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| Friday, 22 March 2013
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Royal Caribbean International yesterday opened Jewel of the Seas’ 2014 summer Southern Caribbean season for sale and announced the cruise line’s 2014 Mediterranean cruises to complete its future Europe deployment. Liberty of the Seas, Navigator of the Seas, Serenade of the Seas, and Splendour of the Seas will sail the Mediterranean and augment recently announced Independence of the Seas, Adventure of the Seas, Brilliance of the Seas and Legend of the Seas in Northern Europe, offering vacationers eight of the world’s most innovative cruise ships that sail to the continent’s most compelling destinations. Royal Caribbean’s 2014 Northern Europe cruises will open for booking on March 20, 2013, followed by its Mediterranean cruises on March 28.
A kaleidoscope of cultures, flavors, history and wonderment await vacationers of all generations on a Royal Caribbean Europe cruise. Many shore excursion options are designed for families to further explore the sights and cultures of Europe together, such as seeing and climbing the 294 steps of the world-famous Leaning Tower of Pisa, or share in making their own pizza in Sorrento with Pizza Making for Families from Naples. In Rome, the whole clan also can choose a tour of visit of Colosseum, Roman Forum, Venice Square, Navona Square and the Leonardo da Vinci Machines Exhibition in A Taste of Rome for Families, or visit the medieval village of Tarquinia and stop in a local family-owned Gelateria for a cone on Leisurely Tarquinia & Ice Cream Taste. For two short webisodes about how Royal Caribbean delivers Europe like no one can, please visit http://tinyurl.com/alo87wy.
“No one can deliver Europe to families like Royal Caribbean can,” said Lisa Bauer, executive vice president of Global Sales and Marketing for Royal Caribbean International. “Only on Royal Caribbean can vacationers visit multiple destinations to experience the continent’s history, culture and excitement, while sailing aboard our recently revitalized ships that are Designed for WOW. Guests will receive Royal Caribbean’s friendly and engaging GOLD Anchor service from every staff and crew member, and enjoy up to five times more onboard dining options, and more exclusive and exciting entertainment, such as the DreamWorks Experience on Liberty of the Seas or the new spectacular aerial-acrobatic experiences in Legend of the Seas’ four deck-high Centrum.”
Only on Royal Caribbean’s Liberty of the Seas can Europe vacationers also enjoy the DreamWorks Experience, featuring parades, themed activities and events based on DreamWorks Animation’s popular feature-film characters, including Po of “Kung Fu Panda;” Shrek, Fiona and Puss In Boots of “Shrek;” and Alex the Lion, Gloria the Hippo, and the Penguins from “Madagascar.” Each ship also is equipped with a 3-D movie theater playing the latest DreamWorks Animation films. A not-to-be-missed experience is the Character Breakfasts, a chance to enjoy the first meal of the day with one’s favorite DreamWorks characters.
On Splendour of the Seas, Serenade of the Seas, Legend of the Seas, and Brilliance of the Seas, guests can enjoy a cocktail in the new retro-hip R Bar as performers glide, dive and recoil in the new aerial-acrobatic Centrum Experience that ranges throughout more than four decks of the ships’ atriums. Guests aboard Liberty of the Seas can take in the Broadway musical Saturday Night Fever by night.
Most of Royal Caribbean’s 2014 Europe fleet will have undergone the cruise line’s fleetwide revitalization program, delivering an expanded array of delicious onboard dining options, such as the casual dining Park Café, Boardwalk Dog House, and Rita’s Cantina to more sophisticated culinary experiences such as Samba Grill Brazilian steakhouse, the new Viking Crown Lounge with a menu of appetizers in a re-conceptualized modern club atmosphere, Izumi Asian Cuisine and the Chef’s Table.
Royal Caribbean’s youngest guests, ages 6 to 36 months, can enjoy the new Royal Babies and Tots Nursery, while three- to 11-year olds are led by college-accredited counselors in educational and entertaining programs developed with Fisher Price in the complimentary Adventure Ocean program. Teen also can meet new friends on their Europe cruise and hang out with peers in their own dedicated lounge and enjoy activities such as learning to mix music in Scratch DJ sessions or teen-only rock-climbing wall and FlowRider surf simulator sessions.
The recently revitalized ships also feature new modern amenities, such as pervasive Wi-Fi throughout the ship, digital signage, flat-panel televisions in newly refreshed staterooms, and a poolside, oversized LED movie screen for guests’ enjoyment as they bask in the grand European sun. Independence of the Seas and Liberty of the Seas each also features a FlowRider and cantilevered whirlpools, as well as Europe’s only ice-skating rinks at sea, also aboard Navigator of the Seas and Adventure of the Seas.
Liberty of the Seas will sail roundtrip from Barcelona on a seven-night, Western Mediterranean itinerary, calling at Provence (Marseilles) and Nice (Villefranche), France; and Florence/Pisa (La Spezia), Rome (Civitavecchia), and Naples/Capri, Italy. The Aug. 10 sailing calls at Cannes, France, instead of Nice. A four-night, roundtrip itinerary departing May 14 will offer vacationers a taste of the Freedom-class experience, with a call at Nice and Florence/Pisa. An eastbound trans-Atlantic sailing on May 1 and westbound on Oct. 26, both 13-night itineraries, will bookend Liberty of the Seas’ Europe season.
Navigator of the Seas will homeport at Rome (Civitavecchia) to sail a seven-night Eastern Mediterranean itinerary, which calls at Sicily (Messina), Italy; Athens (Piraeus) and Chania (Souda), Crete, Greece; and Ephesus (Kusadasi), Turkey. Alternatively, vacationers have a second option to embark on their seven-night Eastern Mediterranean cruise, sailing roundtrip from Sicily (Messina). Additionally, vacationers can choose a 15-night Galveston to Rome or 14-night Barcelona to Galveston trans-Atlantic cruise, sailing May 4 and Nov. 9, respectively.
Vacationers also can embark on longer nine- to 12-night Italy, Greek Isles and Turkey cruises from Barcelona from May through August, and Venice from late August through October. From Barcelona, Serenade of the Seas will alternate 12-night Mediterranean Greek Isles and night Mediterranean Venice itineraries the latter featuring an overnight in Venice. From Sept., Serenade of the Seas will homeport in Venice and alternate 10-night Greek Isles and 11-night Greece and Turkey itineraries. Vacationers also can sail into Europe with Serenade of the Seas on a 16-night trans-Atlantic cruise from New Orleans to Barcelona on Apr. 26. Vacationers also can choose a nine-night eastbound sailing from Barcelona to Venice on Aug. 27 and a 10-night westbound return on Oct. 27, takeing guests throughout the Italian Mediterranean and the Adriatic.
For its part, Splendour of the Seas will homeport at Venice for its entire Europe season and alternate seven-night Greek Isles and Greek Isles & Turkey itineraries. The ship will reposition from Sao Paolo, Brazil to Barcelona for a 14-night trans-Atlantic voyage on Apr. 25, and then start its Europe season with an eight-night Italian Mediterranean and Adriatic itinerary from Barcelona to Venice. Splendour of the Seas concludes its Europe season with a seven-night Western Mediterranean cruise from Venice to Barcelona on Nov. 15, before returning to Sao Paolo on Nov. 22 on a 15-night westbound trans-Atlantic itinerary.
Continued Commitment to the Southern Caribbean
Jewel of the Seas will continue to sail seven-night roundtrip cruises through October 2014 to the jewel islands of the Southern Caribbean from San Juan, Puerto Rico. Following what will be its first year-round 2013-14 Southern Caribbean season, the ship will offer vacationers three exciting itineraries throughout the region, calling at St. Croix, St. Maarten, Antigua, St. Lucia and Barbados on one; at St. Maarten, St. Kitts, Antigua, St. Lucia and Barbados on another; and at St. Thomas, St. Kitts, Aruba and Curacao on the third.
Royal Caribbean International is a global cruise brand with 22 innovative ships, calling on more than 270 destinations in 72 countries across six continents. The line also offers unique cruise tour land packages in Alaska, Canada, Dubai, Europe, and Australia and New Zealand. Royal Caribbean provides a world-class vacation experience with a wide range of signature onboard amenities, entertainment, and award-winning family programming.
The cruise line has more than 40 years of history of delivering to guests the Royal Advantage – the most innovative cruise ships, exciting itineraries to popular destinations, and world-renowned friendly and engaging Gold Anchor Service. Royal Caribbean has been voted “Best Cruise Line Overall” for 10 consecutive years in the Travel Weekly Readers’ Choice Awards.
By Press Release
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| Friday, 22 March 2013
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Royal Caribbean International yesterday opened Jewel of the Seas’ 2014 summer Southern Caribbean season for sale and announced the cruise line’s 2014 Mediterranean cruises to complete its future Europe deployment. Liberty of the Seas, Navigator of the Seas, Serenade of the Seas, and Splendour of the Seas will sail the Mediterranean and augment recently announced Independence of the Seas, Adventure of the Seas, Brilliance of the Seas and Legend of the Seas in Northern Europe, offering vacationers eight of the world’s most innovative cruise ships that sail to the continent’s most compelling destinations. Royal Caribbean’s 2014 Northern Europe cruises will open for booking on March 20, 2013, followed by its Mediterranean cruises on March 28.
A kaleidoscope of cultures, flavors, history and wonderment await vacationers of all generations on a Royal Caribbean Europe cruise. Many shore excursion options are designed for families to further explore the sights and cultures of Europe together, such as seeing and climbing the 294 steps of the world-famous Leaning Tower of Pisa, or share in making their own pizza in Sorrento with Pizza Making for Families from Naples. In Rome, the whole clan also can choose a tour of visit of Colosseum, Roman Forum, Venice Square, Navona Square and the Leonardo da Vinci Machines Exhibition in A Taste of Rome for Families, or visit the medieval village of Tarquinia and stop in a local family-owned Gelateria for a cone on Leisurely Tarquinia & Ice Cream Taste. For two short webisodes about how Royal Caribbean delivers Europe like no one can, please visit http://tinyurl.com/alo87wy.
“No one can deliver Europe to families like Royal Caribbean can,” said Lisa Bauer, executive vice president of Global Sales and Marketing for Royal Caribbean International. “Only on Royal Caribbean can vacationers visit multiple destinations to experience the continent’s history, culture and excitement, while sailing aboard our recently revitalized ships that are Designed for WOW. Guests will receive Royal Caribbean’s friendly and engaging GOLD Anchor service from every staff and crew member, and enjoy up to five times more onboard dining options, and more exclusive and exciting entertainment, such as the DreamWorks Experience on Liberty of the Seas or the new spectacular aerial-acrobatic experiences in Legend of the Seas’ four deck-high Centrum.”
Only on Royal Caribbean’s Liberty of the Seas can Europe vacationers also enjoy the DreamWorks Experience, featuring parades, themed activities and events based on DreamWorks Animation’s popular feature-film characters, including Po of “Kung Fu Panda;” Shrek, Fiona and Puss In Boots of “Shrek;” and Alex the Lion, Gloria the Hippo, and the Penguins from “Madagascar.” Each ship also is equipped with a 3-D movie theater playing the latest DreamWorks Animation films. A not-to-be-missed experience is the Character Breakfasts, a chance to enjoy the first meal of the day with one’s favorite DreamWorks characters.
On Splendour of the Seas, Serenade of the Seas, Legend of the Seas, and Brilliance of the Seas, guests can enjoy a cocktail in the new retro-hip R Bar as performers glide, dive and recoil in the new aerial-acrobatic Centrum Experience that ranges throughout more than four decks of the ships’ atriums. Guests aboard Liberty of the Seas can take in the Broadway musical Saturday Night Fever by night.
Most of Royal Caribbean’s 2014 Europe fleet will have undergone the cruise line’s fleetwide revitalization program, delivering an expanded array of delicious onboard dining options, such as the casual dining Park Café, Boardwalk Dog House, and Rita’s Cantina to more sophisticated culinary experiences such as Samba Grill Brazilian steakhouse, the new Viking Crown Lounge with a menu of appetizers in a re-conceptualized modern club atmosphere, Izumi Asian Cuisine and the Chef’s Table.
Royal Caribbean’s youngest guests, ages 6 to 36 months, can enjoy the new Royal Babies and Tots Nursery, while three- to 11-year olds are led by college-accredited counselors in educational and entertaining programs developed with Fisher Price in the complimentary Adventure Ocean program. Teen also can meet new friends on their Europe cruise and hang out with peers in their own dedicated lounge and enjoy activities such as learning to mix music in Scratch DJ sessions or teen-only rock-climbing wall and FlowRider surf simulator sessions.
The recently revitalized ships also feature new modern amenities, such as pervasive Wi-Fi throughout the ship, digital signage, flat-panel televisions in newly refreshed staterooms, and a poolside, oversized LED movie screen for guests’ enjoyment as they bask in the grand European sun. Independence of the Seas and Liberty of the Seas each also features a FlowRider and cantilevered whirlpools, as well as Europe’s only ice-skating rinks at sea, also aboard Navigator of the Seas and Adventure of the Seas.
Liberty of the Seas will sail roundtrip from Barcelona on a seven-night, Western Mediterranean itinerary, calling at Provence (Marseilles) and Nice (Villefranche), France; and Florence/Pisa (La Spezia), Rome (Civitavecchia), and Naples/Capri, Italy. The Aug. 10 sailing calls at Cannes, France, instead of Nice. A four-night, roundtrip itinerary departing May 14 will offer vacationers a taste of the Freedom-class experience, with a call at Nice and Florence/Pisa. An eastbound trans-Atlantic sailing on May 1 and westbound on Oct. 26, both 13-night itineraries, will bookend Liberty of the Seas’ Europe season.
Navigator of the Seas will homeport at Rome (Civitavecchia) to sail a seven-night Eastern Mediterranean itinerary, which calls at Sicily (Messina), Italy; Athens (Piraeus) and Chania (Souda), Crete, Greece; and Ephesus (Kusadasi), Turkey. Alternatively, vacationers have a second option to embark on their seven-night Eastern Mediterranean cruise, sailing roundtrip from Sicily (Messina). Additionally, vacationers can choose a 15-night Galveston to Rome or 14-night Barcelona to Galveston trans-Atlantic cruise, sailing May 4 and Nov. 9, respectively.
Vacationers also can embark on longer nine- to 12-night Italy, Greek Isles and Turkey cruises from Barcelona from May through August, and Venice from late August through October. From Barcelona, Serenade of the Seas will alternate 12-night Mediterranean Greek Isles and night Mediterranean Venice itineraries the latter featuring an overnight in Venice. From Sept., Serenade of the Seas will homeport in Venice and alternate 10-night Greek Isles and 11-night Greece and Turkey itineraries. Vacationers also can sail into Europe with Serenade of the Seas on a 16-night trans-Atlantic cruise from New Orleans to Barcelona on Apr. 26. Vacationers also can choose a nine-night eastbound sailing from Barcelona to Venice on Aug. 27 and a 10-night westbound return on Oct. 27, takeing guests throughout the Italian Mediterranean and the Adriatic.
For its part, Splendour of the Seas will homeport at Venice for its entire Europe season and alternate seven-night Greek Isles and Greek Isles & Turkey itineraries. The ship will reposition from Sao Paolo, Brazil to Barcelona for a 14-night trans-Atlantic voyage on Apr. 25, and then start its Europe season with an eight-night Italian Mediterranean and Adriatic itinerary from Barcelona to Venice. Splendour of the Seas concludes its Europe season with a seven-night Western Mediterranean cruise from Venice to Barcelona on Nov. 15, before returning to Sao Paolo on Nov. 22 on a 15-night westbound trans-Atlantic itinerary.
Continued Commitment to the Southern Caribbean
Jewel of the Seas will continue to sail seven-night roundtrip cruises through October 2014 to the jewel islands of the Southern Caribbean from San Juan, Puerto Rico. Following what will be its first year-round 2013-14 Southern Caribbean season, the ship will offer vacationers three exciting itineraries throughout the region, calling at St. Croix, St. Maarten, Antigua, St. Lucia and Barbados on one; at St. Maarten, St. Kitts, Antigua, St. Lucia and Barbados on another; and at St. Thomas, St. Kitts, Aruba and Curacao on the third.
Royal Caribbean International is a global cruise brand with 22 innovative ships, calling on more than 270 destinations in 72 countries across six continents. The line also offers unique cruise tour land packages in Alaska, Canada, Dubai, Europe, and Australia and New Zealand. Royal Caribbean provides a world-class vacation experience with a wide range of signature onboard amenities, entertainment, and award-winning family programming.
The cruise line has more than 40 years of history of delivering to guests the Royal Advantage – the most innovative cruise ships, exciting itineraries to popular destinations, and world-renowned friendly and engaging Gold Anchor Service. Royal Caribbean has been voted “Best Cruise Line Overall” for 10 consecutive years in the Travel Weekly Readers’ Choice Awards.
By Will McGough
Will McGough
I could tell you a few things: I'm a writer, I live in Santa Barbara, and I'm an
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| Monday, 04 June 2012
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This morning when I woke up and looked out the porthole, the first thing I saw was a waterfall streaming down a slate rockface. It was speckled with patches of small brush and pine trees, some only two or three feet tall.
I’m currently sitting in a lounge that’s located on the top deck of the Rhapsody, writing from a table that sits in front of floor-to-ceiling windows. We’re directly in front of Dawes Glacier, slowly spinning in a circle (we’ve been here for about 20 minutes now). This is the second arm, or channel, that we’ve sailed down today. The ship has consistently been about 100 yards from the shore on both the port and starboard sides, and the mountains, glaciers, pines, snow, waterfalls and low-hanging clouds have filled the windows since Sunday morning.
Locations and temperatures aside, one thing that really separates an Alaskan cruise from other popular routes departing from the United States (such as a trek across the Caribbean) is the scenery during the days spent at sea. Aside from the first day when we saw nothing but water, we have always sailed well within sight of land, usually on both sides and always worthy of your attention, constantly changing and evolving (as you saw in my post about the train ride in Skagway, the conditions in Alaska can go from whiteout snow to lush spring-like green colors in a matter of miles).
The words above come from a previous post, when I was on site and in the thick of the experience. Forgive me for reusing content, but there's nothing truer than emotions expressed in the moment. I could attempt to recreate them now, although I'm not sure why I would when I have an eyewitness account written by my former self from the deck of the ship.
The photos tell the story, anyway. This is the part of an Alaskan cruise that might often go overlooked when browsing itineraries. Our eyes are always drawn to the stops and the excursions/experiences they offer, yet as you will see below, there is an absolutely stunning, untouched beauty beyond the ports.
Here's what we saw from Royal Caribbean's Rhapsody of the Seas as we navigated the inside passage of Alaska:
Yours truly in front of Dawes Glacier.
Dawes Glacier
By Will McGough
Will McGough
I could tell you a few things: I'm a writer, I live in Santa Barbara, and I'm an
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| Wednesday, 30 May 2012
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I won't be a tease, I'll get right down to it: Skagway had more bars and brothels during the late 19th/early 20th century Alaskan Gold Rush than Vegas has strip clubs. Most are obviously no longer in operation, however at that time there were over 70 of them (FYI you can walk from one side of downtown to the other in about 10 minutes).
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Skagway, Alaska
Most famous is the Red Onion Saloon, hard to miss in the center of town. Skagway was a stopover/launching point for men participating in the gold rush, and did they ever need some entertainment (especially after being lied to by journalists re: the feasibility and ease of finding wealth... story to come on what the locals refer to as "Liarsville").
The men would come into the Red Onion and order a shot of whiskey, at which point they would eye the line of dolls on the shelf behind the bar. They were all carved in the image of one of the girls working upstairs, and if the doll was upright she was available. Five dollars worth of gold would buy a man fifteen minutes, so they would often sit and wait until their favorite gal became free.
Each room upstairs had a hole in the floor into which the girls would drop the gold piece upon the session's completion. The hole fed a tube that carried the gold into different chambers behind the bar, and when the bartender heard it coming down he would turn the corresponding girl's doll upright, signalling she was once again primed for purchase.
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Skagway, Alaska
A little more about Skagway: It's been 30 years since a baby was born there, there is no doctor in town (only EMTs, nurse practitioners, and physician's assistants), the closest trauma center is Seattle (1123 miles), the population in January (winter) is around 400 people, and the town was equipped with electricity before New York City.
Interesting place, for sure, but it's not only the history and culture: Nature is what will make your camera smile. Skagway is tucked in a valley amongst the mountains and situated right on the water, very similar to the way Juneau is positioned (you can drive into Skagway, however). To get the full scope and lay of the land, we traveled by bus up into the mountains to Fraser, British Columbia (about 20 miles), and took the White Pass Yukon Railroad back down to Skagway (there are several different tour options).
It didn't take long for us to meet the members of the Alaskan wildlife head on: Twenty minutes into the drive we came across a black bear on the side of the road, munching on dandelions (see photo below). The driver pulled over and we crowded the windows on the curb side, the bear only ten to fifteen feet away, although he hardly acknowledged our presence. He was more concerned with the dandelions, just out of hibernation and apparently very, very hungry. We continued on but that moment stuck with me very clearly throughout the day - how many people get that close to a bear outside of the zoo?
The weather on the coast was mild (50s), but it was almost as if a white sheet had been tossed over the landscape as the train departed Fraser approximately 20 miles inland - snow covered the ground and mountains in all directions, the only variation the stone rocks that jutted out and the small pools of blue glacier water that could be seen on either side of the tracks (see photo on Wake and Wander's Facebook page).
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White Pass Yukon Railroad near Skagway, Alaska.
The railroad was built and used during the gold rush to transport men up into the wilderness - a project that solidified Skagway as a major boom town of the Klondike Gold Rush. The ride is pleasantly slow and scenic, the snow giving way to lush mountainsides of green trees and cascading waterfalls. There are different shades of green, some bright like spring and others deep and hearty, the latter represented by the winter-tough tall pines.
I found the railroad to give a perspective that would typically be associated with a plane or helicopter ride (such as the seaplane ride in Juneau), a broad overview of the land that you simply cannot achieve by a walking or bike tour. Those excursions are no doubt available for visitors to Skagway, but the advantage one gets on the train lies in the person's proximity to what they are observing. I wasn't looking down upon the land, I was immersed in it, looking up at the tops of the pines and rolling through the valleys and over the rivers. I think that's an important aspect to keep in mind as you mull over the options of exploration.
Those on a tighter budget should check out Reid Falls near the Gold Rush Cemetery, a 300-ft waterfall located about two miles from downtown Skagway. The area is known for its abundance of Rhubarb - keep your eye out for a slice of pie.
Although we had pleasant temperatures and good visibility below the peaks, we battled an overcast sky for most of our time in Skagway. You'll see in the photos how it prevented me from capturing the contrast between the sky and the mountains, but I did the best I could. The first couple photos are courtesy of White Pass Yukon Railroad to illustrate the scenery on a clear, sunny day:
Scenery near Fraser, BC.
Scenery near Fraser, BC.
Scenery near Skagway, Alaska.
Scenery near Skagway, Alaska.
Scenery near Skagway, Alaska.
Scenery near Skagway, Alaska.
Scenery near Skagway, Alaska.
Scenery near Skagway, Alaska.
Scenery near Skagway, Alaska.
Train departing for Skaway from Fraser.
By Will McGough
Will McGough
I could tell you a few things: I'm a writer, I live in Santa Barbara, and I'm an
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| Tuesday, 29 May 2012
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We were in the sky when I had my first shock and awe moment, flying over a glacier in route from Juneau to Taku Lodge. It was a small, 12-seater seaplane and from the window I could see the pools of blue water on top of the white snow. It relaxed my lower jaw and forced me to push my sunglasses to the top of my head - the color I was seeing couldn't possibly exist.
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Glacier blue water near Taku, Alaska.
You'll see it in the photos below - that ridiculous blue - so unlike any other shade of my favorite color. Don't think sky blue or Caribbean blue, this is glacier blue, a category of its own. It symbolizes such a fresh and pure quality - I think that's what draws me to the color blue in the first place. It is an instigator of deep breaths, for sure, and I looked over at my friends in disbelief.
It certainly didn't take long to be blown away in Alaska. An hour earlier our ship (Royal Caribbean's Rhapsody of the Seas) had docked in Juneau, one of only two ways to access the state's capitol. It's either by boat or by plane - there are no roads into or out of the city - it's located in a channel and surrounded by mountains. Later in the day we would take in the city and go for a local hike, but first a prearranged excursion to Taku Glacier Lodge to have a look at the wilderness and sample some Alaskan salmon.
Upon landing on the Taku river (which feels about the same as landing on concrete, although the view out the window is much better) and arriving at the lodge, I sat on a swinging bench on the front porch, looking out over the water, the glacier coming down the mountain to my left. I could see the blue tint in the glacier - the frozen block of ice clearly could not be described as being plain white. Readers in the northern part of America should not picture the snow in their backyards - this was different (the ice is frozen so solid that it pushes out all the oxygen. When light enters it creates a prism, producing the blue hue).
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Taku Glacier Lodge near Juneau, Alaska
Because of the grilling of the salmon, the lodge is known to attract bears - apparently they are routinely spotted at the nearby edge of the woods, curiously smelling the air. We were not so lucky as to have a sighting that day, although I would get my wish the following day in Skagway (see photo on Facebook).
I can now see why the bears come calling: Not only was the salmon delicious (along with the baked beans, herb biscuits, apple compote, and ginger cookies), but could you ask for a better setting? Sitting in a lodge in the Alaskan wilderness beside a glacier, eating grilled salmon that was caught from local waters, looking out the window and seeing the seaplanes land on the river, the lower green vegetation leading up to the snow-capped peaks of the mountains. Throw in an Alaskan Amber and check back on me in a couple hours, please.
While at first I pondered whether the idea of an organized seaplane excursion to a salmon feast alongside a glacier was too touristy of an activity, just writing the first part of this sentence makes me laugh. Really? That scene described above seems "too touristy," Will?
Yikes. This is what happens when you start getting a little travel under your belt: The jaded perceptions try to sneak into your brain. I think it's important to catch yourself in those moments and realize how incredibly crazy that notion is. When I was boarding the Rhapsody of the Seas a few days earlier, a couple told me they had waited 35 years to take this trip. And meanwhile I was wondering if such an opportunity was too touristy? Good lord.
Not everything has to be rocket science - sometimes the masses lead you in the proper direction. Take this Feast and Flight journey with confidence. For those on a tighter budget, you can take the Glacier Express Blue Bus to Mendenhall Glacier ($16 round trip). When you tire of the jewelry and novelty shops that are abundant in downtown Juneau, walk up to the top of Franklin Street and take a hike through parts of Tongass National Forest (they have built a nice "boardwalk" through the forest and there are plenty of waterfalls. Ask a local for directions as you must wind your way through a neighborhood to access it... 15-20 minute walk from downtown).
Photos:
Juneau, Alaska
Taku Glacier
Alaskan King salmon.
Glacier as viewed from seaplane.
Seaplane outside of Taku Glacier Lodge.
View of a glacier from the seaplane.
Taku Glacier
Taku Glacier as seen from seaplane.
Glacier blue.
Yours truly standing alongside our seaplane.
By Will McGough
Will McGough
I could tell you a few things: I'm a writer, I live in Santa Barbara, and I'm an
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| Saturday, 26 May 2012
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By Will McGough
Will McGough
I could tell you a few things: I'm a writer, I live in Santa Barbara, and I'm an
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| Wednesday, 23 May 2012
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We are currently at sea on our way to Victoria, arriving tomorrow morning and spending the day in the city, which will include a visit to Butchart Gardens for high tea. Today we were treated to two behind-the-scenes tours to learn more about the operations of our Royal Caribbean vessel, Rhapsody of the Seas.
I think a large part of any experience is recognizing what it takes to make it happen on the other end, all the hard work and planning and organization that go on in order to ensure the end product satisfies the consumer. This afternoon we took a walk through the galley with the head chef and were invited up to the navigational bridge to meet the captain.
A few things I learned about Royal Caribbean's Rhapsody of the Seas:
Approximately 15,000 meals are served each day on board, and the head chef has 97 other chefs working under him. While the first number is certainly surprising considering there are 2,000-3,000 passengers on board, the fact that there are 97 chefs is rather remarkable. I suppose when you have that many meals to serve, you can never have too many cooks in the kitchen.
Captains work 10 weeks on, 10 weeks off - one day at home for every day at sea. Although the captain admittedly does not sail the ship much while in open waters, he does take control during both the arrival and departure phases of docking (although it is still only 30% of the time - he mostly directs, gives orders, and oversees the training of his officers). On this specific route, he is also highly involved when navigating the small arms and fjords(channels).
While on the bridge I had the opportunity to meet the captain directly, and he did a quick Q and A with the group of writers. I asked him about the docking aspect of the ship: How the hell do you park this thing when you cannot even see the stern from the bridge?
He said it takes a team to complete the task, including lookouts to report distances on both the bow and the stern. There is also a "bridge wing" off either side that extends beyond the normal width of the ship, allowing the captain the backwards vision he needs to dock (there is a full set of controls on each wing).
As the session wound down, I asked the captain for his thoughts on the infamous saying, the captain goes down with the ship. Frankly, he doesn't buy it. While he believes he should be the last one off the ship, he said there's no reason to remain onboard otherwise.
I bet there are a lot of traditional, old-school captains who would disagree.
By Will McGough
Will McGough
I could tell you a few things: I'm a writer, I live in Santa Barbara, and I'm an
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| Tuesday, 22 May 2012
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This morning when I woke up and looked out the porthole, the first thing I saw was a waterfall streaming down a slate rockface. It was speckled with patches of small brush and pine trees, some only two or three feet tall.
I’m starting to feel relaxed and at home on the ship now – I will admit that the first day or two was a bit of a struggle for me. It had nothing to do with anything other than the fact that I’m always anxious to tackle a destination, and there was nothing to do but wait. The days are longer up here – the sun rises between four and five and doesn’t set until after ten (last night’s sunset was at 10:44 p.m.). The waiter was pouring the table an after-dinner glass of champagne at around ten, and when I looked out the window I could still see the snow on the tops of the mountains.
The anticipation that had built up during the days at sea was finally fulfilled when we arrived in Juneau on Sunday and then Skagway on Monday. We had two jam-packed days – a seaplane ride in Juneau and a scenic train ride in Skagway. I'd recommend both, stories to come shortly.
I’m currently sitting in a lounge that’s located on the top deck of the Rhapsody, writing from a table that sits in front of floor-to-ceiling windows. We’re directly in front of Dawes Glacier, slowly spinning in a circle (we’ve been here for about 20 minutes now). This is the second arm, or channel, that we’ve sailed down today. The ship has consistently been about 100 yards from the shore on both the port and starboard sides, and the mountains, glaciers, pines, snow, waterfalls and low-hanging clouds have filled the windows since Sunday morning.
Locations and temperatures aside, one thing that really separates an Alaskan cruise from other popular routes departing from the United States (such as a trek across the Caribbean) is the scenery during the days spent at sea. Aside from the first day when we saw nothing but water, we have always sailed well within sight of land, usually on both sides and always worthy of your attention, constantly changing and evolving (as you’ll see when I tell you about Skagway, the conditions in Alaska can go from whiteout snow to lush spring-like green colors in a matter of miles).
The Internet has been going in and out due to the remote locations of our travels, and uploading photos has been a bit tedious through the blog. I will eventually upload them when I can.
We are currently on our way to Victoria, BC, arriving on Thursday.
By Will McGough
Will McGough
I could tell you a few things: I'm a writer, I live in Santa Barbara, and I'm an
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| Monday, 14 May 2012
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Yesterday I returned to Philly from New Orleans, arriving long after the sun had set and far after I would have preferred to be in bed. My head was bobbing for most of the second flight out of Atlanta - I don't really even remember the drink cart coming through.
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Rhapsody of the Seas, Royal Caribbean
The stories will begin to filter out this week, however I must admit that getting back into gear after a memorable weekend is never easy - I think that concept is universal, even for travel writers. I'm good about having fun anywhere and everywhere I go, but there's a big difference between covering a destination and eating one up, letting it under your skin.
The people you travel with certainly play a large part in determining which way the trip goes, and this morning when I woke up with a stomach that was still full and calves sore to the touch, I knew we had taken the Big Easy head on (cheers guys).
As much rest as I would like to pencil in this week, I truly can't afford to spend too much time horizontal: I confirmed last week that I will fly from Philadelphia to Seattle on Thursday and depart on an Alaskan cruise this Friday. We will be shoving off via the Rhapsody of the Seas (Royal Caribbean) and head for the Inside Passage, making three stops in Alaska (Juneau, Skagway, and Tracy Arm Fjord) and one in Victoria, BC.
In addition to New Orleans coverage, I will also be finishing up a couple stories from the past few weeks: GoNOMAD and Famtripper features on Detroit, Denver, and Nassau are in my queue.
These short breaks in my schedule are typically the hardest part of my job - the lull between two high points - yet the timing on this one is perfect given the packed schedule of late.
With New Orleans in the rear-view mirror and Alaska in the windshield, consider the curtains closed until Thursday morning.
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famtripper fun fact
Eiffel Tower The total amount of steps in the Eiffel Tower is 1665. Indulge in an enormous amount of pastries and croissants, because you are able to walk to the second level of the tallest building in Paris. The third level, thankfully, is only accessible by elevator.
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