Category Archives: Cruise

Alaska Epilog

. Alaska, Cruise, Noordam, Uncategorized

Great time in Alaska and Canada.  Now all that remains is our trip home.  Our flight was scheduled for 8:20am, so we had to be up and out early, really early.  That meant setting the alarm clock for 4:00am so that we could be taxi bound for the airport no later than 5:15am.  Although we were on our way early, we had to go through security and U.S. customs (that’s right, U.S. customs is in Vancouver).

We were headed to Phoenix for our second flight to Philadelphia and our connecting time was tight.  We had less than an hour to make our flight.  American says that 40 minutes to make a connection is okay.  A lot they know and clearly they don’t care that disembarking the plane and getting from one terminal to another just can’t be done in that small amount of time.  Especially when the door to the departing flight closes 20 minutes prior to the scheduled time for takeoff.

The cure to the connection problem; get a text message from American, after you left your hotel in a taxi bound for your 8:20 flight, that the flight has been postponed until 10:50am and, oh by the way, your connecting flight has been rebooked from a 12:15pm flight to a 3:40pm departure.  That made working our way through the airport a lot easier.

Now, we had plenty of time.  In fact if we could have booked the flights, you know, Vancouver to Phoenix to Philadelphia, we might have chosen this itinerary.  I say that because we did!  When we made our reservations we chose the 8:20 flight connecting with the 3:40.  American, without any input from us, unilaterally rerouted us.  He who has the power makes the flight plans.

Both flights were pleasant and uneventful.  Things have a way of working out.  Home at last.

Our next trip is scheduled for November when we travel with friends to Amsterdam for a river trip down the Rhine to Basel, Switzerland.  Follow my blog and hopefully I’ll have internet so that I can post as we go.  See you then!

Cruising the Inside Passage, Alaska, August 11, 2018

. Alaska, Cruise, Holland America Line, Noordam, Uncategorized

Not much to say about today.  It’s a day cruising the inside passage on our way to Vancouver, Canada.  It’s also our last day on board and packing, although a nuisance, is a must.  As with everywhere except Ketchikan, its raining.  What a monotonous thing to have to report.  I’ll bet even you, the reader of this journal, is getting tired of reading it.  Imagine how we feel.  And yet, in some ways the rain, wind, clouds and mist provided a mystery and beauty to the land.

I didn’t take any photos today as there is nothing more to add.

We took it easy in the morning.  We took it easy in the afternoon up until, that is, packing time.  Then we took it easy again in the evening.  We started with cocktails in the Ocean Bar with our family.

Pre-dinner cocktails was the one time in each day when we gathered together as a family; it was the time when JoAnn and I learned about their experiences during the day.  That’s when we learned about their visit to the sled dog training center and about their rafting trip when Colin, who is bound for Penn State University when we return, jumped in the water to test the wet suit.  This trip was special for Colin, Casey and Valerie as it was a graduation present and a chance for the three of them to experience Alaska together.  Colin loves the outdoors and intends to major in environmental science at the University.

Tonight was our night in the Pinnacle Grill and, as I said before, we certainly enjoyed our dinner and our last night on the Noordam.

Well, our bags are packed and waiting to be hustled into the hold for offloading tomorrow.  Vancouver, here we come.

Ketchikan, Alaska, August 10, 2018

. Alaska, Creek Street, Cruise, Holland America Line, Ketchikan, Noordam, Photography, Salmon, Totem pole

What do you call it when the rain isn’t falling, the breeze isn’t blowing and the day isn’t cold and bitter?  A rare, sunny day in Ketchikan, Alaska’s rainiest town.  Why just yesterday they had almost three inches of liquid fall from the sky.  How lucky were we to see the sun?  What a wonderful day.  Here is the view as we sailed in.

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Juneau, Alaska, August 9, 2018

. Alaska, Cruise, Holland America Line, Juneau, Noordam, Photography

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August 9th is another rainy day and it finds us in Juneau, the capital of Alaska.  Juneau is named after Joe Juneau, a gold prospector who came to the area in the late 19th century.  As Joe must have said, “there’s gold in them, there hills” and the city was off and running.  The city is nestled between Mount Juneau and Mount Roberts and is land locked with the only way in or out being by water or air.  It is also the only state capital that borders a foreign county.  Lets don our rain gear and set off to see the town.

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Glacier Bay, Alaska, August 7, 2018

. Alaska, At Sea, Cruise, Glacier Bay, Glaciers, Holland America Line, Noordam, Photography

If you are visiting Alaska a trip into Glacier Bay is a once in a lifetime experience.  We stopped to pick up a park ranger (Glacier Bay is a national park) around 8am.  She narrated our trip into the bay, pointing out interesting things along the way.  “Look, at 2 o’clock, there are some mountain goats.  See those little white dots half way up the mountain.  There they are,” she would tell us.  Unfortunately, I was did not see any goats or bears or any wild life.  What I did see was nature; rivers of ice, mountains, waterfalls, glaciers, clouds and mist.  I did my best to capture it for you.

Lets start with a photo taken from my seat in the Explorations Cafe, as we entered the bay.

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On board the Holland America Line Noordam, August 6, 2018

. Alaska, At Sea, Cruise, Eggs, Faberge, Holland America Line, Noordam, Uncategorized

Our first day on board the Noordam was a relaxing one as we cruised the Gulf of Alaska in route to Glacier Bay.  We decided to take our time in the morning and have a leisurely coffee in the Explorations Cafe.  Then we were off to take some photos of the ship and a selection of its art work.  The ship is designed in muted colors and the day was rainy.  Many of the photos are on the dark side for which I apologize.  I still think they provide an accurate reflection of the ship and its art.

Lets start our tour in the Lido Market.  We have always felt that Holland America had an outstanding buffet and the Noordam did not let us down.  There was plenty to choose among from Asian, to Italian with multiple pizzas to choose from, sandwiches and so much more.  No table stayed dirty for long, as busy boys were numerous and attentive.  Here are a couple of shots of the Lido.

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