As a child growing up in the mid-western United States, family vacation was always a big deal for me. I loved the bi-annual road trips to visit family in the south, and the ten day round-trip adventure to Maine for my aunt’s wedding, but there’s one place that will always stick out the most in my fondest vacation memories. Alaska.
I feel very fortunate to have experienced an Alaskan cruise at the age of ten. It taught me to appreciate nature in a whole new way, but being so young prevented me from truly appreciating other aspects of the trip. I remember being overwhelmed with awe at the opulence and pure beauty of the ship itself, only to realize that the best part was what happened when we left the ship’s luxury. These days, the “Legend of The Seas” may not exactly be the best that Royal Caribbean Cruise Line has to offer, but back then it was the newest addition to their fleet and the top of the line. Ships come and go, but the awe inspiring beauty of Alaska will never fade.
There are many different routes taken to and from Alaska, but this is what I remember.
I had never been out of the U.S. before, so flying to Vancouver, Canada to board the ship was a huge deal. Vancouver’s famous port Canada Place was an incredible sight. The well known sail designed building towers over and embraces the ship port like a mother with her children in her arms, offering a warm “Bon Voyage” and a welcoming return.
The first stop on our journey was the beautiful and historically rich city of Ketchikan. We had almost a full day to explore and take excursion tours. I had never before seen a place that not only exposed you to their culture and history, but enveloped you in it like you weren’t a tourist at all. My favorite thing about Ketchikan was Saxman Village. The people that live there conduct life much like their ancestors did, with the exception of some modern amenities. We attended a couple of dance performances done in the Saxman Tribal House and Metlakatla Long House.
At one of the performances, they were looking for children to bring on stage and perform the dances with them. My mother instantly volunteered me, and I’m glad she did. I’ll never forget what it was like being on stage with them, wearing their ceremonial robes, and learning their culture through emersion. I remember visiting Totem Heritage Center and staring up at the largest collection of original Native American totem poles in utter amazement. One day was definitely not enough to take in all Ketchikan has to offer.
The next stop/attraction on our trip was the Misty Fjords. We didn’t stop and get off to see the national monument, but the view from the ship was enough to make you believe you had cruised into a fantasy world. The wild life was abundant. Bald Eagles flying so low you’d swear it was looking you in the eye, pods of whales following the ship from time to time, we even spotted a giant Grizzly bear basking in the sun on the shoreline. The state capitol of Juneau was next. This is one state capitol that despite being along the chilly, mountainous, glacier-ridden coast really captures the heart of the state it represents. Hearing the words Yukon Territory usually brings visions of the Alaskan gold rush in old-west style towns, and Juneau keeps that alive. That may be partially due to the fact that the only ways in or out of the city of Juneau is by plane, boat, or the only one-lane road leading North. We took advantage of Juneau’s gold panning excursion and the sky tram above the city. My mother is greatly afraid of heights; she proved that when the view is that good, your altitude doesn’t matter.
