Little Known Facts from an Alaska Cruise
(33 Reviews)
100% Recommended
Jennifer Czerwinski
Oconomowoc, WI
Caribbean, All-Inclusive and Alaska Cruise Advisor
For 44 years I have built an extensive career in the dynamic world of travel planning. I have had the pleasure of curating memorable vacation experiences for countless clients, with a special focus on honeymoons and anniversaries. My intimate fami...
For 44 years I have built an extensive career in the dynamic world of travel planning. I have had the pleasure of curating memorable vacation experiences for countless clients, with a special focus on honeymoons and anniversaries. My intimate familiarity with destinations stems from my own travels—having journeyed through and stayed at various all-inclusive, adult-only resorts across the Caribbean and Mexico, including a majority of the Sandals and Secrets Resorts. Having walked down the aisle in Jamaica 28 years ago and experiencing multigenerational trips with my family fuels my passion for orchestrating dream getaways. In addition to tropical paradises, my expertise extends to the breath-taking tranquility of Alaska. Through both cruises and cruise tours, many of my clients have discovered the mesmerizing beauty of this glacier paradise, guided by my knowledge and experience. Connect with me at Travel Leaders and start your adventure today!
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Learning about Bald Eagles on our excursion
For decades I have been sending couples and families to Alaska. In 2018 I sailed on the Star Princess with my husband, Chris. We flew into Anchorage, took the train to Whittier and boarded the ship. We sailed southbound visiting the ports of Juneau, Skagway and Ketchikan. Along the way we saw the Hubbard Glacier and Glaciers National Park. I learned a lot along the way and had a few surprises too. Here are some little known facts that I picked up.
Whittier is a pretty small town. Our Ship was the only one parked there when we arrived. It’s not like leaving from ports in Florida where there are dozens of ships.
The scenery is so beautiful it is beyond description, sometimes. Much of the area of Alaska is still untouched wilderness.
The Whales migrate to Alaska for the summer to eat and therefore only breach occasionally. They migrate to Hawaii in the winter to mate and that is where the breach more frequently. If you go whale watching in Alaska you may only see their backs and/or tales.
Bald Eagles return to the same nest every year, and continue to build on them. There was a storm in Ketchikan where they had a huge wind storm, and knocked down a power line that was by a tree with a nest in it. They had to take the nest down, and took it to a University to study it, the nest weighed over 1,300 pounds, and they found dog and cat collars in it.
Juneau and Ketchikan can only be reached by boat, or by air. They are very easy towns to walk around in. Every port has a wide variety of tours and excursions for everyone’s interests.
It is a very good idea to have enough warm clothes with you especially when it is getting to the end of the season. Layering is the best way to ensure you’re not too hot or too cold.
Many people that go to Alaska on a cruise don’t want to get dressed up even for dinner. The dress code on board was much more casual than on Caribbean itineraries.
Train travel in Alaska is very nice, and more comfortable than air travel these days.
Binoculars are a must have item. If you want to get really good pictures of wildlife, whales etc in the distance, you need a camera with a really good zoom lens. Regular phone cameras will not be able to get the shots in the distance or take the picture fast enough.
A balcony cabin on board ship is the way to go, especially if you don’t love being outside in weather that is either rainy or a little cold.
Alaska is a big bucket list item for many people. On the ship we saw many multi-generational families celebrating milestone occasions.