Alaska Cruise
Steve and I are not really fans of cruises, but his parents are avid cruisers, and we’ve enjoyed short trips with his parents. For many years, my mom (age 84) has wanted to take a cruise to Alaska. We convinced Mom that it was time to go on this bucket list trip, and since we were retired and had never been to Alaska either, we’d join her! Mom invited her longtime friend Jan to come along, so we made a nice foursome. After some research, I chose Holland America’s “7-Day Alaska Explorer” route.
Day 1 (Saturday): Seattle/Puget Sound. The cruise terminal was chaotic, with throngs of people with luggage but no available porters. But we muddled through and finally boarded the Eurodam, a mid-size ship carrying 2,220 passengers and over 800 crew members. It was an older but still elegant ship, with a retractable glass roof over the larger swimming pool. We had two nice staterooms side by side, with connected balconies. We admired the Seattle skyline from the Lido Deck as the Eurodam set sail.
Day 2 (Sunday): At Sea. We used this time to learn our way around the ship, browse the daily program, and try the different dining options. Soon we could recognize the friendly, soothing voice of our Cruise Director, Valerie. Mom walked with a cane, and Jan with a rollator, so Steve and I helped them find shorter routes around the ship and manage their meals at the buffet-style Lido Market. Dinner on Day 2 was “dressy,” which on Alaska cruises, was pretty much anything goes. Steve and I had limited wardrobe choices, but I think we cleaned up pretty well! The Global Stage show that evening starred an award-winning magician named James Cielan, and we were all amazed and amused.
Day 3 (Monday): Stephens Passage/Juneau. We cruised Stephens Passage and saw Alaska for the first time! We enjoyed viewing the majestic, snow-covered mountains from our balcony and from different parts of the ship.
In the afternoon, we went ashore in Juneau for a do-it-yourself tour. We were surprised to learn that this state capital can only be accessed by air or sea! You can read about our afternoon in Juneau here.
That evening we discovered the Tamarind Bar, an oasis of calm with sweeping views, top-notch cocktails, and first-class service from Enrico. Steve and I loved it and returned there for a pre-dinner drink every night thereafter.
Day 4 (Tuesday): Glacier Bay/Ice Strait Point. The Eurodam was the first of just two cruise ships permitted to sail Glacier Bay each day. The bay was spectacular - the highlight of the trip! You can read about our day in Glacier Bay here.
After leaving Glacier Bay, we attended two presentations in the ship’s big theater. National Park Service ranger Dani talked about growing up in Hawaii, working at a wide variety of national parks, and the science of glaciers. Kevin talked about growing up in the Tlingit community of Hoonah, Alaska. In high school he revived a Tlingit tradition that had been illegal in the region for more than eighty years: gathering seagull eggs.
The ship stopped for a few hours in Icy Strait Point in Hoonah, but we opted to remain onboard. It had already been an eventful day!
Day 5 (Wednesday): Sitka. It was cold and rainy in Sitka, and the pier was far from town, so we decided to stay on the ship. Most passengers had gone ashore, so it was almost like being on our own private yacht. We spent hours in another favorite spot: the Crow’s Nest, a window-lined lounge at the top of the bow with comfortable armchairs, game tables, and a 270° view. It was the perfect place for doing a jigsaw puzzle together. We were sorry to miss seeing Sitka, but in hindsight, this restful day was exactly what we all needed, especially the elder members of our group.
At dinner, there was a beautiful sunset. That night was Holland America’s traditional Orange Party. With everyone dressed in orange and dancing to a live band, it felt like Princeton Reunions! After a vigorous dance session, we returned to our stateroom to find the sky still alight at 10:00 pm!
Day 6 (Thursday): Ketchikan. The day dawned with clear weather, perfect timing for the shore excursions we had booked prior to the cruise. Steve and I had fun on a famous crab-fishing boat; you can read about our adventure here. Mom and Jan went to the Great Alaskan Lumberjack Show and did some shopping in town. That evening, Steve and I dined as a couple while Mom went to that evening’s show on her own - Go Mom!
Day 7 (Friday): At Sea/Victoria. This was not a drill! On Friday morning at around 9:00am, we felt the ship shudder for several seconds. The ship didn’t stop moving, but an alarm sounded and someone announced: “Fire in the aft engine room.” We heard the captain’s voice next: two of the ship’s rear engines were offline, but there was no fire, and the ship was using the forward engines. Later, he explained that there had been an explosion in one of the engines, knocking out another engine and triggering the smoke alarm. This sounded serious, but thankfully no one was injured, and the ship arrived in Victoria only one hour later than scheduled.
That evening, from the Tamarind Bar, we could see land: the large outer islands of British Columbia, Canada. We enjoyed one last dinner in the Dining Room, at a window table where we could watch the tugboats guide the Eurodam into Victoria Harbor. As with any cruise, lavish meals had been served all week long. I had feasted on seafood almost every night - trout, cod, halibut, salmon, and prawns from Alaska, along with Dover sole. It was all delicious!
Day 8 (Saturday): Seattle. We had breakfast in the Lido Market before disembarking in Seattle. Once again, we had a long walk through the crowded cruise terminal, but this time we didn’t have to handle any big baggage. (A nifty service called "Port Valet” took Mom and Jan’s suitcases from their stateroom to the airport and checked them through to their final destination.) We rode to Seattle Airport in a lavender taxi, and the friendly driver pointed out the sights as we drove along Downtown Seattle’s waterfront. Mom and Jan were going back home to Jacksonville, Florida. Steve and I were headed to San Francisco, our home for the next month. We were all tired, but happy, and thankful for our memorable Alaskan adventure!
Thoughts
Although a cruise to Alaska was my mom’s choice, Steve and I are very happy that we went. Glacier Bay was awe-inspiring, and a cruise was the best way to see it.
Holland America has a reputation for catering to older folk, but there were plenty of young-ish adults and families with kids on this Alaska cruise.
We had cruised on ships that were much larger/newer/fancier, but Eurodam was just right for seeing Alaska.
The verandah staterooms with private balconies were totally worth the splurge. Glacier Bay was spectacular! We’re glad our stateroom was near the bow, so we could alternate between the two places for viewing.
The food was abundant and the fish and rack of lamb dishes were quite delicious. Unfortunately, other dishes were poorly executed, and the table service was wildly inconsistent.
Other than the excellent magician and jazz band, the evening entertainment did not appeal to us. Still, there was a good selection of activities, and the Cruise Director was outstanding.
The Holland America website and mobile app both had annoying technical issues in the critical days leading up to our cruise. Fortunately, the app worked reasonably well on board (we used it for messaging one another and browsing activities).
Seattle’s Smith Cove Cruise Terminal was not very accessible. There was an elevator, but we were not able to get a porter or wheelchair service. And SEA-TAC airport security was poorly organized.
We still prefer to vacation in other ways instead of taking cruises, but we’ve learned that with the right destination(s), a couple of favorite spots on the ship, and good company, a cruise can be a very nice way to travel.
