Star Princess North to Alaska! Sept 10 2016

[G&Gcruisers]

Another Princess ship with pretty elevators.

 

No pictures of the whales that Carol saw?

Margie

[Bimmer09]

Another Princess ship with pretty elevators.

 

No pictures of the whales that Carol saw?

Margie

 

No Margie-for a couple of reasons; there was a 3 deep crowd at the bow and her pocket camera doesn't have a powerful zoom. I've taken whale pics with a similar camera and the best I got was a tail in the air, tiny in the frame. A 400mm on a tripod would have helped her. There's a lens for every occasion!

 

I saw 2 whales (tails) from the stern with a 200mm lens but they were gone before I could frame them in the viewfinder and in failing light a fast shutter speed wasn't possible.

 

Norris

[Bimmer09]

I'm enjoying the pictures you took of the ship. We leave on Saturday to join the Star in Vancouver for 17 days. :)

 

You will enjoy the ship and that excellent Captain. She is in great shape-rust here and there, needs a dry dock, but the interior rooms are immaculate.

 

Bon Voyage and come back here when you return and let us all know how you enjoyed your trip!

 

Norris

[deliver42]

Fantastic pics Norris. I love your reviews.

[Bimmer09]

Fantastic pics Norris. I love your reviews.

 

Thank you!

 

The next batch will be shots of our Juneau docking (with mists!) followed by the Dog Sled excursion in photos and Go Pro video followed by the Mt Roberts Tramway ride.

 

I am off to work so those won't begin to appear until 6 pm today.

 

I have the weekend off so there will be a lot more then.

 

Cheers!

 

Norris

[hockeyguru32]

Thank you!

 

The next batch will be shots of our Juneau docking (with mists!) followed by the Dog Sled excursion in photos and Go Pro video followed by the Mt Roberts Tramway ride.

 

I am off to work so those won't begin to appear until 6 pm today.

 

I have the weekend off so there will be a lot more then.

 

Cheers!

 

Norris

 

Rum is put away until 6pm

[CruzinNoony]

You will enjoy the ship and that excellent Captain. She is in great shape-rust here and there, needs a dry dock, but the interior rooms are immaculate.

 

Bon Voyage and come back here when you return and let us all know how you enjoyed your trip!

 

Norris

 

Norris, please remind me who the captain is.:rolleyes:

[jsm4730]

Norris, Your reviews are the best I have seen on Cruise Critic. I love your wit and your fabulous photographs. We are cruising on the Star to Hawaii later this month and I am thrilled to see that she is looking so good. We have also enjoyed two cruises to Alaska, one including the Princess cruisetour, and I know that when Carol and you can take the time to do that you will be in heaven.

 

Janet

[Bubba54]

Hi Bubba-when you say the eagle show is unbelievable you mean they come close to the boat because of the catch aboard? Or is there a banjo-playing eagle among the crew? (I'm a sucker for the happy sound of the banjo)

 

If so you have just got Carol's attention and it will be added to the excursion list for our next Alaskan cruise, whenever that might be.

 

We only have one cruise booked at the minute-on Celebrity Reflection in January and beyond that our only long range commitment is a week in San Francisco in June 2018 to see Wagner's Ring Cycle (4 linked operas). We bought the tickets today, almost two years out as it will sell out.

 

We've done 3 Alaskan cruises in 5 years so we are likely to be back before too long.

 

Thanks for such a ringing endorsement of the A.B.

 

I'm a big Deadliest Catch fan since Day One and the Northwestern is my favorite boat/crew.

 

Norris

I have tried to post a pic but i guess I'm just not smart enough. Without ruining the surprise as to how they do it. We have seen as many as 35 to 50 Eagles around the boat. We seen this many in May/June. At one point i just put the camera away and watch. I was on the upper deck taking pictures on one trip and one came over and i swear it almost took my hat off.:eek:

[LisaNorthseadreamer]

Hi Norris!

Just popping in to say thanks for the great review. :-)

 

We are not really able to take a holiday right now (not by choice; multitude of reasons we can't change at the moment) but your wonderful descriptions and pictures make up for it! I appreciate them and your hard work tremendously, reading your tales is instant relaxation (and giggles) for me. Love the food pics, nature pics, ship pics. Hell, you could take a doorknob pic and it would probably still look really interesting to me, hehehe.

 

It also helps that you & Carol seem like a really nice couple. Sometimes I read a review and even though the photography and such may be nice, I just know that I wouldn't want to actually take a trip with the person writing it. No judgement, just different type of tastes and ideas of what is fun, type of conversations and things like that. With you guys, I always feel like my husband and I would be totally fine with sitting down next to you & having a nice chat.

 

I recently had to take a trip to Vienna for work and actually searched for entries about it on your blog, hahaha. I remembered seeing you talk about that city there.

You took better pictures then me! :-D

[no_wake]

Hi Norris, Thank you for sharing your talents with all of us! Your photo reviews have set the bar high here at Cruise Critic and should be required reading before embarkation to ensure maximum enjoyment and appreciation for their voyage! Cheers!

 

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G920A using Forums mobile app

[Bimmer09]

Norris, please remind me who the captain is.:rolleyes:

 

Michele Tuvo but there may be three of him as he is all over the ship saying hello and talking to people.

 

Over the PA he is very informative, tells you where we are, what to look out for, what's up ahead and when we'll get there. He ends every speech with a rapid "bye bye" which he does in a high-pitched voice and the passengers mimic him and chuckle.

 

Every morning just after 9 a.m he does his rounds of the Portofino MDR and waves or smiles or stops to talk to each table.

 

He is like Dino Sagani and John Foster, Nick Nash, the smiling faces of the Princess Brand, always walking the ship. All witty and Personable.

 

I hadn't heard another Captain laying on hot chocolate and cookies on 4 decks for the crew when in Glacier Bay and encouraging them to come take a look.

 

I'd say he runs a happy ship.

 

Norris

[Bimmer09]

Rum is put away until 6pm

 

Please check your watch...

 

Norris

 

[Bimmer09]

 

There follows a number of good reasons, expressed in photos, why it's good to be up and awake early. It may impact me many hours later, when I crave a comfortable bed (alas not happening in our mini-suite as Carol got under the bed to inspect it and described it as a Military cot- but Princess is rolling out new beds to the fleet as we speak).

 

I have to be up early to see the town that has been sleeping while we approached in the dark. I want to see the street lights on.

 

We are on a floating hotel with a great kitchen and a bunch of entertainers on board and when I wake up each morning I am not where I was the day before.

The view changes each day. Who could get bored?

 

I am coming into a port that can only be reached by sea or by air. There is 37 miles of road but it is a dead end and then you turn around again. Not great for me as I like long drives and I love Autobahns (one reason why I love Germany but there are so many).

 

Blue skies would be nice-but the mists make for more interesting photos for me.

 

 

 

 

 

[Bimmer09]

 

 

 

Downtown Juneau

 

 

We're headed towards those familiar white oil tanks

 

 

I'm right at the bow of the ship as we spin 180 degrees to face away from the town

 

[Bimmer09]

 

 

 

 

 

Mt. Roberts Tramway is seen in the center of the shot above

 

Lines have been thrown ashore and men (not forklifts like in Ketchikan) are pulling on the massive morning ropes.

 

[G&T Cruisers]

I just wanted to say how much we enjoy the videos and pictures from this trip and all your previous trips.We are planning a Alaska cruise in July of 2017 and watching these videos is making it seem more real.

Love the videos from San Juan and the segway tour.

Thank you for the amount of effort that you put into your videos we can see how much you enjoy these trips.

[CruzinNoony]

Thanks Norris for the captain info. Beautiful photos of Juneau!:)

[Bimmer09]

Amazing sky

 

 

So the ship is safely tied to the dock, my work is done so now my thoughts turn to breakfast #2 as it's almost 3 hours since I last ate. As usual I will meet Carol by the doors of Portofino at 8.55 a.m.

 

While I am walking there you have time to watch a video of the docking.

 

It's longer than it needs to be and it is something that only a ship docking nerd would find riveting. But it is for the people who were asleep and suddenly woke up to find themselves in Juneau.

 

Is it my favorite movie of 2016? No that would be The Lobster (rent it if you have a dry sense of humor)

 

Today in Juneau we have all the time in the world before our first commitment - a Dog Sled ride where we will be pulled by Iditarod Dogs-not the one sleeping on your couch as you read this. These dogs won't fetch your slippers and roll over.

These dogs will run until you say stop. Wind rain or snow they don't give a rat's ...whatever. They will not be doing it for the money as they don't get any and they don't even know what money is. Don't waste their time with Kibbles n Bits and Snausages, great as those taste (you haven't tried them???!). Give them some raw meat and stand back!

 

This Dog Sled thing was all Carol's idea. I raised an eyebrow..".you know they won't be leaping gracefully through pristine snow? They will be running on dirt."

 

We don't have a dog.If we ever do I hope it will be a Border Collie that can round up sheep for me (something I currently lack and the same can be said for sheep). Brits reading this may be interested to know that I introduced Carol to the great BBC TV show "One man and his dog" and she was amazed.

 

We have one cat as three have died in the past two years and the chances of getting that cat (Little Snowy by name and by signature tune which we sing/whistle to her) into a harness with 11 other cats to pull us through the mud at top speed are somewhere around NIL.

 

Say "Mush" to a team of harnessed cats and they would all turn around and say-"You're kidding , right?" and then they'd all start licking themselves as they like to look their best before a good long nap.

 

To those who like to dress up their dog or cat in human garb...come on now-be serious. Can we leave the animals with just a shred of self-respect?

 

Ok, I was going to run a video of us docking in Juneau. No big whoop. Talk amongst yourselves...

 

Well, after 35 minutes waiting Youtube estimates it will be 2 hrs 30 minutes before they upload the video and we don't have time to sit around waiting for that!

 

So, let's go on and we can catch the video later....

[Bimmer09]

I just wanted to say how much we enjoy the videos and pictures from this trip and all your previous trips.We are planning a Alaska cruise in July of 2017 and watching these videos is making it seem more real.

Love the videos from San Juan and the segway tour.

Thank you for the amount of effort that you put into your videos we can see how much you enjoy these trips.

 

Hi, you watched the San Juan Segway videos? Every Princess cruiser should look at the Silhouette review as that is such a stunning, amazing ship design. And Celebrity was a great host to us too, which is why our next cruise is with X.

 

Yes we enjoy our cruises, although we are both very laid back and don't taste and enjoy all that the ships have to offer. So much going on each day in the Princess Patters or Celebrity Today news sheets. There's a limit to how much Wheeties I can eat in a day.

 

I'm glad you are following along and letting me know that you are.

 

If anyone is lurking please come forward. I'd like to meet you.

 

Norris

[Bimmer09]

Thanks Norris for the captain info. Beautiful photos of Juneau!:)

 

Thank you! More photos to come when we get off the ship and see the doggies.

 

You will fall under Michele Tuvo's spell. Fine Captain!

 

Norris

[Bimmer09]

Hi Norris, Thank you for sharing your talents with all of us! Your photo reviews have set the bar high here at Cruise Critic and should be required reading before embarkation to ensure maximum enjoyment and appreciation for their voyage! Cheers!

 

Hi, no_wake and thanks for joining us here, amidst the mists.

 

I'm glad to see you here and to know that you are reading along, wherever this is going. Oh- it's going next to Skagway, up the mountains in a train, thence to Glacier bay and on to College Fjord and then to Whittier where we have a great excursion post-cruise and winds up in Anchorage and then the whole thing comes crashing down around us as we wind up in Chicago.

 

Keep reading....and thanks for the compliments!

 

Norris

 

 

[Bimmer09]

Hi Norris!

Just popping in to say thanks for the great review. :-)

 

We are not really able to take a holiday right now (not by choice; multitude of reasons we can't change at the moment) but your wonderful descriptions and pictures make up for it! I appreciate them and your hard work tremendously, reading your tales is instant relaxation (and giggles) for me. Love the food pics, nature pics, ship pics. Hell, you could take a doorknob pic and it would probably still look really interesting to me, hehehe.

 

It also helps that you & Carol seem like a really nice couple. Sometimes I read a review and even though the photography and such may be nice, I just know that I wouldn't want to actually take a trip with the person writing it. No judgement, just different type of tastes and ideas of what is fun, type of conversations and things like that. With you guys, I always feel like my husband and I would be totally fine with sitting down next to you & having a nice chat.

 

I recently had to take a trip to Vienna for work and actually searched for entries about it on your blog, hahaha. I remembered seeing you talk about that city there.

You took better pictures then me! :-D

 

Lisa, hello again. I recall you visited one of my other reviews (Emerald Princess?)

and I believe you are my only Dutch reader (?)

 

Welcome and thanks for joining us here. I have a lot of doorknob pics waiting in the wings.

 

Carol and I are I would say cool people. We would love to meet you and your husband on a cruise someday as it's possible you would break down and offer us a drink.

 

We have quiet fun and are respectful of everyone around us so no whooping and hollering and shouting "let's party!" at the top of our lungs. Hopefully what we like about cruising or driving holidays in the USA or Europe comes across in what I write on CC and the Blog.

 

Yes I have covered Vienna twice on the Blog and it's a city we long to return to.

I only had the present camera when we visited in 2013 (not in 2008) but still wasn't that knowledgeable about how to use it. I have been learning as time has passed. It may grow into a hobby in time.

 

Thanks for your kind compliments!

 

Norris

[Barky]

Hi Norris, Barky reporting in to let you know I'm following your review. I'm not known as a patient person (since I got my drivers license) but I'm trying to remain calm and wait for each segment. Believe me it ain't easy. I plan on rereading the entire review once it is finished but I will continue to torture myself in the interim. The narrative, the pics and videos and the humor are all worth my discomfort. I have yet to find a better reviewer and I doubt I will. Thanks for all your efforts.

[Bimmer09]

Hi Norris, Barky reporting in to let you know I'm following your review. I'm not known as a patient person (since I got my drivers license) but I'm trying to remain calm and wait for each segment. Believe me it ain't easy. I plan on rereading the entire review once it is finished but I will continue to torture myself in the interim. The narrative, the pics and videos and the humor are all worth my discomfort. I have yet to find a better reviewer and I doubt I will. Thanks for all your efforts.

 

Barky-the dog sled video will be right up your alley based on your name.

Thanks for reporting in and for the kind compliments on my reviews.

 

I read the entire review once it's written and too late to change anything. It's a constant battle between me and the spellchecker which wants to write a different review apparently.

 

I have the weekend off and will advance the story a good bit then, I imagine.

 

Stay tuned!

 

Cheers,

 

Norris