My friend, Lynn, and I left 21C Museum Hotel in Chicago in the
afternoon to start our trip north to Michigan. It had been years since we were last
in the state together. We were both huge fans of the state and were looking
forward to the opportunity to check out some new towns.
We didn’t have a chance to get lunch before we left and
decided to stop in South Haven, Michigan, for dinner. It’s a quaint waterfront
town and we headed to a strip by the water to park. South Haven Brew Pub was on
that block and looked like a casual place to eat.
Unfortunately, it wasn’t that simple as there didn’t seem to
be a way for me to get in the restaurant with my wheelchair.
As we were trying
to figure out if I could get in, the manager of the Old Harbor Inn next door came
out and led us through her hotel to a downstairs path that led to the brew pub.
We thanked her and found a table in the busy restaurant.
I had a pulled pork sandwich with
house made chips and coleslaw and Lynn had a salad and tacos with chips and
salsa. It was all good, but we were tired and anxious to head to the hotel.
We walked outside in time to see
the first of many incredible Southwest Michigan sunsets. It made us especially
excited about the upcoming sailing trip we had out of this town.
It only took about 40 minutes to
get to Holland, which would be our home base for the next few days. I had
wanted to come there to their famous Tulip Festival for many years. It never
seemed to work out. I finally decided to at least spend some time exploring
this town in the summer.
Our hotel was the Haworth. It is
right in the middle of the area where Hope College is located. The modern hotel
had a very spacious lobby, the first clue I had that it would be wheelchair
accessible. We had a nice spacious room, though it was a little tight around
the furniture at the wall.
The bathroom was large and easy
to wheel around in. The shower had a chair that I could safely get in and out
of.
Lynn and I unpacked and wound
down for the night. We had a very full next day, and we wanted to be ready for
it.
Lynn and I have been having adventures for many years. We’ve
been friends for decades and look forward to our getaways. We had lots of plans
for this one, taking us through Michigan, then on to Milwaukee before heading
back.
She arrived in Champaign a few days before our trip. We got
ready for our first stop, Chicago. We were spending two days there at 21CMuseum Hotel before hitting the road for the rest.
One of the things I enjoyed most about the 21C Museum Hotel
I stayed in when in Louisville the first time were the penguins. These giant
plastic penguins would move around the hotel, surprising you in places such as
the elevator. After I mentioned this at check-in, we had one waiting for us in
our room.
The 21C Deluxe Accessible Double room worked well for us. It
had a nice big bathroom, with a low bathtub, which I love. There was also a
chair in it for those who couldn’t climb in or get out of the tub.
We had stopped on the road to eat a big lunch. I wanted to
have dinner at Lure Fish Bar at 21C, but Lynn and I both have seafood allergies
and that made it impractical. Instead, I went there for an early breakfast. I
loved the Brioche French Toast with caramelized bananas. (For those who can eat
shellfish, the Lobster Frittata sounded amazing.)
I had an appointment in the morning and couldn’t resist Stan’s
Donuts for a raspberry filled cronut and chai latte when it was done. I had
been there longer than expected and knew it would still be a long time before
my lunch. I don’t get the opportunity to have Stan’s very often. I then wheeled
back to the hotel.
Marketing Director Alex Eden took me on a tour. The artwork
at 21C is museum quality and worthy of exploring for an hour or two. The
exhibits change a few times a year. I saw unusual pieces, such as a picture put
together with subway tokens and a wedding cake made from newspaper.
After some rest, I was out again. I love Afternoon Tea and
was especially excited to be doing it at the Ritz Carlton. Starting with a
glass of Veuve Clicquot Champagne made it even more special. I soon traded my champagne
glass for a teacup as I waited for the well-orchestrated food. I chose the
cranberry-apple blend tea and looked forward to it while it began to seep.
The tea sandwiches were as creative as they were delicious.
My favorite was the zucchini with capers and dill spread. Next were the scones,
pumpkin spice and traditional, served with cream, apple butter, and raspberry
jam. There was also a Carbonara Quiche, with bucatini, smokey mushroom, and parmesan
cheese.
Dessert was just as scrumptious as the rest of the offerings.
Even though it was summer, they were themed for Halloween: Poison Apple, green apple
Cremieux with graham cracker; Monster Under the Bed, blackberry mousse and
pistachio ganache; Jack-O-Cannoli, a cannoli filled with pumpkin spice ricotta
and dipped in chocolate; and RIP, a crispy hazelnut chocolate bar.
All the desserts were fantastic, but the cannoli was simply
perfect. They sent me back to the hotel with extras of everything. Lynn and I decided
to indulge in more rather than go out to dinner.
The next morning, we packed up the car and headed to
Michigan. Our first stay would be in Holland, a place I’ve wanted to go to for
years.
Our cruise on the Royal Princess was coming near the end,
but we still had one stop left and it was one of my favorite cities—Victoria, Canada.
I had been three times prior and looked forward to this trip.
When I first found out we were doing this cruise I
immediately thought about Afternoon Tea at the Fairmont Empress hotel. It was
something I had never gotten around to doing in Victoria. Unfortunately, the
ship wasn’t getting into the British Columbia city until nighttime so that wasn’t
going to work.
I was intrigued when the public relations rep for The
Empress told me, since there were so many cruise ships coming in later, the
hotel had added a Sunset Sips program for those who had wanted Afternoon Tea. I
agreed that we would come try it.
We had many hours to go before our scheduled 9:00 pm arrival
in Victoria. I wanted to take it easy, so I didn’t overdo it during the day.
After breakfast we went to play bingo. As far as we knew, it
was the only bingo offered on the cruise. It was fun. We didn’t win anything,
though.
We headed to the Concerto dining room for the English Pub
lunch after Bingo. While the menu wasn’t one of my favorites on the cruise,
Brittany enjoyed the Bangers and Mash.
We skipped dessert with lunch because we wanted to go to the
Gelato Shop for one last premium dessert. Those were hard to give up! They are
so good.
After a little time in The Enclave thermal suite in the Lotus
Spa, it was then back to the cabin for a nap and some packing. It was the night
we had to leave our luggage outside to be picked up for the morning
debarkation.
We showered and got ready for the Farewell Dinner in the
dining room. Although the waiters didn’t carry the Baked Alaska as I had seen on
nearly every other cruise, they did sing a farewell song to us while we ate.
Brittany started with the Alaskan Cocktail with shrimp,
scallop and cod in a citrus mayonnaise. For a main course she had the Slow
Roasted Prime Rib.
I did the Spinach Ricotta Ravioli and Princess Love Boat
Dream (layered chocolate-raspberry and vanilla-raspberry cream on a shortbread
cookie cut into a heart) for dessert. I also had a latte to keep me awake for
the night out
As dinner was ending, there was a magnificent sunset we
could see from the table. I moved closer to get a better look. Sunsets had
become the time I was winding down from the exhaustion of the day. This time it
was our day that was restful preparing for the night.
We went up to the cabin to get jackets and see the end of
the sunset. The announcement came shortly after we had docked in Victoria, and
we could get off.
The entrance into the country of Canada was quick. Outside there were buses waiting to take us downtown. The lines were long by the time we got down there, but the wait wasn’t too long.
The bus was accessible and there was a spot just behind the
driver for me to park my scooter in. I had to wait for the rest of the bus to
get on and off before me so he could get me hooked in and taken out, but we
weren’t in a major rush.
The first stop was right in front of the Fairmont Empress hotel.
It looked even more spectacular in the dark night than the daytime I had
previously seen it in. It was just the beginning as the inside was just as opulent.
We made our way to the Lobby Bar. They had our reservation and
welcomed us to our seats by the window, where we could see the city lit up. We
checked out the menu and it was quite unusual, but everything sounded like it
would be good.
To pay homage to their famous Afternoon Tea, the cocktails
in the Sunset Sip menu are poured from a teapot at the table. They are referred
to as “Teapot Temptations Secret Libations.” Most of them also have a tea
connection
I had the Lady Whistledown, with Botanist Gin, cucumber, chamomile
tea syrup, and prosecco. Brittany ordered the Daisy Ricky, a concoction of citrus
punch, tea infused Bacardi Rum, Coconut Ciroc vodka, lime, mint, and simple
syrup.
The food was also served afternoon tea style in tiered trays.
There was an assortment of sweet and savory. We decided to go with mostly the food,
with a little dessert because we needed a variety. They were all delicious and
large enough to share:
We had to be back on the ship by midnight, so we left soon after
we finished eating to take a short walk around Victoria and pick up some
souvenirs. Then we got back on the bus and onto the ship. It was a too short
trip to Canada.
As tired as we were, it was hard to fall asleep
after all the excitement and a little bit of sadness that we’d be leaving our
first Princess Cruise early in the morning. >
I was hosted on this trip, but opinions are my own.
We were once again going on separate excursions. I was doing
the Historical Ketchikan & Creek Street Walking Tour, with my scooter.
Brittany was doing Ketchikan Safari with a Local Photographer. We both learned
a lot about this unique city and its history.
My guide was of Tlingit descent. They are one of the Indigenous
peoples in the Pacific Northwest, mostly in Alaska and Canada. They are one of
229 recognized tribes in Alaska. He had lived in Ketchikan all his life. As we walked,
he told us all about the colorful life of the city built on water. The streets
are all built on trestles and stairs, with a 274-foot-long tunnel in the middle
of town.
During the Gold Rush, this town was Alaska’s center of fun,
with bars on every corner and legal prostitution. Many of the bars are still
there and 18,000 cruisers, on an average day during the season, help support
the 8,000 residents.
We walked along Creek Street. It was the former red-light
district and now has the city’s only heated sidewalk. We saw the creek with
salmon and harbor seals, and the houses built on stilts over the water. Then we
went through the park and into the center of town. We saw Totem Poles in each
place. They were beautiful, so delicately carved. He explained the meanings
within them to us.
Some of the ground in Ketchikan was a little rough, and curb
cuts weren’t in every place I wanted to cross the road, but I did get to see
everything the rest of the group did with my scooter.
Brittany saw a lot on her tour of the downtown, where she got
closer to the stream to see the salmon spawning. She also went to Totem Bight
State Historical Park.
When our tours were done, we met at Jellyfish donut shop. I
could easily say it’s the most popular spot in Ketchikan. The line outside
continued throughout the day. It wasn’t accessible so Brittany went inside and
picked us up a smoked salmon donut and a Reese’s donut. Both were delicious.
When we got back from Port, we decided to go up to The
Sanctuary for relaxation and lunch. We had been invited to spend an afternoon
and it seemed like the perfect time as we left the state of Alaska.
There was a pair of lounge chairs by the windows, and we sat
down. It was a bit cool, but the staff brought us blankets and we wrapped them
around us as we waited for our drinks and the lunch menu, which was different
from any other food spot on the Royal Princess.
I chose a selection of fruit, granola, yogurt, and cottage cheese.
Brittany had a chicken sandwich and fries. We watched the ship sail out of
Ketchikan from our lounges.
We could not resist when they came around with Afternoon Tea
an hour later. It was a daily tradition on the ship. The tiny sandwiches and
pastries looked delicious, and they were. The tea was comforting as the wind
was still blowing and it was a bit chilly.
It was Italian Night in the main dining room. We had still
not opened the bottle of Veuve Clicquot champagne we received the day we
boarded, and we decided to take it with us for dinner. After everything we ate
at The Sanctuary, we weren’t overly hungry, but as with most cruisers, which
changed when we saw the menu.
I started with prosciutto and melon, while Brittany had a seafood
antipasto. For the main course, it was risotto for me and chicken parmigiana for
Brittany. Dessert was baked Alaska and cheesecake.
The night finished with a walk on the deck to see a
beautiful sunset as we sailed away from Alaska. It was as fitting as the whales
greeting us when we entered the state.
We would be at sea all the next day before an evening stop
at our last port: Vancouver, Canada.
Photos by Marcia Frost & Brittany Lambright.
I was hosted on this trip, but opinions are my own.
The main reason I chose this Inside Passage cruise with
Princess was the full day exploring Glacier Bay National Park by ship. Glacier
Bay is one of the least accessible national parks in the United States. With
this itinerary, I would be able to see a lot of it from the Royal Princess.
Only a few cruise lines are able to spend a day going
through Glacier Bay. It starts in the early morning when a boat arrives with park
rangers. They stay on board until late in the afternoon, telling us about the
park and everything we are seeing.
Brittany and I got up at 5:00 am. We had decided to start
out with as much as we could see from our balcony. We pre-ordered breakfast and
coffee delivered to our cabin, so we didn’t need to get out of our pajamas, but
we did need to bundle up. We put on our sweatshirts and the warm blankets Princess
Cruises supplies to take outside.
After enjoying 70+ degree temperatures in Alaska the previous
days, we were starting this day in the 40s. It was also a cloudy so we were
afraid we wouldn’t get to see everything. None of that upset us as we set ourselves
up for the scenery in front of us. It did not disappoint.
There are no words to describe what we saw, which included
whales, sea lions, sea otters, glaciers, waves, and mountains. We also saw some
of these breaking as ice melted and went into the water. This has been
happening a lot the last decade as our planet warms.
As we went through the glaciers it continued to get colder.
We put on layers and even took out hats, scarves, and gloves. When it got
colder and the ship was in a quiet area, we decided to take a break to get pizza
from Alfredo’s.
We were still able to watch Glacier Bay from the window and
listen to the ranger. The warm, fresh pizza was as delicious as it was on the
first day of our cruise.
After we ate, we went up to the theater where the rangers
had set up information and were on hand to answer questions and stamp National
Park Passports. They also had some merchandise for sale.
We left Glacier Bay National Park around 3:00 pm and it was
time to shower and get ready for a very special night. We were honored to
receive an invitation to the Chef’s Table Lumiere dinner. You can request it
before you sail, but the odds are not good. It is something only done once a
cruise and only a half dozen people on the ship are invited to join.
When we arrived in the bar area of the Crown Grill,
Executive Chef Fabrizio Fazzini and Director of Restaurant Operations Paul
Ciobanu were waiting for us. They had an amuse-bouche of an Alaskan Crab Margarita
with avocado and mango waiting along with glasses of one of my favorite
champagnes, Veuve Clicquot Brut Yellow Label.
The chef then took us on a tour of the kitchen, which is actually
an entire floor. He told us about the thousands of dishes prepared for each
meal. Everything was sparkling clean throughout.
We then headed to our seats. The table setting was magnificent.Wine was poured throughout, including more champagne, Cloudy Bay Sauvignon
Blanc, Nikiara by Le Vigne, and an Oremus Late Harvest at the end.
Here is the menu of courses:
Salmon Gravlax and Caviar
Fois Gras on Toasted Brioche Seafood Bisque with Brandy Cream Entremet of Lemon Sorbet & Champagne
Roast Salmon Fillet (for Brittany) Veal Oscar (for me)
Lemon Mousse Chocolate box
See more details about our special dinner on this video I
put together…
The gluttony continued when we returned to our room to find
a note from Chef Fazzini and Director Cioubanu with petite fours and more wine.
We didn’t get too far with it as we were so full from the exquisite meal.
It took a while to fall asleep after all that food, but we
knew we needed rest for another busy day as the Royal Princess sailed to Ketchikan,
Alaska.
I was hosted on this trip, but opinions are my own.
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