Review of our Alaska Adventure

[Silvertrees]

Thanks Krazy Kruizers, glad you are enjoying it. I am enjoying wrtiting it

[Coral]

I am loving it also!

[mapleleaves]

Great report and photos! I really enjoy your writing style.

[Silvertrees]

Thankyou to everyone for the comments. While I would love to take credit for the photo's I can't. Sasha is the talent behind the majority of the photography :cool:

 

 

As the alarm went off at 04:30hrs we woke to no power in our hotel and prepared to depart by touch light. Just as we were getting ready to leave the power returned allowing us to do a final check before heading downstairs checking out and getting a taxi to the railway station for our trip to Seward.

 

The railway station was within walking distance of the hotel but due to our baggage we decided to catch a taxi and we gave the driver a little extra for his trouble.

 

We arrived at the station around 05:30hrs and checked our bags in as we headed through to the terminal. The next time we would see our bags would be at our hotel in Seward. We lined up and collected our tickets grabbed a coffee and waited until boarding time. We used a tour saver voucher for the train so it only cost $79 for the two of us for the trip. The time came to board and we all moved out and climbed on board the train, found our seats and settled in for the trip. There was a slight delay due to the storms the night before but we were soon on our way and if they hadn’t done the announcement regarding this I probably wouldn’t even have noticed.

 

The train journey was a great experience and we didn’t spend that much time in our seats. We moved around the train, enjoying the scenery and chatting with other passengers. The train travelled along the coast, past glaciers, over streams full of salmon and generally breathtaking scenery. We spent a short amount of time in the dome car but found we get better photos and enjoyed the fresh air experienced in the open area between the carriages. The train slowed considerably, almost stopped, a number of times as we passed things of interest or had some wildlife near the tracks. At one stage we were held up by a baby eagle that was learning to fly on the train tracks.

[Silvertrees]

We arrived in Seward and the weather was less than favourable with a cold wind and lots of rain. We gathered our hand luggage and disembarked the train, umbrellas in hand and grabbed a free shuttle into town. We were to early to check into our hotel and our behind the scenes tour at the Sea Life Centre was still an hour or so away, so we walked up the main street and had a bite to eat in a local restaurant.

 

After lunch we headed to the Sea Life Centre for our tour. We again used our tour saver book for 2 for 1 entry into the centre and had booked the behind the scenes tour at $15 each. While we found the tour interesting we found the staff member who took it to seemed to be not particularly enthusiastic. A number of times when members of the group asked questions he provided the most minimal answer possible. After the tour we spent a bit of time looking through the Sea Life Centre before heading across to our hotel to check in. We were staying at the Best Western, Edgewater. The hotel was again clean and the staff were very helpful. We had a great veiw from our balcony room, additionally breakfast was included in our room rate. We settled into our hotel, changed into some dry clothes and then taking advantage of a break in the weather took a walk along the water front.

 

We returned to the hotel and as we wouldn’t have internet access while on the boat we used the free Wi-Fi to message home and contact all of our tours over the next week to confirm details and give them our contact number in case it was required. It was a quick bite for dinner then early to bed after the early start this morning.

[Silvertrees]

We started the day with a relaxing breakfast at the hotel before gathering our things and taking the complimentary hotel shuttle to the Seward boat harbor for our Kanai Fjords National Parks Cruise. We were really looking forward to this tour as we had heard so many good reports on cruise critic. We ended up booking with Major Marine and even though the tour saver coupon expired the week before we arrived, I emailed them before booking and they were happy to except it for our booking. We booked the 6 hour cruise with the all you can eat Salmon & Prime rib lunch.

 

We arrived at the boat harbor a little ahead of time, so after checking in and getting our tickets we wondered around the harbor and looked in the shops. We boarded the ship and were allocated seats at a table. This served as a place to leave our bags and eat lunch because we spent the majority of the cruise up on decks enjoying the wildlife and scenery. The ship had a parks Ranger on board and he provided a commentary as we travelled through this beautiful area. He also provided information on the wildlife that we came across over the course of the trip. We had a number of wildlife sightings throughout the cruise. It started not long out of the harbor when we came across a sea otter playing in the water. We saw a number of humpback whales and seals. The highlight of the cruise would have to be the ORCA sighting. We had a pod of 3 approach the boat, passing underneath us providing everyone with a great view of these magnificent creatures. The sea was calm and the day sunny, which was a change from the previous day and we spent the day thankful that the weather was again on our side. We sailed all the way down the Fjord to the Holgate Glacier where we were able to admire its beauty and witness some calving close up with a cocktail in the sunshine.

 

The trip was excellently coordinated, the staff were all helpful, the ship clean & tidy. Additionally the food was excellent and for the price, we decided that it would not be worth purchasing and carrying our own stuff on board. On return to the harbor we left the ship and had a bit more of a look around the area before grabbing the hotel shuttle back to the hotel.

[Italy52]

Thanks for posting your cruise review and memories. I am enjoying reading your posts very much.

[Silvertrees]

Note: Thanks for the kind comments and I hope those following my review are enjoying it. I am definatly enjoying writting it and thinking back to what was our amazing adventure. I apoloigise for gaps between posts and will endevour to keep them coming.

 

Today is the big day; we are starting our first cruise. We are both very excited and have decided to get on the boat as soon as we can to explore the ship and settle in. We start the day with bit of a sleep in followed by another relaxed breakfast. After breakfast, we pack our bags and take them to hotel reception. The hotel arranged transportation of these to the ship and also had a free shuttle to the dock. We then headed out into downtown Seward for a final walk around, some final shopping and a visit to the fire station.

 

On arrival at the cruise ship dock we were like kids in the candy shop. We rushed into the shed, we had no idea what to expect but were excited none the less. We were welcomed by the checkin staff, filled out the required forms and started the boarding process. This was very smooth and within about 20 mins we were on our way through security and walked onto the ship for the first time.

 

We had been waiting for our first cruise for a long time and as we walked up the gangway and onto the ship for the first time it was a great feeling. We were welcomed on board by the staff and after a quick photo we headed to our room. We had booked a balcony room on the 8th level (room 8144). A few days before sailing we received an email from RCI advising us our booking had been upgraded to a Junior Suite 1578, Our suite was amazing and while we didn’t really spend a lot of time in our room it was nice to come “home” to our room after a big day exploring Alaska, additionally we spent time everymorning and evening on the balcony just enjoy the scenery and listening to the waves. I would be comfortable in saying that when we sail again we will book a balcony room again.

 

We had been advised on CC that it would take sometime for our luggage to arrive in our room so we had brought on a change of clothes and a few bits a pieces. We quickly got changed and headed up to the Windjammer for a bite to eat. Been our first cruise we didn’t know what to expect and were very impressed by the variety and overall quality of the food on offer. We enjoyed a relaxing meal and then went about exploring the ship. During the tour we toured the fitness and spa facilities and after this we decided to have spoil ourselves and have a massage later today. We had been travelling for just over two weeks and wanted to start our cruising leg relaxed and knot free. Unfortunately this turned out to be our worst experience on the ship if not our entire holiday. I found the service overpriced and not really up to my expectations. I booked a 75min massage but after the sales pitch’s for additional products and the ridiculous questions about how stressed do I feel (I am on holidays, how stressed can I be) at the beginning it would have been lucky to be a 55min massage. Sasha had a similar experience with her treatment and while having a facial was pitched over $800 worth of product.

 

On returning to our cabin or luggage had arrived so we went about unpacking and settling in properly. After more than two weeks living out of suitcases it was nice to put our clothes in draws for the next 7 nights. Then it was time for the evacuation drill. As first time cruisers this was an interesting process and didn’t really reassure us that if there were an emergency everything would go smoothly. Luckily we were extremely confident that there wouldn’t be a need to evacuate during our cruise. After this was completed we headed to the MDR to book a sitting time for dinner, grabbed a drink and then back to our cabin to finish unpacking. We saw the mooring lines coming off the ship so we headed up on deck to watch the ship leave port and our first cruise begin. We sailed away from port and past the campers and township. We said goodbye to Seward and stayed on deck for some time just enjoying the view and our first cruise.

 

We wondered around the ship until it was time for dinner. We enjoyed our meal and retired for the night.

[Silvertrees]

Today was our first full day on the ship and the first day since we left home that we didn’t have to do anything so it was a slow start. After our first night at sea we woke to the sound of waves and opened the blinds and sat on the balcony to eat breakfast (room service) and have a coffee. After our breakfast we got ready and headed to the CC meet & greet but we arrived as most were leaving :o. Lesson learned arrive on time in future. We headed back to our cabin and the to the Gym and had a swim in the outdoor pool. As you can imagine we had the pool to ourselves and casually swam a few laps and generally enjoyed not having to do anything. After a swim and a quick trip to the Sauna. There was time for a bite in Windjammer before we started approaching Hubbard.

 

While we were finishing lunch we started to see ice in the water so we quickly grabbed the cameras and headed up on deck. The rest of the day we stood on deck. We were watching the amount of ice in the water increase and the glacier appear and get bigger as we approached. The Captain put our ship up near the glacier and for what was all to short we stood awe struck by the glaciers beauty. I am not even going to try and use words to explain the beauty of this. While the 100’s of pictures we took are beautiful to look at and bring back amazing memories of the sounds of ice cracking and the cold air they still don’t do justice to witnessing it first hand.:D

 

While we stood admiring the glaciers beauty and waiting for the cracking sound, followed by splashes of the spectacular glacier calving, we had to have a hot chocolate with baileys that the crew were spruiking. They sounded so nice and after trying to resist I caved in. The ship turned and started to move away from the glacier. At the stage most people on the ship returned to other activities on offer we however made our way to the rear of the ship to enjoy the view for as long as possible. We sat on the rear deck with a drink, relaxed and just enjoying the experience. :cool:

[Keith1010]

I am enjoying both review and photos and really appreciate you doing this.

 

Keith

[Krazy Kruizers]

I am loving your review and all the pictures.

[Silvertrees]

As we again enjoyed our breakfast in our cabin (I could really get used to this lifestyle) we were a little disappointed by the weather that greeted us as we came into the port of Juneau. There was a constant light drizzle and a mist as we headed to the dock. We had a full day of activity starting with a whale watching excursion with Harv & Marv’s then a flightseeing tour with Glacier landing with ERA Helicopters in the afternoon so I was hoping that the weather would clear as the day progressed.

 

We were scheduled to dock at 9am and we had our whale watching tour booked for 09:30am which we were advised provided plenty of time to make our tour. For whatever reason we were a little late docking and then there was a massive queue to get off the ship. We were met at the top of the gangway by a tour rep who directed us to our shuttle. The other two couples, from the other 2 ships in port, were already on board and waiting for us. We quickly jumped on board, apologised for holding everyone up and our after a welcome from our driver we commenced the short drive to Auke Bay where our boat was located.

 

Throughout the drive our driver highlighted a number of points of interest and in no time we were at Auke Bay Marina and meeting our Captain for the whale watching tour. We boarded our boat and headed out to look for whales. I can’t remember our Captains name (Should of taken notes while on holidays – another lesson learned) but he was excellent. He advised us that a pod of ORCA’s had been spotted some time ago north of our location but they were last seen heading north and further away from us. He asked the group if we would like to go and try and find them. This would mean that we would drive past a lot of humpback whales to get to the area. Additionally there wouldn’t be much time to spend with the Humpbacks on our way back as we had a travel a long way. For Sasha & I it there was no question, Killer Whales were our aim. The other couples agreed and we were off. We raced past a number of other whale watching ships and more water spouts than I can remember heading north. We past a number of vessels returning and our Captain chatted to them on the radio. It was disappointing that they hadn’t seen the ORCA’s and were returning. We pushed on and remained hopeful. We stopped at an Island to view some seals and were just discussing heading home when a rainbow appeared and then like magic they surfaced a short distance from our boat. :D We drifted amongst a Pod of 3 Killer whales, at one stage they came straight towards the boat and they were so close you could almost touch them :cool:

 

Reluctantly we had to say good buy to the ORCA’s :( as they were now heading further north and we had start returning home. On the return trip we saw a number of Humpbacks and stopped to view these giants as they prepared to head to Hawaii for the winter. On the trip we were also visited by a group of stellar seal lions and some porpoise so all in all a very successful trip with of course the ORCA’s been the highlight.

 

We returned to port and were met by the shuttle driver and once all on board it was back to town via the Mendenhall Glacier. We had an opportunity to walk around and look at the glacier before getting a lift back to town where we were dropped at the shuttle for our next tour.

 

I found the Harv & Marv’s whale watching tour very well run and coordinated. From the booking process to when we were dropped off after our tour their customer service was second to none. We booked after reading the reviews on CC. While originally looking at two outfits that received equal praise we went with these guys because of their service and prompt response to questions. While we never met Callie she always responded to emails in a timely manner and answered any questions we had. On the boat there were snacks and cold drinks available. We paid $321.30 for the tour and felt that this was good value for money.

[Silvertrees]

Once on board our shuttle we were taken to the ERA heliport just out of town. This was a short trip and on the way we chatted excitedly with the other passenger’s and shared stories about our mornings activities. Here we were briefed on the safety procedures and given life jackets and over boots to walk on the glacier. Then we waited for our turn to fly.

 

The weather was no better than it was that morning, alternating between heavy mist and light rain. We made our way out to the helicopter and were all safety seated. We waited for the all clear and as soon as given we took off and headed over the town and out to the glacier.

 

The flight to the Glacier was interesting; we had the light rain and mist as we flew between mountains to our destination. It appeared in front of us and our pilot took us down over the surface as we looked for a landing site. He gently landed on the surface of the glacier and shut the machine down. Once the rotors had stopped we got out of the helicopter and stepped onto the glacier. We walked around and explored the area. Again, there are no words to explain the view and pictures will only give you an idea of the beauty and scale of the glacier. The blue colour was just so vibrant, the sound amazing and the whole experience amazing. Even though it was continually raining throughout our stay this did in no way, detract from the experience.

 

After our allocated time on the glacier, it was back into the helicopter for the trip home. On take off we circled over the glacier and flew along and over the front before taking a different route back to the heliport. Once back at we thanked our pilot for the experience and were taken back to town in the shuttle. Once back into we had a walk around and then headed back onto the ship to get changed and as we didn’t have anytime for lunch to get something to eat.

[Krazy Kruizers]

Excellent.

 

Your pictures are great.

[Silvertrees]

Sorry for the gap in posts, I hope you are enjoying the summary of our holiday. It is really enjoyable writing it and reliving this great adventure. :)

 

Today we were in the port of Skagway and we had a full day Yukon Rail & Bus Excursion booked with Chilkoot Tours. It was an early start for our full day excursion with a departure time of 7:30am.

 

We had breakfast as we sailed into port once docked and ready we were off the ship and walked up through the security check and were met by a company representative. We were directed to a shuttle bus for the short trip to our train. Once on board the shuttle the driver, who was also our guide for the days tour clearly explained the days itinerary and checked we all had our passports. This tour was taking us out of the US and into the Yukon. This is part of Canada and we would have to pass through Canadian customers on the way out and then US customers on our return to the ship.

 

We were taken to the train station and our guide put us on the train and our trip up the white pass rail began not long after that. The trip up the pass provided amazing views of the landscape and as the train continued to climb the landscape continually changed. We spent most of our train trip standing outside on the platform and taking in the scenery. It was cold and as we climbed up the hill towards the pass it got colder.

 

We arrived at the summit and the vegetation changed dramatically, you could only image how harsh this area would be in the winter with the intense cold and strong winds (not to mention the remoteness). The train stopped at the top of the mountain and after a check by Canadian board security we all disembarked and were met by our guide. He had driven our coach up to the summit and after a look around we all got on board and headed further into the Yukon.

 

We travelled to Carcross for a look around this remote town. We stopped at many locations for pictures and a look around. These included Bove Island & Green lake to name a few. We were taken to Caribou crossing for lunch and a look at both the husky kennels and a museum that had one of the best exhibits of taxidermy species anywhere in the world. This was quiet a surprise in the middle of nowhere and well worth a look.

 

After lunch we all climbed back on the coach for the trip back to Skagway. As we drove over the pass and started the decent to Skagway it was actually snowing. We stopped at the welcome to Alaska sign for pictures and then through boarder security and back into Skagway. We were dropped in town and as we had plenty of time before we had to be back on the ship we had a look around town. This didn’t take long as after the had been to the museum the rest of the town was mostly jewelry shops and other such tourist shops. We walked through town, grabbed a few gifts and walked back to the ship.

 

Overall we were very happy with the tour. The service provided was excellent our driver and guide provided excellent commentary throughout the day. While the lunch wasn’t fantastic, it hit the spot and when you take into account our location I was pretty happy with the meal. Overall the day was great value and provided us a really good look at the area.

[Krazy Kruizers]

I don't mind the gaps. You are doing an excellent job. Pictures are great.

 

We have done your Skagway excursion -- loved it.

 

The first time we visited Skagway was back in the 80's before all the jewelry shops moved in. It was very quaint back then.

[Silvertrees]

Hi Krazy Kruizers, Glad you are enjoying my review and the pictures and thanks for the feedback. Its hard to chose which pictures to put up out of the many 1000's that we took on our trip. The next jo after completing this review is sorting the photos as family & friends are keen to have a slide night. I would have loved to have visted Alaska before the towns were taken over by the Jewlery and T-Shirt shops but we still enjoyed our trip and would go back again tomorrow if we could.

 

 

Today we are in Icy Straight Point and we have our first tender experience. We have two activities booked today through the ship. This is the only port that we booked excursions through the ship and I am interested to see the difference, if any, in the experience compared to the independently booked excursions.

 

We are booked to go on the Zipline in the morning which has been recommended to us and I am looking forward to, then we have some time to walk around the Island and relax before we go on a kayaking adventure a bit later in the afternoon which again I am very excited about.

 

After breakfast we made our way down to the exit level and onto the tender for the short trip to shore. Once on shore we easily found our way to the check-in area for the Zipline Excursion. The check in process involved a weigh in and leaving our bags behind and the check in desk. We were directed from the waiting area to a shuttle bus for the 45min trip up the mountain to the start of the Zipline. The driver of the bus was a local from the Island and provided a commentary as we drove through the town and up the mountain to the summit. The view from the summit was amazing and we were again blessed by a clear day that allowed us to take advantage of the views offered. The shuttle bus dropped us a short distance from the Zipline and the group made the short walk down the track to the starting platform. There were a number of people in the group that were a little nervous but after a little encouragement from the other members in the group everyone took the quick way down. If you decide to withdraw from the Zipline once at the top it’s a long bus ride back to the base.

 

We made our way onto the starting platform and were shown to our lines and hooked up and placed in position for the start. Your feet are against the starting door and you are just waiting for the moment the launch crew press the button and the door swings open. Then before you have a chance to change your mind you are away, accelerating to approx. 60mph. After a the initial rush you can really sit back and enjoy the view as you Zip down the line towards the landing area. 90 seconds after that door opened you are at the bottom and wanting to go again. We had a chat to the people that went down before and after us before heading off and exploring the walking tracks around the area.

 

After a short walk and a coffee it was time to check in for your kayak adventure. We had seen a couple of whales while on our walk and were hoping we might get the opportunity to see a humpback up close and personal. We were met by our kayak guide and his offsider and after a couple of forms, getting some equipment and a safety briefing it was off to the kayaks and onto the water. Our group was very small just the guide and two other kayaks plus us. We headed out and paddled along the shore past the Radiance and out into the bay area. The weather was calm and the winds light, which made for excellent kayaking conditions. While kayaking along we observed eagles and seals as well as whales in the distance. As we were making our way reluctantly back towards the shore a ring of bubbles appeared directly in front of our kayak. I can’t explain the feeling as we realised that this was most likely a whale. Then the bubbles appeared all around our kayak and as we paddled forward a humpback whale surfaced not more than 10 meters (30 feet) from our kayak. This was an amazing experience and after the event I was disappointed that in the rush to ensure we were not above the whale as it surfaced and admiring it when it did, that I forgot to take a photo.

 

After this exciting highlight of our kayak trip we continued towards the beach area where we had started a couple of hours earlier. We arrived back and after thanking our guide we made our way back to the dock and boarded the tender for the short trip back to the ship. Back on the ship it was an early sail so we had plenty of time for a swim followed by a relaxing drink in the spa before getting changed for dinner.

 

While we enjoyed the two activities we had chosen at this port we found the port a bit lacking in both atmosphere and activities. As mentioned earlier we booked these activities via the guest services desk on the ship. We did this for two reasons. The first was that we found it hard to find private tours at Icy Straight Point before we left Australia and secondly I thought it would be worth experiencing a couple of ship run excursions as I had booked all of our excursions with independent suppliers. I wouldn’t rush to book shore excursions through the ship for future cruises. I found the process of booking independently very easy, with the assistance of information gained from this site, and the value for money and level of service far better than that of the tours we took today.

[CaribbeanIsland]

Thank you for your wonderful review. One of the best I have read. Pictures are fabulous.

[volunteer cruiser]

Great pics of the zipline. Thank you for sharing.

[Silvertrees]

Carribean Island & Volunteer Cruiser thanks so much for your kind words. I am really enjoying writing the review :)

 

The review of todays chapter in our adventure really starts the night before when we returned to our cabin and find the latest edition of Cruise Compass on the bed as always. Upon reading the weather for the next day we were disappointed to see the forecast for tomorrow. We were booked on a 4 hour Traitors Cove bear viewing tour with Michelle from Island wings and this was to be one of the highlights of our trip. It was one of the first excursions we had booked and we were really looking forward to it. The plan for the day was to spend the morning taking a relaxing stroll around town with a bite to eat before heading off on our bear watching tour. We went to bed hopeful that the weather forecast was going to be wrong.

 

We woke in the morning and no amount of hope had helped with the weather and while we tried to remain hopeful we knew that the writing was on the wall and our day was going to be a bit different to what was planned. As we sailed into Ketchikan the weather was terrible. The rain was coming down and the wind was blowing a gale. Yes the weatherman was right. We got ready for our tour (still holding out hope) and left the warmth & dry of the ship. We headed to the meeting point at the giant rain gauge. On the way while trying to stay as dry as possible we were both splashed by a passing bus, soaking us good and proper. We arrived at the meeting spot and there were other people who were getting their trips cancelled. We knew ours would be cancelled but had to wait for the official call. While we were waiting we looked at the other options available to us given the weather.

 

We looked at a number of options and waited. We know the outcome but as we had to wait for the official word. About 15 mins before our booking time Shona arrived and gave us the bad news. She reassured us that we would get a full refund and apologized for the cancelation. We thanked her for letting us know and then went to decide what we would do instead. We settled with a city tour followed by the Lumberjack show. We booked these are the tourist center and started our town tour almost straight away from this location.

 

Our tour driver (again I can’t remember names) was a local resident who did an excellent job. We went out to an area where there were seals in the bay and salmon running up the stream, the idea was that bears are seen here feeding on the salmon. We waited patiently in the rain watch sea gulls and a number of other birds feasting on salmon scraps when on the other side of the river a small black bear strolled in. We watched him from a distance for a while and got back in the bus. We headed from there to the Totem Pole park for a tour with detailed explanation of the poles and there history. We travelled around looking at many other points, dodging the rain and were dropped at the lumberjack show when the tour was over.

 

We went in to the lumberjack show as early as we could to get a seat out of the rain. We waited for the show to start and while we did this it continued to rain and even got heavier. The show began and while it was an impressive show of chainsaw skills and axe use we didn’t really find it that good. It was pretty much what we had expected and was quiet predictable with the jokes and other antics. Having said that it was a last minute booking and did give us some entertainment out of the rain. Once the show finished we headed back to the ship and were glad to get back to our cabin and into some dry clothes.

 

While we were disappointed that our original plans were cancelled by the weather we still had a good day and got to experience another part of Alaska and its weather. This is a good time to remind people that it’s important to have a plan “B” for just these situations. We were able to make an informed decision on what we were going to do from what I had read on CC during my planning. It looks like we will have to go back to do the bear watching tour.

[bravostar]

I am really enjoying your review. It is a tremendous help in planning our trip on the Radiance in June.

Thank you

[Krazy Kruizers]

Hi Krazy Kruizers, Glad you are enjoying my review and the pictures and thanks for the feedback. Its hard to chose which pictures to put up out of the many 1000's that we took on our trip. The next jo after completing this review is sorting the photos as family & friends are keen to have a slide night. I would have loved to have visted Alaska before the towns were taken over by the Jewlery and T-Shirt shops but we still enjoyed our trip and would go back again tomorrow if we could.

 

 

Today we are in Icy Straight Point and we have our first tender experience. We have two activities booked today through the ship. This is the only port that we booked excursions through the ship and I am interested to see the difference, if any, in the experience compared to the independently booked excursions.

 

We are booked to go on the Zipline in the morning which has been recommended to us and I am looking forward to, then we have some time to walk around the Island and relax before we go on a kayaking adventure a bit later in the afternoon which again I am very excited about.

 

After breakfast we made our way down to the exit level and onto the tender for the short trip to shore. Once on shore we easily found our way to the check-in area for the Zipline Excursion. The check in process involved a weigh in and leaving our bags behind and the check in desk. We were directed from the waiting area to a shuttle bus for the 45min trip up the mountain to the start of the Zipline. The driver of the bus was a local from the Island and provided a commentary as we drove through the town and up the mountain to the summit. The view from the summit was amazing and we were again blessed by a clear day that allowed us to take advantage of the views offered. The shuttle bus dropped us a short distance from the Zipline and the group made the short walk down the track to the starting platform. There were a number of people in the group that were a little nervous but after a little encouragement from the other members in the group everyone took the quick way down. If you decide to withdraw from the Zipline once at the top it’s a long bus ride back to the base.

 

We made our way onto the starting platform and were shown to our lines and hooked up and placed in position for the start. Your feet are against the starting door and you are just waiting for the moment the launch crew press the button and the door swings open. Then before you have a chance to change your mind you are away, accelerating to approx. 60mph. After a the initial rush you can really sit back and enjoy the view as you Zip down the line towards the landing area. 90 seconds after that door opened you are at the bottom and wanting to go again. We had a chat to the people that went down before and after us before heading off and exploring the walking tracks around the area.

 

After a short walk and a coffee it was time to check in for your kayak adventure. We had seen a couple of whales while on our walk and were hoping we might get the opportunity to see a humpback up close and personal. We were met by our kayak guide and his offsider and after a couple of forms, getting some equipment and a safety briefing it was off to the kayaks and onto the water. Our group was very small just the guide and two other kayaks plus us. We headed out and paddled along the shore past the Radiance and out into the bay area. The weather was calm and the winds light, which made for excellent kayaking conditions. While kayaking along we observed eagles and seals as well as whales in the distance. As we were making our way reluctantly back towards the shore a ring of bubbles appeared directly in front of our kayak. I can’t explain the feeling as we realised that this was most likely a whale. Then the bubbles appeared all around our kayak and as we paddled forward a humpback whale surfaced not more than 10 meters (30 feet) from our kayak. This was an amazing experience and after the event I was disappointed that in the rush to ensure we were not above the whale as it surfaced and admiring it when it did, that I forgot to take a photo.

 

After this exciting highlight of our kayak trip we continued towards the beach area where we had started a couple of hours earlier. We arrived back and after thanking our guide we made our way back to the dock and boarded the tender for the short trip back to the ship. Back on the ship it was an early sail so we had plenty of time for a swim followed by a relaxing drink in the spa before getting changed for dinner.

 

While we enjoyed the two activities we had chosen at this port we found the port a bit lacking in both atmosphere and activities. As mentioned earlier we booked these activities via the guest services desk on the ship. We did this for two reasons. The first was that we found it hard to find private tours at Icy Straight Point before we left Australia and secondly I thought it would be worth experiencing a couple of ship run excursions as I had booked all of our excursions with independent suppliers. I wouldn’t rush to book shore excursions through the ship for future cruises. I found the process of booking independently very easy, with the assistance of information gained from this site, and the value for money and level of service far better than that of the tours we took today.

 

We have been to Icy Straight several times and still love the idea that it quaint. Too bad you didn't have time to get into Hoonah.

Loveing your report and pictures.

[Krazy Kruizers]

Carribean Island & Volunteer Cruiser thanks so much for your kind words. I am really enjoying writing the review :)

 

The review of todays chapter in our adventure really starts the night before when we returned to our cabin and find the latest edition of Cruise Compass on the bed as always. Upon reading the weather for the next day we were disappointed to see the forecast for tomorrow. We were booked on a 4 hour Traitors Cove bear viewing tour with Michelle from Island wings and this was to be one of the highlights of our trip. It was one of the first excursions we had booked and we were really looking forward to it. The plan for the day was to spend the morning taking a relaxing stroll around town with a bite to eat before heading off on our bear watching tour. We went to bed hopeful that the weather forecast was going to be wrong.

 

We woke in the morning and no amount of hope had helped with the weather and while we tried to remain hopeful we knew that the writing was on the wall and our day was going to be a bit different to what was planned. As we sailed into Ketchikan the weather was terrible. The rain was coming down and the wind was blowing a gale. Yes the weatherman was right. We got ready for our tour (still holding out hope) and left the warmth & dry of the ship. We headed to the meeting point at the giant rain gauge. On the way while trying to stay as dry as possible we were both splashed by a passing bus, soaking us good and proper. We arrived at the meeting spot and there were other people who were getting their trips cancelled. We knew ours would be cancelled but had to wait for the official call. While we were waiting we looked at the other options available to us given the weather.

 

We looked at a number of options and waited. We know the outcome but as we had to wait for the official word. About 15 mins before our booking time Shona arrived and gave us the bad news. She reassured us that we would get a full refund and apologized for the cancelation. We thanked her for letting us know and then went to decide what we would do instead. We settled with a city tour followed by the Lumberjack show. We booked these are the tourist center and started our town tour almost straight away from this location.

 

Our tour driver (again I can’t remember names) was a local resident who did an excellent job. We went out to an area where there were seals in the bay and salmon running up the stream, the idea was that bears are seen here feeding on the salmon. We waited patiently in the rain watch sea gulls and a number of other birds feasting on salmon scraps when on the other side of the river a small black bear strolled in. We watched him from a distance for a while and got back in the bus. We headed from there to the Totem Pole park for a tour with detailed explanation of the poles and there history. We travelled around looking at many other points, dodging the rain and were dropped at the lumberjack show when the tour was over.

 

We went in to the lumberjack show as early as we could to get a seat out of the rain. We waited for the show to start and while we did this it continued to rain and even got heavier. The show began and while it was an impressive show of chainsaw skills and axe use we didn’t really find it that good. It was pretty much what we had expected and was quiet predictable with the jokes and other antics. Having said that it was a last minute booking and did give us some entertainment out of the rain. Once the show finished we headed back to the ship and were glad to get back to our cabin and into some dry clothes.

 

While we were disappointed that our original plans were cancelled by the weather we still had a good day and got to experience another part of Alaska and its weather. This is a good time to remind people that it’s important to have a plan “B” for just these situations. We were able to make an informed decision on what we were going to do from what I had read on CC during my planning. It looks like we will have to go back to do the bear watching tour.

 

We also had a driving rain storm when we visited Ketchikan the first part of July. Since we have been here many times, we just stayed on the ship. We didn't even bother with our usual walk to Creek Street.

Glad you were prepared with alternative plans.

[Silvertrees]

It has been a busy week or so :eek: and I haven't had the time to continue my review. I hope to get back to it in the next few days.

[Great Sky Girl]

I have loved reading your review! Thank you so much for it and the pictures. We were in Alaska twice and both times had beautiful weather in Ketchikan. Most unusual! Your trip sounds just fabulous and I am so glad you did the land portion. So many come and just do the cruise, which is good, but there is so much more to see and do.