diagnosed with Parkinson's and recently it has started to progress to where I have to take more medication. The medicine works but has to be taken with meals and I start to get rather shaky before I eat and walking is tricky.

We just got back from an Alaskan land and cruise vacation. It is difficult for me to go up steep hills or slopes especially just before I take the medication. At Icy Strait we walked the area and were returning to the ship for lunch. I had walked down the ramp but thought I would take the free shuttle back to the ship. My husband was going to walk and the meet me at the ship. He went to the driver to say I wanted to get on the shuttle and boy did I get a couple of canes swung at me and words to the fact that the shuttle was for people that needed it. I did not want a confrontation so my sweetie helped me to the ship. At Ketchican they had two ramps and one had a lesser slope then the other. Just as I approached the better one staff member said I would have to take the other one as this one was being taken away. I tried to speak to him to ask if he would just allow one more person but he ignored me and walked away.

On the land portion railway ride the staff was wonderful. They asked if anyone had any medical issues as they would be served breakfast first. My husband spoke on my behalf and I was accommodated. Boy did I get looks or what.

I am in my early sixties and have always looked after myself and until this year have played golf, walked and skied etc. This will probably be my last cruise but my message is please ask a person what their disability is before passing judgement. I refuse to use a cane yet as I am quite stubborn and want to keep active in order to stay healthy and out of a wheelchair. We make the most of my situation and laughed at times as I was trying to balance a plate of food and walk at the same time when the ship was moving. One morning I was holding a plate of food and my sweetie was handing me the napkin wrapped flatware and I said don't even think of it as I could only handle one thing at a time.

Milly is making her way across the ocean on her way to Vancouver and then to Victoria on Tuesday. Do the crew go on a two week vacation? Does the captain change? Wondering if there will be a fresh new crew.

I will on board her June 3rd. Please don't chip her nail polish before I arrive!

We have a $200. credit. All our bookings have been done in Cdn. dollars. Is it true that our credit will be converted to US dollars and we will get less than the $200.?

At the end of May I will be on a 1-B Alaska cruisetour. Almost six months until we leave.

When is the best time to book flights? Excursions are shown for the cruise part of the vacation but wondering if there were extra excursions I can book for the land portions to Talkeetna and Denali.

Cate

:)

Didn't enjoy music on recent Dawn cruise. Music at pool was too loud and with the noise with everyone talking it was was just too much to take. We could still hear the noise on our balcony which was mid ship. There was no music anywhere where one could do a slow dance. Band in Atrium failed to attract many listeners. We did not go to the sail away or hot white party as it would have been ear splitting as well. I believe there was music in the main dining rooms but noise of diners overpowered it. Entertainment at night in Stardust produced not much in the line of musical entertainment with one Vegas magic act appearing for three nights.

My DH & I have booked the Dawn for March 2013 that sails out of Tampa for seven days. This is the first time with NCL. Switching from HAL.

I see that the ship arrives in at 8 a.m. on return which is the latest I have ever arrived back. Can someone tell me what time the rooms are ready for embarkation and what time should we arrive? Like to be able to have lunch on board the day of arrival.

Thanks!

Cate M.

On recent Maasdam cruise attendance was not taken so there is no way to know if we were at muster drill or not. Cannot believe story. On my 10 cruises I have been on (5 with HAL) all drills were done before sailing.

Sorry to hear that. We had a room underneath the kitchen on the Disney Magic. It was like they were scraping bins of dirty dishes across the floor every night. Something to look out for when booking a cabin.

Cate M.