From Glaciers to Palm Trees - Spend 71 days with Bill & Mary Ann on the Zuiderdam - 9-7-22 to 11-17-22

[WCB]

In regards to upgrading to a Signature Suite for the world cruise, we were offered a good deal.  And since the cruise was almost all Future Cruise Credit, we said, "Why not"?  

 

Thanks for the storm update.  So far, we have escaped it.  We are in Skagway today, with temps in the 30's and down right cold.  The seas are flat.

 

Also, that makes more sense about the cancellation of Tracy Arm tours.  Too much ice is dangerous.

 

Bill & Mary Ann

[cruzingnut]

@WCB  We are supposed to go to Bora Bora on the world cruise next year!  They'll change that too no doubt.  Oh man, that stinks.....we always go to Matira Beach and sit in the glorious water.....😭

 

Who is the dining room manager onboard right now?  I don't remember when Presty boards.

 

Linda R.

[short timer]

4 hours ago, WCB said:

Report #11   Juneau, Alaska   Friday September 16, 2022   Raining, overcast, then sunny  55 Degrees  2pm-9:30pm  Part #1 Of 2.........56 Pictures

 

We woke up to heavy clouds, rain, and temps in the 40’s early this morning with spotty TV reception.  It appeared we would not be as lucky as we have been for the last week with mostly sunny days.  Something one of us has to remember is that anything dark chocolate for dessert and even decaf coffee is not a good idea at dinnertime.  Sleep evaded me until 2am.  We don’t know why, but there was no stop at Tracy Arm for an excursion this cruise.  Just scenic cruising to Juneau, with an arrival time of 2pm.  Good time to relax, as one of us needed it.

 

Now this is funny…….one of the first things we were asked in the Pinnacle Grill this morning was would we like a mimosa?  Oh my gosh…..can they read our minds?  Of course, we said yes, thank you.  That might help improve the mood of the dreary day.  Then a miracle happened.  The skies cleared up, and the sun appeared.  It was actually warm on our veranda, where we stayed watching for wild life.  This area is considered a temperate rainforest, so the dense evergreen trees of the mountainsides were beautiful.  Peaceful and quiet.  This time we looked for those orcas and porpoises, but saw none.  Only a few scattered sea gulls. 

 

The Zuiderdam approached Juneau and the Gastineau Channel by 12:30pm.  We were docked by 1:30pm, but we never did hear the announcement that we were cleared by the local authorities.  Just by coincidence, some folks on the deck below us, spotted a black bear way up high on the mountainside near a waterfall, then alerted us.  It was even difficult to locate it with powerful binoculars, but we did see it and got a few pictures.  However, flying within reach of our veranda was an eagle heading towards a nest on the shoreline. It had been perched with another one across the bay.  Once it landed, it tucked itself deeper into the branches, and was difficult to see.  On our last visit, we spotted the same birds there.  Today we saw a total of three.

 

The area of Juneau is 3255 square miles, although 928 square miles is ice cap.  Water consists of 704 square miles, while the actual rural area is 14 square miles.  They get 62 inches of rain and 88 inches of snow annually.  The average temperature is 35 degrees.  Their main industries are government, tourism, fishing, and mining.  There are more trails than roads, and 280 species of birds, black and brown bears, five types of salmon,  orca and humpback whales reside in this area. 

 

Getting off of the ship was a joke.  The line on deck two mid ship snaked all the way to the Mainstage.  There was only one gangway that could be opened today.  Next time we will wait at least 20 minutes for the crowd to clear.  This is where the masks are a must, in our opinion.  It was next to impossible to maintain a 6 foot distance, since many folks were anxious to get to their tour buses. 

 

A group of officers, including Henk, Manish, and Shiv, were on the landing to greet the guests as they left for the day.  That did help to unruffle some feathers.  That gave us a minute to ask about the upcoming port changes that we heard concerning the Tales of the South Pacific.  Henk was surprised that we have not been notified by HAL, and he said he would send the amended itinerary to our room.  One of the biggest disappointments was missing Bora Bora, but due to the fact the passenger count exceeded their requirements, they were forced to substitute somewhere else.  We would learn more when we got back and found the itinerary in our mailbox as promised.

 

Slowly walking through town, we decided it was already getting late, so we headed for lunch once again at the Hangar on the Wharf.  We knew that when the excursion folks got back from their tours, it may be crowded there.  By the way, two other ships were in port…..the Disney Wonder and RCI Quantum of the Seas – both rather large vessels.  The restaurant was not crowded, so we went inside and got seated in a nice booth.  Starting with Alaskan Amber beers, we added one Jack Daniels BBQ burger with fries, followed by that delicious slice of mud pie.  Plenty for two.  While we dined, the Quantum sounded her horn, and pulled away from the dock.  We had a bird’s eye view as she sailed out of the channel. 

 

On our way back, we stopped at Marine Park, where a young local gal had spotted a mountain goat on the same cliffside we had seen the bear.  There were two telescopes on stands pointed in that direction, and we looked for the goat, but did not see it. We told her of the bear sighting, and the local girl said those bears come down to town during the night, and raid whatever they can looking for food.  Can be a dangerous place.

 

Our final stop was at the Alaska Fudge Co. for more peanut brittle and Mendenhall Mud fudge (looked like rocky road).  That will last for another week.

The shops were getting too crowded, and we really did not need anything, so we boarded the ship, and worked on photos the rest of the afternoon.  Once the sun disappeared, it got downright chilly. 

 

Unfortunately, we had to wait a few minutes to re-board, because there was a medical evac taking place.  A man was brought off on a stretcher, and taken to a waiting ambulance.  We sure hope he will be OK. 

 

Dinner was in the Pinnacle Grill, where we began our meal with two cocktails.  Earlier in the day, we had taken the time to thank the staff here online, and they had already received the message.  They have really taken good care of us, and they deserved the kudos.  Anyway, the restaurant was surprisingly full of guests, but then we have to remember this is a seven day trip and people are going to hit every venue they can.  Both of us enjoyed the wedge salads, 7 ounce filets, French fries, and mushrooms.  Two tiny scoops of Neapolitan ice cream finished the meal.  We had window seats where we could watch the last of the guests coming back to the ship before 9:30pm.  A forklift driver removed the gangway, and soon we were ready to sail.

 

We watched the sail away from our veranda until it got way too cold.  We sure got lucky for such a nice day here in Juneau.  Tomorrow we will be back in Skagway….hope it is just as nice as today.

 

Bill & Mary Ann

 

I am on the part of the voyage RT from San Diego.

HAL has not officially notified us of the changes.

Would it be possible for you to take a picture of the new itinerary and post it?

Thanks so much!

Judy

[WCB]

Report #12  Saturday September 17, 2022   Skagway, Alaska  Partly Cloudy And Cool With A Steady Breeze.....Part #1 Of 3.....This Page Text Only

 

Around 5:55am, one of us awakened with a sudden knock on the door.  Probably still dreaming, I could have sworn I heard “fire alarm”.  Which really must have been room service, and they had the wrong room.  So much for sleeping in a bit later.  By the way, we were already docked at Skagway, and the only cruise ship there today.  Once again, we had no satellite connection, but we did have internet.

 

Breakfast was earlier , 7 – 8:30am to accommodate the tours, most of which were variations of a ride on the White Pass Scenic Railway.  Other thrilling excursions involved a plane or a helicopter ride to view glaciers and the countryside.  Back to breakfast….they served the best English bacon with our waffles and pancakes today.  Moist and tender.

 

It was downright chilly this morning, with temps in the high 30’s.  Now we are really glad we brought those heavy jackets, because we wore them when we left the ship at 11am.  There was no long line getting off today, since most all of the tour groups were gone.  Actually, the later train tour was about to start, so there was a very long line for the folks to board the coaches.  From what we could see, the coaches were full.

 

Here are a few fun facts about Skagway.  The current population is about 1200 people according to the 2020 census.  In the winter, there are 800, while there are up to 2500 people in July, the peak of tourist season.  Their public school has 130 students from K – 12.  The climate in summer has 45 to 67 degrees and the summer solstice has 19 hours of daylight.  However, in the winter, the temps drop from 18 to 37 degrees with many days at below 0.  Darkness exists most of the day. 

 

Skagway gets 26 inches of rain and 39 inches of snow.  White Pass can get 20 feet of snow.  Summer tourists were 1.1 million cruise ship passengers in 2019, while 2020 had zero, due to Covid.  In 2021, tourists numbered in the 100,000 range, and it is expected to be much higher for 2022.

 

The largest employers are visitor and transportation industries and government jobs.  A copper mine still uses this port.  Finally, in May of 2022, unleaded gas was $5.50 a gallon, while milk sold for $7…..thanks to inflation.

 

Today our hike took us to town, where we stopped at the Klondike Gold Rush National Park Visitors Center.  They offered many brochures, so we decided to pick some up on the way back.  No sense packing them.  Also ducked into a few stores to compare prices from Juneau and Ketchikan. 

 

Continuing up the road, the houses ended, and we saw the Train Yard buildings.  There was an arrow pointing to the Gold Rush Cemetery, another ½ mile away.  Reid Falls was beyond that.  Perhaps we will save that hike for next week.  Crossing the highway, we walked over the Moore Bridge where the Skagway River rushes under it.  Just as we were leaning over the railing looking for fish in the river, a plane flew overhead, preparing to land at the small airstrip along the banks.  Took our breath away, since it was so low and loud, and too close to us.  Time to head back.

 

Lunch would be at the Skagway Brewing Company for a burger, fries, and two Amber Red beers.  We dined in their upstairs restaurants, where we found about a dozen customers.  It was not crowded like the Red Onion Saloon on Broadway Street.  Again, it would have been nice to have the pizza at the Station Bar & Grill, but they opened too late for lunch. 

 

The next stop was at smaller shop that sold ice cream and popcorn.  We purchased a large bag of caramel corn with candied pecans, a nice snack for our room.  They actually had tasting bowls where the folks could reach in and take a handful.  No way would we do that these days.  To tell the honest truth, Covid does not seem to be front and center here.  Compared to where we live, it seems to have hit, and is mostly gone.  The majority of the locals were not wearing masks.

 

Our last stop was at the Visitors Center to gather some brochures and maps, as well as the local newspaper.  Asking the park ranger about the impending storm up here, he said that it missed this part of Alaska, but hit the Aleutians.  He added that it was headed to California, where they may get up to 2 inches of rain or even better, some snow in the mountains.  Heaven knows….we need it.

 

We got back to the ship after 4pm, and warmed up in our room snacking on some of that good popcorn, while working on the computer.  Sitting on the veranda reading the information we picked up, we had to wear our heavy jackets and even use the plaid wool blankets.  Exposed to the wind, it was quite cool.

 

The time for dinner arrived, and we headed for the dining room.  One of our favorite dishes was on the menu……short rib Bolognese with linguini noodles.  Really, it was ground beef and tasted wonderful with extra parmigiana cheese.  Even better served hot.  Our new waiters must have gotten the message we like our meals hot.  A small serving of ice cream finished the meal.

 

After the ship left Skagway, Captain Friso announced that we were going to have an emergency helicopter medical evacuation of an ill guest.  He asked for no filming especially with flashes as it can blind the chopper pilot.  He expected the pick up to be between 10 and 12pm, but as this was being written, we heard it hovering behind the ship around 10:40pm.  Job done, they were on their way by 11pm.  Hope all is OK once again, since that makes two taken off in two days.

 

Tomorrow will be scenic cruising in Glacier Bay.  Wonder if it will be as spectacular as last week’s visit?

 

Bill & Mary Ann

[Cruising Is Bliss]

I always enjoy your posts so much and thank you for taking us along on your cruises!

[Newly Retired Teachers]

If you have a chance, we would love to see a picture of the new itinerary than Hank sent to you, so we can compare it to what is showing on the Navigator app.  Thanks again for posting your experiences on this Live blog.

[WCB]

What we were given regarding the changes with the Tales of the South Pacific is identical to what is listed on the Navigator app.  However, it may still change.

 

Bill & Mary Ann

[felma531]

WCB, Just found posts of your new adventure. Enjoying Mary Ann's delightful description of your daily activities. You've inspired us to lengthen our next journey. We scheduled for 40 days in the Oosterdam beginning 10/5. Looked at Bill's photos on the blog. Great eagle pictures!

M and M from Alabama 

[WCB]

Report #13   Glacier Bay  7am-5pm   Sunday September 18, 2022    Partly Cloudy With Lots Of Sun 50 Degrees  Part #1 Of 3.....Text Only  Pictures In Part 2-4

 

Well, today was our second time to scenic cruise Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve.  It is almost impossible to wrap one’s head around the fact that it is 3.2 million acres.  You could spend a lifetime here, and never see all of it. 

 

Beginning the morning in the Pinnacle Grill at 7am, we inquired about two missing waiters.  We were informed that they had tested positive for Covid a few days ago, and are currently in a ten day quarantine.  And here we thought the virus was mostly gone.  Wishful thinking……  With this in mind, we will continue wearing our KN95 masks while inside the ship, and anywhere else that appears over- crowded.  Hope their recovery is quick, as they are missed.

 

By 8:40am, we were approaching Gloomy Knob, the cliffs where we spotted the mountain goats a week ago.  Since they are territorial, we figured they might be in the same area.  By gosh, they were, although not resting together on a knoll.  The park ranger had seen them as well, and said the name Gloomy Knob translated into the land of the mountain goats in the native language.  He added that the indigenous tribes gathered their shed wool, and used it to weave fabric.  Many kittiwake sea birds were nested in this area, and we even saw some pelagic cormorants, as they are called here. 

 

We had exceptional weather today, even warmer than last week.  Oddly enough, the day started out with low fog and clouds, but eventually the sun came out and the skies turned blue.  How lucky was that?  Once again, we were able to get a glimpse of Mount Fairweather in her white glory at 15,300 feet in elevation.  At this point, we began to see some ice floating in the bay as we got deeper into the fjord.  Saw some stray otters also.

 

There was a ship following in our wake, which turned out to be the NCL Sun.  There was no mistaking the colorful symbol of a shining sun streaming on the bow of the vessel.  We understand that only 2 ships are allowed in the bay each day.  Further up the bay, they turned into Tarr Inlet to view Margerie Glacier we think.  We are so glad we have this cabin, and don’t have to go to the bow, where the people were like sardines in a can.  No social distancing there.  We did notice that most everyone was bundled up, but on our veranda, we were actually peeling off the layers. 

 

The ship glided past the smaller Reid and Lamplugh Glaciers with the promise we will see those on the way back.   As we approached Johns Hopkins Inlet, the ranger had some good info of this area.  He said that the glaciers are a river of ice with year round snowfall that compacts and flows down the steep downhill slope.  The storms providing this snowfall come from the Gulf of Alaska.  Some of the tallest mountain ranges in the world exist here such as the Fairweather Range.  A whopping 145 feet of snow falls annually in this area.  There are over 1000 individual glaciers in this park. 

 

By 9:45am, we passed by Jaw Point, and searched for signs of black or brown bears.  There were no sightings today.  It’s the luck of the draw, and we had that luck last week.  By the way, we have to mention that there are no speakers on the verandas.  We can’t even locate a speaker in our room….only one in the hallway.  Good thing we can turn on the bow camera, and get the lecturer talking.  We do have to dart in and out of the room to hear the commentary.  The door can be propped open, but with the huge mosquitos outside, we did not do that. 

 

Once again, we were told that Johns Hopkins Inlet was closed to ships most of the season, due to the protection of the harbor seals.  The size of a human, these seal numbers have been declining as much as 75%, and the experts are not sure why.  Who knows, it could be like Covid for people.  On the other hand, other seal species numbers are on the increase.  At the end of the inlet, we could see the tidewater glacier with the width over one mile wide, and the face 250 feet high.  The closer we got, the ice increased in the inlet.  The larger chunks of ice are not big enough to be called icebergs.  They are bergie bits, and home to hundreds of the harbor seals.  Only 10% of these chunks of ice are visible above the water surface.  The rest, 90%, is under the water.  The smaller ice is called growlers.

 

Captain Friso gave each side of the ship 30 minutes of viewing, with the hopes we would experience some calving.  Today all we saw were a few small chunks of ice falling near the face with small cracking noises.  Now last week, we heard the thunderous cracks of calving, followed by giant pillars of ice falling into the waters below.  Reportedly, the glaciers calve a few times every hour….it just wasn’t our hour today.  Maybe next week……

 

Yesterday, we had received a flyer advertising a sale of a souvenir HAL stainless steel insulated mug filled with a choice of four coffees with alcohol, or steaming hot chocolate.  We called up the Exploration Café to see if this offer was still going on, and they yes.  So we ordered one hot chocolate and one Gold Rush coffee with Grand Marnier, coffee, and hot chocolate.  They were perfect to drink while viewing the bay.  And we think we got a better deal, since we do have the Have-It-All beverages, so we only got charged for the mugs.  We can use these to get coffee in the Explorations Café, saving them the paper cup with lids.

 

We would like to thank Secretary of State, William Seward, who bought Alaska from Russia in 1867 for a mere 2 cents an acre.  “Seward’s Folly” as the deal was known, was quite a deal, wasn’t it?   Just think, if that never happened, we would probably have never seen any part of this wonderful state.

 

This seemed like a good time for lunch, so we ordered from room service again.  Salads, quesadilla, sandwiches, and one bowl of soup filled us up.  No cookies this time, just fresh green apples.  The service has been on time and nothing was missing.

 

The NCL Sun was on its way to Johns Hopkins Glacier by the time we were exiting.  We back-tracked past Lamplugh and Reid Glaciers with no commentary.  By now, we were doing 18 knots heading back.  The guide suggested keeping a lookout for otters and seals, as well as humpback whales.  He did level with us that most all of the humpbacks are gone on their way to Maui now.  Just like us pretty soon.  The final sealife we spotted was at South Marble Island, where we viewed Stellar seals that weighed up to 2000 pounds.  Most all of these red fur sun bathers were males, while the females stayed away on the outer rocks. 

 

The rangers had to leave the ship by 3:45pm to go back to Bartlett Cove and the Glacier Bay Lodge.  A catamaran-type boat picked them up.  They circled the ship, giving us all a chance to wave goodbye.  Somewhere around 4:15pm, the NCL Sun appeared, and the same process happened with them.  Their group of rangers were also transported back to shore. 

 

Once again, we filled out the Canadian customs form, and inquired about the Arrive Can we have to do again for the following stops in Vancouver.  The guest relations manager offered to do this for us, and all she needed was to make copies of our Covid vaccination cards.  Perfect.  We provided them, and she had the form printed with the new code, then sent it to our room.  This should take care of that until we head for the South Pacific.

 

Once the ship began to sail to open waters, we had some rolling.  We consider ourselves lucky that the storm that hit the Bering Sea area missed us altogether.  With 54 foot seas predicted, we sure did not want to experience that again.  Twenty years ago while on the Volendam’s Asia/Pacific Explorer Cruise, we navigated through 55 foot seas near Dutch Harbor.  Never again did we want that kind of ride, we said.  Knock on wood….we never did come close.

 

Dinner tonight was labeled “dressy”.  Except this time, dressy was just casual for most.  We spotted one fellow in a suit in the upper dining room.  Glad we did not put on the ritz, or we might have really felt out of place.  We have a feeling the guests on the longer 50 day cruise will be more conventional.  We’ll see…..

Anyway, we ordered the veal chops and they were great.  Tasty and tender, and even served hot, we were happy to see this on the menu.

 

Tomorrow we will be back to Ketchikan with the promise of temperatures in the 70’s.  How nice it that???

 

Bill & Mary Ann

 

 

 

 

[Duquesmom]

Bill & Mary Ann,

I’m really enjoying your posts again.  Is HAL providing N95 masks in your cabin? 

Thank you & enjoy your cruise.  I’ll be on the 45 day S Pacific cruise in 2 weeks.

 

Dena

[LewiLewi]

Hi Bill and Mary Ann,

  We will be on the Zuiderdam for 59 days beginning Oct. 3. From SD to Ft. L, arriving Dec. 1. We have a few questions to ask, so we know what it will be like on the ship. We are 4 Star Mariners and have been on the Zuiderdam before, many years ago, but not recently.

1. What is the MDR like; is it possible to get a table for 2 away from other diners, or is it one table on top of another? We have open seating, is there a recommended time to get there when it will not be as crowded? I know that it does depend upon the number of cruisers on the ship, but what is your opinion at this time.

2. What % of passengers are masked? Do they mask at all?

3. Where do you generally have lunch? We are thinking of getting lunch at the buffet, masked, and bringing it outside to eat it. The weather will be warm, so we feel that this is a good option.

4. Have you attended any CC functions? If so, have they generally been masked?

5. We are not comfortable with large group tours, do you think that it will be possible to arrange private tours at the pier after we dock? 
6. Our Verandah cabin is on deck 4 toward the very back of the ship, starboard. As far as you can tell is this a quiet area(no loud engine noises, vibrations, etc). If it is not, we still have time to change our cabin.

Thank you in advance for your answers.

Marilyn and Lew

[riverrat]

Love the ranger! Did you have the cultural ambassador on Indigenous Nations of Alaska too? Her talk was very uplifting. We just got off the Eurodam (fabulous cruise), at Captain Joost's talk, he showed a picture from Volendam bridge, water breaking across the Crows Nest! Gives me chill bumps to think. Enjoying your blog as preview. We join you in San Diego. If we can bring you anything, let us know.

[WCB]

Here are a few answers to your questions.

 

Linda and Dave - The Dining Room Manager is Franz.  Presty arrives here November 17th, when we go home.

The KN95 masks are not typically given, but the surgical ones are.  So few guests are wearing them, which is too bad.  It is not mandatory.....yet.

Hi M&M from Alabama - It seems like yesterday when we met while hiking in St. Thomas.  Bon Voyage!

The Main Dining Room does not seem that crowded, like we feel it was on the N. Statendam.  Now that we have moved to a table on the railing, deck three, we have more space.  At 8pm, there are fewer people eating there.    Masks are few and far between as far as the guests are concerned.  Usually we eat around 2pm in the Lido for lunch, finding a table far from everyone.  Bringing your meal outside is a good option as well.  On this trip, we have had a lot of room service lunches.  On port days, we go out to lunch.   We suspect booking tours onshore will be possible.  Cannot advise on that since we do not take them anymore.  We love our aft cabin, but there is noise from the azipods and wake.  Not a problem for us.  Do not notice vibrations here.  Finally, we did not attend any CC meetings this time.  Hope this helps. 

Thanks riverrat for the offer.  We think we are good.  See you soon!

 

  Mary Ann & Bill

[LewiLewi]

8 hours ago, WCB said:

Here are a few answers to your questions.

 

Linda and Dave - The Dining Room Manager is Franz.  Presty arrives here November 17th, when we go home.

The KN95 masks are not typically given, but the surgical ones are.  So few guests are wearing them, which is too bad.  It is not mandatory.....yet.

Hi M&M from Alabama - It seems like yesterday when we met while hiking in St. Thomas.  Bon Voyage!

The Main Dining Room does not seem that crowded, like we feel it was on the N. Statendam.  Now that we have moved to a table on the railing, deck three, we have more space.  At 8pm, there are fewer people eating there.    Masks are few and far between as far as the guests are concerned.  Usually we eat around 2pm in the Lido for lunch, finding a table far from everyone.  Bringing your meal outside is a good option as well.  On this trip, we have had a lot of room service lunches.  On port days, we go out to lunch.   We suspect booking tours onshore will be possible.  Cannot advise on that since we do not take them anymore.  We love our aft cabin, but there is noise from the azipods and wake.  Not a problem for us.  Do not notice vibrations here.  Finally, we did not attend any CC meetings this time.  Hope this helps. 

Thanks riverrat for the offer.  We think we are good.  See you soon!

 

  Mary Ann & Bill

Thank so much for taking time to answer our questions. See you on board.

Marilyn and Lew

[WCB]

Report #14   Monday   September 19, 2022   Ketchikan, Alaska   11am to 6:30pm   Sunny, but chilly wind  51 degrees   Part # 1 of 4........Text Only....Pictures In Parts 2,3,And 4

 

Yesterday, there was a hint that it may be 70 degrees in Ketchikan, but we think they were off by 20 degrees.  It was sunny, but downright chilly.  We are not complaining, because more times than not, it is raining here.  We will take sunny, blue skies over rain any day.  The Zuiderdam was scheduled to be docked by 11am, so that gave us the morning to relax, although, there were many activities happening around the ship.  One of them was Honoring HM Queen Elizabeth ll and the broadcast of the State Funeral.  They were able to record it, and present the film in the Mainstage at 10:30am.  It appeared on the BBC HD TV channel.  In real time, we could have watched it live from 11pm last night until this morning.

 

We began our approach to Ketchikan entering past the Tongass Narrows.  On the Gravina Island side, we spotted a humpback whale blowing, then diving very near the shoreline.  Guess some of them have not left yet.  There was only one, and he was diving deep, but we were still able to capture a few photos.  As we sailed closer to Ketchikan, which is located on Revillagigedo Island, we saw a smaller cruise ship tucked into a cove.  Turned out to be the Norwegian Spirit, and may have been docked at The Mill at Ward Cove, built in 2021.   The downtown piers had the Royal Princess and Celebrity’s Eclipse, both large vessels.  The town will be crowded today for sure. 

 

To avoid the long line of debarking guests, we waited until noon to leave.  No problem this time, as most of the passengers had probably gone off on tours.  We were not sure if we should take our heavier jackets, but with that wind blowing, we opted for the arctic coats.  And glad we did.  As the day wore on, a fine layer of clouds blocking the heat of the sun appeared, keeping the temps lower.  The strong winds never stopped. 

 

We took our usual route to Creek Street to see if the salmon were still running….actually swimming up the creek.  The first thing we noticed while standing on the Stedman Street Bridge were two harbor seals working the waters.  We knew the salmon were still coming up the creek or else these seals would not be here.  We did take Creek Street up to the top, but did not dilly dally, since there were way too many people crowding the boardwalk and viewing platforms.  The best place to see the incredible number of salmon, is in the upper creek on Park Avenue.  Even several sea gulls were pigging out on the rotting carcasses in the shallow portion of the river.  This is the salmon spawning area, and there were hundreds if not thousands of fish making their way upstream.  Asking a local what type of salmon these were, the answer was either chum or pinks.  The pinks have the humpbacks, and that was what we were seeing. Many more were dead and dying compared to a week ago.  Of course, the aroma was not so pleasant as one might expect.  Bet that attracts the bears too, who make their way here during the night we were told.  While getting up close and personal on the gravel banks, the manager of the Pinnacle Grill appeared with a buddy.  Seeing those dead and decaying salmon, he said that sure sharpened our appetites for a salmon dinner…….NOT exactly, we all agreed.

 

Once again, we crossed the road and followed Salmon Road to the hatchery and the City Park.  Taking advantage of a picnic table and benches, we sat and watched as a couple of “Ducks” drove their passengers to another bridge up the river.  Two tour buses also let their guests out to view the fish from the bridge.  After all of the vehicles left, we strolled up there to see what they did.  Actually, we decided the lower bridge offered a  much better view of the creek, which was loaded with spawning fish.  Snapping one photo of the totem in front of the Totem Heritage Center, we headed back to town. 

 

It was already after 2pm, and we knew to try for lunch at the Alaska Crab Company, the same place we dined last week.  With so many passengers in town, we might be out of luck.  Off the beaten track somewhat, access to this restaurant is by taking a small elevator up to the third level.  We were told we had a 10 minute wait, so we stayed.  It was only a couple of minutes before we were seated at the very same table we had last week.  In fact, the servers recognized us, and welcomed us back.  And by the way, most all of the tables were occupied, many of the diners chowing down on crab legs or fish and chips.  We ordered a plate of crispy chicken tenders with three dips….the best one was the BBQ for me and the honey mustard for Bill.  A pile of fries came with the chicken, and we had Alaska Amber beers again.  Dessert was a shared slice of caramel cheesecake.  If all goes according to plan, we should be back here in a week.

 

After exploring a few stores, we went to the Visitors Bureau and picked up some more brochures.  In the same area is The Rock, a bronze sculpture  of Ketchikan’s first people and pioneers. Nearly 20 out of every 100 residents can trace their heritage back to the native tribes.  Across the street is the Welcome Arch which welcomed visitors in the early 1920’s.   You cannot stop in this city without going into the Tongass Trading Company, boasting the best shopping on the Inside Passage.  They have just about everything you can imagine, and at reasonable prices. It is always a place we visit because they have a mounted full size polar bear inside behind glass.  Impressive.

 

Time to go back onboard, the security gal held up the same ipad we saw while in Skagway.  She said it was facial recognition, just like what was used in Ft. Lauderdale going through customs and immigrations when we did back-to-back trips in January through April.  We still had our room keys scanned, so this is a new process in the making we assume.  While we worked on photos and reports, the Royal Princess must have sailed out of the harbor.  These ships move almost silently, and we never noticed it was gone.  Around 6:30pm, the Celebrity Eclipse left the port.  Within minutes, we followed them out.  Once the sun dipped below the mountains, it was really cold.

 

Dinner was in the Pinnacle Grill, and we ordered the same salads we like…..the wedge.  Mains were grilled lamb chops, and halibut, and both were cooked to perfection.  A chocolate souffle and some vanilla ice cream finished the meal.  For a change, we enjoyed cappuccinos, one with almond milk.  Excellent.  The only downside was that the clocks had to be put forward one hour this evening.  So we passed on the Orange Party again. 

 

We both agreed that depending on where your stateroom is located, makes a difference in your cruise experience.  It’s a simple fact that having a forward room, like we had on the N. Statendam, we passed through the shops, the music venues, as well as the casino after dinner.  The booming noise of the Billboard Onboard, the Rolling Stones, and the BB King venues were loud enough to wake the dead.  The casino was so mobbed, that we had to wiggle through to access the elevators.  On the other hand, having a room in the aft, like here, we avoid all of that unless we go out of our way to those venues.  We have yet to do that, but we will have to, or else we won’t know how it compares to the other ships.  Even the Shops on this ship are off of the beaten track for us.

 

Bill & Mary Ann

 

[albingirl]

Thanks for your postings.  I really appreciate your taking the time to do so.

[WCB]

Report #15   Tuesday   September 20, 2022   At Sea Enroute Via The Inside Passage To Vancouver, Canada   Sunny, but chilly wind  69 Degrees   Part # 1 of 2.....Text Only ......Pictures In Part #2

 

A day at sea was most welcomed this morning.  The Pinnacle Grill was not crowded, and we think the reason for that was the time change of going ahead one hour.  At the entrance to the Dining Room at 8:45am, there was a line heading down the hallway with guests waiting to be seated.  We have truly been spoiled with breakfast in the smaller Pinnacle Grill.  No waiting for anything.  After we finished our meal, we gave the manager a list of dates for this venue and one for the Canaletto for next week.

 

At 10:30am, we were invited to another Mariner Recognition Event which was held in the tucked away Gallery Bar on deck two.  Gone are the days when a much larger group of high day Mariners were invited to attend.  In total, we counted about 12 guests, including us.  Wine, champagne? or mimosas were offered, along with two trays of           hors’deuvres and jars of “formal” nuts, as we loved to call them.  Of course we declined having just finished breakfast.  The Captain had a few minutes to chat with us, sharing the news that the Zuiderdam will be undergoing a dry docking for 14 days in December at the cost of 10 million dollars.  He has heard that a library may be added, but no Grand Dutch Café as we had hoped.  The rest of the refit would be behind the scenes.  We did have a quick discussion with Henk concerning the amended itinerary for the upcoming Tales of the South Pacific.  We informed him that we had received a copy of the original itinerary on our computer just this morning.  Nothing had changed.  He said he was going to get to the bottom of this snafu, since the revised itinerary had been out for several days now.

 

Ian, the Cruise and Travel Director, announced a couple of medal awardees who came forward for a photo with Henk and Captain Friso.  Then the rest of us were acknowledged according to our medal level.  One fellow was sitting alone, away from the group, and Ian failed to mention him.  He corrected his mistake and invited him up for a photo, asking where his wife was. His answer was she was not feeling well.  Someone in the group remarked they hoped it wasn’t Covid.  With that comment, the man nodded that it was. 

 

After the event was over, Ian came over and we talked about the pandemic mess of March 2020, and where we all had been stuck when the ships ceased operations. At that time, he was on the Volendam’s Grand South America cruise, but was not allowed to debark due to the fact he was British.  He ended up on a Princess ship which was headed to Europe and England.  Under the circumstances, he praised the Princess team for doing a great job getting him home.

 

Taking a walk on the Promenade deck, we saw many people with cameras and binoculars looking for whales, they said.  Way out in the distance, we did see many blows, but did not see any diving whales.  At least we saw some.  We were told we may see some orcas around 5pm when naturalist, Kainoa, has a wildlife spotting session at the Sea View Pool.

 

When we went back to our room, we had two Delft tiles left for us on the bed.  Another end to a 7 day run.

 

It was a room service lunch for us with salads and sandwiches at 2pm.  The complimentary 8 x 10 photos we had taken in the Mariner Event was delivered to our room by 4pm.  The rest of the afternoon was spent working on the computer as well as relaxing on our veranda.  The further south we traveled, the nicer it got.  It had warmed up to 57 degrees with a slight breeze.  The skies remained blue for the most part, so the sailing into Queen Charlotte Strait was beautiful.  We never did see those orcas like we did last week, but the scenery sailing between the islands of the Inside Passage was rewarding. Following closely behind us was the Regent Seven Seas Mariner, and way far behind was the Celebrity Eclipse, we believe. 

 

Dinner was in the Canaletto tonight.  Andre greeted us and gave us a nice table for two.  For starters, we ordered salads and a shared bowl of veal meatballs with freshly-grated parmesan cheese.  One of us had the lasagna and the other the special of the day……short ribs.   Not particularly fond of the sides, he added a baked potato, and assumed the toppings would come with it.  The butter and sour cream did not come with it, and by the time they brought it, we were about finished.  Oh well, we will need to remember to order it all at once.  Our waitress felt bad, but we said it was fine.  We had saved a little room for desserts of gelato, one with espresso and chocolate shavings.  I ordered the cappuccino like I had last night with almond milk.  It was better than dessert.

 

Yesterday, we got the letter describing what we do in Vancouver tomorrow with the zero clearance and debarking.  We will need to leave the ship around 9:30am, and be back before 2:30pm.  Looks like the weather will be even nicer than last week, if that is possible for the first day of autumn.

 

Bill & Mary Ann

 

[WCB]

Report #16   Vancouver, British Columbia    Wednesday  September 21,2022    Sunny  70 Degrees    7am-3:30pm  Part #1 Of 4........Text Only…Pictures In Parts 2 & 3

 

Here we are…back in Vancouver once again.  Docked at 7am, we were not alone as the Regent Seven Seas Mariner was already here, and joined shortly after we arrived, was the Ruby Princess.

 

Breakfast in the Pinnacle Grill revealed  that the same wait staff was still there.  We have been told that by Skagway, there will be a rotation of managers and some of the staff.  This appears to be the norm these days.  Leaving the restaurant, we ran into Henk, who told us a few facts with the upcoming cruises.  We think we heard him say that so far there will be 600 in transit next Wednesday after the last Alaska run.  Then they will pick up 1000 more guests in San Diego.  We heard rumors that HAL is offering a good deal to board the ship in Vancouver for the 5 day sail down to San Diego.  The stop in San Francisco will now allow guests to board there.  This was not the case when we booked.  San Francisco is usually not a port for HAL to embark guests.

 

The amenities for our room began arriving such as gifts of shipboard credit from our travel agent, the Have-It-All packages, two new KN95 masks, and two Mariner drink cards.  Later in the day, we found two bottles of Brut sparkling wine, two trays of munchies, and 16 Cokes and one bottle of Bacardi Rum in place of the flower arrangement.  We always check our shipboard account on the room TV to make sure our credits are posted.  Most of them were, but we had a surprise to find we had been charged for our Canaletto dinners last night….1/2 price, but it should be complimentary for us.  Tomorrow we will have to pay a visit to the front desk folks and get that fixed, as well as searching for other missing credits.  Sometimes it works, and sometimes it doesn’t, and if we had not discovered it, it would remain incorrect.

 

There were about 30 minutes before we had to leave the ship, so we took this opportunity to do a favor for friends that will be on the 23 GWV.  We located their room and took photos of every nook and cranny for them.  We happened to run into the assistant head housekeeper, Evi, who said she could do us a favor.  We asked for a small dining table we could put on our veranda, and she promised to find us one. Low and behold, it did appear when we returned.

 

Repeating pretty much what we did a week ago, we left the ship by 9:30am and headed to the area where the crew leaves.  With our in transit cards in hand, we got off easily.  The weather could not have been better, with the predicted high in the 60’s or more.  It took us about 1 ½ hours to hike the water front from Canada Place, past the Convention center, and along the seawall.  The seaplane terminal was already getting busy with float planes landing and taking off every few minutes.  Passing the Westin, we continued past Coal Harbour and the marina. 

 

We spotted Lost Lagoon this time, then continued to Stanley Park with 1000 acres of evergreen trees and other venues.  One of those is the Horse Drawn Carriage Rides.  Today the pair of horses were Percherons, according to their handler.  They were huge beautiful animals with hooves the size of dinnerplates.  They pulled the aluminum frame coach with ease.  A sign was posted between the two horses warning not to pet them near their mouths, as they may mistake your fingers for carrots.  Ouch!

 

It was beginning to get crowded, so we headed off into the park, taking a shortcut over the top to the Stanley Park Seawall.  We saw Lumberman’s Arch, what is left of a massive tree from the beginning of the 20^th century.  There was also a take-away café in this area, but it was closed for the season we think.  The designated pedestrian walkway and bike lane was starting to get busy.  To complete this walk, it was 6 miles.  The view of the Lions gate Bridge was excellent here.  We did not need to go further, so headed back on the pathways through the tree-studded park.  Took about an hour to make it back to the lunch place we like so much….The Steamworks Brewing Co. The pizza and beers were really good, as was the apple galette dessert.  It was close to 1pm, and the place was crowded for a Wednesday.  Service was a bit slow, but we needed to take our time, and not get back to the terminal too soon.  With three ships to fill, there would be a lot more guests to check in.  Last week this went off like clockwork.  But today…..well, not so easy.

 

We entered the terminal located under Canada Place, and proceeded to the same area the crew uses.  We showed our in transit cards, and were directed to the correct line.  When we reached the area where the bigger crowd was checking in, we were directed around them when we were asked if we were US citizens.  At the kiosks, we scanned our passports, answered a few questions, then had our photo taken.  Once completed, a slip is issued that is handed over to an official.  Easy, but not for long.  A row of HAL reps were getting the newly checking in passengers at the kiosks with facial recognition.  We did not have to do this last time, since we were in transit.  Today, they insisted we had to do this.  Not listening to us that we were already on the ship, they could not locate our  names as new passengers.  Hello……we were in transit!  These gals sent us to another desk, and another rep said why are you guys here?  You are already cleared.  Great, she walked us to the barrier tape and said go through and go to the gangway.  As we were about around the rope, here comes another rep, saying no…we cannot go.  Come on…enough already.  Showing her our room keys and in transit cards, she reluctantly apologized, and let us go….finally.  Both of us were thinking…hurry up before they change their minds.

 

Good to get back to our room, we spent the rest of the afternoon working on photos.  By the time the ship left the dock around 4pm, we cracked open the bottle of sparkling wine, and sipped and savored as we left the harbor.  Good thing that we thought ahead and had a bottle in the refrigerator, because they failed to have the new bottle on ice.  Oh, should all of life’s problems be so bad?  Not.

 

Dinner was in the Pinnacle Grill, and we were rather surprised to find the room so full of guests.  Usually at 8pm, the majority are about finished with their meals.  Not so tonight.  Guess we were lucky to get a table for two, even though they are really tiny.  Our waitress told us that they had planned for 16 guests, but about 80 showed up.  First time we noticed a long wait time  for our courses, not that we were in a hurry.  One table for three that were across from us, definitely must have had the Have-It-All beverage package.  You know the one where you get 15 drinks a day per person?  Well, at least two of them must have exceeded that number, and were really loudly whooping it up.  The good news was they were on their dessert course, and once they finished their wine (a must), they left the room.  Had a difficult time doing it, so some waiters came to help.  So not worth the hangover, ha-ha.

 

Tomorrow, Captain Friso warned that we can expect a change in the weather, with cloudy skies and eventually some rain.  Guess our luck might be running out for sunny skies.

 

Bill & Mary Ann

 

 

 

 

 

[ON cruiser]

Bill and Mary Ann, just a word of thanks for your great daily descriptions of ship-board life and what you do during the days in ports. I always enjoy your writing.

 

Regarding your hotel director Henk M., ask him about his lovely watch collection, some of which he showed my wife and I many years ago when he was HD (and Crystal was GRM) on the Noordam, during a transatlantic cruise. I doubt he would remember us, however, given the vast number of people he meets. 

 

Hopefully your sailings continue to be enjoyable, including the longer trip to Hawaii!  

[Florida_gal_50]

Planned for 16 but 80 showed up?  All those people just dropped in?

[The Other Tom]

Following

[oakridger]

Hello WCB!  I just arrived in Vancouver from SFO today for my Nieuw Amsterdam cruise on Sunday.  I got the email after I arrived at my hotel that I had been selected for the random entry Covid testing!!  Dang!  I then spent the next hour signing up on the government site and finding out where to get the test at the nearest approved testing facility.  There's a Shoppers Drug Mart on Davie Street I'll have to taxi to tomorrow by their 5:30 closing time. That changes my plans for the day tomorrow.  😞Now I hear that most likely, these requirements will be stopped on September 30th!  Missed it by a week.  I'll be in your same ports next week, so I am enjoying getting the latest info on what is happening there.  Thanks again!

 

P.S.- A&H Limo Service was great yesterday!  I will use them again.

 

~Nancy

Edited September 23, 2022 by oakridger

[dchip]

5 hours ago, oakridger said:

A&H Limo Service was great yesterday!  I will use them again.

We have been using A&H Limo for about 7 years now. They are great! Enjoy your cruise!

Denise

[ottahand7]

Thank you for your wonderful review of everything happening on your extended cruise.  We are looking forward to hear what happens with COVID testing when you begin your South Pacific leg of your cruise.  We are sailing on the Volendam December 27 and are doing a 7 day holiday cruise before carrying on our 74 day Grand SA.   Will they test you onboard for the extended cruise a few days before taking on new passengers and departing San Diego.  It will be a pain for us to have to get off and do a proctored test in FL or make it to Walgreen's for our test.    Many thanks! 

[WCB]

Report #17   Sea Day Enroute To Juneau, Alaska  Thursday September 22, 2022  Rain & Partly Cloudy.......Part #1 Of 2...Text Only Pictures In Part 2

 

Happy First Day of Autumn!

 

Today was to be a day at sea with scenic cruising.  Yesterday Captain Friso had mentioned that the weather can turn-on-a-dime in Alaska, and he was correct.  We woke up to a gloomy, grey, and overcast morning with the rain eventually falling by 10am.   On the other hand, we did spot some jumping porpoises while eating breakfast.  If we had been a little earlier, we may have gotten seats at the window, but we were at a tiny table for two, same as last night.  For sure, tomorrow we will be first in line when the doors open at 7:30am, and request a larger table. 

 

After breakfast, we went to pay a visit to Shiv, our favorite Head of Housekeeping.  His office is more spacious than the one he shared with his colleagues on the Amsterdam.  They were deep into computer work, but took the time to welcome us.  Feels more like being home knowing so many nice officers and crew members. Shiv mentioned that the HAL tote bags had arrived and would be sent to our room.  We thanked him for the follow-up.  Our next stop was to see Henk, but he was there one minute, then gone the next.  He probably has one of the most demanding jobs on the ship.  We shall hunt him down soon…..we know where he lives now on deck one.

 

The next job was to go to the front desk and inquire about the incorrect charges.  There was no question that our Canaletto dinners were complimentary, and she promised to send that message to the accounting team. 

 

It was such a drippy day, we skipped the promenade walk, and went back to the room to work on emails and the blog.  We had a nice room service lunch of salads and sandwiches.  Today the potato chips were not crumbs, like someone sat on the bag.  Eventually, the rain let up and stopped.

 

The sun appeared around 3:30pm while we watched for wildlife.  We had some eagle sightings while sailing the Inside Passage, and later on, there was a pod of porpoise swimming in circles as they fed on fish we assume.  Then the parade of ships began.  First was the Eurodam, which passed us going the opposite way.  Next was the Celebrity Millennium, followed by the NCL, possibly the Sun.  On closer look, it was the Bliss.  They were all heading back to either Vancouver or Seattle, like horses going back to a barn.

 

This evening’s dress code was “Dressy” or what we like to call “Gala”, which used to be “Formal”.  We went formal, and did not feel out of place.  The new passengers dressed accordingly, at least from where we could see from the upper dining room.  A waiter we have known for many grand cruises, Heru, came over to say hi.  He must have been at the back of the restaurant, and just got moved up where we are.  He shared more info on his friends that left for other cruise lines.  Many of them had no choice.

 

For dinner we had one salad, and one very hot French onion soup.  Nice on a cool day.  Then our mains were one stuffed ricotta cheese shells and lamb chops.  Both were quite small servings, but adequate.  Now for desserts, our waiter brought one of each….Baked Alaska, and two types of cakes.  Good thing they were small portions, since we finished all three.  On our way out of the dining room, we asked Johnnie, the head waiter, how many passengers were sailing on this 7 day voyage.  He said 1700.  From Vancouver to San Diego, there will be about 1000 (maybe more if they can market it), and 1600 on the Tales of the South Pacific.  Those are all good numbers.

 

Best news of the day – the clocks went back one hour to be on Alaska time.  Works for us.

 

Bill & Mary Ann