Must see this

If you would like to know where Vancouver natives Michael Buble and Sarah 

McLaughlin would recommend you visit when you go there, read this item from 

USA Today or click below on the video (one of four in the USA Today series).

Vancouver is the embarkation point of our cruise.

We want to visit the Vancouver Public LIbrary. We'll be dropping in here 

while we're there.  This Library Square Project was the largest capital project 

ever undertaken by the City of Vancouver. We've been to Vancouver many 

times since 1995, the date the library opened, but we've never been in that

building.

Large or Small

We have only been on a small cruise ship and we loved it. We can't 
even imagine being on one of the giant ships. (Chart below)


The intimate setting made it easy to find our way around the Regatta. 
Perhaps the spaces are pared down but everything on our ship 
suited us perfectly. Five restaurants is enough as is one fitness room, 
one library, one casino, one small pool, and one theatre. Even though 
we love children, it suited us to have none about on a ship that had no
facilities for kids.


Regatta:
30,277 tons, 684 guests
Built in 1998, Refurbished in 2011

Click to see larger version of the chart of the biggest cruise ships

Apps for the Cruise

I got this link in an email from Frommers who shared a list of cruise apps.
http://www.frommers.com/articles/7228.html

I'd add a good weather app to complete the Frommers' list. Someone
recommended Weatherbug. Here's a list of weather apps.

The same person likes the free Oanda currency converter app. 

There is a free app from Tourism Victoria if you have a Blackberry, iPhone, 

Android phone or iTouch at http://m.tourismvictoria.com/
"Specific features on the app include: activity ideas, interactive and GPS 
enabled maps, a calendar of events, and a direct Twitter link. Attractions, 
accommodations, transportation, outdoor activities, dining, shopping, theatre, 
arts and entertainment, tours, and various visitor services listing are all capable 
of direct connection from the app by phone, email, or website." Described in 
Douglas Magazine  http://www.douglasmagazine.com/

Lonely Planet updated their San Francisco travel guide app in February. 

At this time, it's free for the iPad, iPhone or iTouch. 

http://itunes.apple.com/app/lonely-p...317165182?mt=8
Reviews are mixed.

If you have an iPad,iPhone or iTouch, there's a travel guide app on 
the Inside Passage for $1.99 at iTunes . The author has been recommended
http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/alask...376939232?mt=8

The TripAdvisor app for the iPad 2, iPhone, and iPod Touch added a new
feature, introducing a touch of "augmented reality" via the devices' cameras.
Trip Advisor forums are available on Tapatalk, another app. 

Read more: http://news.cnet.com/8301-17938_105-20053818-1.html#ixzz1JY9rLNk5

Harry Having a Cappuccino

We'll be on the same ship in 2011 as we were in 2009. This is Harry
enjoying a cappuccino in the Terrace Restaurant on the back deck of
the Regatta in 2009. While the food and service were excellent in all
of the ship's restaurants, we often returned here. It's one of the most
relaxed restaurants on the ship.

Rock Vomit

In our province, there is potential for serious algae blooms in 2011. We're
not alone in having a problem that can affect wildlife in the area. Sitka,
Alaska, one of the ports we'll be visiting on our summer trip has a problem,
too. Have you ever heard of rock vomit?

MSNBC article on rock vomit
NOAA article on rock vomit
Sea squirts
.
.

Eating in Vancouver

We'll be embarking on our cruise from Vancouver but we'll stay there at least 
once before that journey. Sometimes we'll eat at the homes of family and 
sometimes we'll eat out. You can find good Vancouver restaurant reviews 
at TripAdvisor. Thanks to the Green Man, here's a list of eating places I 
want to visit:

Best of The Best
Vancouver's Best Pizza, Part OneVancouver's Best Pizza, Part Two Vancouver's Best Burger, Part OneVancouver's Best Burger, Part Two Vancouver's Best Burger ReduxVancouver's Best Fish and Chips, Part OneVancouver's Best Fish and Chips, Part TwoVancouver's Best Noodle HouseVancouver's Best Deli Vancouver's Unique Restaurants

Cheap and delicious eateries in Vancouver

• Legendary Noodle House
• On Lok Restaurant
• Hon's Wun Tun
• Moderne Burger
• Elbow Room Cafe
• Memphis Blues Barbeque House

Clothes For An Alaska Cruise

We are already thinking about the clothes we'll need to pack for a cruise to 
Alaska in August. We've decided to prepare for almost any possibility since 
we'll be traveling between North Latitude 60° (Hubbard Glacier) and North 
Latitude 37° (San Francisco).


Looking at the Travel Alaska site it appears that the average temperature in 
the Inside Passage in August is 62°F or 17°C, while in San Francisco in August
it's 67 °F or 20°C.  Our travel agent claims that every time she's been to Juneau 
it's been raining. That means we will be layering, including our outdoor 
clothing that provides warmth and dryness. At the same time, it is summer, 
so we'll pack a few light weight summer clothes.


Oceania's dress code is country club casual for the dining rooms. For a man, 
that means dressing like this, and for a woman, like this.


We will be having space issues so will try mix and match as much as possible.