Cruising royally on a Princess
- Island Princess Cruise Director and Captain meet Gerrye and Calvin Wong
For family vacations, there is no better place to suit every generation’s fancy than on a cruise ship that offers activity, entertainment, and food 24 hours a day. My family of five teenagers, four Baby Boomer parents, and two senior grandparents put ourselves at the disposal of Princess Cruise Lines. From the moment we stepped up on the Island Princess gangplank for our Alaskan adventure, there never was a dull moment.
For the three to seven-year-old “Pelicans,” the eight to twelve-year-old “Shock Waves,” and the thirteen to seventeen-year-old “Remix” groups, Youth Activities Manager Cion Mistiola had crafts, board games, and computer games for the over 200 young people who spent many cruise hours under her wing. I saw the very amiable Cruise Manager Frank, a 30-year cruise ship veteran who started out dancing on the ships, and then moved easily into his role of managing the stage shows. He greeted everyone with a smile as he efficiently whizzed around seeing that everyone on board was entertained. Frank lined up wonderful entertainment in two theater rooms, which had mysterious magicians, hilarious comics, and full musical productions with entertainment singers and dancers.
Even though the ship held over 1,800 passengers, one never felt crowded or cramped. I highly recommend one treat themselves to a balcony cabin as the Alaskan sightings of glaciers and passing whales are so enjoyable to search for in the comfort of one’s own private balcony. Hotel Director Tony Becker and Cruise Director Frank credit this comfortable feeling to the well designed ship with its multiple public spaces and two promenade decks. I noticed that the staff seemed to be very efficient, always treating the guests with ready smiles and hellos that made each cruiser feel special and welcomed.
For the sports minded, the exercise rooms, golf simulator and jogging decks were always busy with those fit at heart. Kelly and Gary Matsuura enjoyed their boot camp classes to trim up muscles they never knew existed. For the gamblers, the casino and Bingo games were very popular. For sightseers, Princess offers dozens of excursions in the cities of Ketchikan, Skagway and Juneau, which range from helicopter rides and fishing journeys to wildlife seeking tours. An excursion aptly named the Ultimate Tour had Captain Nicolo Bommarco welcoming the group on his Navigational Bridge, the cruise chefs showing off their streamline kitchens, and the production managers taking us on stage of the showroom as well as backstage to see where twelve dancers made their quick costume changes during the musical shows. While in Juneau, son Mike Wong hired Captain Chris Conder of Rum Runner Charters who took us to an exciting fishing trip where we saw a pod of whales. Grandsons Garrett Wong, Justin Matsuura, and Todd Matsuura had the thrill of reeling in large beautiful salmon with grandma Gerrye cheering them on.
For an ultimate makeover, the Lotus Spa, run by Manager Jens Thurm, provided DeeDee Wong and me with a relaxing bamboo massage, hydralift facial and the treatment of an ionithermie super detox to lose inches and eliminate toxins. Also offered were a metabolism test, body composition analysis, and an informative lecture on the importance of diet, exercise, and special medication. Unfortunately, the wonderful meals in the multiple dining rooms of the ship were much too tempting to stick to a diet, no matter how beneficial it would be for our mushrooming bodies. We just couldn’t resist the special pastas, Caesar Salad and even the fried rice our Maitre d’ prepared especially for our family table. As everyone says of cruising, “This the way to relax!” Feeling like royalty on a Princess Line Cruise to Alaska is a perfect way to go.
Flying to Anchorage for some pre-cruise days, the highs for my family were waking up to find a black bear enjoying a leftover salmon dinner on the neighboring cabin’s porch one morning and visiting a dog sled shelter to meet the dogs training for the famous Iditarod Race. I also have to recommend the Alaska Backcountry Access Blue Ice Ride, which led us on an exhilarating jet boat ride speeding by a remote backdrop of waterfalls and magnificently formed miniature glaciers. Capping the bumpy journey was basking in a kayak in the quiet solitude of Carmen Lake and paddling up close to the face of the Twenty Mile Glacier.
There is nothing more valuable for a family than to spend quality time together enjoying each other’s company, forgetting all age differences between generations. The climax of the trip for this Grandma was the grand kids, with a farewell hug, saying in unison – “Thanks for the best trip. Where can we go next year, Pau Pau? “ Well…
Contact andy@akback.com for his many exciting Alaska adventure offerings outside of Anchorage area of Girdwood.
BACK TO LOCAL NEWS
- Assemblywoman Judy Chu with family Dean, Judson and May Chu
On the re-election trail was Congresswoman Judy Chu of the 32nd Congressional District supported by Asian Pacific Isander American Public Affairs Association leader C.C. Yin, Sandy Chau, Maria Chen, Hsing Kung and her parents, Judson and May Chu, along with brother Dean Chu.
In Cupertino, Congressman Mike Honda and the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus (CAPAC) hosted a Voices in Government town hall meeting featuring Campbell mayor Evan Low, Chair of the Presidential Advisory Commission on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders Daphne
Kwok, and CAPAC Director Gloria Chan. Giving a California state perspective on the state’s problems were State Controller John Chiang and Assemblymembers Fiona Ma and Paul Fong. Offering the community’s perspective were ALA attorney Bea Pangiliman, DeAnza College Professor Dr. Mae Lee, and AACI CEO Michele Lew.
It’s great to see community events like this take place to not only inform the public about government issues, but to encourage young people to get more involved in local and national politics.
Asian American for good government members show support in Cupertino
Visitors to Barnum’s Funundrum of Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey got to see Anthony Hoang, the first Asian-American clown I’ve heard of. As part of the troupe’s Clown Alley, Anthony thrills the kids with his unicycling, juggling, and circus comedy act.
In Palo Alto’s Luci Stern Theatre, as a part of TheatreWorks 2010 New Works Festival, is Great Wall, a new musical about a Chinese American family in Boston with a son who wants to be a rock musician instead of the proverbial doctor/lawyer of his parents’ dreams. With music by Kevin So, the singers Christopher, Jodi Long, Beau Sia, Francis Jue, and Nicole Sarich performed a very wonderful reading, receiving a standing ovation by the three audiences it performed for.
I’m looking forward to hearing more about this musical in the future, for as Story Consultant David Henry Hwang shared with me at the show, it is still in the working stages after three years but hopefully will be ready for a New York opening in the near future. I loved this ethnic identity musical and will be looking for it.
Photos from community events:
- Sands Corporation COO Mike Leven, May Koo and Sands Executive Andrew Abboud
- ACCT president Doris Lum, Frank Chang and Jet Duong
