Alaska Cruise

Duane_Moore · March 16, 2004, 08:26:07 PM

Thought would take an inside passage cruise this spring, May. 7 day, Seattle to Seattle, anybody else interested, Give me a shout, about $1200. U.S. dcmoore5211@msn.com Duh---Duane

Fla._Deadheader · March 17, 2004, 04:05:30 AM

Do ya plan on leaving yer toolbox home, Duane ;D ;D

Duane_Moore · March 17, 2004, 09:03:18 PM

Nope no toolbox. let princess take care of me, just booked it Leave May. 15th -Seattle to Juneau, then cruise back, on the New Ship at Princess, the Diamond. 7 day tour, for 840$, plus air to Seattle. just thought somebody else might want to go, New Ship and all. Kinda of a guy thing I guess.you know Alaska.Juneau, Tracy Arm,Skagway, Ketchikan,--Sarg. Preston-Klondick Ike-Gold Rusk-Mush- all that tv stuff. come on guys lets go. Duh---Duane 8)

BW_Williams · March 17, 2004, 09:55:50 PM

DanG it Duh, you would pick a weekend I'm teaching at the Academy to start your bon voyage! I will make that passage some day! (It may be in the Bosslady's ski boat) Have fun , BWW

Duane_Moore · March 17, 2004, 10:21:00 PM

Thanks BW. will return on the 5-22- then spend 3 days at McCord A.F.B. Visit the grandkids. then Home, Duh---Duane.

Tillaway · March 25, 2004, 04:31:56 PM

Duane,
Have a great trip, I have been all through SE Alaska with the exception of Skagway. Skagway's population is three during the winter and several hundred during the tourist season by the way.

The problem with the cruise is you only see tourist things and miss most of the real Alaska, when you start getting out away from the tourist areas the place really changes as far as how the people are. Most folks in the cruise/ tourist industry reside out of state, this includes most of the shop and business owners and employees. The people that give the tours quite often only beat the first cruise ship to Alaska by just hours, its hard for them to memorize the script for the tour in time.

Depending on what you want to do, there is a way to avoid the tourist things if you want. One thing to do, if you find this interesting, is see if you can catch a flight on one of the supply planes. They charge a modest fee and you ride up front, that's co-pilot seat with intercom and everything. You will be riding along as they deliver, people, frieght and mail, to some of the more remote communities, logging camps, anchored fishing boats and just about anything else you can imagine. Usually you will be on a regular route, and they will go out of thier way a bit to give good trip. If you see something you want to see closer, whales, bears whatever be sure to speak up cause the pilots love to get closer for a look. A whale pod can delay them for a while. ;D They like to look too. Ketchican is a good place, Promech is the float plane company the last time I was there. On the other hand the cruise ship flight seeing tours leaves Promechs dock in a big twin otter with pilots and co-pilots wearing uniforms real formal like. The fly into misty fiords. The supply plane pilots wears jeans a ball cap and rubber boots and flys to Whale Pass, Shrimp bay, Yes bay, Nuacauti, Thorne Bay, Dall Island, Long Island and many others. If you do the supply plane tour be prepared to help load and unload supplies, and you better not be afraid of flying. ;D

There is an excellent Chinese restaurant in Ketchican, its where the locals go. It's North of the cruise ship dock I think. The bowling alley's restaurant is a good modest priced place to eat and is a favorite of the locals. You can walk there from the cruise ship dock but its a quite a ways to the West just follow the main street, its near the Super 8 Motel. Some of the bars can be a bit rough, The Marine Bar comes to mind, but most near the cruise ship docks are tourist friendly. Tongass Supply is at the west end of the cruise ship dock. This is the local supply/ hardware/ housewares and about anything else you can think of place. It could be entertaining to browse around. I've spent allot of money there on supplies needed for various projects I have done there.

Juneau is a more tourist oriented, about the only time I have spent there has been waiting for flights in and out of the state. You can hop a helicopter and go walk around on Mendenhall glacier if you want.

I took a boat into Tracy Arm once, we rented a 32' Nordic Tug and tooled around for a few days, just me and three other guys. It was a great trip, Tracy Arm is gorgeous.

I think you will enjoy. 8)

Duane_Moore · March 25, 2004, 11:36:54 PM

8) THANK YOU . Tillaway. great info. just up my alley. will give it a try. will have a shot of Jim Beam for you. Thanks. this is great. got one of my ham radio buddys going with, from Mt. Pulaski. ILL. only one took me up on the offer Duh---Duane. 8) 8) 8) I printed it.