It’s no surprise that I can’t get enough of Alaska, so when a friend of mine mentioned that Alaska was on her bucket list, I made a mental note of that. When I saw an absolutely perfect 10-day itinerary on the Norwegian Jewel, I contacted her to be sure that she was serious about wanting to visit this beautiful state. She confirmed her intentions so I immediately booked the cruise. We would be sailing from Seattle and returning to Vancouver. I always, always recommend flying into port the night before a cruise, so went ahead and booked the Edgewater Hotel as a special treat to myself. I knew it was really close to Pier 66 and had heard excellent comments about it.
Two Cruises in One
What was so appealing about this itinerary? Well, first it was10 days. The more I cruise, the more that I think that a seven-day cruise is simply not long enough. It always seems as if I just finished unpacking before I have to start packing again. Secondly, I was excited by the many ports of call and especially excited that a new port to me – Prince Rupert – was on the itinerary. What do you think of this itinerary?
- Day 1 Seattle
- Day 2 At Sea
- Day 3 Ketchikan
- Day 4 Sawyer Glacier and Juneau
- Day 5 Skagway
- Day 6 Glacier Bay
- Day 7 Icy Strait Point
- Day 8 Sitka
- Day 9 Prince Rupert
- Day 10 At Sea
Sitka, Icy Strait Point and Prince Rupert are some of the lesser-known ports; Sikta and Icy Strait Point are two of my favorites. I knew that late in the season that the weather might be a bit chilly, but I hold to the saying that there is no such thing as bad weather, just bad gear. I found some quick-dry clothes and waterproof shoes that would be suitable for wet weather and also packed a waterproof jacket. Layering was the order of the day for packing for the potential cool and usually wet – SE Alaska is in the largest temperate rain forest in North America, after all. I tried out a new product from Eagle Creek, which promised to keep my clothes wrinkle free and compact. That it did! I hadn’t used any system like this for packing and now see the advantages of it. I also realized the disadvantage – I could compress so many clothes into such a small space that I might send my luggage into that costly overweight zone. I made sure that I weighed the suitcase before departure and had four pounds to spare.
To take advantage of the day in Seattle, we took an early flight to the West Coast. As one who has been accused my entire life of not wanting to miss anything, I wanted to pack the day full with activities, even though there was a three-hour difference in time zones. That just meant more time to spend exploring Seattle.
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Sail Away
I know that all the talk in Europe at the moment is about River Cruises but I find them pretty uninspiring next to something epic like an Arctic Cruise, especially if it finishes up in VAN! Sounds like a great itinerary, although I think timing is everything with regard to getting the best price/value trip !
I’ve been on a few cruises and agree – 7 days doesn’t really cut it on a trip like this. Beachy/Sun cruises – maybe, but not like this one where you can actually get out and explore the ports properly. Looks nice.
Alaska and a cruise to this lovely place is indeed the stuff that dreams are made of. Would love to get to the white wilderness some day. Will follow your adventures in Alaska in the interim. Have a great time and bring back wonderful memories.
I have been to couple of cruises, I went with my fam and we really could spend the best time for 9 days. It was lovely!