For more information read this …….
This is part 1 of the highlights of our back-to-back cruises to the Eastern and Western Caribbean on the Oasis of the Seas, the largest cruise ship in the world. You can read part 2 here. We will also give some cruise tips to make your vacation even better.
Read part one here.
Day one – July 10, 2010
After a morning of announcements over the Oasis of the Seas’ PA system, we got off the ship and headed to the casino …
Written by Linda Johnson ….
I’ve been sick and home bound, so yesterday I decided to play some online poker. I NEVER play online tournaments unless they are SNG or heads-up but I saw a $20 MTT with a $33,000 guarantee so on a whim, I decided to register late and play it……. continue reading…
Have a bad beat to talk about? Have a huge win?……. continue reading…
Alaska Blog – Final Edition
We left off as the ship was pulling into Juneau. The weather there was the best it has been in 55 years according to the locals. Temperatures were in the high 50s and it was bright and sunny with no wind. We were picked up at the dock by Erin who is the general manager for the Dog Sled excursion we are taking next week. Since this is a new trip for us, we had asked for a preview of the dog camp and she was eager to show off her operation.
The camp, located on Douglas Island, is about a 20-minute drive from the pier. When we arrived, we were introduced to one-day old puppies. We obviously couldn’t pick them up yet, but Crackle, the new mom was happy to let us pet them while she watched. There were lots of 3-month old puppies eager to sit on laps. Next we got a hot drink and listened to a musher talk about his profession. Finally, we got to experience the dogs in action as teams of 16 dogs pulled us on a wheeled sled around the camp. The dogs love to run. In fact, they howl and cry until they get are allowed to go.
Erin drove us back to town and we stopped in the Red Dog Saloon for a drink. It was a lot more crowded and much more commercial than when we first started going there 20 years ago. There was lots of time for shopping since we didn’t have to be back on the ship until 9:45 pm.
We were in Skagway today. Jan and I took a bus tour up to the Yukon and enjoyed amazing scenery along the way. The snow glistened in the sunshine. Yes, we had another beautiful weather day. Please note that although the weather was spectacular this week, it can change in an instant. Although we had abundant sunshine, it still was chilly in the shade. If you are planning to go up to the glacier, to go to the dog camp, to go outside in Tracy Arm, to go whale watching, etc. please bring gloves, a stocking hat, a neck scarf, and a warm jacket as well as good walking shoes…it can get very cold.
Tomorrow will be a sea day and the last day will include a stop in Victoria. Here are a few final tips to make your trip go smoothly.
* Carry some small bills with you. You will probably want to tip the ship attendants who deliver room service, give you great service in the buffet, etc.
* At the cruise terminal, there are Alaska give away books that contain some great discount coupons for the shops in Ketchikan, Juneau, and Skagway. Pick up one or two of them.
* If you’ve forgotten to pack something you need, there are free shuttles to Walmart in Ketchikan and Juneau.
* If you buy Alaskan ulus (instruments used to chop food)as souvenirs or to bring home as presents, security will take them away when you return to the ship, but will deliver them to your stateroom on the last night of the cruise. My two ulus were joined by 600 others that security is temporarily holding.
* Although the food in the pay restaurants is delicious, the dining room has everything you could possibly want at no extra charge. The food and the service there is wonderful.
* The gym on the ship is very nice and hasn’t been crowded all week.
*Celebrity offers unlimited alcohol and soft drink packages. The soda is $7 a day plus 15% gratuity and the bottled water is $12 plus 15% and alcohol packages start at $44 plus 15% a day. Wine packages are also available. Check with the bar staff if you’re interested.
We hope you enjoyed our reports as much as we are enjoying the cruise!
Alaska blog 2013 Part Two
We have had amazing weather for Alaska! Yesterday we arrived in Ketchikan at 7am. Our excursion, the Great Alaskan Lumberjack Show, didn’t start until 11:15 so we slept late and got off the ship at 10:30. It’s easy to sleep on a cruise ship! We walked the five blocks to the show facility and enjoyed the “Lumberjack Olympics.” Two teams competed against each other in many categories that required skill in logging, climbing, chopping, and log rolling. After the show, we had lunch at the Fish Pirates Saloon in the middle of downtown Ketchikan. (The view was better than the food.) I spent the next two hours shopping while Jan took a power walk. Remember to bring layers of clothing. It sprinkled lightly a few times, but overall, the weather was 50 degrees and a bit overcast. continue reading…
