tx_jackie
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Loved reading about your time in Girdwood hiking! What was the name of the trail? We will be there next summer!
Thanks! It was the Winner Creek Trail. Here's a link:
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Thanks everyone for the comments and kind remarks! I read a lot of reviews before leaving for Alaska, and I hope this was helpful in some way. :)
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what kind of camera do you have?
The only camera I brought along was my iPhone 6. It's honestly better quality than my point-and-shoot digital camera. I did borrow some of Morgan's photos (the whale tail, for example) and she has a Nikon D90.
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http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2262277
Just finished my review for NB on the Coral. Vancouver, Ketchikan, Juneau, Skagway (to Emerald Lake), Glacier Bay, College Fjord, and Anchorage.
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Day 8 Anchorage, Part 3
A local we’d met on the hiking trail told us to stop by Kincaid Park where we were ‘guaranteed’ to see moose. I don’t think sightings are guaranteed, but we had time so we drove to the park. We spotted a mom and her calf near the entrance, just as the local had promised!
We got out and walked around the park for a bit, saw some kids roller cross-country skiing, and spotted Pluto (the end of the planet walk!) but it was windy so we didn't stay long.
We grabbed burgers for dinner, and then it was time to head to the airport to say goodbye to each other and Alaska. We had an amazing time, and in only a few days did so much. I wish we’d had more time to stay and explore, but I can't wait to go back sometime!
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Day 8 Anchorage, Part 2
We walked to a waterfall before making our way back across the stream, hiking back to the car. It was just a few miles but it felt great. The air in Alaska is crisp and clean.
We drove up and around Eagle River and made a stop at Beluga Point. We didn’t see any whales, sadly, but there was a large group of people windsurfing and that was fun to watch. I don’t think I’m adventurous enough to give it a shot, and I imagine the water is freezing!
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Day 8 Anchorage, Part 1
We’d swapped our 6:20 departure time for a 7:30 one since we discovered there was also a shuttle going to the airport then. Mike and I stopped by the concierge desk the night before and they changed it for us no problem. It was only an hour, but we knew this was going to be a long day and that bit of extra sleep helped.
Whittier was a place I’d done a bit of reading on because I found it such a fascinating place in its role in WWII and the culture of the town being under one roof. I really wish we’d had more time there, but after stopping for breakfast and a coffee and the International Cafe it was time to meet with our group for departure. They funneled us off the boat and immediately onto a shuttle bus which took us to the Anchorage airport where our rental car was waiting.
The tunnel was awesome, and Matt was particularly excited about the drie through. Our bus driver had a lot of interesting commentary about the people who settle in this part of Alaska as well as everything from wildlife to tides, and Turnagain Arm was very picturesque.
We got our car at the airport and drove downtown. Anchorage was like any city - shops and restaurants, lots of chains, and homeless people which saddened me thinking about how frigid the winters were there.
We did a bit of the planet walk and stopped by the log cabin visitor center for a map, and the ladies working were friendly and very informative. We then walked down the street to Glacier Brewhouse for lunch. Our food was delicious, and we sampled some of their beers. Definitely a great spot to eat in Anchorage.
After lunch we took the car down to Girdwood for some hiking. It was beautiful, of course, as I still hadn’t gotten over how serene Alaska could be, especially this close to a rather sizable city. We walked a trail that was part of the Iditarod races.
It was very scenic, and where part of the path passes over a creek so you have to use a hand trolley to pull your way across. It was a bit of work, but if you have people on the sides to assist in the pulling it’s a big help. Plus it’s a lot of fun.
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Day 7: College Fjord
We met Mike and Morgan at the breakfast buffet and though the naturalist assured us it was beautiful as we approached College Fjords, it was a bit foggy in the morning. We didn’t spot a lot of wildlife, but we did enjoy the views and a movie from the hot tubs. While this was lovely and relaxing, we weren’t able to snap many photos.
Afterward we dried off and went to the British style pub lunch. Everyone got (and loved!) the fish and chips. We also ordered a kidney pie for the table. Only Matt enjoyed it, so we let him finish the pie. When we left, there was a bit of a line forming, so I’m glad we got there right at 11:30 when it opened.
We grabbed coffees and dessert from the International Cafe and took a few laps around the ship, enjoying the nice weather and the scenery.
However, we enjoyed most of the scenic cruising from a window in the Wheelhouse, where we played dominoes, drank and hung out. Afterwards we went to the balloon drop. I danced and everyone else just stood there (this is a trend for the four of us that is not limited to cruising) I tried my luck and gathering up balloons while Morgan snapped a photo from above. So fun!
For our last dinner Mike, Morgan and I tried the ‘famous’ fettuccine alfredo since we hadn’t ordered it yet, but Matt went with a steak and said we were crazy. Then they paraded the baked Alaska around and though it wasn’t my favorite dessert of the week, it was very fitting.
We clapped for our wait staff who’d done a fabulous job and the cooks who were, of course, spectacular. As we finished our dessert we mourned how we would have to go back to eating normally from here on out, and it was like the shiny film of vacation began to dim. I loved long dinners and chatting with friends, of having hot tea and mixed drinks brought to me, and finishing every meal with dessert. However, I had chanced stepping on the scale at the ship’s gym that day to discover that I’d gained 8 pounds so it’s probably a good thing I don’t eat like that everyday, but it’s been weeks back home and I still miss the food.
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On our Alaska cruise, we wore jeans every night to the MDR that wasn't formal and I never felt out of place. My tops weren't even particularly fancy, but a couple nights I tossed a scarf over a cotton shirt to dress up. :P
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Day 6: Glacier Bay, Part 2
Glacier Bay is humbling to sail through. The patter is empty apart from glacier spotting, which is a nice, relaxing change of pace. I admittedly had trouble keeping track of the glaciers we saw as I went through photos. I know we got somewhat close to John Hopkins, though it started getting chillier as we sailed toward the inlet. Again, these photos don’t do its majesty justice - but I’ll post them anyway.
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Day 6: Glacier Bay, Part 1
Today was Glacier Bay National Park! I was so excited, I woke Matt up early and made him sit on the balcony and eat croissants with me while we watched the park rangers board. I was a bit tired, but we braved the cold. Mike and Morgan joined us outside as we started toward Margerie Glacier.
I’m glad they gave us a map that morning. Here’s Mike and Morgan directing the ship!
And Mat with his trusty, fancy-pants binoculars.
That he sometimes let me use!
We spotted an otter cruising by, just hanging out being cute.
Meanwhile, the naturalist was talking about the spectacular calving port side, so we rushed to the top of the ship and did the remainder of our sightseeing on the top of the boat. Unfortunately, we missed the calving, but Margerie was spectacular nevertheless.
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Day 5: Skagway, Part 4
We made a few stops on the way back, like the Welcome to Alaska sign and to get a closer look at some of the waterfalls, but it was a quicker drive back to Skagway. Once in town we made a stop by the Gold Rush Cemetery. It’s mostly wooden headstones now, but there’s a lot of interesting history and stories. One in particular stood out, of a man who’d gone in to rob a bank with a handgun and a stick of dynamite. The teller was frightened when he came in and she fled, and when he went to grab his gun it allegedly misfired set off the dynamite, blowing him up. The rumor is that only his head was buried. (yikes!)
The cemetery walk was nice, and the waterfall just a few steps away was rather spectacular.
After dropping off the jeep, we’d planned on doing some shopping in town for souvenirs, but only one shop was open. Matt was more impressed by the snow plow train.
Rebel!
Without much else to do, we went back to ship in time to change for our 7:30 dinner. Afterwards we attended the Sherlock Murder Mystery Musical Trivia. The cruise staff’s humor really shined during this, and there were a lot of laughs all around. If you like Sherlock Holmes and humor and mysteries and musical trivia or any combination of the above - this is the show for you! Then it was a stop to deposit money at the casino before finally calling it a night. I wanted to wake up extra early to enjoy Glacier Bay!
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Day 5: Skagway, Part 3
We also visited Carcross and had poutine with reindeer sausage for lunch. Matt wanted to grab a soda but all the shops in town were already closed, and the restaurant we had lunch at mentioned that the following day was their last day open. The downside of September is that it is the end of the season and many places have already begun closing their doors.
Emerald Lake was spectacularly green, even if the high sun did make it difficult to properly capture its hues. We walked down to get a better look and ran into some local ladies picking rose hips as well as some people paddle boarding across the water’s surface.
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Day 5: Skagway, Part 2
We stopped by some mining ruins mentioned in the guide, and of course some of the popular photo ops like the Yukon sign and the ‘smallest dessert’. Tutshi Lake was probably the most breathtaking, and across the way Matt watched the Dall sheep climb on the mountain through his binoculars. Morgan also spotted what we think might’ve been a woodchuck or marmot near the water?
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Day 5: Skagway, Part 1
We got a bit of a late start this day, considering we could get off the boat around 6:30. After staying up a bit too late the night before and not filling out the room service card, we went up to the buffet for breakfast around 7:00 and watched from the window as a pair of otters played on the rocks where the ship-tags are. They kept jumping in and swimming before hopping back out to play some more. I love how playful otters are; definitely the most adorable wildlife we spotted.
Matt and Mike’s all-inclusive drink packages include bottles of water, and the bartender asked if he wanted small or large bottles. Matt said large, and the bartender handed over 2-liter bottles of water! It wasn’t a lot of fun to lug around in my backpack, but it was very generous and we did end up drinking them all.
Around 8:00 we departed and went to the popcorn store downtown to pick up our green jeep from, of course, Alaska Green Jeeps. The man at the desk gave us instructions before handing over a mile-by-mile guide chock-full of information and a CD to listen along to, and we were off. We were the only boat in port that day, and it seemed most people had gotten rental cars, private tours or had taken the train and town was pretty empty.
The inclusion of (what I believe was) Murray’s Guide was wonderful, and we listened to the CD commentary about gold rush history and the story of Soapy. He was an interesting character, and I imagine the show downtown about him would be neat to see, if there had been time.
We took our time driving the Klondike Highway, cutting alongside the train until we could only see it peeking through the mountains in the distance. It was scenic, and I was surprised by plethora of fall hues that was unexpected and so amazing. We were really hoping to see more wildlife, but the beauty of this country shines on its own. This was by far the most scenic day so far.
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Day 4: Juneau Part 3
We were quickly issued our fishing licenses and our guide told us about a spot where he’d been lucky lately with silver salmon. A few other people were fishing there and everyone was very friendly. There was also a group on the beach with a lawnmower motor dredging for gold. They celebrated a couple times, but when I asked how it was going they told me it was a slow day.
Matt was the luckiest man on the beach that afternoon. As the tide came in he reeled in six sizable silver salmon.
Naturally, his trip was made.
On their whale watching tour, Mike and Morgan said the boat had more people than they were originally told there would be, but that it never felt overcrowded. They snapped some photos of the humpback whales they saw, and also spotted several seals and eagles.
Afterwards we met up with Mike and Morgan at Hangar on the Wharf to watch Texas A&M’s first football game of the season (Whoop!). We split some appetizers and watched the second half of the game, and when we left at 7:30 for an all-board time of 8 the worst possible thing had happened - I couldn’t find my wallet!
I told Mike and Morgan I’d forgotten something and told them to go ahead, and started to panic. I had been holding mine and Matt’s credit cards and our debit card, but Matt had my driver’s license since we’d handed it over to get my fishing license. Matt calmly checked our statements online and said nothing had been spent, but I was panicking. We were going to cancel our credit cards on vacation! And I had $200 cash in that wallet... I’d had it at the bar, but it’d stuffed it in a flimsy side pocket of my backpack and I was so upset with myself.
I ran back to the bar but they hadn’t spotted it, but they took my number. I retraced my steps but came up empty. Fighting tears, we got in line to get back on the boat and the gentleman asked for my cruise card and I explained that I’d misplaced my wallet. He asked if I had any ID and I showed him my driver’s license to which he smiled and pulled out my wallet. Someone had looked inside, saw the princess cruise card, and returned it to the dock. All the cash inside and I started crying. I miiiight’ve hugged and kissed the cruise guy on the cheek, to which Matt would later tease me relentlessly over. But my faith in humanity and kind people was restored, and I’ll never put my wallet in the flimsy side pocket again.
After that excitement we met back up with Mike and Morgan and went up to the Lido deck to enjoy the sailaway. Mark the naturalist spoke and we enjoyed the scenery for a bit before dinner, and then afterwards we met back up in the hot tub. Big thank you to a kind cruiser who recommended snagging two towels per person and bringing along a bathrobe! Makes getting out of the hot tub much more pleasant.
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Day 4: Juneau Part 2
After Mendenhall we drove over to the Shrine of St. Therese, which was very serene and peaceful. We spent some time walking the Stations of the Cross and at the lookout where we, unfortunately didn’t see any whales. The spot was still lovely and very worthy of a visit if time allows.
Afterwards we did a quick stop at Eagle Beach where we spotted a single eagle posing for a group on a photography tour, and then we made our way over to the Alaskan brewery for some free samples.
We had a good lunch at the Silverbow Bakery before parting ways. Mike and Morgan had a whale watching tour, and Matt and I walked back from the Goldbelt toward the docks after returning the car. This part of town reminded me a bit of Disney World - where the buildings are cute and picturesque, but very touristy. And I don’t understand why there are so many jewelry stores.
We met up with Abe from Hooked on Juneau. While I would’ve loved to whale watch, all Matt wanted to do in Alaska have a shore fishing experience with locals, so that’s where Hooked on Juneau came in.
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Day 4: Juneau Part 1
Another breakfast room service day as we pulled closer to Juneau. It was a very scenic morning with calm water, waterfalls, and lush, green hills.
We waited in line to be one of the first off the ship since we had an 8:30 pick-up time for our rental car from Avis at the Goldbelt hotel. Thanks to reading threads here, I knew to get there early. After speed-walking to the hotel, we arrived about 3 minutes before the Avis employee did and were first in line.
It was a speedy process; she gave us a map of Juneau and chatted with us. We were the only ship in port that day, but even still there was quite a line forming as we left.
We opened the sunroof and enjoyed the beautiful, sunny day as Matt drove to Mendenhall. We got there before 9:00 and there were only two other cars in the parking lot. A trail that warned of bears was our first walk and though I can’t remember the name it was easy and flat. There was a wooden deck over the water, but we didn’t spot any bears even though the little stream looked like a perfect place for a salmon breakfast.
Then we set off to hike Photo Point and Nugget Falls. The moment we started on this trail I could feel the cold set in. All four of us ended up donning jackets; the closer we got to the glacier, the chillier it got. Which makes since, of course, seeing as to how we’re walking toward a glacier.
Mendenhall was the first glacier we’d seen, and it was spectacular. Nugget Falls was also breathtaking, and it was quite an experience, standing beneath its spray. We lingered for a bit, enjoying the sights and sounds and snapping photos before hiking back. There were lots of people on the trail at this point; a couple buses began dropping people off and I was glad we’d gotten there early.
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Day 3: Ketchikan Part 3
We returned to town and popped into a touristy restaurant. I can’t remember the name, but it was next to the Fish House which was my first choice. However, they didn’t appear to have beer and so we went elsewhere and split a giant platter of fried fish, clams, and crab cakes and a pitcher of Alaskan Amber before heading back to the ship. Our boat pulled out at 2:00 for what seemed a very short port time, but we had a full day in town. Seeing a bear and an eagle feeding had us in good spirits, and Ketchikan was a really cute stop with an interesting history.
Back on the boat, the four of us sat on the balcony with the TV on listening to Mark the naturalist’s commentary. Afternoons like this really made the adjacent balconies worth having.
After a drink and trivia, we went on to the Lido deck, our second home, and watched the scenery roll by until dinnertime. It was cool at this point and we dressed accordingly, but the scenery made it all worthwhile.
I think it was Italian night in the MDR, and of course the only food photo I snapped is of this delectable dessert: Chocolate Tart with Vanilla Mousse and Flourless Chocolate Cake. Ahhhhh. So. Good.
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Day 3 Ketchikan Part 2
Creek Street is just as lovely as the photos. It was, however, very crowded with 4 ships in port that day.
The funicular up to Cape Fox Lodge was closed, but we walked up Married Man’s Trail. I made our married men stop for a photo, but they were less than thrilled.
The trail was a bit of an uphill jot, but there were stairs and a railing along the way. I can’t imagine all those men sneaking from the brothels through the trees. We saw the totem poles at the top of the hill and took the road back down for a peek at the salmon ladder. Nothing exciting happening there, but there were lots of salmon visible in the water below.
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Day 3 Ketchikan Part 1
We arrived in Ketchikan sometime the night before, and so that morning we were greeted with the sights of boats situated along the harbor and houses nestled amongst the green hillside. Since we’d filled the room service, we sat on the balcony and ate breakfast, watching the float planes land and take off and waiting to be told we were cleared to get off the ship.
After disembarking we met our driver who would take us to the Alaska Rainforest Sanctuary. She was waiting beside the giant rain gauge. Ketchikan gets a lot of rain, but it was a sunny, clear morning. We had a guided hike booked, and I honestly didn’t know much about it. Mike had selected it with hopes of seeing a bear, but I’d read a few reviews about how bear sightings weren’t guaranteed and that the best bet for bear sightings is to book a tour that flies you further into the rainforest.
Besides the four of us and our driver, there was a couple from California and three others on our van ride. Our driver told us a bit about the town of Ketchikan and the rainforest, and when we got to the mouth of the trail the three zip-liners broke off while the four of us and the couple from California met up with our guide.
Our guide was very informative, but it was less of a hike and more of a slow, educational stroll where we learned about native plants and animals. Bear sightings were looking promising what with all the dead fish and bear scat littering the trail. The salmon were mostly intact, and our guide explained that with the abundance of salmon running the bear can afford to be picky, and that they often only eat their favorite part - the belly. (They’re fancy bears partial caviar, apparently).
I wish it would have been more hiking, and the screaming zip-liners definitely took away from what could have been a serene walk through nature. I think they’ve done themselves a disservice by adding a zip line feature, but I guess it makes money and is more exciting than a walk among the plants. During the walk our guide was great. She answered questions and showed us the beauty of the Tongass. Just as we rounded the path toward the salmon hatchery a black bear came out of the trees and went into the water for a snack. He was pretty quick, snatching up a fish and disappearing into the opposite direction, but it was very exciting. Seeing a bear definitely made the excursion. After the bear made his exit an eagle decided it was his time to shine and swooped down where the bear had been fishing to catch himself a fish and pose for photos.
The tour also included a talk with a woman from the raptor center about some of the rescued birds as well as a glimpse at a local artist working on a totem pole. I loved the smell of cedar inside the studio, and during his brief talk he mentioned he was from a neighboring island. There was something very charming about imagining a morning commute by boat; of course, he only comes to the center during the summer months and works from home most of the year.
After our tour there were complimentary cookies and hot chocolate. It was warm and sunny, but we drank hot cocoa anyway before getting on the van and heading back downtown.
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We are on the NCL Sun about the same time next year as your cruise.
We arrive in Seward on 12 September and three tour companies have indicated that they don't offer tours to Denali that late in the season or what is offered is just not worth going.
It seems that we will likely take a pass on Denali.
How did you find the weather in Anchorage?
We had lovely weather in Anchorage. Sunny and in the 60's. As the day went on it did get kind of windy though, and by evening I was wearing a jacket.
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Day 2: Sea day Part 2
After the lumberjack presentation and competition, we went up and enjoyed the views from the Lido deck. We snacked on pizza, played dominoes, and enjoyed the abundant scenery and occasional wildlife. The weather was lovely, and even though it was a bit windy we spent the rest of the day sightseeing outside, listening to the naturalist’s commentary. Matt had a good set of binoculars and we were lucky enough to see whales, seals and porpoises that afternoon, but spotting wildlife requires a lot of luck and a good deal of patience. Luckily it’s very relaxing and refreshing to just stop and look around.
When we returned to our room around 7:00, debating if we wanted to go to formal night, we found that a complimentary reservation had been made by our travel agent for Sabatini's at 8:00, so we decided to try it out after stopping by the champagne waterfall. I was surprised how fancy everyone was dressed - even though we weren’t going to formal night, I felt very under-dressed surrounded by all the black, sparkly floor-length gowns.
At Sabatini's I had the lobster three ways and it was fantastic. Mike and Matt had steaks, and while Mike’s was perfect Matt ordered his medium rare and his was very overcooked. He probably should’ve sent it back, but he’s not big on waste so he ate it. All four of us had the tiramisu for dessert and, no surprise, it was amazing.
The couple at the table beside us pointed out a pair of whales and we watched them follow alongside the boat for a while while as the sun set. I’d say it was the end to the perfect evening, but the best was yet to come.
We played dominoes in the card room for a bit and then decided to call it a night. Morgan and I went out the balcony to stargaze, and we both sat in silence for a moment before I asked her if I was crazy. Those are just clouds, right? And the green light is just being reflected off the ship… right? Surely I was not seeing what I thought I was seeing in our first night in Alaska. We weren’t that lucky. Morgan confirmed that I wasn't crazy and we got the guys and went to the top of the ship where a couple and another woman were watching the light show. I asked the woman if I was seeing what I thought I was seeing (part of me was still convinced it was wishful thinking and I was fairly certain I was crazy) and she confirmed that the Aurora was particularly active that evening. I tried to snap a photo, but it takes a bit more skill to do so, apparently, because my attempt is laughable.
We sat for what felt like hours, watching them stretch and dance and turn brilliant green before fading to a barely-visible before spanning the sky again. When we decided to call it a night I couldn’t resist returning to the balcony and watching the Aurora a bit longer. But it was an early day in Ketchikan to come, and I needed to get some rest.
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Day 2: Sea day Part 1
Matt and I woke up around 6:00 for the gym, and as we were getting ready I turned on the TV just in time to hear the naturalist say humpback whales were visible on the starboard side, so we went outside and sat on our balcony and watched the pair of whales as we sailed through the Johnstone Strait. The water was so calm and we were a lot closer to the shore than I thought we’d be. And I adored the way the clouds settled over the islands.
When we finally made it up to the workout room, all the equipment was taken. From then on, it would be virtually empty when we went to work out, but the first sea day must’ve inspired people to hit the gym! Since the treadmills were taken, we stopped by the international cafe and picked up some coffees and parfaits and walked a couple laps around the Promenade deck. We were on the lookout for more whales, but didn’t see any. Around 9:00, we met up with Mike and Morgan at the MDR for breakfast. We sat with a gentleman from Canada and two ladies from Chicago. While we enjoyed our 4-person dinner table, it was kind of nice, chatting with other passengers during meals. Everyone at our table except Matt got eggs benedict. It was a bit strange - the hollandaise was firmer than any I’d had before, but it was still tasty. Matt had bacon and eggs, and he said it was good. However, by this point it was a bit choppy and he was feeling a touch sea sick, so he went back to the room to take a nap while the three of us went to play bingo where I had to do the chicken dance for accidentally calling out ‘bingo’ prematurely and then following it up with ‘just kidding! just kidding!’ (seriously!) and then, with the following number, I did actually get a bingo and won $400 (seriously!).
Matt met up with us for lunch and since the buffet looked crowded and the food looked just okay we decide on pizza. As a collective group, the four us would probably eat more pizza than anyone else on the ship over the next few days. After lunch we walked to the theater for the North to Alaska lumberjack show.
It was fun and informative, and quite interesting to hear from one of the Ketchikan lumberjacks. Matt had wanted to see the show in Ketchikan and so I thought this would be a good substitute, but it just made him want to go to the show more. Passengers were split into two teams for ax throwing and some of the competitors were far more skilled than others; Morgan was convinced one of the axes was going to fly backward. I have to admit… there were a few dozen holes in the net in odd places. We walked out with all our limbs intact and it was a nice show. :)
We’d met one of the competitors at the sail away party, and he mentioned that the lumberjack was passing out tickets for the 8 contestants while walking around the ship. So if you want to toss an ax and win a chance at free tickets to the Great Alaskan Lumberjack show - find the lumberjack and just ask.
Review: Northbound on Princess Coral 9/2-9/9
in Alaska
Posted
Yes. The shuttle to the airport was booked through Princess. I believe it was $20/pp.
In Vancouver we stayed at the Holiday Inn Downtown because we have HI points and it was close to the ship.
I did enjoy sailing one way! I feel like we got to see a lot more during our limited time there, and it really wasn't that more expensive booking airfare that way.