Saga’s Spirit of Discovery A 16 Night Cruise
As I ended our QE Alaska June 2019 blog I alluded to we had just come back from a wedding , month prior in Barbados 🇧🇧
After we had booked our cruise mid 2018 we then were informed my Niece in Barbados had decided to get married in May 2019, well one cannot ignore that invitation.🇧🇧🎉
Though married to a Barbadian for many years we had always stayed with family either on the East Coast or Sunset Crest or in my in-laws house in the countryside.
Liz and I decided we should stay at a five star resort for part of the short stay so with our daughters we shared a suite at the Crane Resort
The Crane Resort has its own shops, restaurants, bars, numerous private sun bathing and pool areas.
Our suite had its own private pool and garden lounge area.
The master bedroom had a 12 inch mattress on top of its bed frame such I needed a step stool to get into the bed😂
It had its own washing / dryer unit as well as a stove and microwave
My sister-in-law also came to the wedding so Charlotte had her overseas family who all traveled from Vancouver Island
it was great to give her Mum support and to enjoy the wedding.
Here are some pics of the wedding
We being the older generation left about 10 pm while we heard the wedding party went into the early hours of the next day.
Their was music, food , dancing and people just having a great time.
It has been two years 2017 since our last cruise on a Cunard ship Queen Victoria thru the Panama Canal and two years prior that 2015 on the QM2 for its TA 175 Anniversary voyage.
So must be a pattern now we are on the Queen Elizabeth 2019 for one of its four 10 day cruises in Alaska Vancouver – Vancouver
Cunard after 20 years has returned to Alaska and for 2020 will be operating a full May – September Alaska cruise season out of Vancouver with the QE such the demand exceeded their expectations.
Liz and I were surprised when one of our daughters and her family ( 2 granddaughters) plus her mother-in-law decided to join us
Cunard has a wonderful kids club so that helped plus I learned to sample a lot of Gins from the Gin Bar
Our first cruise was Vancouver return on Celebrity Infinity August 2001 to Alaska
It included us visiting Hubbard Glacier again
And visiting Skagway again 🚢😊
Course the town has grown a lot and with four ships in very crowded.
We decided this time to take a return ride on the WhitePass railway which is about 3 hours long. Not for the faint hearted if heights bother you looking down from the side of the carriage
I had to add a mascot to my collection of Cunard bears so this time bought Mr Bobby or should I say “Constable 👮♀️ Rob ”
We only had two Formal nights of the ten nights
First night was Black/White and second Formal was Roaring Twenties
Here is my daughter and granddaughter dressed. We were unable due to ships cough , will explain later on
icey Straits is a private island opened up to cruise companies and offers all thing Alaska. A days tender port
Here are some pics around the ship
Easy to walk and find
Our favourite spot was Garden Lounge and to enjoy a midday Hot Chocolate with Cognac and such
Not to forget the Library with its two decks and drop off a book and take one in return
I had forgotten I get a few free hours internet being now Gold but I used my $8 CDN daily mobile roaming plan instead when in port
That way I could easily post pictures
Finally the Fanzine members got a picture together at the World Club drinks event
Mr CC Paul Cunane, myself , Liz and Gillian Heard
Cunard just informed us we only have 31 more nights to move to Platinum status
We have cruised on the three Cunard ships in the last four years for a total of 39 nights. 😊🚢🎉🍷🇧🇧
Our family and granddaughter did get to the Commodore Club early in evening after a show and being Alaska one could enjoy late sunsets
Of course we enjoyed leaving Vancouver and the Inside Passage day
At one point early in the day I saw a mast outside our Cabin Window 1105
Turns out it was the Canadian Pilot boat come to collect the pilots and the waves were choppy
on about the last few days Liz came down with a dreadful cough and fever such she missed the Roaring Twenties Ball and had even bought a special gown which is now gathering dust.
I thought I had escaped but on the day of disembarkation I was now with such plus a fever
When we got here home I slept from mid afternoon till following day and it took 2 weeks to get back to normal, still cough stacks at times
Our final port visit before Vancouver was Victoria and due to Marine shore rules we could not leave the ship. QE is deemed leaving and arriving a Canadian port for the 10 days
Who says kids do not enjoy Cunard. Here is my granddaughter waiting for desert, outside on deck
To close our cruise
The dreaded luggage in the corridor
The only issue I had was changing our meal times to 5:30 pm especially as tour times did not close earlier
They say it was done to satisfy a group but that group had left three cruises prior to us
Of course we had a great family time together
Now I just have to work out how not to get the dreaded Cunard cough in the future
Did I mention we had just returned from my Nieces wedding in Barbados 🇧🇧 month prior 🇧🇧😊🎉🍷
Here we are in San Francisco a day prior to boarding QV for our 17 day voyage https://www.instagram.com/p/BiP2L5xH_1p/
For those of you who enjoy travel blogs, this is a recent one of a few days in Amsterdam by a blogger who recently was part of the second Queen Mary 2 Fashion week voyage to New York .
Enjoy
Well done http://www.bangonstyleblog.com/2017/10/72-hours-in-amsterdam.html Debra of Bang on Style
This was the second year in a row that Cunard brought together USA and U.K. Designers to show case their creations and talents.
The voyage from Southampton to New York themselves with start of NewYork Fashion week.
This time Cunard invited Bloggers from UK who review and try out fashions that the average person can afford, to challenge themselves and us as to what might wear on a voyage or such
Attached is a lovely review of her first QM2 voyage with pictures and outfits.
To review the whole trip also check out her part 1 where a link is provided
Under an outfit picture will be tabs that if tapped will take you to the actual company
Enjoy http://www.bangonstyleblog.com/2017/10/transatlantic-cruise-to-new-york.html
One of the joys of coming down to take pictures of cruise ships at Ogden Point is discovering the many local crafts made by local artists. You will not find this type of quality at your local mall for sure. If you do come into a port , please take the time to visit port crafts which are normally in the dock area. Majority are reasonably priced and majority will take credits cards or your currency . My problem is I cannot resist at times so end up supporting local artists and of course my family end up with surprised presents 🙂
The below picture is the large tent now used by our local artists.
At Ogden Point July 15th 2017
First local Artist and Jeweler who makes lovely products
https://www.facebook.com/CoralBarclayFineArtist/…
https://www.coralmbarclay.com/
Next vendor at Ogden Point July 15th 2017
This is PolyGems who use Polymer Clay to make a lot of their products. Newest are soaps and small paintings.
http://www.polygems.net/…
https://www.facebook.com/polygems123/
Next at Ogden Point July 14th 2017
A new local vendor selling at the cruise port, course I bought an item for Liz 🙂
– Fused Wood & Resin Jewelry –https://www.facebook.com/arteakjewelry/
https://www.etsy.com/shop/arteakjewelry…
Instagram = @arteakjewelry –
Liz now has a lovely Burl wood and resin necklace.. check out her above website.
Next at July 7, 2017 Ogden Point -Cruise Terminal
One of our Local Craft Vendors Handcrafted Honey , scented honey candles and more. #ogdenpoint #theyoungwildandfreeshop
https://www.facebook.com/theyoungwildandfreeshop/
http://www.theyoungwildandfreeshop.com/product/infused-honey
Now have some honey at home 🙂 🙂
Next at July 7, 2017 Ogden Point -Cruise Terminal
One of our Local Craft Vendors Handcrafted Leather / Stone bracelets and more. Ready to serve you #wovenstoneco #ogdenpoint
https://www.facebook.com/wovenstoneco/
https://www.etsy.com/shop/wovenstoneco
Well I now have two men’s bracelets , one is brown leather and wood (Handcrafted with Genuine Leather, wood, Grainstone, and Fancy Jasper gemstones) .while other is black with lava stones as in (Genuine Leather, Lava Stone, Hematite, & Black Agate gemstones.) Course Liz, grandchildren have benefited. 🙂
Ogden Point July 28, 2017
A cool but sunny evening with three ships in, HAL Eurodam. Ruby Princess and NCL Jewel.
Here is a new vendor , come on down and shop
Sweet Silver Sea Shells Sweetsilverseashells Handmade Jewellery with a Beachy Boho Style www.etsy.com/ca/shop/SweetSilverSeaShells
https://www.facebook.com/Sweetsilverseashells/ —
As I discover more vendors , I will add to this section.
For the moment here is one of the cruise ships moored near the Artists Craft tent
HAL MS Amsterdam on July 16, 2017
Sorry about not posting for a few months .. Stay tuned / Rob (aka RobBar)
The Cruise ships have started to arrive at our port
As we were on Queen Victoria from April 4th to April 21 2017 I missed Star Princess arriving on April 10th followed by HAL Zaandam April 25th and Eurodam , Nieuw Amsterdam that same week
I finally was able to get down to Ogden Point this week and though the weather was cloudy and windy the sun came out so I saw Coral Princess, Ruby Princess, Eurodam and NCL Jewel
Even saw new emergency loos
Attached to start off my 2017 blog is a recent travel report from my good friend Solent Richard of his December 2016 voyage on Cunard’s Re-Mastered QM2. (June 2016)
Richard and Barbara are experienced Cunard travellers
Please read their posts on the many travels they have experienced where you will find informative information and pictures explaining the local they have visited on land and / or sea.
Richards Blog was voted one of the fifty best cruise blogs for 2016
Photo credit: Cunard’s (QM2 NYC )
Enjoy / Rob
https://solentrichardscruiseblog.com/2017/01/02/queen-mary-2-remastered-trans-atlantic/
#BeCruiseHappyBeCruisemarsh
Alaska Cruise Season- local information on Cruise Ships to our port (Ogden Point , Victoria Canada) and our personal cruises
Elegant luxury travel on sea, land and by air, past, present and future
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bonkers about botanicals, fifty plus fashion addict and lover of quirky hotels
Solo Female Adventure Travel Blog
Alaska Cruise Season- local information on Cruise Ships to our port (Ogden Point , Victoria Canada) and our personal cruises
Welcome aboard and nice to meet you. My wife and I are seasoned cruisers having first dipped our toes into the world of cruising in 1990, a one week cruise on board the Cunard Countess. The majority of our cruising has been with two cruise lines, Cunard and P&O. We have, however, sailed on 21 different cruise ships, some many times over, on 11 different cruise lines while completing 619 cruise nights on board.
A Memorial Garden to help honor and rescue Golden Retrievers.