Enchantment Of The Seas – A Photo Review
Want to experience enchantment on the seas? Well, you might wish to consider taking a cruise on Royal Caribbean’s Enchantment of the Seas from Baltimore to Bermuda. We took a six day cruise from August 3 to August 9, 2012, and found it to be an enchanting ship with a lot of people of all different ages. I was quite surprised to see a lot of families with young children, and my pictures can give you a glimpse of just how many people were on this cruise ship, and give you an idea of the age range. This was definitely the right ship considering I have three kids – they felt completely at home, and Adventure Ocean was definitely not short of kids. This ship can hold about 2,446 people, and was truly packed! Here are some of my photos:
Enchantment Of The Seas
The Main Swimming Pool is on Deck 9, and is in close proximity to the kids swimming pool and splash area. That is a big bonus for families – it takes a lot of thinking to come up with the perfect solution where everyone can be relaxing and enjoying themselves in the same area.
Enchantment Of The Seas
Main Swimming Pool, Enchantment Of The Seas
The kids pool, and guess who loved it? Chandi had so much fun and the best part of this pool is that the kids pool is right next to the main pool. So often on ships, the kids pool is at the other end of the deck, but on the Enchantment, the pools are in close proximity, so that the whole family can have fun close by to each other, and the kids pool is very safe.
Kids Swimming Pool, Enchantment Of The Seas
Kids Swimming Pool, Enchantment Of The Seas
- Kids Splash Area, Enchantment Of The Seas
Relaxation on the Enchantment Of The Seas
The ship also looks completely enchanting in the evenings.
Deck 9, Enchantment Of The Seas
In this picture, you can see the Rock Climbing Wall
Rock Climbing Wall, Enchantment Of The Seas
Other Areas of the Ship:
Orpheum Theater
Roots Vibrations Band, Enchantment Of The Seas
Captain Gus Andersson
Desserts on the Enchantment Of The Seas, that were served in My Fair Lady, which is the main Dining Room that spans two floors
Key Lime Pie, Enchantment Of The Seas
Sorbet, Enchantment Of The Seas
Ice Cream, Enchantment Of The Seas
Dessert, Enchantment Of The Seas
Tiramisu, Enchantment Of The Seas
My Fair Lady, Enchantment Of The Seas
My Fair Lady, Enchantment Of The Seas
Schooner Bar, Enchantment Of The Seas
Schooner Bar, Enchantment Of The Seas
Chops Grille, Enchantment Of The Seas
Chops Grille, Enchantment Of The Seas
Some of the artwork on the Enchantment Of The Seas, the first two were taken by the staircases, and the last two were taken in the Spa:
Now to the Solarium, however, the pool is for adults only.
The Solarium, Enchantment Of The Seas
I was expecting to see the Park Cafe in the Solarium, and was so disappointed, as I just loved going there for breakfast on the Radiance Of The Seas. However, as the picture above and below show: there were other lunch options, as well as pizza, and snacks
The Solarium, Enchantment Of The Seas
Someone sure liked the ice cream on the ship, and she wasn’t the only one!
Ice cream on the Enchantment Of The Seas
Enchantment Of The Seas in Bermuda
Casino Royale, Enchantment Of The Seas
Casino Royale, Enchantment Of The Seas
Floor near Casino, Enchantment Of The Seas
Boleros Lounge, Enchantment Of The Seas
Chandi often came back with her face painted, but she had so much fun and loved it at Adventure Ocean, the greatest place for kids age 3-11.
Adventure Ocean, Enchantment Of The Seas
Main Swimming Pool, Enchantment Of The Seas
The Shops, Enchantment Of The Seas
The Shops, Enchantment Of The Seas
Midnight Party, Enchantment Of The Seas
Midnight Party, Enchantment Of The Seas
Enchantment Of The Seas
Enchantment Of The Seas
Towel Art, Enchantment Of The Seas
Our Inside Cabin, even though it was a little tight for all four of us, served us really well, and we really enjoyed our cabin.
Inside Cabin on Enchantment Of The Seas
The Lobby (or Centrum as it is referred to on the ship):
Centrum, Enchantment Of The Seas
Centrum, Enchantment Of The Seas
Centrum, Enchantment Of The Seas
The decks are a great place to take a walk or run, and try to keep in shape.
Enchantment Of The Seas
There was a Cake Decorating Challenge on Day 6, and the Captain participated, and I believe he won.
Day At Sea, Enchantment Of The Seas
Two of the singers who are also great dancers from the Orpheum Theater, performed for us in the Centrum on Day 6.
Summer Breeze Music Concert, Centrum
On Day 6, we also had the International Parade of Flags, and this was such a fitting ceremony, especially since the Olympics were taking place during the same time
International Parade of Flags, Centrum
Want to learn how to create towel art? Well, on the Enchantment Of The Seas, they gave a demonstration of how to create the towel animals (however, I still can’t do it).
Enchantment Of The Seas
Do you like Ben & Jerry’s? Well, their ice cream is available on this ship (not included in the cruise fare) – you will have to pay for this, as well as for the premium coffees and pastries at Lattetudes, and for alcohol.
Ben & Jerry’s, Enchantment Of The Seas
Lattetudes, Enchantment Of The Seas
Now for some pictures of the Indian food – finally, I found it on Day 6 in the WindJammer Cafe. However, it was available every day on the menu in My Fair Lady, which was my assigned Dining Room for dinner at 6pm. There was always something that was Indian, and ranged from Sholay (chick peas curry) with rice and naan, to Aloo Gobi (potatoes and cauliflower) with rice and naan bread.
Indian Food, Windjammer Cafe, Enchantment Of The Seas
These pictures below are a 1) a delicious rice dish 2) Fish Tikka 3) Aloo Muttar 4) Tikka – Butter Chicken 5) Malai Kofta (also shown above in bigger picture)
I didn’t always have Indian food, and often opted for other dishes such as the chicken dish shown below
Food on the Enchantment Of The Seas
The waiters on the ship are absolutely fantastic. Our waiter is the one waving in the picture below.
Enchantment Of The Seas
Bernie Martini at the Schooner Bar – he is a fabulous singer!
Bernie Martini, Schooner Bar, Enchantment of The Seas
Balloons ready for a Farewell Dance Party in the Centrum
Centrum, Enchantment Of The Seas
Centrum, Enchantment Of The Seas
Well, that evening the party got into full swing, and balloons were flying everywhere! Adults as well as kids were having a great time trying to catch the balloons.
Enchantment Of The Seas
The entertainers who usually entertained us in the Orpheum Theater, were now entertaining us in the Centrum, and there was such a party atmosphere, it was a truly nice way to end the cruise.
Enchantment Of The Seas
Closing thoughts on my cruise experience on the Enchantment Of The Seas. Well, I think it is a great ship for families, and there is a lot to do. There is bungee jumping, rock climbing, a jogging track, the gym, ping-pong tables, a Spa, and of course the Orpheum Theater for spectacular entertainment. Also, a really important bonus that is on many other Royal Caribbean ships is Adventure Ocean kids club, which made my family vacation really great, as Chandi absolutely loved being there.
To see some more photos that I put on my Facebook page, please click here: facebook.com/luchaniktravelandcruises
Thank you for reading my post, and I hope you enjoyed my pictures.
MSC Musica
Don’t overlook MSC Cruise Lines – they are not as well known as some of the bigger names, but should be. I have cruised with them in 2006 on a 7 day cruise from Venice, Italy on the MSC Musica that included stops in Bari, Italy; Dubrovnik, Croatia; Katakolon, Greece; Izmir and Istanbul, Turkey. I would highly recommend the MSC Cruise Lines. Here are some pictures.
MSC Musica
MSC Musica
MSC Musica
MSC Musica
MSC Musica
MSC Musica
MSC Musica
MSC Musica
MSC Musica
Baltimore – it’s so much more!
First you might be asking, why the title? The answer is simple: because I didn’t take enough pictures – I arrived late from Washington, DC and then only had a few hours the next morning before taking the cruise. I know Baltimore is a beautiful place – I have been there a long time ago, but don’t even know if I have pictures from back then – would have to search for them. Here are the pictures of this recent trip to Baltimore (sorry, there’s only a few):
Baltimore, MD
Baltimore, MD
It was at least 6:30 pm or so, when we arrived at the hotel, we stayed at the Homewood Suites, a Hilton property on President Street. This property is shared by the Homewood Suites and the Hilton Garden Inn.
Homewood Suites, Baltimore
Baltimore, MD
Baltimore, MD
We decided to eat at the Harbor East Deli, since my kids love pizza. We ordered an extra large pizza that we all devoured – it was good! This was a three minute walk or so from our hotel, and we ate at around 8pm.
Harbor East Deli, Baltimore
The next day, went for a walk in the morning and walked past the Harbor East Deli again. All the pictures in this post were taken within 5 or 10 minutes walking distance of our hotel.
Harbor East Deli, Baltimore
Here are some other pictures:
Baltimore, MD
Baltimore, MD
Baltimore, MD
Baltimore, MD
Baltimore, MD
Baltimore, MD
Baltimore, MD
Baltimore, MD
Baltimore, MD
Baltimore, MD
Seven Foot Knoll Lighthouse, Baltimore
Seven Foot Knoll Lighthouse, Baltimore
Seven Foot Knoll Lighthouse, Baltimore
Baltimore, MD
Baltimore, MD
Then we had to hurry back to the hotel, and we caught a taxi to the cruise terminal. It was a 8 minute or so ride that cost $18. In the next post, I will show you pictures of the Enchantment Of The Seas – the cruise ship that we took from Baltimore to Bermuda.
Wonderful Washington, DC
I used to live in Washington, DC, just over 14 years ago. I recently went back to DC for the first time since I left the East Coast to move to San Diego, and it felt like I was there for the first time. This time I will spend almost three days in this wonderful city with my three kids. Below is a brief recount of my trip with some pictures that I took.
We flew from San Diego to Baltimore, Maryland and then caught an Amtrak train to Union Station. Once we got out of the airport, we had to walk just a few feet to catch a shuttle bus that took us to the Amtrak Station. There were trains just about every 20 minutes or so, and the train journey only took about 30 minutes or so, and the price was about $9 per person average (with a slight discount for kids). I had already made my reservation online with Amtrak. When I first stepped into Union Station on July 31, 2012, I felt some traces of familiarity – that this was a place that I had been to a long time ago, and that felt good – don’t know why. I was so excited in seeing this station again, and proud to show it to my children.
Union Station, Washington, DC
Another picture of Union Station
Union Station, Washington, DC
We stayed at the Grand Hyatt on H Street, NW, for two days, and I had decided that on the last night – on August 2nd, it would be safer to stay in Baltimore, Maryland, which was where the cruise we were taking on August 3rd was departing from. I had struggled with the temptation of staying in DC for an additional night instead, and taking my chances on the day of the cruise, but I decided that with three kids and luggage, I should not risk it – so on August 2nd, we would make the trip back in the evening at around 5:30 pm to catch the train back to Baltimore, MD.
That first evening we met up with an old friend of mine, and I saw her two kids for the first time. It was wonderful to catch up with her and for my kids to play with hers. We ate at a restaurant within walking distance of the Grand Hyatt called Zaytinya (a mixture of Turkish, Greek, and Lebanese cuisine) although it may have not been the best choice of dining, considering we had kids. Here are some pictures of the Grand Hyatt, which is a truly lovely hotel that is within walking distance of Union Station, the White House, the Monument, and many other sightseeing attractions.
The Grand Hyatt Hotel, Washington, DC
The Grand Hyatt Hotel, Washington, DC
I have so many more pictures of this beautiful hotel, but I may do separate posts in the future, that I will include them in. That night, after eating out, we took pictures with my friend and her kids back at the hotel (not shown here), before they left.
The next morning, after breakfast at the Grand Cafe at the Grand Hyatt, we took in some of the many sites of DC. Here are some of my pictures:
The Treasury Department, Washington, DC
I’m not sure what this building was, but I was so happy to be here, and to begin my recording of memories, I must have liked the color, and the clock.
Washington, DC
When I used to live here in DC, you could walk into the grounds of the White House without a problem, but now it has all changed. Ever since 9/11, security has been tightened, and you can not go into the grounds without contacting your Congressman at least six months before the date of your desired visit. I did not know this, so unfortunately, we could not go into the grounds or into the White House. So, here is Chandi outside the White House:
White House
However, if you put your camera in-between the railings, you can get the White House without all those metal bars:
White House, Washington, DC
Old Executive Office Building, next to White House
Then, Chandi had to go to the bathroom, so Renwick Gallery, one of the Smithsonian Museums came to the rescue. Here is Chandi taking a look at the artwork:
Renwick Gallery
That’s me in front of a fantastic piece that I really loved. I think it may have been called “Autumn” or something similar – I just loved the colors, and stared at it for ages.
Renwick Gallery
Game Fish, Renwick Gallery
Renwick Gallery
The picture below was taken at the back of the Old Executive Building, which is on Pennsylvania Avenue, next to the White House
Washington, DC
This gave us another opportunity to view the White House from another angle, by just taking a short walk around the corner.
White House
Okay, now onto some different attractions, and other buildings that grabbed my attention:
The Monument
“Commerce Among Nations Should Be Fair And Equitable” – Franklin (as shown in the picture below):
The Commerce Building
It is so amazing that pictures can look so different from a different angle, or a few yards away.
The Monument
This Memorial below was not here when I used to live in DC, it is absolutely beautiful!
World War Two Memorial
World War Two Memorial
World War Two Memorial
World War Two Memorial
World War Two Memorial
World War Two Memorial
Lincoln Memorial
National Museum Of American History
Near Federal Triangle Metro Station on the way to the Old Post Office Building to get dinner
Washington, DC
Washington, DC
Do you know that we walked just about everywhere in DC? Well, at least to all the places that I have shown here. We walked from Union Station to our hotel, from the hotel to the White House, and from the White House to the Monument, and then to Lincoln Memorial, and also from Lincoln Memorial to the Old Post Office Building, and then back to the hotel. That was a sample of just one day’s worth of walking!
Back at the hotel
Grand Hyatt, Washington, DC
It is now Day Three, and our last day here in DC. These are today’s pictures:
Washington, DC
Edgar Hoover FBI Building
United States Navy Memorial
Washington, DC
The Capital Grille
Newseum
Washington, DC
The US Capitol
The US Capitol
The Botanical Gardens near the Capitol
Chandi’s best place in DC was the Botanical Gardens, she was so happy here, and I didn’t have to ask her twice to smile, unlike in many other pictures!
Botanical Gardens
Botanical Gardens, Washington, DC
Botanical Gardens
near the Botanical Gardens, and the US Capitol
Washington, DC
Washington, DC
Not the best of pictures, but this was at the entrance of the US Capitol.
The US Capitol
A lot has changed in regards to the entrance into the US Capitol too. Just like the White House, you can’t just go into the grounds or up the stairs. Now the entrance is all the way at the back, and I didn’t seem to recognize the part that we went into as I have been in this building before years ago. Now you can’t go into where Congress is passing laws unless you approach your Congressman (I believe six months in advance, just as with the White House).
We were lucky to get tickets for the guided tour (free), the last tour of the day was at 3:35 pm.
The US Capitol
The US Capitol
The Capitol
The Capitol
This picture was taken in the taxi on the way to Union Station
China Town, Washington, DC
Union Station, Washington, DC
I know that some people can get bored of seeing the same places over and over again, but not I. I love seeing the same sights, and it seems that each time I see one of my favorite places again, it’s definitely just like being there for the first time. I did feel some nostalgia as I saw familiar places again (such as the White House, the Capitol, and Union Station – I’ve seen them all previously, but as I said before, it really felt like seeing DC for the first time – I just really enjoyed my visit.
And so the journey ends to Washington, DC for this time. However, I have a strong feeling that this won’t be my last time to DC – I just have to visit again. Thank you for reading, and I hope you liked my post.
Super San Francisco
This was my second visit to San Francisco. I’m not going to write much here, but will just show you some of my pictures taken in July of 2012. Whether you visit for Fishermans Wharf, China Town, Little Italy, the Golden Gate Bridge, or whether you love chocolate and want to visit the Ghirardelli Chocolate Factory, there will be something for everyone to see here in San Francisco.
near Powell Street Metro Station, San Francisco, CA
near Powell Street Metro Station, San Francisco, CA
San Francisco, CA
San Francisco, CA
San Francisco, CA
San Francisco, CA
San Francisco, CA
People put their underwear on display to dry in their windows (of all places).
San Francisco, CA
People’s other clothes go on public display out on the balcony. Here in San Diego, we are not even allowed to put things on the balcony when we are not even overlooking a public street – San Francisco seems to be a lot more laid back with its policies.
China Town, San Francisco
San Francisco, CA
San Francisco, CA
Fishermans Wharf, San Francisco, CA
Fishermans Wharf, San Francisco, CA
Fishermans Wharf, San Francisco, CA
San Francisco, CA
Fishermans Wharf, San Francisco, CA
Fishermans Wharf, San Francisco, CA
Fishermans Wharf, San Francisco, CA
Fishermans Wharf, San Francisco, CA
Fishermans Wharf, San Francisco, CA
Fishermans Wharf, San Francisco, CA
Fishermans Wharf, San Francisco, CA
Fishermans Wharf, San Francisco, CA
Fishermans Wharf, San Francisco, CA
Little Italy, San Francisco, CA
Little Italy, San Francisco, CA
Little Italy, San Francisco, CA
China Town, San Francisco, CA
China Town, San Francisco, CA
China Town, San Francisco, CA
I did not get very good pictures of the Golden Gate Bridge, unfortunately. The lighting just did not work out for me, and plus it was overcast to some degree.
Golden Gate Bridge, San Francisco, CA
Golden Gate Bridge, San Francisco, CA
Golden Gate Bridge, San Francisco, CA
Golden Gate Bridge, San Francisco, CA
near the Golden Gate Bridge, I just had to take this picture:
San Francisco, CA
Fort Mason, near Golden Gate Bridge, San Francisco, CA
Ghirardelli Chocolate Factory, San Francisco, CA
Ghirardelli Chocolate Factory, San Francisco, CA
Ghirardelli Chocolate Factory, San Francisco, CA
Ghirardelli Chocolate Factory, San Francisco, CA
It was so busy here at Ghirardelli – absolutely amazing, and need I say – tasty!
Ghirardelli Chocolate Factory, San Francisco, CA
Ghirardelli Plaza, San Francisco, CA
Ghirardelli Chocolate Factory, San Francisco, CA
San Francisco, CA
San Francisco, CA
San Francisco, CA
San Francisco, CA
I hope you liked the pictures of San Francisco. It is a beautiful city, and ever so colorful.
Lovely Lake Tahoe
South Lake Tahoe, California, is not just a winter destination for ski-lovers – it is a perfect place to go in the summer. It is serene, and offers a laid-back atmosphere, where you can spend your summer afternoons doing practically nothing other than sunbathing along the edge of the Lake. The beaches along the Lake are beautiful, and the color of the water is just gorgeous – very green. Then with the mountains, and the fresh air – this place is terrific. We visited in the middle of July, 2012, and even though it was hot, there was a nice breeze.
Bring your hiking shoes, as this is a perfect place to take walks, although be warned that going up the hills in Lake Tahoe, should only be undertaken by those who are fit enough. I once attempted to take a walk along the road leading back up to the place where we stayed – Tahoe Seasons Resort – well, going downhill was no problem, but going back up certainly was a different story – let’s just say, it was quite a challenge for me. Be warned though, that you are going to be way up in the mountains and you will see that items in the grocery store such as chips, and even milk and yoghurt will be slightly swollen with excess air. I was told that many people can suffer from swollen ankles here, but I didn’t have that problem.
Here are some pictures of Lakeside Beach – a private beach, and further down this post, you will see pictures of Emerald Lake and Tahoe Seasons Resort.
South Lake Tahoe, CA
South Lake Tahoe, CA
South Lake Tahoe, CA
South Lake Tahoe, CA
South Lake Tahoe, CA
South Lake Tahoe, CA
South Lake Tahoe, CA
This is a restaurant that overlooks the private beach – Lakeside Beach – which we had a free pass to.
South Lake Tahoe, CA
South Lake Tahoe, CA
South Lake Tahoe, CA
South Lake Tahoe, CA
South Lake Tahoe, CA
South Lake Tahoe, CA
- South Lake Tahoe, CA
On day three, we ventured onto the narrow roads again (it takes quite a bit of courage sometimes to face those same roads again) to see Lake Emerald, which is just about a fifteen or twenty minute drive from downtown South Lake Tahoe.
Emerald Lake – South Lake Tahoe, CA
Emerald Lake – South Lake Tahoe, CA
Emerald Lake
Emerald Lake – South Lake Tahoe, CA
This is a beach that is not private, and it is also very beautiful, and it is only a five minute drive from Lakeside Beach.
South Lake Tahoe, CA
South Lake Tahoe, CA
South Lake Tahoe, CA
South Lake Tahoe, CA
South Lake Tahoe, CA
As for food, we mostly went to Denny’s, however, we did try a wonderful Indian restaurant named Nikki’s Chaat Cafe – it had the best pakoras ever! I am normally more a samosa person, but this time I was hooked! I will always remember the pakoras.
Nikki’s Chaat Cafe, South Lake Tahoe, CA
This is just a picture I took, but I didn’t get to try the food here.
South Lake Tahoe, CA
This is the resort where we stayed. It actually is a timeshare that I exchanged into, and instead of staying for seven days – we stayed for just four days. The actual accommodation was quite nice. It was a one-bedroom with a separate living room, that had a mini-fridge with microwave, and coffee maker (no stove).
Tahoe Seasons Resort – South Lake Tahoe, CA
Tahoe Seasons Resort – South Lake Tahoe, CA
Tahoe Seasons Resort – South Lake Tahoe, CA
Chandi at Tahoe Seasons Resort – with her “Bear Family”
Tahoe Seasons Resort
South Lake Tahoe is indeed a very beautiful place to visit – once you get there. However, getting there – can be a little tricky. In fact, I would be hesitant about driving on those roads in snowy conditions, as it was a little hair-raising driving to this popular, and very laid-back ski destination. As I drove the car along the narrow roads that went into mountainous community, my heart skipped many a beat and I dared not look along the sides of the road as I could easily have gone off the edge of the road in an instant.
South Lake Tahoe, CA
So, my words of advice are – just be careful driving into this tourist destination, and bring some extra money – as Harrah’s Casino and Harvey’s Casino are in Lake Tahoe, in the centre of downtown.
Sizzling Summer, 2012!
Summer, 2012 was sizzling; I have not had a better summer in years than I did this summer. I have learnt to truly relax and get away from it all, including getting away from social media and technology – except for my camera and camcorder (could not be without those). And best of all, I spent my time with my family.
Well, I visited various places this summer, other than San Diego, where I currently live (yes, I am always the eternal tourist here). Here is a picture of my little girl, Chandi, enjoying the beach in Coronado – just near the Hotel Del.
Hotel Del – Coronado
In addition, I have visited a new place – South Lake Tahoe, which is in California, and on the border with Nevada.
South Lake Tahoe, CA
I visited San Francisco again for the second time (the last time I went there was at least 15 years ago):
San Francisco, CA
I also went back to my old home, Washington, DC, which is where I first lived when I moved to the USA from England quite a number of years ago. I loved being back in Washington, DC.
White House, Washington, DC
Another place that was revisited this summer was Baltimore, Maryland – this place has changed quite a bit, and is becoming a very popular place:
Baltimore Harbor
I went to Baltimore to catch a cruise – The Enchantment Of The Seas – to Bermuda – and this time I cruised with my kids, which is my favorite way to cruise!
Enchantment Of The Seas, Baltimore to Bermuda
Bermuda is a brand new place that I visited, and this place is gorgeous, pink sands, and turquoise water – absolutely heavenly!
Warwick Long Bay/Jobson’s Cove Beach, Bermuda
However, my one biggest regret this summer is that I did not go back home to England (where I was born) and be in London to see the Olympics. Alas, I had to watch it on television, and I tuned in this year, unlike other years, perhaps because it had something to do with my beloved city of London. Even though I was born in northern England, I did live in London for over a year, and have been back several times for visits. London is just one of those places that I can visit again and again – I never get bored with it – it is a terrific city (in fact my favorite city). I was filled with such pride for how London did an outstanding job in how it hosted the Olympics. The opening and closing ceremonies were absolutely terrific, and the best of British was definitely on display. If I hadn’t booked my cruise which ended just days before the Olympics ended, I would definitely have been in London. Oh, well…. London, you know I will visit you again very soon.
Even though I didn’t get to visit England this year, I had a lot of fun visiting places in the USA and seeing another country (Bermuda) that can now be added to my list of about thirty plus countries that I have visited. I will be putting all these new places I visited into separate posts, with some pictures, and I hope you will take a look. As I look at this post, and I’m sure you may see it too…..I count many places as my home, not just San Diego, or Washington, DC and London. Home is where the heart is, and my heart has definitely been in all these three places.
Summer, 2012, was wonderful for me, and I treasured my time spent with my children – we had a summer we will never forget.
Cruisetour – Alaska (Part 2)
This is a continuation of Part 1 of the Cruisetour in Alaska, which was posted yesterday. In this video, you will see more of Hotel Alyeska, as well as the other three hotels that I stayed in: Talkeetna Lodge, McKinley Village Lodge, and Pikes Waterfront Lodge. Here you will see Mount McKinley in all it’s glory – did you know that I am part of the 30% club? That means only 30% of the people who visit Mount McKinley get to see it, as often it is shrouded in clouds or fog – yet on this occasion, Mount McKinley was clearly visible. Also, you will see Denali Park, and footage of the Grizzly Bear sighting.
Now, I will add further comments about Day 2 through Day 4 of the cruisetour right here, instead of listing all the days out one by one. As you know, I stayed at the Alyeska Resort & Hotel on Day 1, and when I awoke the next morning, I went on the tram to take a look at where the skiing takes place in this wonderful resort. I already showed you the pictures in a previous post, and many more are included on the videos than what I can enclose here in this post. Therefore, I will start with what happened when we left Alyeska. We went to the Conservation Center, which is where I saw the Black Bear, and other animals. From there, we went to Anchorage, and the most notable thing about Anchorage from what I remembered was that it is a city with a lot more choices of shopping and restaurants than you will find in other places such as Skagway, Juneau, Ketchikan, Talkeetna, etc. There was a market that had really good salmon quesadillas, and I would highly recommend trying one of these if you ever get chance to visit. Here are some of my pictures of Anchorage:
Market in Anchorage, Alaska
Dogs of Alaska – Anchorage
Anchorage, Alaska
We then left Anchorage after about three hours or so, and headed for Talkeetna Lodge which overlooks Mount McKinley.
Talkeetna Lodge, Alaska
Talkeetna Lodge
Restaurant at Talkeetna Lodge
Talkeetna Lodge
Weddings at Talkeetna
I am pretty sure that the tour guides or someone told us that Mount McKinley is the tallest mountain from base to the top (the peak) – so it is pretty spectacular. However, it was sad to hear that just before the day we were there, someone had a fatal fall from it. Something so spectacular can also be so dangerous, unfortunately.
Mount McKinley
Mount McKinley
Mount McKinley
I took the photo below with my I-Phone, and at times it is really hard to distinguish which is Mount McKinley, but it looks as though it’s where the third bump is (more towards the right of the picture). With my regular camera, I took the other pictures below of sunset in the vicinity, but they weren’t directly over Mount McKinley, but sunset is sunset I guess, and it doesn’t really matter where it is as long as it’s enjoyed. What is notable to mention is that sunset started at about 11:30 pm, and lasted until 2 am or so. It stays light until very late in certain parts of Alaska, and this seemed to vary as we traveled from place to place. Also, it was light very early in the morning too, so there were very few hours of darkness, especially at Talkeetna Lodge. It was so unusual to see sunset so late at night, and who can go to sleep when you can stay up until 2 am just appreciating the sunset over Mount McKinley?
Sunset over Mount McKinley
You can take a flightseeing excursion over Mount McKinley, and you can actually even land on it. We saw so many flightseeing tours, and here are some pictures of planes flying close by:
Leaving Talkeetna, I took this picture:
near Denali
We arrived at our next stop, where we would spend the night prior to visiting Denali National Park
McKinley Village Lodge
McKinley Village Lodge
McKinley Village Lodge
McKinley Village Lodge
That’s me (Davinder) at McKinley Village Lodge
McKinley Village Lodge
Then we set off in the morning really early at 5:30 am or so for Denali National Park. This meant that I had to wake up at approximately 4am – another early morning! I barely had time to grab something from the coffee shop in the lobby. They gave us lunch boxes on the bus as there are no cafes or restaurants in Denali, and you have to be very careful with food. You even have to make sure that you don’t put anything in the trash cans that has any trace of food, this is for the benefit of the animals – so that they don’t associate food with humans. All food has to be consumed on the bus, and disposed of in special trash containers within the bus, and then the bus personnel see to the proper disposal of it. I think our sandwiches were reindeer meat, and there was some type of crackers and raisins, and a bottle of water.
Our tour of Denali, which was a 7 hour tour because it was the upgraded Denali Park Tour, cost an additional $58.25. The included Denali Park Tour does not go deep into Denali, and I believe it only lasts about two and a half hours. However, it was highly recommended to get the upgraded tour, and I’m glad that I did.
Here are some pictures, I’m not going to show too many as again, you can see them in my video or a previous post. The first picture shows you the bus that takes you into Denali National Park. My most personal prized picture of Denali is that of the Grizzly Bear, and I also got it on video.
The bus – Denali Park
Grizzly Bear
Dall Sheep of Alaska
This is some of the landscape within Denali:
Denali National Park landscape
Denali National Park
near Denali National Park
Now, I should give you a little background on Denali. This park was put into place after much lobbying to Congress from the efforts of early conservationists such as Charles Sheldon, who fought to preserve Denali. Did you know that some people refer to Mount McKinley as Denali, while others just wish to call it Mount McKinley? The native name for it is Denali. In fact, the park was first named Mount McKinley National Park, but it was renamed Denali National Park and Preserve. Did you know that cars cannot go deep into the park? I believe only a certain number are given a permit to enter the park, but they are only allowed to go up to a certain point. By riding the tour bus, we are all helping to protect Denali’s wilderness ecosystem. Denali is an important park, because the animals within it are respected, and have a safe area to roam around. I like bears and appreciate the idea that there is a place for them where they are protected, and won’t be hunted or slaughtered, but I guess the same goes for all the other animals there who are all important to one another’s existence. Anyway, I didn’t mean to go off into talking about something that I don’t know a lot about, but I do appreciate what they are doing in Denali.
After we finished our tour of Denali, we headed to Fairbanks, and the Pikes Waterfront Lodge. This was to be our last stop and our last night in Alaska.
Pikes Waterfront Lodge
Pikes Waterfront Lodge
Pikes Waterfront Lodge
Sunset at Pikes Waterfront Lodge
I have finally finished the posts and videos on Alaska. Well, until next time……I wish you a very pleasant week ahead, and a happy summer!
Cruisetour – Alaska
Join Davinder on her 4 day cruisetour of Alaska, which started in Seward at the end of the 7 day cruise from Vancouver to Alaska.
Day 1 of the Cruisetour was busy and very memorable with visits to the SeaLife Center, a Resurrection Bay Wildlife Cruise (where Davinder saw a whale, at least a glimpse of a whale), and a wonderful trip on the Wilderness Express train where she saw a Bald Eagle. The day finished with a stay overnight at the beautiful Alyeska Resort and Hotel, which is one of the best ski resorts in Alaska.
How is a cruisetour different to a shore excursion?
A cruisetour is different to a shore excursion, because the latter is available as an optional trip during a cruise ship’s port visit, while a cruisetour, is a trip you can make either prior to your cruise or after. You can take cruisetours virtually everywhere you embark on your cruise, or disembark, so next time you think of a cruise whether it’s from Venice, Rome, London, Miami, Vancouver, or any other port at all – think about a cruisetour, and you will get to see more of that particular place. A cruisetour allows you to visit different places, and to see them in greater depth. Transportation is included, as well as accommodation, and some meals. Most cruisetours are run by cruise lines, so it makes sense to book them along with your cruise. You should always book your cruisetours prior to taking your cruise.
I took a post-cruise tour, which started from Seward, which was where the Vancouver to Alaska cruise finished. Also, just something to note…..I would never have seen bears during my cruise – even on the shore excursions that I took (however, there are some excursions where there is a chance to see bears), and since I love bears, this cruisetour made it worthwhile to me, especially when I saw the Grizzly Bear in Denali Park. The Black Bear that I saw even though it was in a Conservation Center, was also another highlight of my cruisetour, as was the Wilderness Express train, and my stay at the Hotel Alyeska. I also enjoyed seeing Mount McKinley. Therefore, as you can see – you would not be able to experience Denali Park, Mount McKinley, the Wilderness Express train, Mount McKinley, or Hotel Alyeska without going on a cruisetour, unless you fly to Alaska just specifically to experience these places. I hope this explanation has made it a little clearer to you as to what a cruisetour is, and sometimes it is more difficult to write about it than to show it in a video, so I’ve attempted to explain it in a video that I made – please see the next post, and I will also put a link here: Cruisetour – Alaska
Anyway, to continue my recount of the cruisetour, I have included some pictures below. The bus was right outside the cruise ship, waiting to take us on the next adventure.
Cruisetour – Alaska
We then went to the SeaLife Center (I showed you some pictures of the sea lions and seals in a previous post), here are some pictures of the actual Center
SeaLife Center, Seward, Alaska
SeaLife Center, Seward, Alaska
vicinity of SeaLife Center, Seward, Alaska
We then went back by bus to near where the cruise ship was docked to catch a Resurrection Bay Wildlife Cruise. This is where I caught a glimpse of a whale, you can see that in my video that I will post at the bottom of this page. Here are pictures of the port of Seward:
The port of Seward, Alaska
Radiance Of The Seas, Seward
Port of Seward, Alaska
Port of Seward, Alaska
Port of Seward, Alaska
Port of Seward, Alaska
Now, for the highlight of the cruisetour, or at least my favorite part – the Wilderness Express train – you just have to experience this train. It has two levels, and has a glass dome, which makes for excellent viewing. You can see the wildlife of Alaska as you zoom on by, we saw caribou, and bald eagles (you will see the bald eagle on my video, didn’t get a picture of it, just video footage).
The Wilderness Express
That’s me – Davinder – both outside the train, and on level two of the train in the glass dome portion of it. Everybody else had gone downstairs to eat.
The Wilderness Express
Here I am with a fellow CruiseOne franchise owner and his wife, and another travel agent.
The dining car on the Wilderness Express
Have you ever delved into your food, and then realized you should have taken a picture first? Well, this halibut was so good, that I could not resist, and I took the picture too late. I probably should not even include this picture here, but I promise this was just about the best dish of food I had during the whole trip to Alaska – it was delicious!
Food on the Wilderness Express (half-eaten!)
I’m not sure if I showed you this picture of the caribou, but we saw these from the train.
Caribou, Alaska
Well, if they could make a song and sing it to the tune of “Welcome to the Hotel California”, they should do it for the Hotel Alyeska. Welcome to the Hotel Alyseska, it’s a lovely place. We arrived at this beautiful hotel way too late, it must have been at about 9pm. The next day we had to leave at around 11 am, and that certainly was not fair. I just loved this hotel. It is simply beautiful, and I could easily stay here for three or four days at least, a visit of one night is not worth it. It has so much atmosphere, and words cannot describe it – both inside and outside of the hotel, it is exquisite.
It was snowing when we arrived there, and this was on Friday, May 18th. The Hotel Alyeska is one of the best ski resorts in Alaska. It is a very popular place, and rightly so.
Hotel Alyeska, Alaska
Hotel Alyeska, Alaska
Hotel Alyeska, Alaska
Hotel Alyeska, Alaska
Hotel Alyeska, Alaska
Hotel Alyeska, Alaska
The next morning, we took a tram up to where all the skiing takes place, and there was so much snow.
Tram at Alyeska Resort and Hotel
Tram, Alyeska Resort and Hotel, Alaska
Hotel Alyeska, Alaska
Out of the four hotels that I stayed in during the four day cruisetour of Alaska, the Alyeska Resort was undoubtedly the best. It is just magical.
Hotel Alyeska
Goodbye, Hotel Alyeska and the Wilderness Express train. I wish I’d had more time with both of you – you were both part of my most incredible experiences of the cruisetour, and both occurred on Day One of the four days. I’m glad that I captured you in photographs and video, as now I will always remember you.
luchanik 