Alaska

Alaska was more than I could have ever imagined. I am not a cold weather vacation kind of person, but I do appreciate nature and Alaska was on my bucket list. We visited in May and it was still chilly on most days.

We started our journey in Seattle where we stayed two nights and explored all things Seattle. That will be the next blog post. We boarded Celebrity Cruises Edge for a 7-Night Alaskan Cruise. We had sailed on the Edge previously and loved it.  We opted for a Deluxe Ocean View Stateroom at the front of the ship which gave us some incredible views coming into the various ports. It was a bit rocky on sea days, but we managed as we were out of the room a great deal exploring the ship and going outside for the stunning views.

Our itinerary consisted of a day at sea, Ketchikan, Alaska; Endicott Arm & Dawes Glacier; Juneau, Alaska; Skagway, Alaska; Alaska Inside Passage; day at sea; Victoria, British Columbia and back to Seattle.

Ketchikan is a cute little town with a lot of touristy shops but also offers that rustic charm you would expect from a small town in Alaska. It situated on Revillagigedo Island in the southeastern part of the panhandle. One thing we noticed was the number of American totem poles. They are known for them and feature them throughout the town. There was a lumberjack show occurring at the time we were walking through town and the people in attendance seemed to be having a great time.

We decided to try the Crab-Leg Feast at George Inlet Lodge. The lake and surrounding area were just beautiful, and the crab legs were fantastic. A delicious meal for any crab leg lover. The group we were with had several brewery lovers, so every stop included at least one brewery and / or distillery.

Next stop took us through the 30-mile fjord passage called Endicott Arm to see the Dawes Glacier. This was one of the most magical parts of the trip. I took numerous pictures but just standing on the upper deck and observing the proximity of mountains to the ship was incredible. It felt like you could reach out and touch a mountain on either side. There were many small waterfalls that trickled down the mountains. As we approached the head of Dawes Glacier the ship stopped and did a 360-degree slow turn so we could see it from all angles. That captain knew what he was doing! It was just stunning. My very first glacier to see in person. Another observation was throughout the passage we could see small little glaciers called “bergy bits” which created blue-ice floating magical scene.

Juneau was our next port. Juneau is the capital of Alaska and is located along the Gastineau Channel in southeast Alaska. A vast amount of shopping for the savvy shopper is available in Juneau. Our group landed at the Red Dog Saloon where “Duck Fart Shots” were handed out for just about any reason.

Next stop was Skagway and that was by far my most favorite little town. Surrounded by stunning snow-covered mountains and a quaint town settled between them. Skagway is known for being a popular cruise port because of its 1898 Gold Rush history. We opted to hop on the White Pass & Yukon Route Railroad for a panoramic journey through the mountains and up close to the Canadian border. After the train ride, we walked through town and browsed in the many shops along Broadway. We found a distillery on the map and decided it was worth a trip. The view was the most amazing part.

Everyone was so nice to us and the distillery made us some amazing drinks that we enjoyed before the walk back to the ship. Mother nature did not disappoint. Stunning views of lush greenery and snow-capped mountains in every way you could look.

Our last stop after another day at sea was Victoria, British Columbia which is the capital of BC and located on the southern part of Vancouver Island. I just fell in love with the city overall. The weather was pleasantly mild and beautiful scenery surrounded us everywhere. It is known to be a vibrant city and welcoming to everyone. We would have loved to have toured the Butchart Gardens, but we just ran out of time.

We ended our cruise back in Seattle and headed to the airport. It was one of the most amazing trips we taken and can’t wait to sail again to Alaska.

If you are interested in seeing this beautiful state, please reach out and we’ll get you booked on a cruise of a lifetime with pre/post cruise adventures.

Mal