From action-packed wilderness adventures to extraordinary
sightseeing, a journey to Alaska is an unforgettable experience.
There are three vacation options for experiencing the natural splendor of Alaska: Inside Passage, Northbound or Southbound cruise, and Guided Tours which
can be added to a cruise or completed on their own.
can be added to a cruise or completed on their own.
With the completion of our Inside Passage cruise from Seattle on Discovery Princess (May 8-15, 2022) we have now experienced all three options. We'd love to share our experiences with you.
We will start our exploration with our most recent voyage.
We spent two days in Seattle, WA before boarding Discovery Princess. We decided to rent a car from Seattle Airport and return it in Downtown Seattle. This was a cost effective way of getting around from airport to hotel and doing some sightseeing as well. After returning our car, we took an Uber to the pier which was about 4 miles away.
Staybridge Suites (click on link / image to view photo album)
Staybridge Suites Seattle - Fremont, an IHG Hotel
Seattle Aquarium
The railway excursion is enhanced by the breathtaking vistas, waterfalls, mountains, glaciers and unforgettable Klondike Trail of '98, a tribute to the optimistic prospectors in search of their fortune. The fully restored cars, pulled by vintage diesel locomotives, climb nearly 3,000 feet over 20 miles of steep grades and around cliff-hanging turns. You'll retrace the original route to the White Pass Summit, passing Bridal Veil Falls, Inspiration Point and Dead Horse Gulch. Take in the majestic panorama and historic sites from your large picture windows.
Where have you explored?
Gather your travel and food pics and join us every Wednesday afternoon at 4 PM Eastern for the latest installment of #FoodTravelChat
We stayed here two nights before our cruise. It is an extended stay hotel with full kitchens and free breakfast in downtown Seattle area.
Pagliacci Pizza is a Seattle-based restaurant chain. It was recommended to us by our hotel receptionist. It was one of the best pizzas we ever had.
Seattle Aquarium
The Seattle Aquarium is the ninth largest aquarium in the U.S. by attendance and among the top five paid visitor attractions in the Puget Sound region.
After the aquarium visit, we got some soup from the
Alaskan Sourdough Bakery
and then headed to the Space Needle to purchase combo tickets for Chihuly Gardens and Glass and the needle.
Chihuly Garden and Glass is a museum in the Seattle Center showcasing the studio glass of Dale Chihuly.
The Space Needle stands at 605 feet tall. The Space Needle offers 360-degree views from its three main viewing areas – an indoor observation deck and open-air viewing area located at 520 feet, and an observation level featuring a revolving glass floor located 500 feet above ground.
The 143,700-ton, 3,660-passenger Discovery Princess, marks her inaugural season as the youngest ship in Alaska departing from Seattle on the popular seven-day Inside Passage itinerary. Ports of call are Ketchikan, Skagway, Cruising Endicott Arm & Dawes Glacier, Juneau, and Victoria, BC, Canada.
Skagway is a compact city in southeast Alaska, set along the popular cruise route the Inside Passage. It's home to gold-rush-era buildings, now preserved as part of the Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park.
Ketchikan lived up to its reputation by greeting us with grey overcast skies and rain. Our plans called for some shopping which we did on the pier across from the ship.
The adventure begins as soon as you board your luxurious, high-speed catamaran directly from the cruise ship. Relax in the warm, spacious cabin surrounded by panoramic windows as your experienced captain sails past curious seals resting on floating icebergs.
Endicott Arm is a classic fjord, with turquoise tidewater, elevated glaciers, stunning mountains and a towering rock wall over a mile high. While exploring the length of this ice-carved fjord, cruise beneath cliffs that rise 4,000 feet above the jade-colored sea and feel the mist on your face as the vessel cruises almost directly under a plunging waterfall. The area teems with wildlife such as bears, mountain goats, and bald eagles and the waters are home to humpback whales and harbor seals.
The extraordinary maneuverability of your cruising vessel allows you to get as close as possible to the ever-changing face of the Dawes Glacier. From the topside observation decks enjoy unforgettable vistas. You can even see and feel the "white thunder," as immense spires of ice break from the glacier and crash into the sea. Unobstructed views present wonderful photo opportunities.
Endicott Arm is a classic fjord, with turquoise tidewater, elevated glaciers, stunning mountains and a towering rock wall over a mile high. While exploring the length of this ice-carved fjord, cruise beneath cliffs that rise 4,000 feet above the jade-colored sea and feel the mist on your face as the vessel cruises almost directly under a plunging waterfall. The area teems with wildlife such as bears, mountain goats, and bald eagles and the waters are home to humpback whales and harbor seals.
The extraordinary maneuverability of your cruising vessel allows you to get as close as possible to the ever-changing face of the Dawes Glacier. From the topside observation decks enjoy unforgettable vistas. You can even see and feel the "white thunder," as immense spires of ice break from the glacier and crash into the sea. Unobstructed views present wonderful photo opportunities.
The catamaran pulled alongside Discovery Princess around 7 AM and we returned the same way in Juneau about 12:30 PM. We highly recommend this excursion - it was one highlight of our cruise.
After spending the morning cruising Endicott Arm Fjord, our catamaran arrived in Juneau, Alaska. We had some lunch and relaxed onboard until it was time for our Salmon Bake excursion at 5:30 PM.
Alaska Salmon Bake
After a short, narrated bus ride you'll arrive at Salmon Creek, the outdoor site for your salmon bake. Listen to folk music while you dine under translucent, heated domes shielding you from the elements. Enjoy an all-you-can-eat feast. Savor Alaska-caught wild salmon barbecued over an open alder wood fire and accompanied by Parmesan chicken, au gratin potatoes, baked beans with reindeer sausage, wild-rice pilaf, a variety of salads, cornbread, lemonade, hot apple cider coffee and tea, as well as blueberry cake for dessert. Beer, wine and soda are available for purchase.
Stroll through the woods or roast marshmallows over the campfire after your meal. Take the short walk along Salmon Creek, a salmon spawning stream, to a breathtaking waterfall, where you can explore the remains of the historic Wagner Mine and try your hand at gold panning.
Stroll through the woods or roast marshmallows over the campfire after your meal. Take the short walk along Salmon Creek, a salmon spawning stream, to a breathtaking waterfall, where you can explore the remains of the historic Wagner Mine and try your hand at gold panning.
Built in 1898 as a way to expedite travel during the Klondike Gold Rush, the White Pass & Yukon Route Railroad is a three-foot-wide narrow gauge railroad that climbs from sea level to almost 3,000 feet in the first 20 miles. An engineering marvel, it features two tunnels and travels over sky-high trestles and bridges. Considered an impossible feat, the railway was completed in 26 months by blasting through the mountains with 450 tons of explosives. The 110-mile railroad was officially completed when a final golden spike was hammered into place on July 29, 1900, in Carcross, Yukon. Fully restored, the comfortable passenger coaches feature large picture windows and are pulled by diesel locomotives. At the completion of your excursion, convenient dockside service returns you directly to your ship.
What You See Along The Way:
What You See Along The Way:
The railway excursion is enhanced by the breathtaking vistas, waterfalls, mountains, glaciers and unforgettable Klondike Trail of '98, a tribute to the optimistic prospectors in search of their fortune. The fully restored cars, pulled by vintage diesel locomotives, climb nearly 3,000 feet over 20 miles of steep grades and around cliff-hanging turns. You'll retrace the original route to the White Pass Summit, passing Bridal Veil Falls, Inspiration Point and Dead Horse Gulch. Take in the majestic panorama and historic sites from your large picture windows.
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Where have you explored?
Gather your travel and food pics and join us every Wednesday afternoon at 4 PM Eastern for the latest installment of #FoodTravelChat
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