Alaska had been on my travel bucket list for years, so when my in-laws invited us to cruise with them, we could not say no! In July, my husband and I cruised to Alaska from Seattle aboard the Norwegian Joy with his parents. We love cruising, especially to new and exciting places.
Cruising Alaska aboard the Norwegian Joy
The Norwegian Joy is a beautiful ship that holds 5,000 guests. There are several specialty dining restaurants aboard, including a steakhouse, a hibachi restaurant, a French restaurant, a BBQ restaurant, along with several unique bars, lounges, and entertainment venues. The ship also had two Starbucks coffee shops aboard, and our reservation included unlimited beverages there.
Our itinerary was for 9 nights and included Ketchikan, Sitka, Icy Straight Point, Skagway, and a day of cruising through Glacier Bay National Park in Alaska. We also stopped in Victoria, British Columbia, Canada before returning to Seattle. Staying on the ship could be a fantastic trip on its own – we spent days exploring it and finding our favorite places to hang out. But really, a trip to Alaska is about seeing the natural beauty displayed everywhere you look.
Natural Beauty on the deck of my Alaskan Cruise
I read somewhere that when you travel to Alaska, you return with a camera roll full of landscape pictures. This was true for me – every stop in Alaska brought beautiful views of trees, mountains, waterfalls, glaciers, and, of course, gorgeous seascapes. A picture may be worth a thousand words, but I might need more than that to describe the breathtaking beauty of Alaska accurately.
I loved seeing gigantic evergreen trees, snow-capped mountains, and rocky coastlines all in one glance. It was amazing to watch the fog lift as you traveled away from land and to see the twinkle of the waves against chunks of ice that broke free from a glacier.
We heard about how Alaska settlers traveled the treacherous terrain on foot, carrying enough food and supplies to last through the brutal winter. Then actually seeing where they walked was staggering. Many were on a quest for gold and riches – unfortunately, many died before they found it.
The most memorable views on this trip for me were from the narrow winding tracks of the White Pass railroad in the Yukon Territory, and the blue chunks of ice of the Margerie Glacier. Chunks of ice melting off the glacier and being on a boat gave me Titanic chills, but I am so glad I got to see it up close.
Amazing Animal Encounters
Otters, Bald Eagles, and Bears – Oh My!
Traveling over America’s 250th birthday, it felt patriotic to see Bald Eagles soaring overhead. While I have seen eagles before, I have never seen so many of them at one time. I saw them flying overhead, landing on top of telephone poles, and stalking prey above the water.
I learned that young Bald Eagles have brown and white feathers all over their bodies, and they do not get the traditional white head until they are fully grown. While majestic, I started to hold a grudge against the eagles when I learned that they hunt baby otters who have been tied up in kelp by their mamas while they find food. It was especially difficult to enjoy watching them after I watched so many mama otters floating in the water with their pups on their bellies. They were too cute to turn into Eagle food.
Bear!
I was lucky to have three amazing animal encounters on this trip. The first was at the Fortress of the Bear in Sitka, where we got to see Black and Brown bears. The Fortress of the Bear was started as a bear rescue, saving bears orphaned when their mothers were killed. They now are home to several bears who would not survive in the wild but are thriving at their center. We got to watch the bears use sign language to tell the trainers they wanted more food. It was incredible.
Whales!
The second animal encounter I had was aboard a whale-watching expedition in Icy Straight Point. We boarded a boat – the only boat in town led by an all-female team of sailors and scientists – and headed out to where whales were sighted. Along the way, we saw otters, eagles, and seals. Then, we spotted a humpback whale. It was incredible. When we were close to this gigantic creature, we would hear it before we could see it. It would shoot water out of its blowhole with a burst, then surface. Then we would see its dorsal fin as it would dive back underwater. We watched as it swam in shallow water near the coastline. We tracked it as it swam further out to sea, and it showed its tail fin as it dove down deep to feed. Absolutely incredible.
Dog Sleds!
Finally, one of the coolest experiences of the trip was getting to interact with sled dogs at a Musher’s Camp. The sled dogs run in the yearly Iditarod race, pulling sleds as a team through the Alaskan snow. Currently in their off-season, they train by running tracks as a team and learning their driver’s calls and pulls. We got to experience what it was like to run a sled dog team on a makeshift sled built from an all-terrain vehicle (ATV). The dogs were harnessed to the ATV and ran ahead of the vehicle along their well-worn paths. I felt like a kid again riding along bumps and curving around bends behind the sled dogs. It was great fun.
Fresh Alaskan Cuisine – What we ate and drank in Alaska.
Jellyfish Donuts?
The first thing that you may think about when you think about Alaskan Food might be Alaskan Salmon. While we were there a little bit too early to watch the salmon swim upstream, we did get the chance to eat some. One of our first bites of Alaskan Salmon was served on a donut at Jellyfish Donuts in Ketchikan.
You might be thinking, a salmon donut? Ew – gross! But it was tasty. The salmon was mixed with cream cheese and herbs, then spread on a fluffy, sweet dough. It reminded me of a bagel with lox, but even better, because the salmon was mixed into the cream cheese. The hint of sweetness in the dough balanced the saltiness of the smoked fish.
Reindeer Hotdogs?
In Sitka, we tried their hot dogs. Hot dogs might not seem like cuisine, but they are made of Elk and Reindeer. The meat was flavorful, and the dog’s casing had that great snap. I only ate the reindeer dog after I was assured it was not Rudolph. We were served a local favorite shot in Sitka – it was called a Duck Fart. It had equal parts of Kahlua, Irish Cream, and Whiskey. The bartender said it is tradition to quack before you shoot it, which we did. I am not sure if quacking like a duck influenced me, but the shot was tasty.
Alaska King Crab Legs!
The best thing I ate in Alaska was King Crab Legs at Annabelle’s in Ketchikan. I love crab legs and always admire the king crab legs in the seafood case at Costco. So I started a crab leg fund before my trip so I could afford to eat these expensive, yet exquisite treats. I was not disappointed. If you are a crab lover, you will be so happy with the amount of meat you pull out of your crab leg. It was sweet and salty, and perfectly delicious with lemon and freshly drawn butter. The crab legs come with sourdough bread and crab bisque, but the legs were the star of the show. They were as long as my arm!
Alaskan Cruise – a trip of a lifetime
While in Alaska, I tried to see and do as much as I could. The trip felt like a once-in-a-lifetime experience. The only problem with a once-in-a-lifetime experience is when it is so good, you want to do it again. I would go back to Alaska in a heartbeat. The views were spectacular, the experiences were incredible, and the food was delicious. If you are on the fence about going, take my word for it – book the trip!
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