Group shot

If you’ve been following this blog for any length of time, you know the focus is on independent travel.  You might wonder why then, I decided to go on an almost (the booze is certainly not free) all inclusive cruise to Alaska and back.  And why I decided to write about it.  Simple: there were 90 reasons in fact.  After treating the whole family to a trip to Mexico ten years ago, my Grandma wanted to celebrate her 90th birthday with everyone at sea.

The Noordam, our ship

Beyond the three cakes we managed to get delivered in two days to mark the occasion, my favourite parts of the trip were unsurprisingly when we were allowed off to explore.  After nearly 48 hours on the boat as we made our way from Vancouver to Juneau, we were ready to get some exercise and fresh air.  Thirty minutes later we were on a gondola taking us to the start of an epic day hike, affording majestic 360 degree views of mountains, rivers and sea.  It definitely made me want to explore Alaska more one day, with a little more time on land!

360 degree view

Our next stop was Skagway, a town of little to offer beyond tourist traps.  But, there was a gorgeous hike around a lake capped by snowy mountains.  Not a bad diversion.

Not a bad view

Ketchikan felt more like a real town than Skagway, but was set up for tourists in a way that managed to avoid kitsch, and was a great place to stroll around for a couple of hours.

Ketchikan

Although we didn’t get off the boat, leaning off our porch watching huge chunks of glacier break off in the National Park, was definitely a highlight.  Of course, as the thunderous sounds roared continuously in the background, I couldn’t help but wonder if we were witnessing a natural everyday miracle, or more sobering climate change in action.  Either way, it was impressive to say the least.

Natural erosion or climate change?

Credit to Patti Houston for the wonderful photos.

Credit to Grandma for taking us on the trip!

Celebrating