The first full day of my Alaska cruise adventure has not started out so well. Once we hit the open waters on the west side of Vancouver Island, the waves became rough. I hardly slept at all during the night and this morning I feel awfully motion sick. Sitting around my cabin I wasn't feeling so bad, but as soon as I got out and walked around, I found I felt really awful, really fast. I had to beat a fast retreat back to my room. I definitely learned a lesson there - don't go to the upper deck, particularly fore or aft, when the sea is rough.
Spa Treatment
I went back to my room and lay down, hoping to get myself under control before my 11:00 spa appointment. Unfortunately, the spa is located on Deck 12 Forward, so heading up there did not help me at all. As long as I sat in one place, it was tolerable, but as soon as I started walking around, I was miserable. My seaweed wrap and massage were wonderful and relaxing, but by the time I made it back to my room, I was miserable again.
Getting Over My Seasickness
Alex the concierge called to invite me to dinner with the Captain that night. Food of any kind did not sound at all appealing at that point! Alex had room service bring me some ginger ale and crackers. I lay down for a while, and then had the crackers and ginger ale and started feeling a lot better. It helped that we were again in protected waters, so the waves where only "moderate", not “rough”. I talked to Alex again and confirmed dinner with the Captain, following the Captain's cocktail hour. Then I took a nap.
Cocktails and Dinner with the Captain
Dinner with the Captain was a wonderful experience. The evening began with cocktail hour in Spinnaker Lounge, where I was quite excited to get a peak at my first humpback whale off in the distance. First I saw the whale blow, then the tail. During the cocktail hour I got my picture taken with the Captain and then chatted with some other guests and crew. I also met several officers - there sure are a lot of them!
Dinner was at Le Bistro, the intimate French restaurant on Deck 6. We were seated in a private alcove. My dinner companions included the Captain (from Norway, of course!), a young lady entertainer from Ireland, and two couples who were traveling together from Las Cruces, NM. Dinner was absolutely wonderful; the service was gracious and pleasant. I had a warm goat cheese tart, cream of mushroom soup, duck a l'orange, and chocolate soufflé. Needless to say, my motion sickness wasn't bothering me anymore! The dinner conversation was lively and stimulating. It was very interesting to hear the Captain’s point of view on world affairs, since he was an intelligent and well-traveled guy. And not from the US.
Day 3 - Juneau
I slept like a baby last night and feel great this morning. Nothing makes you appreciate good health like a bout with seasickness.
Morning Promenade
The sky is clear and blue and we are now in the Alaska Inside Passage. There are snow-capped, forested islands all around. Before breakfast, I enjoyed a walk around the promenade deck, taking a few snapshots of the Pearl’s common areas. During my stroll I saw some more whales, a couple quite close to the ship. After breakfast I wandered around deck 12, 13, and 14, taking a look at the outdoor recreation areas. There was a jogging course, golf driving cages, a tennis/basketball court, the rock climbing wall, and more.
I returned to my room to relax for a while, viewing the gorgeous scenery passing by. I saw several humpback whales and porpoises from my deck. Again, some were very close to the ship.
Juneau Walking Tour
We arrived in Juneau around 2:00 pm. It was quick and easy to get off the ship as soon as we were cleared at the dock in Juneau. At the bottom of the ramp everyone got their picture taken with a local mascot. For Juneau, it was a bald eagle The Norwegian Pearl was at dock AJ, the one farthest from the port shops and attractions of downtown Juneau. You could walk the mile to downtown, but most people took advantage of the convenient shuttle to the Mt. Roberts Tram station. From there, I walked through town, checking out the shops as I went, as well as the local scenery. My destination was the Alaska State Museum – along the way I walked past the Alaska State Capitol building. Juneau is on a hill, so I had to walk down several flights of scary stairs to reach the museum. The kind that are made out of metal screens. I hate those! While the stairs weren't fun, the views from the various stair landings were spectacular.
Alaska State Museum
The Alaska State Museum had a nice collection that included natural history, Native art and culture, the era of Russian possession, the transition to American possession and statehood, the gold rush, and tourism and the promotion of the state. They also had a special exhibition of art jewelry at the time of my visit. As someone who is into both history and Northwest Coast art, I found my museum visit to be quite worthwhile.
As I walked back down to the main shopping area, I passed the St. Nicholas Orthodox Church, a charming blue-and-white structure. I also passed through a residential area of small older homes.
Shopping in Juneau
I was rather disappointed with the shopping I found in the port at Juneau. Most of the shops seemed to be either overpriced jewelry or tacky tourist items. The shops that stood out were Gallery of the North, Raven's Journey, Norwesterly, and Caribou Crossings. I purchased some art, which I arranged to be shipped home. I also bought some fresh-made candies and souvenir T-shirts.
Dinner at La Cucina
At this point I was worn out from all the hilly walking, so I returned via shuttle to the ship and enjoyed a quiet dinner at La Cucina. I had an antipasto platter (served from a traveling cart), penne with carbonara sauce, grilled veal with mushrooms, shrimp with artichoke hearts, and chocolate velvet cake with vanilla cream.
More Alaska Cruise Diary
1. Day Before & Day 1 Boarding
2. Day 2 At Sea & Day 3 in Juneau
3. Day 4 Skagway & Day 5 Glacier Bay
4. Day 6 Ketchikan
5. Day 7 Victoria BC & Disembarkation
