Click for Album Even at 14 years of age, Rhapsody of the Seas is a good looking vessel. She was clean and well-maintained. On our Alaskan cruise, we opted for the stateroom we had envied on previous cruises. This was our first time in a junior suite – and it was sweet. Our center aft […]

Click for Album There wasn’t much rain falling when the ship reached port. Given that Ketchikan averages about 14.5 ft (4.4 m) of rain per year, that was something for which to be thankful. While the portion of Ketchikan at the higher elevation in town looked much like a working class Pittsburgh neighborhood, the lower […]

Click for Album A ship from Princess Cruises had recently attempted passage to Sawyer Glacier on Tracy Arm Fjord, but had informed the captains of other ships that there had been too much ice in the fjord to make it. The master of Rhapsody of the Seas announced that we might expect a similar fate, […]

Click Here to See Full Album Joy favored Ketchikan, but I found Skagway to be the most charming of our ports. With less than 900 year round residents, this little hamlet hosts approximately 900,000 visitors each summer. Why do they come? Maybe it is the quaint, clean, streets and shops of the village. Perhaps the […]

Click for Album Vancouver dazzled with its big city energy. Juneau was more like really good comfort food. Although spread over an area larger than Rhode Island, Juneau’s population is only about 30,000 people. This is very close in size to the small town in which I was raised. After a day of wilderness views, […]

click for more pictures Although, a Canadian told me that the scenery coming out of Vancouver would have been beautiful, it was dark when we left Vancouver. The next day, however, as we entered the “Inside Passage” to southeastern Alaska, the waterway was all that we had hoped it would be. Little islands, wooded shorelines, […]

click to view 57 more pictures Alaska? Who the heck wants to vacation where there are no palm trees, beaches, and warm, clear water to snorkel and/or surf? Answer: Nearly every experienced cruiser, who answered the question, “Which was your favorite cruise?” Well, then. North to Alaska. Note: Click on the picture at left to […]

Click for Album Well, this should be the last post about this specific cruise. I loved the cruise. I have enjoyed sharing it with you. I hope you have enjoyed sharing this as well. A few last pictures from the ship and a video of my “hardships” at sea. PLAY Apple iTunes MP4 OR OPEN […]

Click for Album The monkeys of Panama were a rare treat for me. But one of my favorite things in the world to do is to snorkel and Grand Cayman filled the bill. The bountiful reefs of Seven Mile Beach kept me mesmerized. We hope you’ll enjoy these pictures and the video sharing in more […]

Click for Album Our third port was Colon, Panama. From here we headed to the Gamboa Rainforest along the Panama Canal and rode a boat out to Monkey Island. Monkey Island is in Gatun Lake, the fresh water source for the Panama Canal. If anyone wanted more monkey pictures or to ride along in a […]