Cruising Majestic Alaska
These warm summer nights have me thinking about one of my favorite summer destinations… Alaska! The months of July and August provide lots of daylight, and some of the best wildlife viewing.
In July of 2017, I was able to go on a dream trip to Alaska with my mom. If this destination isn’t on your bucket list, it should be! An Alaskan cruise promises of endless marvels with its unique blend of natural wonders and authentic cultural experiences.
Brace yourself for breathtaking glaciers, majestic wildlife, and the awe-inspiring beauty of the Last Frontier.
DEPARTING SEATTLE, WA
Let me welcome you to room #8002 on Holland America’s Oosterdam ship. It is one of their older ships, but still very comfortable and clean. The staff is still very friendly, the food is still good, and the boat still floats. Do we really need anything else??
For those of you on the fence about an Alaskan cruise, allow me to push you over that fence. I’m not sure what the view out your front door is each morning, but how do you feel about waking up to… THIS… every day on vacation??
So if you ask me if it is worth spending the extra money for a balcony and you aren’t prone to extreme sea sickness, I say… YES!! One of my favorite parts about cruises is INCLUDED room service.
Mom and I took full advantage of this one morning so we could enjoy the sky changing color behind the mountains like pictured above. We showered, slipped on our robes and enjoyed the view. We were lucky enough to see a bunch of whales! Mom got some great pictures with her zoom lens, but you’ll have to look very close to see two whales pictured below. The one to the left is using their blowhole, and the one to the right has its tail fins sticking out before a dive down for some more fishing!
But enough about the view from the room. Let me break down the ports of call we had and what my highlights were at each stop.
JUNEAU, ALASKA
Our first stop was Juneau. We booked a combo tour that allowed us to see both the Mendenhall Glacier, and do some whale watching. We only got an hour at the glacier, so we made the most of our time! We started with a few pictures before we began our quick journey to Nugget Falls (about 45 minutes round trip). It is definitely worth the hike. The power of that waterfall was unreal!
After the glacier, the bus picked us back up and we were off to see some whales. It didn’t take long before our captain had us viewing “Flame” and “Bubbles.” They can tell which whales they are by some of the markings they have on them.
These cuddly little guys and gals were just the icing on the cake. I guess I shouldn’t call them “little.” Male Sea Lions can reach up to 1,200 pounds!
HUBBARD GLACIER
Our next day was at sea. But it was far from a boring view. We were able to view the Hubbard Glacier for a few hours and even got to see some “calving,” which is when pieces of the glacier break off of the edges and crash into the water. It is SO loud and sounds like thunder. Mom and I were super thankful for our balcony because we were able to view it without fighting crowds, and it was a lot warmer than standing on the observation deck!
GALA NIGHTS
There were 2 Gala nights while we were on the ship. You saw a little bit of everything as far as attire goes. Some wore ballgowns, while some wore dresses you would see at a wedding or the club. I thought I would include a couple fun pictures from the ship and the Gala nights!
SITKA, ALASKA
In Sika, we decided on a little more adventurous excursion. It was called “Sitka’s Great Adventure” and started with a small boat ride to our guide’s float house.
While there, we were given the option to trade our shoes for some mud boots (seriously, do it) and were able to borrow backpacks and waterproof gear if we needed them. We were also able to grab a small snack and bottled water before we got back into the boat.
Before we started our hike, we were escorted over to a wet, green area where we were able to see two black bears grazing.
From there we took the boat to a canoe just off the shore across from his float house. He canoed our small group of 6, plus his son, to shore in small groups. From here, we started our back country hike to a secluded lake.
After about an hour of hiking through a lot of wet, squishy and steep terrain, we made it to the lake at the top! Once there, we roasted hot dogs and made s’mores before we took kayaks out on the water.
From here, we hiked back down and were returned back to town. We had a fun “off the beaten path” adventure. After a quick walk around town, we made our way back to the ship to unwind.
KETCHIKAN, ALASKA
Today was our favorite day! (Well, at least it was mine). We started with a float plane to the Misty Fjords. Our pilot took us to see some beautiful sights on the way, like this gorgeous waterfall. I had never been able to see a waterfall from the top, so I thought it was pretty cool to see both sides.
Just when you don’t think Alaska can get any more beautiful, you see it from the sky and instantly realize you were wrong.
Once we got to the Misty Fjords, we took some time to walk around, take some pictures, get some fresh air, and then the pilot asked if I wanted to sit in front. Of course, I said yes. Having days this clear in Ketchikan isn’t very common. So he wanted to take full advantage of this and flew us up pretty high to get a look at the mountain goats. Can you find them?
Once we were safely brought back to town, we took some time to visit some of the little shops. We grabbed a couple coffees from a local coffee shop where I was able to put our mark on the map (believe it or not, there weren’t too many people from North Dakota).
From there, we started walking the streets of this charming town. We stumbled upon a street that had a bunch of shops that sold work from local artists. I love shops like this because it allows you to take a piece of Alaska home with you! They sold everything from books, to Christmas ornaments, paintings, and food products.
Do you see why this is my favorite town? Adorable, right?!
VICTORIA, BRITISH COLUMBIA, CANADA
Our final port of call was in Victoria. We were planning on playing this one by ear and just seeing the city on our own. But when we found an excursion through the cruise line called “Orca Whale Watching,” we decided we were going to go for it! Most of our tours were booked through one of our preferred 3rd party suppliers rather than the cruise line. We both really wanted to see an Orca and hadn’t had the chance to yet. Well folks, do not be fooled. We booked this “Orca Tour” that was nothing but a Humpback Tour (which would be great if we hadn’t already been on a humpback tour). When we asked if we would see an Orca, their response was, “Orcas are very uncommon to see.” After this experience, we will most definitely be using that 3rd party tour operator in the future.
We did still see some whales, sea lions, and seals, but were just a bit disappointed that we didn’t see Orcas! …and Mom LOVES lighthouses. Like she will drive miles and miles out of the way to see a lighthouse. So she was pretty happy she got to see this!
Victoria concluded our ports of call. From there, we got back onto the ship and woke up in Seattle to return home. If you have the option to do transfers with the cruise line, DO IT! You will not regret it. It makes the whole process so easy and stress-free! Plus, you don’t have to haul your luggage around! It literally just shows up in your room, and at your final destination!
If you’re interested in taking an Alaskan Cruise, we would love the opportunity to help you make that happen. You can fill out our inquiry form to get started here!
Photo credit: Most of these pictures are ones that I took, however I did snag a few from my mom so you could see some close-ups of the wildlife!