Vacation Cruise Is a Photographer’s Paradise

ALASKA – Carnival Cruises likes to say that you are not on vacation, but at the beginning of “an all-out sensory indulgence.”

Now that we are nearing the end of our cruise and have experienced an Alaskan adventure, a better phrase would be a “photographer’s paradise.”

Photo opportunities are everywhere you look, from the scenic coastlines to the giant glaciers alongside the ship, from the quaint villages to the onboard festivities. And the people. Not only our shipmates but the friendly folks who call Alaska their home during the summer months and the few year-round residents we met while ashore.

Mary Gallagher, a San Diego resident traveling with the Ramona group, said this was “an experience of a lifetime.” A newcomer to cruises in general and Alaska in particular, she is already thinking about what other cruises may be in her future.

Other out-of-towners on the ship include Donna and Dave Maxwell, formerly of Ramona and now calling Pinetop, Ariz., their home; Bonnie Stalker, another former Ramonan, now living in Lebanon, Oregon; Wendy and Larry Osa from El Centro; Jenny and Christopher Basserett from Temecula; and Carol Lazenby all the way from Little Rock, Arkansas.

Locals onboard include Sue and Mike Robinson, Ramona and Andy Robinson, Pat and Dan Drahos, Barbara and Tom Maxfeldt, Nancy and Jim Dohrer, Yolanda and Bill Ogle, Ann Morgart, Cheryl Story, Flo Firth, and Holly and Paul Machaelis with their children, Tanner and Gracie.

And, of course, our tour leader and seasoned cruiser, Callie Robinson, is here with husband Jim. Needless to say, I’m here, too.

We all missed out on the annual Fourth of July celebration in Ramona, but here on the Carnival Spirit, we celebrated in grand style with a red, white and blue party.

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