Cruise Sunset (June 2023) — Joy Silhouette by kenne
The sun at her back
A setting sun silhouette
Is what she prefers
— kenne
Archive for the ‘Cruise’ Category
Cruise Sunset Leave a comment
The sun at her back
Day Twelve, Road Trip/Cruise — Visiting Lisa and Mike 2 comments
When we planned our Alaska cruise, we did so with the desire to get together my nieces,
Lisa and Vanessa, who live in the Seattle area.
Our Road Trip/Cruise plan would be to spend the weekend in Seattle after the Alaska cruise.
However, even with the best-made plans, we could only spend time with Lisa and Mike.
Vanessa was recovering from surgery, and her husband Jonn had pneumonia.
Share this:
Day Eleven, Road Trip/Cruise — The Show, SIX Leave a comment
On our last night on the Norwegian Bliss, we went to the show SIX, which included a special ending for the audience to video.
Share this:
Day Eleven, Road Trip/Cruise — Last Day On Cruise Ship 1 comment
Our last stop before returning to Seattle was Victoria, Canada. We had not planned to go ashore because we had visited this beautiful town before, and the cruise schedule provided little time there. Instead, we spent some time poolside, even though it was chilly. It was the first time to see the sun in several days.
Share this:
Day Eleven, 2023 Road Trip/ Cruise — Ketchikan 2 comments
Our next to last cruise stop was Ward Cove (Ketchikan). We had previously paid for a Tongass Rainforest Exhibition excursion out of Ward Cove. We didn’t know until arriving at Ward Cove that it is an old mill 14 miles outside of Ketchikan. Norwegian Cruise Line has converted the building into a cruise terminal shuttling people into Ketchikan or on excursions. Before serving as a cruise terminal, it was a pulp mill that operated from 1954 to 1997.
There were several shopping opportunities in the Mill at Ward Cove.
Many of the land excursions involved “hurry up and wait,” in this case, standing in the rain.
With hoods up and umbrellas, we headed on our trek into the Tongass Rainforest.
Banana Slugs and Rain, and More Rain
Tongass Rainforest Photos
As a naturalist and nature guide in Sabino Canyon, I found myself frequently critiquing our guide. He was not very engaging.
Share this:
Day Ten, 2023 Road Trip/ Cruise — Icy Strait Point 1 comment
In 1912, the Hoonah Packing Company built the first cannery in the area which today is Icy Strait Point. Icy Strait Point was originally built as a Salmon Cannery and has been an important part of the community for many years serving many functions. Currently, 85% of the staff at Icy Strait Point are local Tlingit from Hoonah.
Icy Strait Point is a privately owned tourist destination just outside the small village of Hoonah, Alaska. It is located on Chichagof Island and is named after the nearby Icy Strait. Owned by Huna Totem Corporation, it is the only privately owned cruise destination in Alaska, as most stops are owned by the cities in which they are located.
We each had an original The Crab House Bloody Mary — delicious!
Share this:
Day Nine, 2023 Road Trip/Cruise — Music and Dancing 4 comments
We spent a fun evening with the Latin Duo (Columbian) as we departed Juneau on May 30th. The next stop is Icy Strait Point.
Share this:
Day Nine, 2023 Road Trip/Cruise — Juneau, Alaska 1 comment
The City and Borough of Juneau, more commonly known simply as Juneau (/ˈdʒuːnoʊ/ JOO-noh; Tlingit: Dzánti K’ihéeni Athabaskan pronunciation: [ˈtsʌ́ntʰɪ̀ kʼɪ̀ˈhíːnɪ̀]), is the capital city of the U.S. state of Alaska. Located in the Gastineau Channel and the Alaskan panhandle, it is a consolidated city-borough and the second-largest city in the United States by area. — Source: Wikipedia,
Downtown Juneau is nestled at the base of Mount Juneau and across the channel from Douglas Island. As of the 2020 census, the City and Borough had a population of 32,255, making it the third-most populous city in Alaska after Anchorage and Fairbanks. Juneau experiences a daily influx of roughly 6,000 people visiting cruise ships between the months of May and September.
The Red Dog Saloon
Originating during the heyday of Juneau’s glorious mining era, this world-famous saloon has provided hospitality and fellowship to weary travelers and local patrons alike.
Share this:
Day Eight, 2023 Road Trip/Cruise — Endicott Arm & Dawes Glacier Leave a comment
After leaving Sitka, we were scheduled to drift through a 30-mile-long stretch of Alaska’s lesser-known gems, Endicott Arm & Dawes Glacier. But that was not to happen. We began to see chunks of ice floating, and the weather deteriorated. The captain announced we would be turning back and heading on to Juneau. We were not sure of the real reason, but there wasn’t anything we could do.
Share this:
Day Six-Seven, 2023 Road Trip/Cruise — Cruising to Alaska Leave a comment
Looking back at the Seattle Space Needle as we depart the pier (May 27, 2023).
Cruising To Sea Images
Dinner Table On Memorial Day
Share this:
Day Eight, 2023 Road Trip/Cruise — Alaska Raptor Center 1 comment
Located on 17 acres in Sitka, Alaska, the Alaska Raptor Center provides medical treatment to over 200 injured birds annually. Although we specialize in raptors, we will aid any needy wild bird. We strive to heal, rehabilitate and release all of our avian patients; however, some are injured too severely to fully recover and survive in the wild. These non-releasable birds may join our Raptors-in-Residence team, helping us teach the public and schoolchildren about the wonders of raptor natural history and the habitats in which they live!
It was not easy to take photos of the raptors in the flight rehab area since the viewing area had screening designed to not allow the bird to see visitors.
Alaska Raptor Center Video Clip
Share this:
Day Eight, 2023 Road Trip/Cruise — Sitka, Alaska National Historical Park Leave a comment
Shuttle Connections to Downtown and Excursions
While in Sitka, we had reservations for the Historic Park and the Raptor Center. On an island amid towering spruce and hemlock, Sitka National Historical Park preserves the site of a battle between invading Russian traders and indigenous Kiks.ádi Tlingit. Totem poles from the Tlingit and Haida areas line the park’s scenic coastal trail.
Photo Gallery
Since our visit to the park was on Memorial Day, no one was craving the poles.
Sitka Historical Park Video Clip
Share this:
Day Six, 2023 Road Trip/Cruise — Sail Away Party 2 comments
Boarding a cruise ship involves a lot of hurry up and wait. We were on board at our scheduled time, 1:00pm, but we could not get in our room until three hours later. Meanwhile, the morning clouds moved out, leaving behind a beautiful Seattle skyline.
A view of downtown Seattle from the ship’s top deck.
Party time on the Bliss.
Sail Away Party time video clip.
A gallery of Sail Away Party photos.
