THE LAST SWIPE

Today was a day of just taking our time getting up and getting around.  We spent some time in the Atrium where Nancy participated in a couple of games.  She wasn't lucky enough at Ring Toss or the Target Ball game to win the coveted wine stopper that was the prize that she was aiming for.  But she had fun playing.

We tried Bingo today and should have avoided that!  We even bought more cards and split the cost, but we were unlucky at that game. We spent some time in the Explorers Lounge were we met Evelyn Douglas and played a trivia game.  We were smart at Trivia, but not quite smart enough.  It was nice spending time with her.  She and her friend had a reservation at Planks for dinner, but they decided not to go there as they had heard from others that it wasn't very good and we had been there earlier in the week and weren't impressed at all.  So the 5 of us had dinner together in the dining room.  It was a prime rib and baked potato dinner and it was really good.  All in all, the food wasn't a highlight on this trip.  None of it was bad...just didn't seem as good as years ago.  Some of the portions seemed quite small and the selection wasn't always what I was looking for.  With the different nationalities traveling, the menu has to appeal to all tastes and that is very understandable.  We certainly didn't starve and there was always one dish that was a easy selection.

After dinner, we went back to the casino to try our luck one last time.  Nancy made her way to watch another game show in the Explorers Lounge and Colleen and I...money in hand...went to the machine that I did fairly well at yesterday.  Someone was playing it!  So we waited for a bit and then went to the Railroad Riches slot machine.  Our very first spin and we doubled our money!  So of course we didn't just leave the machine we kept playing and after some time, we cashed out from our $40 investment, we left with $274.00.  What fun that was!

So we went to the front desk to pay off our account.  At least the only amount on it was the money we spent at Bingo.  So of the $300 I took to gamble with, I am bring bringing back $100.  I call that a win!  Cheap entertainment for 7 days at sea.

Now our bags are packed and put outside to be waiting for us on shore when we disembark tomorrow.  I am ready to be home.  It was a wonderful week with good friends and now back to life as I know it.

So I close the blog on this one and hope I can have another trip to add some more pages to the book I will eventually have printed from my journeys.  

Bye for now!

KETCHIKAN

Glad we don't have to tender today - there are sooooo many ships in port.  We counted 7! I am quite sure that I was never in Ketchikan when it has been so busy with tourists.  Every day they said is like this!   At times it was very hard just to navigate the streets.  Finding a coffee shop with space was difficult - but not impossible.  After shuffling down Creek Street...we found a coffee shop called Island Brew and had a pleasant latte and even got to pet a couple of friendly local dogs.

The quilt shop called Changing Tides, which was always a favourite over in the building called Salmon Landing, closed for good this year.  Sad - they still have an on line presence but other than a few Alaskan Fabrics in the corner of a nearby Yarn Shop it was slim pickins for anything quilty.

However....I FOUND MY $35.00 JACKET!  I don't leave Alaska without buying a jacket!  I thought after no jackets in Juneau that I would be disappointed.  I just had to be patient and wait until Ketchikan!  Nancy and Colleen bought one each too.  

Nancy found a moose to have her picture taken alongside.  I tried to encourage her to sit on it...didn't work.  Standing beside she said was just fine!  We saw the most beautiful red hydrangeas.  I wonder if it was the soil or a different variety.  Course I didn't take my own picture...but found this one on the internet that is a close idea of what we saw.

So after our last bit of shopping, it was back to the ship and start mentally preparing for the journey home.  

 

I had a wonderful drink in the afternoon called butterfly tea.  It was really pretty and a cool experience.  I had a glass which contained the drink and a smaller glass of pure lemon juice to pour in and then the magic happened.  I have really enjoyed trying some different drinks.  Nothing I would do at home at the prices they are...nor would I buy the liquour to make them myself.  It has been fun.  Colleen is amazes that I like the strong taste of any of the alcohols.  Good thing I limit myself to either Las Vegas or Cruise ship with package!  

So now we are at the last of our days with ports of call and just one more day at sea and then the disembarkation back in Vancouver.  Hmmm now where was the Gatsby Casino again?  

SCENIC CRUISING

Today was a very early start to get up and have a great view of the Endicott Arm and all the way to the Dawes Glacier.  Ok....so at the observation deck at 7:00 in the rain and the fog!  Not a great day for viewing much of anything.  However I was there.  

As we mosied along very slowly - I realized that one arm just like the other.  Previously I sailed down or up the Tracy Arm to the Grand Pacific the Marjorie Glaciers thinking that that itinerary was the best of all.  Now I realize that the Endicott Arm and the Dawes Glacier are quite lovely.  The Dawes Glacier has a similar white/blue look as Marjorie Glacier.  We didn't seem to get as close but it was there just the same.  We spun around so everyone had a chance to have a good look and then just as we were exiting the Endicott Arm...the sun was glorious!  Not our luck today.

Whales were in the the arm and we did see spouts and the back of the humpback.  Some lucky people on the other side of the ship saw one breaching.  I was happy to see what we did from the ship, but wow a breach would have been amazing!  Next time.

The rest of the day was spent trying our luck at Bingo.  Hah that was fun to do but no luck there.  We wandered around and then went back to the room to hang out there for a while.  Nancy had a really tough coughing spell, so we stayed in the room.  Nancy was very exhausted and did not want to go to dinner.  We ordered dinner to the room for her and Colleen and I went to the dining room.  

We were seated next to a couple from England and in talking to them, we realized we could help them with their transportation from the cruise ship dock to the Tsawwassen Ferry Terminal.  They were going to use Uber or Taxi, however, there was an option through Viator Tours to get on a bus at Canada Place and then on the ferry and off at the Bus Terminal in Downtown Victoria.  I think overall this no hassle option would be a cheaper alternative that on an off Ubers and looking after luggage on the ferry.  Fingers crossed that it all works out for them

After that we tried to go to the Explorers Lounge but it was quite noisy so off we went to the casino.  We played a few games and finally settled in at one that kept us playing for the better part of one and a half hours and still walked away with our same money.  We will definitely look to try that one again.  This time when Nancy is able to join us!  It was entertaining!

So although this post is delayed in coming...I was able to remember what we did from 2 days ago.  Whew!

Ok onto the next day!  Talk to you in a minute!

SKAGWAY

What a beautiful morning here is Skagway.  It is so pretty when the sun is shining.  The mountains have snow and the blue sky just is such a  beautiful backdrop for everything!  Today we have to go to town with the tenders.  There was a landslide that has left the hillside quite unstable, so they are having us disembark from the sea side of the ship and taking us in on the little boats.  Always a zoo, but that is the way we are able to go ashore.

Of course once again I made a bee line to the little Quilt Shop called Quilt Alaska.  I was able to find some things to spend money on.  I bought a couple of laser cut kits that I will enjoy doing.  

Didn't know that they are having a shop up here in Alaska, so the one I bought is of a fox that Is the design for the quilt shop Quilt Alaska.  It was really nice!  The other one I bought is of a puffin - although it is unlikely that I will be seeing puffins this trip - but I have seen them on other occasions!

Colleen and Nancy found a place to sit while I shopped.  They were very patient with me.

Other than my spending spree, there was no other money left in Skagway.  Tomorrow my wallet will have a rest as we are having a scenic cruising day.  Going up the Endicott Arm and to the Dawes Glacier.  I am happy to have a day at sea after two port days.

This evening we can get to see sled dog puppies in the main atrium or as they call it on this ship - the Piazza.  Awkward time though .. it is from 6:00 to 6:45.  It appears that there is no room left to interact with the puppies.  However, with all the littles on this ship, I sure hope they are able to get up and personal with the pups.

After dinner we will have some drinks and have fun in the Explorers Lounge again.  There are usually enough games to keep us entertained until bed time.  So tomorrow we will be up early to take in a full day of scenic cruising before our next port day.  

Talk later.

JUNEAU

Juneau was lovely today!  Not raining so it was wonderful to walk around.  I really expected that we would have rainier days when looking ahead at the forecast, however we were fortunate that it stayed away during the time we were in town. 

I headed straight for the quilt shop, Changing Tides. There was nothing that I wanted to buy.  I must have everything.  Actually according some people, I have too much!  I don't think that is possible.  Tomorrow I will try again in Skagway.  There has to be something I need.  My favourite shop in Ketchikan is now closed so tomorrow will be the last attempt to take back something quilty.

There were so many people in town!  There were ships were ships coming and going all day long.  In town at any one time there had to be 4 ships.  So tomorrow in smaller Skagway who knows how many we will arrive there.  Tomorrow we are going to have to go by tender to the town, so there will be more than a couple of ships in Skagway.  

I made eye contact with one girl who was promoting "eye cream to look 10 years younger.  So in we all went for my treatment.  With a Qtip she spread some goop on the underpart of my eyes.  Soon I felt the "tightening" and there I was ... Beautified for all to see. However, I found I really didn't like the feeling having never worn any kind of face makeup so my brief foray into 10 years younger ended and now I am back to all 73 years of me.

Had coffee at a native Alaskan coffee shop called Sacred Grounds   and had a ice latte Nancy treated us to.  It was a guieter place than some of the others we passed by.  It was nice to sit and relax.  Our next stop was the T-Shirt Company - the place with the red shopping bags.  I was so looking forward to getting a new jacket.  They don't sell jackets anmore.  Just sweatshirts and tshirts and the usual touristy stuff.  Needless to say I was disappointed.  Still, a lovely walk around the town.

Once we were back on board it was time to look for dinner.  It was easy to go to the walk in anytime dining.  So it was nice to know that we don't need a reservation to have dinner in the dining room.  We watched more of the game shows in the Explorer Lounge - that place seems to appeal to us with the variety of things they offer for entertainment in any given evening.  

Nancy left before us to go back to the room and with the Princess Medalion, we were able to watch on the map as she was making her way back to our stateroom. We chuckled over one wrong turn she made and it almost appeared as if she had jumped off the ship, however, after a couple of right turns we were able to see that she made it back safely.  The sun didn't really set until 10.30 so at least we knew that she wasn't lost in the dark.

So an hour later, we went back and we found her safely tucked in bed and reading.  It wasn't long before we were safely tucked in also.  Skagway tomorrow and some more exploring to do!

BLOWING IN THE WIND

Well after some difficulties logging on and out of devices...I think I have it sorted now so that I actually can blog each day.

Our first night at sea was a blustery one.  There was loud and howling winds and we sailed north through the inside passage.  The water wasn't rough, but the noisy wind kept us awake periodically through the night.

The day began as most days do cruising...get up and get breakfast.  The buffet area on deck 15 was so cold.  Definitely needed a sweater or sweatshirt while having our breakfast, but as it was only Day 1 in that area...we were unprepared.  We didn't linger.  We were soon on our way to find a latte to warm us up.

This is our first experience with a medalion instead of a cruise card and I must say I quite like it!  It allows you to locate friends on the ship as well as when approaching your stateroom, your door automatically unlocks so you just have to use the handle to enter.  Quite convenient.  

We had dinner in the main dining room.   It was delicious.  I have rarely had an issue with the food or the choices available.  Tonight one of the choices was tenderloin slices of beef.  Nothing to complain about there!  Nancy enjoyed escargots.  We tried our luck in the casino after dinner and believe me, there was no luck for us!  But we saved some of our combined deposit to try again another night.  Regardless of or lack of winnings...we had fun together.

Then we were off to the  Explorer's Lounge to participate in a few of the games that you could join in on.  The two we saw were music oriented - it was a good way to spend a few hours.  We will make our way to the Explorer's Lounge each evening I think as it is fun

So another day is done and dusted and tomorrow we arrive in Juneau so we have a chance to go explore.  Already I can feel that I am anxious to go find the quilt store(s).  I know I will have luck there!  😉

EMBARKATION DAY ON THE EMERALD PRINCESS

Today was very smooth.  Came to the terminal for 12:00 and Pam walked down to give us a nice send off.  How great to see her.  We easily went through check in and security and then right on the ship.  We boarded the ship and then went strait to have lunch.  

Lunch was good and so nice to sit down after being in the lineup for security and all the walking.  Walking is only beginning as we are right at the bow of the ship and everything seems after or centre.  It will do us good with all the delicious food that we should encounter.  Drinks were wine and a shandy for me.

We made our way to the International Cafe to get a delicious latte.  We already made some new friends.  They were from 4 different areas...Grand Cayman, Langley and two other places.  Lol already I forgot the two other places.  They had already been visiting a couple of bars when we saw them, so although they were  happy and we had fun chatting with them.  They are a group of 12 traveling together.  Must have been hard to get all of them to find a time that would be convenient.  

We were able to make a dinner reservation in the dining room for tomorrow, but tonight tonight we were able to get into the BBQ rib place for our dinner.  Nancy was quite adamant she did not want to eat in the buffet.  Dinners are great in the dining room, however, breakfast or lunch is convenient in the buffet.  We walked through the buffet after our dinner and she thought she might try it for the earlier meal tomorrow.  They have sinks in the restaurants and the buffet to do hand washing.  They also have the hand sanitizers everywhere so there is no excuse to have unclean hands.

Dinner at the BBQ place wasn't wonderful.  The brisket was tough and didn't have a lot of flavour and the pork ribs were chewy.  My biggest problem was the cornbread had two types of spread.  I heard cheese pimento and honey and I thought just butter...however, it turned out it was honey, butter and jalapeno.  Ah my favourite...NOT!  Oh well, we won't be going there again anyway.  We will be going to the dining room for the rest of our meals.  My tongue was flaming for a bit, however, I was able to put the flames out with a lemon drop martini!

So after dinner we wandered around a bit and ended up back at the coffee shop for a Spanish Coffee!  You might have guessed we have a drink package.  It came with the gratuities and wifi - so it really was a good deal!

So day 1 is now done and ready to be put to rest as are we.  Talk at you again tomorrow.

ALASKA BOUND - STAY TUNED!

                                                        

                                                                                            Colleen, Nancy and I are ready to set sail to Alaska on the 23rd of June.  So looking forward to a trip up and back again.  It is so easy to just go to downtown Vancouver and then hop on the ship and unpack for the week.  This trip is one I never grow tired of.  Our Mom loved this trip and it is so easy to understand why when you can see the most beautiful BC scenery out the window each day until we reach Alaska and then the rugged shoreline of such a beautiful state.

June is an especially interesting time to travel north as we get to experience more hours of daylight.  It won't get completely dark until about 11.30 p.m. and then the sun begins to rise around 2:00 am.  Not that it really matters as the stateroom has roo darkening blinds...but it is just a neat experience.  

I am so looking forward to visiting the familiar shops in the ports that we will visit.  Still the same, Juneau, Skagway and Ketchikan.  The quilt shops are looking forward to my visit I'm sure!  

We will be traveling on the Emerald Princess and instead of Glacier Bay and Tracy Arm, we will see the Endicott Arm and the Dawes Glacier.  

So the 3 of us will share a stateroom and I will post daily updates so you can follow along if you choose to.

Talk again soon!