Alaska Cruise - Northbound - Vancouver to Whittier - by Andy

In May my company informed us of the global summer shutdown for two weeks in August, coupled with the short ER stay of Iris' grandma, we rushed to book the Alaska cruise with Princess - a bit late. We got one balcony and two inside cabins, which were on the same deck but thousand miles apart.

August 1

After more than two months' waiting and everyone's busy schedule, the moment finally arrived. We woke up I square around 4:30am on August 1 and drove to pick up grandparents. Then off we went - parked in Crownie Plaza next to LAX and got on the United CRJ jet to Vancouver. The flight was smooth without a single bump. There was no IFE (in-flight entertainment) but I brought the laptop so I square had movie to watch.



We landed in Vancouver for the second time in as many months. Here's a picture taken in flight.


We were planning to use the US Direct option (from arrival to Cruise without going through the normal Canadian immigration) but they changed the rule to only allow US citizens to use that option. Since Iris' grannies were green card holders, we had to go through the immigration downstairs. There was hardly anyone in line in the immigration area but I made a big blooper. I left all the cruise documents in the counter upstairs (US Direct counter). I realized that only after we came out of the Custom. Fortunately a Princess staff got the docs for me. That was some drama.

We got on the shuttle to the Canada Place where I met David An, one of my best friends. It was only five minutes since the lines were moving and we had to move along - felt like we were in some emergency drill.


Finally at 2:53pm we were at the gangway to the ship - Diamond Princess, at 113k tonne it's one of the largest in this Alaska route.


In about half hour after we set off to Alaska, another two ships also got on their ways - Royal Carribeans and Holland America - they joined us in several other ports in the next days.

RCL


Holland America



Vancouver Skyline


Past the Lion Bridge




First Dinner on the ship.



After dinner survey of the ship.

August 2

Second day was at sea. I took Isaac around the ship while Iris went to the kid's club - Isaac promised he would go but bailed at last minute. Also it's a formal night - there were two formal nights on the ship.





First Formal Night.

Beautiful sunset at sea.


August 3

We arrvied at Ketchikan on the third day. Ketchikan was certainly the most unique city during this trip. The entire town was built along the water (at least the places we went) and there was a section called Creek Street where we had never seen so many schools of salmon swimming upstream for spawning.