Kauaikid
May 12th, 2006, 12:48 PM
I just booked our family ie. Inlaws, daughter age 9:p and husband and I age 40+ on a 7 day Alaskan cruise on Holland Americas Westerdam. It takes off out of Seattle and hits Ketchican, Juneau and Glacier Bay, Victoria etc. Any suggestions of excursions we should not miss?:rolleyes: I already booked a garden tour in Victoria. Any more suggestions of what to see with a 9 year old and Grandma and Grandpa. They have never been. This is our anniversary vacation so want to do it right. We went about 10 years ago but it was kind of a blur. Any recommendations:confused:
Krazy Kruizers
May 12th, 2006, 12:51 PM
Juneau - Whale watching - Mendanhall Glacier.
Ketchikan - Totem Bight - Saxmon Village
HALOnlyCruiser
May 12th, 2006, 02:35 PM
It depends on what you enjoy. Enroll your daughter in Club HAL. They do all kinds of fun stuff on board (especially on sea days) and have their own activity space. They also have Club HAL shore excursions for the kids (extra charge). The counselors take the kids ashore and they do kid-friendly stuff.
The Sea Otter and Wildlife Quest in Sitka is well worth the $. It sells out fast, though. Needs to be booked online ASAP. Take binoculars, though, as Alaskan law prohibits approaching wildlife closer than 300 feet, and otters tend to look like little dots on the water at that distance. The whales you will see fine. Whales are better viewed from excursion boats rather than the ship, as the vibration and underwater noise from the big ships tends to run them off. That's not to say you won't see whales from the ship, but you have a better chance on an excursion vessel.
Sea kayaking is fun, and not as strenuous as they lead you to believe. Little sad if it's raining, though. They will take you anyway in the rain, but it's not as much fun.
Every port has some kind of city tour, which GMa and GPa should enjoy. There is a salmon bake in Juneau that people like a lot. In Glacier Bay, you will all enjoy the experience on any open deck of the ship. There will be a Forest Service Naturalist on board. He/she will be up in the Crow's Nest during the morning while you're traveling to the viewing sites in Glacier Bay, sharing information and showing maps. Once into the viewing area, the naturalist will be up on the bridge, speaking over the PA, which you can only hear from an outside deck (Promenade or up top on the Sky Deck.) You are more apt to see whales in Icy Strait outside of Glacier Bay, and a short way into the Bay. Whatever you decide to do, I strongly recommend booking as soon as you decide.