Report #25 Friday September 29, 2023 Sea Day Enroute To San Francisco, California Overcast With Rain 55 Degrees Casual Dress

 

Oddly enough, the carpet in the elevator said "Sunday".  We don't think so, but then the day of the week has not been included on the Daily paper ever since we boarded in Vancouver.  Of course, we do have a calendar where the itinerary is printed and all of our reservations for dinner are posted.  Once we retired, it seems like every day is a "Sunday".

 

We noticed that when we left breakfast that the newly remodeled Captain's Corner was nearly finished.  The walls were lined with shelves and tables that were already beginning to be stocked with some of the more expensive HAL logo clothing.  Instead of seeing the pieces of artwork on the walls, now there is a nice cubbyhole for the special items for sale.  It is not ready to open yet, but we suspect when we reach San Diego, there will be a grand opening.

 

An article appeared in yesterday's newsletter concerned the game of pickleball, which has become quite popular on the ships these days.  Now court reservations are required.  One hour sessions can be booked on sea days from 12 to 4pm, and on port days, it is 9am – 4pm.  And be prepared to play doubles if the demand is high.  In addition, there was a meeting for those to learn the rules and regulations of the game.  Perhaps court etiquette is discussed, which leads us to think there have been some problems in the past….you think?

 

Mostly a rainy morning, we took our walk outside and believe we ran across a brief ashes-to-sea burial.  Mariner officer Jennifer and her assistant carrying a large bag were leading two ladies to the aft railing on the promenade deck.  We have seen this private ceremony on the N. Statendam, but the area had been roped off briefly for the private event.  Researching HAL's website, we learned that all of the legal details are provided for this service.   It is a nice option for those who wish this type of burial. 

 

The sun did peek out enough to spend some time on the veranda.  The cool breeze erased any heat that the sun provided.  That should change in a week or so.  It is a perfect place to relax and read a book.  Did we mention there is a self-serve library onboard?  It is not huge, but they do stock a large number of up-to-date books with several copies of the best ones.  We noticed that many debarking guests donate the paperback books they have brought with them. 

 

Lunch was from Dive In again with a chicken back-flip and a cannonball burger.  Fries too.  No lines, no waiting.  This won't last either.  The seas have calmed down and it feels as if the Captain has slowed down in order to get to SF on time tomorrow morning.  During his noon talk, he mentioned the speed limit on this coastline is regulated to protect the whales.  Now we are on the lookout for some.  We have seen many humpbacks while sailing under the Golden Gate Bridge, so we do plan to be up for the entrance to the bay.  Following up with that theme, there was an EXC talk about the Pacific Giants this morning at 10am, and another lecture featuring port highlights (promoting shore excursions) by our cruise director, Kimberly at 2pm.  We know the city well since we were both born and raised there.

 

Dinner was in the dining room, which was very empty or half full depending on how you look at it.  Even the waiters were milling around with little to keep them occupied.  A lot of polishing was happening at their workstations.  Mario, our waiter asked what we were doing tomorrow, and we told him a lot of walking and going out to lunch.  He and his buddies are very thrilled to be here, but not sure if they will have much time to get off for very long.  All aboard for them is 2:30pm….for the passengers it is 4:30pm.  More than likely there will be CDC inspections as well as a crew drill.    Anyway, we ordered one Caesar salad, one arancini appetizer, and one hot bowl of chicken noodle soup.  The soup is still made with spaghetti, not noodles.  It is good, but egg noodles would be nicer.  Our mains were the Club Orange special.  On all of the cruises we have been on since 2021, the Club Orange selection was printed in full on a special menu.  Now it just says you have to ask what it is.  There is no way to make your decision earlier in the day, because the actual meal is not described.  Most every evening we inquire as to what the special is, and our waiter has to go ask someone.  So far it has been Peruvian chicken or short ribs.  Jambalaya has not been mentioned so far.  So tonight we ordered the short ribs, but forgot it came with a puddle of runny mashed parsnips on the plate.  Not a favorite of ours, we will remember to ask about the entire contents of the entrée.  Could have substituted a baked potato for instance.  Oh well we did not feel stuffed, and we added desserts of a blue sorbet with a flavor that cannot be identified, and one hot fudge chocolate sundae with no marshmallows. 

 

Looking forward to friends boarding tomorrow and also a nice hike with a great lunch.

 

Bill & Mary Ann

No Pictures

Report #24 September 28, 2023 Sea Day Enroute To San Francisco, California Cloudy With Light Rain All Day 59 Degrees

Life onboard carried on as usual starting with a nice breakfast, but missing the manager Endrian.  Yuli, his most capable assistant has taken the reigns until San Diego.  Last night we did not get The Daily newsletter, so we assumed that breakfast time was 7:30am.  It was not, but the doors were opened for the early risers anyway.  The dining room opened at 8am.  There are always extra newsletters on the front desk along with the NY Times crossword puzzle and one Sudoku puzzle.

 

The weather had improved with mostly blue skies and the sun shining on the horizon.  We have almost forgotten what a beautiful sunrise looks like.  Unfortunately, it would not last long.

 

While we are thinking about it, here are a few things we noticed that are different in this A category room compared to the deck one room.  There are four electric plugs on the desk area, three of which are 110.  If you need more 110 plugs, bring a plug strip or borrow one from housekeeping.  Our strip from home does not have a surge protector.  They will not let you use the newer style.  There is only one USB port located in the lamp on top of the refrigerator cabinet.  The newer ships have many more ports.  One is better than none, which is what we had in the deck one room.  There are no felt hangers on this ship.  We did have those on the Zuiderdam's world cruise this year.  We did request wire hangers and got plenty of them.  Lastly, there are laundry package options on this 56- day journey.   Laundry by the bag (stuff it to the gills) is $35, while unlimited laundry (no dry cleaning) is $588.  Unlimited pressing is $224.  The blue cloth laundry bag is $15 and the laundry return garment bag is $10.  If you happen to take these home with you (by accident?), expect a charge to your account.  Same goes for the beach towels and the nice soft blankets for the veranda use.  Now we are really appreciating the perk for complimentary laundry.  By the way, so far the return on the laundry has been the same day. 

 

Well it was great sitting on the veranda while the sun was shining.  Little by little, the clouds appeared and by 1pm it was raining.  Darn….  Oh well, it was time for another Mariner welcome onboard gathering in the Crow's Nest, which we thought was 11:30am.  But really, it was 11am, and we went late anyway.  No problem, the second gathering began at noon, so we stayed for that one.  Instead of the sparkling wine, they served sangria and another sweet wine.  Not big fans of sweet wine, we opted for the sparkling wine.  The nice bartender poured us two bottomless glasses.  Sitting at the bar, we scanned the room to look for our buddies Bill & Leta.  Turned out they were buried in a group of folks sitting across the room at the windows.  Eventually, they spotted us and came to join us.  We all agreed the motion of the ocean was much more noticeable because the ship was doing 14.8 knots…too slow for the stabilizers to work well.  This theory was confirmed by the food and beverage manager who took some time to work the crowd.  We visited with our friends until 1pm, then figured it was time for lunch.

 

Once again, we had been invited to the Sommelier wine tasting at 1:50pm but did not attend.  We do appreciate the invite anyway.  The next time we see Hannah, the Sommelier, we shall ask if they are doing the light finger food pairing with the wine tasting.  After Covid, many of these snack-type tasting were discontinued.  And we had a reminder that we still had time to sign up for the Have-It-All perk for $60 per day per person.  We had it once on a shorter cruise because it was a built-in perk.  We never came close to utilizing its value.

 

A run to the Dive In was a good choice because there was no line at all by 2pm.  We had a burger, hot dog and fries again and the order was filled in less than 10 minutes.  It is nice sailing with only 700 guests.  The walk to get here is further now that we have moved more midship.  So perhaps that will help burn the calories of one French fry.  Dream on…..

 

Taking another afternoon walk, we found the promenade deck to be deserted except for two other couples walking like us.  Joining the three lanai room guests (bundled up like mummies) on their lounges,  were a handful of crew members working.  On our way back, we did find a crowd in the Explorer's Lounge and figured it was time for trivia, a most popular game for many folks.

 

This evening was "dressy" and for the most part, people were decked out nicely.  What was missing was the Captain's Welcome in the World Stage.  The official start of the Tales of the South Pacific will commence on October 2^nd in San Diego and there will be a welcome then.  From what we have been told, three hundred of us will continue forward, and the other 400 will disembark.  In fact, there were flyers on several rooms to fill out that information on getting off.  Ours will come November 20^th or so before this trip ends. 

 

Our dining room dinners were pretty good. Starters were a crab Louis and tomato soup.  For the first time, a real surf and turf entrée was on the Gala menu.  Turf was a tender filet, and the surf was lobster, with a little too many pieces of shell attached.  Considered a "legendary" cruise, the menu format has gone back to what we have on a grand voyage.   The best dessert was the strawberry shortcake, just the way we have it at home. 

 

Showtime in the World Stage featured a comedian by the name of Simon B. Cotter.  We thought the time was 9:30pm, but looking closer at the newsletter, it had changed back to 9pm now.  Then at 9:45pm, a chocolate surprise was happening on deck 5. 

 

On our way back from dinner, we checked out the activity in the Casino.  It was barely occupied with guests mostly at the slots.  And many were smoking.  That is one thing we do not like, but then it is easy to avoid going through that part of the ship.

 

We have another day at sea on the way to San Francisco.  Hope the rain goes away.

 

Bill & Mary Ann

22 Pictures

Report #23 September 27, 2023 Vancouver, Canada Docked Starboard Side To Pier 6:30am-4pm Overcast With Light Rain 60 Degrees

 

Well, today begins the "legendary" Tales of the South Pacific, as these longer cruises are now described.  This 56- day journey will take us to warmer climates and a most beautiful piece of paradise.  We will definitely welcome the warmer temperatures, even if it comes with a few tropical showers.

 

The Volendam was docked at Canada Place, Vancouver at 6:30am about the same time we awoke.  Breakfast was early, also at 6:30am, but we arrived closer to 7am.  It was very sad to say goodbye to Endrian, the manager, as he will be leaving for home in Indonesia.  His flight was at 1am, and it will take him up to 24 hours to get home.  We could tell he was happy as a clam. 

 

If all went according to the plan regarding the room change, we should still have a few hours to enjoy Vancouver, especially since it is our final stop here.  Yesterday we packed most everything we could fit in the four suitcases and left the clothes hanging in the closets.  The housekeeping crew came at 9am and quickly loaded a trolley with our stuff to take to deck six.  They even took the small refrigerator because we asked to keep it and also the tower fan.  We followed with our valuables, stashed it away, and left the room just as the announcement came for everyone to leave the ship for the zero clearance.  Perfect timing.  Stopping at the front desk, we asked about our new keys and were told they would be delivered to our room mail slot by the time we got back.  Fine, that will work.

 

So we left the ship at 9:30am with our passports, old room keys, and the intransit cards to show anyone who asked.  We ran into Sarah Coles once again, and she reminded us to be sure to go through the customs check on the way back.  We promised to never miss that step ever again. 

 

The weather today was overcast and rainy.  By the time we went outside, the rain had begun to let up.  It was cool, but not really cold.  This is the first time in three weeks that the waterfront was not busy with runners, bikers, and tourists.  We learned one thing…..do not walk in the designated bike lane.  They take their right-of-way quite seriously, maybe not quite as bad as in Amsterdam, but pretty close.  We figured the wet weather kept the locals inside until later.  We were correct.  While we are on the subject of locals, we must comment on the pride they all take in keeping their city clean.  Sadly, we cannot say the same for San Francisco where we come from.  They are doing something right here.  Following our usual route, we walked the waterfront all the way to Stanley Park and the kiosk there.  The horse-drawn carriage ride was still being offered.  Before they left, we did have a chance to pet one of the horses.  A young gal was preparing them for the next 1 hour tour, and the carriage was filling with young families with kids.  Knowing that we needed to make it to the restaurant by noontime, we had to head back and not venture any further. 

 

Lunch was at the Steamworks Brewery once again.  We have decided that their Hawaiian pizza is the winning choice, and two Lions Head Lagers would be the perfect drink.  We did add a dessert of the apple galette, since it is so good.  We would need the extra energy to unpack again when we get back.  Around 1:30pm, we started back, hoping that the majority of folks would be gone and the new guests already boarded.  We did complete the journey back correctly, stopping at the kiosks and scanning the passports.  Truthfully, there was no one directing the folks once again, but we followed the arrows and got it right.  There were several guests going through here and that included up to 3200 Sapphire Princess guests that were boarding their vessel as well.  We learned at dinnertime, that our ship only has 700 guests doing this 5- day sailing down to San Diego.  That is less than half of the 1718 people that the ship can house. 

 

When we arrived to our new room, there were no keys in the mail slot.  However, we met our new room attendant, Anom, who let us inside.  He said he would check to see what happened to our keys.  In the meantime, we called the front desk, and were informed that someone would deliver them as they were not printed yet.  Oh well, we needed to unpack, and set up our room, pretty much the same as a regular boarding day.  It took us until 4pm to get 99% organized.  We could not leave the room to go to the sail away or else we would be locked out.  Finally, Jennifer arrived with new keys in hand……but they did not work.  She admitted they had just installed a new printer and they were having problems.  Within 10 minutes, another girl had keys that did work.  We were free to roam, but way too tired to go anywhere.  We just watched the sailing out of the harbor going under the Lions Head Bridge from our veranda.  The rain had begun to fall lightly, so we did not miss anything at the aft pool gathering.  By the way, we are really going to like this new room with the balcony.  It will be much more useful with the soon-to-be warmer weather.

 

The ship left at 4pm, and we are heading around the bottom of Vancouver Island, where we began getting blocked signals for the TV reception.  The internet was working, but that was cutting in and out as well.  We sure hope the signal is as good as it was on deck one.  It certainly is improved with the new system installed.

 

Dinnertime came quickly, and we headed to the dining room, one floor down.  Convenient location, we are about in the middle of the ship now.  We were hoping to see friends Bill & Leta at their usual table on deck four, but we did not see them yet.  We ordered very tasty and hot chicken tenders, one Caesar salad, and a bowl of room service chicken noodle soup.  The soup came piping hot.  One of us might have to order that more often.  Mains were one chicken dinner and one pork tenderloin with lingonberries….really good.  The maitre'd and the food and beverage manager stopped for a visit, and that's when we learned there were only 700 guests.  Both levels of the dining room were half full.  Better for us, since our waiters can be more relaxed for 5 days.  Then we will have a full ship after San Diego when the cruise officially begins.  We were close to ordering a light dessert, when Leta, our good friend appeared at our table.  She and husband Bill were seated on the opposite side of the upper dining room against a window.  They spotted us, and Leta came by for big hugs.  So nice to see they are back cruising….it has been 3 ½ years since we last saw them, and that was when the 2020 world cruise was halted in its tracks.  She visited for a few minutes then went back to her table.  When we finished dinner, we briefly stopped to say hi to Bill and promised we will have 56 days to catch up on all of the news.

 

There was no live show this evening, but the Origin Story of HAL's 150 years was shown once again.  One interesting thing we noticed was that the Casino was advertised as being open all night for slot machines and electronic table games.  Is it possible that there are some last-minute stand-by guests that got on the ship with their  deeply-reduced casino deal?   We will have to make a trip through the casino tomorrow and check out how busy they are.

 

Going to sleep like babies tonight….

 

Bill & Mary Ann

174 Pictures

Report #22 September 26, 2023 Sea Day Enroute To Vancouver, Canada Gale Force Winds, Rough Seas Overcast With Periods Of Rain Decks Locked Down

 

Today breakfast was at 8am in the Pinnacle Grill, but 10am for the special brunch in the dining room.  For a change, many more folks showed up to dine in this nice restaurant.  They have missed out on a good meal doing other things these last six days we assume.  This cruise has been different because it appears that the guests are doing everything they can squeezed into 7 days.  The shows, bars, lounges, and especially the food venues have been most busy.  For the following 56 -day trip, we asked Endrian if he could take reservations for 10 dinners and he said of course.  There will be pop-up special dinners throughout the longer cruise, but since we do not do the wine pairings or the Tamarind, we chose days that are the regular Pinnacle Grill dinner.  Yes, we are going to miss Endrian as he has been one of the best PG managers ever.  Back in our room, we had two more HAL tiles with a note of gratitude for our loyalty.

 

We did have some rough sailing last night, but the motion ceased when the Captain took the ship into the channels between islands.  He announced early in the day that we would try to avoid Queen Charlotte Sound because it was extremely windy, raining, with rolling seas.  We feel like the horses that are galloping back to the barn at a high speed.  The winds were blowing strong enough for the crew to close off the promenade deck once again.  All of the teak lounges and pads were tied down like last week.  We did sneak under the rope, but we could only walk on one side due to the driving rain.  Others were doing the same.  By the way, when we travel inside the island route, we lose TV reception.  The internet has remained working, so that is a plus. 

 

We were invited to the Mariner Recognition Event at 11:30am in the Crow's Nest.  There was a total of 14 guests, including us, but there were no medallion awardees once again.  Captain Whitaker was busy navigating our course through the islands, so he was a no- show.  Today, none of our names or days sailed were announced.  It appears that this tradition of recognition is going to be something of the past in our humble opinion.  We were welcomed by Glenn, the Cruise Director, who took the place of the Captain.  Francois and a few other officers were present but did not visit with the guests like they did last week.  Francois and Glenn will be leaving the Volendam tomorrow and heading home.   They will be missed also, but we could tell they are ready for a vacation.  We met with Jennifer when the small gathering was over.  She went over the information we needed for our room change that will take place tomorrow.  In the letter we got yesterday, it suggested we pack our loose belongings in the morning, and leave the rest for the room stewards to move.  Good thing we did not wait until tomorrow, because it took more time than we thought.  Well, that meant everything in the drawers had to be packed and everything from the bathroom as well as our collection of toiletries.  Our valuables such as computer, prescriptions, and jewelry, etc. would need to be hand-packed by us once the new room was cleaned and ready.  Hopefully that will be before 9am.  Housekeeping will move the rest, which will be four suitcases and the clothes hanging in the closet.  Tomorrow will be the normal "zero clearance" morning, so we will need to leave around 9:30am and be able to spend the short day enjoying Vancouver, even if it rains like predicted.  All aboard will be 3pm, but we will need to go through customs and immigrations, so that happens at 2pm. 

 

By the time we finished re-packing, it was 3pm.  So one of us went to the Dive-In to get one cannonball burger and a hot dog….fries too.  It stays hot when we get it ourselves.  The pool had been emptied and was being scrubbed.  The hot tubs remained running but had no customers.  Very few folks were laying on the lounges, and the decks were in the process of being power- scrubbed as well.  There may be Canadian inspections tomorrow, and they always have to be prepared.  And that is why this ship gets high marks every time.

 

Instead of walking outside, we went to check out the shops.  There was one Mary Frances purse that one of us had an eye on, but it was sold. In its place was even a nicer one – a white and pink beaded bag with the Eiffel Tower on it.  The name is Paris, of course.  It will join the growing collection at home.  The shop salesman handed us tickets for a drawing, but the time came and went and we forgot. Oh well…

 

Spotting our room attendants, we informed them that we were all packed and the bags and clothes were ready to go tomorrow morning.  They actually thanked us for being so neat for these three weeks, leading us to think that not all of the guests are so considerate.  They said they will miss us.  The same goes for us….they have been very prompt with their service and kept us quite comfortable.  Not a day went by that Imam asked what more he could do for us.

 

Dinner was in the dining room with starters of a breaded shrimp mixed salads.  It was the Culinary Council menu and was limited to what we really like.  We keep forgetting to request "hot" food, so when the halibut arrived, it was warm at best.  The rigatoni with a meat sauce was the better choice tonight.  At least it was warmer when served.  Desserts of a chocolate- filled craqulin? like a donut made us happy and quite full.  An amusing comment was made while riding the elevator today.  One lady said she can't wait to get home and stop eating.  How funny is that?  We get it. 

 

Tomorrow will be another busy turn-around day, so it's off to bed for us.

 

Bill & Mary Ann 

37 Pictures

Report #21 September 25, 2023 Ketchikan, Alaska 11am-6pm Docked Port Side To Pier Overcast With Some Sun And A Few Sprinkles 57 Degrees

 

Ketchikan is our port of call for the third time in as many weeks.  The third time is a charm.  Ketchikan is situated in the middle of  the Tongass National Forest with 17 million acres , the largest in the entire world.  In addition to that, Misty Fjords is only 40 miles away with another 2.3 million acres. 

 

Beginning in 1883, a salmon saltery provided jobs in Ketchikan, followed by the fishing trade.  Gold miners flooded the area utilizing the bars and bordellos of Creek Street.  The Ketchikan Pulp Mill flourished until it declined.  These days tourism ranks the # 1 industry.  A population of 8200 residents keep the town prospering.  As well as a land of totem poles, it is also the last port in Alaska that the Volendam will visit this season.  Many of the guests, but more so the crew members will take advantage of the "close out" sales today. 

 

The ship arrived to the dock by 10:30am and we were the only vessel there.   The ship was cleared before 11am, and we happened to watch the passengers going off to meet their tour guides.   If we have not mentioned this yet, we have to give credit to the fantastic crew we have onboard.  The gangway was very steep today, due to a 16 foot tide fluctuation.  Several guests using canes, walkers, and wheelchairs were immediately given help getting down the gangway safely.   We could see that the extra help was appreciated.

 

Letting most of the tours exit first, we went off around noontime.  And for a change, the weather looked great.  It was partly cloudy with a little sun appearing now and then.  But the best part was there wasn't any rain.  The breeze was not as cold as yesterday, and even though it felt like rain might fall, it never did. 

 

Curious to see if the pink salmon were still making their way up the creek, we took our usual walk towards the Stedman Street Bridge.   From the viewpoint, we found that the creek was even more full of fish than last week.  The casualties were laying on the banks all the way up the boardwalk.  Taking more time to read the new signs about the salmon run, we noticed that the signs were donated by Royal Caribbean Inc. Cruise Line.  The information was wonderful.  At the top of the Married Man's Trail, we stopped and watched the salmon coming up the fish ladder there.  A few of the larger ones were trying to come up the rapids, only to be washed back down. 

 

Following Park Avenue, we made our way to the upper creek to find salmon congregating along the banks by the thousands.   This is the start of the spawning grounds, especially where there is a bed of gravel and small rocks in the more shallow waters.  We made our way up to the Deer Mountain Hatchery and the adjoining City Park.  Making use of the nice benches there, we waited to see if the deer would appear like last week.  No, it did not come back, but we did see an industrious Stellar blue jay planting seeds of some kind in the grassy fields.  We have these same birds at home, and they seem to like staying in an area where there are trees and creeks. 

 

It was time for lunch so we made our way back down to town and the Alaska King Crab Co. across from the ship.  We ordered a shared plate pf chicken tenders with the best BBQ sauce for dipping.  They came with plenty of fries which went well with the Alaska Amber beers. By ordering two beers, we qualified for two free shotglasses.  We split a slice of carrot cake,  then left to do some shopping.  There are coupon booklets for every port, and there were a few things that we wanted such as a back scratcher and a calendar.  In all of the times we have visited Ketchikan, we never realized that Tongass Trading had four locations.  Each coupon had a number on it, and one shop did not honor the other shops.  Go figure. 

 

We got back to the ship by 3:30pm.  All aboard time was 6pm, but looking out our window, we could see that the gangway was not being removed.  Looking closer, we saw a firetruck and an ambulance.  Oh no, another medical debark was in progress.  A man was brought down on a stretcher, but the good news was that he was waving as they loaded him into the back of the ambulance.   The ship left by 6:30pm and now we are on our way back to Vancouver by Wednesday with one day at sea tomorrow. 

 

The clocks went ahead one hour, which no one likes.  We will not have any time changes now until we begin sailing west towards the Hawaiian Islands after October 2^nd. 

 

Bill & Mary Ann

221 Pictures

Report #20 September 24, 2023 Glacier Bay National Park, Alaska 7am-5pm Cloudy And Cool With Some Rain And Sun 43 Degrees

 

Welcome to Glacier Bay….again.  The weather was a chilly 42 degrees with a wind chill factor dropping it even more.  It was cloudy with a little fog and drizzle, but still much better than last week's weather. 

The park rangers boarded the ship at 7am, right on schedule, however, we seemed to have stopped.  Something was wrong, but we did not know what it was, nor was it announced.  So we went to breakfast knowing we should have plenty of time to get outside before we reached Gloomy Knob, where we work at spotting some wildlife.  That was scheduled for about 8:40am, but we still were not moving after breakfast.  Checking with the front desk folks, we learned that there was an emergency medical evacuation and the ship would be delayed for a total of two hours.  We wondered if the evacuation would be with a helicopter, but it turned out that the patient was loaded into a tender boat, then brought to Bartlett Cove or Gustavus, the nearest town.  Once the boat returned, we were on our way, silently wishing the unfortunate patient the best of luck. 

 

From here, it was the pedal to the metal as the Volendam maintained a speed of 19 – 20 knots to make up some lost time.  We went to deck six forward to watch our approach into the bay.  Passing by Tlingit Point, we began to see some mountain goats.  They appeared so tiny they might as well as been grains of rice.  With the ship doing the high speed, it was difficult holding the camera, but many good shots were taken.  By the time we got to Gloomy Knob, we were able to see more goats grazing and walking along the steep granite cliffs.  What a place to live.  We lasted over an hour outside, spotting one Stellar sealion, until the icy chill set in, so we went back to the room to defrost. 

 

Back outside later, we passed the Reid Glacier and Lamplugh Glaciers on the way to Margerie Glacier, the most filmed glacier in the park.  Then the Captain slowed the boat, due to the fact the Sapphire Princess was on her way out.   Sure made for a dramatic photo as the Princess vessel sailed by us.  We arrived to the end of the Tarr Inlet where the massive ice field of the Grand Pacific Glacier, located on the Canadian/US border, came into view.  On the left was the face of the Margerie Glacier.  Nothing much had changed with it from the last two weeks.  However, once again there was no thunderous boom from cracking ice, nor was there any signs of calving the whole time we were there.  On the other hand, we did spot many rafts of sea otters doing their thing in the bay.  The ranger mentioned that these otters were hunted to near extinction, but have made a comeback once the trapping ceased.  It was as much fun watching the folks down on the bow vying for the best spots on the railing and making trips for hot chocolate and coffee with a dash of liquor offered as well. 

 

We had been scheduled for a peek at the John's Hopkins Glacier, but with the 2 hours we lost, it was not to be.  Every time we have gone to that glacier, we have seen impressive calving.  Again, it's just luck.

It is still a privilege to visit this World Heritage Site and the world's largest protected marine sanctuary…….all 3.3 million acres of it.

 

Time for a bite to eat at 2pm, we enjoyed one Dine In chicken "back flip" sandwich and a hot dog in our room.   It felt so strange to see swimmers in the Lido Pool and many others in the jacuzzi spas.  Looking out the windows, the mountains were covered with ice and snow.  We assume both the pool and spas were heated.  That's the difference between a world cruise and a 7 day cruise.  People make it a point to do everything they can in such a short time, and that's what vacation is about.

 

We knew to be back on the promenade deck when the ship passed by the North and South Marble Islands.  However the ship flew past them, too faraway to see very much.   The park rangers left the ship by 5pm, and we stayed outside to watch the numerous sea otters floating on their backs near the ship.  Whales can also be seen here, but today we saw none. 

 

The Captain turned left after leaving Glacier Bay and headed south towards our next and our final stop in Alaska - Ketchikan.   Dinnertime arrived and we were back in the dining room for a dressy evening.  On this particular cruise, we have noticed that there are many folks with accents…specifically British.  Endrian said that the voyage was marketed to the Commonwealth countries of England, Australia, and New Zealand  to name a few. Another observation is that these folks have dressed quite nicely, even more on the formal side than the previous trips.  Guess that goes with their culture and we appreciate it.

 

Our meal began with shrimp cocktails with the red sauce followed by Caesar salads.   Mains were steak – one was a sirloin strip and one was the surf and turf of a filet and a tiny grilled shrimp.  The very thin cut sirloin came with a tasty gravy, but cooked more than one of us likes.  The filet was more on the pink side, so we switched.  The French fries were served hot and were shared.  Desserts were one scoop of sorbet and a hot fudge sundae.  Then on the way back to the forward elevators, we stopped at the library and picked up a couple of books to read finally.  There is not a huge selection, but enough to have something for everyone.

 

Bill & Mary Ann

164 Pictures

Report #19 September 23, 2023 Skagway, Alaska 7am-8pm Docked Port Side To Pier But Tendered Guests To Shore Partly Cloudy With Sun 53 Degrees

 

We arrived early to Skagway and found it a chilly 53 degrees, mostly cloudy, light winds, and no rain.  In fact, we could see the clouds breaking up and if we were lucky, we might see some real sun later.  Last night, we had no daily newsletter, and now we fear the ship might be going "paperless".   So on our way to breakfast, we stopped by the front desk to turn in our final customs and immigrations form for Canada, and also ask why no newsletter.  The front desk folks said there had been a glitch in the system and they only printed a few one page newsletters for the folks who did not have a cell phone to bring up the Navigator page.  We could have read this on the room TV, but it is not convenient.  We like paper.  Hope this is fixed soon.

 

Well, starting from the beginning, we woke up to "bizzarro-land".  Yesterday we had received a notice saying that due to operational problems, we would need to tender ashore in Skagway.  We figured two larger ships would need the docks, and we took third place.  The Volendam was brought alongside the old Railroad Dock, right across from the graffiti wall, but also near the massive slide that occurred back in 2018.  There was no gangway connecting us to the roadside.  We would definitely be tendering to the small marina.

 

Oddly enough, the Sapphire Princess pulled in behind us, and not at the One or Broadway Docks.  Except they had a gangway, and were required to take buses and shuttles to Congress Way to join tours or go to town.  No one was allowed to walk the road.  Docked portside, we watched the buses pass back and forth by our window.  Very unusual as we have never had to do this before in Skagway.  Oh well, first time for everything.

 

We left the ship around 10am, and were chased by that big moose again near the stairs down to deck A.  The ship's photographers always try their best to get us to take pictures, but we always say no thank you.  Now it is a game, more so when they have the funny mascots.   We joined the tenderboat group going off by showing our cards.  We did not need a tender ticket.  The ride was 10 minutes tops.  From the small boat marina we walked to Pullen Creek to see if there were any more pink salmon coming upstream.  There were none, but we were more surprised not to find any dead carcasses like we saw two weeks ago.   The creek was loaded with bodies.  Guess the bears have cleaned up the creek, which was confirmed by one of the shop's owners. 

 

We continued up Broadway, ducking in and out of shops, then followed the street to the Klondike Highway.  We turned right at the beginning of the Pat Moore Bridge at the sign for the Gold Rush Cemetery.  Lower Reid Falls is also in the same area, although the sign suggested it was ½ mile, we felt it was more than that.  We walked past the White Horse Yukon Route railyard and that's where we finally heard the whistle from a train coming back from the Yukon.  Two weeks ago we must have left the ship earlier, because the trains were coming back from their early runs.  Today, we saw none, and thought perhaps they were closed for the season.  Glad to see they began arriving one after another to load up with more guests.  It really is a nice tour. 

 

Reaching the famous cemetery by noontime, we relaxed on a bench before the climb, talking to a young couple from the Sapphire Princess.  It may have been their first cruise, and were full of questions when they heard we have been on several trips, especially the longer ones.  The young man said he would love to do that when he retires, which was a long way off.  Yep, that's what we said years ago, and here we are.

 

We made the climb to the cemetery where notorious Soapy Smith and Frank Reid are both buried (far apart), along with many other townspeople from the Gold Rush Days.  The story of the shoot-out between the two rivals have kept this place on the map.  One thing sort of confused us concerning Soapy Smith.  We read that there was a massive flood in 1919 and Soapy's gravesite had washed away.  Will have to dig deeper into that theory.  After reading most of the sad headstones, we headed up the slippery wet trail to the Lower Reid Falls, a 300 foot high waterfall.  The trail was fairly steep with rocks and tree roots along the way.  It wasn't so hard going up, but one of us had to be very cautious going back down.  Once at the trail head, we had a choice of waiting for the S.M.A.R.T. bus, a $5 pp ride back to the pier, or hike back.  Since we had the time, and it was downhill all the way, we chose to walk. 

 

Our destination was lunch at the Station Bar and Grill next to the Morning Wood Hotel.  We feared that with two ships in town, it might be filled with diners, or closed for the season.  But we got lucky and there was one table left, which we gladly took.  Even at 1:30pm, the place was full as was the bar.  Without even checking the menu, we ordered two Alaskan Amber beers, and one 14 inch Hawaiian pizza.  It was even better than the one we had two weeks ago.  We saved a bit of room for another Alaskan Fry Bread at the Klondike Doughboy.  Having tried our first taste of one two weeks ago, we think this will become a tradition when we visit again in the future.  Guess we can describe the bread as a flat-like 10 inch square donut cooked in hot oil, then covered with cinnamon sugar.  They are still piping hot when you buy them.  And SO good. 

 

Many of the ship's passengers were on spending sprees here, except us.  We know the prices may be better in Ketchikan and we really don't need anything. One of us did spot a nice wool scarf with an artist's design, but it will give us something to search for next time.  We will be heading into tropical zones soon and wool is not something we need.

 

Back to the tender spot, we were greeted with the Face Recognition computer ID, then boarded the boat for the quick ride to the ship.  We were back to our room by 4pm, but had no TV reception and will not until we leave due to our location between the steep mountains.  The internet was working fine.

 

The Pinnacle Grill was our dinner venue with Caesar salads, clothesline bacon, medium lamb chops, and one shared order of French fries….the skinny ones.  Wish they were "skinny" in calories since we may have over-done it a bit today.  Our long hike may have compensated for it though. 

 

The ship left Skagway about when we returned from dinner….like 9pm.  Looks like the Sapphire left ahead of us.  Not sure we will meet again in Ketchikan.

 

Tomorrow looks like a promising day with the weather.  Today turned out to be gorgeous with lots of sun, so we wish for the same when we entered Glacier Bay once more.  We shall think positive.

 

Bill & Mary Ann

253 Pictures

Report #18 September 22, 2023 Juneau, Alaska 12pm-10pm Docked Starboard Side To Pier Rain Most Of The Day Cool 45 Degrees

 

Today is the only day on this seven day run where the Lido offers an express lunch from 11:30 to 12:30pm because our arrival to Juneau is around 1pm.  Since we had a nice and early breakfast, we would skip lunch onboard and wait until we reach Juneau to dine out.

 

It was really cold, wet, and windy so we bundled up and went to deck six forward once again to watch our sailing into Juneau.  We assumed there was going to be a stop for the Tracy Arm tour to Twin Sawyer Glaciers, but we never stopped.  Guess that tour was not offered today, or it was cancelled.  If we had been five minutes later, we would have missed seeing a pod of six humpback whales blowing their spouts and feeding on the surface.   We spotted a couple more along the shoreline, then nothing.  Simply pure luck.  We stayed outside on the starboard side and under some cover.  It was raining and flooding under our feet again, but we were dressed for it.  Never got wet. 

 

The Volendam sailed into the Gastineau Channel and reached Juneau early about 12:15pm.  Already in port were the Sapphire Princess and the RCI Quantum of the Seas.  The Princess ship holds up 3214 guests while the Quantum appears bigger and holds even more.  Downtown will be busy today, and the tour operators will be happy with all of the tours booked. 

 

Here are some quick facts about Juneau.  September's average low is 45 degrees and the high is 57 degrees.  Daylight hours are 12 hours and 25 minutes.  There are 19 days of rain and zero for snowfall.  Today it felt cold enough to snow, but all we had was steady rain and little wind. 

 

We left the ship at 12:30pm which was good timing because the rain let up for ½ hour.  With so many folks in the downtown area, we decided to take a hike to Overstreet Park and the humpback whale figure near the Juneau-Douglas Bridge, about a mile or more away. On the way we spotted an eagle on a light standard with a crow that would not leave him alone. We did get a few pictures of them.  Took us about 30 minutes to reach the park and the walkway over the shoreline.  At the end is the steel-body true-to-size humpback whale breaching.  It is surrounded with a fountain that signifies the splash the whale makes when crashing back down on its back after feeding.  Many signs are posted explaining the interesting story behind this sculpture.  It was created to commemorate Alaska becoming a state in 1959, and was dedicated in 2009 when the state turned 50 years old.  The whale weighs over 6 tons and had to be shipped here in pieces then re-assembled.

 

Our next destination was the Hangar on the Wharf for lunch of course.  Today we mixed it up and ordered cheese nachos with hamburger.  They were even better than what we had in Vancouver.  Regular sliced black olives made both of us happy as did the fresh guacamole, salsa, and sour cream.  Two Alaskan Ambers went well with the appetizer. A shared dessert of mud pie was a must.  The place was packed and the crowd did not thin out until after 3pm.  Many of the items on the menu were fish related as you might expect.  What's big up here is crab among other things.  Alaska's commercial seafood industry employs 60,000 people producing 5 – 6 billion pounds of seafood a year.  It is 60% of the US harvest. 

 

Back in town Tracy's King Crab Shack had a line a mile long.  They specialize in King crab but also offer Dungeness crab.  An interesting fact about the Dungeness is the maximum life span is 10 years if they escape trapping.  The males have to be 4 years old to harvest, while the females are never taken.  They are thrown back to breed.  One large female can carry 2.5 million eggs.  That is incredible.

 

Everyone and their brother was packing a red plastic bag from the T-Shirt Company, the busiest shop in town.  We made a sweep through the store to check out their sales.  Much of it was ½ off or better.  Tourists and crew members were busy shopping there, their last chance for them to bring something home to their families.  Our only purchase was a bag of delicious peanut brittle to enjoy in our room.   We passed on the fudge, although it did look tempting, too many calories for comfort. 

 

Back on the ship by 4:30pm, we headed to our room to warm up and work on pictures.  That kept one of us busy until our 7:30pm dinnertime in the main dining room.  For starters we had small salads and arancini.  Mains were the Club Orange special of braised short ribs which arrived on the special blue plates.   It was quite tasty even if the meat was placed on a bed of pureed veggies, not potatoes.  Usually we don't indulge, but tonight we ordered one scoop of butter pecan ice cream and one extremely chocolatey torte. 

 

The ship left early at 9:20pm, and headed towards our next port of Skagway tomorrow.  And there was a change of plans…..we will need to tender into Skagway because we believe two larger ships will be using the docks.  At least we are still going there and not to Haines, like last week.

 

Bill & Mary Ann 

215 Pictures

 

Report #17 September 21, 2023 Sea Day - Cruising The Inside Passage Toward Tracy Arm And Juneau, Alaska Cloudy With Morning Sun Turning To Heavy Fog In The Afternoon 53 Degrees

 

Another Alaskan cruise begins, and another canvas HAL tote was gifted to us.  Wine tasting would take place at 1:50pm, and we were once again invited.  For most all other guests, the fee was $25.  Since we do not enjoy drinking wine, we did not attend.  We did go to another fine breakfast, which has been very uncrowded.  The only reason we can figure why the Neptune folks are not there in large numbers, is the fact that this ship has the Pinnacle Grill on a deck with no windows.  

 

We took a walk on the promenade after breakfast and found it had turned quite chilly.  The skies were overcast and cloudy so we did need warmer jackets.  The best sighting we had for most of the day was the Sapphire Princess that appeared to be heading the same direction we were.   

 

Our location after coming out of the narrows was Queen Charlotte Sound where we were exposed to open seas and fog.  It got thick enough that the Captain had to use the foghorn, which goes off every two minutes.  Sure is an eerie sound especially when one cannot see where we are going.  Sometime today or last night, a sea bird, perhaps a shearwater, landed on the promenade deck, making its way against the wall.   We didn't notice it until it moved when we walked past it.   Obviously it was injured and could not walk well.  Sometimes the lights on the deck attract the birds and they crash against the ship.  Most times they do not survive.  While we were watching the bird, three of the security staff came along and were deciding what to do with it.  Not sure what they did, but an hour later, the bird was not there. 

 

Today we opted to have a Dive In lunch with two "back flips" or chicken sandwiches and some naked fries.   The area was busy with both the line for burgers and hot dogs, but also the deeply-discounted HAL Alaskan clothing that has been promoted.  The sales were quite healthy for the 20 minutes it took for the food to be delivered.  By the way, the chicken sandwiches were very good. 

 

At 3:30pm, we headed up to deck six forward in hopes of seeing the whales that hang out there.  It appeared that we were further off of the coastline than last week, and we did not see any blows or diving.  What we did see was another cute little bird, a sparrow, who came hopping along behind us at the railing.  Isn't that a kick….two stowaways in one day. 

 

The Sapphire Princess was still sailing ahead of us when she took a turn towards the left.  A tanker appeared on the horizon and took second place behind Princess.  Eventually, we turned in the same direction and headed across the Dixon Entrance.  We will sail in the open sea until we head back in going towards Tracy Arm and Juneau.  Something tells us to expect some rougher seas tonight.  Turns out we were correct.

 

Dinner was back in the Pinnacle Grill where they were quite busy with nicely-dressed customers.  Our meal was marvelous as always with wedge salads and clothesline bacon naturally.  One halibut entrée and one filet mignon with fries and mashed potatoes filled us up.  But we did leave a little space for a shared piece of Key lime pie.  It was as smooth and silky as we remembered it. 

 

Good news – the clocks went back one hour and that is always appreciated.

 

Bill & Mary Ann

32 Pictures

Report #16 September 20, 2023 Vancouver, Canada Docked Starboard Side To Pier 7am-4pm Sunny With Some Clouds 68 Degrees

 

Today the Volendam was docked starboard side right before sunrise.  The weather looked promising, so we may see some sun today.  Fast forward…..it was a marvelous day.  Breakfast was served at 6:30am for us, but we went at the regular time.  No rush to get off, we had excellent service since there were just a few customers. 

 

We left the ship after 8:30am, making sure Mariner Rep Jennifer saw us, and knew we went off without the group again.  We understand that there were only 10 folks sailing onward like us. 

 

Today we made it all the way around the harbor to Stanley Park, past the Royal Vancouver Yacht Club, and gated-off Deadman's Island.  We located the Totem Park and turned left to see them.  Every one is expertly-carved by native artists and each one tells a story.  There is a nice souvenir shop there as well as restrooms.  There were a few tour groups listening to the guide's story of the totems, while we just read the plaques in front of each one.   Then we followed the water's edge to the Girl in the Wetsuit figure on a rock in the water.  Sure reminded us of Copenhagen's Little Mermaid.  Continuing around the bend, we began to recognize the road we usually cross to access the harbor and a view of the Lions Head Bridge. 

 

It took an hour of walking from here to get back to Canada Place, and then on to the Steamworks Brewery for lunch.  We ordered two Lions Gate beers and a mile-high pile of cheese nachos with bacon and guacamole.  One of the toppings was sliced green olives, which one of us loves.  We stayed until 1pm after sharing another freshly-baked apple galette.  So good.  Then we headed back to the terminal. 

 

Any given day can bring surprises, and today was no exception.  With the intransit cards in hand, we were directed to follow the "crew" lane, which led to the xray area.  An official had checked our room keys and said to proceed.  Passing quickly through the xray, we were shown the crew lane and the way out.  Something felt missing, like the immigrations/customs check.  Oh well, we were just following directions we were given. 

 

Back onboard, we spent a few hours relaxing and working on photos.  Glenn was repeatedly announcing for the new guests to log into their muster stations.  We did not need to do that, since it is only required every 30 days.

 

We had an invite left on our bed for another Mariner gathering in the Crow's Nest at 3pm.  We went up around 3:20pm for a quick sip of the bubbly.  That's when Jennifer came and asked if we had gone through the customs check.  We explained what happened, and she said we needed to get our passports and go off and have them cleared.  She came with us while we took them out of our safe, and then went off to clear up the mix-up.  And guess what?  The person that met us at the gangway was Sarah Coles, the former luggage service manager who we know well from many grand voyages.  She remembered us too.  We let her know how much she was missed on this year's world cruise.  After the Covid shut-down, Sarah left HAL and went to work for shoreside services.  She seemed very happy to be here, so things work out for a reason.  Anyway, the whole process took only 10 minutes and Jennifer led us back to the Crow's Nest for more sparkling wine.   We found out later, that our names had been announced shipwide on the outside decks.  Oh boy…….

 

Sail away was around 4pm, and we tried to get an elevator to go to deck nine.  Nothing was working right.  Some elevators were stuck on other decks, and others passed us up.  Strange….they had been fine until today.  Once up on deck nine, we found all the railings full of guests.  The Seaview Pool was not as crowded as last week, but we still made our way down the back stairs to deck six.  We had most of the whole deck to take as many pictures as we wanted.  Since the sun had come out, the photos should be a lot nicer with color.  The Captain picked up speed and when it began to cool down, we retreated to our room until dinnertime.

 

Dinner was in the dining room with one very hot French onion soup, one breaded cod slider appetizer, and salads.  Mains were the chicken with stuffing, however, one of us got one that had as many bones as meat.  Tasty, but you had to be careful cutting the chicken.  Since we indulged at lunchtime with a dessert, we passed on them tonight.  Another   maitre'd  appeared and introduced himself.  His name is Johny and he has come from the Lido.  Pande will be leaving soon, and someone will have to replace him.   

 

For entertainment, there was a movie called Origin Story in the World Stage all about the last 150 years of Holland America.  There was also a movie in the Wajang called The Flash.  Even at 9pm, all of the lounges, shops, and casino were filled with people. 

 

Bill & Mary Ann

182 Pictures

Report #15 September 19, 2023 Sea Day Cruising The Inside Passage Partly Cloudy With Some Sun 52 Degrees Cool Breeze

 

Cruising the Inside Passage" was the theme of the day, as we sail on back to Vancouver once more.  We showed up at the regular time to the Pinnacle Grill for a 7:30am breakfast, only to find the doors closed.   What's up with that?  Turned out the restaurant opened at 8am this morning, but no one had informed us.  Obviously, the Neptune folks knew, since there were no other guests waiting at the door. In the meantime, we went down to deck three intending to take a brisk walk for the ½ hour.  Well, that wasn't happening either because all of the doors were roped off.  What's up with that?  Sure it was wet outside, but conditions were not all that bad in our humble opinion.  It was still very cold, so we just watched the rising sun through the windows. 

 

There were very few customers for breakfast, and that was probably due to the fact that there was a dining room brunch from 10am to 12:30pm.  Two meals in one.  We asked Endrian if the brunch was like the one they do on the world cruise, and he said no.  This one was simply a combination of half breakfast half lunch items.  Not the little shot glasses filled with a variety of tastings.  We have been to the tastings brunch, but still prefer the traditional breakfast.  Some folks love it though.

 

Still needing our morning walk, we went out a bit later to discover nothing had been opened up yet.  All of the teak lounges were folded up and tied with twine to the railings.  All of the chair pads were also tied down.  This included the lanai rooms with the access to the reserved lounges.  We would not be happy campers if we could not use the lounges on the last sea day.  One fellow in a lanai room had brought his desk chair outside, covered up with a blanket, and stayed out there anyway.    Good for him.  Later on, we would find out the reason for the shutdown.

 

Today we had gifts of the two Delft tiles and an invitation to a Mariner's Recognition Event in the Crow's Nest at 11:30am.   We figured this would be a small group, but we did not expect there to be only six of us.  Captain Ryan Whitaker and Hotel General Manager Francois both stood and greeted us when we entered the room.   There was one other couple that are in the President's Club as well as one couple that were approaching their 500 day level.  Two other officers were in attendance and the Cruise Director Glenn Michael joined the group.  Drinks of our choices were offered, and refilled without asking.   We had a very pleasant talk with the Captain and then Francois before we were invited to take a photo with them.   Glenn asked if he could share the number of days we all had acquired, and we all said yes.   So one of the questions we asked was concerning the promenade deck being closed.  Their answer was that there have been several accidents with people falling or getting their fingers caught in doors.  Never thought about that.  Then they added that while we are sailing in the channel between Vancouver Island and mainland Canada, the rules say that nothing can go overboard.  Even by accident.  It is possible that the ships can lose their right to sail here if the rules are broken.  It was time for the Captain to do his noontime talk, so he left the room.  Francois and the officers stayed on for ½ hour.  And the photo was delivered, complimentary,  by 4pm.  Also at the same time, we got our intransit cards for tomorrow's stop in Vancouver.   This week has gone by in a flash.

 

Lunch was a Dive In hotdog and burger with fries.  It was very busy at the grill, since brunch had been early.  By 2pm, the guests were out and about and eating again.  Last day to do it.  By 4pm, we were starting to enter the narrow straits between the islands.  So we went back to deck three and watched for wildlife.  We did see a few of the porpoise, which may be Dalls' porpoise.  They were quite a distance away, but we did get a photo of their splashing.  Their behavior is far different from dolphins as they do not leave the water jumping.  We saw three sea otters, which is odd since they usually hang out in groups.  There were a few assorted birds (no eagles) and a couple of small local boats passing by.   Out of the blue, we spotted possibly a Silverseas vessel on her way north.  Then we saw the Sapphire Princess and also an NCL ship with the artwork on the hull.   Bet we see the Princess ship in port tomorrow.  Regent's Seven Seas Explorer will also be docked at Canada Place.

 

Dinner for us was in the Pinnacle Grill, where we ordered very nice Caesar salads, one halibut, and one pork chop.  Fries and mashed potatoes were the sides with a chocolate souffle and one scoop of mango sorbet for dessert.  The room was full of guests who were trying to squeeze in everything in seven days.  Lucky for us, we do not have to go back to the room and pack.  Last chance to shop, the stores were full and the lounges busy.  The entertainment this evening was The Step One Dance Company with Musicology, a show we have seen more than once. 

 

Tomorrow will be another busy day for the crew as we will be getting mostly all new guests boarding.

 

Bill & Mary Ann

38 Pictures

Report #14 September 18, 2023 Ketchikan, Alaska Docked Port Side To Pier Cloudy With Some Sun And Late Afternoon Rain Showers 52 Degrees

 

Last night we had a rough sailing when the Captain took the ship out to more open waters.  Warning us earlier about it, he was correct about the approximate time….around 12:30am.  We woke up suddenly when things tumbled off of our desk like water glasses and even the Kindle.  The motion continued for a couple of hours until they took the ship into calmer waters between islands.  Some of our cruise friends like the rolling of the ship, however, for us it brings back memories of the 2002 Asia/Pacific Explorer Cruise on the Volendam when we hit 55 foot seas off of the Aleutians.   Hope to never experience that again.

 

We arrived to Ketchikan even earlier than the expected 10am.  Two other ships were already docked….the Majestic and Sapphire Princess.  The Volendam looked like a baby parked between the larger ships.  Sure was different seeing hundreds of people out and about onshore, since when we were here last week, we were the only ship here.  We were cleared shortly after 10am, and the all aboard time was switched to 6pm, not 7pm.  A crew drill began at 10:15am, so we headed off of the ship shortly after it began.  Today is the last chance for Alaskan souvenirs for most of the guests, so we expect crowds everywhere. 

 

The weather appeared far better than what we expected.  It was overcast and cloudy with temperatures in the low 50's.  Afternoon showers were predicted, but we crossed our fingers it would stay away.  Ketchikan is located in the middle of the Tongass National Forest, a 17 million acre park and the largest in the United States.   It has been home to the Tlingit, Haida, and Tsimshian tribes and their heritage has lived on through their art, totem carvings, and woven items.  Some of the finest are right here in Ketchikan. 

 

We left the ship at 10:30am, taking note that looking out our window, people were walking right outside directly across from our room.  We took our usual walk that took us across the Stedman Street Bridge and up the street towards the Thomas Basin Boat Harbor.  Crossing the street, we made our way to Creek Street and the row of bawdy houses from the early 1900's.  Of course, these days, the old houses are home to souvenir shops.  One exception is Dolly's House, which has turned into a museum with the red light district history.    We almost felt like the salmon going upstream with all of the cruise people walking down the stairs.  There was barely room to wiggle past the groups watching the salmon in the creek. 

 

The tide was out this morning, so the creek was much lower, exposing the stream of salmon even better.  Once we reached the top of Creek Street, we crossed the road and followed the river up to the bridge.  If anyone tells you that the salmon are on the decline, we would say they are crazy.  And speaking of salmon, here are the five varieties seen in Alaska.  They are King or chinook, red or sockeye, coho or silver, chum or dog and pink or humpy.  Deep sea species caught here are halibut, rockfish, and ling cod.  Freshwater fish are Dolly Varden, cutthroat, rainbow and steelhead trout. 

 

The run of salmon are still the pink humpies.  There were more this week than last week.  Taking many photos of the salmon on the side banks, we continued up to the Deer Mountain Hatchery.  We noticed that there were some workers at the large holding tanks behind the fence.  They were sorting and counting small fry.   The signage on the wall gave important info about the salmon hatchery, which we were told was not in business anymore.  So the info stated that this hatchery releases 100,000 King salmon yearly and 400,000 coho silvers.  Rainbow trout are released with 60,000 fry, and for a kid's fishing derby, 1500 trout are released in a lake.  

 

The City Park is where the hatchery is located, and we always like to take a stroll around the streams and creeks here.  The ponds were created to hold salmon for special occasions here in the 1900's.  What a surprise we had when a small deer appeared hidden in the trees.  It was a year-old Sitka buck, tame as can be, and eating leaves from the trees.  Several other park-goers began taking pictures, getting closer and closer.  The deer was looking for a way out, and eventually back-tracked the way he came.  It was the first time we have ever seen a local deer here, and it really brought back recent memories of deer we have at our place.  There were at least five deer that visited us every day during the summer while the apple trees were thinning themselves. 

 

Time to head back, we walked back across the bridge, where dozens of folks were filming the salmon.  It appeared there were walking tour groups coming this way.  We thought we best head for the restaurant before it filled up completely.  The next stop was the Alaska King Crab Company, located up on the third floor of the shops.  So far the rain had held off and we were glad.  We shared a burger and fries and enjoyed two Alaskan Amber beers.  A slice of carrot cake was delicious.  The last stop was at Tongass Trading Company where we stocked up on some buttered popcorn.  Then got back to the ship by 3pm.  What we did not expect was how high the tide had changed the gangway.  We had to pull ourselves up.  Of course, they closed it off after we boarded and changed the gangway to the A deck.  Eventually, the rain did appear, but it was light and short-lived.

 

The ship left by 6:15pm, after the Princess ships pulled out.  The town looked like it was deserted by then.  Dinnertime came along quickly, and we headed for the dining room.  Tonight most of the guests came to the dining room the way they dressed for today's excursions.   T-shirts, sweatshirts, jeans, and some baseball caps.  We have to remember this is not a grand voyage.  Anyway, we ordered spring rolls, tomato soup, and mains of tender beef brisket with mashed potatoes and veggies.  All was very tasty. 

 

Tonight was dubbed "Orange Night" and a few people added something orange to their clothing.  The Dutch party did not start until 9pm in the Ocean Bar, but we finished dinner far before that time.   With the clocks going ahead one hour, it was time to turn in as it was a long day. 

 

It may get rough later this evening, so we will stow anything breakable somewhere safe.

 

Bill & Mary Ann

231 Pictures

Report #13 September 17, 2023 Sea Day Cruising Glacier Bay 7am-4pm Rain And Strong Wind All Day 42 Degrees Felt Like 30 Degrees

 

If it's Sunday, then it's Glacier Bay Day.   The forecast was not the best as there was heavy rain at times, plus the wind chill, with a temperature of 43 degrees – too cold.  Despite the wet and windy conditions, we made our way once again to deck six forward around 7:30pm.  We were met with more rain and even worse….fog.  The winds blowing across this deck were powerful, but the surrounding waters of the narrows showed barely a ripple.  Carefully making our way to the starboard side, we found a spot mostly out of the rain.  A river of water was flowing where we stood, because most times, the drains do not work well.  It was a good test of our waterproof boots. 

 

We lasted out there for one hour, keeping a vigilant eye on Gloomy Knob, but could not spot any mountain goats.   They must be smart enough to stay under trees to stay dry.  We did see many gulls and kittiwakes.  And we noticed we had two stowaways……little green and yellow birds were hoping along the walls of the promenade deck.  They must have come aboard while we were in Haines yesterday.  If they survive the foot traffic and weather outside, they will live in Ketchikan now.

 

At one time Glacier Bay's ice was 4000 feet thick and up to 20 miles wide.   From 1794 to 1879, the ice had retreated 65 miles from the mouth to the top.  With 3.3 million acres, this national park is larger than the state of Connecticut.   A typical cruise ship like the Volendam can take up to nine hours to cover it all.  We do it in far less time than that, but need to keep a fast speed to enter by 7am and leave by 3pm.  There are over 1000 glaciers in the park, but only a dozen are tidewater ones that reach the bay.  By the way, the bow never did open up until later, since the rain was falling too much.  We only saw a handful of folks out there.  Since we would not arrive to Margerie Glacier until 10:15, it was time to catch the last 20 minutes of breakfast.

 

Boy, did we need that cup of hot coffee in the Pinnacle Grill this morning.  We literally had to defrost.  No matter how bundled up you are, the time spent standing still depletes the body heat quickly.  We were served immediately, although we were not the last customers in there.  Manager Endrian spent some time visiting with us.  He will be missed when he leaves for home. 

 

Then we went to the promenade deck to watch the entrance into Tarr Inlet and Margerie Glacier.  The Captain spent about one hour for all of the guests and crew to enjoy the sights.  This is the first time ever there was no calving whatsoever.  It's like a "watched" pot that never boils.  Here it is a "watched" glacier that never calves.  But we did witness something we have never seen before ever anywhere.  Right near where we were standing, a young man went down on his knee, and proposed to his lady companion.  No kidding.  We believe she said "yes" and added oh my God.  It appeared some of their friends were in on the secret, and were there to takes photos of the special occasion.  Then someone got the ship's photographers who also took some professional shots with Margerie Glacier in the backdrop.  Pretty special……

 

We stayed outside until the coldness penetrated our bones, then went back to the room by 12:30pm to warm up.   For some reason, we never saw any waiters handing out the pea soup as was advertised in the newsletter.  There was a bartender pushing a cart with all of the makings for special drinks.  We worked on photos while watching the steady rainfall outside.  At 1:40pm, one of us took a run to the Dive In Grill and brought back one cannonball burger and one hot dog with fries for both.  Something new has been added at this grill.  It is the offer of a milkshake for $5.50 or a banana split for $6.50. 

 

Then we went out again a 3pm to watch the rangers leave the ship.  We stayed on the promenade deck until 4pm to watch for possible sightings of otters and whales.  As we were about to leave, we saw one otter near the ship, and a group of whales near the coastline.  They were breaching as they were feeding, and diving also.  Satisfied that we had seen some wildlife, we headed home.  The Captain came on the speakers and announced that we were taking a different route due to rough conditions out in open seas.  He turned left at point Gustavus, and followed the route we had come early in the morning.   Later in the evening, he would take the ship out to the Pacific Ocean until about 1am, then cut back inside the islands on the way to Ketchikan.  In the meantime, he warned everyone to be careful with walking and swinging doors.  With this route, we may even be an hour earlier to Ketchikan.

 

By the way, last week while cruising Glacier Bay, the sound system was terrible.  We took the time the following day to report what we heard or could not hear while on the outside decks that day.  Guess what?  Today the speakers were working perfectly.  Guess it pays to let them know.

 

We would have gone back outside to watch the Stellar sealions on South Marble Island, but it was not printed in the itinerary this week, and we did not sail even close enough to see them.    Oh well, it was still raining and still cold as ever.

 

Dinnertime was dressy, but we have to admit that this group of guests are not into it.  This evening, we saw very few men with jackets (if any), and the ladies were casual like most every evening.  We think the day is coming when there is no dress code.  Hope it is when we are done with cruising.   It's nice to see the folks in something other than jeans and t-shirts or sweatshirts in this area.  The menu had some gala  items like a shrimp cocktail or escargots.  We had Caesar salads, and one salmon dinner and a chicken entrée.  Both were most and tasty and served hot the way we like it.  For some reason, the upper dining room was about half full.  

 

Tonight's entertainment was the Step One Dance Company with In Tandem.  For us, the time would be 9:30pm, which happened to be about the same time the Chocolate Surprise was to occur on deck five.  We were so tired from today's activities outside, we passed on both.

 

Tomorrow's port will be the last on this cruise….Ketchikan.  Bet it is going to rain there.

 

Bill & Mary Ann

114 Pictures

Report #12 September 16, 2023 Haines, Alaska At Anchor 7am-8pm Tender Port Light Rain All Day With Heavy Overcast Skies 52 Degrees And Cool

 

Well, here we are in Haines, the substitute port for Skagway.  We're not exactly sure why we did not go there, but it wasn't due to the weather conditions.  We believe we were bumped so the Sapphire Princess, the Carnival Miracle, and the Seven Seas Regent Explorer had room to dock.  We may be wrong, but probably not.  Anyway, it has been a long time since we visited Haines, and we had a fine time there despite the constant rain. 

 

Located at the upper end of America's longest and deepest fjord, the Lynn Canal, we were here in 2011.  It is also known as the home to 30,000 bald eagles, the highest concentration in all of North America.  Haines is 80 miles north of Juneau, and 14 miles south of Skagway.    Haines is also home to Fort William H Seward, named after the man who negotiated the purchase of Alaska from Russia.  This impressive fort was built on 4000 acres, which has been converted to businesses and bed and breakfast hotels these days.

 

Breakfast was first, and we did learn from the hotel director that the former art corner next to the wine bar outside the Pinnacle Grill is being converted to another shop that will feature the HAL Captain's logo items and clothing.  Interesting.  It will take another week before the project is completed.  There was some noise from the hammering, drilling, and sawing.  And the adjacent wine bar will eventually be turned into something involving the photo department.  It does not appear that this wine bar is being used for sip and savor anymore.

 

Armed with a map (oops…forgot the umbrellas), we headed off  the ship about 9:45am.  Rounding the corner at the elevator lobby, we ran right into the "moose" or the mascot of the ship's photographers.  Yesterday it was a wolf, and the day before a bear.   No, thanks, but we still don't need the photo.  Been there, done that.

 

Going down to deck A, we just showed our room key to the security gal.  No tender ticket needed.  One of the tours was going off, so the boat filled quickly.  Actually, it was the excursion that took the 45 – minute ferry ride to Skagway with the train ride.  There were nine tours in total, some easy sight-seeing rides, or kayak or floating down the river in the Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve.  We took this tour and found it quite enjoyable.  In today's rain?  Probably not so much.  There were several museums to visit, a wilderness safari, or a visit to a wildlife refuge to see a wolf, a Kodiak bear, porcupine, lynx, and a reindeer up close and personal.  Unsuited to release back into the wild, they are cared for by a man named Steve Kroschel, who has a 60 acre park.

 

Once we walked up the steep gangway to the top, there was a convenient tourist info shop.  We picked up more brochures and a better map, then hopped on a waiting free shuttle to downtown.  The friendly driver made four stops along the way, and we got off at the Bald Eagle Raptor Center.  We have seen a similar bird display and live show in Sitka, and this looked much the same.  So we continued to walk up the Haines Highway past the police and firehouse stations and uphill to the center of town.   Everything was here in a tight 3 or 4 block section.  Many restaurants were closed until 11am, some not until 5pm.  We had heard there was an excellent wood-fired pizza parlor, and we did locate it.  They opened after 11am.  We would come back of course.

 

We happened to pass the Haines Library where a 20 – foot totem pole was erected.  The figures on this pole told the story of the library's beginning.  But the most interesting part was the fact this pole was carved from an 800 year old cedar tree.  This town has a total of fifteen such totems located all throughout the town and its outskirts. 

 

Making our way to Main Street, we ducked in and out of some shops and stores.  One was the main supermarket, which had just about anything you might need.  Not only a food store, but also cosmetics, clothing, and some hardware items.  Like a mini -Walmart.   Following the map, we strolled past more historic buildings, and also past one neat souvenir shop called Gold Spot.  A rack of locally crafted copper earrings caught our eye, so we went in to check it out.  Made in the designs of totems and more, one of us found a pair of earrings to buy, and the store owner happened to locate a matching bracelet.  They will be a nice keepsake to remember our unscheduled stop in Haines.  

 

It was close to noon, so we headed right for the Alpenglow Pizzeria.  We could already smell the smoke drifting out of their traditional pizza oven.  What we found was a very casual order-at-the-counter café with the menu printed in chalk on the side wall board.  All of the pizzas were 12 inches with the usual varieties.  We choose a simple pepperoni pizza, which was delivered to our table.   It was as good as it looked, and today our beverages were Coke Zero.  No beer sold here.

 

We stayed in town walking every street, taking photos, then made our way to the town's other information center.   It was also a convenient restroom stop which was located next to the center.  Once inside, we realized this was the "candy store" of info centers.  They had walls full of pamphlets, maps, and brochures.  Loaded up with many of them, we signed their guest book and thanked the info ladies for having such a wonderful shop.

 

Instead of taking the shuttle back, we decided to walk back, even in the rain.  It wasn't as far as it looked on the map, and soon we were directly across from the fort.  It would have been quite a wet walk up the hillside to access the property, so we just took photos and kept going.   Some of the crew members were also walking back from the market.  We could see their bags were loaded with small snack packages.  There were still some tour groups coming off the tenders for the second round for the day.  Too bad we did not have a better day for touring. 

 

Have we mentioned the use of the facial recognition screens they use for boarding the ship?  We have had this in most every port, and it seems to work well.  We still have to use our room key to get back onboard, but it seems the line moves quicker using the computer screen.  The ride back took only 15 minutes.  Then we dried off for the rest of the afternoon working on photos and reading all of the brochures.  The rain never stopped.

 

The last tender was at 7:30pm and we think the ship left the bay by 8pm or earlier.  Dinner was in the Pinnacle Grill with the usual starters and the filet mignons for our mains.  They were more tender than ever and were wonderfully delicious.  One tiny scoop of vanilla ice cream with a drizzle of chocolate sauce finished our meal.    Sitting by the "window" we watched the stream of guests coming from the show lounge.  The Step One Dance Company performed Humanity once again.  It appeared to be well-attended.  Last night after dinner, we passed by the Ocean Bar and caught the end of a piano concert played by the cruise director, Glenn Michael.  He had played music from Phantom of the Opera, and got a huge round of applause as he exited the room.  A very talented fellow.

 

Tomorrow we will be entering Glacier Bay once again.

 

Bill & Mary Ann

156 Pictures