Day 1 (of the actual cruise) we boarded the ship as early as we could because Why Not? It meant we would be in our rooms quicker and we could explore the ship and try to find our way around. The check in was a well oiled machine and getting through was a breeze - hardly any lines! We were on board the Statendam which is a smaller mid-sized ship that holds about 1,200 passengers. As it was the first cruise ship I was ever on, I was amazed by EVERYthing. This is the fountain in the atrium.
Day 2 - day at sea. We cruised along the coast of Canada on our way up to the first port - Ketchikan. This was the day I first discovered that I was susceptible to seasickness and that my equilibrium was better maintained outside on the deck where I could get fresh air and actually see what was making my insides feel wavy. In my defense, there were quite a few people who felt sick because the water was really rough. This was also the first formal night which I was really excited about. I love any excuse to get dressed up - despite how uncomfortable it usually is. Here's my Aunt Cathy and I in our unintentionally matching formal wear.
Day 3: Ketchikan. I really liked Ketchikan. It was my first glimpse of Alaskan life and though it's a small town, it really doesn't get too much bigger anywhere else in Alaska. We had booked a specialized excursion through Holland America that took us to the Saxman Native Village and then to a Lumberjack Show. I found both of these extremely entertaining in very different ways. The Native American village was a very serious place, all of the people there were very focused on the preservation of their heritage. I learned a lot about what life is like in a tribe and I really enjoyed learning about the Totem Poles. The Great Alaskan Lumberjack Show was pure fun. I really didn't think the boys would be that cute but some of them were pretty good looking. They were funny and did a great job entertaining the audience. As someone from a metropolitan part of the East Coast, tree climbing and axe throwing were foreign but very amusing to watch. I would highly recommend going to see either, or both of these if you're ever in Ketchikan.
Day 4: Juneau. Alaska's capital is nothing like any other state capital, but I did some AMAZING things there. I would have to say it was my favorite day on the trip. In the quest to cross things off my bucket list, as well as fulfill childhood dreams, I went dog sledding. No, no, wait, that's not all... I took a helicopter to a glacier and went dog sledding on 500 year old ice. Unbelievable you say? IIIIIII know! It was really the experience of a lifetime. My aunt didn't want to fly in the helicopter so I went out to the camp with a group of Asian tourists. It was my first helicopter tour and I was so amazed by the views I can honestly say I wasn't scared at all. (It probably helps that I jumped out of a plane 2 months ago) The dogs absolutely LOVE running and you can tell that Alaska Icefield Expeditions really care about the health and well being of their dogs.
When my aunt and I met up again in town we took the Mt. Roberts tramway. It provided some great views but there really wasn't much to do at the top. That night, back on the boat, I participated in a sing-along game show and placed second. In the second round of the competition they dressed me up as Dolly Parton and I had to sing 9 to 5 (which I don't really know) the other guy was dressed up as Elvis and sang Hound Dog. Come On! Who doesn't know the words to Hound Dog?
Day 5: Skagway. This is literally a one road town. It used to be a gold mining base camp- lawless and full of crazy characters. The streets are lined with boardwalks and false front buildings in a variety of bright colors. We decided to take a Ghosts and Good Time Girls tour in the morning and it was delightful! Our tour guide was hysterical and she took her job very seriously involving and amusing our little group the whole time. I loved all of the history I learned from this highly entertaining walk around. Later in the afternoon we went to a musical performance called The Days of '98 Show which was all about Soapy Smith the famous con artist. This show was also very entertaining. The cast was extremely talented and I found myself laughing out loud multiple times throughout the performance. All in all, I think if you do the right things in Skagway it can be a really entertaining place. There was some pretty good shopping there too!
Day 6: Glacier Bay National Park. The sights here were indescribable the pictures I've taken can't even do justice. We were cruising through the area for most of the day so you never had a bad view. However, given the competitive nature of most human beings, it felt like everyone was crammed all the way to the front of the boat. It was pretty chilly out there but down on deck 6 you could grab a chair and a blanket and enjoy the beautiful views. Hearing the ice calve was like thunder but it was hard to pinpoint the spot on the glacier where the piece was falling off until you saw the wave coming up off the ice. We saw hundreds of seals hanging out on the ice and they did not seem at all concerned that there was a giant ship coming though their home.
Day 7: College Fjord. We had amazing views today too. It was very similar to Glacier Bay, but these glaciers were hanging glaciers which means they don't necessarily touch the water at the bottom. It was another great day to be outside and take in the natural wonders but the real highlight of the day was the dinnertime performance by the waitstaff in the dining room.
Day 8: Travel up to Denali National Park. We took an 11 hour bus ride from Seward to Denali National Park on a luxury tour bus. It was a very long trip but there were frequent stops and the bus was pretty comfortable. This was the transfer between the cruise and the land tour part of our vacation. Our guide told us that we were among his luckiest tour group this year because we had such a clear view of Mount McKinley. The mountain is the tallest in the country and is sometimes called Denali which is a Native American word for "The Tall One". We also stopped at Joe Reddington's Iditarod Trail Race Headquarters where I got to see ... Puppies!! They were adorable and so snuggly. The journey up was really enjoyable and so, so beautiful!
Day 9: Tundra Wilderness Tour Denali National Park. The park itself is bigger than the state of Rhode Island! We took a bus tour through the park and got to see some amazing things. It took about 8 hours but it totally did not feel like it. We saw so much wildlife!
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