Tuesday, August 16, 2016
No Photos posted today. There are 4 of the drive to Seward at the end of yesterday's entry. Sorry.
I had a good full 9 hours of sleep last night! The Captain
Cook Hotel’s bed was super comfy with 4 great pillows. While there was a duvet
which is usually too warm for us, this room was air conditioned so it was fine.
Clay got us up around 7am. We went down to spend our $20 F&B credit at the designated
breakfast spot about 8:30am. There was a good line waiting to be seating so we
just joined it. Clay had a reindeer sausage omelet. We’ve seen reindeer sausage
everywhere in Alaska and avoided it. I tasted it and thought it was like a Slim
Jim. I had cinnamon apple French toast with caramel sauce. I had coffee
upstairs in room. We went back up and brushed our teeth and finished packing up
and used the Internet a final time. About 10 of 10am, which was when we were
asked to have our luggage in the waiting room we headed downstairs. We dropped
our bags and rechecked in for our bus and then went and checked out of the hotel.
We thought we had too much time to kill and there didn’t appear to be any open
seats so we went outside to walk about. We went about 3 blocks and wandered in
a giant Alaska souvenir store where I found a Native Art raven patch and then
we walked back. We found 2 seats to set our daypacks on and then took turns
using the restrooms before we were called to board the 11:15am bus. We got in
line and got seats about 6 rows back. Our driver said that Crystal had hired
136 buses for today and like him each was making at least 2 trips. I wonder how
many trucks they had to hire to move luggage? We had taken fruit from the
waiting room buffet and it was a good thing because the ride lasted from 11am
to almost 3pm. There was no mention of any late lunch being served when we
boarded either! We had about a 30-minute rest stop at about noon. We used the 2
pit toilets there and ate some Nabs and our fruit. Crystal had provided a
bottle of water at each seat. There was no rain the entire trip and the scenery
was varied and interesting and dramatic the entire way. Since it was 3pm when
we got aboard, we were walked to check-in and then directly to our cabin, 7042.
It is in the middle on the port side. We do not have a balcony, but we are on the
promenade deck and there is a deck exit door 3 doors forward of our cabin.
Fingers crossed that we are happy with our decision to take this cabin. This
will be the longest cruise we’ve ever done without a balcony. Our luggage was
already in the cabin when we walked in. We knew Crystal’s cabins were smaller
than we’re used to so we’ll see how we adjust. The storage is more than
adequate for the size of the cabin. We found the drawer space a bit shy, but
there is a huge amount of storage space in the bathroom. If we’d realized that when
we were unpacking, we might have made better use. Clay’s parka was in the closet
and there was a card in the closet saying mine would be delivered in a few
days. Unfortunately, we heard at the muster drill from a woman who boarded in
Vancouver that with the European cut that few people can fit in them. She said
she couldn’t zip hers over her bust. She had ordered the same XL I did and she
was much smaller than me. She said her husband’s L fit her fine. I think she is
hoping in a few days that Crystal will get extra parkas delivered and she can get
a man’s L. We’ll see. Clay ordered a man’s XXXL and he could barely zip it up
with only a short-sleeved t-shirt under it. The parkas have a giant fur ruff
that is awkward. Both Clay and woman who was telling us about the parkas said the
coat was so long and zipped so tight that they couldn’t bend in them. We’ve
never had this problem before when receiving a complimentary red parka! We wish
we’d just brought good ones from home. Otherwise we hope the insulating and
waterproof layers we brought will serve as the parkas would have and that it
isn’t too cold everywhere! Muster drill was at 5:15pm. So we just had time to
get unpacked, meet our stateroom attendant Peace and get our refrigerator
contents swapped out and 3 of the 4 bathrobes removed. Our dinner reservation
was at 6pm. We were a few minutes late but there was a big line, so it didn’t
matter. Crystal’s hand sanitizer delivered a puff instead of a squirt and I
like that better. We liked our 2-top though it is not clear that we’ll always be
seated there. Crystal has 2 fixed seatings and then a reservation system for
people who want a flexible plan. All the fixed seatings were already assigned
when we booked so we got the flexible plan. That was fine because we went
online and made all our dinner reservations in the main dining room at 6pm.
There are other restaurants that also require reservation and not all of those will
be at 6pm, but I write about them as we visit them. Dinner service was good and
efficient. We had Albarino wine, I had prosciutto and cheese followed by filet
with mashed potatoes, béarnaise sauce and steamed vegetable. For dessert, I had
raspberry compote zuppa Inglese. Clay had shrimp cocktail, salmon entrée salad and
for dessert chocolate brownie with caramel ice cream. No one offered us any tea
or coffee. I have been drinking a lot of hot peppermint tea after dinner (well
not this past week) and wanted some. There is a coffee bar somewhere onboard
but we didn’t know its hours. We walked to reception and she told us to go over
to the Cove Bar and order one. I did and while they acted troubled, I got a
paper cup from The Bistro with a Verbena Mint tea bag in it. Not Peppermint at
all. So, I don’t know if the ship just doesn’t have Peppermint tea or what. We’ll
see. Clay wanted to walk after dinner since he has missed the treadmill for
almost a week. He could see a guy on a treadmill in the gym but all the doors
he found were locked. Since it was nice out and we aren’t moving, he walked on the
Promenade deck. He called Reception to ask the gym hours and was told 24/7,
when Clay told him all the doors were locked he said try again tomorrow because
it should always be open. We’ll see. So far, so good anyway. We set sail in
about an hour. Fingers crossed for calm seas and smooth sailing.
No Photos posted today. Please see yesterday's entry for photos. In other housekeeping, we had to switch photo storage sites as Crystal is blocking Photobucket. Now these photos are on Flickr which we currently do have access to. That should just be a nicer experience for you or so it seems to be. Time will tell if it will be better for Clay!
