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--- CRUISE 2007 ---
(This photo was taken at our second stop, Nanaimo, B.C. The photographer was Charlie - he and his wife Evelyn live in Nanaimo.) Cruise San Francisco To Alaska To Vancouver - May 7 to May 21, 2007 Ocean Miles Traveled - 3246 This is a cruise that we've been wanting to take for some time. It is our first cruise with Celebrity and we've never been to Alaska. It was intended to be our 22nd Anniversary Cruise, but this was the earliest we could reserve the cabin that we wanted. We left a day early to spend a night at a LaQuinta near the Orlando airport. Our flight was very early and LaQuinta would let us leave the van there while we are gone. That's how it all began. Sunday May 6, 2007 - Departure Day
The start of another adventure. We had a regular (almost) Sunday until noon. Fran and Lee arrived to take over the house and Duncan. They will keep Duncan between our house and Fran's during the time we are away. We packed all of our suitcases onto the van and headed for LaQuinta West, near the airport. We settled into our room and then went next door to "The Fish of Fire" for dinner. It was very good and we even had a thunderstorm during dinner. Back to our room for an evening of TV.
Monday May 7 - Travel/Boarding/Departure Day
We met with the Celebrity Rep at baggage claim and then waited 1/2 hour for our baggage. He informed us that our ship, The Infinity, was running late and wouldn't arrive until 2:30 PM. They delivered us to the pier and we waited. Passengers filtered in and it got pretty crowded.
Our luggage started arriving and Linda unpacked us. Our room steward, Robin Fernandez from India, stopped by and we chatted for a few minutes. Soon it was time for dinner.
We went back to 9083 for a little rest and then to The Celebrity Theater for the opening show. It started off good but we were both bushed and the trip was catching up with us. We left in the middle of the show and went to 9083 and to bed. Tuesday May 8, 2007, At Sea
Next on the agenda, we went to the a Celebrity Theater lecture detailing all our ports of call. It was mostly about shopping. We found the Internet Cafe on Deck 4 amidships. I got in OK and checked e-mail and then we explored to boat a bit more. Lunch and then we retired to 9083 and watched a movie as we progressed along to Oregon coast. Soon it was time to dress for the first formal dinner. I struggled to get into my rented tuxedo while Linda tried on several different outfits. We were ready on time and strolled down to The Trellis Restaurant. Our table had indeed been expanded to accommodate to more, Beth and Denise. Our original dinner partners accepted them with open arms and they were soon "one of the bunch." Table 470, Main Seating
Waiter and Assistant Waiter
The show tonight began with a meet the Captain and his staff, then The Celebrity singers and dancers put on quite a show. They are quite a large ensemble and very energetic. Wednesday May 9, 2007, At Sea, To Victoria I woke at 4:30 AM and headed up one flight for some coffee. I had to search a little, but found some. We're off the Washington coast about 60 miles and making 20.5 MPH - due north. Our arrival time in Victoria has now slipped from 7 AM to 12:30 PM to 3 PM to 3:30 PM. Reason - the ship is speed limited - the rumor mill has it that it is a propulsion pod problem.
We took a right hand turn and left
the Pacific Ocean about 10:30. The ride has smoothed out. It is sunny
but cool out on deck. We had lunch at the Oceanview Grill and then Linda
headed forward for a massage at the Spa. I went back to 9083 for a
little TV and R&R. We pulled into Victoria about 3 PM. Linda and I left the ship and took a
shuttle into downtown Victoria. The driver (Nico) was excellent and gave
We were the only 2 of the 12 at the table tonight - the rest were somewhere on Vancouver Island. We had a wonderful dinner for two. Henry and Arlen were very attentive. Mary and Bob were sitting a few tables toward the stern and had the same situation. So, we hooked up with them after dinner and went to the Rendezvous Lounge for a drink and then the theater for tonight's show. He is a magician/comedian and put on a great show. Said good-night to M&B and back to 9083. Thursday
May 10, 2007, Nanaimo Up at 5 AM and on top for some coffee. We are approaching Nanaimo. Sky looks clear, wind 15 MPH. Dropped anchor about 6:30 AM and we will tender in today. Brought coffee to Linda at 7 and we headed to The Trellis for breakfast. We waited until 9'ish before we went to the "concierge" tendering station - and got right aboard. We wandered around town and ended up at the waterfront looking for a place to have lunch. As we stood there looking bewildered,
a couple approached us as friendly local residents. They are Evelyn and
Charlie Spencer. Evelyn is a Nanaimo native having lived here for 50
years - but Charlie is a transplant. They met on a cruise and got
married 4 years ago. Charlie is from Lynn, Massachusetts. Linda was
raised and lived in Lynn. My father was born and raised in Lynn
Mass and I worked for GE in Lynn for 32 years. It's a small world! We had lunch in the Lighthouse Bistro on the dock and then headed back to The Infinity. This is a nice town that is picture perfect. A little R&R and then up to the Aqua Spa for a dip and some reading. I watched from our balcony as we recovered all our tenders, weighed anchor and headed north. After dinner, we got together with Beth, Denise, Mary and Bob and went up to The Constellation Lounge for some nice views, good conversation with wonderful company. We all were yawning about 10 PM so we went out separate ways - us to 9083. Friday
May 11, 2007, Cruising Inside Passage Up and at'em at 6 AM. Weather
overcast and cool. My GPS says we're 283 miles south of Prince Rupert,
heading north in the Queen Charlotte Strait, just north of Port McNeil.
We had breakfast in the dining room and then went our separate ways. I
went to 9083 and dressed to go topside. Wandered around on the
outside decks for a while. Watched as we passed the north end of
Vancouver Island. We had lunch at the Oceanview Grill. While there, we
were passing humpback whales most of the time. We went to our cabin and
saw more whales from the balcony. Outside air temp 46º, water temp
52º. Back inside to get warm and take a little nap. We sailed through the inside passage the rest of the afternoon - spectacular scenery. To The Trellis for dinner at 6 PM. We met up with Mary & Bob and went to The Celebrity Theater to chat while we waited for tonight's show. The show tonight was a comedian. He was very funny and went on for 1 hour and 20 minutes. We called it a night and headed back to 9083. Saturday May 12, 2007, Prince Rupert
Back in time for lunch and then we went to the movie theater to see Duma. Mary and Bob were there already so we chatted until the movie started. Nice movie. We headed back to the cabin and prepared for dinner - but first we need to clear customs - we have been in Canada and are going back into the USA tomorrow. It got very confusing but we got through it fairly quickly thanks to some lucky timing. We had another great dinner and then met Mary and Bob at Michael's. Chatted for a while and then into The Celebrity Theater. The Celebrity singers, dancers and band put on a terrific show - "Let's Rock." Back to 9083. Sunday (Mother's Day) May 13, 2007, Ketchikan Turned the clocks back another hour last night - now EDT - 4. Up at 5 AM and up 1 deck for some coffee and reading. We're passing Annette Island to port. Overcast and cold. We docked at Ketchikan at 6:30 AM. Went upstairs for waffles and eggs. We sat and watched for a while as Ketchikan prepared for the onslaught. There are three ships here today - all with 1900+ passengers.
We met with Mary & Bob in Michael's but moved directly into the theater - show starts in 15 minutes. The entertainer tonight was Dale Kristien - she starred in Phantom of the Opera for 5 years. She was terrific. A great show. Back to 9083. Monday May 14, 2007, Sitka
Tonight we went to the S.S. United States for dinner with Beth and Denise. We met them at the elevator at 6 and went on in. It was truly an elegant experience. The food was outstanding and the service without comparison. Definitely worth the extra $. We met Mary & Bob at Michael's for a drink and some conversation until 10. A nice evening. Tuesday May 15, 2007, Skagway Up and at'em at 5:30 AM. Partly cloudy and we are traveling the inside passage nearing Skagway. Haines is on our port side. There are hundreds of common eider all along the way. Coffee, reading and admiring the scenery until 7. Brought a cuppa down to Linda as we pulled into the dock. There are two other ships in port today. Skagway's population is 862. There will be 6000+ people in town from these three ships. We are two of them - we headed into town at 9:30.
Up to the Oceanview for lunch and then the Aqua Spa for some R&R. Back to 9083 in time to clean up for dinner. Dinner was excellent. We met Mary & Bob and headed to the theater. The entertainment tonight was a comedian/juggler. Very entertaining. Wednesday May 16, 2007, Glacier Bay
We met with Mary and Bob to view the glaciers up in The Oceanview Cafe at 11:30. We settled in on the starboard side. Had some lunch and then the ship entered Yakutat Bay soon after that. Lots of floating ice - too much to allow us to get close to the glaciers. We got as close as we could and sat for a while, rain and fog. We all retired to our rooms as we left the bay headed for Juneau. Dinner saw all 12 of us at the table - a rare occurrence. A great dinner. Met Mary & Bob in The Martini Room for a drink and then into The Theater. The entertainer tonight was Matilda-The Jamaican Puppet. She was very good. Back to 9083 and to bed. Thursday May 17, 2007, Juneau
We went upstairs for breakfast and
then gathered our gear and headed We got ready to go to dinner tonight in The S.S. United States with Mary and Bob. Met them there at 6 PM. We were then pampered for the next 2 1/2 hours. Outstanding. We went to The Martini Lounge and chatted for a while. Back to 9083 and to bed around 11. Friday May 18, 2007, At Sea
Six PM, our final formal night. Traditional meal includes lobster tails and prime rib, finishing with a Baked Alaska paraded in by the servers. Everyone was at the table and Henry and Arnel put on a good show. Excellent meal. Met with Mary and Bob and headed down to The Celebrity Theater. The Celebrity Singers and Dancers put on a wonderful show. Saturday May 19, 2007, At Sea
Linda was up and packing when I came down at 7. Preparing to leave the ship. We met with Mary & Bob for lunch. Lingered over our meal and coffee for quite a while. We entered the narrowest part of the inland waterway about 3 PM. Everyone was at the table for dinner. Great dinner. Then we had to say good-bye to all our table mates and Henry and Arnel. To the Martini Bar with Mary and Bob for a drink. The last show in The Celebrity Theater was a combination of those performers in the last week. Sunday May 20, 2007, Vancouver
Monday May 21, 2007, Vancouver
We went off to dinner about 6. Walked around a bit and settled on "The Keg." This is apparently a local chain restaurant known for it's beef. We both had excellent meals. Back to the hotel and prepare for the trek home tomorrow. Tuesday May 22, 2007, Travel Home Linda was up first - 4:20 AM. We got home about 11 PM. The steps in the middle:
--The end of another great cruise-- |
The alarm went off at 3:45
AM. Time to start our trek across the United States to San
Francisco. We had some coffee, packed and went down to the lobby in time
for the 5 o'clock shuttle. The driver was having a tough day - old,
surly, and grumpy. He backed the van into the pick-up area and hit a
large, free-standing trash container. A fun drive over to Terminal B and
then it was clear sailing to our gate (#40). It was 5:30 AM and our
flight was 7:10 AM. Time to read a little. On board and ready to
go right on time. The 5 hour flight went OK with light turbulence for
quite a while over Texas and into California. Arrived on time, 11:30
PDT.
The ship did arrive at about 1:30
and we were amongst the first to board because I kept my eye on what was
happening and we were "Concierge" passengers. We took a tour
of the ship and then settled into our cabin (9083). So far - a long day.
We are in
main seating at table 470. We soon met our dining partners for the
cruise. They were Kitty & Winston, mother & daughter from Las
Vegas; Carolyn & Ed, from Houston; Mildred & John; from Missouri
- (Carolyn's Mom & Dad) and Monique & Walt from Southern
California. Our waiter is Henry from Guatemala and his Assistant is
Arnel from The Philippines. Everyone hit it off and it looks like a
great group. The menu was excellent and we had a great first meal
finishing just in time to run up on deck as we passed under the Golden
Gate Bridge. GREAT!!
I was up and
at'em at 5:30 AM. One flight up to The Oceanview Cafe I found some
coffee and settled in to a seat on the starboard side to watch the
sunrise and read. Beautiful sunrise over the northern California coast
at 6:20 AM. We were traveling due north about 15 miles off the coast at
21 MPH. I brought a cup of coffee down to Linda at 7. We puttered around
for a while and then went down to the open seating breakfast in the
Trellis Dining Room. We were seated with Mary and Bob and Beth and
Denise. Mary and Bob are from San Jose and became close friends
during this cruise. Denise and Beth are sisters from New Jersey
and San Francisco respectively. They also became close friends. Beth and
Denise were very unhappy with their dinner table partners and after
chatting about it for a bit, Denise talked to the Maitre'd and he
promised to change them to our table, #470 and make it a table of 12.
Down to 9083
with coffee for Linda at 7. Then we went to The Trellis for a full
breakfast followed by a visit to the Aqua Spa for some warm water
relaxation and reading.
us a mini-tour as we shuttled. He let us off at
The Empress Hotel and we walked north on Government. In and out of nice
shops. We wandered down to the wharf, bought some water and Gatorade and
headed back to the bus. Same driver coming back, beautiful weather, back
at 5:30 PM. Change and head down to The Trellis for dinner.
Up for coffee at 5:30 AM. Partly cloudy and chilly. We are
easing into the dock. We had breakfast in The Oceanview Cafe - they have
a special waffle station that is outstanding. We stayed at the window
seats while we watched the early excursions leave by bus and boat. The
trees of the town seem to be full of bald eagles and there is a crab
boat right behind us unloading his catch. The town looks like the a
picture on the TV Travel Station. We left the ship about 9 and walked
around town exploring Prince Rupert.
I
headed down for a salmon fishing charter boat
and Linda set off to shop. I boarded a bus with about 22 others and we
headed to the boats about 1/2 mile away. We split up, 4 to a boat and
spent the next 4 hours trolling with downriggers in several hundred feet
of water. No hits, no fish. The boat captain allowed as how we might be
a week or two early. We had good weather, great scenery, saw some seals
and eagles. Good trip.
Linda had a good day shopping without me -
imagine that. We prepared for our 2nd formal night and headed down to
the dining room. Tonight was filet mignon night and about 1/2 of us had
that. Another great meal - all 5 courses.
5 AM,
overcast and cold. Coffee and reading in the Oceanview Cafe. Lots of
small islands as we approach Sitka and every one had one or more homes
built on it. We prepared ourselves and headed right out on the tender.
The shopping is concentrated and close to the ship. We went in and out
of most every store and even bought a few items. Back to the ship and
down to The Trellis for lunch. Back to 9083 for a little R&R.
Cruised up
and down all the streets pretty quick. Linda headed back to the ship and
I struck off for a walk. There's a footbridge across the Skagway river
near the airport - so I crossed that onto a gravel path. I headed
upriver on that path and it change to a footpath that changed to a deer
trail and then disappeared. Time to turn around. I never did get back on
the trail but I did get back to the bridge OK. Saw what appeared to be a
mine entrance and a bird I had never seen before (a Stellar's Jay). A
good walk. Back to the ship around 1.
we've been chatting with since arrival at SFO).
Up at 5
AM, cloudy and rain. We docked at 6. The Serenade of the Seas was
already in and the Island Princess was coming right behind us. Juneau -
capitol of the state of Alaska and accessible only by air or sea.
Population 32,000.
out in the rain.
We are booked on a 1:15 PM excursion but weaseled our way on a 10:15 AM.
Boarded the bus and off we went to the Mendenhall Glacier. It took 45
minutes to get there but it was an enjoyable trip. We were only
allocated 45 minutes there and they went by very fast. Quite a sight to
see. Boarded the bus and she took us to a Salmon Bake. Three buses
emptied all at once so it was kind of crowded for a little while. We
figured out how it worked and all was well. Good food, excellent wild
salmon and a local family band entertaining us. Very good. The same
crowd was trying to get on the buses back to the ship - so there was a
little confusion - but we made it OK. Linda chose to stay out and shop a
bit more - I went back to 9083.
lunch - Danielle and Dave were even seated with
us. A day at sea - nice. We had a quiet afternoon - read, watched TV,
napped.
Up at 6 AM. Cloudy, cold and windy. Heading 127º, 16.5 MPH,
we're due west of Hunter's Island. Passed some whales and dolphins as I
had my coffee.
Up at 5
AM. Our luggage went out in the hall last night and is gone this
morning. We went up to The Oceanview to join Mary & Bob for
breakfast. We entered Vancouver Harbor and docked as we had breakfast.
We said our goodbyes and promised to stay in touch. Back to 9083 for a
final look around and then we went to our assigned location - The
Martini Lounge.
We watched and waited until we were
called. They escorted us through the disembarkation pretty well. Our
luggage was sent to the hotel without our touching it. We got to Sutton
Place about 11:30. The lobby was very busy. We checked in - but our room
wasn't ready. UGH. We found a couple of chairs out near the parking
garage. We waited. Finally got into our room (1114) at 1:30 PM. After
unwinding we went out on the busy, rainy streets and looked around. We
went to Joe Fortes (the concierge recommendation) for dinner. Excellent
meal, great service. Back to 1114. TV and to bed.
Up at 6. Made
in-room coffee and woke Linda. Got ourselves awake and went down for
breakfast. Back to 1114. We had arranged to go on a city tour - and we
did. We boarded the bus at 10 AM with 23 others and the driver did a
good job of showing us some of the highlights of Vancouver. Today is a
holiday, Victoria Day, in Canada and the parks were full. Back to the
hotel at 4 PM.