The 14-Day Alaskan Adventurer Cruise, August 22-September 6, 2010, Holland America Amsterdam

Text by Snookums, Pictures by Filbert

Part Seven

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September 2 (Thursday, Day 12, Cruising Hubbard Glacier) -

Approaching Disenchantment Bay

Snookums and Filbert ordered room service breakfast of a bowl of mixed berries, a bowl of mixed fruit and two raisin buns for Snookums and hot water and coffee for Filbert. Then it was time to go out on deck and watch our approach to Hubbard Glacier. At its widest point, it is six miles wide and towers 500 feet about Disenchantment Bay. It is 75 miles long! We bundled up and headed for the bow of the ship.

More after the jump . . .

The 14-Day Alaskan Adventurer Cruise, August 22-September 6, 2010, Holland America Amsterdam

Text by Snookums, Pictures by Filbert

Part Six

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September 1 (Wednesday, Day 11, Kodiak, Alaska) -

Fishing boat in Kodiak Harbor

Filbert, Snookums and Judy left the ship around 9 AM to explore Kodiak, population 6,000. The day started kind of overcast and probably in the mid-50s. Alaskans layer their clothes and so did we. We walked about a mile into town. Kodiak is known as the “Fishing Capital of Alaska”. On the way to town we saw the Kodiak Island Brewing Company but it was closed until noon. We had to be back on the ship by 12:30 so Filbert and Judy weren’t sure they were going to be able to get any of Kodiak’s beer.

More after the jump . . .

The 14-Day Alaskan Adventurer Cruise, August 22-September 6, 2010, Holland America Amsterdam

Text by Snookums, Pictures by Filbert

Part Five

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August 29 (Sunday, Day 8, At Sea) -

Galley Tour

Snookums must be getting over her cold since this was the first time on the cruise that she woke up before Filbert did. She showered, went to breakfast and did a few errands (going to Mom and Dad’s room, getting an updated invoice from the Front Desk, checking out Neptune Lounge, etc.). When she returned to the room Filbert had just gotten up. She left him to attend the 10:30 Galley Tour. The ms Amsterdam has 1380 guests on it and 620 crew. The galley consists of 96 people under the Executive Chef and there are also 122 service staff. Snookums thought the soup cook was chopping the vegetables rather slowly, but she figured he knew his timing. He makes the soup in 80 gallon pans. After the galley tour Snookums went to the “Future Cruise” lecture but she didn’t learn anything.

More after the jump . . .

The 14-Day Alaskan Adventurer Cruise, August 22-September 6, 2010, Holland America Amsterdam

Text by Snookums, Pictures by Filbert

Part Four

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August 27 (Friday, Day 6, Skagway, Alaska) -

Amsterdam at Skagway

We didn’t have any excursions planned in Skagway and it was just as well. Had it been a sea day Snookums would not have gotten out of bed due to her cold. She was just exhausted. However, she did get up and went off the ship with Filbert to explore the town of Skagway which is home to 860 year-round residents. Skagway is historically significant since it was the last stop for prospectors beginning their long trek into Canada’s Yukon Territory. Today its main street is home to boardwalk sidewalks and fake-front buildings that house Diamonds International and other Caribbean jewelry store chains. Filbert and Snookums quickly got off the beaten path.

More after the jump . . .

The 14-Day Alaskan Adventurer Cruise, August 22-September 6, 2010, Holland America ms Amsterdam

Text by Snookums, Pictures by Filbert

Part Three

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August 26 (Thursday, Day 5, Sitka, Alaska) -

Welcome to Sitka

Today we did the Sea Otter and Wildlife Quest with Gary and Charlotte. Sitka is a tender port but our tour catamaran picked us up at our ship. Snookums wore many layers, including tights and two pairs of socks. We knew that the catamaran had indoor seating, but you have to be outside to really experience wildlife viewing. Within five minutes our boat’s captain said that three orca whales had been seen so he was going to try to find them. The naturalist onboard had been doing this tour for thirteen years and had only seen orcas in Sitka one other time. We did see three of them and watched them for probably 30 minutes. This was a big deal!! Then it was on to seeing if we could find other wildlife.

More after the jump . . .

The 14-Day Alaskan Adventurer Cruise, August 22-September 6, 2010, Holland America Amsterdam

Text by Snookums, Pictures by Filbert

Part Two

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August 25 (Wednesday, Day 4, Ketchikan, Alaska) -

Ketchikan

We docked early and didn’t have an excursion until 11:30 so after breakfast Filbert and Snookums ventured off the ship. We immediately saw the Time Bandit docked next to us. This is one of the boats featured on the “Deadliest Catch” television show on the Discovery Channel. We weren't sure why it was in Ketchikan, but it was.

More after the jump . . .

The 14-Day Alaskan Adventurer Cruise, August 22-September 6, 2010, Holland America Amsterdam

Text by Snookums, Pictures by Filbert

Part One

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August 22 (Sunday, Day 1, Flying to Seattle, Washington) -

Mount Rainier from the air

Matt was our chauffeur at 7:30 AM and we enjoyed a leisurely Midwest Airlines check-in process. Our flight even took off a few minutes early and we were fine with that. Mom, Dad and Judy enjoyed the extra legroom that they were given when the gate agent upgraded them to Midwest’s SuperStretch seating for free (at a savings of $35 per person!) and Filbert and Snookums liked the exit rows they were given. Midwest’s chocolate chip cookies were as gooey and melty as always and the ~4-hour flight was uneventful. We piled into a large van taxi and got to the Comfort Suites Downtown/Seattle Center with no problems. Filbert and Judy had to do all of the heavy lifting since Snookums is still recovering from her July 12 right elbow surgery. We were too early for check-in and had to wait for our rooms for about an hour, but that was okay. When our rooms were ready, we quickly got settled in and then Filbert, Snookums and Judy went exploring.

More after the jump . . .

This is the front page for our dispatches from our Panama Canal cruise on the Regent Seven Seas Navigator from May 5-26, 2010.

Here are the individual posts, collected all in one handy location for your reading pleasure. As we travel, we'll be adding posts so you can follow our journeys.

(Click the Read More to see all the post links . . .)

The Panama Canal-Ft. Lauderdale to San Francisco-20-night Voyage, May 6-26, Regent Seven Seas Navigator

Text by Snookums, Pictures by Filbert

Part Seventeen

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May 24 (Monday, Day 20, San Diego, continued) -

Le Cirque Navigator

The Le Cirque show was odd and didn’t make any sense at all. It turns out there was a reason it didn't make sense (and not just, as Filbert thought, it was a Cirque-style show, which aren't supposed to make sense according to him . . .)

More after the jump . . .

The Panama Canal-Ft. Lauderdale to San Francisco-20-night Voyage, May 6-26, Regent Seven Seas Navigator

Text by Snookums, Pictures by Filbert

Part Sixteen

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May 23 (Sunday, Day 19, At sea) -

Sunrise, May 24

The ship was rocking a bunch all day today. Snookums was fine for breakfast but around 11AM she started to feel a little icky. She took a meclizine (seasick pill) and that knocked her out for the next 4 hours or so. More after the jump . . .