Virgin Voyages Cruise

My first Virgin Cruise is on the Valiant Lady on the Dominican Daze: Halloween Edition. Even though I’ve been on many cruises, it is not always my first vacation choice. I am excited about this one to celebrate my friend’s birthday and to visit the Dominican Republic for the first time (Spoiler Alert – Hurricane re-routes us to Mexico).

I start with an evening out in Miami and some Cuban food brunch before we sail off for the adventure.

Bon Voyage. It’s time to explore the ship and sail away from the port of Miami.

Fun music choices in the room. Can’t hook up your own music but this is next best thing.

We are here for my friend’s birthday and we have sail away birthday celebration for her in another’s rockstar room. The rockstar rooms are fantastic if you can afford it.

The wall of the elevator changes. Also the pool bathroom with a view.

Evening Dinner at Extra Virgin, an Italian theme dinner. A big group here is ideal because I get to try a bunch of things and not feel like food is being wasted. We ordered every appetizer on the menu.

Trying to find activities that did not involve drinking alcohol – friendship bracelet making

I was the only one in my group with any interest so I briefly attended a workout dance class and a Salsa class on my own.

My friend and I attended a halloween themed show. We didn’t arrive early enough so we watched the show standing against posts. Unfortunately this made us targets for the show host and we were called up on stage for a game where she had to mummy me with toilet paper. I wore this toliet paper like a badge of honor for as long as I could. So sorry to the cleaning staff at Virgin for my path of trash I laid walking to my next location – trivia.

We have a birthday dinner tonight at Pink Agave where some have splurged to Splash Your Bash. It is a stepped up dinner experience that involves some champagne, food specials and an instant camera. It is a fun experience.

After dinner a few of us reserve a karaoke room for an hour. I don’t think the walls are thick enough to hold all our noise in. I feel bad for people roomed next to us.

Due to the hurricane in the Caribbean we are re-routed to Cozumel instead of the Dominican Republic. I have been to Cozumel before and remembering partying hard there, not being excited about doing that again so I am glad when a couple of my friends want to do a day in Chichen Itza instead. We book an excursion that takes us the long drive to the pyramid complex.

Alter a long hot bus ride where the air conditioner is broken (they actually switched us to a new bus part of the way back) we end up back at the spot where we take the ferry back to our boat. I forget to mention the ferry, which normally sways quite a bit, was extra sway that day due to the hurricane in the area. This caused the bottom level to be unusable unless you had a gut of steel or were heavily drugged. We sat on top trying to not toss our own cookies while we watched others tossed theirs. Let’s just say the transportation portion was not the highlight our day.

Back on the boat we get ready for Scarlet Night which is known for its pool deck party where the majority are dressed in some sort of red attire. But first is dinner and tonight we are at test kitchen. Test kitchen is the Virgin Voyage version of a Michelin type restaurant with small experimental portions of food. At one point in our meal we score a set of free drinks because there is a slow drip from the ceiling onto one of my friends at the table. The food is decent and we have a good time but I hear they don’t really change the menu up as originally intended. It is a dining experience not for everyone.

The party continues to the pool deck where we try to sneak in to see the show but my short self is unsuccessful. Note to self next time get there early.

After the show it is onto the pool deck where some dance in the water. I decided to participate in this tradition, although I didn’t fully submerge even though strangers were encouraging me to do so. I briefly continued the party to The Manor but the crowds were so thick I decided to call it a night.

The next morning we do a caftan brunch at The Wake. It is a nice way to start our day at sea.

I take it easy at brunch because my cabin mate and I signed up for a bungee fitness class. It is not as easy as it looks and we are very unserious for the 30 minutes we are there.

I got out of class just in time for happy hour at The Dock. It was almost impossible to get a seat but luckily I eventually found a couple, even if I had to practically fight someone for the seats I had already claimed. The happy hour includes mediterranean small bites, the downside is there is a limited area that serves the food (the bar is not is not part of it). The food went so quickly that I only have this cocktail picture to show for it.

Costume night

It’s back to the room to relax and get ready for costume night since we are celebrating Halloween. We put on our costumes, some face masks and have some drinks on our verandah.

We head down to the promenade area to watch the costume parade/contest and to people watch. Lots of creative costumes. We take some fabulous group photos in a Photo Booth but unfortunately many of them never make it to our emails due to poor technology.

Tonight there is also a costumed dance party with an 80’s cover band. We have fun dancing and people watching from the balcony.

The day wouldn’t be complete without a late night stop for pizza dressed as pizza.

I start our last full day with Ramen from the Galley and a walk around the deck. Today we are stopping in Bimini Bahamas. Instead of visiting the beach club or booking an excursion we decide to rent some golf carts and create our own adventure.

The line to take the trolley to the main area is very long. We decide to walk instead, it is not too bad of a walk. My friend has a name of a company recommended for the rental. It takes us a few minutes to find the right company but when we do we easily negotiate a good rate for two carts.

Our first stop is at a conch restaurant. No one is hungry yet but I watch a guy demonstrate how conch is harvested. We plan to stop by later.

We stop at a restaurant to enjoy the view and a drink. Fish parts are thrown in the water to cause an impromptu shark show. We watch the birds and sharks for a little bit then move on to a partially secluded beach. We spend the rest of our time hanging out and admiring the bright waters.

We return to the ship. Some in the group have reservations at Gumbae, the Korean restaurant on the ship. Gunbae is an interactive restaurant where the food is cooked in from of you and a series of drinking games are played. Each player will forced to drink Soju. I even won one round which the prize was the rest of the bottle of soju. Usually the patrons are seated with people they don’t know and the drinking games are ice breakers but they let our group sit together, perhaps because we are a larger party.

Dinner takes a while so it’s late when we get out. There is a dance show tonight. I stay out for a little bit to watch the bizarre show.

Despite my late might I once again wake up before sunrise. I take a walk and have a breakfast before we disembark and start our journey home. I had an amazing time and would do a Virgin Cruise again if the opportunity arises.

Alaska: College Fjord & Seward

Today is the last day of cruising. Luckily there is no early start. I start my morning with a causal breakfast and a rest on the upper deck.

I have no plans until the afternoon so I sign up for a wine tasting. I try many wines and snack on some cheese.

We arrive in College Fjord and it is time for the on deck observation. I see more beautiful vistas and glaciers. What we see here are tidewater glaciers -glaciers that are fed by the snow and break off into the sea.

It is the last night on the ship so the main dining room has its napkin swirling music celebration.

I try to stay out a little my last night but I don’t make it a late night.

The next morning we depart early.

The cruise port is Whittier but it is actually 60 miles from Anchorage. Transportation options are limited so we hop on a bus to take us to the Anchorage airport. From there I am picking up a rental car but I will spend a couple hours with family in town while they wait for their flight. The bus ride to Anchorage is scenic and the driver plays theme music as we travel through the long tunnels. There is some commentary on the way, so you aren’t just getting a quiet and boring bus ride.

Today is no Kings protest so I briefly participate in the protest by honking while I drive by in my rental car.

My cousin and I stop for lunch. He splurges on King Crab once again and I try a Yak burger.

I drop him off at the airport and start my drive to Seward where I am spending my next few days. During my initial planning I wanted to take the coastal trains to Seward because I read the views on the journey are unforgettable but the I am unable to fit the train times into my schedule. I rent an expensive rental car instead. I am rewarded with a beautiful drive of my own where I stop occasionally to enjoy the views during the two plus hour drive.

When I arrive my motel room is ready. Accommodations in Seward are not fancy and they are not cheap but the room is clean and convenient to town. Hotels tend to be pricey here because there aren’t many of them and the official tourist season is fairly short.

I check into my room and walk into town to see if they have tables at the highly rated Cookery restaurant and they do. I sit at the bar and eat the most delicious meal. The service is friendly and they actually cook salmon correctly. I could have eaten here multiple times since the menu looks fantastic.

It’s still early and due to the sun setting very late this time of year it appears I have so much day left so I walk around town and along the water. I pass by a campsite that is lively. It seems like many drive their campers out here for the summer and enjoy the mild temperatures. (Or I am just really lucky because I have terrific weather during my entire Alaska adventures.

Tomorrow I have a nature cruise and I hope it leaves as scheduled in the morning. In the past I’ve had bad luck with those types of cruises but I feel like my luck is changing.

Alaska Cruise: Ketchikan

We’ve arrived at Ketchikan and booked a private tour. We didn’t love the excursion choices and wanted to dictate our own agenda for the day.

We disembark early and have some time before we meet our guide so we walk up and down the port while we wait.

We meet up with our tour guide – a younger active guy who has some suggestions for us. It is during our tour that I start compiling a list of all the things that are trying to kill you in Alaska:

Lack of vitamin D
Landslides 
Devils club
False azalea 
Cows parsnip
Skunk cabbage

Our first stop is at a beautiful beach park with lots of interesting looking formations at the shore. It is at this park I see my first bald eagle of the day.

We head to wildlife observation spot where another tour guide is using food to attract birds to the area. We are collectively not fans of this so we decided to try again later.

Our guide then takes us to an off-the-beaten path waterfall with and more off-the-beaten path trail. The trail is not well marked or heavily used. I am sure typical cruise passengers would not be up for taking this rustic trail to get a better waterfall view but we are wearing the right kind of shoes so we are game.

We then stop at a small totem park where we learn more about totems and the stories behind them. We also meet a local artisan who makes knives and other metal items. Unfortunately the totem carver was gone the whole time we were there but we did see a bear wandering around by the nearby river.

After our tour we wander around the town of Ketchikan. I stop at some stores and try some salmon samples. I only wish we were here during spawning season. I think it would be cool to watch the fish, or even bears catching fish.

It’s time now to return to the ship. We head up to the bar at the back of the boat to get a nice view of the boat leaving the port.

Dinner and then rest up for another port day tomorrow.

Gdańsk: Last days

In the morning I visit the Basilica of St. Bridget. This reconstructed church was originally built in the 14th century. It was destroyed in WWII and rebuilt in 1970. It is known for its beautiful amber alter and its homage to the solidarity movement.

There is a chapel in memory of those who participated in the solidarity movement.

There is another area dedicated to those that have lost their lives in the Katyn massacre during WWII.

And finally I have to make a visit to the room of skulls. I must see all the skulls.

I visit Blue Lamb – a heritage museum housed in an old granary, in order to get an archeological view of the region. I enjoy the exhibit where they show you what the original people of the region would have looked like based on the skulls found.

They have walk through sight and sound area depicting life in the region over time.

And finally there is a display of archeological items.

I end up back at Mariacka once more but this time I enjoy a glass of wine and people watching and check out some additional things I learned about the street.

Many of the houses on Mariacka street have reliefs out front but one restore one was given a modern day touch – a Lunar rover.

Last official stop is the first seagoing ship built in a Polish shiyard – Soldek. It is docked in Gdansk and available for exploring.

I slow down considerably for the rest of my travels. I am very tired so it is good I go home soon. I’m just trying to enjoy the cool and sunny weather my last few hours here.

It’s been a long trip but I am not done with Poland. There are so many places I left off my itinerary. I will be back.

More shots around town….

Gdańsk: Museum Afternoon

I started today at the Solidarity museum and the Gdańsk Shipyard.

My day isn’t over yet and I almost forget there are a couple museums free today since it is a Monday.

I stop first at Artus Court on the famous Dlugi Targ. Artus court is named after King Arthur and was used as a meeting place for merchants and social life in the 17th century. The decor and art in the museum reflects the importance of this building for the means of commerce. I particularly enjoy the animal inspired art in the building.

The day isn’t over yet and the Town Hall museum also has free admission so I head over there. I tour the museum but skip the tower since that costs extra.

After museum time I walk the streets once more then visit happy hour at the rooftop bar of my hotel.

Because I wish to have a nicer dining experience I have reservations this evening at Tylge Gdansk. Even with a reservation I had to wait a little while but the food was superb.