Carnival Spirit June 28th Alaska Review: Tons of Photos and Oodles of Food Porn!

[JaniceB]

My DH would be happy with the car. He was in the Navy for 20 years so he loves going off and exploring a port on his own. Since we are going the first week of May, we may just take the train. I understand there will be snow and the lake may be frozen. I guess it would be a good time to try the dog sledding.

 

Thanks again.

[tmt218]

Quilting Cruiser when you did the salmon fishing in Ketchikan did they charge you extra to process your fish and send it home or was it included? I don't like anything smoked does it cost extra to make them into filets? I would love to do that excursion.

 

When we were in Ketchikan we just walked around and then took a horse trolley tour of the city. It was fun but I was bummed I didn't do the floatplane trip to Misty Fjords. Have ya'll done that? How about the Totem Bright? So much to do so little time! I need to move to the West coast!! I have a friend that lives in Eugene, Or

[tmt218]

My DH would be happy with the car. He was in the Navy for 20 years so he loves going off and exploring a port on his own. Since we are going the first week of May, we may just take the train. I understand there will be snow and the lake may be frozen. I guess it would be a good time to try the dog sledding.

 

Thanks again.

 

 

We did the train up to Fraiser, BC and the van back. While I was glad to do the train it did have some boring moments at times. It had some great scenery as well but my favorite part was the van ride. I would rent a car if I went back.

 

My Uncle and Aunt did a dog carting excursion and loved it. We didn't have much snow on the ground but they still had a good time. There is a dog sled excursion on a glacier but not sure what city it was in though. It sounded awesome.

[Quilting_Cruiser]

Quilting Cruiser when you did the salmon fishing in Ketchikan did they charge you extra to process your fish and send it home or was it included? I don't like anything smoked does it cost extra to make them into filets? I would love to do that excursion.

 

When we were in Ketchikan we just walked around and then took a horse trolley tour of the city. It was fun but I was bummed I didn't do the floatplane trip to Misty Fjords. Have ya'll done that? How about the Totem Bright? So much to do so little time! I need to move to the West coast!! I have a friend that lives in Eugene, Or

 

 

It's extra to have the fish processed and sent home. You can have it either smoked or filleted. I think filleting is a little less expensive. Ours is arriving tomorrow (all smoked) so they shipped it today. Yay! I looked at my CC statement and it was $101.85 for processing and shipping the three fish. As I recall, there's an $80 minimum, so I'm glad we caught more than one! So, our three salmon ended up being $167 each! LOL. But, of course, I was paying for the whole experience so I don't think of it per fish like that. The look of pride on my DD's face when she caught those two salmon was worth way more than that! And, I can tell you from experience, that eating the salmon you caught in Alaska is pretty fabulous! :D

 

 

I haven't been to Totem Bight, but on our 2007 cruise, we were scheduled to do the Misty Fjords flight, but ended up doing the Anan Creek bear viewing excursion (amazing!). Maybe next time we'll do Misty Fjords--just have to talk DD into getting back into a small plane.

 

:D

[iggy's mom]

Loved your review and pictures!

 

Clair

[Inklight]

Thank you for taking the time to post your review with photos. I thoroughly enjoyed reading about your trip and am looking forward to our Alaskan adventure next May!

 

I love the fruit soups too! I tried my first one on the Carnival Splendor last year and now I'm hooked. I don't think they have a flavor I don't like! :D

 

Again, I enjoyed reading about your cruise and looking at your photographs, too. We booked our Alaska cruise earlier this year after seeing the beautiful images posted in reviews (Tiggerman's review comes to mind!) ... your review has allowed me to virtually cruise to Alaska until I can do it for myself!

[smitty89]

Great review! I am inspired to start looking at an Alaskan Cruise now. My parents have always wanted to go on one, this might be the push they need too! Thanks so much!

[tmt218]

It's extra to have the fish processed and sent home. You can have it either smoked or filleted. I think filleting is a little less expensive. Ours is arriving tomorrow (all smoked) so they shipped it today. Yay! I looked at my CC statement and it was $101.85 for processing and shipping the three fish. As I recall, there's an $80 minimum, so I'm glad we caught more than one! So, our three salmon ended up being $167 each! LOL. But, of course, I was paying for the whole experience so I don't think of it per fish like that. The look of pride on my DD's face when she caught those two salmon was worth way more than that! And, I can tell you from experience, that eating the salmon you caught in Alaska is pretty fabulous! :D

 

 

I haven't been to Totem Bight, but on our 2007 cruise, we were scheduled to do the Misty Fjords flight, but ended up doing the Anan Creek bear viewing excursion (amazing!). Maybe next time we'll do Misty Fjords--just have to talk DD into getting back into a small plane.

 

:D

Thanks!!! This is something I will keep in mind. My DD would be in heaven and so proud to catch her own fish.

All the excursions in Alaska are on the expensive side. When you factor in the cost of a meal of salmon at a resturant it's cheaper to have it processed and sent home. Plus you can brag to your dinner guests about catching your own fish. It's worth it.

 

Your DD is so funny! She is not having anything to do with her fish. The picture cracked me up.

[Quilting_Cruiser]

Thank you for taking the time to post your review with photos. I thoroughly enjoyed reading about your trip and am looking forward to our Alaskan adventure next May!

 

I love the fruit soups too! I tried my first one on the Carnival Splendor last year and now I'm hooked. I don't think they have a flavor I don't like! :D

 

Again, I enjoyed reading about your cruise and looking at your photographs, too. We booked our Alaska cruise earlier this year after seeing the beautiful images posted in reviews (Tiggerman's review comes to mind!) ... your review has allowed me to virtually cruise to Alaska until I can do it for myself!

 

My pleasure. I'm so glad you were able to take a virtual cruise with me! LOL. If I'm recalling correctly, we talked quite a bit about that Splendor sailing. DD and I were on her last August--I'm thinking you were on the sailing the week before us...?? :D

 

 

Loved your review and pictures!

 

Clair

 

Thank you' date=' Clair!

 

Great review! I am inspired to start looking at an Alaskan Cruise now. My parents have always wanted to go on one, this might be the push they need too! Thanks so much!

 

 

I love hearing that! It's such an incredible experience and if they've always wanted to go, I'm sure it will surpass their expectations!

 

:D

[Quilting_Cruiser]

Thanks!!! This is something I will keep in mind. My DD would be in heaven and so proud to catch her own fish.

All the excursions in Alaska are on the expensive side. When you factor in the cost of a meal of salmon at a resturant it's cheaper to have it processed and sent home. Plus you can brag to your dinner guests about catching your own fish. It's worth it.

 

Your DD is so funny! She is not having anything to do with her fish. The picture cracked me up.

 

 

She cracked me up. She loves the fishing part, but not the holding-for-the-picture part! LOL. Captain Mark told her to hold it for the pic and she said, "Isn't there any other way??" LOL.

 

Good timing to be talking about salmon fishing--FedEx arrived about 20 minutes ago. 13 pounds of smoked salmon are now in my fridge and freezer! Yay! All but one package were still mostly or completely frozen. They had told me as long as it was still cool to the touch, it go into the freezer.

 

Here's how it comes:

 

 

 

 

 

How gorgeous is that?!? :D:D

[JaniceB]

I am with your daughter. I love to fish, just not touch them.

 

That is a lot of Salmon, enjoy!

[LambKnuckles]

THAT IS a lot of fish!!! I know it's well worth the cost!!! With the adventure and now the eating!!

 

I have been loving this thread!!! THANK YOU!!

[Quilting_Cruiser]

I am with your daughter. I love to fish, just not touch them.

 

That is a lot of Salmon, enjoy!

 

LOL. Ah, the joys of a charter. :D

 

THAT IS a lot of fish!!! I know it's well worth the cost!!! With the adventure and now the eating!!

 

I have been loving this thread!!! THANK YOU!!

 

Thanks, Lambie!

[lawyermom101]

Hi: Thanks for your wonderful posts. Cruising to Alaska on board the Spirit 8/16. Can't wait. The 2 unidentified towel animals in your first towel animal pic (the butt cracks) are walruses. : )

[Janer1999]

Thank you for the review. We are going on the Spirit in September.

[KelliKevin]

Great review! We are going next May (same cruise as Lambie). Redoing our vows for our 25th Anniversary

We have done Alaska by land and this will be the first time by cruise. There is NOTHING like salmon you caught in Alaska. I can barely eat regular salmon now...got very spoiled.

Thank-you for your information! I am sure I will have questions for you as we get closer.

[tmt218]

Wow! That salmon looks good! They packed it well and it's more than what I had pictured in my mind. I am super excited to do this excursion.

When we went on our Alaskan cruise we had the Copper River salmon. Ah it was to die for but I love all salmon. I still dream and drool about that one though.

Do they offer a fishing trip from Cordova, Ak? That would be cool to catch a Copper River salmon.

[spacepotatoes]

Your pictures are beautiful! Thanks for the review.

 

We are heading to Alaska next year on a somewhat similar intinerary, but with HAL. We were going to skip the Tracy Arm excursion because HAL charges an arm and a leg for it (it would be $400 for the two of us) but your photos are really making me reconsider! Our itinerary includes Glacier Bay, too, which is partially why I'm so hesitant to spend that much on Tracy Arm but it just looks so beautiful.

 

The tip about the quilting shop is really handy too, thanks for mentioning that! I do cross-stitch as well and would love to pick something up on our cruise.

[Quilting_Cruiser]

Great review! We are going next May (same cruise as Lambie). Redoing our vows for our 25th Anniversary

We have done Alaska by land and this will be the first time by cruise. There is NOTHING like salmon you caught in Alaska. I can barely eat regular salmon now...got very spoiled.

Thank-you for your information! I am sure I will have questions for you as we get closer.

 

Congratulations--what a fantastic way to celebrate your 25th! I totally agree about the salmon! :D Feel free to ask questions. DD and I just decided tonight that we're going again next June, so I'll be on Cruise Critic pretty much daily for a long while.

 

Wow! That salmon looks good! They packed it well and it's more than what I had pictured in my mind. I am super excited to do this excursion.

 

When we went on our Alaskan cruise we had the Copper River salmon. Ah it was to die for but I love all salmon. I still dream and drool about that one though.

 

Do they offer a fishing trip from Cordova, Ak? That would be cool to catch a Copper River salmon.

 

Copper River salmon is SO good. I'm sure you could go there and fish for them--wouldn't that be awesome?!? :D

 

Your pictures are beautiful! Thanks for the review.

 

We are heading to Alaska next year on a somewhat similar intinerary, but with HAL. We were going to skip the Tracy Arm excursion because HAL charges an arm and a leg for it (it would be $400 for the two of us) but your photos are really making me reconsider! Our itinerary includes Glacier Bay, too, which is partially why I'm so hesitant to spend that much on Tracy Arm but it just looks so beautiful.

 

The tip about the quilting shop is really handy too, thanks for mentioning that! I do cross-stitch as well and would love to pick something up on our cruise.

 

Thank you for your comment about the photos--Tracy Arm certainly provides tons of subjects. I took a few hundred photos that day! I understand the HAL excursion is a couple hours longer than one Carnival offers--I'm thinking I read it originates in Juneau. We boarded the Allen Marine boat in Tracy Arm. I would love to go to Glacier Bay. DD loves Carnival (as did my ex), and we're approaching platinum. But, at some point, I'll make it to Glacier Bay. :D

 

I'm really enjoying working on the cross stitch. Maybe next time I'll pick up some quilt fabric though. :p

[Princess123]

I have really enjoyed reading your excellent review, along with 'Jennat's' on the RCI Board. It is such a big help when people take the trouble to do detailed (and I'm sure time-consuming) reviews with photos, and much appreciated. My DH and I are thinking of doing an Alaskan cruise next year and having only cruised once with Carnival (Conquest) my DH is slightly wary of doing another, but the Spirit doesn't sound too OTT from your review and I guess things are a bit 'calmer' with cruises to Alaska than the Caribbean (entertainment wise I mean, not seas!). From the website I see that Spirit is doing one cruise which includes Glacier Bay at the start of the season so this is a possibility for us. We have cruised with RCI a few times and like them but they don't seem to include Glacier Bay which is pretty much a must for us; we've never cruised with Princess so can't compare but they are probably our other choice so we can include Glacier Bay. Perhaps you and you DD should book for 1 May too (though I guess school won't have finished that early!). We'll be flying from UK so have airfare to take into account. Oh decisions, decisions!

[gusandgidgetsmom]

The review is great. We are sailing on the Spirit 8/23/11. Your pictures are so wonderful. I have not been real excited about this Alaska cruise as I really like warm weather vacations but I have come to be really excited thru your pixs and review!!Princess123--We have sailed several lines but keep coming back to Carnival. I wonder if you took a short cruise 3,4,5 day with Carnival in the past ? I don't like those cruises as they tend to be a little party crazy but so do the other lines as that is what they are geared toward. I am not a carnival cheerleader as I like the other lines as well--each has it's own special thing--but would hate for you to think that one line is something it is not.

[sms2874]

I happened on your review by accident and I'm glad I did. We cruised to Alaska in 2005. We have cruised 6 times to different places and Alaska is THE Best and MOST Beautiful. I want to do it again. We were on the Sea Princess and we also did a 5 day land tour. This makes me want to go back again. Thanks so much for the wonderful review. I will have to check out Carnivals trip.

[Quilting_Cruiser]

I have really enjoyed reading your excellent review, along with 'Jennat's' on the RCI Board. It is such a big help when people take the trouble to do detailed (and I'm sure time-consuming) reviews with photos, and much appreciated. My DH and I are thinking of doing an Alaskan cruise next year and having only cruised once with Carnival (Conquest) my DH is slightly wary of doing another, but the Spirit doesn't sound too OTT from your review and I guess things are a bit 'calmer' with cruises to Alaska than the Caribbean (entertainment wise I mean, not seas!). From the website I see that Spirit is doing one cruise which includes Glacier Bay at the start of the season so this is a possibility for us. We have cruised with RCI a few times and like them but they don't seem to include Glacier Bay which is pretty much a must for us; we've never cruised with Princess so can't compare but they are probably our other choice so we can include Glacier Bay. Perhaps you and you DD should book for 1 May too (though I guess school won't have finished that early!). We'll be flying from UK so have airfare to take into account. Oh decisions, decisions!

 

I'm glad you enjoyed it! As far as your OTT comment--are you referencing decor, entertainment, or..??? Not that I can be much on that since 4 of our 8 cruises have been on the Spirit! :D We've also been on the Carnival Splendor, Carnival Pride, and the Holiday, as well as the Caribbean Princess. We would love to sail on the one that goes to Glacier Bay and DD won't be in school forever, so some day. This certainly won't be our last Alaska cruise!

 

The review is great. We are sailing on the Spirit 8/23/11. Your pictures are so wonderful. I have not been real excited about this Alaska cruise as I really like warm weather vacations but I have come to be really excited thru your pixs and review!!Princess123--We have sailed several lines but keep coming back to Carnival. I wonder if you took a short cruise 3,4,5 day with Carnival in the past ? I don't like those cruises as they tend to be a little party crazy but so do the other lines as that is what they are geared toward. I am not a carnival cheerleader as I like the other lines as well--each has it's own special thing--but would hate for you to think that one line is something it is not.

 

I'm so glad my photos and review helped you get excited! I hope you have a fantastic cruise! Like you, I'm not a Carnival cheerleader, but I've met so many people who have a perception of Carnival that's pretty inaccurate. Those who know me know I wouldn't likely be sailing on a "party" ship. TBT, I loved our one Princess cruise and would have started cruising with Princess if the family hadn't protested so much. LOL.

 

I happened on your review by accident and I'm glad I did. We cruised to Alaska in 2005. We have cruised 6 times to different places and Alaska is THE Best and MOST Beautiful. I want to do it again. We were on the Sea Princess and we also did a 5 day land tour. This makes me want to go back again. Thanks so much for the wonderful review. I will have to check out Carnivals trip.

 

 

Thank you for your comments! Alaska is my favorite cruise destination and the Spirit is our favorite ship--that's a great combination for us! I'm wondering what ship will take her place when they move her to Australia. :(

[Candymom]

Thanks for the great review. I'm so excited for our cruise, I can't stand it! We leave on 7/26. Its our first cruise and we are taking it for our 20th anniversary.

 

Comparing your review to some others I've read lately about the same cruise, it looks like one of the most important things we can bring is a great attitude, like yours!

[Quilting_Cruiser]

Thanks for the great review. I'm so excited for our cruise, I can't stand it! We leave on 7/26. Its our first cruise and we are taking it for our 20th anniversary.

 

Comparing your review to some others I've read lately about the same cruise, it looks like one of the most important things we can bring is a great attitude, like yours!

 

 

Thank you, Candymom! I hope you have a fantastic time--what a wonderful first cruise!

 

You're absolutely right about the attitude. I work at a high-stress job and when I go on vacation, I'm wanting to put work behind me. I tend to be pretty low-maintenance and I can usually find a way to not allow something negative to impact my enjoyment--like how selfish people can be. I just expect that's what will happen and then maybe roll my eyes, but I'm not going to let it impact my vacation. :D And, I'll admit, there were a couple times people might have thought I was a bit selfish as I was reluctant to leave a view. LOL.

 

:D