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xxrivmanxx
Member
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Posted: Mon Apr 21st, 2008 02:11 am |
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It is time for my second annual "Today marks the three months to go point for Alaska so let's talk about excursion's and other things to do" speech.
This is for first timers and second, third, fourth and fifth timers alike.
If you are a person that clicks with Alaska (and Abraham), this can be an amazing week without even getting off the ship. Our day cruising Glacier Bay is certainly going to be one of the biggest reasons for that. Other reasons are, well, you are going to be on a cruise ship! It's the life! And, the scenery in the other ports and between ports can be pretty stunning as well.
It is enough just to go on this cruise. It really is. You will be waited on. You will get as much of the best food as you want. You will meet others that will be buzzing about the experience. You will be part of a unique Abraham experience - the seminars which are spread out over the week mixed with the Alaska experience makes for an amazing continuity of positive focus/thought combustion.
What more could I say? What more could anyone do? Well, there is one thing. There is the possibility of adding even more to the experience of Alaska 2008. If you are so inclined, consider getting an even more intimate taste of Alaska and check out the shore excursion options on Holland's web site for our cruise. There is a good variety and a few of us have added amazing experiences to our cruises and our lives!
There are other great things to do in ports besides going on excursions but I figure I'll start with the excursions and go from there.
Tap, tap - Is this thing on?
Rick
Insert favorite dancing frog here ----> 
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vmatch
Member
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Posted: Mon Apr 21st, 2008 05:48 am |
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Another great thing about being onboard is all the great photographers (Rick!). So maybe I can get a new avatar picture this July?
When in Juneau, if you haven't done it yet, take the tramway 1800 feet up Mt. Roberts. The view is spectacular and the Westerdam still looks really big from way up there. The cost is around $25 (I think) and a ticket is good for all day.
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Scott
Moderator
| Joined: | Tue Jul 31st, 2007 |
| Location: | Arizona USA |
| Posts: | 152 |
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Online
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Posted: Tue Apr 22nd, 2008 02:27 pm |
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With the help of my wife last night, my daughters constructed a paper chain ( a VERY LONG paper chain) for their countdown to the cruise. Everyone in the Mielke household is "goosing up" the energy for this trip. I hope to soon post some pictures of my traveling partners.
And, if there is anyone else traveling with kids or grandkids and you'd be willing to post a picture of them on the forum, I know that my kids would love an advance preview of their Club HAL shipmates! I've seen Carol and Tara's son already and I can tell already that he'll have a blast with my kids.
Scott
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Rainbowaterfall
Member
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Posted: Wed Apr 23rd, 2008 11:52 am |
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Thanks Rick for the info that simply being on the cruise ship is enough. We had just spoken of that a day or two prior to your post and your message assisted in contributing to my excitement. Every time I visual myself and my joy on this cruise I imagine myself standing on the side of the cruise ship and the sights I will see from there. "VMatch," we did want to go on the Tramway so I appreciate you bringing that up.
We have been watching a travel show about Alaska that is actually sponsored by Holland America. Thus far, believe it or not, it has not contributed to our enthusiasm! Thus far in the two shows we have watched they have introduced a couple of towns that people live in that are not representative of any of the photos I have seen you have taken Rick or any of the video I have seen! I am surprised that Holland America is choosing to do their show this way but maybe it is simply the two versions of the show I have seen so far. We may stop recording/watching it if this keeps up! I am thinking that Abraham folks are so excellent at choosing what they see(!) that they might be the ones Holland America should employ to create their travel shows!
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Jody1
Super Moderator
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Posted: Wed Apr 23rd, 2008 09:27 pm |
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So Rick, tell us what excursions you have planned?
I would like to see the Misty Fjords again ... it was SO BEAUTIFUL...
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Karen M
Member
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Posted: Thu Apr 24th, 2008 01:19 am |
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Well, I'm not Rick and I haven't purchased my tickets yet but I'll answer anyway. lol!
One of the things we plan to do is the whale watching excursion. That video David took and posted really cinched it for me. There are other things I want to do as well. That's the biggie though.
Karen
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Jody1
Super Moderator
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Posted: Thu Apr 24th, 2008 05:38 am |
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Karen,
I'm sure you already know this, but the experience we had with the whales, documented in the video you mentioned, is EXTREMELY rare! You are very likely to see whales, but maybe not that "up close and personal". That said, the best (IMO) whale excursion is the one we did that combines the whale boat tour where we got that video with the Mendenhall Glacier. The two in one day was just AMAZING!!!
I just realized as I wrote this how "lackful" it sounded!!! Universe! I want to "suck back" that thought. Please replace it with "Karen will see whales up close!! Karen will experience the whales in exactly the perfect time and place for both of them. Karen will have an AMAZING whale encounter!"
  Jody
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xxrivmanxx
Member
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Posted: Thu Apr 24th, 2008 12:01 pm |
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Jody, did you boat to the fjords or fly or both?
Rick
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Jody1
Super Moderator
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Posted: Thu Apr 24th, 2008 12:37 pm |
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Boat. I did the flightplane in 2005, and I prefer the boat SO much more! I like to be in the air, breathing it in, and feeling like I'm really THERE. From the plane, the views were gorgeous, but the plane itself was SO noisy, and seeing everything through a window with all the noise, I felt like I was seeing the views on TV and not really experiencing being there... it can be cold and breezy, but that's half the fun - to me - that's just me - YMMV. So anyway, I'm going to do the Misty Fjords by boat out of Ketchikan. I looked at the list of excursions and HAL is not offering it out of Sitka. If I remember correctly you could get to the Misty Fjords from either last year, but this year only Ketchikan...
 Jody
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Karen M
Member
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Posted: Thu Apr 24th, 2008 12:42 pm |
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Jody,
"Rare" things already manifest into my experience. I'm not concerned in the least. I just want to see whales. Up close would be fabulous, further away will be great too. After all those lovely beings are huge. That means there's plenty of one to see. 
If that excursion is the best, that's the one I'll do. Thanks for the information.
Much love,
 Karen
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vmatch
Member
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Posted: Wed Apr 30th, 2008 02:28 am |
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| For those who would like to see the furry beasts of the Alaskan wilderness there are two bear excursion in Ketchikan both by floatplane: Alaska Bear Adventure and Neets Bay Bear Watch. Both tours limit the number of people allowed into the Tongass National Forest. You'll want to book soon online at the HollandAmerica site. Neets Bay has a salmon hatchery where the bears come to catch salmon. It also attracts eagles. The black and brown bears become active in late July and since we are cruising the third week of July, bear sightings should be good. This will be my 6th cruise to Alaska and I have plenty of pictures of blue ice. Make sure your camera has a good zoom lens. That's about as close as I want to be to the bears! I can bearly wait! Attachment: 66 (Small).JPG (Downloaded 48 times)
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dance of joy
Member
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Posted: Wed Apr 30th, 2008 11:15 am |
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Totally off topic ~
But thank you so much, VMatch, for reminding me of bears. I had the glorious experience to meet up face to face with a black bear while hiking near where I live. She was gorgeous and just what I needed to remember today. I have named her Velvet and she inspires me.
Love to you! 
Christine
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Jody1
Super Moderator
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Posted: Wed Apr 30th, 2008 02:56 pm |
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vmatch wrote: ...This will be my 6th cruise to Alaska and I have plenty of pictures of blue ice. ...
Linda! Are you kidding? One can NEVER have enough pictures of blue ice! 
Right after my first Alaska cruise I had two patches of the Hubbard Glacier, photographed by David, blown up poster size and framed for my office wall. I'm thinking they need to be joined by some newer ice (oh wait.. that would actually be OLDER ice??) Ice is nice!!! Bring it on!   
Jody
Attachment: CRUISE2.2007 030 (Small).jpg (Downloaded 43 times)
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xxrivmanxx
Member
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Posted: Thu May 1st, 2008 01:44 am |
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Hey, I'm with Jody!
And didn't Abraham say somewhere "It's blue ice that really makes the world go round?" Maybe?
Rick
Attachment: Mendenhall iceberg SH.jpg (Downloaded 33 times)
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share bear
Member
| Joined: | Mon Sep 24th, 2007 |
| Location: | Florida USA |
| Posts: | 35 |
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Online
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Posted: Fri May 2nd, 2008 06:27 pm |
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My travel book says that the best way to see Sitka is by foot. Do you agree? I was thinking that this could be the port where we don't do an excursion.
Anyone else have an opinion?
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