In case you missed it, I just started a new guest trip report. Deann recently sailed on the July 9, 2018 9 night Alaska itinerary and was kind enough to share her adventures with us. You can start this trip report from the beginning right here.
Day : 5 – Juneau
Friday, July 13
We were now over half way through our cruise. We sailed into Juneau and it was a clear day with a high in the 60s – very rare for Juneau. We didn’t have much planned for today. Last year we went to Mendenhall Glacier and the Botanical Gardens – a great tour. So, being our third trip here, we took time to visit the mountain trails and boardwalk – doing Juneau on the cheap, ha ha! We purchased tickets as a DCL port adventure for the Mount Roberts Tramway and planned to hit that early before the rest of the cruise ships arrived. When we got off the ship, we found out from the shuttle driver that the other ships were not due in until after 1:00 so we wanted to see everything we wanted to see before then. This was a lucky break, as it gets crazy crowded with multiple ships in port.
The Wonder docked at berth A. It is the only one with a shuttle bus between the ship and port area. This was out view from berth A:
The shuttle dropped us right off at the plaza next to the tramway.
We walked right in, turned in our Disney ticket for a Tramway ticket (at the entry ramp not the desk), got in and started up the mountain. Only a few others were on the tram with us. It was so clear this morning, and we got some great photos. We went to the Nature Center and decided to take the short loop trail. After a little way up I decided it was too slippery (we found out later it had been raining all day yesterday) and steep to try it with a cane. So, I went back to the deck outside the Nature Center to wait. This was my view:
My sister and husband went on up the trail were they were rewarded with great views, as seen in this picture:
Afterwards, in the Nature Center gift shop, we found some Devil’s Club suave – great for when the knees start hurting – and replenished our supply. After a good nature walk and splendid views, we descended on the tram knowing we could come back all day with our ticket.
We decided to walk down the boardwalk to find the statue of Patsy Anne, the dog that use to meet the ships in the 1930s.
We also stopped at the Visitor’s Center. Hint: it is better to walk along the boardwalk than along the street to get to where you want to go in Juneau. It’s a more direct route and there’s a lot to look at. Don’t miss the flowers in the planters!
At the Visitor’s Center we saw this kelp sculpture, as well as the Welcome to Juneau sign.
We got maps and fliers of events and decided to check some things out. We talked to some fisherman waiting to go out on a boat and watched the sea planes land. We also stopped by the Red Dog Saloon to see Wyatt Earp’s gun on display.
After lunch, the weather was so nice that we decided to take advantage of a nearly empty ship and hit the hot tub and swimming pool in the Quiet Cove (adult area). We’re on vacation! Later, since we were leaving the port in the early afternoon, we decided to just stay onboard and watch the seaplanes land and take off. Some planes were quite close to the ship when we were on the Cabanas outside deck on deck 9. We found out later that evening that one of our tablemates was on one of those planes. He said he thought they were going to land on the aft of deck 9 and sit down with us they were so close. I’m sure they were not that close but it seemed like it.
In the atrium, there was the Pixar Pals Party with all the characters as we were sailing out of Juneau. There was also a meet and greet afterwards with lots of access to the characters. During this, we went to the vacation planning desk on deck 4 to plan our next cruise.
As we set sail for Hubbard Glacier, the Captain came on the loud speaker to warn us that there would be “some motion of the ship” as we headed out into open water for the evening. So, I put on my seasickness patch, expecting rough seas. If I had put it on earlier, I could have enjoyed the Mardi Gras menu at Tiana’s Place. Instead, our server made the choice for me of chicken soup and soda crackers with a green apple (even though it wasn’t on the menu) since my stomach was not up to dinner. Everyone else at our table did much better than me, and really enjoyed the meal. It was Mardi Gras night so that meant Tiana’s special dessert – biegnets. I ordered it but my husband finished it for me. Everyone in the restaurant seemed to be unaware of the movement of the ship and was having a gay old time. But, when we got up to leave, some of us were walking like sailors for a bit, zigzagging down the hallway. It only lasted for a short time and the patch started working. I felt better (or the seas were calmer) during the showing of the movie Incredibles 2, the evening’s main entertainment. There was enough action in the movie that I didn’t seem to notice the motion of the ship as much. Afterwards, I asked for an extra pillow to box me up in bed, skipped my regular Mickey ice cream bar from room service (not on the menu but they will bring it) and went to sleep .
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Up next: Day 6 – Hubbard Glacier
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