In 2020, we started a random tradition. We would travel a few hours away to our favorite hotel to just get away. It gave us a chance to see some new scenery. We were in COVID lockdown so we did a lot of day trips and it has stuck. Our first trip to this hotel was when it was under some serious construction. We brought a 7 week old Charlee along for our Ballantyne adventure. We stayed in the room, vegged out on the couch and watched way too much TV. Did some thrift shopping, saw a few sights then went home. This year we took both kiddos. We let them enjoy the facilities’ new amenities. We vegged out on the couch and watched way too much TV. We met up with a dear friend and then went home, LOL. I love this family I’ve built. I love the traditions we are setting in place. I hope they continue for years to come. Life is evolving, but we always seem to come back to the familiar. It may look different, but different is good. Different just means change. Change means growth. Growth means you’re still moving ahead.
I hope you all had a good long MLK weekend. Enjoy a few snaps I captured of the tiny humans enjoying all the plushy things.
If you read my post last week or have been following along on IG, then you know my first trip to Alaska was an Alaskan cruise. We set sail the third week of July with Royal Caribbean Cruise Line, Brilliance of the Seas. For this cruise, we had 4 days at sea and 3 port stops that included a visit to Sitka, Juneau and Icy Strait Point in Hoonah, Alaska. I’ve been on several cruises before, but none like this and I thought it would be helpful to share a few tips for those planning an Alaskan Cruise or curious about the Alaskan cruise experience. FYI, some of these tips apply to any cruise so take notes.
Tip #1: Compression Packing
Compression packing is far from a new phenomenon to some, but it was to me. In the past, I use to use the roll method for packing, but compression packing is way easier and saves so much more room in my opinion and it keeps your items organized. I decided to do compression packing on this particular cruise simply because I packed a lot of layers that I felt needed to be organized in a way that it would be easy to find and get dress for all the things we wanted to do while on the ship and off the ship. If you’re cruising to Alaska, I highly recommend considering compression packing so you can pack strategically and in a more organized way. Feel free to check out my orange compression packing set from Vera Bradley at: https://glnk.io/91k2o/sincerelydeidra3ua
Tip #2: Skip the Whale Watching Excursions
I know, it sounds completely crazy to say that, but honestly it makes sense, when you’re literally in the middle of the ocean on a cruise ship seeing whales all day long, or at least that was the case for us. We booked a whale watching excursion when we arrived in Juneau and I kid you not, I saw more whales just hanging out on the cruise ship than I did on the actual excursion I booked. Allow me to also mention that, most whale watching excursions have very strict rules for how close you can get to the whales. For our excursion, we had to stay several meters away. Our tour guide explained that it was not just for safety purposes, but also we they kept to this practices as to not disrupt the whales while they’re feeding which is what they do several hours a day this time of year in Alaska. We saw a few fins come out the water on this excursion and saw some water blow up in the air, but that was really it. I’m not saying it’s a bad idea to book one, but what I am saying is, if you’re hanging around on the cruise ship, you will definitely see some whales, so I say, save your coins, but that’s just my experience.
Tip #3 Pack Layers
Look, if you’re cruising to Alaska in the summer, just know that the weather is different depending on where you go so just make life easy on yourself and pack layers. Why layers? Well, you can always take layers off if it gets too hot. In the words of my husband “It’s better to have it and not need it, than to need it and not have it” In other words if you pack a variety of things you need, you should be good. All that said, I followed a pretty simple formula that made packing for this trip a breeze. Pack short sleeve shirts for each day, long sleeved shirts as your base layer, a medium weight puffer jacket or vest, medium to thick leggings or hiking pants, hat/beanie, sunglasses and a lightweight raincoat. We went to Alaska in July and I can say with full confidence, I used everything I packed except for the gloves. At night, on the ship, it’s cold. If you’re cruising to the glaciers, it’ll be really cold, so the puffer jacket will come in handy, all the other layers are great for excursion days. Below are few links to things I bought and packed for the cruise to get you started:
My husband and I have been on several cruises over the years and this is the first cruise we booked a massage, and I can say I really do regret it for several reasons. Massages and many other spa treatments on a cruise are insanely expensive, so unless you have money to blow, I’d say save your coins and do something where you’ll really get more bang for your buck. Don’t get me wrong, it’s nice to relax on the ship and get a hot stone treatment, but honestly, the ship is full of entertainment and things to do and see; we really could have saved our money for a much cheaper massage back home. Not to mention, the massage therapists spent a part of their time trying to upsell and offer us overpriced products we really didn’t need. Before the massage started, we were asked several times if we’d like to buy stuff. After the massage was finished, we were asked again if we’d be interested in buying certain items. Massages on our cruise were 50 minutes long, very different from the typical 60 minutes you’d get at a standard spa, but I guess the extra 10 minutes is allotted for massage therapist to have the opportunity to upsell, which is exactly what they did. Definitely not judging anyone who opts into this service on the ship, but for me it was a waste and the massage was so so.
Tip #5: You’ll Get the Lobster Tail, Save Your Coins
Many cruise lines have what Royal Caribbean likes to call “My Time Dining”. Essentially, before cruising, you pick a time you and the group you traveled with would like to enjoy a sit-down dinner in their main dining area every night on the cruise. Meals typically consist of a beverage, starter, main entree and dessert. Most meals are included, but for the one’s that aren’t (e.g., lobster tail.) you have to pay extra money which is charged to your tab. I’m here to say that if you want that lobster tail, just wait until the last few days of the cruise where they don’t offer it as an up charge. They typically offer it to everyone as a farewell meal.
Tip #6: Choose Your Cruise Wisely
Look, I had a good time, I really did, but I could’ve done without 4 whole days at sea for a 7 day cruise. After a certain amount of time on the ship, you get antsy and just want to get off. The ship has a lot of entertainment, comedy shows, food, movie showings, dance shows, dance competitions, karaoke, trivia, game shows, exercise classes, bars, rock climbing, Jacuzzi and pools, night clubs and Jumbotron televisions. It seems like a lot, and it is, but there is nothing like having your feet planted on land to do some exploring. If you’re anything like me, you’ll book a cruise with very few days at sea which means more stops and more time on land. If you’re a mover and a shaker, book cruises with only a few days at sea. You can thank me later.
Tip #7: Stick Around to Explore the City of Port
We ported out of Vancouver Canada and the best decision we ever made was to book a one night stay in Vancouver because it really is one of the coolest cities. One full day before porting for the cruise and one full day when arriving back from the cruise was just enough time to explore the city, grab some good eats, check out the attractions and snap some good pics. This tip really goes for any cruise, if it’s a cool port, try to book a one night stay at the port city so you can explore and eat. If you’re not interested in the city you are porting out of, try exploring a surrounding city. My brother and sister in-law did. They flew to Seattle and had a chance to explore Seattle before taking a train to Vancouver to port for the cruise. They said it was a lot of fun and arrived in just enough time to also explore Vancouver. Interested in where we ate while in Vancouver and Alaska, check out my blogpost here.
Tip #8: Save Your Coins, Cruise Excursions are OVERPRICED!
More often than not, cruise excursions are severely overpriced. FYI, this really applies to any cruise you take. The Alaskan excursion prices are the most outrageous prices I’ve ever seen. Plainly put, they have to make their money too, so they can pay their staff and other ship expenses; so what’s the best way to do that? Sell Sell Sell. They sell excursions, they sell clothes and jewelry on a cruise ship, they encourage you to book your next cruise while on the ship at a “deep discounted price” they up charge on fine dining and have art auctions on board, they sell drink packages and spa packages and even charge for things like WIFI. Everything you see on a cruise ship is for sale! They have to make money too. I’ve literally NEVER bought an excursion through a cruise line before and I’ve cruised over 15 times with different cruise lines. The excursion prices on a cruise are ALWAYS more expensive than a local vendor. Don’t get me wrong, it’s tempting to book on the ship because when you’re with a group, or you’re a first time cruisers, you want to have a solid plan in place when you arrive at your destination. When it’s just my husband and I, we freestyle it, meaning we wait to port and go to different street vendors and negotiate excursion prices. And I know what you’re thinking, “that’s not safe”. Most cruise ports are littered with legit excursion vendors who charge way less than the cruise line. Many have partnerships with the cruise line that they never really disclose. If you’re questioning a street vendor, look up their socials, do some research before you consider booking. Locations that rely on tourism to maintain, always have vendors; mostly locals or people native to the area who are more often than not willing to negotiate excursion prices. I’ll tell you who is not negotiating pricing, CRUISE LINES! And if they do, that is new info to me. Long story short, try booking your excursion experience off the ship and save a few coins, especially if you’re booking an excursion for a large group.
Tip #9: You’ll See the Glaciers…From the Ship
Yep, you read that right, the only way to see the glaciers on Inside Passage Alaskan cruises is from the ship. Depending on your cruise itinerary, I suggests waking up early, grabbing your breakfast and heading straight to the top deck to get a good view of the glaciers. It’s a view you will never regret. Sadly, I didn’t get enough pics of these glaciers, because I was too busy enjoying the views and being in the moment. If you’re a photographer, just prepare to have your camera with you EVERYWHERE because you will have the urge to snap landscape shots ALL THE TIME! I cannot lie about this. My 256GB SD was full by the time I got home, if that puts things in perspective.
Tip #10: Don’t Forget to Pack ALL of Your Personals
I cannot stress this enough. This isn’t really specific to Alaska and more for any cruise you take, but, if you forget your personals, you will pay for it and I mean that literally! I forgot my pads and tampons and literally paid $10 for a pack of small pads with like a 12 count on the ship. I was tearing up at the register, literally tearing up because these types of sanitary items are already expensive as heck at a regular price in a store, but boy oh boy, the up charge on a cruise ship for personals is literally INSANE. It almost seems illegal how much they charge for these things on a cruise ship.
Tip #11: Book Your Flights Strategically
We almost always book a one night stay in the city of port. Why? Because if you don’t, you really are taking a chance. Unless you live at the city of port, catching a flight the day of the cruise is pretty risky because of flight cancellations, delays etc.. Not sure if you all remember all the flight delays and cancellations from a few weeks ago (the pic below is hubby and I camping out at an Utah airport for the night) that effected almost every airline. Imagine being in that chaos and missing your cruise because of it. Imagine not having insurance on your cruise and losing out on all that money, shall I go on? Let me also add that the flight going home is just as important as arriving. Don’t book your flight close to the time you port back in the city of port. Why? Glad you asked, well, to make debarking easier, they let people off the ship in groups, this process can take a few hours depending on what group you were assigned. Imagine being the last group and missing a return flight. Give yourself at least 4-6 hours for debarking and getting to the airport. Factor in the group you’re assigned, getting your bags off the ship, customs, locating a place to get transportation to the airport and actually going to the airport etc.. All of this can take hours especially if you’re traveling with young children. It sounds horrible, but this is just standard knowledge not just for Alaskan cruises, but any cruise you take. Look, cruises aren’t for everyone, so if this isn’t your thing, then don’t book a cruise. To put things in perspective, it took us about an hour to get off the Alaskan cruise. We hung out in Vancouver for a few hours before catching a taxi to get to the airport which was roughly a 25 minute drive because of traffic, our flight was delayed 3 times and when we finally got to our connector, the next flight was canceled. We slept in a Utah airport, caught a flight to Detroit that was delayed 4 times then finally got a flight home after waiting 3 hours in a Delta customer service line. FYI, for all of this, Delta refuses to refund us for any of this. Will we fly Delta again, NO, but to my point, prepare for delays and cancellations, even if you don’t think this kind of thing will happen to you. Give yourself time for all the things I listed above and pack your patience because getting off a cruise ship can take some time.
Well, I hope this post was helpful. I’ve been meaning to share an honest post about my cruise experiences and I’m glad I finally did it. It’s been a long time coming if I’m being honest. Remember, cruises aren’t for everyone, but I’m a firm believer in trying things at least once so you can have your own thoughts and opinions on things.
I feel like I start off every post on this blog with a big “Sorry it’s been awhile since I’ve posted, life has been crazy, blah blah blah” statement. Well guys, I’m sorry it’s been awhile since I’ve posted, life has been crazy and blah blah blah, LOL.
TBH, with the death of my mom, keeping up with my blog has been the last thing on my mind. I’ve really been working to maintain some kind of presence on Instagram, so if you’ve been following along on IG, I want to thank you for all of your support. This blog means so much to me as it is really how I started all of this, but it’s just been easier to maintain my other social pages at the moment. I’ve honestly been thinking about getting rid of my blog page because the lack of activity on here. This is all up in the air for now as I do have a special attachment to this social media outlet as it is a collection of all my dearest memories and brings me back to all of my humble beginnings as a beauty blogger.
Anyway, I’ll keep you posted on what I decide to do. In the interim, I wanted to share a bit about my most recent trip to Vancouver and Alaska. To start, I’m dropping some more honesty bombs on you today and want to say that Alaska was not on my bucket list of places to travel, but I’m so glad my husband talked me into this trip because it was certainly one for the books.
Vancouver, Canada
We decided to book a family and friends cruise. Family and friends turned into just 2 family members and one friend, but that is good compared to past years planning trips like this. Our cruise ported out of Vancouver, Canada, so we got there a day early to explore this amazing city and I must say, the food and coffee are AMAZING. I snapped no pics of food or coffee simply because I was too busy enjoying it. Sorry, not sorry. All that being said, keep scrolling down to check out our Vancouver adventures…
So I don’t have too many pics from Vancouver because we were only there a short time, but what I did see of Vancouver was fantastic and I def want to go back for a visit and to explore the city just a bit more. The pictures clearly do Vancouver no justice if you ask me, but if I could sum up Vancouver in a few words, I’d say it’s a very touristy city or at least what I saw seem to be. It’s a clean and medium pace city with AMAZING coffee, great food and very kind people. It’s a major city, but felt more down to Earth and homie. Almost the opposite of New York. Locals were super kind and they had a bunch of great coffee shops and food spots to eat at. We LOVED the Cactus Club Cafefor drinks and desserts. Before porting, we stopped by Uno Gelato in Vancouver. I got the pistachio gelato and it was very good. I sampled like 5 flavors before deciding on the pistachio. They have some pretty unique flavor options, most, to me, were very strong flavors, but the pistachio was just right. On the way back from our cruise, we grabbed brunch at De Dutch. They have ginormous Dutch style pancakes and mouth watering loaded hash browns for all my carb lovers out there.
Sitka, Alaska
So our first cruise port was in Sitka. Sitka is small, cute and gave me a great hometown vibe. They have nice shops in downtown Sitkta where you can get the cutest souvenirs and of course, anywhere I go I’m looking for coffee. Found the best coffee spot that made salmon cream cheese in house. If you’re ever in Sitka, you have to check out Highliner Coffee Co. Best bagel and cream cheese that I’ve ever had, hands down. They also have a pretty robust menu full of yummy pastries, breakfast sandwiches and all kinds of coffee and tea beverages. Confession, I visited two coffee shops in Sitka because why the heck not! Sitka Flowers and the Chocolate Moose had my 2 favorite things in the entire world: plants and coffee. I got the best darn coconut latte and enjoyed smelling all the flowers and looking at the plants while sipping my morning brew. Keep scrolling to check out our Sitka adventures.
So enough about coffee, I’m sure you’re wondering about the real food. So, one of the locals recommended we try Beak Restaurant. We took a short bus ride to downtown and from there it was about a 7-minute walk from the port and well worth it if you ask me! I ordered their Beak Mac n Cheese made with tillamook cheddar. It’s very creamy and savory. Charles scarfed down his buffalo dog and if that doesn’t tell you how delicious it was, I don’t know what will. We had a chance to chat with the restaurant owners and all their staff and they were all super friendly and the customer service was top notch. If you’re ever in Sitka and have an appetite, I highly recommend checking out Beak’s.
Juneau, Alaska
Despite the rain and cooler temps, Juneau was a vibe. The plan was to go dog sledding in Juneau, but because of the weather, we had to cancel and opted to do some whale watching instead. I learned a lot about the humpback whales and saw several on our whale watching adventures. Juneau is another location full of positive vibes and super friendly locals who just love their city and sharing all about what the city has to offer. I’m sure you’re wondering about food. Well, we decided to eat at Twisted Fish Company Alaskan Grill. I ordered the Cedar Plank Salmon and it was AMAZING. It came with some molasses which I don’t typically eat, but I was feeling adventurous and doused my salmon in it and don’t regret one bit of what I did. It was the perfect mix of savory and sweet.
Keep scrolling for some pics from our Juneau adventures.
Hoonah, Alaska
Last stop on this trip was to Hoonah, Alaska where we visited Icy Strait Point, a tourist attraction in the area. This was my favorite location on the trip because we hiked to some pretty amazing views and I took my first skyglider gondola up to the top of a the mountain where I saw the most amazing aerial view of this beautiful state. If you’re thinking about visiting Icy Strait Point, I definitely would take advantage of the skyglider gondola’s. They have a free one you can take that gets you halfway up the mountain, but if you want to go to the very top, you’ll have to pay. FYI, it was about $50.00 per person. Once we made it to the top off the mountain, we took some amazing pics because the views are INSANE and we bought a smore’s kit and roasted some marshmallows and just enjoyed the fresh mountain air. Hoonah was pretty warm and really only required me to wear a few layers. We also did a light hike to work off some of the sugar from the smores or at least that’s what I’m telling myself, LOL.
Icy Strait Point has several tourist attractions and excursions you can take advantage of. We were a bit exhausted, so we decided to save some coins and just enjoy the views and good food, but I would highly recommend ziplining or whale watching if you ever go out there for a visit. I heard nothing but good things about these excursions from some of the friends we made on the ship while there. Lastly, to end our day in Icy Strait Point, we ate at Duck Point Smokehouse Restaurant. I ordered the Halibut Burger with French fries. The fish was super fresh and delicious! We enjoyed our meal outside, right near their fire pit overlooking the water. They have other restaurants you can check out here if you’re looking for some crab legs and/or lobster. Alaska is known for their seafood, so wherever you go the food won’t disappoint.
I would say it was a pretty amazing trip. It was a relaxing trip with time to reflect, sleep, enjoy good food, friends, family, and great views. Stay tuned for another post about my packing recommendations for a trip to Alaska in the summer. I had a few people ask about the weather and how to pack, so I’m here to share all the details as well as some lessons learned on what not to pack for a trip like this, so stay tuned.
Lastly, have you ever been to Canada or Alaska? Drop some food excursion recommendations in the chat. Would love to hear about your experience(s).
Coils Curls & Coffee 