Daily Archives: May 18, 2023

Alaska 2023: Day 4 Adrift at Sea

The day started cool and foggy. We actually watched from our balcony as we sailed into a bank of fog! As the day progressed, the fog lifted but we were still socked in with clouds and limited visibility. My motion sickness reared its ugly head this morning as we moved into more open waters.

After breakfast at the buffet, we attended the enrichment presentation “Northern Lights” by Daryl Pedersen. Mr. Pedersen is a professional photographer who lives in Alaska and has been capturing the beauty of our 49th state for over 30 years. His photographs have appeared in various publications including National Geographic and include brilliant images of the much revered Northern Lights. He briefly explained how the phenomenon of the Aurora Borealis happens during his presentation.

While the rest of my group scurried off to attend other events on the ship, I stayed for a second presentation by the ship’s onboard naturalist, Sandra Schempp. “Discovering the Inhabitants of Alaska’s Costal Waters” was a quick tutorial on the various water animals that we might encounter as we cruise up the Inner Passage this week. A map depicting where the various species might be found was available in the gift shop and I took full advantage.

The lunch buffet featured Asian dishes. The sushi wasn’t all that great, but I was definitely in love with the maja blanca I found on the dessert counter. Maja blanca is a Filipino dessert made of coconut milk, cornstarch and sugar. For texture, corn kernels were added and it was soo good!

The afternoon was spent relaxing, with me taking a nap to stave off the nausea. Tonight was formal night we all dressed in our best and had dinner at Sabatini’s Italian Trattoria. Our meal was a five course meal which took three hours! It was all so delicious and we were well sated when it was over.

Antipasti: Fritto Misto alla Veneziana
light & crispy venetian-style fried shrimp, scallops and calamari, paired with pan-fried polenta and served with a spicy marinara

Zuppe e insalata: Insalata Mista 
mixed greens, tomato, cucumber, fennel, pickled red onion, carrot, celery, radish, taggiasca black olives, dressed in extra-virgin olive oil and aged balsamic vinegar

Primi Piatti: Lobster Tortelloni
delicate wide pillows of lobster-filled pasta, simmered in a rich creamy lobster sauce

Secondi Piatti: Scallopine di Vitello al Marsala
veal tenderloin and sliced champignon mushrooms in marsala wine, presented with sautéed garlic spinach and creamy mashed potatoes

Dolci: Rocher
A blend of chocolate, pralines and hazelnut ice cream sealed in milk chocolate, surrounded by crushed candied hazelnuts. This tasty treat is from our premium Chocolate Journeys program, designed to showcase the expertise of our pastry chefs using our favorite ingredient – chocolate

As we finish the day, we are nearly to our first port of call at Ketchikan, Alaska. We are heading around Kiusta, British Columbia to our destination. Temperatures are around 50F and the seas are a little choppy. Good night!

Alaska 2023: Day 3 Anchors Away!

We started the day much like the previous one. Phil did a coffee run to Blenz and we did breakfast at The Basic. We finished up the last minute packing and caught an Uber to the cruise terminal. We managed to get checked in without too many issues. Of course, there was slight chaos getting our trip medallions when Phil and I got momentarily separated. There was also the slight delay when Joni was selected as the random person going through US Customs that needed extra scrutiny. We boarded the Princess Sapphire with no further incidents and found us a lounge to get our bearings before we disembarked.

After getting all the safety requirements out of the way, we found our staterooms and went in search of lunch on the Lido Deck. Phil and I opted for BLT Burgers and Fries and we tried out the ordering function on our apps. It works but took forever to get our order for dessert.

As our imminent departure approached at 4:30, we still did not have Phil’s suitcase. After a call to guest services, we made a trip to Deck 6 and found his bag sans tags! Somehow they were removed in the hustle and bustle getting on the boat. At least we didn’t lose it!

As we left Vancouver, we passed a large yellow pile of powder. The chemist immediately says, “Oh, look! A pile of sulfur.” Phil replies, “That’s not sulfur. They wouldn’t put it where it could get into the ocean.” Well, guess what? The chemist was correct. This is the Big Yellow Sulphur Pile.

After dinner at the buffet, we took in a comedy show with Jeff Burghart. He mainly tells husband/wife jokes and does impressions of various individuals including Jack Nicholson and Ozzy Osbourne. He did an especially long impression of Tom Jones, complete with song. It was good for a few laughs before we headed outside to see the sunset.

As we ended the day, we were approaching the small coastal town of Bloedel, British Columbia, on our trek to the Pacific Ocean.