Review - a month in Alaska with a B2B on Celebrity Millennium

[BrusselsGirl07]

I'm loving this, too. I cannot wait to go in May :)

 

Hi April7901, I hope you have a fantastic trip in May! It will be here before you know it. Yvette

[rostbp]

My husband and I also are enjoying your daily reviews. We look forward to them every morning and will hate to see them end. I will definitely be referring to them often as we plan a trip on a cruise tour on HAL that includes the Yukon. I agree with others that this is the best Alaska review ever. Bonnie and Bill

[BrusselsGirl07]

Thanks Bonnie and Bill! The last few updates will happen tonight after work. My sister was visiting the past few days so I have been a bit busy. I am glad you have enjoyed the review. Yvette

[BrusselsGirl07]

Thursday 7 August - It was our last day on the ship and our second visit to Hubbard Glacier. This time instead of an afternoon arrival, we had an early morning arrival at 7.30am.

 

We went up to the Cosmos Lounge early and it was packed! We managed to claim two seats down the side, and just watched the passing scenery as we came closer to the glacier. It was very similar conditions to the week before, maybe a little foggier, and again we came within half a mile of the glacier. The naturalist said this was the second time the ship had come within half a mile of the glacier, and the first time was the previous week! So we were lucky that on our consecutive cruises we got as close as it is possible to get.

 

It was very cold outside again, but we did not spend as much time out there as the previous week. I tried some of the pea and ham soup and warm pretzels they were handing out, and they were delicious!

 

 

 

 

 

 

[BrusselsGirl07]

 

 

 

 

 

[BrusselsGirl07]

Hubbard Glacier really is beautiful, I was very sad as we left the glacier knowing our adventure was coming to an end!

 

 

 

[BrusselsGirl07]

We spent the rest of the day relaxing and also completing the sad task of packing. The Captain’s Club celebration was at 1.30pm and had a casual dress code. We went along to say goodbye to some of our favourite bar staff and the friends we had made that week.

 

That night we went to our last Captain’s Club Cocktail Hour and then to dinner in the main dining room. The menu tonight was the Top Chef inspired menu. At first, nothing on the menu appealed to me, but after talking about the items with our waiter, I found the menu more appealing.

 

The standout were the two desserts I had that night, in my opinion probably the best desserts on the cruise! One was from the normal menu and was a chocolate molten lava cake, and the other was from the top chef menu and was a strawberries and cream concoction with some kind of meringue shards. Our waiter assured me both were small, and I am so glad I ordered both as they were so delicious!!!

 

After dinner we finished packing and had our bags out by 11pm as directed.

 

 

 

[BrusselsGirl07]

Friday 8 August - We woke up to a rainy, wet day in Seward, so different from the bright sunny day from 2 weeks before! We had asked for a 7am departure, as our Alaska Cruise Transportation Big Bus (ACT Big Bus) from Seward to Anchorage left at 8am. http://alaskacruisetransfer.com/shuttle-transfer-options/seward-to-anchorage-narrated-direct-shuttle-transfer/

 

We put our sea pass cards through the machine and heard the last sad ding, then we were outside in there rain. We ran across to the big white tent where all of the luggage was and claimed our two pieces. We found the bus representative and were told which bus to go to. We ran across the car park in the rain and the bus rep put our luggage on the bus, marked us off, and we claimed two seats right at the front. I am so glad we came out early, especially in the pouring rain, as later on there were people standing out getting soaked while they waited to have their luggage loaded.

 

Besides the driver, we also had a narrator on the bus. As we had already driven from Anchorage to Seward, we had heard most of the things she said but it was still interesting. As we got closer to Anchorage the weather cleared slightly, so it was not raining when our luggage was unloaded.

 

The Anchorage Airport is really nice! We had flown in here the month before but had only seen the baggage claim area. We checked our luggage all the way through to Honolulu, and then went and had a look around some of the shops. I bought some really cool Moose and Otter Pyjamas. Bill of course managed to find a brewery - the Silver Gulch Brewing and Bottling Co. Bill went in to try some of the beers and I continued looking around the shops. We had lunch at the brewery. We both ordered a pizza and it was really delicious!

 

Our flight from Anchorage to Seattle to Honolulu departed at 2.25pm and we arrived in Honolulu at 10.30pm. We were staying overnight at the Airport Honolulu Hotel. While we waited to collect our bags, I called the hotel from the courtesy phone in the baggage collection area and they were there to get us within 10 minutes. At the hotel, they had all of our paperwork ready, so we were up in our room really quickly. A quick shower and we fell into bed for a good night’s sleep.

 

Saturday 9 August - The hotel was great for one night - it had a free shuttle to and from the airport, free and fast wifi, and our room was very clean and comfortable. We had breakfast in the restaurant downstairs which was quite good, and then headed back to the airport. Our flight from Honolulu to Sydney with Hawaiian Airlines departed at 11.50am.

 

Sunday 10 August - Our flight arrived in Sydney at 7.20pm the next night!! It was too late to catch the last flight to Canberra and we did not want to stay another night in a hotel, so we collected our bags and then caught the bus from Sydney to Canberra which departed Sydney International Airport at 9.15pm and arrived in Canberra on…….

 

Monday 11 August - ....at 12.15am! I think I slept most of the way. We took a taxi home and after greeting our two cats (who purred their heads off and where obviously happy to have us home), we showered and went to bed and slept like babies.

 

And that was the end of our adventure! Bill got up and went to work the next morning as he had a group of new staff starting that day. I took the Monday and Tuesday off and went back to work on the Wednesday.

 

I hope everyone who has read my review has enjoyed the story and photos. Alaska will certainly be a repeat trip for us, it was just so beautiful.

 

Happy sailings to everyone and maybe we will meet you all onboard another cruise! Yvette (and Bill)

 

[AryMay]

Bravo, bravo! What a wonderful review...but I am sad that it is over! Such an amazing trip you had!

 

Thank you so much for all of the time you put into this...and thanks for not giving up part way through. :)

 

Just curious. Did you do reviews for any of your other reviews? I would love to hear about your Panama Canal cruise on the Infinity!

Edited September 24, 2014 by AryMay

[QARandy]

Once again I want to thank you for such a wonderful report. The memories you have brought back and new info for our trip next year are great. The photos and links to places visited are helpful.

Again,

Thank you

Randy

[mapleleaves]

Fantastic review and photos! Thanks so much for sharing your adventures with us. So well done.

 

Please link it to the 2014TRIP REPORT list above incl the stops on your land/cruise itinerary; it will be a wonderful resource for future travellers.

 

 

p.s. idle curiousity .... is your profession linked to writing or photography? Bills?

[j&bcruzing]

I have followed your wonderful review from the very beginning. It what great to read and see the beautiful pictures. My family and I are going next June 2015 on NCL. This will most of the family's third trip to Alaska but our first time doing a SB cruise. It leaves out of Seward and ends in Vancouver. I will definitely miss checking in each day to read your review and check out your pictures. Thanks for a great review.

[Busman723]

Yvette

I want to thank you for a first class review of our cruise together.

Even though we did not get to meet, I feel like we did, and I will always call you and Bill friends.

Where is your next adventure? Our is to Germany, Austria, and Switzerland next June. It is our 50th anniversary. Then in 2016 we plan to visit your great county.

Until next time, be safe and healthy.

Ben & Cheryl Biddle

[CruiseVivaLady]

This is so amazing! Thank you for sharing:)

Edited September 24, 2014 by CruiseVivaLady
posted to wrong place

[CruiseVivaLady]

 

My summer fruits pie from 220 Parks Way - delicious!

 

After dinner we headed to our accommodations for the next two nights, the Alaska Spruce Cabins in Healy. We had side by side cabins and they were great, very cosy and warm, with a kitchen and bathroom in each. The beds were very comfortable and there were quirky little wood carvings of animals on the windowsills and door frames. They provided a coffee percolator and ground coffee packets as well. http://www.aksprucecabins.com

 

 

The view from the cabins was really nice and it was very quiet and peaceful.

 

 

Inside the cabins:

 

 

 

Nancy and Rod had introduced us to a dice game called Farkle, and we had managed to find the game in a shop in Anchorage with Moose on the dice. We spent a fun evening talking and playing Farkle before heading to bed ahead of our 4.30am wake up call the next morning.

 

Where did you book the rooms?

[Barwick Cruiser]

Wow wow wow!! I have been enjoying your review and especially the amazing pics throughout your wonderful holiday...what am I supposed to do now?? Haha, so glad you had a great time and that you shared with all of us...it's really appreciated, especially when it's as well done as yours has been! Can't wait until your next trip so I can follow along again!! Going back to work is going to seem really tough for both of you I imagine!!

Cathy

[CruiseVivaLady]

Hi Cathy - yes, the story will continue as we head back up to Seward and Anchorage. Thanks for your kinds words. The photos are a mix of iPhone photos and photos taken with Canon cameras and different lenses. I just got a new iPhone 6 Plus today, so am really excited to try out the camera, it is meant to be very good!

 

I have Canon as well. Which lenses did you take with you? Did you have a point & shoot? Thanks:cool:

Edited September 24, 2014 by CruiseVivaLady

[Cassicruiser]

Absolutely wonderful review Yvette!

 

Just a quick question - on your second Hubbard Glacier day, you are wearing a Kathmandu jacket with what looks like a waterproof hood? What kind of jacket was it, was it a rain jacket or a waterproof fleece jacket? I will need to get something similar for my trip if it's what I'm thinking of...probably also from Kathmandu or similar.

[BrusselsGirl07]

Bravo, bravo! What a wonderful review...but I am sad that it is over! Such an amazing trip you had!

 

Thank you so much for all of the time you put into this...and thanks for not giving up part way through. :)

 

Just curious. Did you do reviews for any of your other reviews? I would love to hear about your Panama Canal cruise on the Infinity!

 

Thank you AryMay, we had a wonderful trip! It was a lot of work, and I thought about giving up halfway, but the comments from lovely people like you kept me going till the end!

 

This is the first review I have done like this. But if you give me your email address I can send you the link to the shutterfly album that I did.

[BrusselsGirl07]

Once again I want to thank you for such a wonderful report. The memories you have brought back and new info for our trip next year are great. The photos and links to places visited are helpful.

Again,

Thank you

Randy

 

Thanks Randy! I am glad I have helped with your trip next year. I can't wait to go back again! Yvette

[BrusselsGirl07]

Fantastic review and photos! Thanks so much for sharing your adventures with us. So well done.

 

Please link it to the 2014TRIP REPORT list above incl the stops on your land/cruise itinerary; it will be a wonderful resource for future travellers.

 

 

p.s. idle curiousity .... is your profession linked to writing or photography? Bills?

 

Hi Mapleleaves, I am so glad you enjoyed the review and photos. I will add the review to the link, thanks for reminding me.

 

No, we are not writers are photographers. We both sit in an office all year apart from when we are going on vacations! We do both enjoy photography, although have no formal training. I love to take scenery and landscapes and Bill loves trying to take close ups. But he needs to master his biggest lens as a lot of his shots came out blurry unless the subject was totally still.

[BrusselsGirl07]

I have followed your wonderful review from the very beginning. It what great to read and see the beautiful pictures. My family and I are going next June 2015 on NCL. This will most of the family's third trip to Alaska but our first time doing a SB cruise. It leaves out of Seward and ends in Vancouver. I will definitely miss checking in each day to read your review and check out your pictures. Thanks for a great review.

 

Thanks j&bcruzing. You are lucky to get to Alaska so often! I think we preferred the Seward to Vancouver trip on our adventure as the times in the ports where much longer and this just seemed to unfold in the right order for us from very impressive to most spectacular! I hope you have an amazing 4th trip!

[BrusselsGirl07]

Yvette

I want to thank you for a first class review of our cruise together.

Even though we did not get to meet, I feel like we did, and I will always call you and Bill friends.

Where is your next adventure? Our is to Germany, Austria, and Switzerland next June. It is our 50th anniversary. Then in 2016 we plan to visit your great county.

Until next time, be safe and healthy.

Ben & Cheryl Biddle

 

Hi Ben and Cheryl, you are so sweet! We are trying to decide where our next adventure will be. This year was Alaska, last year was a month in incredible Africa, and the year before was the Caribbean where we had a ball! I think 2015 will take us back to Europe again, but not sure where yet. I know we are going back to the Galapagos in 2016 and combining that with our own travels to Macchu Picchu.

 

Leave me your email and I will respond, and maybe I can help with your trip to Australia in 2016.

 

Yvette

[BrusselsGirl07]

This is so amazing! Thank you for sharing:)

 

Hi there, glad you enjoyed the review, CruiseVivaLady!

 

We booked the Alaska Spruce Cabins directly through their website. We emailed, but you could also phone:

 

http://www.aksprucecabins.com

 

Yvette

[BrusselsGirl07]

Wow wow wow!! I have been enjoying your review and especially the amazing pics throughout your wonderful holiday...what am I supposed to do now?? Haha, so glad you had a great time and that you shared with all of us...it's really appreciated, especially when it's as well done as yours has been! Can't wait until your next trip so I can follow along again!! Going back to work is going to seem really tough for both of you I imagine!!

Cathy

 

Hi Cathy, hopefully some other reviews will come along for you to read! I am so glad that you enjoyed mine so much. Going back to work is always tough, but we are back in the swing of things now. Looking forward to Christmas when we are sailing on the Solstice from Sydney to Auckland. Really looking forward to that one, and we are celebrating our 20th anniversary on board on NYE!