As we slept, the ship was making its way down the Alaskan coast for our final port stop, Ketchikan. The ship was not scheduled to dock until around 11 a.m., so we enjoyed a leisurely morning.
Another Cabanas breakfast.
After breakfast, the kids went to the Oceaneer Lab for a program called “Lava Flow”. They tended to be drawn to the scheduled programs rather than the “free play” times. I guess they like a structured environment!
D and I took this opportunity to go to the Adults-only Cove Café. Although you have to pay for the drinks here, the prices are reasonable. This mocha was $3 something, I believe. Plus, you have free access to the pastry case-hehe.
When we to the upstairs seating area, we saw Doug Jones. D just had to ask him a few of his infamous “quick questions”.
Next, I went off by myself to the Art of the Ship tour. The group at Palo, one of the adults-only restaurants.
Our tour guide led us to a few different areas of the ship and pointed out many details about the design of the ship. One tidbit I found interesting is that they made the ceilings on Deck 5 a little lower because that is where the kids clubs are located. They wanted to empower the kids and give them a sense of confidence! I was also fascinated by the fact there are more than 100 different designs of carpet throughout the ship.
The lobby is a prime example of how Disney incorporated their characters in a tasteful and elegant way.
After the tour, I met up with the rest of the family and we watched Born in China, a Disney Nature movie released earlier this year. The stories that they were able to glean from following select animal families through the course of a year were amazing. Now I want to go watch all of the other Disney Nature movies that have been made!
We did the quick service counter for lunch and brought it back to our room since it was drizzling outside. I had a gyro, which is strangely served in a tortilla. Pita bread is provided upon request.
This was our view as we were now docked in Ketchikan.
My mom had booked us all on the Bering Sea Crab Fisherman’s tour. It was still raining out, so crew members were handing out free ponchos as we left the ship.
This was perfect for n because the jacket he had brought was not totally waterproof.
PC: KTM
We boarded just a little early, so we were able to grab prime seats near the action. This is a popular excursion–the boat seemed packed to capacity.
Complimentary coffee and hot chocolate were offered in the galley. The seating area was heated, they offered heavy jackets, and the bathrooms were nice and clean.
I believe this was the owner of the Alleutian Ballad. Before he turned it into a tour boat, it was a working boat that was featured on the Deadliest Catch.
There was a tank of crabs right in front of us. The crew members told us a little about them and then let everyone hold them.
It took some of us a little time to warm up to the idea.
These two shots were taken by my talented brother-in-law.
I like this pic my dad took of us.
The crew demonstrated crab pot and barrel fishing.
I wouldn’t mess with this guy. However, despite his tough exterior, he became quite emotional when retelling his story about how he started in the business.
The crew gave us just a brief glimpse about the intensity of the physical labor required to work on one of these ships. The stories about some of the conditions that they had to work through were incomprehensible. Their passion for their work really came through.
The highlight of the tour actually did not have anything to do with crabs. The boat stopped when we arrived at a small island. One of the crew members started to throw pieces of fish in the water and then bald eagles were swarming all around us!
D took this on his iPhone!
Enjoying his catch.
According to the crew, the only reason they are allowed to feed the bald eagles here is because we were sailing in territory owned by Native Americans and it is not under federal jurisdiction. The captain made a special deal with the Native Americans that allows them to do the feeding on the tours. I am not certain about these details, but the spectacle is one that I will always remember.
This is a fun excursion that is suitable for all ages. It was also nice that we were not really affected by the weather since the boat is covered. I am glad this is the day it was rainy, and not when we went ziplining!