Seattle Skyline from our boat

An Alaskan Cruise is something I have always wanted to do!  Even with all my planning, I was surprised by it! Nothing could have prepared me for Alaska!

• Day 1 – Fly Denver to Seattle.  A quick direct flight from Denver to Seattle made an easy start to the vacation.  We decided to arrive the night before and stay at the Alexis Hotel.  There is nothing worse than worrying about a delayed flight and missing a boat.  The Alexis was perfect for our family and was within walking distance of the notorious Pike Place Market.  We had arranged for a town car to pick us up at the airport and take us to the hotel.
• Day 2 – Embarkation.  After breakfast at the Crumpet Shop in the bustling Pike Place Market, we were able to catch a taxi to the Pier to board.  We were able to get priority boarding because we have sailed with Royal Caribbean before and we breezed past the lines and boarded earlier than most.  We had read that the best place to have lunch upon boarding was at the Park Cafe in the Solarium away from the crowds.  This proved to be a great tip and we were able to enjoy a peaceful lunch.
• Day 3 – Juneau.  We had arranged an independent whale watching tour with Alaska Galore Tours (not through the cruise ship) for this port.  Having never done this before, I was apprehensive about how it would come together.  After stepping off the ship, we immediately found someone holding a sign for us and one other family.  We were so excited to find out that it would just be our two families aboard a small ship.  This tour turned out to be the overwhelming favorite activity of the whole cruise.  Not only did we see multiple bubble net feedings of humpback whales, we also got to see a pod of Orca whales with a mother and baby.  After the tour, we had them drop us off at the Mendenhall Glacier to do the Nugget Falls hike.  This was touristy but still worth it to be able to walk on a Glacier!  We were able to take a city bus back to the port from there.  We stopped to eat some of the freshest fish I’ve ever had at the Twisted Fish Company before returning to the boat.
• Day 4 – Skagway.  Skagway is a town built for cruise ships.  There isn’t much there when cruise ships aren’t in port.  However, it is the sight of a historic trail called the Chilkoot Trail.  We booked the “Chilkoot Trail Hiking and Rafting” excursion through the cruise ship.  We were the only family on this adventure which made it even more special! Our guide was a college student who told us the history of the trail and plant names as we hiked.  Then we boarded onto a raft for a calm float trip down the river.  It was a great way to see the rainforests of Alaska.  Later, he dropped us off at the Skagway Brewing Company right near the port.
• Day 5 – Tracy Arm Fjord.  Well we were supposed to see the Tracy Arm Fjord, but because of current conditions, ended up seeing Endicot Fjord.  It was COLD.  I was glad we had brought our hats and mittens.  It was very beautiful though to see all the ice floating in the water and the gorgeous glacier.
• Day 6 – At sea.  A beautiful day at seas, spotting humpback whales constantly off the side of the boat.  It is pretty special to cruise the waters along Alaska.  My daughter and I also participated in the “Thriller” dance performance which was such a fun bonding experience with others on the cruise!
• Day 7 – Victoria, British Columbia.  A quick trip to Canada! What a beautiful place.  We had 12 hours in this port so we felt comfortable renting a car and sightseeing.  We drove to Butchart Gardens and took the long way back to stop at a special little pub called Spinnakers that we loved.
• Day 8 – Seattle. We were off the boat by 7:00 am and were able to check in to our room at the Hampton Inn and Suites downtown.  It was comfortable and clean and offered a free breakfast.  This time we were located closer to the sites downtown.  We toured the Space Needle (favorite thing in Seattle!), went to the Pacific Science Center, and did a Ride the Ducks tour.  Seattle in a day and I would do it all again!

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