My Alaska Cruise

For some, getting in touch with nature can be a spiritual experience. The beauty and wonders of the world can definitely be therapeutic to all of us.

My recent Alaskan cruise to Glacier Bay on Holland America’s Eurodam had an amazing effect on calming my anxiety. From the time the ship left Seattle until its return to Puget Sound a week later, I was in awe of the vastness and natural beauty of America’s largest frontier. The islands, waterways, passages and tundra of the Pacific Northwest are truly majestic. The miles and miles of mountaintop ice fields, waterfalls, salmon-filled streams and glaciers of Alaska are the most incredible masterpieces of nature that I’ve ever seen.

The week’s most precious moment occurred when our captain negotiated the ship to within a few hundreds yards of John Hopkins Glacier inside Glacier Bay. Everyone on the ship was silent as the massive ice structure popped with new cracking, hoping to see a large chunk calve into the cold waters below. When it finally happened, a chorus of awes was heard echoing across the water. My friend’s wife, in the balcony next to me, turned my way with tears in her eyes.

"That was one of the most exciting things I’ve ever seen,” she said. “Almost spiritual."

An Alaskan cruise lives up to the hype. It’s a vacation everyone should take. Put it on your bucket list, and make plans to scratch it off soon.

Here’s what I experienced: I saw six bears in the wild, dozens of whales, several mountain goats, a large bull moose, too many sea otters and dolphins to count and even a few salmon sharks. I viewed the massive Mendenhall Glacier and Grand Glacier, and cruised up close to Marjorie Glacier and John Hopkins Glacier. The views at sunrise and sunset were spectacular. My camera got a work out.

I learned that Juneau and Ketchikan offer harbor town shopping at its best. The salmon fishing out of Ketchikan is fantastic. Victoria, B. C. is a beautiful city with a lot of history and a vibrant downtown. A visit to Butchart Gardens is the perfect ending to a week loaded with beauty.

The staterooms on Holland America were the best I’ve stayed in. On an Alaskan cruise, a balcony cabin is worth every penny. The food was fantastic, and as is the norm for a cruise, I ate way too much of it – but would do it again. The port dining at the local crab shacks was outstanding.

The most surprising thing I took from this cruise? September is the best time to cruise Alaska. The prices are lower, the sales are better in the ports, the wildlife seems to be more active, and believe it or not, the temperatures were fantastic. It rained on us one day with temperatures hovering around 70 degrees each day.

It was an incredible trip in every way. I’d love to book the same for you for 2018. I recommend booking now while the cabin selection is good.

I'd love to help you plan your next cruise, to Alaska or beyond! 

Give me a call at (801) 483-5227

James Rayburn - Email me
Morris Murdock Travel