Alaska, the last frontier state is very beautiful.
KV has had several visitors who’ve been to Alaska, some via cruise and some via land.
An earlier article featuring Alaska was covered here –
http://www.kutchvalley.com/2012/09/nature-at-it%E2%80%99s-best-alaska/3588
Cruise is another way to explore Alaska, especially the southern part.
A glimpse of the cruise tour here for those who are interested.
Big thanks to all those who gave inputs w.r.t excursions, they were very helpful.
Cruise Line we Embarked upon :
Norwegian. It’s a freestyle cruise.
Departure Port : Seattle.
We did a round trip cruise from Seattle. Most of KV has done the Anchorage one, i think.
Port has baggage storage facility where you can drop off your bags for a day/few hours and roam around.
Pike’s place was walking distance from the port.
Activities on the ship :
There was always something happening every hour – family/adult games, zumba, aerobics, variety entertainment shows(comedy, magic, music etc), late night dance parties etc. The game room, library were other places to hang out. And then there were paid activities like bowling, casino etc. It’s amazing how they can pack so many activities and varieties in a cruise ship.
The kids day care had variety of activities everyday but none of the kids in our group went there. They were happy being by themselves – playing cards, board games, outdoor activities etc. Soccer world cup was being streamed live as well.
We did not opt for internet connection while on the ship, but got coverage at the US ports.
However Norwegian has an APP which you can use to call/message others who have installed this app.
The Norwegian app was a very useful service – it gave the daily activity guide on phone, and also helped us to locate each other and coordinate with friends etc.
We went during July 4th weekend, weather was just perfect.
However the day the ship is in glacier bay, it gets very cold and also it could be wet day. Hence will need warm jackets, gloves etc and also rain jackets.
Food Options on Cruise :
There were variety of dining options –
1. Buffet style dining on Deck 12 – Plenty of vegetarian choices – Indian, Chinese, Italian etc.
Had a separate kids food area for mac/cheese, french fries etc. Morning chai during breakfast for chai lovers.
Array of desserts – lots of cakes, pastries, crepes,chocolate fountains etc. Most of them had egg, but they made egg less desserts if you told them a day in advance and will keep it reserved for you.
2. Multiple fine dining restaurants at mid level decks – some were free and some were paid.
3. A 24*7 coffee shop where you can get basic tea/coffee and few snack items.
Ports/Excursions at Alaska –
Again a wide variety of excursions to choose from – glaciers, whale watching, dog sledding, kayaking, rain forests, duck tours, lumber jack shows, zip lining, thrill rides, hiking etc etc.
You can book via the cruise line or online through the vendors directly or get down at the port and hunt for a deal.
Some of the excursions have age/height restrictions. Kids 7 and above are eligible for most of the excursion.
One thing that amazed me was that even though daylight is till 10-11 pm in summer, but for all excursions the last departure/ride would be 4/4.30 pm. Shops were open till late but all guided tours ended around 5 pm!
Juneau –
This was our first port destination. We had a whole day on the ship before reaching Juneau and saw lots of whales from the ship.
Juneau is the most expensive city – while you will be tempted but skip shopping here for anything and everything :-).
We took the glacier seaplane exploration tour here and it was fun to see the glaciers from top. The seaplane accommodated 10 people, we were 10 in our group. Whale watching is another popular excursion here.
Skagway –
A town with population of just 1000 people. Personally I liked this one as the best port to dock.
The day we stopped, there were four other ships that had docked – so about 10,000 people get down here almost every single day in summer.
The most popular excursion here is the White Pass and Yukon train ride.
We wanted to add a little adventure here and decided to do the same via rental car.
And while our rental booking was confirmed, it so happened that they were oversold that day and we did not get a car.
But luckily there are private tour operators who offer the same route(3/5/7 hours) that gets covered in train. As they say whatever happens, happens for the best 🙂
Our tour guide/driver was from Utah but doing a summer job in Alaska. He however seemed to be very knowledgeable about the history of Skagway, very humorous personality.
The drive to Yukon is scenic – breathtaking views, waterfalls, multiple mirror lakes.
We got to step down at few locations to take pictures etc and being with a driver was helpful since he exactly knew what to expect where.
One crosses border here/gets into Canada, so border security happened both ways. Entering into Canada the security officer checked each and every persons documents.
At Yukon, we had a simple lunch(included in the tour – rice, lentils and baked potato) and enjoyed a dog sledding ride here. There are dog sledding rides on the glaciers as well, comparatively expensive than the one offered in Yukon. Petting zoo, Alaskan wild life museum etc was also at this Yukon destination. Skagway seems to get lots of Hollywood stars as visitors (after summer is over). No one bothers them, as per the tour guide 🙂
Glacier Bay National Park –
This was the coldest day of all and you will need umbrellas/rain coats, gloves etc.
It was hard to find a spot in the Deck 12 Dining area for breakfast as everyone wanted a view the glaciers from the comfort of their seat and people were sleeping there as well 🙂 . As warned by other KVites it did rain while we were in glacier bay.
Rangers from Glacier Bay National Park had hopped on to the ship and were providing live coverage for everyone to enjoy the glaciers.
Ketchiken –
Ketchiken is situated on an island i.e. the only way to reach here is through water or air.
It’s the southernmost city of Alaska. You can expect rains here in summer as well and it was a rainy morning for us too.
We did ATV ride excursion on a dirt road that takes you on a mountain trail through the timber forest area.
ATV’s are 2-person or 4-person (limited 4 person ATVs).
One had to pass through Ketchiken town to get to the timber forest, the driver gave lot of updates about the city during this drive.
As per him the worlds smallest Walmart can be found in Ketchiken and they have one car dealer in the city now.
During the ATV ride we first stopped at a vista point for a scenic overlook, the next stop was to see a gorgeous water fall and then return back.
Highly recommended if you want to do something else besides the usual water/glacier/rainforest activities etc.
It was a thrill ride and we all enjoyed it.
After from the thrill ride, we walked around the creek street in Ketchiken.
We happened to be in Ketchiken on 4th of July, so got to see the parade as well – it was fun.
Victoria B.C –
This was the last port destination before the return journey.
We didn’t take any excursion here but just walked around the harbor area – fun evening with street performers, lovely views, farmers market etc.
Excellent Detailed Article. Will be very helpful to us and others who have not visited Alaska yet. Thanks Bhavini !!
The first cruise is always memorable no matter where you go.
Great Article
Nice detailed article Bhavini.
Thanks Bhavini for detailed information…
Nice Article. Thnx 🙂
Our scratch pad itinerary. Its not very well organized like other posts but hopefully will be useful to others who are planning.
Just FYI – we did not do all the tours below. Only a subset. Highly recommend Whistler if time permits. Also do Mendenhall Glacier trek in Juneau, kayaking in Ketchikan, Train/Bike ride in Skagway, Kenai Fjords National Park in Seward etc. One of my best trips.
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13/05/15 WED Leave for Vancouver
14/05/15 THU Sight seeing of Vancouver city- in British Columbia – OR do Whistler
(1) Stanley Park – Cherry Blossom trees, Ride the Stanley Park Miniature Train , Tour Stanley Park , The 45-minute tour is narrated and you can get on or off at any stop. There are well-marked Stanley Park Shuttle signs along the route. Hours of operation: daily from 11:00 – 18:45.Trolleys will come by every 30 minutes, please look for the individual schedule at each stop. Adult / Senior / Youth $10.Child (4 – 12) $5,Child (under 4) free Family (2 adults & 2 children) $25.
Join a guided tour and see Stanley Park by horse-drawn carriage, shuttle trolley, or tour bus.
(2) Vancouver Aquarium, Ages 3 & Under: Free,Ages 4-12: $15.00,Ages 13-18: $20.00, Student: $20.00,General: $29.00,Senior (65+): $20.00
(3) Grouse Mountain Skyride-a thrilling aerial tramway that follows a one-mile route up to the peak of Grouse Mountain. As North America’s largest aerial tramway system, this only-in-Vancouver attraction boasts unparalleled views. During the summer, you’ll pass over dense Douglas fir forests, while wintertime promises views of snow dusted forests and white-capped mountains,
Admission Tickets
Adult (19-64)
$41.95
Senior (65+)
$37.95
Youth (13-18)
$23.95
Child (5-12)
$13.95
Family*
$109.95
* 2 adults and 2 children/youth
Tots (4 & under) are free but require a ticket.
(4) Chinatown – Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Classical Chinese Garden, (5) Kitsilano Beach, (6) Capilano Susupension Bridge Park ult ………………………………………… $32.95
Senior 65+ ………………………………….. $30.95
Student 17+ with ID ………………………. $27.95
Youth 13 – 16 ………………………………. $21.95*
Child 6 – 12 ………………………………… $12.00*
Under 6 ……………………………………… Free
Whistler PEAK 2 PEAK Alpine Experience
1.Stunning 360-degree views of Whistler Village, mountain peaks, lakes, glaciers and forests
2.Watch the machinery in action and learn about the record-breaking lift in the PEAK 2 PEAK Viewing Gallery
3.Dine on the rooftop of the world with views of the ski slopes and towering peaks
4.Ride the special glass-bottom gondola for a bird’s-eye view of the forest
PEAK 2 PEAK Tickets Summer 2015
Call Toll Free 1.800.944.7853 to book PEAK 2 PEAK Tickets within 48 hours.
Pre-Purchase 5 days in advance and save!
Date Adult 19-64 Youth 13-18 & Senior (65+) Child 7-12 Child 6 & under
May 23 – June 26 $46.95 $39.95 $23.95 Free
June 27 – September 7 $49.95 $42.95 $24.95 Free
Tickets Booked within 5 Days
Date Adult 19-64 Youth 13-18 & Senior (65+) Child 7-12 Child 6 & under
May 23 – June 26 $51.95 $45.95 $25.95 Free
June 27 – September 7 $54.95 $47.95 $27.95 Free
What’s Included in PEAK 2 PEAK Alpine Experience Tickets:
15/05/15 FRI Catch Cruise
16/05/15 SAT Cruising Inside Passage
17/05/15 SUN Docked – Ketchikan at 6 AM Sightseeing – (1) Totem Heritage Centre, (2) The Great Alaskan Lumberjack Show (3) Kayaking – a must!
http://localalaskatours.com/index.php?page=shop/browse_tours&category_id=b87665e7553e98a79a6892ab63399356&product_id=356&PHPSESSID=eef619f72fe2c6bc60f5c58f5ec3368d
http://www.wildwolftours.com/index.php/2011-10-08-19-41-12/2-hour-rainforest-walk-a-totem-park
https://booking.attractionsuite.com/Attraction/ec/selectTourCountAndCategory.action?tourNo=VH103831&checkDate=05/17/2015&sid=93&pageFrom=MonthlyTourCalendar&calendarType=&filterTourNo=&filterProductTypeId=
http://www.experienceketchikan.com/totem-heritage-center.html
18/05/15 MON Icy Strait Point Arrives 9 AM. Sight seeing-The town of Hoonah is located on Chichagof Island, about 30 miles west of Juneau along Icy Strait in the Inside Passage. The Huna, a Tlingit tribe, Whale watching is considered excellent near Hoonah and humpback and killer whales are often spotted along the shores right in front of town. (1) Cannery, (2) Forest Tram & tribal dance
http://icystraitwhaleadventures.com/details/31055/guaranteed-whale-adventure-for-radiance-guests
http://www.icystraitpoint.com/General/Zipline#3NIvN7Mo_w0
Book the whale watching in the cruise. Approx $160 per person.
19/05/15 TUE Arrive Juneau at 7AM. Sightseeing –(1) Mendenhall Glacier. The glacier sits within the Tongass National Forest – the largest national forest in the United States – and visitors to the area can watch icebergs calve off its frozen face into Mendenhall Lake, go for a hike or check out the Mendenhall Glacier Visitor Center. Mendenhall Glacier is one of the 38 major glaciers that extend from the 1,500-square-mile Juneau Icefield, and many of them can be seen from the air as part of a flightseeing tour. Most helicopter tours offer glacier landings, glacier treks and glacier dog sled rides.
Located 12 miles outside of Juneau, Mendenhall Glacier gets more than 400,000 visitors each year. You can get there by taking a narrated bus tour, but you can also go on your own: A taxi to the glacier costs $35 one way, while a shuttle bus is just $8 each way.
A half-mile wide, the glacier feeds Mendenhall Lake, which stays pretty placid: While there are some icebergs in the lake, the face ranges from 5 to 200 feet tall, so you can’t expect booming calving action.
You can, however, do some good exploring. There’s a Forest Service Visitor Center overlooking the lake and glacier, which has a large aerial map of the icefield, an informational video and spotting scopes ($3).
The Forest Service also maintains several trails. One of them is The Trail of Time, a ½-mile paved interpretive walk, with signs marking the glacier’s recession. The East Glacier Trail, meanwhile, is a 3.5 mile loop with 500 feet of elevation gain, which gives you a good bird’s eye view of the ice.
You’ll get good photos from any trail, but none of them will lead you up to the glacier ice, due to the lake and cliffs. You can also take a guided hike of this area.
http://localalaskatours.com/index.php?page=shop/browse_tours&category_id=2550a36fe68ad0b2cfd1f07ccf992616&product_id=469&PHPSESSID=eef619f72fe2c6bc60f5c58f5ec3368d
http://bestofalaskatravel.com/alaska_day_tours/pages/j_mendenhall_lake_canoe.htm
20/05/15 WED Arrive Skagway at 7 AM. (1) Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park
http://www.cyclealaska.com/white-pass-train-and-bike-tour
http://www.alaskatours.com/skagway/white_pass_yukon_railroad.htm
21/05/15 THU Arrive Hubbard Glacier at 7AM. (1) Watch calving (massive chunks of ice crash into the bay) Off the coast of Yakutat—200 miles NW of Juneau—Hubbard is certainly gigantic: it’s more than six miles wide where it meets the ocean. For now, the glacier isn’t surging, but you could say that it’s a pretty light sleeper— it does calve a lot. The face is up to 400 feet tall, and icebergs 3 to 4 stories in height aren’t uncommon.
22/05/15 FRI Arrive Seward at 5AM. Sightseeing – (1) Kenai Fjords National Park – You can choose from a variety of Kenai Fjords boat tours. Night stay at Seward (Best Western)
Major Marine Kenai Fjords Cruise 3 hr to full day trip
http://www.kenaifjords.com/day-cruises/national-park-tour/
Sea Plane
http://www.flyalaskaseaplanes.com/assets/flight_schedules/earlySummer%202015revised2.pdf
23/05/15 SAT whittier
http://www.alaska.org/detail/26-glacier-cruise-phillips
Stay at Anchorage
24/05/15 SUN Reach Denali
Denali Tundra Wilderness Tour
$160.50 // 7 to 8 hrs
The Denali Tundra Wilderness Tour will take you up to 60 miles deep into the park, increasing your odds of seeing wildlife and Mt. McKinley. On this fully narrated 7- to 9-hour tour, you’ll benefit from your guide’s years of experience and get close-up views of wildlife. The tour includes a box lunch and frequent rest stops.
25/05/15 MON Reach Talkeetna – very nice, small, quaint town. Stay in log cabins.
26/05/15 TUE Reach Anchorage morning and back to San Jose