Carnival Spirit Alaska Cruise Aug 31, 2010

[SeeJennyCruise]

There was a light steady rain when we got off the ship. The ship is in the town of Ketchikan so you can’t help but find the shops.

 

 

 

I had a few things to people to pick small things up for, and I enjoyed browsing as we found our way to Creek Street. We went into one shop near Creek Street with a variety of items produced by Alaskan artists. Most were out of my price range, but we enjoyed looking.

 

 

 

Less than an hour of shopping and walking in the rain we made our way to Creek Street.

 

I wondered if we would see a lot of fish. The answer…

 

 

And they are jumping. I don’t know if you can see this salmon in the air, but we saw dozens of jumping salmon.

 

[SeeJennyCruise]

Just picked up on the info on your son- so sorry to hear about it but really glad that it sounds like he was blessed with a miracle- sore and uncomfortable after a crash like that. Wow!

 

Yes and Amen! :D

[SeeJennyCruise]

 

 

You see that bridge at the top of the picture? We only went about 2/3 of the way through the Creek Street shops up to that bridge. Evidently, just past that bridge is a salmon ladder where we could have seen even more salmon jumping.

 

After about an hour of watching salmon and shopping in the shops along the creek, we headed back toward the pier. I shopped up to the last 15 minutes before we were supposed to board and we had to stand in this.

 

 

It was cool enough that an ungloved hand was looking for shelter. Once onboard we enjoyed a DOD and had lunch in the MDR.

 

[tximprov]

I am so glad you are enjoying it.

 

 

I have to second Jenny on taking the tracy arm excursion. If money is a concideration, send your kids to school without lunch for a year. First, this will help solve childhood obesity, secondly it will pay for your excusrion. There is a sensory overload on this excusrion that just can not be described in pictures or be experienced on the ship. The ship basically takes you to a fork in the fjord....you can not see the north sawyer glacier very well if at all from the ship. This excursion was able to take us up to within a qtr mile of the glacier. Where you get to go depends on accessability based on ice flow. There were approx 125 people on the catamaran and you could here a pin drop as we sat silently gazing at the glacier. Everyone waiting for it to calve, which it did on several occasions. From the ships view of the south sawyer glacier the experience was from a distance and just not very personal. Our whale watching guide "Harv" told us tracy arm is not a well traveled area. And at times due to ice flow even the cruise ship does not go there, instead it will go to endicott arm. This is an experience very few have the opportuinty to do. So by all means do this excursion. The only reason i would say not to do this excursion is if you completley have no interest at all in nature. And if that is the case, I dont see you taking this cruise to begin with.

[SeeJennyCruise]

A nap after lunch (I love cruising!) and time to download pictures before dinner. Saturday was the deadline to sign up for the baggage handling service at $20 per person that is now offered through Carnival. The service checks in your luggage from the ship and delivers your boarding passes to your cabin the night before disembarking. Knowing we wanted to spend the morning in Seattle, we coughed up the additional $40 (plus airline baggage fees, ugh!) and signed up for the service. When we picked up our luggage at baggage claim in Houston Tueday night, we were glad we used the service.

 

I have lost my invitation, but I think this was also the welcome back reception about 4:00 that afternoon. It was the best welcome back reception we have attended. Captain Volpi was the most personable and funny captain we have heard speak. I believe he will take command of the Miracle next. It was also the second elegant night and we dressed up a bit for dinner.

 

We said goodbye to Alaska as we headed back out to the Dixon Entrance which leads us back toward Vancouver Island.

 

 

It was that little reminder that we are heading back to reality that always begins the last full day of a cruise.

 

Back in our cabin after dinner and wandering around the ship some, I figured out how to open cabin door and keep it propped open (don’t tell anyone ;)). I didn’t care about the AC turning off with the door open because with the door open the cool air was coming in from the outside. Terry wasn’t thrilled, but he is generous with me and I was able to enjoy a nap and overnight sleep listening to the waves and resting in the cool air.

 

This was also the night we had to move our clocks forward one hour. I forgot to mention on Day 2, Wednesday, we moved our clocks back one hour.

 

I stayed up late editing the clips from the movie camera and editing pictures. The ship was rocking a good bit and I decided to take a Bonine about 1:30 a.m. I was surprised by the vibration I was feeling as high up as we were. I will continue to take Ginger, but I will never cruise without Bonine and Dramamine.

[Fazzdaan]

Keep them comin :D its getting me pumped up to try something different then our usual warm water cruises. So on this cruise you did...do you feel one side of the ship was better then the other for the views?

 

We have previously done the northbound Alaska cruise from Vancouver to Whittier in an aft wrap. We has assumed that the starboard was superior but read some reviews and asked questions such as your and we were advised to get the port side wrap (4228) because the views of the islands was remarkable and that to port (northbound) would have a greater opportunity for whales.

 

I'm not sure that advice holds now that the cruise is a roundtrip, but we very much enjoyed the wrap and the views.

[Ashleezmom]

 

 

 

Back in our cabin after dinner and wandering around the ship some, I figured out how to open cabin door and keep it propped open (don’t tell anyone ;)). I didn’t care about the AC turning off with the door open because with the door open the cool air was coming in from the outside. Terry wasn’t thrilled, but he is generous with me and I was able to enjoy a nap and overnight sleep listening to the waves and resting in the cool air.

HEHE Jenny we went on the Behind the Fun tour on the last morning and while in the engine area, they showed us the computer where an alarm goes off whenever anyone leaves their back cabin door open for more than 15 minutes. The alarm stays lit red with the cabin numbe until it is shut again. I guess your secret is out ;)

 

I was surprised by the vibration I was feeling as high up as we were. I will continue to take Ginger, but I will never cruise without Bonine and Dramamine.

I totally Agree with you on the Bonine!!

[SeeJennyCruise]

I totally Agree with you on the Bonine!!

 

Did you enjoy the Behind the Scenes tour? One of our tablemates also went on the tour and told me about the alarms. No one came to the door, so I am assuming they are not too concerned about this on an Alaskan cruise. Now God forbid the unmentionable happened, all those doors would need to be shut! :eek:

[SeeJennyCruise]

We went to breakfast in the MDR on Monday morning. I had OJ, bacon, and eggs. Terry had :::drumroll::: eggs, sausage, potatoes, and tomato juice with Tabasco. :p We strolled around the ship after breakfast and went to see pictures in the photo gallery. There were a couple of pictures worth buying, but :::drumroll::: we didn’t buy any pictures this trip. That saved $50 which I am certain we spent twice over elsewhere.

 

We try to take the stairs before and after meals in the MDR. We were on the sixth floor and our table for dinner was on the first floor of the MDR which is on deck 2. That is the same entrance we used for breakfast. Four floors does not sound like much, but it is when you have packed your saddles with three and four course meals.

 

It was another overcast day and the sun was reluctant. We passed the northern tip of Vancouver Island at 1:00 p.m. and we were passing through the Strait of Juna De Fuca at 4:18 p.m. We enjoyed another nap in between and woke in time head for dinner for our last meal. :( Well, you know what I mean. :rolleyes:

 

We went back to our cabin after dinner and in time to see the ship docking in Victoria, B.C.

 

 

 

 

DH and I have both visited Victoria, although, it was many years ago. We decided to finish packing up our things and then decide if we wanted to go ashore. The ship docked about 7:30 p.m. and we were scheduled to leave at 11:30 p.m. By the time we finished packing, we could no longer see the pier in the picture above because the fog was so think. It looked like an old black and white movie with a pea soup fog scene. That was enough to deter us and we decided to finish our Bon Voyage gift and say goodbye to our comfy cabin.

[Bunkie103]

Jenny....thinking about jackets for our trip and wondered if you had one with a lining or did you just dress in layers under an unlined jacket?

[5waldos]

You know- Carnival should pay you for this review- probably have gotten more customers for them for this trip then all their advertising could do.

They would be well advised to send you on all of their runs and have you post your reviews- their business would soar.

[texasnana]

Great review, loved the pictures. I am hoping to go soon.

[SeeJennyCruise]

Jenny....thinking about jackets for our trip and wondered if you had one with a lining or did you just dress in layers under an unlined jacket?

 

Yes, I used a jacket with removabvle fleece lining and I dressed in layers. What time of year are you going?

I am very warm natured and rarely were a jacket in winter. Now I do live in Houston, so that's not so remarkable. It does, however, stay below fifty and even dip toward the high thirties a couple of times a year. When it does, my bedroom window is opened a few inches because I love the cool crisp air. The point being, if I need a rain jacket with a liner for warmth, it is likely a necessity for those who were jackets in fifty degrees.

 

We both needed rain protection, too. I bought an anorak style jacket with removable lining and a hood. Next time I will also wear a ball cap under the hood like my husband did. The bill on the ball cap provides a bit more rain protection for the face. We were in steady rain for a quarter of the Tracy Arm Fjord excursion, an hour while shopping in Skagway, and the whole time we were in Ketchikan. I took the lining out in Ketchikan, but I wished I haden't when we were standing in line waiting to get back on the ship. It was raining with a bit of wind.

[SeeJennyCruise]

We have previously done the northbound Alaska cruise from Vancouver to Whittier in an aft wrap. We has assumed that the starboard was superior but read some reviews and asked questions such as your and we were advised to get the port side wrap (4228) because the views of the islands was remarkable and that to port (northbound) would have a greater opportunity for whales.

 

I'm not sure that advice holds now that the cruise is a roundtrip, but we very much enjoyed the wrap and the views.

 

I am usually pretty good about researching these things, and I missed the part about the better view from the port side of the ship. Thank you for sharing. I hope I can go back someday during whale migration season, and I will book a cabin on the port side.

[SeeJennyCruise]

You know- Carnival should pay you for this review- probably have gotten more customers for them for this trip then all their advertising could do.

They would be well advised to send you on all of their runs and have you post your reviews- their business would soar.

 

From your keyboard to their ears! That is a job I could be very happy in :D!!!

[Bunkie103]

Yes, I used a jacket with removabvle fleece lining and I dressed in layers. What time of year are you going?

 

I am very warm natured and rarely were a jacket in winter. Now I do live in Houston, so that's not so remarkable. It does, however, stay below fifty and even dip toward the high thirties a couple of times a year. When it does, my bedroom window is opened a few inches because I love the cool crisp air. The point being, if I need a rain jacket with a liner for warmth, it is likely a necessity for those who were jackets in fifty degrees.

 

 

We both needed rain protection, too. I bought an anorak style jacket with removable lining and a hood. Next time I will also wear a ball cap under the hood like my husband did. The bill on the ball cap provides a bit more rain protection for the face. We were in steady rain for a quarter of the Tracy Arm Fjord excursion, an hour while shopping in Skagway, and the whole time we were in Ketchikan. I took the lining out in Ketchikan, but I wished I haden't when we were standing in line waiting to get back on the ship. It was raining with a bit of wind.

 

We are on the first sailing in May. Not that I don't have plenty of time to pick up a jacket, but thought I could scope them out and then pick something up on sale. We moved from Philadelphia area to Eastern North Carolina last December so I am still accustomed to cold weather and would probably not be wearing a jacket for temp in the 50's. Thanks for the tip on the ball cap too. I'll make a note of that.

 

Thanks for all the time you took to publish this review and all your pics. I guarantee I will review it many times before we sail to refresh my memory.

I'll vote for Carnival sending you on trips so you can provide us with reviews. How about the Mediterranean next?:confused:

[SeeJennyCruise]

We are on the first sailing in May. Not that I don't have plenty of time to pick up a jacket, but thought I could scope them out and then pick something up on sale. We moved from Philadelphia area to Eastern North Carolina last December so I am still accustomed to cold weather and would probably not be wearing a jacket for temp in the 50's. Thanks for the tip on the ball cap too. I'll make a note of that.

 

I vote for a zip out lining on a rain resistant jacket. Looking at averages for the day we were in each port on weather.com, our trip median was 53°F. I would not normally need a jacket with a lining for that temperature, but when traveling on an open deck of a boat in Tracy Arm Fjord or standing in the rain with a wind in Ketchikan, it was needed. I wore the jacket when standing between cars and at the stop in Fraser, B.C. I carried the jacket when walking around in Skagway and I did not need it at all in Juneau.

 

Thanks for all the time you took to publish this review and all your pics. I guarantee I will review it many times before we sail to refresh my memory.

I'll vote for Carnival sending you on trips so you can provide us with reviews. How about the Mediterranean next?:confused:

 

The Med, oh yeah! Thank you for your kind words. The feedback from you and others is what has made this a fun experience for me. :)

[nana3boys]

This was a great review. We have been thinking about an Alaska cruise and now our mind is made up. We pray your son continues to improve. We thank God for his mercy by keeping his injuries to a minimum. Thanks again for a great review.

[Ashleezmom]

Did you enjoy the Behind the Scenes tour? One of our tablemates also went on the tour and told me about the alarms. No one came to the door, so I am assuming they are not too concerned about this on an Alaskan cruise. Now God forbid the unmentionable happened, all those doors would need to be shut! :eek:

 

Loved the Tour! I would definitely do it again. Will & Treva were on the 2nd tour and we thought we might see you and Terry.

 

The alarm goes off and it is recorded on the computer and a printout logged. They really didnt seem too concerned...probably happens all the time.

[scubapete]

I was actually going to post my own reveiw of this trip, but soon realized that it would pale in comparison with this one. It was a great trip, and we are already planning another Alaskan trip. The pictures, as great as they are, have a hard time expressing the sense of awe that Alaska inspires. You have to see it to believe it.

[SeeJennyCruise]

This was a great review. We have been thinking about an Alaska cruise and now our mind is made up. We pray your son continues to improve. We thank God for his mercy by keeping his injuries to a minimum. Thanks again for a great review.

 

I'm so glad you have enjoyed the review. I am almost done.

We are mightily blessed and so very grateful. I had the opportunity to see Michael yesterday as he left for work, kissing his baby boy (2 mos old) as he walked out the door. My heart is full!

[SeeJennyCruise]

Loved the Tour! I would definitely do it again. Will & Treva were on the 2nd tour and we thought we might see you and Terry.

 

The alarm goes off and it is recorded on the computer and a printout logged. They really didnt seem too concerned...probably happens all the time.

 

Hmm, I might have to look into for the next cruise on the Conquest. We thought about it but Terry did not bring his piggy bank with him and mine was already empty :p

[SeeJennyCruise]

I was actually going to post my own reveiw of this trip, but soon realized that it would pale in comparison with this one. It was a great trip, and we are already planning another Alaskan trip. The pictures, as great as they are, have a hard time expressing the sense of awe that Alaska inspires. You have to see it to believe it.

 

Thanks, Pete, I appreciate the compliment. It's been fun reliving the cruise.

 

Finding words to describe the beauty around every turn is challenging. I am still at a loss to create a word picture of the perspective of the North Sawyer glacier. "Huge" and "vast" just doesn't do it. Even "magnificent" does not communicate enough, but it is the right synonym :).

[scubapete]

Thanks, Pete, I appreciate the compliment. It's been fun reliving the cruise.

 

Finding words to describe the beauty around every turn is challenging. I am still at a loss to create a word picture of the perspective of the North Sawyer glacier. "Huge" and "vast" just doesn't do it. Even "magnificent" does not communicate enough, but it is the right synonym :).

I know what you mean. And I keep thinking that we only saw a tiny fraction of that state. Imagine what else is up there, perhaps never even seen before?

[SeeJennyCruise]

I messed up the post titles listing Day 7 as Day 6 for Victoria. Oh well, we are back in Seattle and they are going to kick us off the ship.

 

We received our airplane boarding passes and group number for disembarking in an envelope left in our cabin while at dinner Monday night. That’s when we learned we would be getting off the ship before 8:00 a.m. This is our first time using a cruise port outside of Galveston and we are accustomed to arriving about 7:00 a.m. and waiting to hear our number called, usually after 9:00 a.m.

 

Our son’s family lives about 39 miles southeast of Pier 91. Our sweet daughter in law had offered to pick us up and take us to the airport, but once I learned how early we would be off the ship, I did not want her to have to pull our two year old grandson out and fight rush hour traffic so early in the morning. We decided to pitch hit Tuesday morning and find our own way into Seattle. At least we did not have to worry about our heaviest luggage. We used the transfer service and our checked in luggage was going straight to the plane.

 

 

Above is the view from our balcony about 6:00 a.m.

 

Room service is not an option on disembarkation day, so we headed to the MDR for our first cup of coffee. Stu, the CD, was making announcements before 7:00 a.m. Gratefully, we only heard him if we opened the door or stood out on the balcony. The announcements were not bad and he was actually kind of funny with the wake-up call bit. Still, I don’t need any additional reminders that my balcony cabin is no longer my home.

 

For breakfast I had French toast and bacon. Terry had eggs, sausage, potatoes, and tomato juice with Tabasco. If you were so interested or bored that you decided to go back through all of the prior posts, you would know that Terry sticks to a good thing J. We were taking the stairs back up to our cabin about 7:30 and our disembarkation number had already been called twice with the self assist passengers. With a lump in my throat we left our cabin and headed toward the gang plank. Ahem, sorry, I mean the exit.

 

We were off the ship and without luggage to claim, we were passing through customs by 7:45 a.m. After a quick look at the free city map that is available in the cruise terminal we decided to get a cab to the Space Needle. The cabbie quoted Terry $10 to get to the Space Needle. It was almost $13. We choose the Space Needle because I knew the monorail goes from the Space Needle and also connects Seattle to the airport. My ulterior motive was to get to Pike’s Place Market before heading to the airport and then see if we could meet up with our grandson and daughter in law.