Glaciers - Icebergs and Irish Coffee!

A wonderful part of our cruise was traveling up Tracy Arm Fjord to Sawyer Glacier. No getting off and on the ship,  just a scenic journey with spectacular views accessible from a deck chair. As we entered the fjord I took up position on Lido Deck aft. I secured my deck chair,  garbed in  my warmest gear, with cameras ready. I was overlooking the stern pool watching were we had been. Having taken this trip before, I knew when we arrived at Sawyer Glacier the ship would turn around affording me a brilliant view of the glacier. Avril likes to be more mobile, so she wandered about using what photographers call the run and gun.

Entering Tracy Arm Fjord Alaska

Avril - Intrepid Travel Photographer

Tracy Arm Fjord Alaska

Tracy Arm Fjord Alaska

By now the crowds had begun to get larger. Princess, in method of marketing genius,  had a crew member rolling around a cart selling made to order Irish Coffee. He has made up a chant to sell his wares. "Oh we... get your Irish Coffee...make you happy... make you beautiful.... Irish Coffee oh we!"

Irish Coffee vendor Golden Princess Alaska Cruise

As if on cue, two modelesque guys striped down to bathing suits and jumped into the warm pool. I wonder if they provided a well thought out photo opportunity or were just a couple of spontaneous, wild and crazy guys!

Warm pools and icebergs Princess Alaska Cruise

Tracy Arm Fjord Alaska

Sawyer Glacier Alaska

Catch You in Ketchikan

We had a mission of sorts when we arrived in Ketchikan.  Avril's colleague raved about a restaurant in town called the Alaska Fish House.  He loved their smoked salmon chowder,  made with canned salmon. He had tried in vain to purchase their canned salmon online and  hoped that we could pick up some and bring it back to him.  We wandered the pretty downtown knowing we  would make our last stop the Fish House. The town was crazy busy because there was at least four big cruise ships docked. We dodged many a seagoing tourist.  It turns out there is no retail salmon sales at the Fish House! They must have seen the disappointment on our faces and were kind enough to send us down the street to the Salmon Market, where we loaded up on salmon for him and us.  Another beautiful day in Alaska!

Ketchikan Alaska 

Golden Princess Ketchikan Alaska 

Golden Princess Ketchikan Alaska 

Train Day in Skagway Alaska

Our second stop in Alaska was Skagway. We decided to do a shore excursion sold by Princess. I love riding trains and ships, this day we did both!  White Pass and Yukon Scenic Railroad pulls their train up to the ship and you jump on-board for  ride up and down the mountain. I wish it was  more sunny and clear day, but I still got some good photos! Click on the photo below for a slide show of our trip.

Skagway Alaska

Naturally when we got back to the ship the sun came out. The view from deck 14 was magnificent!

Golden Princess Skagway Alaska

Golden Princess Skagway Alaska

Exciting Days!

In the last three weeks we  have done all kinds of things! We took a ten day cruise to Alaska, celebrated forty years of marriage, became new grandparents and traveled, to and from, Portland on the Amtrak Coast Starlight. We had many fine meals and gathered award points from Marriott and Hyatt Hotels. Avril has been amazing! She is  pleasure to travel with and somehow manages to juggle work and personal time with grace. Thank God for high speed internet access and happy hour wine!
I just now sat down and started to sort out all this adventure and figure out how to blog about it. I think I will hit the highlights a little at a time.

Stern Pool Golden Princess- Looking back to San Francisco

Rainy day in Juneau!

The first stop of the cruise was Juneau. It was rainy and cold so we did not spend much time on shore. We wandered about in the bluster and ended up at Taku Store. We bought lots of salmon as souvenirs and gifts. In my brain, edible souvenirs are the best. We headed back to the ship for early dinner time in the Crown Grill Steakhouse, to celebrate forty years! Our great kids had prearranged gifts of champagne and wine and somehow managed to convince Princess to comp the cover charge for the Crown Grill. We both ordered filet mignon and lobster, our favorite! The entree arrived on huge plates surrounded by more plates with mushrooms, fries and grilled asparagus. It was the smallest item on the menu but still a enormous amount of food. I was wishing I had skipped breakfast and lunch!

Crown Grill Golden Princess

Golden Princess a great place for our anniversary!

Happy Anniversary!

Princess Cruises is celebrating 50 years! We thought it was appropriate to celebrate our 40th anniversary on board the Golden Princess north to Alaska. Forty years! It was an arranged marriage, she was 6 and I was 9. Insert smiley face here!! ;)

Happy Fifty Princess Cruises!

 One of our favorite things to do on a cruise ship is eat! My favorite meal of the day is breakfast and the Golden Princess is a great place to eat it. I like to have two breakfasts! Breakfast number one is at 630 a.m. in the Piazza with coffee drinks and pastry.

Cappuccino Piazza Golden Princess Alaska

Pastry! Golden Princess Alaska

 Breakfast number one proceeds walking the decks for me, and Zumba for Avril. Got to work up an appetite for breakfast two at 1030! I have not had grits in many a day. So many breakfast choices in the Horizon Court Buffet!

Buffet Breakfast Golden  Princess Alaska

Crusie Photographer Here

I am available for cruise photography. Contact me at lifesapicnic@gmail.com

Greg MacIntosh Photo for Life's a Picnic

Grand Princess Alaska Cruise - Day One San Francisco

It is just a week back from the best vacation ever. I was swelled up with fun on our return, bursting with photos and words. Then reality hit, and it was more than a case of cruise ship withdrawal syndrome. I coughed and sneezed and beat  a  fever. I slept,  recuperated and feel human enough now to tell you about our wonderful cruise.

The night before our cruise we decided to stay in San Francisco at the Club Quarters Hotel. It is comforting  to me to stay within walking distance of the cruise terminal. I paid more than I wanted because there was two cruise ships in town, a Giants game and assorted events that jacked the hotel prices. It seemed a small price to pay for getting our vacation started a day early. We checked in and then headed out to find dinner. As we passed  Le Meridian Hotel we spotted a hand written board touting happy hour with $5 wine. That drew us in and led to a wonderful happy hour that included a charcuterie plate and moules frites. This was a fine way to start a journey.

Happy hour Le Meridian Hotel San Francisco

We began our cruise on Friday May 10. We were asked to arrive at San Francisco Pier 35 at 2:30 p.m. because they were staggering the departure times of embarkation to make for less waiting in line. Traffic was good, we arrived at 2:09 and joined the end of a huge line. Somewhat disheartened we excitedly awaited our cruise. The line moved so fast that we were on board in our cabin unpacking  63 minutes later. This was the shortest time ever for us boarding a ship. We headed to the upper deck to take photos. We had some wine, a slice of pizza and attended a mandatory safety drill.

The view of San Francisco from the Grand Princess

Sail Away Party Grand Princess - San Fran to Alaska My 10, 2013

On this cruise we elected a traditional "early" dining time because it was similar to our normal home schedule, Princess offers late dining and "anytime" dining as well.  At 5:30 pm we found our table for two in the DaVinci dining room. We ordered the prime rib and savored it as the Grand Princess headed under the Golden Gate Bridge then north towards Alaska.

Grand Princess DaVinci Dining Room Prime Rib

We finished dinner and had brandy while we mulled over taking in a show. We decided to head back to the cabin to energize for tomorrow. I know some people are bothered by the motion of the ship. I on the other hand I am relaxed by the roll of the ship. By 9:30 I am sound asleep, a happy cruiser.