Travelergeoff’s Blog

We are on the way to Victoria, B.C. under cloudy skies that occasionally drip light rain. This afternoon in the Atrium a Wii tournament was held for our press group. Wii is an absolutely marvelous computer contraption. I boxed and played tennis, and it cost me around $500. No, I didn’t bet, I just know I have to by one when we get home.

Of course, swinging those hand held transmitters around used some muscles, and it was off to the spa after the matches. The spa on Pearl is large and well appointed. Whirlpools, thermal pools, relaxation areas, etc. I got a massage and asked not to be “sold” any products. For the first time at any spa, not a word was uttered pitching any merchandise.

We all met early for dinner, as some of us were heading into Victoria when we docked at 6 PM. It was Tex-Mex night at Mambo’s and again, a good meal.

The group shared tour experiences. One of the Favorites was in Ketchikan, where almost half of the press crew met at 6:30 AM to be taken to George Inlet Lodge where they were regaled with lore. They then had wine, beer, and Dungeness crab — ..for breakfast! The float plane flight back that passed over the ship and landed nearby served as dessert.

 

A mother and daughter team went fishing. The mother was from a family of fishermen, her ex-husband was a fisherman. She hooked a nice large fish. Her daughter caught 35! But I beat her daughter at Wii.

Packing time, and I wish I had booked a later flight. NCL has a deal with BAGS (Baggage Airline Guest Services). It costs $15 per person and you’re allowed two bags. Put the bags outside your Cabin door, and the next time you see them is on the carousal at your home airport. What a time and back saver that is! The only hitch is your fight has to leave after 1 PM.

We are sad to leave NCL Pearl. This is, without a doubt, the best ship in its class that we have sailed. We were ranked VIP’s, which helped in boarding and disembarking, but the cruise experience is there to be had by all, and it was outstanding. Service was top notch, no matter restaurant or bar; staff was friendly. I was Mr. Geoff to our room stewards Made and “Wyni”. I loved that there was no formal night, and you could dress as you felt. One suggestion would be to keep aside a few bucks for the dining rooms that charge. The fees are nominal and it’s fun to eat different cuisine each night. That being said, the free restaurants are good, and the Golden Palace is a lovely restaurant.

We’ll be back.

At one time, Ketchikan produced more than 2,000,000 cases of salmon per year. Today, they probably do the same output of T-shirts. Over 400 cruise ships call here each year and the town has far out bustled the days of Gold Rush Fever, although the original Dolly’s House, now a museum is still standing. Dolly’s was known as the place “where men and salmon came upstream to spawn.”

Talking about 400 cruise ships, try these figures. Alaska has put a $50 head tax on every cruise ship passenger who comes to an Alaskan port. Figure an average of at least 1500 passengers per ship, and the math works out to be around 30 million a year.

Since we have been in Ketchikan a few times, we hung out on board and explored the ship. Both Michael and I have been trying to categorize the feeling we get on Pearl. There is nothing subtle about the décor, yet it doesn’t hit you in the face. It’s light and airy, and so far the best we’ve come up with is “whimsical”.

The Garden Café, buffet style food, had more selections than any ship we’ve sailed. There’s the pasta station, the crepe station, vegetarian, grill, roasts, salads, seafood, and desserts. And I must mention the free ice cream. Six or seven flavors are offered, and large dollops fill the cones. This is one place where there is always a line. Can’t find a seat? Just keep on walking to the large outdoor eating area. Nice for Alaska but even better for the Pearl’s canal, and Caribbean itineraries.

There are sport areas all over the ship; a climbing wall, basketball courts, golf putting and driving cage, even a life-sized chess set.

. Inside, there’s a card room, library and internet café. Wireless is available in all public areas, and you can get a cable for stateroom connection. And, oh yes, your cellular phone works both in port and at sea.

One discovery we made is the self service laundries. You won’t find them shown on the deck plans on Pearl’s web page, but there are three of them. Look in the Guest Services Directory in your cabin. Four quarters gets you a squirt of detergent; the washers and dryers are free. A baggie of Tide in your suitcase is not a bad idea.

Most cruise ships have some kind of art display at the stair landings between decks. This ship’s art is just fun.

My favorite:

One of the outstanding features of Pearl is the attention to unique lounging furniture. At the pool, there are two person wicker couches.

In the Atrium, plenty of landing places.

And the area of Bliss Ultra Lounge near the bowling lanes, outdoes them all.

We ate in the Lotus Garden ($10) where the food would best be described as Asian Fusion. Outstanding. I had the most succulent steamed sea bass I ever balanced on my Ohashi (chopsticks). That was the main dish, and it was accompanied by all kinds of Asian starters. I am continually impressed by the meals served on this ship.

Keeping with the Asian theme we went to the main show, Garden of the Geisha; a bound foot step up from the last Stardust Theater presentation.

There were two glaciers on our cruise menu today; Marjorie Glacier, and John Hopkins Glacier. The overcast skies gave the Glaciers a starkness and majesty that put their setting into a prehistoric context. (I have no idea what that means, but at the moment it seemed to fit). We spent part of the time on the Norwegian Pearl bridge watching the pilot and talking to the Captain.

He is only 46 years old and had wanted to be a Captain since he was five. I asked him what motivated him at the tender age of five to seek his life’s work. He said that he used to sit on a bluff near his house in Norway and watch cruise ships sail by, and he knew he wanted to be a cruise ship captain. I said the same thing happened to me when I was five, and I immediately knew I wanted to be a cruise ship passenger. I couldn’t help notice that the Norwegian reaction to humor is a bit more subdued than I imagined it might be.

 

Luckily we were the only cruise ship in Glacier Bay, so it was as if we were on a private tour. Michael and I watched part of the passing scenery as a guest of the courtyard Villas on their private deck. I’ve seen a lot of glaciers, but am still in awe as I realize these monster ice flows are moving toward me inch by inch.

Cocktail time for our press bunch was at the Martini Bar.

We had a “Martini Tasting”. One of the favorites was the Chocolate Martini, a couple of people had the Neon, and I settled for the “Totally Wired”; vodka, a splash of Red Bull, with cranberry sugar rim and a candy stir stick. The only “wired” effect I felt was in trying to frame a word, at odd times it came out as if my jaw was wired.

Le Bistro ($20) was the night’s dinner choice. French, of course traditionally furnished with large picture windows looking out at snow covered mountains. Here in Alaska it stays light until after 9 PM so, even at dinner, there is a lovely view. I had a warm goat cheese tart, a magnificent mushroom soup served in a sourdough “bowl”, and the best Duck Flambé I have ever tasted. Le Bistro deserves to be on anyone’s must try list.

From there to Second City’s Improv show. It was standing room only in the Spinnaker Lounge, although rather than stand I leaned against a pillar. The audience loves this group, and again kudos to NCL for being flexible enough to book this kind of hip entertainment.

Seattle to Alaska on the Norwegian Pearl

We flew Alaska Airlines from Burbank to Seattle, and because of a late departure due to a small plane flying on instruments and trying to land at Bob Hope International Airport, we were late taking off. Add to that some strong head winds and we landed at Seattle almost an hour late. Then we sat out side our gate because the guys with the orange things weren’t there to wave them at the pilots. After a bit, three of them showed up, but what’s this, one had forgotten his orange things. He ran to another gate, dug in a pile of stuff, and sped back ready to make his guidance moves. Perhaps someone should have told the gate that the orange stick gesticulating was completed, and we had arrived. It took about ten minutes to get the gate personnel to their posts before we were funneled off the plane.

Then it was waiting for luggage. The baggage area was jammed, not with bags, but with people waiting for the carousels to start to move. There was a big board that showed which bags from which flight would be on which carousel. Ours were on carousel 13. Not! Never mind the sign info, Michael spotted them on carousel 12, on the other side of the escalators. It was supposed to be a two hour and twenty minute trip, but the by time we got the bags to the curb, we’d been a captive of Alaska Airlines for over four hours.

Since we were on a press junket, a limo picked us up and took quickly to the Cruise terminal, where we were checked on at the VIP desk. All went smoothly, and Ariana was assigned to us to take us to our cabin, 11086. Granted the printing on her manifest was small, and we were first taken to a cabin some miles away. (well by then it felt like miles, this is a big boat.) Another check of the list and we headed to the other end of the ship. At least we knew we had the right floor. Oops, our key didn’t work. Oh, that’s a 6 not an 8.This time just a short stroll and we were home. Home is a verandah mini suite, beautifully decorated with not only a hair dryer, but a lighted makeup mirror.

Pearl is longer than three football fields and can hold 2, 400 passengers. We’re sailing full, including 500 kids. Amazingly, although around, they’re never in the way.

We had the buffet lunch in the Garden Café and the choices were more than ample; and the food good with plenty of tables arranged in semi private areas so there was no feeling of crowding.

NCL initiated what they call the Freestyle concept, so there is no assigned seating in any restaurant. There are 10 restaurants on Pearl, each serving a different style food. Outside each eatery there’s a chart showing available tables at each restaurant on the ship. For instance, the chart may show that Indigo has three tables for two available, none for four at the moment, and two for six diners.

Actually we ate at Indigo and the five course meal was delicious. I had curry, Michael had jerk chicken, and mahi-mahi also made an appearance.

It had been a long day so we skipped the show and headed for the duvet as Pearl slid up the Inside Passage.

First Day at sea

Struggling awake at 8:30 AM we ordered room service. It was prompt and the coffee was good. By the way, there’s an automatic coffee maker in the cabin, so anytime you want coffee, there it is.

We are almost in Alaska and the pool is awash with kids and some adults. The adults are bundled up, the kids in bathing suits. The sun is out, but it’s only 55 degrees.

 

There was a guy at the top of the waterslide whose job is to make sure the slide is clear before the next kid went zipping towards the pool. He was in a heavy hooded parka.

 

Because we are “media” we are considered VIP’s on this cruise. The other VIP’s are in the top suites which include Courtyard Villas, each with a private courtyard, swim against the current lap pool,

hot tub, male and female steam rooms and a small fitness area. Two of them are 5000 square feet, and cost roughly $15, 000 per person for this 7 day trip. They are both occupied..

We ate lunch in the special “Concierge” section (read VIP) of the Star Bar.

In the massive atrium of the Pearl is a Nintendo Wii presented on a two story screen.

 

Two youngsters were playing, and it was fascinating to watch one move his arm in a pitching motion, and the character on the screen pitch the ball. The other player moved his arm — strike one.

 

I also got a strike. Not Nintendo, but at one of the ship’s four Bowling Lanes. Unbelievable, bowling on a boat. I used to be a pinsetter, but was my first time at the other end of the lane. Our media bunch had a tournament, and I didn’t come in last. This was major fun.

Dinner was at Cagney’s steak house. My Ahi was a bit tough, but no one left any steak on their plate. Service was excellent. The cost for Cagney’s is $20 per person.

Second City performed in the Stardust Theater and did sketches, some quite funny, but little improv. Later in the cruise they’ll do a completely improvisational performance. NCL is a exceptionally inventive cruise line, and it’s great to see this kind of entertainment.

2^nd day Juneau

Not much to tell about Juneau. Michael was not well, and slept most of the day and evening. I wrote.

I joined the bunch for dinner at Teppanyaki ($20 per) and was blown away by “the act”. If you’ve been to Benihana’s you’ve seen the showbiz end of the food preparation, but these guys from the Philippines were really good and especially charming.

3^rd day Scagway Tour time.

We are one hour behind PDT and so I was up very early to do my weekly 6:30 AM travel feed to KION which I would air today at 5:30 AM. The alarm rang at 4:45, but the sun had been up for almost an hour, so it didn’t seem so early.

At 9:20 it was time to start our 5 hour Glacier Point \Wilderness Safari tour. Our group met at the end of the Skagway pier which is only a block from first t-shirt shop. We boarded a creaky school bus and went about 100 yards around the area to the public docks. We were then met by Trevor, a guy in his thirties with a shaved head under a peaked cap, face hidden behind a mustache and about a foot of neatly trimmed beard. Trevor was from Texas.

We got some introductory info which passed the time until a large catamaran pulled up to the pier and we were loaded aboard. There were about 40 of us overall. The catamaran did about 40 knots and is the fastest in the area. As we zoomed, Trevor told us about the area, pointed out waterfalls and generally entertained us for the 45 minute trip. As we neared our destination, Trevor said that the two bathrooms on the boat would soon close, but not to worry there were two new lavatories at Glacier Point. We made a turn towards the North, ducked around a peninsula, and then eased our bow (or is it bows) onto a rocky black sand beach.

Two guides, a male and a female were waiting for us, led us to a couple of four wheel drive buses. We loaded in and went for a coupe of miles on a road that had been hacked out of some pretty dense forest. Eventually we reached a clearing where there was an out building housing outer gear and boots for us to wear. The newly constructed toilets were close by, hanging off a wooden deck. But wait! An announcement was made that these were only for the women; the men were pointed down a trail into the woods. Ordinarily, unless very shy, this would not be a problem, but a third dynamic was introduced to this bucolic scenario. MOSQUITOES!!!!!! Swarms of them. They came in clouds, points ready for combat. Now here is the scene. Nature is calling, for some perhaps screaming. Obviously one hand is occupied; the other, holding newly donned jacket to the side. Face is targeted by the enemy. The dilemma, which hand to use to brush away the invader?

There was deet available in two squeeze bottles sitting on the railing of the women’s bathrooms. The mosquitoes reacted to it like lunching executives to a Martini.

 

From the clearing we followed our guides, one holding a cylinder of bear repellent a quarter of a mile down a rocky and root strewn path, eventually reaching our ten man canoes.

We boarded the canoes. “All forward”, hollered our female leader. Glacier ahead, rapids o the rear, we started to paddle.

Although we paddled for what seemed a long time, the glacier didn’t seem to get any closer. It didn’t help that we were going against the current.

 

Finally, close to the glacier’s face, we were told to secure the paddles. What was that noise? The guide had started an outboard motor! We had a motor? I never figured out why we had to paddle to the glacier (and back) with this arm saver sitting behind us. Part of the experiential process?

Few people ever get as close to the ice as we did, and we spent a good bit of time there.

 

The outboard off, we drifted with just the sound of melting water trickling into the bay. Oddly enough, even the mosquitoes just sat quietly on our jackets.

On our way back to the waiting catamaran, our guides told us about their life on Glacier Point. There are twelve, six men and six women, who live in two “dorms” that have no heat or electricity. A third building is the main gathering and eating area. It has three light bulbs, one of which has a dimmer switch. Both of our guides were from Portland, in their early twenties, and loved the job.

When we hit the beach the mosquitoes headed back to the clearing to get ready for the next collection of fresh blood.

Our press group met for dinner in the Italian restaurant, La Cucina. Lots of good food starting with antipasto, then appetizer, then the obligatory pasta course. It was hard to find room for my tasty manicotti.

Stomachs full, we headed for the night’s show in the main theater. By now you may know how I feel about musical shows on ships. Most of them use instrumental and voice tracks recorded in a shore studio. The music is without excitement and, except for the two or three main performers, the dancers lip sync. By now, the younger cruisers are not musically oriented to Broadway, and adjustments, at least on this ship have been made. I quote from the ship’s daily schedule:

SHOWTIME: Sea Legs, a Showgirl Revue

NCL and the Jean Ryan Company proudly present “Sea Legs”-a 21^st century showgirl review. This evening we are highlighting the music of Frank Sinatra and the modern sounds of Justin Timberlake and Beyonce.

I knew there was trouble ahead. Let me just say that rap performed by a white tenor in a suit and tie, no matter how scantily clad the show girls are, does not come close to being anything but a parody. Some of the show girls had microphones attached to their heads. That was to make you think they were really singing. The mics were just props.

For me the Sinatra portion of the show was really upsetting. The singer here and there actually sang different notes then were originally written in order to make the song fit his voice. Frank would have decked him. Two acrobats working a huge ring saved the day.

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