2012 July 6-20 Alaska Land and Cruise Adventure Review with LOTS of photos!

[WalleyeLJ]

Well, I upgraded Photobucket, but the links aren't back up yet...hopefully tomorrow...

 

L.J.

 

Well,

 

Lucky me - Photobucket is having technical issues with some regular paying subscribers - and anyone who just signed up in the last fews days...like me:mad:!!! They've been working on it since 12pm yesterday, so I have no idea how long it'll take for the links to the photos to be restored.

 

L.J.

[WalleyeLJ]

Hi LJ,

 

I used to have a Canon EOS SLR pre digital but that was a long time ago.

Have had just a small digital camera for the last few years & after seeing your inspiring pics have deicded to make at least some sort of upgrade for our Alaska trip later this year.

 

Having said that I'm not going for the full SLR but something in between with just some more zoom & still compact enough to fit in a small camera bag, no extra lenses etc.

 

I was looking at a Canon Powershot SX500 IS which I know would be a toy to serious photographers but was hoping it would be able to give me decent pics of Alaskan wildlife etc.

 

Any advice you would be able to give would be appreciated.:)

 

Hey Avalon,

 

We always have two non-DSLR cameras with us (one waterproof for snorkeling, or rainy conditions, and a compact camera with a long zoom), because sometimes believe it or not, I just don't want to carry all my gear:). Plus, I can't bring the big cameras in some places. The Canon Powershot SX500 IS looks like a pretty good choice. We had a Canon Powershot SX40 HS with us for this trip - it's what I used for almost all the interior ship and a lot of the show photos. Bev also used it to shoot all the video on the trip - 1080p with stereo. However, it already been discontinued.

 

So, my suggestion, even though it's a little more, is the Canon Powershot SX50 HS. It's advantages over the SX500 are - 50X zoom versus 30X, faster burst mode 13 frames per second versus 2.8, super fast 0.19 sec focusing (our SX40 was rated at 0.38 sec which I felt was fast for a compact), 1080p video vs 720p, and one of the biggest keys - a top ISO of 6400 for the SX50 vs 1600 for the SX500. Usually the highest ISO setting isn't very useable, so you're really looking at 3200 ISO vs 800 ISO, which can be very useful.

 

There are lots of good camera brands out there, but we pretty much stick to Canon and Olympus for all our camera needs. Good luck and have fun deciding!

 

L.J.

[WalleyeLJ]

I checked out the storm jackets but got such a great deal on the Kata I had to pick it up, haha. I have talked to a lot of people on a photography forum and they all swear you have to have at least 400mm of reach for an Alaska trip, but you proved otherwise. Now I am considering just renting/buying the 70-300mm. I'd love to go w/ the 70-200mm f/2.8 but then I'd be worried I'd miss some shots w/ only 200mm of reach, even on the crop sensor. Ugh, tough decisions, haha. I'm not sure when we'll go back to Alaska so I'd hate to miss a shot....

 

And of course borrowlenses is running a 25% off sale on the 70-200mm f/2.8 so it'd be VERY cheap to rent. Maybe I just rent it and the 100-400mm, lol.

 

Well, I have the Canon 70-300mm USM III IS, and it is a FANTASTIC lens - not the "L" version, but the IS version, and it's probably my second sharpest lens. I use it a lot for NASCAR races. That said, I lug that 150-500 around because if I can, I do want that 500mm:). If you CAN rent both the 70-200 & the 100-400, I think you'll be very pleased. If you've got $26,000 to spare, you can always buy the Sigma 200-500mm f/2.8 (400mm-1000mm f/5.6)...Just don't forget the boat or Jeep to mount it on:D:D:D!!!

 

L.J.

 

L.J.

[avalon007]

Hey Avalon,

 

We always have two non-DSLR cameras with us (one waterproof for snorkeling, or rainy conditions, and a compact camera with a long zoom), because sometimes believe it or not, I just don't want to carry all my gear:). Plus, I can't bring the big cameras in some places. The Canon Powershot SX500 IS looks like a pretty good choice. We had a Canon Powershot SX40 HS with us for this trip - it's what I used for almost all the interior ship and a lot of the show photos. Bev also used it to shoot all the video on the trip - 1080p with stereo. However, it already been discontinued.

 

So, my suggestion, even though it's a little more, is the Canon Powershot SX50 HS. It's advantages over the SX500 are - 50X zoom versus 30X, faster burst mode 13 frames per second versus 2.8, super fast 0.19 sec focusing (our SX40 was rated at 0.38 sec which I felt was fast for a compact), 1080p video vs 720p, and one of the biggest keys - a top ISO of 6400 for the SX50 vs 1600 for the SX500. Usually the highest ISO setting isn't very useable, so you're really looking at 3200 ISO vs 800 ISO, which can be very useful.

 

There are lots of good camera brands out there, but we pretty much stick to Canon and Olympus for all our camera needs. Good luck and have fun deciding!

 

L.J.

 

 

Thanks LJ,

 

That is very helpful.

 

I hadn't considered the SX50 HS as I thought it may be bigger & bulkier to carry around than the SX500, but maybe not?

 

I have also found the Sony DSC-H200V which seems to be in my price range & of a similar type, do you have an opinion on which may have the edge for my needs?

Both the Sony & Canon SX50HS are on sale this weekend at a local store so I will go & have a lok at them tomorrow probably.

 

I've enjoyed your thread, just waiting for the pics to come back up to show my hubby why I have to upgrade our camera! LOL

 

I've also found you a very easy going & tolerant of all the questions you have been asked multiple times I'm sure. Thank you for a pleasant read.:)

 

So if you have time could you advise me on some recommended must do's in Alaska? I'm trying to get a handle on what to do in Alaska without seeing too much of the same thing that it gets overkill.

 

This trip will be at the start of a 6.5 week holiday for us & we are doing the west coast of Canada after Alaska so a lot of beautiful scenery. But we find that if we have seen 4 hours of gorgeous scenery on a train trip for example, we don't want to do the 8 hour trip if the scenery in the second half is really much the same as the first.

We prefer to do a variety of things in a day than one thing all day.

 

In Alaska we are doing a cruise tour, 5 days touring including Denali Tundra Wilderness& going on the Wilderness Express train, Talkeetna, Aleyska, Anchorage & Seward. Followed by the cruise with the same ports as your cruise I believe.

 

I'm trying to work out if all glaciers for example are more or less the same, some a little more spectacular, some bigger etc but still not so different that seeing as many as possible is a must do?

 

We have been to Yellowstone & Grand Tetons before so have seen moose, elk, bison & so on but missed out on bears, so they are on the list.

Although seeing all wildlife is good, just some more so since we have not seen them before.

 

I would like to see killer whales or orcas as they are called over there, any suggestions for the most likely places?

We see humpbacks here where we live so they are not a priorty for us compared to other species.

 

We are not into fishing trips (sorry) but do want to see the salmon run etc if we are there at the right time (late Aug/early Sept).

 

Love old towns with lots of history, don't mind touristy things if they are well done.

 

We are active & fit enough to do most things & wanted to know where we can walk on a glacier but not have to fly onto one if possible? (too expensive for us)

 

Basically coming from Australia we don't see much in the way of ice or snow (although we do have ski fields, just not glaciers etc), so we want to be on snow/ice as some stage.

 

Thanks, any suggestions gratefully recieved.:)

[WalleyeLJ]

I'll try and answer your questions below and highlight my answers in orange to make it easier to follow.

 

Thanks LJ,

 

That is very helpful.

 

I hadn't considered the SX50 HS as I thought it may be bigger & bulkier to carry around than the SX500, but maybe not?

 

I have also found the Sony DSC-H200V which seems to be in my price range & of a similar type, do you have an opinion on which may have the edge for my needs?

Both the Sony & Canon SX50HS are on sale this weekend at a local store so I will go & have a lok at them tomorrow probably.

 

I've enjoyed your thread, just waiting for the pics to come back up to show my hubby why I have to upgrade our camera! LOL

 

The Sony looks like a great camera as well. It has 18.2 megapixels vers 12.2 for the Canon, but I've made poster sized prints from an old Olympus 4MP camera. Anything over 10MP should suffice. ISO, top shutter speed are both higher with the Sony, and a nice kicker is that it has GPS for geo-tagging your photos if you're interested in that feature. Burst speed and zoom are less, but still very good. The SOny run 1.4 pounds (583g) fully loaded, the Canon is around 1.2. Close enough to be wash as well. If you can go try them out and see how they feel, that and the best price may be the best way to make the decision. They both look like great options.

 

I've also found you a very easy going & tolerant of all the questions you have been asked multiple times I'm sure. Thank you for a pleasant read.:)

 

Thanks! I often find work stressful and LOVE when we get a chance to get away on vacation. As opposed to everyday life, I fully embrace being carefree and enjoying the moment when we travel. I hope that others get to enjoy the places we've been fortunate enough to visit as much as we have. A lot of the great things we've done I've found thanks to boards like this, so hopefully I can help some folks the way I have been.

 

So if you have time could you advise me on some recommended must do's in Alaska? I'm trying to get a handle on what to do in Alaska without seeing too much of the same thing that it gets overkill.

 

This trip will be at the start of a 6.5 week holiday (we SO have to move to Australia!) for us & we are doing the west coast of Canada after Alaska so a lot of beautiful scenery. But we find that if we have seen 4 hours of gorgeous scenery on a train trip for example, we don't want to do the 8 hour trip if the scenery in the second half is really much the same as the first.

We prefer to do a variety of things in a day than one thing all day.

 

In Alaska we are doing a cruise tour, 5 days touring including Denali Tundra Wilderness& going on the Wilderness Express train, Talkeetna, Aleyska, Anchorage & Seward. Followed by the cruise with the same ports as your cruise I believe.

 

I'm trying to work out if all glaciers for example are more or less the same, some a little more spectacular, some bigger etc but still not so different that seeing as many as possible is a must do?

 

If this is your first time seeing glaciers, I don't think you'll get to the point that you'll find them boring - but that's just how we feel. From the glaciers we saw from the Alaska Railroad, to the ones in Kenai Fjords, Katmai & Lake Clark, to Hubbard, to Mendenhall, they are all different. Large, small, colorful, not so much, some that don't calve, some that are very active. We've seen them from land, sea and flown over them, but we have yet to land on/walk on/dogsled on one. That said, I wouldn't skip something else to mark off another glacier just try and see one fairly close at some point if you can.

 

We have been to Yellowstone & Grand Tetons before so have seen moose, elk, bison & so on but missed out on bears, so they are on the list.

Although seeing all wildlife is good, just some more so since we have not seen them before.

 

When are you traveling through Alaska? You have a decent to great shot at seeing Grizzlies in Denali. We saw several when we were there (next review!), but they were all several hunderd yards/meters away. Other folks were fortunate to see them right near their bus. The time of year, location, and type of excursion will have a lot to do with your odds of seeing bears.

 

I would like to see killer whales or orcas as they are called over there, any suggestions for the most likely places?

We see humpbacks here where we live so they are not a priorty for us compared to other species.

 

I've seen orcas/killer whales in several different spots along the Inside Passage from the cruise ship itself. All but once they were too far away to see much other than to know what they were. We've gone whale watching in Juneau three times, and saw many ocras the first trip, none the other two. We were told that they are spotted on average about once a week on trips out of there, whereas humpbacks are seen every day. I don't know how you went whale watching before, but going on a small boat trip gives a totally different perspective to the whlaes, and seeing the dorsal fin of a male ocras cleaving the surface at water level is a wonderful experience. So while they can been seen in many places (I've seen photos of them in Ketchikan, Sitka, other ports), I'd take a shot a whale watching trip in Juneau/ It'll work very well if you have a long port call like we did there, becasue you can do the whale watching at the beginning or end of the day, and do some other things as well.

 

We are not into fishing trips (sorry) but do want to see the salmon run etc if we are there at the right time (late Aug/early Sept).

 

Now that I see when you'll be there, a good option for bearing viewing would be a trip to Traitors Cove. Anan Creek is popular but seems to run more July to early/mid August (others may be able to provide better info on that). Traitors Cove's peak period is August through the end of September. Icy Straight Point may be another option, but it seems to be feast or famine there when it comes to finding bears.

 

Love old towns with lots of history, don't mind touristy things if they are well done.

 

We have admittedly not done a lot of historical tours or museums in our Alaska travels, but there are lots of great options in pretty much every community. Skagway is great place to see and learn about the Alaska gold rush (which was really the Yukon gold rush), and Ketcikan's Creek Street is a neat place to see a bit of history and get some shopping in. Some don't like it (too campy/silly), but many really enjoy the Lumberjack Show in Ketchikan and think it's a lot of fun to see the skills exhibited while being fun/campy - all depnds on what suits your funny bone! It's just a few blocks from the cruise ship piers and isn't too long, so you can still do some other things. Saxman and Totem Bight are great options to see and learn about totem poles, both their history and the craft behind them. As the state capital, Juneau has nice learning opportunities as well, but I can't really speak to the specifics since we've spent most of our time whale watching or at Mendenhall Glacier.

 

We are active & fit enough to do most things & wanted to know where we can walk on a glacier but not have to fly onto one if possible? (too expensive for us)

 

Depending on how long you have in Seward, you can rent a car or take shuttle or taxi to Exit Glacier. After walking/hiking to Exit itself, you can go back, or continue on and hike into the Harding Icefield. Another thing we haven't done yet but would like to. There may be other options folks can offer up along your itenerary.

 

Basically coming from Australia we don't see much in the way of ice or snow (although we do have ski fields, just not glaciers etc), so we want to be on snow/ice as some stage.

 

Our first trip to Skagway we rented a car and drove into the Yukon. I will say is was the end of May, not August, but wehn we drove through the summit pass, there was roughly 7 feet of snow along the side of the road so that was pretty cool! Given the time of your trip, Exit Glacier may be your best bet to do that without paying to fly up on a glacier. One other option to consider would be to look at purchasing one of the two major Alaska coupon books (Tour Saver or Northern Lights) and seeing if there are any 2 for 1 Denali/Mt. McKinley flightseeing tours with a mid mountain glacier landing, or at least discounts. Those books might give you other ideas for things to do while saving you a bit of money in the process. You can look them up and see many of the offer that would come with the book before purchasing.

 

Thanks, any suggestions gratefully recieved.:)

 

Hopefully some of the above helped. If you have any other questions, please feel free to ask. If I don't know, someone else follwoing along or chekcing this thread out will likely/hopefully help offer some ideas/suggestions!

 

L.J.

Edited March 2, 2013 by WalleyeLJ

[Shazzah]

Yay, your photos are back!

 

I wanted to ask a couple of questions, since you are so helpful and knowledgeable.

 

We will be doing a 3 week cruising tour with Un-Cruise (aka Innerseas) on their 76 passenger boats starting May 18th. Technically, it is a B2B2B, or B3B cruise since it comprises 3 of their one week cruises. We have a couple days in a Juneau before the cruising starts, and then travel to Denali and a day in Anchorage.

 

After reading your review, I booked a Whale Watching Tour with Harv and Marv's (even though we will hopefully see plenty on the small ship travels). I think you said you used mostly your 7D with the 70-200mm f/2.8 lens for the whales - is this correct? I also have the 100-400mm and a 55-250mm that I could use, but I'm guessing the fixed 2.8 on the 70-200mm is a better option with the 7D?

 

I also have the SX50, but I think you said you used it mostly for video? In my limited practice with it so far, it's great for stationary subjects like sitting birds, but I haven't had much luck with action shots. I think I would be really happy with this camera, but it's hard to get used to the slower speed after shooting with a DSLR setup. Any hints?

 

And - one more. Can you describe some specific examples where you were able to use you Sigma 200-500mm lens? We are debating whether to bring along the Canon 500mm f/4 monster - my husband uses a 5DMII, and my "landscape" camera is 5DMIII. I'm just as happy to use the 7D for a closer view, but he prefers the 5Ds. We have had success with tripods on a ship before, but it can be hit or miss depending on the conditions,

 

Thanks for your help!

Edited March 2, 2013 by Shazzah

[WalleyeLJ]

Yay, your photos are back!

 

I wanted to ask a couple of questions, since you are so helpful and knowledgeable.

 

After reading your review, I booked a Whale Watching Tour with Harv and Marv's (even though we will hopefully see plenty on the small ship travels). I think you said you used mostly your 7D with the 70-200mm f/2.8 lens for the whales - is this correct? I also have the 100-400mm and a 55-250mm that I could use, but I'm guessing the fixed 2.8 on the 70-200mm is a better option with the 7D?

 

Well, the first time we went out with H&M, I used the 100-400 almost exclusively - but the water was pretty calm - 1 foot chop or less for the most part, so I could handhold the 100-400 fairly well in those conditions. I had a second camera ready for the times when I needed something wider than 100mm.

The two trips we went out last summer, the water, while not rough, was bigger, plus there was a very strong breeze/wind. So my 150-500, between distance and the f/5.6-f/6.3 at 400mm+,, just wasn't able to get good shots - too much motion fromt he boat, and way too hard to focus. I kept getting waves or the tree line behind rather than the whales. Switching to the 70-200, the field a of view was easier to work with, easier to hold, and I was able to shoot much faster shutter speeds. The nice thing with 18 megapixels was that while I hate doing it, I could crop a whole shot in and still have plenty of data if I needed to. It was better to do that and have a sharp photo to work with, rather than a frame filling but blurry shot. The fact the day was overcast didn't help the 150-500. If it had been a mostly sunny day, like our first trip to Juneau, I think it would have fared much better.

 

I also have the SX50, but I think you said you used it mostly for video? In my limited practice with it so far, it's great for stationary subjects like sitting birds, but I haven't had much luck with action shots. I think I would be really happy with this camera, but it's hard to get used to the slower speed after shooting with a DSLR setup. Any hints?

 

Not many, as the difficulties with moving objects - animals, birds, race cars - is one of the reasons I stepped up to a DSLR. Pre focusing helps, but of course is a gamble if you pick the wrong spot. Using the electronic view finder I think helps a lot more than trying to find subjects in the LCD screen and then shoot. Even though they have gotten much better over the years, the time to focus and shutter lag still eaves a camera like the SX50 behind DSLRs when it comes to focusing, tracking and shooting. The high speed burst in the CX50 is great, but it's only good for one second of shooting. As fast as a breach or tail roll is, it may take a bit longer than that 1 second. I used our SX40 primarily for landscape shots and indoors in low loight for conveinence. That said, the one night I took my 7D and 70-200 to shoot the stage show that night, the photos were much better than with the digicam.

 

And - one more. Can you describe some specific examples where you were able to use you Sigma 200-500mm lens? We are debating whether to bring along the Canon 500mm f/4 monster - my husband uses a 5DMII, and my "landscape" camera is 5DMIII. I'm just as happy to use the 7D for a closer view, but he prefers the 5Ds. We have had success with tripods on a ship before, but it can be hit or miss depending on the conditions,

 

Thanks for your help!

 

I was joking in the previous post about the other poster trying out the Sigma 200-500, but I do have the Sigma 150-500. I can only use it handheld on shore or in calm water on a sunny day. Otherwise, I need at least a monopod (the Katmai bear photos) or a tripod (brought it but didn't use it with the 150-500 on this trip) for a lens that big. I haven't been fortunate enough to use/have one of the 5Ds (let me know if you ever want to sell one!), but he'll really needs to decide if he can shoot that 500mm beast handheld well enough in what types of conditions. I know the 5Ds are much better about noise, so he can push the ISO if he needs to, plus the f/4 was 1-1.5 stops faster than I have on the Sigma. On the other hand, that 1.6x crop factor on the 7D sure comes in handy when shooting wildlife in Alaska! Having taken both to Alaska twice, I personally have found the monopod much more useful. The only way I think I could use a tripod in a small boat would be in calm water with a gimbal head. Otherwise, a monopod and image stablization works much better for me personally - or getting close enough for that 70-200 to works it's magic!

L.J.

[avalon007]

Thanks LJ for your orange answers to all my questions, I'm doing further research on your suggestions to see what will fit our schedule.

 

"This bit made me laugh - This trip will be at the start of a 6.5 week holiday (we SO have to move to Australia!) for us".

 

I must point out that I work for myself so can take holidays as I please & I even have to work whilst away at times (web & graphic designer).

 

We are being very greedy this year as we just came back from a 2 week cruise from Sydney to New Zealand on Voyager of the Seas.

 

So working super hard now (when not researching holidays!!) to save up enough to pay for the big trip!

 

Here in Australia the standard annual leave is 4 weeks per year plus many people who have been in a job for 10 years get long service leave which is 2 months then another month for every 5 years after that.

 

My sister who works for the police force in admin, also has flexi time where she works a little extra most days to save up extra days to have more time off, especially handy for those with children who have to cover school holidays & travellers.

 

I guess since Australia is so far away from many of the places we would like to visit it takes longer to get there etc so we need more time, so I think whoever instigated our annual leave entitlements back in the day must have been a traveller!!:D

[avalon007]

Hey Avalon,

 

We always have two non-DSLR cameras with us (one waterproof for snorkeling, or rainy conditions, and a compact camera with a long zoom), because sometimes believe it or not, I just don't want to carry all my gear:). Plus, I can't bring the big cameras in some places. The Canon Powershot SX500 IS looks like a pretty good choice. We had a Canon Powershot SX40 HS with us for this trip - it's what I used for almost all the interior ship and a lot of the show photos. Bev also used it to shoot all the video on the trip - 1080p with stereo. However, it already been discontinued.

 

So, my suggestion, even though it's a little more, is the Canon Powershot SX50 HS. It's advantages over the SX500 are - 50X zoom versus 30X, faster burst mode 13 frames per second versus 2.8, super fast 0.19 sec focusing (our SX40 was rated at 0.38 sec which I felt was fast for a compact), 1080p video vs 720p, and one of the biggest keys - a top ISO of 6400 for the SX50 vs 1600 for the SX500. Usually the highest ISO setting isn't very useable, so you're really looking at 3200 ISO vs 800 ISO, which can be very useful.

 

There are lots of good camera brands out there, but we pretty much stick to Canon and Olympus for all our camera needs. Good luck and have fun deciding!

 

L.J.

 

Continuing on from this post...........

 

I'm all excited as I purchased the Canon SX50 HS today!!!:D

 

I read lots of reviews on it as well as the Sony & also the Panasonic Lumix which seems to be a very nice camera, but the price was too steep for me considering my camera needs.

 

What sold me on the Canon in the end was the RAW & the good quality video as well as the zoom of course.

Also, I found a flickr site dedicated to images taken with that model Canon & was more than impressed with the images. Some amazing shots of the moon that look like what you see through a telescope. Also liked the High Def setting as I recreate this effect a bit in my web deisgn work & now I can just shoot the image this way from the get go.

 

 

So, haven't read any of the documentation yet on all the features but charged her up & popped outside before it got too late to try out the zoom, & captured some local kangaroos just using the AUTO setting & wanted to share the results (not Alaska I know, but relevant to the discussion).

 

Not a bad start, but once I really get to know the camera's setting I'm going to have some fun!

 

Pics reduced in size & attached.

 

First pic is wide angle of one of our alpaca paddocks, the kangaroo in the second shot was just on the other side of the fencline at the bottom of the hill about 260ft away approx. I took both just leaning on a fence post for stability at around 5.45pm late afternoon.

 

Pic 3 is one of the alpacas was taken with no post for stability etc & was around 100ft away.

 

Thanks again for advice & for suggesting the SX50, at least now when I post a CC review of our trip the pics will be worth showing - hopefully!

[Shazzah]

Thank you very much, L.J. Your reply was extremely helpful.

 

Oops - I remember now that that you have the Sigma 150-500 :o. And, as I was reviewing your photos (yet again), I see the monopod and large lens.

 

I'll let my husband decide if he wants to lug the 500 mm. Agree that a tripod is only useful onboard when it's relatively calm. We will have more times at anchor on the small ship, so it is a possibility. He's 6'5" - but even he won't handhold the 500mm. I'll suggest a monopod.

 

And, to avalon007 - congratulations on the SX50. It's a sweet camera in a nice, small package.

 

 

__________

Sharon

[WalleyeLJ]

Thanks LJ for your orange answers to all my questions, I'm doing further research on your suggestions to see what will fit our schedule.

 

"This bit made me laugh - This trip will be at the start of a 6.5 week holiday (we SO have to move to Australia!) for us".

 

Taking two weeks last year was a first for us, and likely the only trip that long for a while. Time off and travelling culture is much different in the U.S. - and not for the better. I think beyond the break formt he everyday and the natural recharge I find with travelling is the education. I think the more you travel and more you see of the world, the less provincial and close minded people are, which is good for all.

 

I must point out that I work for myself so can take holidays as I please & I even have to work whilst away at times (web & graphic designer).

 

We are being very greedy this year as we just came back from a 2 week cruise from Sydney to New Zealand on Voyager of the Seas.

 

How was that cruise? It's on my list of things to do before I can't some day...:)

 

So working super hard now (when not researching holidays!!) to save up enough to pay for the big trip!

 

Here in Australia the standard annual leave is 4 weeks per year plus many people who have been in a job for 10 years get long service leave which is 2 months then another month for every 5 years after that.

 

After I've been at my job 20 years, I'll get 4 or 5 weeks each year, and the ability to carry over 6-8 weeks from earlier years. If I ever leave I'll likely go back to 0-2 weeks to start.

 

My sister who works for the police force in admin, also has flexi time where she works a little extra most days to save up extra days to have more time off, especially handy for those with children who have to cover school holidays & travellers.

 

I guess since Australia is so far away from many of the places we would like to visit it takes longer to get there etc so we need more time, so I think whoever instigated our annual leave entitlements back in the day must have been a traveller!!:D

 

They were indeed a great man or woman and as you said no doubt a traveller!

 

 

L.J.

[WalleyeLJ]

 

First pic is wide angle of one of our alpaca paddocks, the kangaroo in the second shot was just on the other side of the fencline at the bottom of the hill about 260ft away approx. I took both just leaning on a fence post for stability at around 5.45pm late afternoon.

 

Pic 3 is one of the alpacas was taken with no post for stability etc & was around 100ft away.

 

Thanks again for advice & for suggesting the SX50, at least now when I post a CC review of our trip the pics will be worth showing - hopefully!

 

Great shots! I know its obvious for those of us that have never been there, but I hope someday to be able to get some shots of kangaroos in Australia. They were one of the most fascinating animals to ne as a kid, and I still think they're very cool! Enjoy the SX50!

L.J.

Edited March 3, 2013 by WalleyeLJ

[BecciBoo]

Becci....

 

We signed up for Harv and Marv Whale Watching in Juneau.

 

Sorry hijacking...again!

Debbie, hope you do some kind of review so I can see how you fared with H&M. I think you are doing Alaska this summer, right?

And LJ, I can't believe the close ups of the performers! Just awesome! Where were you sitting in the theater?

[WalleyeLJ]

Here's the first of the Cruise Compasses for the trip. I'll mix them in with other photos and the rest of the review.

 

 

 

Day 1 - Front

 

 

 

 

 

 

Day 1 - Inside Left

 

 

 

 

 

 

Day 1 - Inside Right

 

 

 

 

 

 

Day 1 - Back Cover

 

 

 

 

 

 

L.J.

[WalleyeLJ]

 

And LJ, I can't believe the close ups of the performers! Just awesome! Where were you sitting in the theater?

 

Becci,

We were sitting left aisle of the center section on the main theater floor, maybe 8-10 rows back.

L.J.

[WalleyeLJ]

Getting back to Giovanni's Table, here's another view of the GT dining area, the left side of the room, which was where we sat the night we were there.

 

 

 

 

 

 

As I headed back out to the Schooner Bar, a look at the GT menu...

 

 

 

 

 

 

Even though Chops Grille was closed, I did snap a couple more shots of the main entry

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Next stops: The Bombay Billiard Club, the Jakarta Lounge, Singapore Sling's and The Colony Club!

 

 

 

L.J.

[WalleyeLJ]

The Colony Club and the associated areas are a big part of the charm of Radiance for me, and RCI in general. While other areas are more modern and "fun", the decor in this part of the ship is richer - lots of dark woods and soft lighting. I think both in homage to the days of the British Colonial period the Far East, as well as the more upscale design of cruise ships decades ago - or at least the movie romantic in me thinks! While often busy at night (and during the day with bingo on occasion and other events on sea days), today it was deserted... which meant I could FINALLY get a chance to play pool/billiards in the Bombay Billiard room! The Bombay Billiard Room is a separate space before entering into the mina Colony Club itself, which has three parts.

 

 

 

The entrance to The Colony Club from the Schooner Bar...

 

 

 

 

 

 

The sitting lounge on the right side of the Bombay Billiard Room

 

 

 

 

 

 

For those of you unfamiliar with the Radiance class of ships, there are two billiard/pool tables in this room on Radiance class ships. You may wonder how one can play pool on a ship at sea, and the trick is that these are self leveling pool tables. In much the same way image stabilization works in cameras, these pool tables are able to keep the playing surface pretty level. I can't say I've ever seen how well they work in 15 foot seas, but most of the time there is a line to play, so I was happy today that I was all alone with a chance to play a bit! Here are a few views of the tables...

 

 

 

Table #1, with the entry back to the Schooner Bar in the upper left. Cues and other items are keep in the class cabinet along the wall.

 

 

 

 

 

 

A look at both tables, #2 in the foreground and #1 in the background. Just to the right edge of the picture it a nice window that looks out to the water with a couple of stools/chairs to watch the action either inside of out.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Racked up and ready to play on table #2, with the sitting area in the back.

 

 

 

 

 

 

A view from table #2 into The Colony Club itself...

 

 

 

 

 

 

L.J.

[WalleyeLJ]

Here are the pages of the Day 2 (first formal night), Hubbard Glacier Cruise Compass

 

 

 

Day 2 - Cover

 

 

 

 

 

 

Day 2 - Inside Page 2

 

 

 

 

 

 

Day 2 - Inside Page 3

 

 

 

 

 

 

Day - Back Cover

 

 

 

 

 

 

L.J.

[WalleyeLJ]

Having played a quick game of 8 ball (and beating myself like a drum!), I headed into the main part of The Colony Club itself. Here's a few shots of the main dance/event floor, on the right side of the room. This is where a lot of evening events occur, like karaoke, jazz night, and an RCI staple and can't miss for us each cruise - "The Quest"!

 

 

 

The main floor of the CC as we enter the room...

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Main Event...the chairs that line the edge are a great place to get a very comfortable front row view of the fun and festivities here.

 

 

 

 

 

 

View from the sound booth on the left side of the main floor. Singapore Sling's is the bar space of the outside seating area in the Colony Club, located just out of view camera left....

 

 

 

 

 

 

Right of the sound booth, at the back of the room on the outside edge of the ship, is the Jakarta Lounge. There is a beautiful bar located here, along with some comfortable seating to watch the shows and events from a center stage perspective, plus a couple of nice chess top tables for folks looking for a game on the high seas. The doorway back into the Bombay Billiard room is located in the upper right corner.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Working our way back out, on the right side of the main dance floor, beyond the first section seating is another sitting area set back a bit and tucked away. A great place for any 007 style meetings you may need to arrange while in Alaska!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

L.J.

[avalon007]

Hi LJ,

 

Couldn't agree more with this:

 

" The Colony Club and the associated areas are a big part of the charm of Radiance for me, and RCI in general. While other areas are more modern and "fun", the decor in this part of the ship is richer - lots of dark woods and soft lighting. I think both in homage to the days of the British Colonial period the Far East, as well as the more upscale design of cruise ships decades ago - or at least the movie romantic in me thinks! While often busy at night (and during the day with bingo on occasion and other events on sea days), today it was deserted... which meant I could FINALLY get a chance to play pool/billiards in the Bombay Billiard room! The Bombay Billiard Room is a separate space before entering into the mina Colony Club itself, which has three parts. "

I also find this area of Radiance very much reminiscent of the British Raj, have you have ever visited the famous Raffles Hotel in Singapore? It reminds of parts of that at times.

 

But I have a question concerning that area of the ship that hopefully you can answer for me if you or your family members are a non smokers?

I have tried to get a succesful answer to this in other threads, but alas the topic is somewhat prone to attracting negative unhelpful responses.

 

When Radiance sails for the 6 months out of Sydney every year, due to our strict smoking regulations there is zero smoking allowed indoors on the ship which is what we are used to. But I am aware that on US based cruises the rules are different & I respect that.

 

I was trying to find out though how smoky the Colony Club is at different times of the day/night due to the inevitable smoke drifting out of the smoking area, as I heard they allow smoking in the back area near the bar (not sure if it's one corner or the whole back area?). What I'm wanting to know is how the smoke drift from the area affects the rest of the Colony Club as I have a crap sinus system that likes to react badly to any smoke, especially since in our everyday lives we rarely encounter it, so if I can avoid known smoky areas onboard I'll have a more pleasant holiday. Thanks, hope you can help clarify this for me.:)

[avalon007]

Great shots! I know its obvious for those of us that have never been there, but I hope someday to be able to get some shots of kangaroos in Australia. They were one of the most fascinating animals to ne as a kid, and I still think they're very cool! Enjoy the SX50!

 

L.J.

 

 

Yes the Kangaroos are quite unique looking animals as are most of our marsupials.

 

We live in a rural area of the state of NSW & the mob of kangaroos that live on & next door to our property number on average about 15, with several little joeys in the group which you can see poking out from their mothers' pouches.

 

We also have Wombats & Echnidas as well as loads of bird life, lots of parrots like Cockatoos & the bright pink Galahs in flocks that number in the 100's at times.

 

We have a pair of breeding Wedge Tailed Eagles (ranked 3rd largest eagles in the world for wing span & body length) that nest in a neighbouring property every year, & we often see them training their young as they ride the thermals. I hope to use them as practice for getting to know my camera so I'm ready for the birds & other wildife in Alaska!

 

If you ever make it to Australia, I would highly recommend you viist the most southern island state of Tasmania if you want to be blown away by wildlife photography opportunities. Many tourists miss going there & it is an amazing unique pristine wilderness area.

[WalleyeLJ]

When Radiance sails for the 6 months out of Sydney every year, due to our strict smoking regulations there is zero smoking allowed indoors on the ship which is what we are used to. But I am aware that on US based cruises the rules are different & I respect that.

 

I was trying to find out though how smoky the Colony Club is at different times of the day/night due to the inevitable smoke drifting out of the smoking area, as I heard they allow smoking in the back area near the bar (not sure if it's one corner or the whole back area?). What I'm wanting to know is how the smoke drift from the area affects the rest of the Colony Club as I have a crap sinus system that likes to react badly to any smoke, especially since in our everyday lives we rarely encounter it, so if I can avoid known smoky areas onboard I'll have a more pleasant holiday. Thanks, hope you can help clarify this for me.:)

 

Wow - great questions Avalon. We are not smokers and do our best to avoid places that allow smoking whenever possible. Here's what I can tell you. The only place I personally remember smoking inside the ship is in the Casino Royale. The biggest outside smoking roblem was on the balcony. If a neighbor chooses to smoke out there and you're in the slipstream, it can be annoying. Out on deck I also don't remember it being too common. Definitely not in the main theater either. They may very well allow smoking in part of The Colony Club, , or some of the other bars around the ship, but I just don't remember it if they did. Hopefully that's a good sign for you:D!

L.J.

[WalleyeLJ]

Yes the Kangaroos are quite unique looking animals as are most of our marsupials.

 

We live in a rural area of the state of NSW & the mob of kangaroos that live on & next door to our property number on average about 15, with several little joeys in the group which you can see poking out from their mothers' pouches.

 

We also have Wombats & Echnidas as well as loads of bird life, lots of parrots like Cockatoos & the bright pink Galahs in flocks that number in the 100's at times.

 

We have a pair of breeding Wedge Tailed Eagles (ranked 3rd largest eagles in the world for wing span & body length) that nest in a neighbouring property every year, & we often see them training their young as they ride the thermals. I hope to use them as practice for getting to know my camera so I'm ready for the birds & other wildife in Alaska!

 

If you ever make it to Australia, I would highly recommend you viist the most southern island state of Tasmania if you want to be blown away by wildlife photography opportunities. Many tourists miss going there & it is an amazing unique pristine wilderness area.

 

The Wombats are very cute, and those Echnidas are crazy looking! I know there are many unusual species in Australia thanks to geographic isolation. My other favorite is the Platypus - I remember doing a report on them in grade school. It must be nice having thos eeagles so close by. We have a Raptor/Bird of Prey rehabilitation center near us, and I've had the chance to go for private photo session with our nature photography group and the eagles, hawks, falcons and owls are all so neat to see close up - but nothing like being able to see them in their natural environment!

As for Tasmania, how long does it take to get there, and how much time would you suggest? Like Alaska is for many folks, Australia will liklely be a one time visit if we are ever able to go!

L.J.

[avalon007]

Wow - great questions Avalon. We are not smokers and do our best to avoid places that allow smoking whenever possible. Here's what I can tell you. The only place I personally remember smoking inside the ship is in the Casino Royale. The biggest outside smoking roblem was on the balcony. If a neighbor chooses to smoke out there and you're in the slipstream, it can be annoying. Out on deck I also don't remember it being too common. Definitely not in the main theater either. They may very well allow smoking in part of The Colony Club, , or some of the other bars around the ship, but I just don't remember it if they did. Hopefully that's a good sign for you:D!

 

L.J.

 

 

Thanks for the assessment, it's good to hear that it may not be a big issue for me as I'm sure as a non smoker you would remember if it was unpleasant, like you do the casino.

 

I know what you mean about balconies, our first Radiance cruise had no issues at all, but our last Voyager cruise was a hump cabin that seemed to catch smoke, I had to not stay out on the balcony quite a bit as it was quite smoky at times.

 

Never had much of an issue outside as always stayed away from the starboard smoking side, easy to avoid that one.

[avalon007]

The Wombats are very cute, and those Echnidas are crazy looking! I know there are many unusual species in Australia thanks to geographic isolation. My other favorite is the Platypus - I remember doing a report on them in grade school. It must be nice having thos eeagles so close by. We have a Raptor/Bird of Prey rehabilitation center near us, and I've had the chance to go for private photo session with our nature photography group and the eagles, hawks, falcons and owls are all so neat to see close up - but nothing like being able to see them in their natural environment!

 

As for Tasmania, how long does it take to get there, and how much time would you suggest? Like Alaska is for many folks, Australia will liklely be a one time visit if we are ever able to go!

 

L.J.

 

The Platypus is somewhat elusive & since they live in streams & burrow into the banks they are not always easy to spot. But if you go on a wildlife tour that specifically lists them as one of the highlights then you are in with a good chance of seeing some.

 

I love owls as well, so much so I have created an owl design as my web/graphic design business mascot, the same one in my forum avatar. Sometimes I see them around & it's always when you don't expect it.

We have an unusual bird called the Tawny Frogmouth that often gets mistaken for an owl, until it opens it's mouth - as it makes the most unsual sounds!

 

Tasmania is about a 2 hour flight from Sydney, or you can go on the ferry from Melbourne overnight if you hire a car. Cape Grim in Tasmania is reported to have the cleanest air & water in the world & is considered to be one of the most pristine places left on earth.

 

RCCL also does cruises to Tasmania, but you would not have time to see the best bits.

 

You would need a week there to see the main spots & I suggest don't miss Cradle Mountain Lodge (or similar) which is located at the edge of the world heritage listed Cradle Mountain Lake, where in the evening whilst walking to the main lodge from your cabin you are accompanied by dozens of little wild animals on their way to the feeding area. I believe it is one of the only places in Tassie that you can see wild Tasmanian Devils coming in to feed.

 

Other highlights are The Franklin River near Strachan on the West coast, Freycinet on the East coast, the Cities of Launceston & Hobart.

The other top attraction not to miss is the at times eeire Port Arthur Penal Colony historic site, we did the night ghost tour & it was very worthwhile.

 

Sometimes at night in some parts of Tassie you have to drive at about 40kph (24mph) to avoid hitting the wildlife crossing the roads.

 

If you love wilderness & wildlife with a bit of history thrown in, then it's a really special place to visit.

 

I hope you manage to make it here some time, it's not that far really!:D