Finally, the coach brought us to Seward, where we boarded the Norwegian Jewel where we had a deluxe stateroom (Check out the pictures! It was not cramped!) It was fantastic! The cruise had plenty of good entertainment, delicious food (restaurants and buffet), and a steady stream of spectacular views. We saw a magic show, acrobatic/singing show, and a music/comedy show. Denali and I went swimming in the pool a couple times, even though the air was a little cool. Denali did some activities in the teen lounge, but Colby preferred the ship's library. We spent time walking around the decks taking in the views of Alaskan fjords (sorry, I didn’t see Slartibartfast written anywhere!), and I tried a little golf in a netted driving range — quite a challenge given the strong winds blowing on deck. The only bad thing is that Wayne, Colby, and Denali all caught colds. Half the people on the ship were coughing, so it was very common. (After the trip was over, Denali took a COVID test before going back to school and tested positive, so that’s probably what everyone had the week before. Everyone was fine, just seemed like a normal head cold.)
The ship cruised by the Hubbard Glacier, where we saw a little bit of ice calving while enjoying hors d’oevres and hot chocolate on the top deck. The next day we docked in Sitka. After that we cruised by Endicott Arm and Dawes Glacier. More ports of call followed, with some excursions: Juneau, Skagway, and Ketchikan. Finally, the cruise brought us to our last port, Vancouver, where we caught our flight home, returning very late on a Monday night, the last day of our vacation. School started the very next day!
Bridge (there were three work zones, only one of which was in use)
Our luxury quarters
The kids slept in this cabin
Welcome aboard!
Vancouver