Our journey began in the charming Queen Anne section of downtown Seattle, just a few blocks from the Cruise Specialists office. After a delightful visit with our colleagues, we spent Friday and Saturday wandering around the city, taking in all the iconic sights of Seattle.
Sunday: Embarkation Day
Sunday arrived, and it was time to head to the Cruise Terminal. Upon arrival at the entrance to Pier 91, we were greeted by Cruise Specialists Cruise Consultants, who were there to welcome clients and join us for a Cocktail Party on board. We were especially delighted to see our personal agent Gayle and our good friend Bridgett, who flew in from Texas to greet her clients and attend the event.
SELECT & REPLACE WITH ANOTHER TEMPLATE
SELECT & REPLACE WITH ANOTHER TEMPLATE
Cruise Specialists had arranged expedited check-in for our group, allowing us to board quickly. We helped set up for the party, scheduled for 12:30 pm, and were thrilled with the turnout. It felt like a reunion with so many familiar faces. The rest of the day was spent getting oriented and unpacking in our inside cabin. The Inside Cabin is small, it’s a good thing one of Steve’s “superpowers” is space management. He created a table out of our suitcases and organized everything so we could function.
Day 1: A Relaxing Sea Day
Our first day, as we headed toward Alaska, was a Sea Day. We had our first Chat Time gathering, where we met some of the Guests who were unable to attend the party the day before. It was a good day for everyone to rest up from their travels.
As is so often the case, there are many staff and crew that we know from prior sailings. The Guest Services Manager, Cynthia, the Dining Room Manager Gildis, the Cellar Master, Fernando, and the Captain, Bart Vaartges, all people we know and love.
We have a wonderful table in the Main Dining Room, which Gildis helped us choose on our last voyage - all the way in the back in the corner next to a big window, with very few people near us. So quiet and relaxing for dinner. And the wait staff - friendly and attentive as always.
Day 2: Exploring Ketchikan
Ketchikan is our first port and our first tour with our Cruise Specialists Guests. Since the tour was not scheduled until the afternoon, we hurried out as soon as we docked to get reacquainted with the town. We are right next to the Main Street, filled with too many jewelry shops. Diamond shopping is not what we think of when coming to Alaska. Nearby is the Great Alaskan Lumberjack Show, a popular display of log rolling and pole climbing skills. Creek Street, once the Red Light district, is now a good place to shop and stroll. Whale Park, the Tongass Historical Society, and the Southeast Alaska Discovery Center are all a short walk from our pier. Be sure to see the many totems and native heritage art placed all over the downtown area.
Our group tour today combined three activities. First was a narrated bus ride through the downtown and out about a half hour ride to the Clover Pass Resort. There we boarded a comfortable enclosed boat for a narrated wildlife adventure.
We were treated to a pair of eagles who were anxious to swoop down from their nest to pick up the fish that were thrown from the boat. We were so close to them - it was fun.
And a humpback whale decided to put on a show. He entertained us for about 15 minutes, bashing his flipper repeatedly and breeching several times. What a treat!
Our final stop was at the Silver King Lodge, a working fishing lodge in the heart of the Grant Island State Marine Park. We had a short walk on the elevated boardwalk into the rainforest to see the largest known red cedar in the Tongass National Forest. It is over 1,000 years old.
SELECT & REPLACE WITH ANOTHER TEMPLATE
SELECT & REPLACE WITH ANOTHER TEMPLATE
SELECT & REPLACE WITH ANOTHER TEMPLATE
SELECT & REPLACE WITH ANOTHER TEMPLATE
Then it was time for our feast. Four large round tables were covered with newspaper and as we sat in groups of 6-8 per table, giant 2' high steaming pots were brought out and dumped in the middle of the table. They were filled with crab, shrimp, clams, mussels, potatoes, sausages, onions, garlic, and corn, all having been cooked in the one pot. We each had tongs and a nutcracker, but it was definitely a finger feast. Was that ever delicious, messy and fun! Topped off with a freshly baked chocolate chip cookie, it was a wonderful and unique meal. A quick boat ride back to the bus and then back into town ended our day.
Day 3: Discovering Sitka
Sitka was our next stop, the very next day. According to our daily program, it is the oldest city in Alaska. It was the capital of Russian North America before becoming the territorial capital of Alaska for the United States in 1867.
Several years ago, they built a beautiful new Cruise Terminal and pier about 6 miles outside of downtown. Two larger ships were there today so we had to tender to shore. That worked out well as the tender pier is right downtown for easy walking. If we had docked, we would have had to shuttle into the downtown.
We had another tour scheduled for today with our group to several unique places. We left the ship at noon, so our first stop was a snack at a local restaurant. We were served fried halibut, a small bowl of a rich chowder, some corn fritters, and two different tastings of local beer - only available in Alaska.
SELECT & REPLACE WITH ANOTHER TEMPLATE
SELECT & REPLACE WITH ANOTHER TEMPLATE
Sufficiently stuffed, we were joined by our entertaining guide for a ride to the Alaska Raptor Center. This is a place where injured birds come for medical treatment. Their main objective is to rehabilitate the birds and release them back into the wild if possible. Those that are unable to be released have a home for life at this center, where they act as ambassadors and educators to the public. We saw a peregrine falcon on the arm of a handler as the handler answered questions about her life at the center. There are many resident eagles that we could watch as they watched us.
SELECT & REPLACE WITH ANOTHER TEMPLATE
SELECT & REPLACE WITH ANOTHER TEMPLATE
Then we went on to the Fortress of the Bear, a similar facility for brown and black bears. When a momma bear is killed, there is little chance for the cubs to survive in the wild. So, they are given a home in this expansive open space. We watched two six-year-old sister bears wrestling and playing with each other. Boardwalks are built all around for safe and up-close viewing. The enclosures are also home to what looked like dozens of eagles. We saw adults as well as juveniles. Really fun. Our adventure continues with scenic cruising at Hubbard Glacier, and we couldn’t be more excited.
Fondly,
Wendy and Steve
See all blog posts:
Pre-Cruise, Alaska Awaits! | Discovering Alaska | Seward, Dutch Harbor & Nome | | Kodiak & Anchorage | Glacier Bay | Juneau & Misty Fjords | Summary
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