I awoke to the most annoying buzzing that just would not go away. Once I comprehended the reason for the buzzing at 3:30 a.m., I remembered that I was supposed to be getting up to head for Alaska...I fairly flew out of bed. Well...actually, I stumbled and nearly went flying across the room. Nevertheless, it worked because I was able to get everyone up and ready to head to the Atlanta Airport on time. Our group consisted of me and my husband, our two teenaged sons (Sean and Patrick), and my parents (Alyce and David). We had an international flight to Vancouver to meet the Coral Princess and I was a might bit nervous. "Why were you nervous?" you might ask. The reason for my unease was the fact that we were flying (and a long way at that) on sailing day. I don't like to do that because of the risk involved. I was happy that I had insured to the hilt but I did NOT want to miss that ship. Delta had changed our flight schedules several times since I had booked the flights and at one point had only allowed us a 20 minute layover in Salt Lake City. Now, I know that airport is much smaller than the one in Atlanta that keeps changing names but still....20 minutes? That seemed ridiculously short to me although Delta told me that it met their requirements. Since it did not meet my requirements, I had insisted that they do something so they put us on an early bird flight out of Atlanta to give us a bigger layover in Salt Lake. That helped but I was still nervous. I kept hearing the negative voices in my head telling me that we were going to have mechanical problems or a huge storm somewhere and get grounded. It did end up working out though and we got to Vancouver in plenty of time. We had elected to participate in the US Direct program there and it worked really well. Once off the plane, we were following the green signs when I noticed a woman frantically waving at us. I'm southern so I smiled and waved back. Turns out that she really wanted our attention. They were "herding" - and I mean that in the nicest possible way - everyone going to the Coral Princess that day (only ship in port) into a holding room. They checked our credentials and crossed us off their list then had us wait for someone to come get us. After a few minutes - just long enough to go the potty really - they came and told us that we would have to stay together as a group and follow these guys "down". We heard and we followed. They took us down a service elevator through a "behind the scenes" area to get to the greeting area. I was tempted to whip out my camera and take pictures of the secure area but was afraid to get my camera confiscated before I ever got to the ship! The next step was a very short line to speak to a customs agent. She just checked our passports and then we were met by Princess representatives. The ladies handed us forms regarding possible Norwalk infections or other sicknesses and then sat down and continued talking among themselves. I was not real impressed with the "meet and greet" process this time. We filled out the forms then they put us on buses to take us to the airport. Our driver was Dan and he was wonderful. He gave us the nickel tour of Vancouver as we traversed the town. My husband and I had been through Vancouver before when cruising but really hadn't seen much. We enjoyed the commentary...including the corny jokes. When we got to the ship other Princess reps boarded and were much more personable than the ones at the airport. They then sent us through security and we began the embarkation process which was perfect. We did not have to wait in line at all and the representative was very helpful and polite. We walked right onto the ship after the expected embarkation picture. Tell me, does anybody look decent in these photos? I always look like I've been rode hard and put up wet. Of course, after 2 long flights and being up before the rooster finished dreaming, I felt like it as well. After hustling our bustles onto the ship, we promptly found our rooms. DH and I in A516 and my parents next door in A518. Both these rooms are Cat. BB Balconies on the port side and a little aft of midship. I know what you're thinking....what did she do with the boys? We had reserved them a category F outside obstructed guarantee - sure enough, that's what they had. The upgrade fairy had not visited them as we hoped. They had a nicely located room though - E318. That's on the 8th deck, port side, not far from the atrium. They were happy with it so we were all set. We met our stewards - I requested my mattress pad and we got the balcony divider open - and then we did what everyone is required to do immediately upon boarding a ship ...went in search of lunch. The buffet was crowded and I hate when it's that way but nothing is going to stand in the way of my lunch. We did manage to find a window table for 6 and ate an OK lunch. I am not a fan of the buffet but it was the standard. Not overly wonderful or terribly bad - just OK. We then took part in the ubiquitous muster drill and I have to admit that I was very envious of the older gentleman who was asleep right outside the window on the promenade deck through the whole muster. I almost "outed" him by telling the crew member nearby about him but decided that someone should be enjoying their time. After muster we went out on deck for sail away, taking pictures of Vancouver like crazy. We were finally THERE!! I'm glad we don't use film anymore - I would be at the bank getting a loan to get it all processed. After sail away, we "hung out" on our adjoining balconies and enjoyed the ride. We were very tired but there was no way I was missing dinner so we rested a little in the cabin - OK, napped a little, so what? Then we went to dinner for the second seating traditional. Our waiters were Arnel and Art. They were both very personable and very efficient though I have to confess that it was often hard for my southern ears to understand Arnel's accent. After all, we southerners don't have accents so it's hard to understand other people when they have one. After figuring out what to choose from the normal Princess offerings (I don't believe the menus have changed on the Coral, they seemed normal to us) we set about the important task of "chowing down". Oh! I almost forgot...did I mention our window? No? I can't believe I forgot. We had one of the best tables ever. It was a 6 seater, which suited us since we already brought our own group, and it was right up next to a huge picture window! Throughout the cruise, as we enjoyed dinner, we also enjoyed the scenery going by...including the wildlife. It was great. We ate all of our dinners in the Provence Dining room and a few breakfasts in the Bordeaux dining room. The rest of the time we were either off the ship or joined my parents in the buffet. They were not big fans of the dining room and did not eat there every night. I did find out something really cool though. Did you know that if you decide that you don't want anything on the dinner menu and just tell them that all you want is some fried shrimp that your waiter will run on down to the galley and coerce someone into frying you up a plate of shrimp? I didn't know that either but when my Mom insisted that the only thing she wanted was some fried shrimp, buddy, they stepped up to the plate and got it for her...and fast as well. That earned our waiters an extra tip and a "You made the difference" card!

As for the other dining options, we enjoyed the pizzeria and grill but did not dine in the specialty restaurants. We perused the menus and decided we could live without it. The first full day out was a "sea" day. We had scheduled a little "meet and greet" on the cruise critic roll call and so a few of us met at Crooners in the afternoon and shared a few stories. It was nice to meet others. We didn't meet again though because we were all busy seeing amazing sights. That night was the first formal night. We saw people dressed up and down - mostly up. In fact, on the "smart casual" nights, I still saw some women running around in what I would have considered to be formal wear. I did not see shorts in the dining room that night but I did on other nights. I also saw jeans on the casual nights. I noticed that their sign no longer lists jeans as being disallowed in the dining room. We enjoyed the day on deck and on our balconies. I would not go to Alaska without a balcony. I wish we had been able to score a starboard side balcony but we had to change our dates and not as much was available. We had a great time on the port side as well. Day 3 found us in Ketchikan. We were scheduled for flight seeing in Misty Fiords and were dismayed to see the normally expected rain coming down. We were picked up on time from the visitor's center by the van from the floatplane company and taken to the office. Everyone was nice. Reports from other pilots were coming back that the weather was clear in the Fiords so we had high hopes and loaded up in the plane. Take off was a GAS! I have flown in small planes many times but never a float plane. We took off past the cruise ships and got a great view of the lovely Coral Princess just below. It was exhilarating. Our plane was a vintage De Havilland Beaver and it was wonderful. According to our pilot, they are the best bush planes ever made. We flew as far as we could before the fog closed in on us and our pilot (I believe his name was Kevin) said that it would not be safe to continue - not to mention that we wouldn't be able to see a thing. We agreed that we should turn back…it's always good to trust your pilot. So - here we go again back to the pretty ships. Landing was as fun as taking off. AND, you're not going to believe this, the company was so great…even though we did get a short little flight, they did not charge us at all. Nope, not one red penny. That was more than fair. I can't say enough about their professionalism. I am not sure I can mention their name without someone asking me specifically. We did have one teensy problem….the 4th of July parade was about to start and the road was blocked off so our van driver had to try to take us back to the ship by the "back" way. She managed it very well with us only having to walk a few blocks. We did have time in Ketchikan to wander through a few shops and let go of a little money. It was rainy but fun. They have a great tourist trap/hardware store right at the docks. The prices were very nice and they had EVERYTHING! Once we got back on board, we watched the parade from the ship. Everybody who lives in Ketchikan must be in the parade apparently because it lasted forever. Day 4 we made Juneau. Rain again…but not so bad. The temps hovered around 50 everyday of the cruise. My parents got off the ship early to shop and go up the Mt. Roberts Tram but the rest of us thought it would be too foggy to see much. The view was not so bad, though, according to my Dad. We had a 2pm whale watching excursion that we scheduled independently so we had time to eat lunch before heading out. I have to say that this was the very first time we have been picked up by a cab driver and his dog! The van sent to get us came complete with some sort of yapping small "terrier" type of dog (no offence to terriers) who barked at us when we tried to board. He had his dinner by way of a bowl of macaroni and cheese on the floor! Once our driver found the correct dock at which to drop us we met our first mate, Chris, and had a great time sailing Auke Bay. We saw eagles, whales, sea lions, lighthouses (I requested and the Captain complied), and glaciers. It was great. Our boat was a very nice all aluminum craft called the CanCan that just held us and the crew - Case and Chris. We were treated to wonderful personal service and delicious snacks along with a fun cruise. Ask if you need more info on this excursion. On the way back to the ship the cab driver (different one this time and without a dog) agreed to drop by Mendenhall for a moment and let us take a few pictures. The last time we were in Alaska, DH and I had done the helicopter glacier landing so we weren't interested in doing that again. On Day 5 we woke up in Skagway. My parents and children were scheduled for the White Pass Railroad around noonish and DH and I had reserved a car to drive into the Yukon. We were armed with Murray's guide, the milepost book, and the camera. While they walked about the town we headed for the hills. It was a great drive. We started out at the Gold Rush Cemetery and then headed out to Whitehorse. The views were great and we saw one black bear right beside the road. Once I got turned around to go back he walked across the road and after a few moments, he disappeared into the brush. We were thinking of lunching in Carcross but the whole place was covered over by tour busses. We couldn't enjoy it for the crowds. We couldn't even get the ice cream. We headed on to Whitehorse and drove all over trying to decide where to eat for lunch. After we decided, and ate, we figured we had seen the place so we headed back. It was a wonderful suggestion to rent a car in Skagway so I am very thankful for the advice on this board. Even though we had been before, we had not done anything other than the railroad. My parents and sons enjoyed the railroad very much though and I highly recommend it if you've never done it. By Day 6, we were into Glacier Bay. Of course it was really beautiful and we saw a lot of scenery and wildlife. Marjorie Glacier (I think) calved a few times while we were there but it was not the spectacular calving that we have seen before. Still, it was great. That night was our second formal night and I was really looking forward to Baked Alaska all day. It did not disappoint! I believe that night was when I decided to put one of your suggestions into action. There was a thread about pranks while on cruises and I got the idea to get the yellow, police line tape and put it on my parents' door. Although my Dad laughed, my mother, however, was not amused. I was amused so it was all worth it.

Our best whale watching was around Icy Strait where we saw many, many whales. At one point, they seemed to be everywhere! I just stood there watching with and without binoculars and didn’t bother with the camera anymore. I was just enjoying the show. There were also porpoise in the water there as well and one pair sailed (no better word for it) right in front of our bow. They were so graceful. We were also looking for bear on the shore and our Captain spotted a brown bear (Grizzly to those of us in the lower 48) right out on a little peninsula. I wished I had the good binoculars that time but I was in Horizon Court chowing down again and only had the cheap ones with me. On the last day, we did Prince William Sound and College Fjord. I thought it was the best day for glacier viewing if that is your passion. I spent most of the day on the balcony since we were going to see both sides while coming and going. Then we crawled to Whittier and docked there around midnight. Now, for my evaluation of the normal things: The service all over the ship was excellent and the crew was friendly and helpful. Yes, the beds were hard and the pillows flat and of course the shower was designed for small children. The closet area is huge for a cruise ship and the balcony only had room for a few chairs and a very small round table. They remembered to “celebrate” my graduate school graduation in the dining room and DH received balloons by the door and cake at dinner for his birthday, which occurred aboard ship. And yes, they sang to us. The purser’s office was helpful, the photography was OK and they did want to take pictures all of the time. The only time I got ticked off was as a result of the photography dept. I have the habit that many cruisers have of gathering our pictures together each day and saving them all in one place until the last day of the cruise so I can then compare them and decide which ones I want to buy. I usually buy a few. This time, I asked a photo shop representative if the pictures I had gathered up would be safe if I put them at the end of the rows at the bottom and she told me that would be fine. The next time I went back the pictures were gone and we found that the staff had gathered up all the old pictures and dumped them into boxes that held several hundred pictures each. We were then expected to go through all those pictures in the boxes in order to try to find ours. This may be happening on other cruises but I’ve never noticed it before. It has certainly never happened to me before. I was a little upset by this procedure. OK, I was thoroughly put out by it and almost “hoppin’ mad”. I did go through them and pull out pictures but I grumbled and complained about it. Maybe it wasn’t my finest hour. I wasn’t really impressed by the singing and dancing shows – they weren’t bad but they weren’t great either. However, a few of the comedians were very funny. There was a good juggler and a good magician as well. We didn’t do any of the other onboard activities since we were too busy looking for wildlife. We even missed the Glacier Bay Barbecue on lido deck but I heard it was good. The Coral is beautiful and very well laid out. We never had to wait long for an elevator and most of the time she did not feel crowded. There were a few times when everyone was either on deck or in the Horizon Court that made it crowded but most of the time people were fairly well spread out. I believe this has a lot to do with the amount of balconies. We did not see or hear of anyone being sick and saw no indication of a Norwalk outbreak. There were hand sanitizer stations but most people did not use them. Overall, a wonderful cruise. After a speedy disembarkation – and early as well – we boarded the train to Anchorage and picked up an RV that we had rented. We then spent 6 days driving around Alaska. It was wonderful. We went down to Seward for a few days then up to Denali. We took the shuttle in Denali to Fish Creek and got to see a Grizzly fairly close along with Caribou, golden eagles, snowshoe hares, a wolf, a hoary marmot, and a Gyr Falcon. We camped in Riley CG inside Denali. It was very nice. My only regret is that we NEVER saw a moose and Mt. McKinley never came “out”.