Alaskan Cruise on the MS Amsterdam

We left Seattle on Holland America's MS Amsterdam. The Amsterdam is a fairly small cruise ship with some of these LARGE ships that Carnival and Norwegian are now sailing with 4000-5000 passengers. We prefer the smaller and more elegant service you get from Holland America.

MS Amsterdam

The MS Amsterdam has 12 decks. It is 778 feet long and 105 feet wide. The passenger capacity is only 1380 with a crew of 647.

Our Caribbean Cruise will also be on Holland America but the ship will be larger, but still smaller then the Mega ships that the others are using.

We settled for room 3372 with a window view instead of a balcony for three reasons. 

1. The balcony cost almost twice as much as a view only room.

2. We figured that it would be cold in Alaska and we wouldn't spend much time on the balcony. Any time we got near something we wanted to see, like a glacier, we could go outside on the deck and see it.

3. We would get a balcony on the less expensive Caribbean cruise. We are doing a 14 day cruise on November and the 14 day balcony will cost us about the same price as the 7 day balcony in Alaska and we will be able to spend time on the balcony!

Room 3372

Here we are on the stern on the ship leaving Seattle. As you can see it is not very crowded. We really like that about Holland. We met several people on board that we kept seeing during the cruise. One veteran about Crystal's age named Matt. Nice kid who we enjoyed talking to. Also the ships Catholic Priest for this trip, Father George. He kept gravitating to us because being we are Christians, but not Catholics he could talk to us but not worry about being "Father George", but just George. Just a brother in Christ!

Leaving Seattle

After we got on the ship we were able to go to the Lido Buffet for lunch. Just had a deli sandwich which was really good.

Lido Buffet

Most days we had breakfast in the buffet, lunch in the La Fontaine dining room and diner in the dining room. At llunch they sit you wherever there is space for you. But for Diner you have a designated seat time as well as a table and seat. We chose to have a two person table which was about where this picture was taken next to the rail. After the first night our servers always knew what drink (ice tea) we wanted and they were waiting for us! Food was great!

La Fontaine

The second day was a "at sea day". We did a kitchen tour. It is amazing how much food they make and how fancy it is! No pre-made here.

Kitchen Tour

One night we ate in the Pinnacle Grill. This is their extra-charge steak house dining option. They normally charge $29.00 per person, but because of a problem we had with our room (beyond their control) they generously offered to upgrade us one night. We love Holland America!

Pinnacle Grill

We made it to Alaska! It is soooooooooo beautiful!!

Alaska

Our intention was to go down the Tracy Arm. The Captain announced that there was just too much floating ice for him to attempt that so he was making a change and going up the Endicott Arm instead. We would see the Endicott Glacier which is still spectacular.

Endicott Glacier

There were still a lot of Icebergs floating everywhere!

Icebergs

Endicott Selfie! OK well not really. We took a picture of someone and they took a picture of us. It was cold and wet but quite a site!

Glacier Selfie

There was a family of seals on this iceberg.

Seals

The ship turned around and headed back out of the arm. It was amazing that the captain could make the u-turn. It seemed like the ship was longer then the arm was wide, but he made it!

Turned Around

We didn't get any pictures, but we saw a family of Grizzly Bears while we heading towards the glacier. Very cool!

Well that's it for today. 

Next we are in Juneau, Alaska,

Please continue to pray for Avery Huffman. Here is the link to updates from Avery's father Brandon.

God Bless,

Brian and Patty

Happy 40th Anniversary Cruises

September 12th, 2015 is Patty and my 40th Anniversary! We have decided to do two cruises this year to celebrate.

1. Alaska ... August 30 - September 6
2. Caribbean .. November 22 - December 6

We parked our rig in Acton at Soledad Canyon Thousand Trails and had Super Shuttle pick us up early August 27th and take us to LAX. We flew this time on Alaskan Airlines as it had a non-stop to Seattle where our Holland American Amsterdam ship is sailing from.

Mt. Rainier

We are staying for 3 days in Seattle to do a little sightseeing. We booked the Mozart Guest House Bed and Breakfast in the Capital Hill District.

Mozart Guest House

The owner was a nice Russian lady named Tina that made amazing home made croissants. Breakfast was always good with sausage, eggs, juices, etc.... Much nicer then staying in a hotel!

Bedroom

I booked a tour of Seattle on Segway's. This is a great way to do a tour. We did about 5 miles in about two hours. We went by the space needle (which you can see in the background), along the cruise docks, Pike's Market and up and down some big hills. It is really a cool way to see a tour if you ever get the chance.

Riding Segways

I've been asked if it is easy to ride a Segway. Computers, sensors, and electric motors in the base of the Segway keep the device upright when powered on with balancing enabled. The rider commands the Segway to go forward or backward by shifting their weight forward or backward on the platform. The Segway uses gyroscopic sensors and accelerometer-based leveling sensors to detect the resulting changes in its pitch angle and, to maintain balance, it drives its wheels forward or backward as needed to return its pitch to upright. 

In the process, the rider establishes and then maintains a desired speed by modulating the extent and duration of their fore/aft weight shifts. To turn and steer, the rider shifts the handlebar to the left or right. The Segway responds by adjusting the speeds of the wheels in opposite directions causing the Segway to yaw and, if not traveling forward or backward, turn in place. At speed, the amount of shift of the handlebar corresponds to the amount of left or right lean required by the rider to balance themselves on the platform during a turn. 

What I find is that if you try to balance it, the gyroscopes fight you and you look like a dork moving back and forth and eventually you will get thrown off. If you just stand on it and let it balance itself you will do fine! It really is a blast!!

Miners Landing

Patty wanted to do the Ride the Ducks tour.

Ride the Ducks

This is the amphibious vehicle that tours Seattle and then drives into Lake Union. The Ducks are former military vehicles and stand for DUKW coming from the model naming terminology used by GMC:

"D", designed in 1942

DUKW

"U", "utility"

"K", all-wheel drive

"W", dual rear axles

Getting ready for our ride.

Ride the Duck

The Duck enters Lake Union

Going Swimming

You can see the Space Needle in the distance. The middle of this lake is also a runway as there were float planes landing and taking off as we were navigating the waters.

Lake Union

People live in these "Houseboats" on the shore. One of them was in the movie Sleeping in Seattle.

Houseboat Homes

We also did the Seattle Underground Tour. Like Sacramento the town was getting flooded out because it was built below sea level. The built the streets up and the second stories of buildings became the first floors.

Seattle Underground

There are a couple tour companies that take you into the old original "Ground" Floors of old Seattle. It reminded us a lot of the Sacramento tours. 

Underground

If you go to Seattle you need to go to the Pikes Public Market. 

Pikes Public Market

This is where they have the world famous Pikes Fish Market where they throw the fish.

Pikes Fish

This guy looks like he is dressed in a costume, he couldn't have looked more perfect for a fish market! LOL!!!

Who want's a fish???

The fish were expensive. You would pick out a fish to purchase. They were sitting on ice. He would then pick it up for you and then throw it to the guy who would wrap it up for you.

Throw the Fish!!

The ORIGINAL Starbucks is in Pikes Market Place. We saw it when we came by on the Segways, but because the Market Place is so busy we just couldn't go in very far on the Segways, so we came back and walked in.

Original Starbucks

Although the coffee is the same everywhere because this is the first and original Starbucks there is always a line here! Kind of funny and worth taking a picture of it! 

Hey look at me mom, I'm one of the cool kids! LOL!!

Starbucks Line

Well that's it for Seattle,

Please continue to pray for Avery Huffman. 

BTW, Good News on that front, Her latest MRI shows that the tumor has shrunk 30%!!!! That is awesome!! Prayer works! Keep praying for her miracle!

God Bless you,

Brian and Patty

The Price is Right!

We got back to Ventura. Patty wanted to go to a taping of The Price is Right with Drew Carey.

Price is Right

She had told me about this months earlier and I had requested tickets online. We asked for 4 thinking maybe Terri and Scott could go. As it turned out Scott could not miss work, so just the three of us went. I requested Priority Seating which guarantees a seat in the studio audience where they pick the people that go onstage.

Priority Seating

Here are the three of us waiting inline. Many people get Price is Right (PIR) T-shirts made up but we just bought Walmart T-shirts that were color matching. I'm convinced it's about giving them the personality they want, not what you're wearing.

Waiting in Line at CBS Studio

The show started and there are Terri, Patty and Brian. We are sitting right by George Grey the announcer so we will be seen many times during the show.

The Show Starts

To my surprise, but not to Terri or Patty I was the first contestant name they called. Here I am running up to the front.

Jumping out of my seat

Although I was the first picked I kept BARELY overbidding. In fact Drew joked with me that I needed to quit adding sales tax. I was consistently the closest bidder, but just over everytime. You need to be the closest but not over.

Expensive Luggage

We were in the second half of the hour show. This expensive luggage was up for bid. I did the $1 over bid that everyone hates. The highest bid was $1100. I bid $1101 because I was getting desperate! LOL. 

$1101 Bid

That expensive luggage listed for $1800.00 so I get to go on stage with Drew! It's about time!

Winning Bid

I had talked to Drew and told him that Patty and I are full time RV'ers during commercial breaks, so when I got up on stage instead of asking me where I'm from and what I do, he just introduced me as retired and traveling full time in an RV.

Meeting Drew!

I told Drew that we were celebrating our 40th anniversary. They did a closeup of Patty and Terri!

My Bride of 40 years!

My prize to try and win was a week trip to Victoria, BC. It is the coming or going game where you have to choose between two prices.

British Columbia Vacation

The choices were 5k or 7K. I thought it was 5K, but EVERYONE in the audience was saying 7K. Seriously like NOBODY thought 5K! So I went with the majority (and Patty and Terri) and went with 7K.

Everyone said 7K!

The other choice would have been $5537.

$7355

Rachel turned over the price and unfortunately is was the $5K price.

LOSE!!!!

Maybe it was for the best because we can go there for what we would have had to pay in taxes! LOL!

Then it was time to spin the big wheel.

Spin it!!!

I made sure I gave a "shout out" to Crystal, Matt and grandbabies Gracie and Charlie. Maybe someday they (Gracie and Charlie) will see this and know I did! LOL.

With two spins I ended up with a total of 65.

.65 spin

The guy after me spun a 90 and got in the showcase. He didn't win it, the guy in the first half won the showcase.

We had a good time. Drew seems to really care about the contestants. Drew kept asking me about RVing. How do I do WiFi while on the road? Where have I stayed? Things like that. I think either he has an RV or plans on getting one.

Also off camera, back stage Drew approached the guy that lost the showcase to console him. I have been on three other game shows in my life and have not seen the host do this. Drew seems like a very caring and nice person. 

Well that's it for our Price is Right experience. The episode aired on November 2nd, 2015. I was bound by contract not to share information until then. That is why I waited until now to do this blog. We could not have cameras or phones in the studio, that is why I took screen shots from the broadcasted show.

That's it for now.

Pray for little Avery,

God Bless,

Brian and Patty

Williams, AZ and the Grand Canyon

Heading back to Ventura for Matthew and Jasmine's wedding we stopped for a couple days in Williams, AZ at the Canyon Motel & RV Park. This is a Passport America Park so we get charged half price.

Canyon Motel & RV Park

Because we are fairly close to the Grand Canyon we decided to drive up to it. We have been to it dozens of times, but it is always worth the effort. Actually the last time we were here was when we came with Scott and Terri. Matthew and Scott hiked to the bottom of the canyon and stayed the night hiking out the next morning. 

We had to leave early because Patty's mother Eileen had some medical problems. She passed before we could get back, but it was important that we did to get back. 

Always a beautiful view!

Grand Canyon

We walked a few miles along the Rim Trail.

Rim Trail

depending what day and what time of the day the view is always different. There are rock formations everywhere.

Rock Formations

The Colorado River has created this huge canyon. It still runs through!

Colorado River

It looks like this rock fell here . As I said the canyon is always interesting.

Falling Rock

about half way between Williams and the Grand Canyon in Valle, Arizona is the Planes of Fame Air Museum.

Planes of Fame

Planes of Fame Air Museum was founded by Edward T. Maloney on January 12, 1957 in Claremont, California, to save historically important aircraft. At that time, it was called "The Air Museum". A small group of volunteers, including future Museum president Steve Hinton, set out to make the museum's aircraft flyable.

As the Museum's collection of aircraft and memorabilia continued to grow, it became necessary to find a new home with enough space to house everything. In 1962 the museum relocated to nearby Ontario Airport, Ontario, California.

A few years later, in 1970, redevelopment of the airport at Ontario forced The Air Museum to move again. The non-flyable aircraft became part of the "Movie World: Cars of the Stars and Planes of Fame Museum" in Buena Park, California, located near Knott's Berry Farm, while the flyable aircraft relocated to Chino Airport, about 30 miles away. When Movie World closed, the name "Planes of Fame" stayed.

Planes of Fame consolidated in 1973, with its static aircraft joining the flying examples at historic Chino Airport in Chino, California. This was fitting as the airport was formerly the home of Cal-Aero Academy, which was an Army Air Corp flight training facility. The academy trained more than 10,000 pilots prior to the end of World War II, making it a perfect location in which to restore and give new life to the aircraft these men had flown into combat more than three decades earlier. As more and more aircraft were restored and the collection grew, an additional display facility was opened in 1995 at Valle, Arizona, it houses more than 40 of the Museum’s aircraft, many of which are also flyable.

They are also working on a bunch of planes outside. They are far from complete.

We got a Groupon so the fee was very reasonable.

Well that's it for today,

Continue to pray for Avery Huffman.

God Bless and thanks for reading,

Brian and Patty