My First Cruise To ... Alaska
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The anticipation leading up to my second cruise -- to Alaska --
nearly killed me. The day my travel documents arrived from Princess
Cruises I raced home, plopped down on my living room couch and read
through them page by page. I booked my shore excursions, memorized
Sapphire Princess' deck plan, read member reviews here on Cruise
Critic (we have the best readers in the world!), and researched our
beautiful 49th state online and in travel books.
This trip, I could tell from the start, would be very different from my first cruise, a very typical fun-in-the-sun getaway: a seven-night sailing to the Southern Caribbean.
What especially intrigued me about visiting Alaska next was the sheer vastness of it. I knew that Alaska was big (more than double the size of Texas and one-fifth of the size
of the entire continental U.S.). But I couldn't grasp exactly how big "big" was ... or what the difference was between a glacier and an iceberg ... or how breaching whales looked and sounded. Most importantly: What on earth should I pack for Alaska's northerly climate?
Alaska certainly met my expectations size-wise (it's huge!), but there were plenty of things that took me by surprise both on and off the ship.
It's Not Always Cold!
Icebergs. Glaciers. Black bears. Brr, it's cold, right? Not always.
I'd read that from June through August, average lows and highs in
southern Alaska (where the ships are) range from the 40's into the
60's -- and that lows as cold as the 20's have been reported. So I
duly packed sweaters, sweatshirts, wool socks and a colorful poncho
for the rainfall I was also promised I'd encounter.
And wouldn't you know I visited Alaska during a precipitation-free,
record-breaking heat wave! Temperatures soared above 80 degrees every
day (that month, in fact, an all-time high temperature of 93 degrees
was recorded on Alaska's Annette Island). At least the locals seemed
to be as shocked and confused as I was. After a few hours attempting
to explore Ketchikan in long-sleeved shirts and pants I felt as if I
was about to pass out, so I hoofed it back to the ship for a dip in
the pool -- a dip in the pool in Alaska, with snowcapped mountains as
my backdrop. Unbelievable. Thank goodness I packed a bathing suit.
Admittedly this is uncommon, but it's still wise to be prepared for
varying degrees of weather, as the climate can change rapidly here
and temperatures plummet in the evenings. Next time, I will pack for
all seasons and maybe even see some of that rain!
The Perfect Family Vacation
I'd considered Alaska to be a bit of a "mature" destination (most of
the people I knew personally who'd been there were grandparents
and/or senior citizens), but the minute I boarded ship I realized I
had it all wrong. There were lots of children onboard, mostly
school-aged, and they all seemed to be having a grand old time. The
biggest surprise was seeing so many multi-generational groups --
families, and older folks traveling with their children and
grandchildren.
Alaska is a great choice for families who want to introduce their
kids to nature and science -- something other than the surf-and-sand
experience. And it certainly helps that Princess (and other
Alaska-going lines like Royal Caribbean and Carnival) offer
innovative and extensive children's programs and facilities to cater
to the one million kids who hit the high seas each year. On my sailing, organized onboard
activities for children included a "Wizard of Oz" sing-along, and --
more destination-specific -- an "Edutainment" whale-watching program.
Land of the Midnight Sun?
Not exactly, unless you are much further north in the state (Denali
Park does see some post-midnight sunsets; in Barrow, the northernmost
community in the state, the sun shines for 84 straight days during
the summer).
Still, the regions regularly visited by mainstream cruise ships see
sunsets much later into evening than most folks are used to. In
Juneau, for example, the sun generally sets after 10 p.m. It was
weird to stroll out on deck after a late-seating dinner, completely
stuffed, while it was still light outside! Juneau falls at about the
same latitude as northern Scotland, which I learned also sees later
sunsets in the summer months.
A word of caution, though: Sunrise is as early as sunset is late --
day broke as early as quarter to four in the morning on my cruise. If
you have trouble sleeping when it's light outside, pack a sleep mask.
Even blackout curtains on cruise ships can let in some light (unless,
of course, you are in a pitch-black inside cabin). I love sleep and
can do it anywhere, anytime, but I can certainly imagine the
brightness being an annoyance to those less fortunate.
Wildlife? What Wildlife?
One of my favorite cruise jokes begins with a passenger asking the
captain, "What side of the ship will the whales be on?" Yet as silly
as that is, I, too, wished I could stand in some magical spot and see
whales breeching, eagles soaring, etc. Unfortunately, nature is
unpredictable, and in seven days I saw absolutely nothing.
Surely, there were announcements of the "Whales on starboard side!"
variety, but by the time I rushed to the railing, I literally caught
the tail end of the action. During my organized hike through
Ketchikan's Tongass National Rainforest, the closest encounter I had
with wildlife was sighting a stray dog -- no bears to be found. This
season, Princess is offering a similar excursion entitled Rain Forest
Wildlife Sanctuary, which promises a meet-and-feed with Alaska
reindeer. (Hmm, I hope they show up!)
If getting up close and personal with nature is important to you, I
highly recommend booking an excursion specifically dedicated to whale
watching, or another animal-intensive tour. Holland America's
excursion roster includes an Alaska Bear Adventure by Floatplane,
where cruisers are flown to a more remote area of the rainforest
known for abundant wildlife; if you are staying overnight in Juneau,
Carnival offers an exciting Evening Whale Quest aboard a high-speed
catamaran through Stephen's Passage. There are still no guarantees,
but fellow cruisers who took the gamble on Princess' excursions did
not return to the ship disappointed.
Spring for the Balcony
On most big ships, there are essentially two Alaska cruise
itineraries -- the Inside Passage and the Gulf of Alaska -- and both
offer opportunities to view glaciers up close, with sail-bys to
Glacier Bay, Tracy Arm or College Fjord. Whichever you choose, the
scenery is breathtaking. Towering mountains capped with ice and snow
set the stage for blue glacial ice and the occasional family of seals
(if, of course, you are lucky enough to catch them).
That said, this is one voyage for which you may want to consider
splurging on a balcony cabin; although you can always find a spot along the
ship's rail for viewing, and many ships line deck chairs with cozy
blankets and offer hot cocoa on deck, it's an unbelievable treat to
sit on your verandah for a private showing. The night before we were
scheduled to cruise Tracy Arm, I hung my breakfast order on the
doorknob; the next morning, I bundled up (finally, all those sweaters
I packed were put to good use) and sat outside sipping coffee and
enjoying my pastries, all while the ship crept through the
iceberg-strewn water. (Don't worry about missing what's on the other
side -- when the ship turns around and heads out, you'll see that
from your balcony, too!)
That morning was one of the most memorable parts of the trip, and
truly justified the upgrade from an inside or oceanview cabin.
Excursions Make the Trip
In Alaska, more than any other region I've cruised before and since,
excursions are truly the way to experience the region. Surely,
Alaska's ports of call have their own charm. Ketchikan features totem
poles and funky boutiques. Sitka boasts a rich Russian and Tlingit
heritage. Skagway has been restored to its Gold Rush roots and has a
real Wild West feel -- and a population of just 800.
But some things you just can't experience without ditching the
crowded streets and made-in-Taiwan trinkets for an organized tour.
I'll never forget sitting up front with the pilot in a floatplane as
we soared over the meringue-like peaks of Taku Glacier, then feasting
on a salmon bake at a wilderness lodge reachable only by air.
I also went fishing just outside Skagway. The actual fishing part of
the day was a bit of a flop -- I caught some seaweed and a suntan,
and not one fish (surprise, surprise) -- but the
lake was exactly what I imagined Alaska to be: peaceful, untarnished
beauty.
Did You Know?
 The jet lag's not over yet: Depending on where you sail from, you
may cross time zones while at sea! Read your daily bulletin for
information on time differences, and be sure to synchronize your
watch with the ship's time.
A glacier is an accumulation of ice, air, water, and rock debris or
sediment; it is a large enough quantity of ice to flow with gravity
due to its own mass. Meanwhile, an iceberg is a mass of ice found
floating in the ocean or a lake, often formed when ice "calves" or
breaks off from glaciers into the water.
When a large whale breaches (jumps high out of the water), the "slap" as they come back down can be heard for up to a kilometer!
--by Melissa Paloti
Image of Alaska mountains is copyright Michael DeYoung/ATIA.
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