vpFREE2 Forums

NCL Alaska cruise July 25

Brad and I will be on the Pearl July 25th, with my daughter Angela, the
Frugal Princess. and her retired Army Ranger husband, Steve - and the two
grandkids, Zachary, 17, and Kaitlynn, almost l6.

We are looking to zipline in one of the ports. Would appreciate hearing
from anyone who has done ziplining in Alaska recently. Which one is best,
etc.

By the way, this started out to be a "free" vacation for Brad and me - we had earned two free cruises in a Hard Rock promotion. Then we found that Angela and Steve could get time off from work. So we started "adding on" - pre-cruise stay and sight-seeing in Seattle, cabin upgrades, airfare, fees, tips ($12 a day per person), shore excursions, etc., etc. But worth every penny for the 6 of us to be able to find a week when everyone could arrange their schedule to be together. Kind of a last hurrah before the kids go off to college and schedules get even more complicated. Needless to say, I am one happy grandma!!!!

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________________
Jean $¢ott, Frugal Gambler
http://queenofcomps.com/
You can read my blog at
http://jscott.lvablog.com/

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

We did a NCL cruise last June (2009) Canopy Adventures in Ketchikan has a really great zip line. They provide a heavy canvas coat and helmet. Be sure to wear a pair of sturdy shoes for launching and landing.
You go above and between the trees.

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________________________________
From: Jean Scott <queenofcomps@cox.net>
To: AA vpFREE Group <vpFREE@yahoogroups.com>
Sent: Tue, June 15, 2010 1:38:16 PM
Subject: [vpFREE] NCL Alaska cruise July 25

Brad and I will be on the Pearl July 25th, with my daughter Angela, the
Frugal Princess. and her retired Army Ranger husband, Steve - and the two
grandkids, Zachary, 17, and Kaitlynn, almost l6.

We are looking to zipline in one of the ports. Would appreciate hearing
from anyone who has done ziplining in Alaska recently. Which one is best,
etc.

By the way, this started out to be a "free" vacation for Brad and me - we had earned two free cruises in a Hard Rock promotion. Then we found that Angela and Steve could get time off from work. So we started "adding on" - pre-cruise stay and sight-seeing in Seattle, cabin upgrades, airfare, fees, tips ($12 a day per person), shore excursions, etc., etc. But worth every penny for the 6 of us to be able to find a week when everyone could arrange their schedule to be together. Kind of a last hurrah before the kids go off to college and schedules get even more complicated. Needless to say, I am one happy grandma!!!!
________________
Jean $¢ott, Frugal Gambler
http://queenofcomps.com/
You can read my blog at
http://jscott.lvablog.com/

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

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My wife, brother, and I went ziplining in Skagway, Alaska just last week. GREAT FUN!!!!

Since we only did this at the one place (http://skagwayzip.com/), I cannot say who is best. I can say that the one we used in Skagway was a lot of fun. I can imagine that the zip lines at some other places might be longer and/or have more elevation change. But I cannot imagine having a better time. The guides were amazing and the lines were great fun!

If you go, I really hope you get the same crew we had -- Ben was one of the funniest people I've ever met; Nic was too cool and has climbed the tallest mountain on every continent; Michelleski is the only person that can lift 2000 pounds without trying (inside joke that you will get it you meet them).

I don't know your itinerary, but ours was:
1. Leave Vancouver

2. Day at Sea

3. Ketchikan: we did the Misty Fjords tour which was beautiful, but it rained the whole time. This is typically the case in Ketchikan, so plan accordingly.

4. Juneau: we did the Whale Watching + Mendenhall glacier tour (you don't go on the glacier, just to the visitor center). Afterwards, we ate in town and took the tram to the top of the mountain from downtown with some hiking at the top.

5. Skagway: we did 2 things... first the train ride to the Alaska/Canada border. We did not get off the train, it was just a narrated tour. Second was the zip line mentioned above. We had time for lunch in town between them and more time in town afterwards. Skagway is tiny, so we had plenty of time to see everything.

6. Day at Sea --> Glacier National Park

7. Day at Sea --> College Fjords (LOTS of glaciers)

8. Arrive in Whittier

When we got off the boat, we got on a long train ride to Denali for 4 more great nights.

I would suggest you schedule some really fun (not just sights stuff) excursions for the kids. The one issue with Alaska cruises tends to be less stuff on the ship for those under about 50! Even my wife and I (in our 30s) struggled to find much to do on the ship...but we are always happy to go to the spa and we got the week pass for the thermal room, so that absorbed some time!

Have fun!!!

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--- In vpFREE@yahoogroups.com, "Jean Scott" <queenofcomps@...> wrote:

Brad and I will be on the Pearl July 25th, with my daughter Angela, the
Frugal Princess. and her retired Army Ranger husband, Steve - and the two
grandkids, Zachary, 17, and Kaitlynn, almost l6.

We are looking to zipline in one of the ports. Would appreciate hearing
from anyone who has done ziplining in Alaska recently. Which one is best,
etc.

By the way, this started out to be a "free" vacation for Brad and me - we had earned two free cruises in a Hard Rock promotion. Then we found that Angela and Steve could get time off from work. So we started "adding on" - pre-cruise stay and sight-seeing in Seattle, cabin upgrades, airfare, fees, tips ($12 a day per person), shore excursions, etc., etc. But worth every penny for the 6 of us to be able to find a week when everyone could arrange their schedule to be together. Kind of a last hurrah before the kids go off to college and schedules get even more complicated. Needless to say, I am one happy grandma!!!!
________________
Jean $�ott, Frugal Gambler
http://queenofcomps.com/
You can read my blog at
http://jscott.lvablog.com/

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

We just got back Jean, we did the NCL Star, pseudo-free from Harrah's. Spent a day in Seattle afterward. Fun trip.

I didn't check $5 machines, at the $1 level 9/6 DB was the best game on the Star.

Mac
www.CasinoCamper.com

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--- In vpFREE@yahoogroups.com, "Jean Scott" <queenofcomps@...> wrote:

Brad and I will be on the Pearl July 25th, with my daughter Angela, the
Frugal Princess. and her retired Army Ranger husband, Steve - and the two
grandkids, Zachary, 17, and Kaitlynn, almost l6.

Better than the $1 8/5 DB I was faced with on the Island Princess last
fall!

From iPhone

···

On Jun 16, 2010, at 4:21 PM, "tampa_gambler" <mac_mcclellan@hotmail.com> wrote:

We just got back Jean, we did the NCL Star, pseudo-free from
Harrah's. Spent a day in Seattle afterward. Fun trip.

I didn't check $5 machines, at the $1 level 9/6 DB was the best game
on the Star.

Mac
www.CasinoCamper.com

--- In vpFREE@yahoogroups.com, "Jean Scott" <queenofcomps@...> wrote:
>
> Brad and I will be on the Pearl July 25th, with my daughter
Angela, the
> Frugal Princess. and her retired Army Ranger husband, Steve - and
the two
> grandkids, Zachary, 17, and Kaitlynn, almost l6.

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Also, better than NCL Spirit casino with 9/6/4 DB. This would be a good VPFREE2 addition. Mother board could also have a "VPFREECRUISESHIP" Then I could ask the cruise ship casino manager "why are these paytables the worst of all the cruise ships according to the "internet?"

Wow, that could lead to FPVP on cruise ships. Then, a VP educator holds seminars on cruise ships. A VP mystery novel is published. The book takes place on a cruise ship. Then a movie! But I digress.

···

--- In vpFREE@yahoogroups.com, Lee <leesail@...> wrote:

Better than the $1 8/5 DB I was faced with on the Island Princess last
fall!

From iPhone

On Jun 16, 2010, at 4:21 PM, "tampa_gambler" > <mac_mcclellan@...> wrote:

> We just got back Jean, we did the NCL Star, pseudo-free from
> Harrah's. Spent a day in Seattle afterward. Fun trip.
>
> I didn't check $5 machines, at the $1 level 9/6 DB was the best game
> on the Star.
>
> Mac
> www.CasinoCamper.com
>
> --- In vpFREE@yahoogroups.com, "Jean Scott" <queenofcomps@> wrote:
> >
> > Brad and I will be on the Pearl July 25th, with my daughter
> Angela, the
> > Frugal Princess. and her retired Army Ranger husband, Steve - and
> the two
> > grandkids, Zachary, 17, and Kaitlynn, almost l6.
>
>

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]