[Leica] Alaskan Cruise

[cummer at netvigator.com (H&ECummer)]

> Date: Sun, 27 May 2012 07:52:15 +1000
> From: Geoff Hopkinson <hopsternew at gmail.com>
> Subject: Re: [Leica] Alaskan Cruise
> To: Leica Users Group <lug at leica-users.org>
> 
> Nice job on the pano Howard. More to come I hope.
> Geesh! I had no idea the vessels for those cruises would be city sized. I
> imagined small handy vessels that can navigate fjords or whatever Alaskans
> call them. Turn those badboys sideways and you could walk across the Bering
> Sea to Russia.
> 
> Cheers,
> Geoff

Hi Geoff,
When three cruise ships arrive at the same time in Ketchikan (pop 7,000)
they disembark 9,000 passengers. Most of these coastal towns survive on the 
tourist visits.
A ship that is 115,000 tonnes is limited in how close she can get to the 
shoreline so that limits the opportunities for close ups of animals.
Next time I think I would book passage on a smaller ship. But the crew and 
service on the Diamond Princess were exemplary.
Cheers
Howard