Sea Trek II - The Wrath of Alaska

[Captain Carnival]

 



~ COMING SOON ~

 

Sea Trek II - The Wrath of Alaska

 

 



 

"Cruising: the Fantastic Frontier. These are the voyages of the Carnival Funship Miracle-Prise. Its 8-Day mission: to explore a strange new wilderness, to seek out new land & sea wildlife and old & cold frozen glaciers, to boldly go where no Man and Bride has gone before."

 

!!! Energize & Subscribe Now !!!

[jimbo5544]

Nice!

[K&P Luv2Cruise]

What a beautiful picture of my favourite Carnival Funship !!!

 

Love my Miracle.

[mj]

Nice Picture and definitely want to hear a review soon.

[golfadj]

cute

[Captain Carnival]

 



 

Thanks for the initial input and I shall be sitting down tomorrow to really begin to put together a chronological review together and post as much as I can each day. So if interested please subscribe and leave comments too!

 

Tomorrow: Just why Alaska?

[Captain Carnival]

When any of us begin the process of selecting our "next" cruise sometimes we are often drawn to a Caribbean destination exploring as much and as many of the tropical locations that we can. Sometimes it's sailing on another one of Carnival's Funships, and sometimes it's both. This time for my Bride and I our "next" cruise was selected over 30+ years ago when I began my career as a policeman and when I decided to pull the pin and retire we wanted to mark the occasion the very best way we could and that of course was on a cruise. Not just any cruise mind you but a once in a lifetime destination cruise that would close out and celebrate my lifetime long career.

 



 

 



I spent a lifetime wearing blue and although we both love the incredible blue waters of the Caribbean this time we opted to head north towards the blue ice filled glaciers that only Alaska could offer us. This cruise also offered us an opportunity to not only explore Alaska but sail upon and explore yet another Carnival Funship - the Carnival Miracle.

 

 



 

 

As some of you may recall I tend to choose airplane seat row numbers and stateroom numbers that have some relative significance such as row 30 when we flew to Venice Italy to sail on the Carnival Legend to celebrate our 30th Wedding Anniversary. On that sailing I selected stateroom 7243 as it contained all of the numbers of my NYPD shield number - 2374. This time was no different and as both Legend and Miracle are Spirit class ships it was just as logical and sentimental to select 7243 once again.

 

 

 

Carnival Legend Stateroom 7243

 

Carnival Miracle Stateroom 7243

 

 

So now you know some of the backstory as to "why Alaska" and next up we will be flying our way to Seattle and our Carnival Miracle!

 

~ Please Subscribe Today & Leave A Comment ~

Edited October 1, 2014 by Captain Carnival

[pe4all]

First off, congrats on your retirement and your service to the NYPD in keeping us safe! Loving the start of your review, and looking forward to re-living our cruise to Alaska with you!

[Namelocg]

Subscribing. After almost 50 cruises I still haven't made it to Alaska so I am sailing there vicariously through you. I will be on the Conquest in 11 days so i'll try to do a review of that ship when I get back.

[purplemusik]

:: popcorn out :: I'm ready!

[justbreezing]

An awesome start. Doing Alaska in 2015 so I'll be waiting for your adventure-bring it on

[Captain Carnival]

The day before we sailed my Bride and I winged our way from Tampa Bay to Seattle (including a brief layover in Chicago) aboard American Airlines and this time there were no “row 30” surprises …EXCEPT… apparently American Airlines has no what I would call the “double secret baggage fee” well hidden from unsuspecting travelers that now requires you to pay $25 bucks per checked bag! So now aside from the “expected” high airfare to Seattle and back now we had to pay an additional $100 bucks for my check baggage to fly roundtrip; thankfully each was under 50 pounds each or that would have been even more $$$!

 



 

And we’re off to Alaska in row 22 this time!

 

 

However once onboard we found our way to our seats in row 22 (they didn’t have row 33 LOL) we took off shortly after 8AM and after a brief layover in Chicago landed in Seattle at 1:35 PM (local time). We used Shuttle Express from SeaTac to our downtown area hotel – The Holiday Inn Express (HIE) and checked into our stateroom cabin…err…I mean our room that overlooked the area of the Space Needle.

 



 

Our view of the Space Needle from our HIE room.

 

 

It’s A Small World After All!!

 

Not long afterwards we got ourselves together to go out and explore Seattle with the time we had remaining and low and behold we met two of our fellow M&M’s from our Mediterranean Cruise – Angie & Greg who we had the great pleasure exploring many Italian cities via the Rome (in a) Limo touring company. Since that time we had continued to correspond with one another eventually teaming up again for our dual Alaskan adventures including many excursions.

 



 

Fellow M&M’s Angie & Greg in the MDR (aka: The Grape Room).

 

 

I didn’t know it at the time but our mutual fate, perhaps even karmatic destiny, continued even further when we discovered that we were assigned to the same table (240) in the MDR allowing us to rekindle the same “Funship Friendship” that was sparked while aboard the Carnival Legend.

 

 



 

The very “grapey" view from table 240.

 

 

We walked over to the area of the Space Needle only to find that things were closing down for a sponsored event so we too the monorail shuttle over towards the area of Pikes Market and walked around for a bit. Due to the later hour things here too seemed to be winding down and not a flying fish was seen hurling about but there was a rather large abundance of sea and other wildlife to behold nevertheless.

 



 



 

A Monk Fish & Gold Pig (the one with the snout!)

 

 

We returned to the HIE and ate dinner at the hotel restaurant before eventually collapsing into bed and literally and figuratively waiting for our ship to come in…that being our Carnival Miracle!

 

Next Up – We’re Off To Alaska (and I forgot my boots!)

[navybaby1113]

Looking forward to your great review!

 

I would love to hear what you thought of your cabin. That was one I was debating on, but decided against it because I thought the elevators would be too noisy.

[lovermonkey]

Khannnnnnnnnoli! Was trying to do the whole Khan thing. I know, I wouldn't quit my day job.:)

[pirate4me2]

Great review so far, can't wait to read more!

[Captain Carnival]

First off, congrats on your retirement and your service to the NYPD in keeping us safe! Loving the start of your review, and looking forward to re-living our cruise to Alaska with you!

 

Thanks! I started my career in NY for nearly 10 years and continued for another 23 years here at a local PD here in the Tampa Bay area.

 

 

 

Subscribing. After almost 50 cruises I still haven't made it to Alaska so I am sailing there vicariously through you. I will be on the Conquest in 11 days so i'll try to do a review of that ship when I get back.

 

Thanks for the look ahead on CONQUEST as we are sailing on her in 6-months!

[purplemusik]

I can't wait....love it so far

[Captain Carnival]

We’re Off To Alaska (and I forgot my boots!)

 

I really didn’t forget my/our boots however that was something we used to say to the kids when they were younger just as a way of getting them in the car: “Come on guy’s it’s a long way to Alaska” and they would reply “And we forgot our boots.” Never did we think all those years ago that we would actually go to Alaska but rest assured we did in fact bring our boots!

 



 

Our Boots Reporting For Snoozing Duty!

 

It’s 0800 hours and our Ship has indeed come in! We ate breakfast at the HIE breakfast bar area, closed up our baggage and headed for the lobby around 10AM where we (along with Angie & Greg) were taken to pier 91 in Lincoln Town Cars in a 10 minute trip. Once there our baggage was handed off to porters and we made our way inside and received our Sail and Sign cards and hung out in the waiting area for around 30 minutes until embarkation began.

 



 

Welcome aboard your Carnival Miracle (except for the grumpy cat photo bomber girl)!

 

Once aboard we went directly to our stateroom and “Miraculously” found our luggage already waiting for us. After bring it inside we headed for the Lido Deck and Horatio’s for lunch

 



 

 

Does this count as lunch?

 

 

After that we headed back to our stateroom that was now filled with Bon Voyage decorations (courtesy of our youngest son Kevin and his Wife Rachel), unpacked and hung out for a while until it was time for the muster drill and sail away. For some odd reason the traditional sail away party never took place, or if it did it was ever announced.

 



 



 

That kind of reminds me of a related subject and that was our cruise director Troy Linton who for the most part was more like a ghost and other than appearing for some pre-show activities in the “phantom theater” he himself was more like a phantom or a spectre of the ship.

 

Troy only joined the ship for the last Alaskan sailing as John Heald got off the ship as we were getting on. In fact he made one comment saying that “John Heald stole my ship because as the Senior Cruise Director he can do whatever he wants.” Sounds like sour grapes to me and that he (Troy) basically was phoning in his role as the CD until “his” Hawaii sailings began. Don’t get me wrong, Troy was OK on stage, but that’s the only place that I ever saw and heard him.

 

Here is a photo of Troy ----> Never mind, he was never available for one!

 

Nevertheless, although John had officially debarked the ship earlier that morning he graciously sent us a gift of champagne, chocolate covered strawberries, a 24-karat gold (plastic) ship-on-a-stick along with his card. Even though John had left the ship, his spirit certainly remained on board in stark contrast of our ghost-like CD Troy of never really materialized at all.

 



 

Thanks John – You Are A Class Act Sir!!

 

Up Next: Fun Day At Sea #1

[Captain Carnival]

Looking forward to your great review!

 

I would love to hear what you thought of your cabin. That was one I was debating on, but decided against it because I thought the elevators would be too noisy.

 

Elevator noise was an initial concern for me as well last year on LEGEND however it turned out that not only was there no elevator noise whatsoever but you were just a few steps from the central elevators that took you straight up to Horatio's to eat or the Atrium bar.

 

 

 

Khannnnnnnnnoli! Was trying to do the whole Khan thing. I know, I wouldn't quit my day job.:)

 

 

 

It's a good thing (for us) that Jim Kirk was Captain of a Federation Starship rather than a Carnival Funship!

[andy.capitan]

Enjoying it and we were on the cruise!

 

I did see Troy several times but wasn't that interested. I did get some pictures of him, but, ... never mind.

 

John also showered us with gifts. :)

[nybumpkin]

I'm enjoying your review - thanks for posting. We did the Alaska cruise on Miracle in July and loved it. It's just such a different experience than a Caribbean cruise.

[najnelle]

We were on this cruise with you too. Don't know if I ever saw you . . .

 

Looking forward to the rest of your review.

[momof3cruisers]

Very fun style. Just a note though--Benedict Cumberbatch makes for a much more attractive Kahn. Looking forward to more!

[kybluecruiser]

Thanks so much for the review. Already loving it. Also thank you for your service.

[Captain Carnival]

We were on this cruise with you too. Don't know if I ever saw you . . .

 

Looking forward to the rest of your review.

 

 

Perhaps you seen the hat then...?

 



 

Very fun style. Just a note though--Benedict Cumberbatch makes for a much more attractive Kahn. Looking forward to more!

 

 



 

Genuine Khan speaking about Faux Khan: He tasks me. He tasks me, and I shall have him. I'll chase him round the Moons of Nibia and round the Antares Maelstrom and round Perdition's flames before I give him up!