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

[WalleyeLJ]

Love the photos and review. We'll be in Alaska in July & can't wait. Thanks for all your tips

 

You're welcome - have a great time!!! We'd love to hear about your trip when you get back!

 

L.J.

[WalleyeLJ]

 

Bill has to keep reminding me not to get so far ahead of myself and enjoy this year's vacation first - we are off to Africa in 4 weeks time!

 

Thanks for the photos of Radiance as well - we are sailing her for Christmas this year, she looks like a beautiful ship.

 

Thank you again for a very entertaining evening!

 

WOW - Africa!?! That's definitely on our to do list - likely 2022:D. Radiance is our favorite ship - I'd love to do an extended trip on her someday. We'll be on her sister ship Jewel in October. Have a Merry Christmas!

 

L.J.

[WalleyeLJ]

What kind of Camera do you have?

 

marie,

 

I have a Canon 7D, a Canon 50D (those are my two primary cameras), and we used a Canon SX40HS (primarily for video) and a waterproof Olympus Stylus as well.

 

L.J.

[WalleyeLJ]

Best pictures I have ever seen on here!

 

Thank you - that's quite a compliment:o. There are a lot of great photographers here on CC. All I can say is that Alaska provides some wonderful opportunities for photos and memories:D.

 

L.J.

[WalleyeLJ]

Hey All,

 

I finally did it - I started the new thread recounting our first Alaska trip:

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?p=38376405&posted=1#post38376405

 

L.J.

[kjeanne2001]

Great review! When you did the whale watching did you do the same excursion both times or were they different. Loved the glaciers and scenery!

[WalleyeLJ]

Great review! When you did the whale watching did you do the same excursion both times or were they different. Loved the glaciers and scenery!

 

kjeanne,

 

In this case we did go back to the same place in the afternoon as we did in the morning. When we went in 2009, we went in a totally different direction. We have friends that were in Juneau this week (today's May 19th 2013) & were out with H&M three days ago and texted us live from the boat that they saw both Orcass & Humpbacks in numbers!

 

L.J.

[Linda the Book Lover]

Tell the Orcas and Humpbacks to stay around the DH and I will see them in less than two weeks!

Edited May 19, 2013 by Linda the Book Lover

[fireflymd]

WalleyeLJ, I just saw Discovery Channel's Great Bear Stakeout, and felt like jumping up and down because it looked like they were in the same place you were! I'm sure the area is huge, but I read they did film in Katmai National Park. They were even in an area where there were two huge logs on the ground and I thought perhaps this may have been where you guys were sitting. Have you seen this show yet?

 

I can't get over how many shows about Alaska are on cable now!

[dani negreanu]

Thank you, L.J., for taking the time to post and share. I especially enjoyed your sense of humour. Stumbled on your review (red it B2B...) while searching "Chops Grill"... Go figure...My "rationale" was to find out if this restaurant is any good, koz we thought how r we "skipping" the 2 formal nights;). Being from the Middle East, formal:confused: is not our middle name, more like sandals and shorts... No point in investing in suits and ties for just 2 evenings, and your posting the "Compass" (assuming is the same in all Radiance cruises) helped us deciding which days r "formal" - we'll go to Chops & Giovanni's. I wish u and Bev many many happy travels, and, if I may, pls. add Galapagos:) to your list... after Tasmania, of course. Dani[ela]

[WalleyeLJ]

WalleyeLJ, I just saw Discovery Channel's Great Bear Stakeout, and felt like jumping up and down because it looked like they were in the same place you were! I'm sure the area is huge, but I read they did film in Katmai National Park. They were even in an area where there were two huge logs on the ground and I thought perhaps this may have been where you guys were sitting. Have you seen this show yet?

 

I can't get over how many shows about Alaska are on cable now!

 

fireflymd,

 

I haven't seen that show. I tried to stop stalking them (Alaska tv shows) on cable until we get closer to our return:). That said, we will look for that show now! I wouldn't doubt they filmed in the Hallo Bay area. The day we were out there, there was a BBC videographer that was camping out there and filming on his own (our guide wasn't sure that was the best idea, but I'm guessing he was shooting for an extended period of time) for a BBC production on Brown Bears.

 

Mid-post update - I just looked at the Discovery Channel website for the show - and it was a BBC production!!! :D:D

 

L.J.

[WalleyeLJ]

Thank you, L.J., for taking the time to post and share. I especially enjoyed your sense of humour. Stumbled on your review (red it B2B...) while searching "Chops Grill"... Go figure...My "rationale" was to find out if this restaurant is any good, koz we thought how r we "skipping" the 2 formal nights;). Being from the Middle East, formal is not our middle name, more like sandals and shorts... No point in investing in suits and ties for just 2 evenings, and your posting the "Compass" (assuming is the same in all Radiance cruises) helped us deciding which days r "formal" - we'll go to Chops & Giovanni's. I wish u and Bev many many happy travels, and, if I may, pls. add Galapagos:) to your list... after Tasmania, of course. Dani[ela]

 

Dani,

 

I like your plan! I love cruising, but I'm not the biggest fan of dressing up and taking up suitcase room as you said for a few brief hours (although I do like ties - just not the shirts I have to wear them with!). Hopefully someone on one of this year's early cruises on Radiance will post a newer Cruise Compass, just in casse they switched things up.

 

As for the Galapagos - it's totally on our list. The only problem is money and time:D! Tasmania, Australia, New Zealand, Fiji, Africa (still haven't figured out exacatly when and where), Costa Rica, Venice, the Med, Egypt... I'll be 85 by the time I figure out how to get to all of them...:eek::o:).

 

L.J.

[crusinpsychRN]

I'm only up to page 27 after a day and a half. In between patients I'm reading...My absolute favorite is the series of pics of the eagle. Fantastic photography! Loving the entire review and your quips.

[WalleyeLJ]

I'm only up to page 27 after a day and a half. In between patients I'm reading...My absolute favorite is the series of pics of the eagle. Fantastic photography! Loving the entire review and your quips.

 

So did you make it to the end yet;)?

 

L.J.

[Krazy Kruizers]

What a wonderful review and great pictures.

Thank you

[WalleyeLJ]

What a wonderful review and great pictures.

 

Thank you

 

Thanks Krazy! How many Alsaka cruises have you been on. I assume at least a few since you're cruisin' your way through retirement...;).

 

L.J.

[irishgal432]

I am on page 9 and all I have to say is WOW. I will have to sit with my morning coffee to finish it up.

 

I am ready to go now, although I may just plan it for next year for my daughters graduation.

[WalleyeLJ]

I am on page 9 and all I have to say is WOW. I will have to sit with my morning coffee to finish it up.

 

I am ready to go now, although I may just plan it for next year for my daughters graduation.

 

Well, she would never forget what you did for her graduation that's for sure! Two best trips we ever taken:D. I'm glad you're enjoying the recap - if you have any questions, please let me know!

 

L.J.

[irishgal432]

Again, WOW ! I just finished.

 

A couple of questions

 

1. What were the mosquitos like? Were they any different between your May and July cruise? My DH is a mosquito magnet. lol

 

2. Why did you go back to Seattle to fly back to NC instead of Vancouver?

[WalleyeLJ]

Again, WOW ! I just finished.

 

A couple of questions

 

1. What were the mosquitos like? Were they any different between your May and July cruise? My DH is a mosquito magnet. lol

 

2. Why did you go back to Seattle to fly back to NC instead of Vancouver?

 

Irish,

 

1) We honestly hardly had any issues at all with bugs of any sort. We were worried about it with some of the sotires we'd heard about how bad those Alaska State birds (aka AK mosquitos if you haven't seen the postcards:D) can be, so we were pleasantly surprised.

 

2) We wanted to fly US Air or American back, but the flight schedules out of Vancouver were all too tight in our opinion to know we could clear the ship, make the airport and clear customs and make the flight. So the only way that would have comfortably flown out of Vancouver would have been to stay over Friday night and fly home on Saturday, with at least one connecting flight, which would have gotten us back to Charlotte late® Saturday night. By going down to Seattle, we were able to get a non-stop redeye back to Charlotte, which got us in at 6am Saturday and gave us closer to two days to recover before we had to drag ourselves back to work on Monday:(:). Oh, and it ended up cheaper!

 

L.J.

[silverfoxcruiser]

LJ -- Thank you SO much for the generosity, time, quality, and substance in your review! It was amazing! Outstanding! Our only cruise to Alaska was in 1996, and so much has changed -- busier streets, more people, more vendors, smaller glaciers:mad:. I have enjoyed immensely being immersed in your adventures, and have just finished it tonight. (Didn't discover it until about 2 weeks ago). I am now subscribed to your recap of your earlier cruise, and can't wait to be "involved" in your adventures once again. Thank you to Bev, for being so patient also! (I'm sure it's hard to be an "internet widow"! I truly appreciate your time and efforts. Silver

[Linda the Book Lover]

I still enjoy just looking at the photos over and over. :D

[jrose529]

Thank you L.J.! What amazing photo's and wonderful review you have shared with us! I just stumbled upon this a few days ago and finished it tonight. I recently booked an Alaskan cruise tour on HAL for the end of May 2014. We have 2 days in Anchorage, 2 days in Denali, the cruise southbound from Seward to Vancouver and an extra night in Vancouver. After reading your review and viewing your breathtaking pictures, I am beyond excited!

I adore taking pictures, but have trouble handling anything but a point and shoot due to an elbow problem. I have only used Canon P & S camera's, but DH bought me a Nikon S9500 22x optical zoom for our anniversary last week in anticipation of our trip. I hope I can get some wonderful shots next year! I can't wait!

Judy

[WalleyeLJ]

Thank you L.J.! What amazing photo's and wonderful review you have shared with us! I just stumbled upon this a few days ago and finished it tonight. I recently booked an Alaskan cruise tour on HAL for the end of May 2014. We have 2 days in Anchorage, 2 days in Denali, the cruise southbound from Seward to Vancouver and an extra night in Vancouver. After reading your review and viewing your breathtaking pictures, I am beyond excited!

 

I adore taking pictures, but have trouble handling anything but a point and shoot due to an elbow problem. I have only used Canon P & S camera's, but DH bought me a Nikon S9500 22x optical zoom for our anniversary last week in anticipation of our trip. I hope I can get some wonderful shots next year! I can't wait!

 

Judy

 

Thanks Judy - you'll have plenty of photo ops. Just follow the Boy Scout motto - always be prepared! Anticipation is half the battle - and fun!

 

L.J.

[goodycruising]

Thanks for all your work. I am going to head over to the other thread soon. It has taken me a couple of very enjoyable evenings to go through all your posts as I love reading all the details. The photos were just super.

 

We are big Radiance fans, and it gave me a bit of a jolt when we looked at your picture of café lattitudes and saw our girl from our March 2012 Perth to Sydney cruise still working there! (we were pretty sure it was the same one) Also the show with the piano man theme from the different singers and decades. We thoroughly enjoyed that show, and many others on Radiance, and it was a huge disappointment when we went on Voyager to find they felt a 3D movie was acceptable for evening show entertainment. I am one of a large number of people that feel sick on watching 3D movies. I have yet to feel seasick, though!

 

It has very much ignited the fires of wanting to go to Alaska, and we have even been discussing selling our small business, as with airfares, staff and the cruise costs it is just not worth the cost for only a week or two and we would like to do more things either side of the cruise, but that would only cost more! If we end up not getting there, I feel that reading your review had been a great substitute.

 

Thanks again to you and Bev.