Seattle -Day #3 Pre-Alaska Cruise

 Seattle day #3

—Visited the Ballard locks and salmon ladder.

—Took the light rail then the water taxi to West Seattle. Scrumptious lunch at Marination (Korean Hawaiian fusion food.)

—Chad introduced us to some of his coworkers and colleagues at the pier and headquarters.

—Walked 3 miles around Green Lake with Luna Khalo the dog. We witnessed breathtaking sunsets. For the first half of the walk, it was lively and full of active people who were walking running playing sports, walking a path, and pushing their babies in strollers.  For the second half of the park walk, all the other people had disappeared, it to send it into total darkness, it was a bit scary to walk for 40 minutes in complete darkness.

So happy I tested negative for Covid. I will be able to board my cruise ship to Alaska tomorrow.

Alaska and Seattle Here I Come

Alaska and Seattle here I come! 

Travel is coming! After having sheltered in place alone for more than a year and a half, I will finally travel again. First, I will visit with Chad and Christina (my brother and sister-in-law) in wonderful Seattle. From there, I will board the Celebrity Millennium Cruise ship to take a seven night trip to Alaska. When that cruise ends, I will board the Royal Caribbean Ovation of the seas mega-ship and take a second Alaska sailing that will include different Alaska ports. I look forward to savoring nature’s finest treasures including  majestic fjords, blue glaciers, snowcapped mountains, waterfalls, fresh air, clear water, unique land/aquatic wildlife, sunrises and sunsets at sea; feasting on a variety of delicious food;  enjoying diverse entertainment throughout the day and evening; connecting with awe-inspiring nature; exploring Alaskan ports of call such as Juneau, Ketchikan, Sitka, Skagway, Hoonah, Haines, and cruising the dramatic inside passage with Dawe’s glacier and Tracy and Endicott arms. Some places such as Juneau are entirely surrounded by mountains and the Pacific Ocean and can only be reached by air or sea. I especially look forward to being pampered round the clock and I will relish five glorious sea days.  I am triple vaxxed and will wear  KN95 masks throughout! Alaska has been on my bucket list for a while so I’m taking advantage of some great deal$ to explore it twice in one vacation. I planned the first cruise back in June when life was optimistic and we seemed to be moving quickly toward a sense of normalcy. I booked the second cruise only 2 1/2 weeks ago because——why not!

Capri excursion from Naples— May 23, 2012

I spent a lovely day exploring the island of Capri, from Naples, Italy . It is surprisingly easy to visit by simply taking 50-minute ferry-ride from the station, located right at the port. The price is €17 each way. 

The scenery along the way is breathtaking!

I hope you enjoy my photos!

Canceled my dream cruise to avoid potential inconveniences amidst the unknown

I just canceled my dream cruise – ———-a 20-night sailing from Dubai to Cape Town. Even though this part of the world is the only place that has not yet been touched with the coronavirus, I want to avoid all of the potential travel restrictions,  lockdowns, quarantines, or other possible inconvenient complications associated with the reaction to the virus. Also, it is possible the virus could appear in those places, over the next month, when I would be on the trip. I was looking forward to visiting new places such as Oman, Abu Dhabi, Mauritius, The Seychelles, and Cape Town. I had completed lots of research on all 12 ports of call.  I canceled the cruise, both flights (involving 4 international airports), hotels in both Dubai and Cape Town, and unpacked. I will have peace of mind knowing I am safe from all the potential travel hassles by staying home. Better luck next year! Happy I purchased the “cancel-for-any-reason”travel insurance policy!

😢

Norwegian Spirit will undergo a 40-day, $100 million refurbishment

Norwegian Spirit will undergo a 40-day, $100 million refurbishment

written by Sarah Gibson on October 28, 2019

(4:50 p.m. EDT) -- Norwegian Spirit will undergo a 40-day, $100 million refurbishment starting January 2020. It will be the last ship in the Norwegian Cruise Line fleet to undergo the line's Norwegian Edge refurb program. When the ship emerges from dry dock it will have 14 new venues, additional staterooms, an expanded Mandara Spa and new hull art.

"We are excited to reinvigorate Norwegian Spirit so that she continues to provide lasting memories for guests as they sail to some of the most exotic destinations around the world," said Andy Stuart, president and CEO of Norwegian Cruise Line.

Cruisers on Norwegian Spirit after the refurb will find new dining venues, including complimentary options. A third main dining room, Taste, will be added and the Blue Lagoon Cafe will be replaced by the line's 24-hour pub, The Local Bar and Grill. The ship's current buffet, Raffles Court & Raffles Terrace, will be replaced by the line's signature Garden Cafe, which will include Great Outdoors extension (along with Great Outdoors Bar).

The ship's complimentary Asian eatery, Shogun, will be renamed Silk Modern Asian.

Norwegian Spirit will also become the second ship in the fleet to get an Onda by Scarpetta, a new-to-the-line fine dining restaurant debuting on Norwegian Encore in November 2019.

Other new venues will include the Waves Pool Bar, Bliss Ultra Lounge, Spinnaker Lounge and the Humidor Cigar Lounge.

The refurbishment will also see the current Mandara Spa onboard Norwegian Spirit double in size to nearly 7,000 square feet. The new space will include an extra-fee relaxation area with heated loungers, a new Jacuzzi room, a sauna, a steam room and a water therapy experience. Pulse Fitness Center will also be expanded.

The line's popular extra-fee, adults-only daytime lounge, Spice H2O will also be added. It will feature two new whirlpools and a bar, and will replace the kid's water park. At night, Spice H2O is an after-hours entertainment venue.

Norwegian has also said Norwegian Spirit will receive 16 new staterooms: eight with balconies and eight insides. Also, all existing cabins will receive updated decor.

When Norwegian Spirit returns to service in February 2020, it will visit 10 new ports of call across three continents. Its first two voyages after the revitalization will be a 20-night exploration of Europe and Africa, followed by a series of Asian voyages through the end of the year.

Update: of course this ship will no longer go to Asia for the rest of 2020 due to the coronavirus that began in Asia.