#206 2009 Alaska Cruise, Part 1

 2009 Alaska Cruise

Hey! Some real travel stories, although it happened before I started the travel blog. This post begins a series of posts about our only cruise vacation—a 7-day Alaskan cruise on Princess.

The trip from Seattle to Skagway and return was August 2 to 9, 2009. A trip of 2000 nautical miles. We loved the trip, but just never got around to taking another—we could never find the right time since we didn’t want to give up our summer trips to Canada and the southwest or our shoulder season trips to Scotland.

We boarded the Star Princess (along with 3000 other passengers) at noon for a 4:00pm departure. 

We found our small balcony room on the 11th deck, below the buffet and pool. It was a nice unit and plenty roomy considering how little time we actually spent in the cabin, 

although we did make good use of the balcony. We unpacked and started exploring our floating resort—the plaza, shops, eateries and bars, and entertainment areas. 

String quartet was pleasant entertainment several afternoons.

We got a nice send off by the Blue Angels over the Seattle skyline.

The first organized activity of the cruise was a lifeboat instruction meeting (with no lifeboats). 

I don’t know if I really liked getting on a ship and learning what to do when it does a Titanic, but I guess it was necessary. Right after our lifeboat muster we did find a bar where we could get a Scotch whisky and watch Tiger win another tournament.

Dinner was on the “Anytime” plan, where you chose your own time and place. We ate in the Portofino Dining Room—lobster and crab starter, prime rib for a main. My mistake was passing up the Bananas Foster for later—it never did come back on the menu.

This was the view a couple of hours out of Seattle.

Our first full day aboard ship, Monday, was at sea. There was plenty to do, including  naturalist lectures about Alaskan geology and glaciers, shopping for gold for Anne and Duty Free whisky for me, breakfast in the buffet and sushi for lunch by the pool. There was also plenty of time for walking around the ship, enjoying fresh cookies and lattes, and reading and writing. 

Anne spent time reading on the balcony, bundled against the cool weather.

The dinner, the week’s only formal affair (dress up) came after the Captain’s Champagne Party. It was a great chance for me to wear my kilt.

My Welsh National Tartan

Tuesday started early watching from the foreword observation deck as the ship maneuvered into dock at Ketchikan harbor. 

Ketchikan from the Boat

Great for a photographer. Breakfast was again in the buffet and we were off the boat by 8:00am to explore the Salmon Capital of Alaska. We didn’t plan an excursion for this stop, just wandered. With much to see and do, we kept busy at the downtown shops,

Decorated with Antlers

 creeks filled with fish,

Salmon Creek

 a funicular tram to the top of town, 

There are many old and new totems throughout town.

Creek Street shops and museums, 

Creek Street Shopping District

and restaurants and cafes. 

We. had lunch at the Pioneer Cafe.

A highlight was the tour of Dolly’s House—

the brothel and red-light museum.

An interesting wharf reflection as we left Ketchikan.

We were back on the ship by 3:00pm for a 4:00 sailing. Dinner was again at the Portofino (whatever I had was absolutely delicious). Most impressive of the whole day was the after dinner whale watching and the colorful sunset through the smoke of Canadian forest fires as we sailed through Clarance Strait towards tomorrow’s treat, Tracy Arm Glacier.

But that’s for the next post.