Carnival Magic Cruise Review

November 4, 2012

Just The Facts:
Ship:  Carnival Magic
Ship Captain: Giovanni Cutugno   
Cruise Director: James Charlton
Ports: Galveston, Texas; Montego Bay, Jamaica; Georgetown, Grand Cayman; Cozumel, Mexico
Weather:  Very good all week

This is my 32nd Carnival cruise (1st at Diamond VIFP level) and 76th overall. I am cruising as a solo.

Day One--Sunday--Embarkation

Mongolian Grill on Carnival Magic

I intended to leave the ranch about 6:00 am for the drive south and as I left realized from the 6:00 am news that it was 5:00 am.  I did not turn back the clock for Daylight Savings.  I was in the truck and ready so left early and it was good that I did.  It was raining in the Houston/Galveston area, there was a huge Biker Rally in Galveston, and an NFL football game on my route- so I was able to avoid most of the traffic and arrive at EZ Cruise Parking about 10:30 am.  There were the stragglers debarking the ship and waiting for buses and I noticed a huge line for the port parking shuttles.  Please use EZ Cruise Parking...it is so much easier than using the official port parking.  I was shuttled over to the cruise terminal through all the traffic for the Bike Rally and was in the VIFP area within a few minutes.  I used to love arriving early, but haven’t done so in a while.  I was on the ship at 11:00 am.  I did not try for the 1st in the Red Frog Pub dash for the free beer, but went to the Mongolian Grill and was first through the line.  Always good to get there early as it’s a very popular spot.  Since there was still a light rain (good excuse) I went down to the Red Frog Pub for a Thirsty Frog beer or two.  Dinesh the bartender is back and we had a good visit.  By 1:30 the cabins were open and the sun was out and it was a beautiful day.  Perfect for sail away.  My bags came about 2:30 so I settled into the cabin and waited for safety drill.  My muster station is E3 in the Southern Lights dining room, an easy location and we were able to sit during the instructions.  We sailed away on time and soon all the shops and bars were doing a brisk business...a very busy ship.  I attended a private cocktail party in the Piano Bar then walked around ship until time for late dinner.  I was seated with Travel Agents as they knew I was one and that was fine...although I’m not keen with table location.  For dinner I ordered the Tomato Soup, a Shrimp Cocktail, the Tilapia with the Creme Brulee and Butter Pecan Ice Creme for dessert.  It was good. After dinner and a longer than planned day I retired to the cabin where I found a bottle of champagne and some nice chocolate covered strawberries that had been left for me.  Sweet.  The Welcome Show was at 10:15 pm. James the Cruise Director always has a nice welcome show.

Day Two--Monday--at Sea

Dinesh / Red Frog Pub

Very calm seas and I had a very good nights sleep.  I went up to Lido for a light breakfast as I would have normally done a MDR breakfast, but now that they have the Punchliner Comedy Buffet that’s not an option for early breakfast passengers.  It was much more crowded on the Lido buffet than usual under the new system, too many people at the omelette station to stand in line and the runny scrambled eggs in the buffet were very bad so I am not a fan of the new system so far.  I attended a seminar for Travel Agents at 9:00 am. but left early to go to the Punchliner Comedy Buffet about 11:00 am.   I was able to order my usual Eggs Benedict but the menu was a combo breakfast/lunch menu so actually there were much fewer selections available.  The little show is really just a promo for the Comedy Club, really nothing special at all.  After breakfast I walked around the ship until our scheduled Private cocktail party for the Facebook roll call group in the Piano Bar at 2:00 pm.  I was able to meet new friends including a couple from my hometown in Oklahoma.  The cocktail sever was excellent and he kept us fully stocked with cocktails.  Continuing the party several of us headed to the Red Frog Pub and rang the bell with a tube of Thirty Frog.  Fun time on the Fun ship.  I returned to the cabin about 5:00ish for some R&R and found the improved canapés delivered for Elegant night.  At 7:00 pm I attended the fantastic production show: Grooveline. It was much better than when I previously saw it. They simplified some costuming and concentrated on the music, at least that's how I remember it.  Very enjoyable show, best of the cruise and not to be missed.  I had asked Ante the maître'd for a better table and I now had a 10-top table in the center area of the Southern Nights dining room. I feel more at home after spending thirty days in that area.  I knew one couple from VIFP check in and the interesting thing was that there were two single ladies traveling together that had never met prior to the cruise. Guess where they met: Cruisemates! For those that may not know, I have been a moderator on Cruisemates for five years. How cool? One had been reading my blog for many years and knew a lot about me (that can be good or bad) so it was very intriguing.  For dinner I ordered the White Stuffed Mushroom, the Spaghetti Carbonara, the Prime Rib, and Cherries Jubilee.  Dinner was very good and enjoyable.  After dinner I took a walk around deck before turning in for the evening.

Day Three--Tuesday—at Sea

Huevos & Carne at Punchliner Comedy Brunch

Another good nights sleep. I purchased the NEW unlimited internet package on the first day and I have discovered that the fastest speed is in the early morning so I went up to Lido for a some light breakfast items then back to cabin for some internet time. I then went to the Punchliner Comedy Brunch for a proper breakfast.  It was still a small line at 10:00 but I was seated fairly soon.  I had the Huevos & Carne (steak & eggs) and they were excellent.  I just don’t care for the brunch concept.  After breakfast I bought some Carnival Magic items (by request) in the gift shop for some friends and walked around decks for a bit.  Since I had a nice late breakfast I just had a Tuna Salad sandwich from the Market Deli aft on Lido deck for a late lunch snack. I had not had one from the deli before... It was light and refreshing.  I had a nice nap before getting ready for the VIFP Diamond Reception held by the Captain at 5:30 in the Play It Again Piano Bar.  There were seven Diamond guests show up and twice that many staff and officers.  There were complimentary cocktails and fantastic horderves, the best I have ever had on a cruise ship.  Piano music and more than enough servers to keep everyone happy.  Captain Cutugno visited with all the guests and it was a nice get together.     A few of us stayed on (with refreshed cocktails) to enjoy music in the Piano Bar by James until dinner.  It was my first time to hear Jim Morris in a while and he was very enjoyable.  Dinner was good, I ordered: French Onion Soup, Penne Pasta with Seafood, Short Rib of Beef, and the Fig & Date dessert.  Overall it was a very enjoyable evening.   After dinner I went to the cabin to watch the U.S. Election results on television then a movie.

Day Four--Wednesday--Montego Bay, Jamaica

Pool & Toys to almost yourself on a port day

A very good nights sleep and calm seas.  I was awake very early (6:00am) and got in some great very high speed internet time.  We arrived in Montego Bay about 8:30 and I am not planning on going ashore so I can enjoy a nice casual day without the crowds.  I saw new friends in the MDR and joined them for breakfast, I had the Eggs Benedict, potatoes, bacon, fruit, tomato juice and leche caliente.  All very good.  With most off the ship it was time to hit the main pool.  It was refreshing, but even more refreshing is going down the slides in the Magic Waterworks.  Down the Twister (yellow in photo) and down the Drainpipe (orange in photo) is great fun, the Twister can be a little intense, but there was a young kid doing it twice to each of my single passes.  It's great to use the pool on a port day when most passengers are off the ship.  A little more pool time, then some rest before I ate in the Cucina Del Capitano.  Always good food there. I had a Bowie Pasta with tomato sauce, cherry tomatoes, & arugula.  Also a Lasagna with extra meat sauce and bread.  Not many eating there on a port day so a good choice.  Pax were coming back to the ship by now so no afternoon pool, but a nap that is easy to do in the interior cabin. It was already getting dark when I went to the Red Frog Pub at 5:00 to meet friends.  It was dark when we sailed away a little before 6:00 pm and we were working on our second tube of Thirsty Frog Red.  A good place for sail away as always.  Dinner time came pretty quick, it was actually one of the weaker menu nights, I ordered: the Potato Soup, Neptune Seafood Platter, Beef Stroganoff and Bitter & Blanc and Tiramisu for dessert.  The Potato soup was the best item by far.  Tonight was the big production magic show: Destination Unknown and also the great burlesque show: A Kiss Goodnight.

Day Five--Thursday--Georgetown, Grand Cayman

Carnival Magic Water Works Fun!

We arrived early and anchored off Georgetown.  My cabin location certainly lets you know when the thrusters are being used so that was my wake up call. The Captain must have confidence in the thrusters as all the other ships anchored off Spotts Bay.  The MDR was only open from 6:30-8:30 this morning so it was good I was around early.  I Had my ‘hearty country breakfast’ this morning since I was in no hurry.  Three Fried Eggs over easy with Hash Browns, Bacon, Ham, Corned Beef Hash, Toast, Leche Caliente, Tomato Juice, and a Banana as a starter.  It was done very well.  I had decided to again stay on board.  It was a nice breezy day so it was very comfortable on deck.  I staked-out a nice padded lounger on deck 11 with a view of Seven-Mile beach and read and enjoyed a few diet cokes most of the day.  Very nice.  As people began to come back I went down to Lido to get a nice Mongolian Grill for lunch before it got too busy.  Since it was cloudy with a breeze the weather was ideal for being lazy today.  I had to return to the cabin in late afternoon to get ready for the VIFP party at 4:30pm. The reception was held in the Theater and it was full of Gold, Platinum, and Diamond guests.  They had the large Funship Specials and I like them so that was my drink for the evening.  It was fun, the same Mardi Gras theme as on the Glory cruise so I guess that it is fleet-wide and they did call the Diamond guests by name onto the stage.  Interesting and fun.  I did meet some old and new friends as they recognized me from being on stage.  After the party I went to the Piano Bar to see soloist TJ playing.  It was a very fun show as he had a drunk lady at the bar who he incorporated into his act.  He turned a possible situation into a humorous positive especially on the song I Love This Bar where she would sing the final line of each chorus.  It was dinner time and I ordered:  Escargot, Seafood appetizer, Martini Braised Basa Fillet & Baked Alaska for dessert.  After dinner (10:15) the production show was WIN! in the Showtime Theater.

Day Six--Friday--Cozumel, Mexico

Diamond Guests and Ship Crew @ VIFP Party

It was a beautiful day in Cozumel.  We did not arrive until 10:00 am so I had plenty of time for a very nice relaxed breakfast in the Northern Lights dining room.  I left the ship about 11:00 and headed to San Miguel.  Although I just got my haircut here a few weeks ago I had Martin trim it up as I won’t be back for a while and I will be busy before my next trip in a few weeks.  I went down to Woody’s Sports Bar owned by our friends Nelly and Pepe and used their free Wifi for a while.  They were very busy as there are two NCL ship docked near downtown at Puerto Langosto.  Also docked were the Carnival Magic at Puerto Maya and the Oasis of the Seas (largest cruise ship in the world) at the International pier.  Later I went to Wet Wendy’s for a Mango Margarita and a Chili Relleno.  After a little shopping and picking up some Mexican vanilla I returned to the ship about 4:30pm.  I visited with a friend and we tried the early opening of the Lido Marketplace.  They usually have very good desserts, some that will be in the MDR and some unique.  This is a secret I learned while on the Magic TA for 16 days.  I did see the new sushi display area in the Lido Marketplace, they have closed the original Sushi Bar area on the Promenade deck since I was on the ship last.  Marcus Monroe was the feature entertainer and for late dinner seating the show was at 7:00 pm.  Dinner was good tonight, I ordered the California Salad Greens, Red Snapper, and the Filet Mignon & Short Rib combination.  The beef dish is one of their better meat dishes IMHO.  I returned to the cabin after dinner, but went up to deck 11 to see Magic’s Latin Fiesta and was I glad I did.  I had never seen so many great salsa dancers ever before.  They had the entire pool deck as a dance floor and they were taking advantage of the music played by the DJ.  It was amazing to see so many having fun!

Day Seven--Saturday--at Sea

Carnival Magic sailing the Gulf

I had a very good nights sleep.  This morning it was updating email and making some bookings online.  I really like the internet package option available on the Carnival Magic.  I enjoyed a wonderful breakfast at the Comedy Brunch, I again ordered the Huevos & Carne (steak & eggs) along with some extra sides all prepared very well. After brunch I got a nice lounger on deck 11 overlooking the pool area.  The DJ was doing a good job, really better than the old steel drum bands of the past.  There were many up and dancing to the tunes and I’d never seen that before the DJ concept.  In the late afternoon I went to Cucina Del Capitano for a bowl of pasta.  I’ve been lucky to eat in my favorite places twice on this cruise.  I thought I’d go by and check the casino and it was packed.  I noticed a lot of Alabama fans setting up at some tables for the football game in the sports bar area.  I went back to the cabin for some rest before evening and so noticed on the cabin TV that Texas A&M was in a close game with #1 Alabama.  Remembering what I had seen earlier I went up to the sports bar to see the 2nd half of the football game.  It was very exciting as the Alabama fans and the Aggie fans were really going at it with each other, but mostly in a fun way.  Very interesting.  The game was very good too.  I went back to the cabin to change for dinner as I was planning on having a cocktail at the Red Frog Pub.  Just one, but it was a ‘fishbowl’ size.  It does take an hour to drink if your having one on your own.  Dinner was very good, I ordered the New England Crab Cake,  Grilled Chicken Brest on Fettuccine, Roasted Prime Rib of Beef, Panko Crusted Jumbo Shrimp, and Gran Mariner Souffle for dessert.  The Carnival Legends Show was at 10:15 following dinner.

Debarkation

Just a few blocks from terminal

We arrived back in Galveston just about on schedule despite leaving Cozumel late.  I was up early as I had not started packing.  Yes they used an assist tug in the turning basin an getting the ship to the pier.  I packed and went up to the Southern Lights Dining Room for breakfast about 7:15 am.  They were calling self-debark guests by the time I made it back to the cabin so I picked up my bag and headed to deck three and was in the cue to leave the ship...punching (clicking) out at 8:00 am exactly.  I have found that timing the debark so that I skip the VIFP meet up place and being able to roll directly from the cabin to the gangway is the simplest option by far.  They again had the casual inspection at Customs as they did three weeks ago so I was able to roll my bag from the gangway to the parking lot by 8:15 am.  Amazingly smooth.  I was off the island by 8:30 am and home before 1:00 pm.

Crew / Staff

I found the crew to be very good.  I was able to meet many ships officers through the Diamond reception and VIFP party. The ship seems to be in very capable hands.  I enjoyed visiting with Sam the new Hotel Director who must be the youngest in the fleet. 

Cabin

I had cabin 1414 a category a 1A interior on Riviera deck.  It had a single bed (and a drop down option), standard Carnival 3-section closet unit, mini fridge bar (never used), push button safe, seat for vanity, and lots of floor space.  It originally didn’t have a table, but they borrowed one for me for the week.  Overall a nice cabin for a solo cruiser.  I was worried about vibration or cavitation with the cabin located so low and aft on the ship...basically over the thrusters, but other than docking in ports it was not noticeable.   On Grand Cayman day when we are anchored they do use the thrusters to hold the ship in position so plan to be out of the cabin while anchored.  Luis the cabin steward was great.  He kept the cabin very clean and kept my small cooler full of ice.

Punchliner Comedy Brunch

This was my first time to experience this.  If your a cruiser that likes to party late and sleep in the mornings to 10:00ish then it's probably ideal for you.  If your a cruiser that likes to get up earlier it really limits your breakfast options.  Since they have implemented this system there are only three options for breakfast:  Room Service, Lido buffet, or the Brunch.  No regular (MDR) dining room service.  The Lido opens later (7:30) and the Brunch starts at 9:00 am.  What has happened is all the diners that would have eaten in the MDR from 8-9:00 are now in the Lido.  The only eggs on the buffet were some very runny scrambled eggs so trying to get anywhere near the omelette station requires a long wait.  This also causes a huge line to form waiting for the Brunch to open at 9:00 am in the Northern Lights dining room and it takes a while to get everyone seated.  You also get the confusion of people wanting to just see what they think is a comedy show and not interested in breakfast AND people who just want a nice breakfast and not interested in all the noise of the comedy routine.  Very confusing.  That being said, the menu is fantastic.

Comments

I really think the aft pool should be adult only.  There were kids jumping in the pool (big splashes that really annoyed the ladies) and younger kids with floaties taking up far too much area.  If the Disney Magic with many more children sailing can have an adult pool then surely the Carnival Magic can have one.  I really like that the Mongolian Grill and other food venues open right away on embarkation day.  It was a mistake for the them to wait until noon as they used to do.

Highlights

The Diamond VIFP reception by the Captain was great.  The unlimited internet package is fantastic and has actually elevated the Carnival Magic to one of my favorite Carnival cruise ships.  I very much like the Magic, Glory, and Conquest, perhaps in that order.

Another fantastic FUN cruise!!

Disney Magic

Disney Magic Cruise Review

October 13, 2012

Just The Facts:
Ship:  Disney Magic
Ship Captain: Captain John
Cruise Director: Mr. Peter
Ports: Galveston, Grand Cayman, Costa Maya, Cozumel
Weather:  Very good all week

I was excited about this cruise and review as this is my 1st  Disney (DCL) cruise, but 75th overall.  I am traveling with the Dear Wife (DW) and we know that there will be a lot of new experiences this cruise.

Day One--Saturday--Embarkation

Cabin 6543 - Deck Six

We left the ranch about 6:30 am for the drive south and arrived about 11:00 am at EZ Cruise parking.  I was a bit worried if they would have parking space as DD (Dear Daughter) was arriving on the Carnival Triumph and they were not allowing passengers to debark due to a US Customs situation. No problem and they had us shuttled over to the Disney Magic by 11:20.  We proceeded through security and Disney check-in straight away.  They we’re just about to start boarding and since we had a higher boarding number went to the Cabin Upgrade line to see what was available.  We had already lucked out with cabin assignment as we booked an interior guarantee at a very good rate and got a category 11 interior on deck six.  Because of the value fare we had the upgrade charge for us would have been $600 to O/V or $1400 to Veranda so we passed as that was more than we paid for the cruise in base fare.  It was now boarding time and we proceeded up the gangway to the ship.  As you enter the atrium they have a staff of people in uniform who great each party individually and announce you as you enter the ship.  They then assist with directions and questions. Very impressed, the Disney Magic has begun!  It was now about noon so we went to Parrots Caye, one of the MDR’s, for a buffet lunch.  They also have the Topside buffet on Lido deck, but we chose the MDR.  They had a salad area and fair selection of entrees, I had the pork cutlets.  The big item was fresh Peel & Eat Shrimp with cocktail sauce.  Very good.  Since our cabins were not yet ready we went to the Diversions Lounge to watch the OU vs.UT football game.  It was amazing how many Sooner fans, including myself, were wearing their colors as we boarded the ship. I later learned that it was a fall holiday at many schools in Oklahoma and that is why there were many Sooners on board.  The Texas fans seemed to have changed right away as OU won big 63-21.  Diversions is set up well for NCAA football on Saturdays showing the feature game on big screen and most all others on smaller TV sets. It makes since once you realize that Disney owns ESPN sports network.  We went to our cabin (6543) and was very pleased with first impression.  It’s 184 sf and decorated in a very nice nautical theme with a lot of wood trim and brass hardware.  We rested until boat drill was held at 3:45.  We went to our muster station and the roll was taken electronically by a staff member with the roster on an iPad type device.  Good that we went and it only took about 25 minutes.  We got the drink of the day, a Bon Voyage (similar to a Miami Vice), and went to the sail away party on Lido deck.  The entertainment staff and all the Disney characters danced and performed and they shot streamers and confetti into the air at the conclusion reminiscent of sail always from an earlier era.  After sail away we dressed for dinner and went to The Welcome Show in the Walt Disney Theater. It was the best welcome show I’ve seen featuring the production cast and Disney Characters dressed as passengers and crew at ship embarkation.  The routine/show was a great way to introduce pax to the ship.  The CD, Mr. Peter introduced two of the feature performers,  Steve Carte and Brad Cummings who each did a small part of their act as well.  After the show we went back to Diversions that is now set up as a bar and has light snacks such as Guacamole, Salsa, Queso, Buffalo Wings and more. It really reminded me of the Diamond Lounge on RCL ships. I had a Stella Artoi on tap and sampled the snacks.  Still exploring we went to Sessions, the Piano Bar.  It was very nice and we know we will return, but it’s now time for dinner.  On Disney ships you rotate between three themed restaurants although you keep the same wait staff.  Tonight we were in Lumiere’s dining room.  We had a nice eight top table, all adults, including a couple from OKC we had sailed with in the past.  I was very impressed with the wide variety of good selections offered on the first night dinner menu.  Entrees included Duck, Lamb, Choice Angus Steak, also a variety of salads and French Onion Soup.  I ordered the Shrimp Cocktail, Escargot, Tomato Soup, and Sea Bass.  I was very impressed with the Escargot, it was actually the better French variety and was served with a proper cocktail fork. Also a great selection of desserts, I ordered the Grand Mariner Souffle and the Creme Brulee.  After a great dinner and a long busy day we retired to the cabin for the evening.

Day Two--Sunday--at Sea

Signals Bar in Quiet Cove (adult only)

Very nice seas and we had a very good nights sleep.  The weather today is perfect with clear skies and warm, but comfortable temperatures in the mid 80’s.  We slept late and went up to Topsiders buffet for breakfast.  Not a wide variety but all the basics for breakfast.  After breakfast I made some notes in the cabin then we went exploring the ship.  We just happened to walk by Topsiders buffet as they opened for lunch and although early for us we went to see the fresh presentation of the food.  It was Italian themed so I had some Antipasto, Chicken Cacciatore, a Shrimp and Rice dish, and small Tiramisu for dessert.  After lunch we went to Quiet Cove to swim.  It’s a very nice adult only swimming pool and area.  At 2:30 we attended a Martini Cocktail Presentation in the Sessions Bar.  It was interesting and they served us four small martini’s while explaining various types and styles of the drink.  Following we went back to Quiet Cove to relax, swim, enjoy a cocktail, and visit with new friends.  They made an announcement that the evenings feature presentation (our time would have been 6:15 to attend as late dining has the early show times) had been cancelled for tonight so we just extended our little deck party through sundown in the Quiet Cove.  Dinner tonight was in Animators Palate dining room, another interesting MDR.  For dinner I ordered a Slow Roasted Duck & Cheese Quesadilla, The Beast’s Potato & Sausage Soup, and the Peppercorn Crusted New York Strip Steak.  All very good.  For dessert I ordered Cinderella’s Lemon Cheesecake and a Princess Aurora Sundae. After dinner we went to Rockin’ Bar D, a smaller showroom and bar, to see the physical comedy of Steve Carte.  It was an adult only show and very entertaining, we then stayed to watch the Love & Marriage show following. 

Day Three--Monday—at Sea

Minnie at Character Breakfast

Another good sleep and pretty day although more clouds.  We slept as late as possible as we had our scheduled Disney Character Breakfast this morning at 9:45 am in the Parrots Caye Dining room.  Our assigned table and waiters even rotate with you for this event as well as dinners.  I enjoyed a Denver Omelette with sides of sausage and bacon while the Disney characters all came by the table for photographs during breakfast. Very interesting.  After breakfast we looked at the Disney shops then went to the Buena Vista Theater to see the movie: The Odd Life of Timothy Green at 11:15 am.  It’s a great theater designed specifically to show Disney movies on board and the movie was very good.  After the movie we went to the Topsider buffet and the theme was ‘steakhouse’.  They had very nice small steaks they grilled on deck.  I really enjoyed the fresh Crusted Cod with tarter sauce and they again had the fresh peel & eat shrimp with cocktail sauce.  It was an excellent lunch.  At 2:30 we attended the Tequila and Margarita Cocktail Presentation ($15) in Sessions.  They served five samples and they were very interesting, the margaritas were much better than the tequila shooters-IMHO. Just a little cabin time before getting ready for evening activities.  At 6:15 we went to the big production show Twice Charmed in the main Walt Disney Theater and it was a wonderful Disney production with a large cast and amazing sets and costumes.  After the show we went to Sessions, the piano bar, for some tunes and a wonderful Side Car cocktail.  Tonight we had our late dinner in Parrot’s Caye.  It was good, they had some nice Hearts of Palm for me and I ordered the Crab Cake, Mango Peach Chilled Soup, Rib Eye Steak and the Creme Brulee Cheese Cake for dessert.

Day Four--Tuesday--Grand Cayman

Pirate Night Deck Party

It’s a warm and beautiful day.  We arrived at Grand Cayman and anchored off Spott’s Bay not the usual downtown Georgetown location.  We have decided to stay on board and enjoy the ship since we have been here many times.  DW had room service breakfast and I went to Lumiere’s for my first proper breakfast of Eggs Benedict, bacon, hash browns, etc., it was the best breakfast of the cruise so far.  After breakfast it was up to Quiet Cove the adult only area to swim and relax.  They have a large pool, two hot tubs, Signals Bar, padded loungers, tables, and a small cafe: The Cove.  They also have entertainment in the afternoon and evenings, a very nice touch. The three beers on tap at Signals bar: Shiner Bock, Longboard Island Lager, and Bud Light. Everyone knows about Shiner Bock, a great Texas beer, but the Longboard, a Hawaiian beer is very nice as well.  We had lunch in Topsiders and it was again very good.  They had Crab Legs, Sirloin Steak on the carving station, Lobster Rolls, and much more.  A really amazing selection for lunch.  For dessert they had a make your own Sundae station.  After lunch we returned to the Quiet Cove area.  It’s really busier than I thought it would be as many cast members were also enjoying the pool and great weather.  Interesting seeing them and speculating on who is which particular Princess, Prince Charming, Pirate, or Disney character.  We sailed from Grand Cayman about 4:30 and we enjoyed our day on ship.  We returned to the cabin to get ready for the 6:15 show featuring David McWilliams or Magic Dave.  He had an interesting show, very family oriented as he used children in the act.  After the show we went to Sessions for piano music and a couple of Side Car cocktails.  Tonight is Pirate Night on the ship and many guests and most of the crew are dressed in pirate gear this evening.  Dinner tonight was back in Lumiere’s.  The wait staff is dressed as pirates and there were Pirate scarves for the guests as well as a Pirate Caribbean menu.  They again had Hearts of Palm for me and I ordered a wonderful Pirates Golden ‘Pot Sticker’ (a dumpling stuffed with pork) and a Castaway Chicken Breast in light jerk sauce.  After dinner we went on deck for the big Pirate Deck Party.  They had entertainers and Disney Characters dressed as pirates dancing.  Also some new characters: Smee and Captain Hook made an appearance.  The highlight was pirate Mickey sailing down, by zip line, from the top of the stack to the stage on lido deck followed by fireworks.  Very impressive and the first time I have seen fireworks from a cruise ship.  The night was not over though as we went to the Buena Vista theater to watch Finding Nemo in 3D.  It was almost 1:00 am by the time we got back to the cabin...a very long and enjoyable day.

Day Five--Wednesday--Costa Maya, Mexico

Mahahual, Mexico - 100% Agave

Nice weather and a good nights sleep.  We are heading towards Costa Maya with a noon arrival scheduled.  We both had room service for breakfast this morning then went up to Quiet Cove for a swim.  We are enjoying the adult area very much.  We had an early lunch at Topsiders and it’s Tex-Mex day.  If you know how to do the right combinations of the Tex-Mex items on the buffet you can have a very nice meal.  The steak tortillas (I would call them Tacos al Carbon) were very good if you added Pico de Gallo and the Pulled Pork was great especially if rolled in a tortilla.  The guacamole, etc. was just OK, but we are on a cruise ship and not in Mexico or Texas.  We left the ship about 12:30 and took the shuttle to Mahahual.  We found Fernando’s 100% Agave and got a nice table and palpa right on the beach.  We enjoyed a Sangria Margarita and a Mango Margarita and soon were joined by our new friends so we stayed and made a day of it.  We decided on the regular lime Margaritas as the drink of the day and enjoyed alternating swimming with cocktails until 5:00.  Beautiful weather, great beach and view, great drinks and snacks, massages, a perfect beach day.  We took a taxi back to the ship and straight up to the pool for a quick dip to cool off again.  We went to the production show Villains in the Walt Disney Theater at 6:15 and it was a fantastic show featuring the villains from several different Disney shows.  Dinner was again very good, The Mushroom Risotto appetizer was the highlight, I ordered the Veal as an entree and the Dessert Sampler (they have a variety platter available each night that has three smaller portions of the evenings desserts).  Also my Hearts of Palm were there.  After dinner we went back to the cabin to to rest after the busy day.

Day Six--Thursday--Cozumel, Mexico

Disney Dreams cast

It was a beautiful, but hot day in Cozumel.  We arrived very early, but did not chose to leave the ship early.  I had nice a breakfast of Eggs Benedict, et al.. in Luminere’s and DW had her usual room service.  We are docked at Puerto Langosta that is walking distance to San Miguel and I walked over about 9:30 so I could be at Antonio’s Barber Shop by 10:00 opening.  DW stayed on board to swim in the Quiet Cove pool that she had to herself.  After my haircut I went to Woody’s Sports Bar to use their free Wifi and catch up on the internet.  Soon the owner, Nelly, came by and saw me and we had a good long visit on the patio. Soon DW came by and we did a little shopping before going by Wet Wendy’s to split a Mango Margarita.  We returned to the ship early by 3:00 to swim (it was scheduled to leave by 4:00 anyway...much too early IMHO).  We are really enjoying the adult Cove area of the ship.  We relaxed and swam well beyond sail away until we needed to get ready for the evening show.  The production show was Disney Dreams that featured a lot of Disney Characters we had not seen as yet.  A fantastic show, you really must seem them, the costuming and sets are fantastic.  This was the Captains dinner night and the menu was very good. Again my Hearts of Palm were there. I ordered the Oysters Rockefeller, Lobster, a very good Chicken entree and the Dessert Sampler.  After dinner we went back to the cabin to watch Disney programming on the TV.

Day Seven--Friday--at Sea

Caption above cabin bed

Well this was an interesting day.  The plan was to primarily be a movie day as two we wanted to see, Frankenweenie and Brave were being shown in the Buena Vista Theater, then relax in the Cove.  It was not to be.  After 76 cruises I guess it was our time, but we both contracted the norovirus.  It began during the night and it’s not good.  I made a trip down to the Medical Center and got medicine, but basically we were in bed for 36 hours.  The virus seems to run it’s course in just over 24+ hours, but that put us into the second night.  We each had one piece of toast and some crackers for the entire day.  A big difference from the previous 6 days, but I lost all the weight that I gained.  It’s not uncommon for me to ‘catch’ a bug since I live in an isolated place then get around a big group of people, but this is the first time to get the dreaded cruise norovirus.

Debarkation

We arrived back in Galveston just after 6:00 am well ahead of schedule.  We had planned on using the Express Walk-off debarkation, but really had no choice as we were much too weak to pack on Friday.  We began packing about 6:45 am in hopes it would begin early and we could beat even the early crowd.  I was feeling much better and DW was still weak, but we made it down to the Rockin’D the designated Express Walk-off location about 7:15 and yes they were allowing pax off early.  We were through customs about 7:30 am..  We walked to the car, filled with gas at our usual Galveston location ($3.42 gal), and was on the bridge by 8:00 am.  We did run into Texas A&M football traffic that delayed us somewhat, but we were back at the ranch at 1:00 pm..

Ship

Maiden Voyage: July 30, 1998
Passenger Capacity: 2,400 | Gross Tonnage: 83,000 tons
Length: 964 feet | Beam: 106 feet | Draft: 25.26 feet
Cruising Speed: 23 knots

We both love the design of the ship.  It has an old fashioned Ocean Liner theme and has a lot of Art Deco and Nautical themes throughout.  It uses large portholes in lieu of square windows and the uses lots of rigging to give it an older feel.  All the public rooms are wonderful, especially the themed MDR’s and Art Deco rooms. 

Crew / Staff

The staff and crew always greet you. From the beginning of embarkation to every crew member on ship they always acknowledge passengers with a greeting. The bar staff all very friendly. The cabin steward, Rohan Murray did a very good job. Our dining room waiters were excellent. Aditya Salian, from India, our server and Servet Yuksel his assistant were probably the best team I have ever had on a cruise.  It helped that they have fewer tables and really well for us that on late setting we were their only table.

Cabin

We had cabin 6543 a category 11 interior, It’s 184 sf (the same as a Carnival interior cabin). Decorated in a nautical art deco style with a couch, curtain separator, push button safe, small refrigerator (not a mini bar), flat screen TV, radio/phone communication system, and two closets.  The cabin seems larger since there is the full couch, there is good floor space.  Since Disney cabins are designed for families there is a drop down bunk and the uncomfortable couch makes into a bed.  There is not really that much storage for the two of us, I would hate to have any 3rd or 4th along.  The bath room is very small with very little storage for toiletries.  The cabin Television features many Disney channels and programs.  There was a wide variety of Disney classics and newer movies throughout the week.

Food

I have mixed feelings about the food.  Breakfasts are very weak and not a good salad bar anywhere.  The lunches were half and half...some great, some just ok.  Two days were some of the best lunches I’ve ever had on a cruise ship.  The dinners were all very good to excellent. Steak is available every night either on the main menu or the everyday menu.  We had dinner reservations for Palo, but canceled as the dinners in the MDR were so good.  I would do Palo for brunch since breakfast is the weaker meal.  There were ice creme machines and a soda fountain on Lido deck.

Highlights

We really enjoyed and took advantage of the adult Quiet Cove area. The productions shows in the Walt Disney Theater were all excellent.  The Disney first run movies in the Buena Vista theater were also great.  We also enjoyed the Sessions, the piano bar.  The crew and staff were also all so very well trained.  Also the unlimited soda fountain was great for us that drink Coca-cola products.

Comments

It was our first Disney cruise and in spite of the final day we really enjoyed it.  Our initial fear was that there would be too many children.  There are so many scheduled children’s activities that the kids are kept very busy and as experienced cruisers we took advantage of being on ship when most were away and did activities at different times in order to minimize those ‘family’ times. My contrarian cruise theory worked very well. If you are into the Disney experience you will have a fantastic time.  There are numerous Disney character gatherings, the limited addition Disney collector pins, Disney activities & games, and so much more.  You literally can not walk for more than a few minutes on board without running into a Disney Character.

The new 8-day Disney cruise from Galveston next year will be very Disney intensive with calls at the private island of Castaway Key, Key West, and a day at WDW.  I’m not sure I will do that, but DW and DD would.  I will cruise the Disney Wonder when she comes to Galveston.

Disney Magic - Costa Maya, Mexico - 10/17/2012

The End

The Great Alaska Adventure

The Great Alaska Adventure
Cruise/Tour Review
MS Statendam 9.9.2012

Just The Facts:
Ship:  Holland American Line: MS Statendam
Cruise & Tour dates: 7 September - 19 September, 2012
Captain:  Frans K Consen
Cruise Director:  Anthony Choice
Ports: Vancouver BC;  Ketchikan, Alaska;  Juneau, Alaska;  Skagway, Alaska; Seward, Alaska; Denali, Alaska; Anchorage. Alaska.

This is my 2nd cruise on Holland America, my 2nd cruise to Alaska, and my 74th cruise overall. We are traveling with a group of 20 regular and new cruising friends.

Travel--Vancouver, Canada

Capilano Suspension Bridge

We had a direct flight from DFW airport to Vancouver and actually met several of our group at the airport for the flight.  We arrived in Vancouver and took a limo for six to the Hyatt Regency downtown to stay two nights pre-cruise.  All of our group are staying there and it is a great hotel and in a good location.  We had an impromptu gathering at the hotel bar and then a wonderful dinner the first night at the Black + Blue steakhouse.  The following day we had a group day trip to the Capilano Suspension Bridge Park.  It was very convenient as they had a shuttle from the hotel and the park was interesting with the suspension bridge, treetops walk, and cliff walk.  In the afternoon we visited the Gastown area shops and had a wonderful meal at Vancouver’s most popular Pub: The Lamplighter. We decided to walk back to the downtown and hotel area stopping at Mahony & Sons Public House on the waterfront and enjoyed a cocktail and the wonderful views of the Harbor, Canada Place, and the mountains beyond. Everyone seemed to really like our pre-cruise stay in Vancouver and the weather was wonderful.  It was a very nice start to a cruise vacation.

Day One--Sunday--Embarkation

ms Statendam at Canada Place, Vancouver Canada

We took a taxi from the hotel for the short trip to the Canada Place Cruise Terminal about 11:30.  We dropped our bags and went to the security and U.S. immigration area and soon were in the Holland America check in terminal.  It was not busy anywhere and embarkation was a simple process.  You can go direct to your cabin on Holland America Lines so that was our first stop to drop off our carry on bags.  The MDR (main dining room) is open for Mariner members (past guests), but we chose to eat at the lido buffet.  I like that the name of the area is actually The Lido, since that is generally what every cruise line calls their buffet area by default even though they usually have a specific name.  It was set up very well too and they serve your food to you so that you are not handling the utensils or food on the buffet.  I had roast beef with some extras and their wonderful bread pudding (they also had a banana bread pudding) for dessert.  After lunch everyone explored the ship and settled into their cabins until time for muster drill.  The boat deck was on our deck so attending was very easy for us, just walk directly out the passageway across from our cabin and down to our assigned life boat.  We sailed immediately as the drill ended and we stayed on boat deck until we passed under the Lions Gate bridge, then it was inside to get away from the open decks and cool weather.  Everyone in the group had Champagne, Chocolate strawberries and Beverage Cards in the cabin as a nice welcome.  Many met in the Crows Nest that will become our regular spot for the week.  I did have a “Grizzly Bear” the drink of the day.  The DW & I went to the lounge to hear some very good Jazz music before dinner.  As a group we have four tables together in the Rotterdam dining room along the aft windows.  Unfortunately, they sat some people from Anytime Dining at one of our tables so there was confusion and problems from that.  The Maitre D later sent an apology and chocolates to the group.  Although I didn’t sit at my table, dinner was good, my entree was the Prime Rib, but it was not an completely enjoyable dinner due to the confusion of their error in seating arrangements.  The production show, Nothings Going to Stop Us Now, started long before we had completed dinner service so we retired after leaving the MDR.

Day Two--Monday--at Sea

Lido Deck  -  MS Statendam

I had a good nights sleep was up early to watch us drop off the pilot at 7:45 am and leave the inside passage and into the open waters.  I went to the MDR for my usual first morning on a cruise breakfast of Eggs Benedict that were very well prepared.  Off to a better start in the dining room.  The seas were really rolling today.  It was much more than I expected it to be for sure.  The group spent the day doing various activities including the Casino, a Kitchen Tour, a Culinary presentation, Seminars, and more.  I had a very light lunch, but did have to have the wonderful bread pudding.  They have the standard raisin everyday on lido plus a flavored variety as well.  Today was Alaskan Berry (blueberries & rhubarb primarily) and both were great.  The rolling seas continued throughout the day.  In the afternoon many of the group attended the High Tea and they say they had wonderful scones.  I attended the Alaskan Beer Seminar in the Mix bar area.  Four varieties of beer for $12.50.  At 4:00 pm we all met as prearranged in the Crows Nest for Happy Hour.  We had one complete area to ourselves and it was wonderful with the view and cocktail service.  There is one thing our group is known for and that is ‘the one-hour cocktail party’ so this Happy Hour arrangement was perfect for us.  I had mojitos and then some Duck Farts to get in the Alaska mood.  We extended our time there well beyond an hour.  There is a group trivia contest at 6:30 that many used as motivation to leave the Crows Nest.  This was formal night and dinner this evening went much better.  The Matre’d came by to check that all was well.  My entree, the Beef Wellington, was very good and they also had sourdough bread pudding that was excellent.  After dinner we attended the Captains Toast and Welcome in the Theater followed by the production show: Bob Mackie’s Broadway featuring music and costumes from Broadway.

Day Three--Tuesday—Ketchikan, Alaska

Ketchikan, Alaska

The weather is indeed rainy for the rainiest city in Alaska.  We are docked downtown and I enjoyed watching the early debarking passengers leave the ship before going to the MDR for breakfast.  We soon left the ship and went to Creek Street the location of the old bordellos and red light district that are now craft shops built along the creek.  We did visit Dolly’s, the intact bordello now a museum and it was interesting.  We saw friends that had just attended the Lumberjack Show and joined them for lunch at Annabelle’s in The Gilmore Hotel.  I had my first Alaskan Halibut of the trip and it was very good.  As a foodie though I was envious of the Snoozemates that took the Crab fishing/dinner excursion.  They got to eat the catch and the Dungeness Crab feast sounded wonderful.  In the afternoon we visited the Tongass Historical Museum and the Southeast Alaska Discovery Center operated by the U.S. National Park Service.  We returned to the ship as we had a 2:30 sail away and we were also scheduled for the 3:00 pm Cocktail Mixology Class. It was a lot of fun and the drinks we prepared were: Champagne Dreams, Tropical Cable Car, and a Pool Side Car.  I especially liked the later.  At 4:00 pm it was time for Happy Hour in the Crow’s Nest. Not only is this a regular thing for the group but we have other passengers wanting to join the fun and we do have a FUN time.  Following Happy Hour it was some R&R time in the cabin before dinner.  Dinner was good this evening, my entree was the well prepared Pork Chop. The productions shows this evening were The Marriage Game and the Filipino Crew Show.  We also set our clocks back one hour to the Alaska Time Zone before retiring.

Day Four--Wednesday—Juneau, Alaska

Mendenhall Glacier  -  Juneau Alaska

It is a rainy day in Juneau, not enough to limit a fun day though.  I had a very nice breakfast in the MDR and we took our time leaving the ship.  The Statendam is docked at the prime pier located closed to central downtown.  We booked a local tour of the city and Mendenhall Glacier ($50 for both) that left from our pier area at noon.  We really enjoyed the Glacier and the Mendenhall Visitors Center, it was unique and I had not visited on my previous trip to Juneau.  As we left the park area we stopped for a mother black bear and her two cubs that crossed the road in front of us.  First bear sighting of the trip. We also saw three Eagles on the Mendenhall Lake mud flats.  After returning to town we visited the shops and stopped at the old (1913) Alaska Hotel and Bar.  It was very nice and more original than the more famous Red Dog.  We had a very nice cheese crepe and fudge from local vendors (buy Alaskan) before meeting friends at the Red Dog Saloon.  We enjoyed the Duck Farts and Alaskan beer from 4:00ish until close about 9:30 pm. The entertainers were fun and our folks could come and go as they pleased as we had several tables. We did have 17 of our group plus some extra fans there at one time.  It was an easy one block walk back to the ship.  We briefly considered the 10:00 pm ship happy hour, but everyone split up to finish the evening doing various activities.

Day Five--Thursday—Skagway, Alaska

Skagway Alaska  -  MS Statendam in background

We arrived as scheduled at 7:00 am in Skagway and we are docked at the  Broadway pier directly in front of Skagway. The weather is overcast with a little sprinkle or mist.  We ordered room service breakfast and it was very good, not many cruise lines have a hot room service option for breakfast.  We met our group for the ‘Best of Skagway’ excursion.  We boarded a bus that gave us a brief tour of Skagway on the way to Fraser, BC, Canada to meet the White Pass & Yukon Railroad for the return trip by rail back to Skagway.  It’s a beautiful trip even with the low clouds and mist.  The railroad and train are not to be missed and is actually the most popular cruise excursion in the world. We then went to Liarsville Gold Rush Trail Camp for a salmon bake and show.  This is on the actual site of the tent city at the head of the White Pass trail used during gold rush days.  The press never ventured beyond this point and thus the name Liarsville.  The Salmon was cooked on an outdoor grill and was very good. They also had a nice little show.  The final ‘Best of Skagway’ tour stop was a tour of the Red Onion Saloon Brothel museum on the second floor above the bar.  After the tour the men stayed for a few Alaska beers while the ladies shopped. Overall a very nice full day tour.  We returned to the ship about 6:30 pm. in a light rain to clean up before dinner.  Dinner was good, I had the Beef Brisket entree and it was served over a mound of Alaska Gold Mashed Potatoes, an interesting presentation.  After dinner the group was off to the various venues including the Casino, Showtime with Jeff Burghart in the theater, or rest time in their cabins.

Day Six--Friday --at Sea

Happy Hour in the Crows Nest

The seas are choppy today and it is windy.  This was to have been cruising in Glacier Bay day, but the Captain announced that due to bad weather forecast for the Gulf of Alaska he wanted to go directly to Seward ahead of the weather so we are not going to visit Glacier Bay.  This is very disappointing to most.  I had breakfast at the Lido with a very nice hot fresh omelette prepared at the omelette station.  Many met this morning for our annual cruise ‘Bloody Mary’ morning in the Crows Nest.  Always fun and we did see whales.  Since this is now a sea day they did add many activities on the ship, similar to the first sea day.  They did have a very nice Salmon bake by the Lido deck pool.  And of course for dessert: Bread Pudding!  Sourdough Bread Pudding!  Glad it’s one of my favorites.  At 3:00 pm it was time for our second Mixology class.  This one featured Grey Goose vodka.  The drinks prepared were a Peartini, a High Tide, and a Ginger Rogers.  Of course at 4:00pm it’s time to meet in the Crows Nest for Happy Hour.  We had a full crew plus our add-ons.  I stayed with the Pool Side Car from the first mixology class.  This was again great fun!  At 6:30 we some how won the group trivia contest and got a nice insulated tumbler as a prize.  We then had to prepare for dinner, this was the final formal night, but the men in our group wore our signature matching Hawaiian shirts...but they were a formal black.  Dinner was one of the best, my entree was the Surf & Turf and it was excellent.  After dinner I saw the production show: Encore in the Showroom at Sea theater.

Day Seven--Saturday--Seward, Alaska

"Making her Momma Proud' @ Mixology Seminar

We docked very early in Seward and it is a rainy day.  I enjoyed the previous days omelette so much I had the same again for breakfast in the Lido.  Very nice.  HAL provided shuttles into Seward so about noon we thought we would go into town to see what we could see.  They do have a very nice aquarium: The Alaska Sea Life Center.  We looked at some shops and enjoyed a very nice late lunch at Alaska Nellies Roadhouse.  We had a Halibut basket and sweet potato fries. We were to have attended the Mariner luncheon today, but due to the schedule change forgot, we heard that we had made the better choice as friends said the luncheon was not good.  We returned to the ship about 3:00 to attend the final Mixology class.  Todays drinks were: Fashionista, Tuscan Lemon Drop, and the Sunsicle.  The Sunsicle was my favorite.  It’s 4:00 pm and time for our final happy Hour.  I again personally stayed with the Pool Side Car cocktail, it may become a regular for me.  It was great fun and the cocktail servers were very attentive to us as usual and they allowed us to stretch the hour (also as usual).  We went down to Mix to try our luck again at group trivia, and something unusual happened....the ship lost power.  It was about 6:15 and there was nothing we could do about the power, but fortunately the safety lights came on in the passageways and some in the public areas including Mix where many of us are now staying.  The Captain did make several announcements and the CD was told to carry on with usual activities as best he could so we played trivia in the dark.  Of course the Snoozemates doubled up the next closest score and dominated the game.  Our prize was champagne for the group which was then expanded upon as those that still had the complementary bottles given to us brought them for a great Champagne Party in the Dark!  That’s whats great about the group...they can make any situation into a party.  Also thanks to the bar staff who traded our bottles for cold bottles of champagne and did the opening and serving as necessary.  It was now dinner time and it was unknown if they would even be serving, but we went to our tables about 8:15pm.  Dinner was interesting, we were served sandwiches on white bread.  We did have two choices:  Cheese or sliced egg.  That’s it.  Dessert was whole apples or oranges.  That’s it.  Dinner didn’t take long and then ‘let there be light’  the lights came back on.  This was a great relief as there was no lighting at all in the cabin and with no electricity there are no toilets either, both needed very much.  Since we now had power we went to the cabin to clean up and pack as we knew we would be leaving very early the next morning.

Day Eight--Sunday--Seward to Denali

Cabin Night Dinner Theater  -  Denali Alaska

Still rainy and windy this morning.  We ordered early (6:00 am) room service breakfast before meeting our tour group at 7:15 in the theater.  Our bus was first to leave so we hope to arrive in Denali in time for Cabin Night.  Our group of 20 makes up half the bus group and the driver, Melissa was very good.  We started north on the Seward Highway towards Anchorage and points north.  First stop was Portage Glacier and the winds were so high it rocked the bus and the rain was blowing parallel.  Few got off the bus.  The waterfalls were here were very impressive due to the recent heavy rains.  Next stop was Settlers Bay Lodge just north of Wasilla for lunch.  This was a make your own sandwich buffet and I enjoyed it.  Fresh breads and choice of ham, turkey, roast beef, cheeses, etc. with potato salad and slaw.  A nice lodge with a good view.  We were off again and because of the weather not a chance of viewing Mt. McKinley so our final stop was the Alaska Veterans Memorial along the highway.  Since we knew we would be on time we used mobile phones to get advance tickets for Cabin Night.  We actually arrived a little early at the McKinley Lodge and we had time to freshen before the Cabin Night Dinner Theater began at 7:00.  Everyone in the group attended and enjoyed a great family style meal of Salmon, BBQ Ribs, Corn, Potatoes, Baked Beans and Cobbler for dessert.  DW had a very nice vegetarian Pasta.  There were a few pitchers of Alaskan beer too.  The show was very good centered around Fanny Quigley’s roadhouse in Kantishna (now within Denali Nat'l Park) and featuring historical characters from the early days of Denali Park and Alaska.  It was a very enjoyable evening.

Day Nine--Monday--Denali, Alaska

Mt. McKinley (Denali) from 75 miles away in Denali Park

The day started with broken clouds, but it became a beautiful day.  We slept in a bit this morning then went to the main lodge and across the highway to Glitter Gulch, the shopping and souvenir areas across from the Park Properties.  This being the last week on the season there were some great close out pricing.  I looked for a while, but while DW and some friends shopped I went down to the Fish Shop for a very nice Captains Basket of both Cod and Halibut with french fried potatoes.  Very good.  At 2:00 pm we met our group for our big adventure into Denali National Park.  We boarded our assigned Park Service bus and our driver/guide Lisa Frederic was fantastic.  The weather really cooperated, the best we have had in Alaska so far.  Hopes were high that we may even get to see Mount McKinley.  They say that only 30% of visitors ever get to see the mountain, but our driver said it was more like 20% this year.  We didn’t see any wildlife early, but enjoyed the scenery of the park until we came up to the first vista that allowed a view of Denali itself.  It was primarily covered in clouds, but you could see the northern slope of the mountain.  Very impressive since it was 75 miles away.  As the weather was still continuing to improve hope were high for a better view later.  We continued into the park stopping several times for photos or breaks as Lisa told us tales of her adventures in the iditirod and dog training.  As we retuned we did see some moose just off the road.  There was not near as much wildlife as when I toured last year, but the mountains were much more impressive as they had already received their first coating of snow for the season.  We soon returned to the area that we could observe Mount McKinley (Denali) and what cloud were there took the form of the mountain and the north peak was very clear and the slope of the south peak was very noticeable.  Fantastic.  Very majestic and so dominating over the other peaks.  We are defiantly in the 20% club.  We finished our tour and returned to the lodge about 7:00 pm.  A great highlight for the Alaskan Adventure.  As a group we were able to get tables for dinner in the main lodge.  DW had the Mckinley Salad with cranberries, cheese, pecans, etc.  One of her favorite meals of the trip.  I had a Petit Steak and Baked Salmon combo with Alaska Gold Potatoes and some shared McKinley Salad.  A very good meal with great company.  We did see some of the Northern Lights that night upon walking back to our lodge.  A super great day on our Alaska Adventure.

Day Ten--Tuesday--Denali to Anchorage

Our rail car on the Alaska Railroad

It’s cloudy today with some light rain.  We put our bags out by 9:00 am this morning to be collected as this is a travel day with a noon train to catch.  I had a nice buffet breakfast ($18) in the Lodge and then we took an early shuttle over to the Denali Visitors Center to see a movie and see the exhibits.  We then proceeded down to the train station located just below  the Visitors Center and watched the Alaska Railroad train arrive from Fairbanks.  Soon we were loaded in the very nice Holland America rail car in the upper observation area.  Very nice with roomy seats and I got a Moose Mary cocktail as well.  Very beautiful scenery and mountain views as we headed south to Anchorage. Soon we were called for lunch service in the dining area below the upper observation deck.  I had reindeer chili and a salad.  While dining we observed rail workers moving about in a determined manner.  Soon it was announced that there were problems along the line and a wash out of the rail line had occurred just ahead.  We proceeded over Hurricane Gulch then stopped at the Hurricane maintenance yard where we then boarded buses that took us the remanding way (4+ hours) to Anchorage.  Very disappointing as this is my favorite part or the entire trip.  The rail road trip is very relaxing and beautiful and the best way to end the Alaskan Adventure.  We arrived in Anchorage about 7:00 pm at the Westmark Hotel.  We received our room assignments and we had the top floor, the 14th, overlooking the Cook Inlet.  The group gathered in the lobby and many went to eat at Humpy’s and a group went to the Glacier Brewhouse.  We went to the Glacier Brewhouse located just across the street for a wonderful late dinner.  I had a combo of Rib Eye Steak and King Crab Legs.  It was wonderful.  The in-house brewed beers were also very good, I enjoyed a couple Bavarian Hefeweizen and DW had a very nice Passion Fruit Mojito.  For dessert I had the bread pudding (what else), it was nice with pecans and pecan topping.  This was the best meal, by far, of the Alaskan Adventure.

Day Eleven--Wednesday--Anchorage, Alaska
Rainy day in Anchorage.  We slept as late as possible as we have a late flight.  We completely repacked our bags to get below the 50lb. air weight limit, then we went down to the lobby about noon to visit with departing friends.  We shopped for a while at the tourist locations then went over to Humpy’s Alehouse for a long casual late lunch.  I had the Halibut Fish basket as I knew it would be the last proper Alaskan meal.  I also had the bread pudding, it is served with a warm whisky sauce...both were very good. We then did some more shopping and returned to the hotel to relax and visit with the friends remaining before heading to the Ted Stevens Anchorage Int’l Airport.  It is very common for people to book red eye flights from Anchorage, but we are fortunate to have a direct flight to DFW leaving at 8:30 pm.  Due to weather  and wind there were many flight cancellations, but we got away almost on time.

Ship
The MS Statendam is now considered a smaller cruise ship at 719 feet long and 55,819 gross tons.   The ship never seemed crowded and was very clean and well maintained.  There were more than enough activities to keep everyone busy if they wished.  They had daily: Movies, Culinary Demonstrations, Trivia, Games, and various Seminars.  Also Productions shows, Musical groups, and Dancing.  The ship has a covered lido pool area that is ideal for Alaska cruising. 

Cabin
We have cabin 417 an interior cabin located very aft on the starboard side of lower promenade deck (6).  The cabin has an exterior access to the outer deck just across from the cabin, great for viewing or a shortcut to forward area of ship as it circled the ship. The cabin has a lot of floor space if you split the beds into twins, larger than a Carnival standard interior cabin. It has the standard three sets of closets, key code safe, flat screen TV, hair dryer, and full couch.  Our cabin steward did a good job maintaining the cabin.  I would certainly recommend this cabin to the value cruiser.

Crew
The crew was for the most part very good.  Of course the cocktail servers and bartenders in the Crows Nest became favorites and well as the mixology staff.  Disappointed with dining room staff, not consistent at all.  Anthony the CD seemed quite good.  We enjoyed the Captain’s announcements in his unique staccato manner of delivery, very interesting. ;-)

Food
My favorite food was the bread pudding, they usually had it somewhere every day.  Also in a variety of styles: raison, rhubarb, sourdough, etc.  The dinner entrees, when served, were all good and the buffet although not a big variety was also good.  DW said the cookies were very good.  Of course the first and last nights in the dining room were not a good experience.

Alaska Adventure Highlights
Two things were the highlight for me:  The view of Mount McKinley (or Denali), the largest mountain in North America was tops.  Although it wasn’t 100% clear, only 20% of visitors actually get to see it at all so we were lucky.  I also very much enjoyed the Happy Hours in the Crow’s Nest that were wonderful. I later saw the bar manager (during the blackout) and asked him about our fun group at Happy Hour and he was very pleased with the volume of business and fun we added.  They were nice to us and furnished hot horderves as a snack at each gathering, it really did make wonderful cocktail hours.  I also enjoyed Cabin Night and our dinner at the Glacier Brewhouse very much.

What made the trip FUN was traveling with a fun group.  Always rolling with the punches and making the best of every situation, the group was determined to have a great Alaska experience!

IT WAS AN ADVENTURE!

Snoozemates in Alaska