Alaska had never been anywhere near the top of my travel destinations mainly because of its remote location. A close friend who is a travel consultant and cruise specialist convinced me otherwise and spoke highly of her own experience with cruising. The next thing was to twist my husband’s arm as he was averse to cruising (Titanic-phobia) and is prone to sea sickness. He finally agreed after I assured him that we would not be crossing the deep ocean but sailing fairly close to land. If anyone had to be worried it was me … as I did not know how to swim!
We started our journey on the east coast of America, catching up with friends along the way, and after a mix of air, rail and road journeys, we arrived in Vancouver. Early on, we were faced with a possible premature end to the trip due to hubby sustaining a hamstring injury. I am so glad we did not cancel as the Alaska cruise was an unforgettable experience.
We signed up with Holland America for a 7-day cruise. It had stops at Juneau, Ketchikan and Skagway and a day cruising around Glacier Bay. Note: you have to go through immigration checks if embarking in Vancouver, Canada. These were fairly straightforward and well-organised. On going aboard a ship for the first time ever, I paid great attention to the compulsory safety drill and the location of the lifeboats!
It was awesome watching brilliant sunsets from the deck. There is 24/7 buffet dining area which makes you want to eat at odd hours even if you aren’t really hungry. There’s also fine dining, plenty of entertainment and a raft of activities on board. We only experienced one day of rough seas.
Make sure you have some medication for seasickness or ginger lollies.
Glacier Bay
Glacier Bay is one of the most beautiful places on earth. You will be blown away by its pristine beauty. The water’s surface was like aquamarine glass. The ship slides up close to the Margerie Glacier. Huge chunks of ice broke off with loud crackling sounds and crashed into the icy waters below. You cruise around the bay all day passing glaciers on either side and in the distance. It’s a close encounter with nature like you will never experience.
There is a range of excursions you can choose from, to suit your interests, when the ship docks. There were some adventurous ones like rafting, hiking etc. We chose medium level activity.
Juneau
There’s plenty to see on a walking tour when one disembarks in Juneau, the capital of Alaska.
A trip to the Mendenhall Glacier fulfilled my dreams – two for the price of one … flying in a helicopter and walking on a glacier. The helicopters travel in a convoy. It’s incredible flying over the icefields and landing on the ice. One has to avoid the crevices and walk gingerly, wearing the special glacier boots provided. It was akin to having a stroll in a freezer. The guides who spend the whole day on the glacier have a tent set up. When they rest, they sleep in a hammock to avoid contact with the ice below.
Walking on Mendenhall Glacier
Skagway
Skagway is the childhood home of Sarah Palin, the former Alaskan Governor. When we disembarked, we took the little street car tour. The guide was dressed in costume and gave us an entertaining history of the town and the gold rush. We also rode on a Dog Sled drawn by a team of 12-14 Alaskan huskies. Be careful if you are sitting in the front seats as you will be the first to catch the dogs passing wind!
The final leg to the top of the mountains through the Tongass National Forest is in a Unimog, a kind of tractor that weaves through the steep and uneven terrain. The drive was scenic with sitka trees on either side. We also stopped at a Mushers Camp where the dogs get trained. There is plenty of time to walk around town before heading back to the ship.
Ketchikan
It rains in Ketchikan 300 days of the year so we were prepared for wet weather. We happened to visit on one of the other 65 days! Much to our surprise, there were almost clear skies, and no rain in sight. Here again, there’s plenty of time to walk around, check out the local shops, art and souvenirs.
We got a close view of the beautiful Misty Fjords National Monument and Punchbowl Mountain riding through on a fast catamaran. The return trip by floatplane meant we could view it all again from the air. It was amazing to see the huge granite cliffs with waterfalls, and trees growing out of rocks. You can spot plenty of wildlife if you have a keen eye.
Get a balcony cabin on the ship if you can stretch your budget. It’s magical sitting on the balcony absorbing the landscape in still silence. If not, you can enjoy the view from the open deck. Glacier Bay is the exception, where you cannot spend more than a few minutes outside before you freeze.
The cruise ship docks back in Vancouver. I would recommend spending a few days taking in the sights of this beautiful Canadian city.
That was my first cruise and I’m sure it won’t be my last.
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