Quaint and Quirky: Alaska’s Cruise Ports

The natural beauty, of course, is the real star of Alaska. Snowy mountains everywhere you look. Glaciers that are really that blue. Waterways littered with ice in late May. Soaring eagles, breaching whales. Desolate, pristine, untouched loveliness.

But the ports are a hoot, too.

They’re quaint and quirky, as only they can be in a state that refers to the rest of us as the “Lower 48.”

And you’re never far from that overwhelming beauty—as you will see from the towns’ settings. We enjoyed them immensely and know you will too. Here, as briefly as possible, are my highlights of the ports of Juneau, Skagway and Ketchikan—all easily walkable from the piers:

Juneau—If you’ve been to San Francisco, you’ll understand when I say a few minutes walking

Juneau, Alaska's capital

through the streets of the Juneau will reacquaint you with your calf muscles. On one of those hills is the unassuming St. Nicholas Russian Orthodox Church that, with its small onion dome, looks strangely out of place. You can find other reminders of Alaska’s Russian past in the shops, with their array of nesting dolls. For those of us not planning a trip to Russia anytime soon, they make fun and different souvenirs.

 
The state capital is small and we saw it all before lunch. We then grabbed an inexpensive bus (the vendors lined up along the pier) to

The icy waters of Mendenhall Glacier

Mendenhall Glacier, only 12 miles away. You get great views of the glacier in the park, which provides several vantage points.

Skagway—This is a literally a town made for tourists. There are only 950 or so full-time residents, one school, one AM and one FM radio station, and a post office that closes for lunch. But when the cruise ships are in town, the population swells to more than triple its usual size.

Skagway: Ft. Lauderdale of the North?

With its frontier-style buildings, some dating back to the Gold Rush days, Skagway was the most charming of the three ports. At the turn-of-the-century Red Onion saloon, it’s not hard to picture down-on-their-luck miners dulling the pain with camaraderie, drink and women more than happy to take their last dime.
 
Here’s a funky piece of Skagway trivia from the Golden Princess’ Princess Patter: because Skagway is in one of the driest (as in less rain) parts of Alaska, it attracts college students on spring break and has become known as the “Ft. Lauderdale of the North.” Not sure about that comparison, when late springtime temps in Skagway barely make it out of the 50s!

Ketchikan—Just shopping alone can keep you busy the whole time you’re here. Whether you’re after pricey Eskimo art or cheap trip mementos, you’ll have plenty of choice. And if you like salmon, you’ll be in seventh heaven in Ketchikan, the self-described “Salmon Capital of the World.”

Scenes, spots and shops of colorful Ketchikan

Beginning in June, fish traveling up the Salmon Ladder for spawning becomes a tourist attraction. We were there too early for this show, but got our fill of the fish, tasting our way through the shops selling it canned, smoked, spiced or petrified.
 
One of the many areas where you’ll find the salmon shops is Creek Street, the town’s old red light district. Today it’s a cluster of cutesy shops built on wood pilings over a clear, rustic rushing brook.
 
Then there are the totem poles—on the streets, in the parks, in front of shops and inside them.

You can bring one home to sit on your desk or to fill an entire corner of your living room. They’re colorful, intriguing and expensive.

Alas, you’re likely to see all this fun stuff from beneath the rim of an umbrella. Ketchikan gets an average of 153 inches of rain a year. Which explains, said the Golden Princess’ Juneau-born cruise director, why “in Alaska, we don’t tan, we rust.”

Find Culture and Photo Ops in the Food Markets of the Caribbean

There are few better places for immersing yourself in local Caribbean culture than island food markets.

Wander past open stalls laden with fruits and vegetables you recognize and some you don’t, dodge the children running in and out of the aisles as kids everywhere do, see vendors swapping gossip—it’s a glimpse into a world beyond the souvenir shops.

Best yet, they’re only a stone’s throw from the piers.

Ask a local to identify one of those strange food items. A few weeks ago in Dominica, a vendor told 

Sorrel destined for juice

me his pile of what looked like red flower tops was sorrel (in the hibiscus family), which the locals use to make juice during the Christmas season.

When you show some curiosity, you’ll learn something about the island where you’re spending your time and money.

And if photography’s your thing, these markets offer great photo ops.

But a word of warning: at some markets, such as Granada’s Spice Market, some vendors sell aggressively. And at all the markets—like those anywhere else in the world—you may find some locals who look at you with suspicion, yet others who are friendly and welcoming, and willing to answer a well-meaning question or two.

So, here’s my top list of food markets:


Roseau farmers market

Dominica (Roseau) farmers market—pineapples, bananas, mangos, ginger and many other types of fruit and vegetables are sold from open stalls in the capital city of Roseau. When you get off the ship and walk down the pier, make a left and walk down to the waterfront. For more on the market, visit the website of the Uncommon Caribbean.


Fresh from the sea in Barbados

 
Barbados (Bridgetown) fish market—all matter of seafood—mahi-mahi, tuna and swordfish, to name a few— is cleaned in full view and sold to the public. It’s along the Princess Alice Highway and if you’re walking into Bridgetown from the ship, you can’t miss it on the right-hand side. 


Spice Market in Granada

Granada (St. George’s) Spice Market—spices in bags or baskets for home use or gifts can be bought very inexpensively at the colorful and frenetic market on Grand Anse Beach. For a few dollars, you can get a unique necklace made of turmeric, nutmeg and bay leaf—spices grown on the island (note: the necklace deteriorates very quickly)

Curaçao (Willemstad) floating market—vendors come to Curaçao from Venezuela to sell their papaya, coconuts and more right from their wooden boats

And while you’re absorbing the local culture, you might consider purchasing an item or two to help the island economy. The vendors become considerably warmer when they have an American dollar or two in their hands!

Know of any other food markets? Do share!

Cruising Alaska 101

This week, I’m going to switch gears and talk about Alaska. With most of the country in a deep freeze, probably the idea of Alaska as a destination is not top of mind right now. But if you’ve been thinking about it at all for coming warmer months, better act now. The season is short and cruises fill up fast.

Cruising in Alaska is not a topic where I have a lot of experience; admittedly, I’ve only done it once. But, I thought it would be worth devoting a posting or two to sharing what we learned to help if you’re planning one.

Which Cruise Line?

The biggest decision we were faced with once we committed to abandoning our therapeutic Caribbean trip for the more exciting Alaska one was: which cruise line?

We decided to go with Princess, which was reputed to be the reigning cruise line in Alaska. One key reason is that the cruise line has been doing it for a long time. And while we didn’t take advantage, Princess has a number of wilderness lodges and cruise-tours that allow you to see more of the state. Holland America is the other cruise line that is particularly strong in Alaska, with many of its own cruise-tour offerings.

Tracy Arm or Glacier Bay?

Glacier Bay at Memorial Day

The next major decision was, Tracy Arm or Glacier Bay? We spent weeks researching these two itinerary choices and in the end, it was a cruiser’s comment in Cruise Critic that nailed it for me. He had said something to the effect of “I’ve been to Glacier Bay and now I can die happy.”



Glacier Bay's blue-ice glacier

Now while that’s rather dramatic, I believe we made the right choice. It provided unparalleled scenery that’s given me a new perspective on our 49^th state. Another reason to consider Princess: it’s one of the few cruise lines with coveted permission to travel through the spectacular park.
 

When to Go?
The books and travel agents told us:

Spring—if you want less rain and clearer view of the mountains
Summer—if you want more wildlife
Fall—if you want fewer crowds

My advice is to forget it all—go when you want. I say that because we chose spring and had rain or overcast skies for six out of seven days.

How to Get it All in One Suitcase?
We live in Florida, so when we Caribbean cruise, we just drive to Ft. Lauderdale. That means we can pack just about anything. It was a whole different ball game going to Alaska. The more we read about what to bring, the more we wondered, how the dickens do we get all that in one, 50-pound suitcase? Here are a few tips to tackle that what-do-I-pack dilemma:

·       Jeans at dinner. Really. Surprisingly, the Alaska cruise was more casual than the ones in the Caribbean and I was astounded to find folks showing up in the main dining room on casual nights in jeans (at least on Princess). After a few days, I joined them. If the cruise line didn’t like it, it didn’t let on

 

·       It’s what’s outside the ship that counts. Here’s another big difference between Alaska and Caribbean cruises: you’re in Alaska to see the scenery and wildlife. Invest in cameras, binoculars and comfortable clothing

·       Think simple, basic and warm. You can skip the bathing suit, cover-up and flip-flops. The suntan lotion and sun hats. All you need are jeans, shirts and a coat. A few nice outfits for formal nights and if you want to get out of those jeans once in a while. And that’s pretty much it

The Alaska cruise got us out of our comfort zone and I'll be forever pleased we did it. If you’re on the fence, I urge you to give it a try because it will be a unique, truly memorable experience. The scenery is otherworldly, the ports are Hollywood-cute and the shopping is a blast (salmon jerky, anyone?). But, just so you don’t get shocked—there’s a Del Sol and Diamond International in Juneau!

 

 

 

Cruising Through the Holidays

The holidays may, in some ways, feel like a strange time to be cruising. But those who do take a cruise get the treat of seeing the ships and ports in a way they wouldn’t at any other time of the year.

The ships take on a special glow, decked with new finery. Our Emerald Princess last week was covered bow to stern with garlands and ornament-laden trees. And then one day, the trees came to life with small bright-white lights. I did a double take when live poinsettias suddenly appeared out of nowhere in every nook and cranny, as if Santa had come down the smokestack just to bring us some pre-holiday fun.

Christmas in Bonaire

One of my strongest memories of the ports around the holidays was from our first visit to Saint Maarten. It was the quintessential Caribbean day: sunny with soothing warmth and skies the color of the sea. From the pier to the town, the tender was playing Christmas music, reggae-style. 

Each port has its own take on the holiday. It’s neat to see how they use the tropical foliage as a canvas to express their holiday spirit.

Speaking of spirits, I thought I’d end by sharing a few recipes for Caribbean Christmas goodies, which were posted last week outside the public library in Roseau, Dominica (tip: there’s free wi-fi and it’s only a few blocks from the pier). Here's a
link to one for Caribbean Christmas cake. And below is one for the local version of eggnog:

Chaudo or Chodo 

1 tablespoon brandy or rum

2 eggs
1 pint milk
4 tablespoons white sugar
½ teaspoon nutmeg
Peel of 1 green lime

 

Method

Beat eggs together with sugar and lime peel. In a saucepan, bring milk to the boil and pour over egg mixture, adding all other ingredients. Whisk until frothy. Serve hot or warm.
Enjoy!

 

Cruise Food: What Are Your Standouts?

Cruises and Food. Where to Begin?

There are few topics that generate more opinions than cruise food. Take the same ship, the same food, and one person will roast it and another will applaud it.

Since I’m solidly in the “some live to eat” part of that old quote, I’m going to be one of cruise food’s harsher critics.

In general, I find the food on the mass market ships pretty much the same. That is, occasionally great, sometimes good, but most of the time, merely edible. I admit that I’m extremely picky, so please take that into account!

So, from the perspective of a picky, finicky and moderately experimental eater, here’s my list of standouts—all free of charge—on Celebrity, Princess, Holland America and Royal Caribbean:

Celebrity

·       AquaSpa Café—This tiny café tucked away on Millennium- and Solstice-class ships does made-to-order salmon. After a steady diet of mass-produced food and steady over-eating, this is a real treat

·       Ice cream at lunch—Speaking of treats, with its colorful candy toppings and sauce choices,

The ice cream bar on Celebrity

Celebrity’s cafeteria ice cream bar helps make up for the less-than-exciting lunch offerings. Lines for ice cream can get long, though

·       Waffles at breakfast—The cafeteria also does small, Belgian-style waffles, but don’t take the ones piled high in the stainless steel warming bins; ask for them made to order

Princess

·       Pizza—Many feel that Princess has the best pizza at sea and I agree. Makes you want to eat nothing else

·       Late night noshing—From time to time, we’ve wandered up to the cafeteria at 9 or 10 p.m. for a cup of coffee and have been shocked to find some real specialty stuff. German salamis and hams, interesting cheeses, dried figs and apricots—it made us wonder what else we’ve missed

·       Popcorn, cookies and milk—Princess has a few extra touches like bags of popcorn for movie-goers “Under the Stars,” and cookies and milk for people-watchers in the Atrium

Holland America

·       The dates-mint-and-ginger man—He stands quietly and unobtrusively at the dining room exit, but frequent HAL cruisers know where to find him. The dates, mints and crystalized ginger provide a  sweet and spicy way to end the meal
 

HAL's signature dessert

·       Desserts—The four cruise lines usually have a few terrific desserts each trip, but my prize for the most memorable goes to HAL for the mousse tucked inside a white chocolate chef’s hat and the chocolate bomb, with its ice cream encased in a hard chocolate shell

·      Asian food—If you’ve bemoaned the disappearance of decent Chinese restaurants on land, you’ll enjoy the excellent stir fries in the Lido

Royal Caribbean

·      Main dining room lunch salad—I know it’s strange to highlight a salad, but until you check it out, you won’t understand. This is the mother of all salad bars. Just some of what it includes:  prosciutto, shrimp, arugula, brie. After one of these, you’ll feel like you had a full-course meal!

What are your standouts? Do share!

When the Middleman Makes a Difference

Here’s the disclaimer: I’m not a travel agent. I’ve never been a travel agent. I have no friends or family who are—or have ever been—travel agents.

Now that we’ve gotten that out of the way, I’m going to talk about why you might want to book your cruise through a travel agent.

Since the launch of the internet, there’s been much said about the declining value of the middleman. And truth to be told, I’ve been travelling for decades and never used a travel agent. But cruising is one type of travel where we’ve really benefiting from using one.

Here’s why:

 

·       They’re knowledgeable. Particularly if you pick an agency that specializes in cruising. They can help you on everything you need to know from shore to ship and back again

·       They’ve got special privileges. Make a reservation directly through the cruise line and expect to pay your deposit right away. Many travel agents will give you several days to pay—they will even give you an extension

·       They give bennies. Always ask what shipboard credits are available. To be competitive, travel agents will give you shipboard credits, free meals in specialty restaurants, pay for your trip insurance—but you need to ask; they won’t volunteer

·       They can tell you when the price goes down—and get it for you. On one of our first Celebrity trips, several weeks after we booked, the price came way down. Our travel agent called and got us the lower price

·       They’re an emergency contact. If something should happen on your cruise, it’s nice to know you have someone to contact who knows how to work with the cruise lines

·       They provide personal service. A travel agent we worked with for many years called us after every trip to find out how it went. Who else does that?

But, you should also know—

·       They’re paid by commission. Always do your own research to make sure you’re getting guidance unbiased by their paycheck

 

·       They offer opinions. Sometimes, what masquerades as fact is really opinion. Or based on their own particular experiences. For example, we chose May for a trip to Alaska because a travel agent told us we’d see the least amount of rain. Okay, to be fair, they don’t control the weather. But it rained or was overcast six out of seven days (more on our Alaska trip in a later post)

While we feel like we’re near experts on Caribbean cruises at this point, we still use a travel agent. And for ease, peace of mind and more than a bit of help, we suggest you do, too.

The Ebb and Flow of Cruise Pricing

Here’s the short of it: cruise pricing is complicated. And somewhat of a mystery. It seems to ebb and flow based on a whole host of factors. It’s taken us 13 cruises to even begin to understand it.

Okay, maybe we’re slow learners. But, I thought I’d share what we now know so your learning curve isn’t as painful as ours was:

·      If it’s too good to be true…Let’s discuss “come-on” pricing. You know what I mean—the ads offering cruises for $250. There may indeed be an option for that price, but I can just about guarantee it’s not going to be the best room on the ship.

That being said, do watch for cruise promotions. The lines run them fairly frequently and you can reap some savings.

If you don’t know anything about how cruise pricing works, here’s the 101 version:

o   Room types. There are several types of rooms. Here they are, from the cheapest, up:

§  inside room (like a dorm room but without the windows)

§  ocean view room (same dorm room but with porthole)

§  verandah room (same room as above but with balcony)

§  mini-suites/suites (in general, hotel-sized bedroom or larger)

§  premium suites (some are as big as apartments, called such things as “Grand Suite or Family Suite”)

o   Categories. Within each of these room types are categories that vary in price. Categories are usually determined by location on the deck (the middle is most expensive because there’s less ship movement) or other reasons

·      First in saves most. We’ve found that the best prices and greatest choice of rooms are nine months to a year before the trip leaves. The difference can be dramatic. Here’s an example: we booked our upcoming December 2013 trip on Princess back in February of this year. The price now for that same trip? Double 

·      Last in also saves—sometimes. You save a bundle if you book last minute, but only when the ship isn’t filled. It’s hard to guess when this is going to happen so you do take a chance if you gamble and delay

·       Book and still save—What many people don’t know is that once you book, if the price comes down (and it’s before final payment time), you can get your trip for cheaper. Your travel agent will have to do that for you, which is one reason that using an agent is a benefit. More on the benefits of a travel agent coming soon

·       Guarantee of a good rate—The lowest rate is often reserved for the “guarantee” rooms. This is where the cruise line will assign you a room, rather than letting you choose. You may luck out—I’ve heard stories of people who have been given much better rooms than they would have chosen. But, then, there’s always the chance that the reverse could happen…

·       Holiday rate is highest. If you can avoid the holidays, school vacations and other peak times, you’ll get a better rate

·       More ways to save. If you’re a member of one of the cruise lines’ loyalty clubs (i.e., you’ve sailed on them once before), you can usually get a discount. Make sure that when you price trips you indicate on the website that you’ve cruised with the line before. Discounts are also often available (varies by cruise line), for:

o   Veterans

o   Florida residents

o   Seniors

 

If you take some time for planning and are mindful of the above, not only will you save some dough (which you can apply to a future trip, of course!), but just think of the satisfaction you’ll get when you learn your stateroom neighbor paid twice as much as you did!

 

Getting Off to a Great Start

Many of us consider ourselves lucky if we get a whole seven days off in a row. With vacation time so precious—and the money invested in a trip so hard earned—every moment of that cruise counts.

In this week’s posting, I’m going to share a few tips on how you can get your cruise off to a really great start:

1.     Board early. Veteran cruisers know that regardless of what time the cruise line says you can board, you can usually get in earlier. My travel agent advises noon; I’ve heard of some folks who show up as early as 11. You may ask, “What’s the rush? I’m going to be on board a whole week.” You’d be surprised how fast that week goes. (A certain cruise line—who shall remain nameless—likes to give out disembarkation documents for you to fill out the second day of your trip)

 

2.     Enjoy a leisurely lunch. Some ships have their dining room open for lunch on Embarkation Day. All of them open the cafeterias. Check out the food, then check out the ship; see #3

3.     Learn your way around. I can almost guarantee that after a week onboard, you’ll still be getting lost. Don’t miss the chance to get started on this early

4.     Meet your room steward. If you get onboard before 1 or 1:30, you may not get into your stateroom right away. I admit it’s a pain to drag your hand luggage around, but the room will

A Princess verandah room on Embarkation Day

open up soon enough. Room stewards usually come knocking on your door pretty soon after you get into the room. This is your chance to get your room as comfy as possible for the week ahead. Some things you can ask for:

·       Wine glasses (for your wine or theirs)

·       Bathrobe (some lines, such as Princess, make them available on request)

·       Thin blanket (why they use heavy duvets on Caribbean voyages are beyond me)

·       Different pillows (the ships usually have an assortment to choose from)

·       Empty frig (if you don’t want to be tempted by those $8 M&Ms)

·       Mattress pad (Princess has the hardest beds we’ve slept on)

·       Water and/or ice every day



The main dining room on Celebrity's Solstice

  5.  Check out your dinner table. Get into the dining room and find your table. More than half the times we’ve requested a table for two, we’ve found ourselves assigned to a table for four. Or eight. The first few hours of the trip is your best opportunity to get the table you want 

    6.   Make reservations. If you want to eat at a specialty restaurant, get into Holland America’s hands-on cooking class or into coveted shows on Royal Caribbean’s Oasis or Allure, and haven’t booked them from home, better do it now, before it’s too late

7.     Sign up for Cruise Critic’s “Meet and Mingle.” If you haven’t been to www.cruisecritic.com, don’t delay. It’s a must-visit for anyone who cruises. If there’s one of their “Meet and Mingle” events onboard your ship and you didn’t sign up ahead of time, ask Guest Relations when it’s planned. We’ve been to several and they’re well worth it. The best event took us on a tour of the different categories of rooms

8.     And a few more things. Sign up for beverage packages, spa treatments, make special dietary requests, make sure your onboard ship credit has been applied to your account, plan your excursions…The one thing you can’t do is gamble. Those itching to get to the slots will have to wait until the ship pulls away into international waters 

9.     Hurry up and have fun! Do all the above, and you’ll be good and ready for that Mai Tai at the Sail Away party. And for your cruise to really get underway!

A Passport Postscript

If you read last week’s posting about how your passport must be still valid six months after you get back from your trip, you know that I’ve been anxious about getting my renewed passport in time to make an early December trip. Good news: I just got it on Friday. I’m thoroughly impressed with the government’s efficiency; it took only two weeks to get it processed and into my hands. Now, I wouldn’t recommend you cut it as close as I did, but this should be some comfort for those of you who do.