Alaska Cruise 2017- The Ruby Princess

Dan and I were fortunate to take a cruise to Alaska in 2016 and it was such a special experience, that we wanted to share it with Zoe and Felix. Since we were living in Portland, just a short drive from the departure point in Seattle, we decided that the summer of 2017 was the perfect opportunity to take the kids to Alaska.

We booked last minute ( just a few months out) and secured a cabin on Princess Cruises' Ruby Princess. A shout-out to our travel agent, Chris Lee, the owner of "I'm on a Boat" travel agency, for taking care of us. I highly recommend using Chris to help plan your next vacation. He's extremely knowledgable, kind, and helped us get a great deal. Thanks Chris!

Our cruise took place last June, just over a year ago. We drove to the cruise port and used the long-term parking option at the cruise terminal for our car. Here we are waiting for the shuttle to the cruise terminal. The first picture of the holiday!

Greetings at the cruise terminal.

There was plenty of staff on hand to make our embarkation process a breeze. We arrived a few hours before we set sail and we were on the ship within fifteen minutes.

Here are some shots of the Ruby Princess. These were taken at different ports in Alaska, so you'll notice the different weather. Seattle blue-skies and Alaska gray.

If you've been on a cruise, you'll know that photos are taken of you at every opportunity. Here is our official embarkation photo. Felix had a green shirt on, hence the blending into the glacier. We all thought it was hilarious. We ended up splurging on the full-photo package. The photographers on the cruise ships do a great job and it's an opportunity to get quality photographs of all of us together. I highly recommend buying on the photo package.

On a previous cruise with the kids ( 2 week Mediterranean with Royal Caribbean), we stayed in a large balcony suite and had a ton of amenities that came with booking that class of cabin. This time, we had a smaller budget and booked an exterior cabin with two bunk beds. It was no-frills.

That said, we were perfectly happy with the smaller cabin. The thing I've realized about all cruise ships, is they're brilliant with how they design the space and storage in the cabins. We had no problem storing all of our belongings and never felt cramped. With the colder weather in Alaska, we really didn't miss not having a balcony and most of the time, we were exploring the ship or off at a port. I think the space, amenities, and balcony were great when we were in Europe. I used the balcony every single day of that trip. However, in Alaska, we didn't need more than we booked.

Here is a look at our cabin. The bunk beds are shows up, in "day-time mode." The cabin attendant put them down every night for us. One thing I always look forward to on cruises are the towel animals. Even though our cabin attendant was attentive and great in other respects, we did not get the much anticipated towel animals. It may sound silly, but the lack of towel animals was a disappointment. We did get turn-down chocolate, which was not a disappointment!

The most exciting thing is running around and checking out the ship for the first time.

The kids were most interested in the pool. The pool was heated and they used it every day of the trip, even when the temperatures were chilly in Alaska. Dan and I often sat on lounge chairs, bundled-up in winter coats, enjoying hot drinks, while they swam.

The Ruby Princess does have a great kids club and the kids attended one session. Kids clubs have never been their favorite thing and they did not return. They did meet kids at the pool that were their age (7 & 9 ), who loved the club. Zoe and Felix did want to attend a party that the kid's club held in the main atrium on the last day of the cruise. They had games, face painting, and crafts. The kids loved it. A giant shark and pelican were leading a dance party!

Speaking of dance parties; Zoe and I went to the midnight balloon drop gala party that was held on the last sea day. Dan had a stomach bug and Felix just couldn't stay awake, so the girls went to the party. It had the vibe of a wedding reception, with a live band playing classic hits that manage to transcend generations.

We attended two of the main stage shows. Here's a picture of the theatre, nearly empty.

The first show was a family-friendly comedian/magician named R.J. Lewis. Admittedly, after seeing a majority of the shows in Las Vegas, we are a tough crowd. That said, we were all delighted by Lewis' show.

The second show was Magic to Do, a musical revue featuring songs by Stephen Schwartz. If the name Stephen Schwartz doesn't ring a bell, you've surely heard of his hit musicals: Wicked, Pippin, and Godpell, among others. I'm not at all a fan of Schwartz's musicals and if I had realized that I'd be sitting through an hour of his music, I'd probably have skipped the show. That said, it was an hour of high-quality entertainment. The singers and dancers on the Ruby Princess are all first-rate and the show was a pleasant surprise. As the title of the show implies ( it's also a song from Pippin), there was some magic elements. Considering the limitations on a cruise ship, the sets, costumes and effects were quite the spectacle. We all enjoyed it.

Although every evening show was family-friendly, we only attended the two, because the others were not appealing. There was another comedy night and a few other musical revues. Additional entertainment included cruise favorites like bingo, trivia, and game shows. There is a casino and a sports deck with mini golf. Princess Cruises has a partnership with the Discovery Channel and they had special programs with naturalists on board the ship. Often crew members were dressed in lumberjack/jill costumes to reflect our destination of Alaska. And of course, there were the endless art auctions. I'm not sure why cruise ships are so big on the art auctions, but clearly people are purchasing.

Our week-long cruise on the Ruby Princess was filled with activities, including four ports and a day of cruising through Glacier Bay. Coming up: Dining on the Ruby Princess and port reviews!

Here are a few shots as we sailed away from the port in Seattle, heading towards our Alaska adventure!

Mel Brooks' Young Frankenstein

With an unexpected free evening in London, Dan and I grabbed last minute tickets to see Mel Brooks' Young Frankenstein at the Garrick Theatre. Although we were familiar with Mel Brooks, neither of us had seen the 1974 film on which the musical is based. We went in cold, hoping for the best.

Prior to the show we had a quick curry directly across the street at the Maharaja of India.

We had about forty-five minutes and asked them if they could serve us in a hurry. They agreed, but they were grumpy about it! The curry is very good and they did serve us quickly, but I would recommend only eating here if you're not in a rush.

Here I am outside of the Garrick Theatre with a poster of Young Frankenstein.

Here is a picture of the cast. None of the names were familiar, but they all gave a top-notch performance.

Here is a view from our seats: not bad for a last-minute booking. We got our tickets at one of the discount ticket booths, but Dan spoiled me by splurging on the best seats he was able to get. They were great!

Young Frankenstein is the story of Dr. Frederick Frankenstein (Hadley Fraser), an American medical student who is the nephew of the infamous mad-scientist, Dr. Victor Frankenstein. Frederick is embarrassed to be associated with his crazy uncle, yet when his uncle dies, Frederick is more than happy to inherit the family estate in Transylvania.

Frederick leaves his high-maintenance fiancee, Elizabeth (Dianne Pilkington) in New York and travels to Europe. He is greeted at the train station by his uncle's servant, Igor (Cory English) and introduced to a beautiful new lab assistant, Inga (Summer Strallen). Frederick is immediately attracted to Inga. On the carriage ride back to the estate, Igor fends off werewolves without Frederick noticing, trying to maintain the image that nothing in amiss.

At the estate, Frederick is introduced to the no-nonsense housekeeper, Fru Blucher (Lesley Joseph). Although it is kept hidden, Frederick manages to uncover his uncle's secret lab and rather than being mortified, he becomes intrigued by the possibility of reanimation. His uncle's experiments no longer seem outlandish.

Igor is eager to help Frederick resume the experiments and the two steal a corpse of a recently executed criminal. Frederick decides that he will transplant the brain of a local scholar into the corpse, bringing back the mind of a revered individual. It's Igor's job to steal the brain of the scholar and when that goes awry, a brain from a jar labeled "abnormal" is transplanted instead. How will Frederick cope with his newly reanimated creation, a mob of angry townspeople, and a fiancee who makes a surprise visit just as his relationship with Inga is heating up?

As I mentioned earlier, Dan and I went in with little expectations. We didn't know the story or the music, and we hadn't read any reviews. I did enjoy the stage version of Brooks' The Producers, which like Young Frankenstein, was also directed by Susan Stroman. Luckily, within the first musical number, we knew that it was going to be a great night at the theater.

Young Frankenstein is hilarious. I don't think we stopped laughing and smiling throughout the entire show. My cheeks and belly hurt! It is a true ensemble piece and every single performer gave it 110%. They were all so talented that it's impossible to pick the best performer or even a favorite character. Young Frankenstein has memorable songs and is quirky.

I've since read that the original Broadway show had mixed-reviews and that the London version has been reworked. I'm not sure what has been altered, but the version we saw is great. The London run closes in August, so make sure to see it asap. Young Frankenstein is a throughly entertaining show that I highly recommend!

5 Rhythms

Generally, I've been very behind in my trip reports, but this particular experience from my recent trip to England needs to be blogged about while it's still fresh in my mind.

My sister-in-law, Ali, invited me to attend her Thursday night, 5 Rhythms class. I had not previously heard of 5 Rhythms, but I've since learned that it was started in New York City in 1977 by dancer Gabrielle Roth. I may be butchering this explanation, but it's a type of dance/meditation and the idea is to use the movement to calm your mind.

The class took place in a beautiful church near Oxford. Ali drove us through a huge rainstorm with the skies clearing as we arrived. We stopped to pick up snacks for after class, which ended up being a wise move. There is nothing quite like salty potato chips and sweet Starbucks bottled drinks as a pick-me-up, after an intense workout.

The chairs in the community space had been pushed aside to create a large, open dance floor with wood planks. Ali is a decoration volunteer and she made the altar: a small shrine with gorgeous fresh flowers and candles that sits to one side of the room. Although 5 Rhythms is not religious, it definitely has a spiritual/ New Age vibe. Pretty fairy lights were also draped around the room to add to the atmosphere.

Ali explained to me that pretty much anything goes and there is no judgement. There is also little to no instruction. The music starts and you just move around the space however you wish. If you don't want to move, you can sit or lie down, maybe enjoy the altar. Although forbidden might be a bit harsh, the participants are not supposed to really talk or stare at the other participants. Eye contact is okay, if the other other person is willing to engage. Basically, the idea is to be sensitive to those around you. It's great to interact, but also respect those who wish to have private time. Depending on moods or what is going on in an individual's life, the dancing might be an emotional experience for them and they might wish to have private time.

I love to dance. This is not to be confused with me being a good dancer. I lack all sense of rhythm, but what I lack in rhythm, I make up with joy and enthusiasm. I'm not ashamed to be the first person out on the dance floor in a club. However, there was something that made me hesitant about 5 Rhythms. Unstructured creativity, especially with movement and visual arts, makes me very nervous. Having to dance on my own made me nervous.

I started by stretching. As others moved around the space, I sat on the floor. Primarily this was my way of easing myself into the class, but I also needed to stretch. The previous year I had a terrible bought of sciatica and I'm still recovering. I don't stretch enough. Does anyone? I stretched for about thirty minutes and then moved into ballet positions. I have a little bit of a ballet background ( a smidge), so I went through the positions as a way of sticking to the familiar. My body is not as limber or steady since having sciatica. I've spent the last year learning to be patient, rather than frustrated by the slow healing process. It makes me feel old.

The class instructor stood at a DJ booth controlling the music and she would occasionally suggest an action. When she mentioned that we should move around the space, I tentatively stepped beyond the few feet where I had planted my roots. Slowly, I became freer and even skipped around the room, owning every part of the space. Maybe twenty minutes later, she suggested that we dance with a partner.

My first partner ( I think I ended up dancing with everyone in the class, about ten people) was an older gentleman. The class had a large range of ages, from early twenties to late sixties. Admittedly, it was a bit awkward. He was also chatty, which isn't encouraged and under the guise of being helpful ( when he learned that this was my first time), he kept giving me instructions- which is definitely a "no-no." That said, I just went with it.

I was surprised by how quickly my awkwardness sloughed-off and I was enjoying myself. 5 Rhythms is a lot of fun. It can be silly and playful. I felt at ease when I caught the eye of other participants and they were smiling or laughing. Within the first hour, I was comfortable in the space and with my body.

My only real problem was sustaining the level of energy. I have a hard time holding back and this created a pacing issue. The class was long, at least two hours, but I suspect closer to three. Although you can certainly take a break when you wish, there is no formal break time. The music ramps up and it's hard to just stop. i joined the frenzy! Other than to take an occasional sip of water, I didn't stop. I was exhausted. I dripped in sweat and my heart raced, but I kept going. The next day, my feet had blisters and every muscle, including those I never knew I had, ached.

After a cool down period with the music slowing in pace, we sat around a circle and talked about our experiences in the class. It was an all-around good vibe with a great group of people. So much kindness and acceptance. I thanked everyone for welcoming me into the class. After class, everyone stayed for a piece of Vegan Chocolate Cake to celebrate two recent birthdays, including Ali's. I'm not vegan, but the cake was very tasty.

I would definitely attend a 5 Rhythms class in the future. They are offered all around the world, but unfortunately, not in our small town. For anyone thinking of giving it a try, just go with an open mind and a sense of adventure. Don't forget a large bottle of water and whatever you do, pace yourself!