Well we are in Anchorage but it was "a trip". We arrived in Vancouver and had to go to Seattle and then Anchorage. (Frequent flyer miles were not readily available and we added this cruise recently)

We arrived in Vancouver that is when the fun started. We had a six hour layer over and the plane was supposed to leave at 8.15 pm and we were told it would be delayed by about 30 minutes but the agent suggested we back up to a later flight "in case of further delays" we agreed. She was a super nice person and definitely had our best interests at heart. She even gave us a $12 meal voucher each. There was a cracked runway so everything was backed up. No airline club for One World and we were coach anyway so probably would not be able to get in if there was one. We found the hotel in the airport and spent most of our time there in the lounge. Our tickets said BOARDING about 8.45 pm. So we left the hotel at 8.00 pm and looked at the information board and it said DEPARTING at 8.15 pm. We raced to the gate and it was a long way. I could not imagine after waiting that long that we could miss our plane. We thought that the plane was back to the original time.

When we got to the gate no one was at the Alaska air desk and the board behind the counter still said departing at 8.15 pm. We thought we missed it we made it about 8.15 pm. Then we discovered that we had not missed it the gate agents had just not turned up yet. They had just not changed the boards. Well about three hours later we departed.

When we arrived in Seattle it was 15 minutes before our flight. We had to take a train, again we raced as fast as we could and made the plane just two minutes before they shut the door. I bet some on our Vancouver to Seattle plane that may have been connecting to Anchorage missed this flight. It seemed they did not delay but we may have been the only passengers who knows!

Next fun on arrival! We thought our bags probably did not make it. Out came all the bags and one person who was on the Vancouver to Seattle plane with us got HER bags so if she got hers we figured we could get ours. Nothing came out. We went to the counter and they said more bags were coming they were "under cargo". About 45 minutes later (this is at 2.00 am) no bags. They kept saying "they are coming". Finally few boxes for some of the passengers that were waiting arrived. They said sorry I guess there are no more after all. So we filed a claim and at first they could not find them. But finally they found that the TSA pulled them in Seattle. Should be on the next flight landing in about an hour. The Anchorage airport was full of people at this time of the morning! Again the luggage agents were very nice, none of this is the front line peoples fault and they were doing all they could to assist us.

We got to the hotel and crashed. We called this morning they did not come in tonight BUT there is another flight this morning they think they will be on that flight.

Normally I am not worried about bags we lose them all the time and you can buy enough to survive until they arrive. BUT we are going to remote Alaskan and Russian islands. Not a lot of options on delivery probably just Dutch Harbor.

So we are going to call and be sure they arrived this morning otherwise it is a shopping trip in Anchorage. We do not carry any clothes as the computers and cameras fill up our carryons.

It is what it is, I was telling Ken today we are so calm about lost bags but this is the ONE time I hope we get them. We do have to make it from Anchorage to Seward and fortunately the ship is leaving later than most departures so we should be fine to make the ship bags or no bags.

So we have decided to eat a GREAT lunch of Halibut Cheeks (taste like yummy lobster only ever seen them in Anchorage) while we wait for an anticipated 2.00 pm delivery of our bags.

Wish us luck!!