Review on our Alaska Cruise aboard the Radiance

[jennat]

It appears that this gentleman would be your 'gaucho', based on the above button (GAUCHO SERVICE). :D But 'meat guy' is funny. And as much as I loved the Seaview Cafe and would miss it, Samba Grill looks nice. Loving your review!

 

:D Oh real cute....make fun of the dumb girl ......;)

my hubby just sent me an e-mail saying the same thing...although he didn't call me funny so I like you bet-ter....just sayin'

What I don't understand with regards to the Seaview Cafe is now there is nothing back there. There is overflow seating for the windjammer but never saw anyone back there.....

And it was really, really HOT this cruise (Did that help BillOh? Have her read that sentence)

[jennat]

It's Bbbbowwwwzerrrr Time!

 

Once again met up with friends to watch Bowzer from Shanana and VH1 fame take us back to the 50s

What can I say? He was getting up there in years......he is a very talented musician (as he demonstrated on the piano playing a classical tune by Mendelson (once again making crap up but it was a classical tune).....he had vocal and comedic support by 3 very talented guys.......

 

It didn't blow me away but I am not a groupie like some of you fools out there : ) ; )(I have to fake the smilies, otherwise they count as one of my pics....and you KNOW I have a ton of pics)

 

Shutterbug, anything to add?

Oh, I know....how about when our (friends) went on stage and were hula hooping and dancing?

 

 

They really should have won.....

 

 

 

 

[cruisenfever]

:D Oh real cute....make fun of the dumb girl ......;)

my hubby just sent me an e-mail saying the same thing...although he didn't call me funny so I like you bet-ter....just sayin'

What I don't understand with regards to the Seaview Cafe is now there is nothing back there. There is overflow seating for the windjammer but never saw anyone back there.....

And it was really, really HOT this cruise (Did that help BillOh? Have her read that sentence)

Samba Grill replaced SeaView which is on Deck 12. When it was SeaView there was indoor seating and then outdoor seating right in front of the windows which looked nothing like what it looks like now.

 

Are you referring to maybe the aft seating section that you can get to by walking through the WJ and passing either Izumi or Rita's?

 

Here is what the SeaView Cafe looked like.........OK, don't everybody get all teary eyed now.

 

 

Edited June 28, 2011 by cruisenfever

[jennat]

This lady one but I'm pretty sure it was a shoe in because of her age. RIGGED!

 

He was beat by some young pip squeak....Hello, she gets to practice everyday, what about his natural God given talent?

 

Obviously, she was the crowd favorite, but whatever...doesn't matter, not bitter at all......

 

 

[jennat]

After the show we went down to the pub where the singer wasn't singing and then to Matt Yee where the singing wasn't singing anything new

 

 

 

 

HOT FLASH!!!!!! (errr I mean, see how balmy this cruise is (wink wink BillOh)

 

 

We went outside to see the sun (not) go down (where it was VERY, VERY HOT AND THERE WERE CABANA BOYS SERVING DRINKS AND WE LOOKED OUT TO THE BEACH AND PALM TREES IN THE DISTANCE.......anything? is she budging?)

and then went to bed.

Tomorrow is Hubbard Glacier.....

 

 

By the way, this is formal night so you can see how differently every one is dressed.

Edited June 28, 2011 by jennat

[jennat]

Samba Grill replaced SeaView which is on Deck 12. When it was SeaView there was indoor seating and then outdoor seating right in front of the windows which looked nothing like what it looks like now.

 

Are you referring to maybe the aft seating section that you can get to by walking through the WJ and passing either Izumi or Rita's?

 

Here is what the SeaView Cafe looked like.........OK, don't everybody get all teary eyed now.

 

 

Ohhhhhh. I thought it was in the back of the ship......haven't been on a ship with it on there but have heard good things.....it alllll makes sense now :D

[shutterbug285]

the only think i have to add about bowzer night..... is that the great thing about getting up on stage and making a fool of yourself is that no one will know .................or have cameras!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! lol

[cruisenfever]

Ohhhhhh. I thought it was in the back of the ship......haven't been on a ship with it on there but have heard good things.....it alllll makes sense now :D

The other three Radiance class ships still have The SeaView cafe.

 

One question, the tables and chairs outside of Samba.......were they also part of the restaurant but without the interior ambiance?

[jennat]

the only think i have to add about bowzer night..... is that the great thing about getting up on stage and making a fool of yourself is that no one will know .................or have cameras!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! lol

 

I'm not sayin' who it was. Just some random "hot chick" who could shake her bootie.

[jennat]

The other three Radiance class ships still have The SeaView cafe.

 

One question, the tables and chairs outside of Samba.......were they also part of the restaurant but without the interior ambiance?

 

I don't know but I kind of doubt it (another one of my opinions based on nothing)...there was only one other table in there with us so it certainly wasn't in an overflow situation!

[ellasab]

My DH and I spent all morning reading your review ...we were laughing so hard! We are the same age as you and your DH and are loving seeing the trip through your eyes!!! We leave on the 8th and can't wait. DH keeps saying check and see if she has posted more.... I had to remind him you are 2 hours behind us so you still sleeping at 6 am.:D Thanks for a great review!

 

 

 

Leaving from Vancouver on the 8th??? So are we.

[wannasail4ever]

Still enjoying the review, Jen. You guys saw alot of the same "stuff" we did back in 2007. We were lucky and experienced no rain (except in Ketchikan for a short time). I had to laugh on your Skagway excursion because I swear I have photos of the same bears eating the same dandelions. Hee Hee!

 

BTW readers...........we cruised with Jen and Mike in 2008 on the Freedom. Life will never be the same. She is a HOOT in person. She even made us a fabulous photo disc and video of the trip.

 

Wish we could change to Oasis but we'll be on Allure the following week. We'll be in FLL on Oct. 22nd when you come in to the port. Maybe we'll run into you guys at the airport! Seriously, email me and I'll give you my cell if you don't already have it.

 

Alright, girl, carry on!

 

Macy

[flames]

Jen, I thought I would not want to go back to Alaska but looking at all your pictures and reading your review I think I will have to go again:eek:

 

Carol:)

[ellasab]

I am one of the 8 from Texas that will be going to Alaska on July 8. Can't wait. Sure is hard packing when it is 100 outside.

[ladylawyer]

Jen, I thought I would not want to go back to Alaska but looking at all your pictures and reading your review I think I will have to go again:eek:

 

Carol:)

 

Hey Carol ... come with us next year!!! :D

[jennat]

Still enjoying the review, Jen. You guys saw alot of the same "stuff" we did back in 2007. We were lucky and experienced no rain (except in Ketchikan for a short time). I had to laugh on your Skagway excursion because I swear I have photos of the same bears eating the same dandelions. Hee Hee!

 

BTW readers...........we cruised with Jen and Mike in 2008 on the Freedom. Life will never be the same. She is a HOOT in person. She even made us a fabulous photo disc and video of the trip.

 

Wish we could change to Oasis but we'll be on Allure the following week. We'll be in FLL on Oct. 22nd when you come in to the port. Maybe we'll run into you guys at the airport! Seriously, email me and I'll give you my cell if you don't already have it.

 

Alright, girl, carry on!

 

Macy

 

Thanks Macy! Here's another idea....check this out.....http://www.cruisearabella.com/default.shtml

BVI

wanna go next May?

Anyone else too (actually, only fun people!)

[jennat]

The captain told us to wake up early (again) for the cruise into Yakutat Bay.....the Bay where Hubbard Glacier was located. This day was where the hump balcony (and even the starboard balcony paid off. I felt bad for the people on the port side of the ship. As we approached we watched the glacier come into view. We called our friends with an inside cabin but they were already somewhere watching from above. This was a perfect location. We had the table with our 3 cameras and two camcorders and binoculars so we could grab which ever we required. The water color was outstanding and we were floating through ice from almost the beginning....

Lots of people were out watching the approach

 

 

 

 

It was a cool sound to hear the ship pushing the ice out of the way

 

 

Hubbard Glacier comes into view

Still many, many miles off

Edited June 29, 2011 by jennat

[jennat]

I love this picture for some reason

 

 

 

 

 

[jennat]

The Captain approached the glacier, dodging ice bergs like my 15 yr old dodges chores. The Captain was so successful in his endeavors that he got the ship closer than they have ever been. 500 ft out. Actually, not to take away from his excellent steering but apparently, and don't quote my facts, they had new Propellers or something that allowed them to get closer.....so while we were the first (and best just sayin' : ) ) we won't be the last to get that close. Or there is always the possibility that they just told us that and they tell every cruise that.

 

 

 

 

 

As he got to as close as he could, he slowly started to rotate the ship to the left (port) so our balcony slowly worked it's way around so we were facing it. I assumed her would do a full 360. I assumed wrong. When he had turned 180 degrees he headed back out to sea. What was amazing was, the path he was taking kept us turned toward the glacier. I really felt bad for the people on the other side of the ship. The weather from the balconies was so nice it was actually hot (I'm being serious here). Don't know what it was like on the open decks but it was lovely.

Here are some more photos

 

[jennat]

 

 

 

 

 

 

This glacier is very dynamic and calves a lot. It is pretty easy to get photos because you hear a loud noise proceeding the impact so you can follow the sound, spot it and get in position before the fall. It was truly awesome.

[jennat]

 

 

 

 

 

[jennat]

we reconnected with our friends and decided to go to the dining room for lunch. This was the first time this cruise

Tip number 263:

Don't wait until the last day to eat lunch in the dining room.

They had the most incredible salad bar. Seriously, maybe 30 items.

It was so good. We didn't know how big and good it was so had already ordered food. One of us ordered a steak sandwich.....I don't think this is what she was imagining.

 

 

 

 

 

with nothing left to do until the next meal ;) we napped, that and we hadn't been getting enough sleep!

We agreed to meet that night for Rita's Cantina

[jennat]

bad photo, but photo none the less of the windjammer

 

Ritas was same song, different verse, (kindof like the Matt Yee of restaurants) okay food and strong margaritas.

 

The manager is trying to be nice to me because all my friends bills were free (remember the diningroom mess up) and mine was $45. And he had the nerve to ask me for a positive review on the survey (which of course I gave him....mostly because of my cool mariachi photo)

 

 

[jennat]

we went to the going away show, or good by show or something.....

I'm just proud of how our pictures turned out.

Only SOME of our friends showed up but whatever, don't care (you know who I am talking to......shutterbug)

 

we went outside after the show to watch the sunset (I think it was 10 something at this point)

with our good friend Bowzer,

 

 

 

it was a lot prettier than it looks here. It was so serene (looking) and we couldn't get the camera to capture it.

[jennat]

 

Schooner Bar

It's weird to walk into somewhere at 10 or 11 and have it be so light....

we went over to see a Cabaret show. It wasn't what we thought so we bid our friends a final goodbye and went to bed.

 

This would be a much more effective photo if you could see my watch!!

Which says midnight....well, it doesn't say midnight cuz it's not a talking watch, it reads 12:00

 

Tomorrow debarkation and a 7 hour Glacier cruise

Stay tuned, don't go away because the cruise is over....the best is yet to come!