The Trip of a Lifetime to Alaska – Land and Sea – Trip Report - COMLETE!! 4/13/12 - Page 23 - PassPorter - A Community of Walt Disney World, Disneyland, Disney Cruise Line, and General Travel Forums
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Wow! Just absolutely breath-taking!
Funny you didn't have to do the muster drill till the next day. No one makes you wear the life jackets anymore, from what I understand, as regulations for that changed. Much more comfortable experience!!
Marnie, I just got caught up with about your last five updates and I have to tell you that you are a phenomenal writer! I feel like I'm actually traveling with you and your family on this trip. Your pictures are absolutely beautiful and capture the serenity that is Alaska. That little cabin that stocked the food and muffins was just so adorable! I loved the train with the glass roof for sightseeing. I've cruised on RCCL and I am anxious to hear whether you feel it was a good choice. My DH and I have talked about doing an Alaska cruise with them. Thank you for sharing this wonderful TR with us.
So you think that you might go over 20 page in your Photobook I can't imagine how you will choose. The picture with the blue in the glaciers ... just WOW. I could not stop looking at them. The seal all alone looking back at the camera. I had so many captions running through my head of things he looked like he was thinking. I chuckled at your decription of Colins food choices..... which seem to be the pattern of his eating habits... Fruit and Chicken fingers... when Pizza is not available. one of my twin nephews was like that, at his age. only ate french fries, and cheese pizzza, mac and cheese, grilled cheese, cheese on plain bun if they did not have anything else to offer while his twin is peeling shrimp, eating lobster, ribs, clams.. you name it. He is 18 now and started to broaden his fod choice around 12-13 yrs old. So I can understand how you must wonder how he can subsist on so little... But he loves sushi, when I read that I thought .. yeah Colin and seconds too
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Day 9 – Sunday, July 3rd – Juneau (Mt. Roberts Tram and Whale Watching with Orca)
I think we were up around 7 or 7:30 this morning. It was a bit overcast as we were pulling into Juneau and there were already some other ships in port by the time we got there. We had a good location though, as we were right in the center, next to the Mt. Roberts Tram.
Breakfast was once again in the Windjammer Café, although there was no seating so we found a table in Rita’s Cantina (which was open for seating for breakfast). After that we packed our bags for the day, put on our raingear and headed off the ship. Our whale watch tour wasn’t until 11:30, so we decided to ride up Mt. Roberts Tram since we could see the top of it.
At the top of the mountain they had some shops, a nature center with a bald eagle, and some trails that you would walk on. We saw the eagle and walked a short loop on one of the trails.
These flowers reminded us of the blooms we get on our dogwood trees
On the ride down, the tram operator was a native Tlingit and he gave us a performance in his native tongue.
We still had some time to kill before our tour, but we decided just to go up and check in at the office (it was right across from the tram and the ship and wait there. There was a video that the kids watched and Matt and I just sat out on the deck area. Finally, we were led downstairs to the buses, and we were on our walk to Auke Bay for our cruise. Some pics along the way.
Mendenhall Glacier (unfortunately this was as close as I’d get)!
We boarded our boat once at the dock. Captain Larry was in charge (he’s legendary, I’m told)! We had a naturist onboard (Chris maybe?) and then another guy who helped with the complimentary drinks/food (forget his name). There were about 25 of us on the boat (I think it can hold up to 40) so we weren’t cramped too much. We set off in search of whales and were able to come upon some humpbacks. We watched them for just about the entire trip, just following them along. No orcas! L But it was another amazing whale watching experience.
I’d highly recommend Orca Enterprises for whale watching. We had an amazing time! By the time we were back in town and dropped off, it was close to 3, and the kids HAD to go swimming! So we rushed back onboard, got changed, and headed for the Solarium. Luckily there is food in there (and drinks) so I filled up while they swam.
After they were done, we got hotdogs at the new stand outside the Windjammer and took those back to the room for them to eat.
It was about 4:30 and I was itching for something to do. I had wanted to get out to Mendenhall Glacier, but no one wanted to go with me. Matt wanted to go back up the tram to the top of Mt. Roberts and hike around, but we had already done that so I said no. As it turned out, we told the kids to stay in the room. I was going to see if I could get to Mendenhall, and Matt was going to take the tram to the top again (you can go up and down as many times as you want with your pass). Unfortunately, by the time I got back down onto the dock, all the vendors were gone, I didn’t see any blue buses, and there went my chance to see Mendenhall Glacier! L So I just walked around the town for a bit. It did start raining, so maybe that was a sign that I shouldn’t have gone anyway!
Matt’s pictures from the top of the tram!
Matt arrived back in the room about an hour after I did. We just hung out in the room again until it was time for dinner. Tonight was the Venetian Feast. Colin’s fruit cup was waiting for him. He also had chicken noodle soup and spaghetti with sauce, and sherbert. Alexa had scallop with risotto, Alaskan cod, and tiramisu for dessert. I had a caprese salad, chicken Milanese, and tiramisu. Matt had the caprese salad, spicy tiger shrimp (basically shrimp scampi), and tiramisu. Tummies full, we headed back to the room and it wasn’t long before it was bedtime again.
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Wow that was some beard on your boat guide! It looks like the whale watching was a success! I have to say that the blue and purple hues on the photos from the glacier are amazing! You guys really got some wonderful photos. I am consistently impressed with your kids willingness to try things--food, adventures and fun! Absolutely wonderful Marnie!
What an amazing time in Juneau! Sorry you didn't make it to the Mendenhall Glacier.
I'm debating whether to do the Mount Roberts Tramway or not. I'm thinking we will, but that it will be dependent on the weather. Having said that, it doesn't look like it was the clearest day when you were there and you still got some wonderful views. What was the weather like that day?
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while his twin is peeling shrimp, eating lobster, ribs, clams.. you name it. He is 18 now and started to broaden his fod choice around 12-13 yrs old. So I can understand how you must wonder how he can subsist on so little... But he loves sushi, when I read that I thought .. yeah Colin and seconds too
We had a naturist onboard (Chris maybe?) and then another guy who helped with the complimentary drinks/food (forget his name). There were about 25 of us on the boat (I think it can hold up to 40) so we weren’t cramped too much. We set off in search of whales and were able to come upon some humpbacks. We watched them for just about the entire trip, just following them along. No orcas! L But it was another amazing whale watching experience.
PassPorter Guide Author
Sorry you didn't make it to the Mendenhall Glacier. 
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