Helicopter Ride

Above the mendenhall glacier and juneau icefields

If I wasn't terrified of flying helicopters!!!

Bears in Alaska

This is very cool.....

We didn't get this close...this time!

Alaska Cruise - Get Ready...Get Set....Let's Go

Have you started getting excited?

Here's a list of things you should have already completed....

Airline & Ground Transportation
Hotel Reservations (Seatlle) ...I'm staying at Westin Downtown
Things to do in Seattle....
Passport / Birth Certificate....
Cruise Documents...on-line registration now!
Practice shots with the new camera....don't want to miss a good "whale shot"
Excursions...Pre-book to avoid sell-outs!
- My cousin John is looking for fishing partner
- Mitch & Tish....signed up for (4) excursions already

Alaska Cruise - First Stop......Seattle

You have your birth certificates/passports....you've set-up flight arrangements....the cruise will set sail on Sunday afternoon (don't forget the cocktail party at 6:30)....now what will you do in Seattle?

Some people are arriving a few days before the cruise...some are staying a few days after the cruise....It would be nice to coordinate everyone....but impossible!

Must "sees" include The Space Needle, the Aquarium, Pike's Fish Market...maybe a tour of Boeing...how about a ride in a WWII amphibious "Duck" tour or Seattle...great restaurants (including a cool Chinatown)....great coffee...there is also a Seattle Mariner game on Sunday the 18th the afternoon we get off the ship...and Seattle even has a few small live Poker Rooms.

Here are a few links for hotels....
(I booked my room on www.priceline.com and got the Westin for $147/nite)

http://www.edgewaterhotel.com/

http://www.fairmont.com/seattle/

http://www.starwoodhotels.com/westin/search/hotel_detail.html?propertyID=1055

http://www.innatthemarket.com/index.html

http://marriott.com/property/propertypage/SEAWF

Things to Do & See in Seattle.........
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/traveloutdoors/2002970245_seattledayplans07.html

http://www.cityofseattle.net/html/visitor/aboutseattle.htm

Do this first...... http://www.ridetheducksofseattle.com/

http://www.boeing.com/companyoffices/aboutus/tours/

http://www.seattleaquarium.org/visit/location/

http://search.travel.yahoo.com/bin/search/map?nomaptip=1&yid=&ylat=&ylong=&yname=&yphone=&yaddress=&ycity=&ystate=&yurl=&clat=47.613193&clong=-122.339923&zoom=9&sid=472239&pop=0&id=&pan_x=&pan_y=&.done=&.title=&cat=none&cat=lodging&lodging_price=-1&cat=skiresort&dining_price=-1&cat=sightseeing&cat=airport&yp_search=&cat=city&num_result=20

Alaska Cruise - Cocktails Party Invitation

Wait in line to check-in, get your picture taken as you walk on the ship, walk around lost and explore the ship, get ready for the fire drill wearing a bright orange life preserver...and then it is cocktail time!

Welcome aboard Private Cocktail Party

Date & Time: Sunday June 11 6:30pm
Location: TBA

Alaska Cruise - from Seattle

Princess Cruise Line

Inside Passage - Roundtrip Seattle
This itinerary features a 7-day cruise with 6 ports of call, including visits to Victoria, B.C. and scenic cruising in Tracy Arm Fjord. Meals and entertainment are inclusive.

Ship: Sun Princess
Embarkation Port: Seattle, Washington
Number of Days: 7 Days
Embarkation Date: Sunday, Jun 11, 2006
Itinerary:S618

Day Port Departure
1 Seattle, Washington 4:00 PM
2 At Sea
3 Ketchikan, Alaska
4 Tracy Arm Fjord, Alaska (Scenic Cruising)
4 Juneau, Alaska
5 Skagway, Alaska
6 At Sea
7 Victoria, British Columbia
8 Seattle, Washington 7:00 AM



Don't wait like a deer in the headlights, don't book at the last minute and get shut-out, these summer cruises are very popular and will be sold out!

Alaska Cruise - Friends & Family are all invited!!!

Invited so far........

50 year old Birthday Gang
Noreen (& Rich Claxton) ........confirmed
Anne (& John Pudzis) ............confirmed
Laura (& Bruce Megleo) ......no reply
Dana (& Ron Newman) ..........confirmed
Chris (& Phil Bomeisl) ........ on again / off again
Pete & Re-Pete (Paul) Lanaris .......confirmed
Andy Wiegand ..................confirmed
Bob Newman ...............confirmed

Friends and Family and all my Aunts & Uncles
Julie and Bill Sherman (almost 50)
Chris and Jerry Decker
Frank and Linda Fenneman
Ralph and Peggy Gilbertsen
Liz Giovannetti
Amy Giovannetti (almost 50) .........confirmed
Karen Boettinger
Louie and Mary Giovannetti
Ray and Cheryl Glassman
John and Janice Kasbar
Donald and Deanna Metzler
Susie Metzler
Jack and Lisa Newman ........confirmed
Roger and Norma Newman ......confirmed
Laura and Paul Reynolds
Ralph and Sheri Saxe
Joe and Cathy Van Dorpe
Suradech Wangboonchai (freaking out at 40)...confirmed
Rudy and Jan Wolter
George and Deena Szemkus
Jim and Mary Pasquarello (almost 50) .....confirmed
Michele & Rick Buck ..............confirmed
Kimberly Pasquarello .......confirmed
Michael & Sandy Walton
Steve and Kim Crespo
Steve and Jean Andrietta (almost 50)....confirmed
Jose and Laydee Peralta (almost 50)
Paul (almost 50) and Paula Udell
Mitch (North of 50) & Tish Segermiester (South of 50) ...average 50! .....confirmed

This is going to be a great party...everyone is welcome to invite friends and family....

I don't have everyone's e-mail address...so please forward the blog link to anyone I might have missed.

Alaska Cruise - Join us on a Sea Cruise ???

Preliminary Cruise Information

Although there are many cruise destinations and cruise lines, summer cruises in the Caribbean are hot and can be rough during hurricane season. Therefore, I am recommending an Alaska Cruise on Pacific Cruise Lines in June.

I searched my favorite web site, www.vacationstogo.com

One of the best deals for Alaska cruises is on the Pacific Sun. Pacific offers a great ship with great food and facilities. Throughout the summer, this cruise ship begins and ends a one week cruise from Seattle, Washington.

The cruise starts on June 11th. The posted web prices start at under $1000 and increase based on location and size of cabin, and if the cabin has a window or balcony. If enough people are interested, maybe we can even get a group discount???

Alaska Cruise - You're invited to join us!

This is Hong Kong Harbor from last summer's cruise on the Pacific Princess.
We started in Beijing and ended in Bangkok....16 days exploring the Orient...from the Great Wall and the Forbidden City, the wonders of new China in Shanghai, the fishing villages of Korea, ground zero in Nagasaki, the rice paddies of Viet Nam, the organization of Singapore, ending in the excitement of Bangkok.

This year, a few of my cousins and friends will celebrating the BIG 50....and are searching for the perfect party cruise.

The entire Metzler, Glassman, Gilbertsen, Newman, and Giovannetti families (and friends) are invited to join Anne, Noreen, Laura, and me for the "Half Century" ...." Five Decades"......party cruise.

Trying to coordinate a cruise for relatives and friends .....with different vacation schedules, experiences, tastes, and budgets is going to be very difficult. But I think it will be worth the hassle, because traveling and sharing the experiences with a large group will be a lot of fun!

Check back on this blog for more details!

Asia Cruise - Great Itinerary - Great Fun