Put your travel plans in motion with these cruising tips from the Local Affairs Task Force
By Brenda Elliff, RN, MPA, ONC, CCM
NAON 2010 Congress Local Affairs Task Force
The 2010 Local Affairs Task Force members look forward to welcoming you to the beautiful Pacific Northwest for NAON’s 30th Annual Congress. In the July 2009 issue of NAON News, we provided some fun facts about – and things to do in – the Emerald City of Seattle. For this issue, we are trading in our land dweller caps for our sea faring ones and providing some information on planning cruise trips from Seattle.
Seattle is a coastal city and major seaport. Situated in the western part of Washington State on an isthmus between Puget Sound (an arm of the Pacific Ocean) and Lake Washington, Seattle is a natural starting point for sea excursions both long and short.
Several NAON members have asked the Local Affairs Task Force about taking multi-day cruises out of Seattle. Here are a few things to consider before you plan your trip.
First, decide where you want to go, how many days you want to cruise, and which cruise line you would like to book.
The Port of Seattle Web site is an excellent place to start your research. The site lists which cruise lines depart from the area, where they go and the length of trips. It will come as no surprise that Alaskan cruises are the most popular ones departing from the area, however travelers may also choose from several other destinations.
There are cruises to Canada (Seattle is only 96 miles from the U.S./Canada border) and/or some of the islands near Seattle. Many of these are short trips, including lunch or dinner cruises, tours of the area, theme cruises and ferry rides.
The NAON Local Affairs task force will have information available at the booth about some of the day-trip cruises, however if you are considered a post-Congress, multi-day cruise to Alaska or another location you are strongly encouraged to begin your planning now.
The Local Affairs booth also is the place to visit if you are interested in riding the ferries to the different islands or for one of the whale watching tours. The month of May is the start of whale watching season, so there should be many opportunity to see these magnificent animals up close!
Don’t forget to pack your SOCKS!
It is customary for each Local Affairs Task Force to select a charitable cause and organize an annual donation drive. This year, the Seattle Local Affairs team asks that everyone donate new socks to be distributed to various local charities. In these tough economic times, there are many people who cannot afford something as basic as new footwear. Just having a clean pair of socks may reduce foot problems for the young, the old, the homeless, and many others who do not have the means by which to buy something as basic as socks. This small gesture could lead to improved overall health for someone in need! So, the next time you are at the store, pick up a package of socks - any size or color will do - and put them in the suitcase you are bringing to Congress. Local Affairs also will accept monetary donations at Congress if you forget your socks.
The 2010 Local Affairs Task Force looks forward to meeting everyone in Seattle and helping make your Congress experience special!