Cruise to Alaska and Canada
Seattle
Taking a cruise to Alaska is a real treat. I had been on several Caribbean cruises, but there is nothing like sailing by glaciers. Our cruise was departing from Seattle, so we spent a day there first. It was my parents’ first visit to Seattle, so I made sure to show them around Pike Place Market and get some yummy Pike Place Chowder. I was delighted to see the peonies were in bloom and on display at the market, too. Check out more of my favorite things to do in Seattle.
The next day, we left Seattle behind and set sail for Alaska for a week on the Celebrity Solstice cruise ship.
Ketchikan
Our first port of call was Ketchikan, Alaska’s 1st city and the Salmon Capital of the World.
I enjoyed walking around the town, exploring the shops on historic Creek Street and seeing the native legacy. There were also some beautiful flowers blooming.
I love to snorkel, so when I saw there was snorkeling in Alaska, I had to give it a try. I joined Snorkel Alaska for their Mountain Point Snorkeling Adventure in Ketchikan. It’s cool to say that I went snorkeling in Alaska, but I didn’t really enjoy the experience that much overall. The water was very cold, which is to be expected. They provide wet suits, which do a pretty good job keeping you warm, but are a pain to get on and off. The biggest disappointment was that the water was just too murky to see anything. The excursion has good reviews, so maybe it was just an off day, but I think I’ll stick to snorkeling in warmer waters.
Tracy Arm Fjord
Next, we sailed on our cruise ship through the Tracy Arm Fjord past the Dawes Glacier. There were beautiful waterfalls flowing from the mountains and we got up close looks at the glacier.
Juneau
Our next port was Juneau, the capital of Alaska. We went on a whale watching tour. Most of the whales we saw were pretty far away. It was exciting to see them, but beware that the boat ride was very choppy.
We also visited Mendenhall Glacier, which is a 13-mile long river of ice in the Tongass National Forest and quite the sight to see.
Victoria
We were treated to a gorgeous sunset that night as we sailed toward our last port of Victoria, British Columbia.
In Victoria, we visited the lovely Butchart Gardens and enjoyed all of the flowers and foliage. I wish we could have spent more time there!
Seattle
Upon returning to Seattle, we had time to explore the city a little bit more. We checked out the amazing exhibits at Chihuly Garden and Glass and also went to the top of the Space Needle for views of Seattle and Puget Sound.
Have you been to Seattle or Alaska? What are your favorite things to do there?
