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Cruise Alaska's Inside Passage
A group of Organ Music Lovers is planning an Inside Passage cruise this July
23. This 7-day cruise departs from Seattle with stops in Juneau, Ketchikan, Sitka and Victoria, BC. A large 3-manual Allen Theatre Organ is brought aboard Holland America's ms Westerdam where our group will be treated to several private concerts and workshops throughout the cruise by a special guest artist. Even if you're not into organ music, join our group and save $$ for this once in a lifetime cruise. Contact or 503-238-3791 for more information. |
#2
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Cruise Alaska's Inside Passage
Are you going to be offering pre or post tours. The experience Music
Project in Seattle as well as an Organ recital imediately preceeds your cruise in Seattle. Also are you aware of the following about the Westerdam? Commissioned in 2004, Westerdam is the third and most recent of Holland America Line's Vista class of ships. She's one of the larger liners on the ocean, with room for 1,848 passengers and 800 crew. The ship dotes on her maritime roots, with classic and contemporary art depicting the romance and tradition of the high seas, particularly the Dutch influence on the U.S.'s sea-going past. Colors used throughout reflect sea, shore, and sun, with crisp navy carpets and cherry-wood railings in elevator areas, dark blue and sandy shades in cabins, and eye-squinting sunset tones in lounges. Even the brass stools at the Lido Bar reflect the briny deep -- they are scaly monster fish reminiscent of the denizens of the seas, announcing "Terra Incognita" on ancient maps. Why Westerdam? Tradition: Westerdam reflects the line's passenger-cruise history going back to 1873, when iron steamers sailed the Transatlantic. Though today's cruiser expects a more casual experience, some things haven't changed. Expect opulent surroundings, classic early and late seatings, formal nights, and more chocolate at the midnight dessert extravaganza than anyone needs. Art: This ship is a floating gallery, with millions spent on museum-quality art and antiques. A major theme is Dutch exploration of the Americas in the 17th century. On deck, whimsical watery asides take over, while in the spa an ancient wine amphora graces a niche in one wall while medieval-style dolphins frolic beside the water. Bars and lounges: With a dozen nightly hotspots passengers can choose from martinis in the forward-facing Crow's Nest atop the ship, cigars and cognac in the clubby Oak Room, or poolside concoctions at the Sea View. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- PORTS OF CALL Seattle, Washington Seattle has shopping, fine restaurants, attractions galore, good air service, culture, and a wide range of accommodations-more, in fact, than you'll be able to take in on just a short pre- or post-cruise visit. It is very much a water-oriented city, set between Puget Sound and Lake Washington, with Lake Union in the center. Practically everywhere you look, the views are of sailboats, cargo ships, ferries, windsurfers, and anglers. Juneau, Alaska Photo: John MacDonald Juneau's a great town. Fronted by the busy Gastineau Channel and backed by 3,819-foot Mount Juneau and 3,576-foot Mount Roberts, its location is beyond picture perfect. But it's the city's quirks we appreciate, like the fact that it's the capital of the state but is completely surrounded by water, forest, and the massive Juneau Icefield, and is therefore unreachable by land. Or the fact that the whole town lies at the base of a landslide zone, and has numerous treeless hillsides to prove it. Or that at one time a bull terrier named Patsy Ann was the official town greeter, trotting down to the docks whenever a ship came in. (Long dead now, there's a bronze statue of her in Marine Park.) Sitka, Alaska Small ships can thread in through narrow Peril Strait, which separates Baranof and Chichag of islands, but the big cruise ships have to sail around Baranof into the open Pacific. This minor inconvenience-and the fact that Sitka lacks docking facilities for megaships, requiring that they send passengers ashore in tenders instead-means the town sees a lot fewer cruise ship visits than Juneau, Ketchikan, and Skagway. Because of this, it retains a more residential feel than similar-sized towns in Southeast, and a combination of location, multicultural heritage, an adaptive economy, and sheer local pride keep it just plain beautiful to look at, and remarkably little changed since the old days: Historic photographs bear a remarkable resemblance to today's city. Ketchikan, Alaska Ketchikan sits just north of the Canadian border, and like many border towns it wears its mercantile heart on its sleeve. They call it "Alaska's first city" because it's the first port visited on most northbound cruises, but the way people throng the port area's gift shops, you'd think it was the last chance they had to use their credit cards before Judgment Day. Here's our advice: Walk down the gangway, take three deep breaths, and say to yourself, "I do not need to shop." Instead, walk right past the shops and head for one of the town's several totem-pole parks or take an excursion to Misty Fjords. When you get back you can spend a little time poking around the galleries and shops on Creek Street. Victoria, Canada Cruises that start in Seattle or San Francisco typically visit Victoria on the way up to Alaska. Located on Vancouver Island, this lovely little city is the capital of British Columbia, and appropriately so as it's almost more British than Britain, with gorgeous Victorian architecture and lovely gardens among its main attractions. Take a tour around the island and you'll see gorgeous homes, stately government buildings, and views that include the snowcapped mountains of Washington State. |
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Cruise Alaska's Inside Passage
On Sat, 4 Mar 2006 08:13:35 -0800 in rec.travel.cruises, "Terry
Robson" wrote: group of Organ Music Lovers is planning an Inside Passage cruise this July 23. This 7-day cruise departs from Seattle with stops in Juneau, Ketchikan, Sitka and Victoria, BC. make sure it hits juneau on friday, when there are theatre organ concerts in the lobby of the state office building (yes, and it sounds great there --- it was where we could install it to keep it from being sold out of town!). it's a kimball with a full toychest. |
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Cruise Alaska's Inside Passage
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#5
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Cruise Alaska's Inside Passage
Thanks for outlining the highlights of sailing on the Westerdam.
Sometimes it's hard to make people realize what an incredible value cruising is. It is truly the best vacation value around! Don't forget the visit to Glacier Bay National Park. Getting up close to the glaciers is quite an experience. Regarding the pre and/or post tours, could you please tell us more about Music Project Seattle? Terry On 4 Mar 2006 12:35:29 -0800, "travelexpert" wrote: Are you going to be offering pre or post tours. The experience Music Project in Seattle as well as an Organ recital imediately preceeds your cruise in Seattle. Also are you aware of the following about the Westerdam? Commissioned in 2004, Westerdam is the third and most recent of Holland America Line's Vista class of ships. She's one of the larger liners on the ocean, with room for 1,848 passengers and 800 crew. The ship dotes on her maritime roots, with classic and contemporary art depicting the romance and tradition of the high seas, particularly the Dutch influence on the U.S.'s sea-going past. Colors used throughout reflect sea, shore, and sun, with crisp navy carpets and cherry-wood railings in elevator areas, dark blue and sandy shades in cabins, and eye-squinting sunset tones in lounges. Even the brass stools at the Lido Bar reflect the briny deep -- they are scaly monster fish reminiscent of the denizens of the seas, announcing "Terra Incognita" on ancient maps. Why Westerdam? Tradition: Westerdam reflects the line's passenger-cruise history going back to 1873, when iron steamers sailed the Transatlantic. Though today's cruiser expects a more casual experience, some things haven't changed. Expect opulent surroundings, classic early and late seatings, formal nights, and more chocolate at the midnight dessert extravaganza than anyone needs. Art: This ship is a floating gallery, with millions spent on museum-quality art and antiques. A major theme is Dutch exploration of the Americas in the 17th century. On deck, whimsical watery asides take over, while in the spa an ancient wine amphora graces a niche in one wall while medieval-style dolphins frolic beside the water. Bars and lounges: With a dozen nightly hotspots passengers can choose from martinis in the forward-facing Crow's Nest atop the ship, cigars and cognac in the clubby Oak Room, or poolside concoctions at the Sea View. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- PORTS OF CALL Seattle, Washington Seattle has shopping, fine restaurants, attractions galore, good air service, culture, and a wide range of accommodations-more, in fact, than you'll be able to take in on just a short pre- or post-cruise visit. It is very much a water-oriented city, set between Puget Sound and Lake Washington, with Lake Union in the center. Practically everywhere you look, the views are of sailboats, cargo ships, ferries, windsurfers, and anglers. Juneau, Alaska Photo: John MacDonald Juneau's a great town. Fronted by the busy Gastineau Channel and backed by 3,819-foot Mount Juneau and 3,576-foot Mount Roberts, its location is beyond picture perfect. But it's the city's quirks we appreciate, like the fact that it's the capital of the state but is completely surrounded by water, forest, and the massive Juneau Icefield, and is therefore unreachable by land. Or the fact that the whole town lies at the base of a landslide zone, and has numerous treeless hillsides to prove it. Or that at one time a bull terrier named Patsy Ann was the official town greeter, trotting down to the docks whenever a ship came in. (Long dead now, there's a bronze statue of her in Marine Park.) Sitka, Alaska Small ships can thread in through narrow Peril Strait, which separates Baranof and Chichag of islands, but the big cruise ships have to sail around Baranof into the open Pacific. This minor inconvenience-and the fact that Sitka lacks docking facilities for megaships, requiring that they send passengers ashore in tenders instead-means the town sees a lot fewer cruise ship visits than Juneau, Ketchikan, and Skagway. Because of this, it retains a more residential feel than similar-sized towns in Southeast, and a combination of location, multicultural heritage, an adaptive economy, and sheer local pride keep it just plain beautiful to look at, and remarkably little changed since the old days: Historic photographs bear a remarkable resemblance to today's city. Ketchikan, Alaska Ketchikan sits just north of the Canadian border, and like many border towns it wears its mercantile heart on its sleeve. They call it "Alaska's first city" because it's the first port visited on most northbound cruises, but the way people throng the port area's gift shops, you'd think it was the last chance they had to use their credit cards before Judgment Day. Here's our advice: Walk down the gangway, take three deep breaths, and say to yourself, "I do not need to shop." Instead, walk right past the shops and head for one of the town's several totem-pole parks or take an excursion to Misty Fjords. When you get back you can spend a little time poking around the galleries and shops on Creek Street. Victoria, Canada Cruises that start in Seattle or San Francisco typically visit Victoria on the way up to Alaska. Located on Vancouver Island, this lovely little city is the capital of British Columbia, and appropriately so as it's almost more British than Britain, with gorgeous Victorian architecture and lovely gardens among its main attractions. Take a tour around the island and you'll see gorgeous homes, stately government buildings, and views that include the snowcapped mountains of Washington State. |
#6
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Cruise Alaska's Inside Passage
On Sun, 05 Mar 2006 09:40:10 -0800 in rec.travel.cruises, Terry
Robson wrote: Regarding the pre and/or post tours, could you please tell us more about Music Project Seattle? Experience Music Project is a museum funded by Microsoft founder Paul Allen, who collected a lot of Jim Hendrix and other rock memorabilia (Hendrix was born and raised in Seattle, and his band was called the Jimi Hendrix Experience, whyfore the Experience Project) and had a lot of money to throw at a Frank Gehry building built for multimedia extravaganzas. Admission isn't cheap (adults $19.95, seniors $16.95), and I recommend at least a half day, because many of the exhibits are highly interactive, many of them toys for adults *and* kids. It may not quite fit your organ group, since it features blues, rythm n blues, rock n roll, and pop music. At the Seattle Center right next to the Space Needle (the monorail passes through the building). Easiest way to get there from downtown hotels is on the monorail from Westlake Center. http://www.emplive.org/explore/index.asp Some of the synthesizer exhibits allow multiple players. You might find yourself playing in a percussion toychest with total strangers and having a great time. |
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