JUNEAU has it all

The Beautiful Stained Glass Window at the Juneau Public Libary

By Carol watts Alaska Expert


If you have been reading this column for the past several years, you know that Alaska is one of our favorite destinations. Also that cruising is our preferred method of travel. And while cruising is one of the best ways to see Alaska's scenery, I understand that it might not be everyone's cup of tea.

So if you are thinking of going to Alaska and doing an independent vacation, Juneau has it all. By that I mean that everything people go to Alaska to see can be found in and around Juneau. Of course, that means flying, since there are no roads connecting Juneau to the “outside”, the word used by native Alaskans to mean any place other than their state.

Most travelers want to go to Alaska to see 3 things: mountains, wildlife, and glaciers. Juneau provides opportunities to see all these, and much more. Juneau is Alaska's largest city land wise, with an area of 2,716.7 sq. miles, and an elevation of just 5 ft. Jet service from Seattle, Anchorage, and many other southeast Alaska towns is available from Alaska Airlines. Or you can arrive via the Alaska Marine Highway System, the ferry. A word of warning about the weather. Torrential rain may result in canceled flights and rotten visibility. A relaxed attitude, flexible itinerary, and trip-cancellation insurance are recommended.

As Alaska's capital city, Juneau offers museums, fine dining, and shopping, in addition to sightseeing and activities. Juneau is the gateway for small board cruises of Glacier Bay National Park, and is also close to Tracy Arm Fjord and its Sawyer Glaciers. Mendenhall Glacier is only 12 miles from downtown. Juneau's ice field is an expanse of mountains and glaciers, and the source of 38 glaciers within a 1,500 sq. mile radius. While most tourists are content with a helicopter trip to a glacier to trek, climb, walk around, or dog sled, some have chosen to be married on a glacier! Remember, anything is possible in the travel business; it's all a matter of how much you are willing to pay for your desires.

If you are not into helicopters, you can visit a musher's camp for a dog sled ride on a trail. But what about other wildlife? The calm waters of the Gastineau Channel are perfect for whale watching excursions. Humpback whales feed, play, and socialize here from mid April to October. Other marine wildlife such as sea otters and seals can be seen on any boat trip. Bears fishing for salmon can be seen on nearby Admiralty Island, at the Pack Creek Bear Viewing Area. You might even encounter a bear in the city streets of Juneau. Eagles abound in the summer months. But alas, there are no moose in Juneau. Sportfishing tours are plentiful, and you can see salmon and more at the Macaulay Salmon Hatchery in the saltwater aquarium. You can also enjoy eating salmon at several bakes and back country lodges.

There's gold in them there hills, and once there were 32 gold mines in the area. You can visit the original gold strike made in 1880 by Richard Harris and Joe Juneau at Gold Creek. Juneau also has what was once the world's largest gold producing mill, the Alaska Gastineau Mill constructed in 1913. You can also go into a 360 foot long tunnel in the mine, where once 6,000 tons of rock per day were mined, and learn about the techniques and equipment. You can pan for gold here too, paydirt is guaranteed, and you can keep all you find.

Other outdoor activities include Mendenhall River raft float trips, sea kayaking, ziplines and rainforest hiking. Hiking trails abound around Juneau. You can take the Mt. Roberts Tramway up to the visitors center at its 1,750 foot elevation and hike the 2 ½ miles back to downtown. Of interest at the center is a film about the native Tlingit culture, shops featuring native artisans at work, and a bald eagle enclosure. She lost one eye in a hunting accident, and can no longer survive in the wild.

Museums include the Alaska State Museum, with its native clan house, Lincoln totem pole, and natural history display with a two story tall eagle nesting tree. The Juneau-Douglas City Museum has history and culture exhibits, and walking tour maps and historic trail information. There's also the Last Chance Mining Museum at Gold Creek. Glacier Gardens lets you experience the rain forest trails from a small motorized golf cart, as well as horticultural exhibits in their greenhouses and formal gardens. St. Nicholas Russian Orthodox Church is the oldest original church in Southeast Alaska. (St. Michael's Cathedral in Sitka is older, but burned to the ground in 1966.) Sunday services are open to the public, but be prepared to stand for over 2 hours. And last but not least, you can tour the award winning Alaska Brewing Company.

With so much to see and do in Juneau, it would be easy to spend a week there. . We can save you hours of searching on the internet, with our connections to tour providers. Please keep in mind that tours, with the exception of flightseeing and helicopter tours, will proceed as scheduled no matter what the weather. When we were in Juneau in June, it was raining all day, but the excursion companies were still soliciting business on the dock.

Check out this beautiful video from the Alaska Travel Industry Association at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8-hhTq1R2co&feature=BFa&list=PLB528C2E57BAD8396&index=1. For more Alaska articles, and travel articles in general, visit the Blog Spot It's not too early to think about Alaska cruises and cruise tours for 2012. Remember the land portion of the cruise tours sell out fast, because of the space limitations on the railroad dome cars.

Online Travel Agencies vs. Real Travel Agents

Bears in Sitka at Fortress Of The Bear

By Carol Watts Travel Planner EXPERIENCED CRUISER

If you watch TV at all, you’ve seen commercials for online travel agencies, hereafter known as OTA. You know, the little gnome or the space ship captain. There are OTA for all kinds of travel, or hotels and cruises specifically.

While you might be tempted by their low prices, remember that value does not always equal price. You may get a really cheap vacation that doesn’t suit your life style at all. For example, Carnival usually has the least expensive cruises, but unless you like to party until dawn and have many raucous young people as travel companions, a cruise with them might not be enjoyable for us older persons.

How would you feel if you called one of the OTA and the call center employee said, “Oh, the Amsterdam to Alaska. I was just on that cruise last month.” Well you would be a very lucky caller indeed, because most of these call center employees don’t cruise. And if you call a particular cruise line directly, the representative might have been on a particular itinerary, but they can’t compare that sailing with those of another cruise line. You need an agency that actively cruises to get first hand, been there done that experience. This is the value of certified travel agencies. We not only cruise, we take webinars and courses to stay current on changes within the cruise lines and itineraries.

So if you see a great price from an OTA, just call and ask if we can meet that price. Our experience in the past has been that we can sometimes even get a better price by moving the date of travel a few weeks. If we can’t match the price, we’ll be honest and tell you so.

Let me just say right now that all the cruise lines have a no discount policy. That means no provider or agent can sell a cruise for less than the price offered by the cruise line. So how do some of these OTA get such “discounts”? They either are promoting last minute discounts, which are available directly from the cruise line or from any certified travel agent. Or they have a group on a particular itinerary, and can offer the reduced cabin prices and amenities (like on board credit) that are available from the cruise line for groups. As an individual agency, we are limited to the number of groups that we can create in a calendar quarter. This in one reason that we affiliated with Avoya Travel. As a country wide agency with a huge booking volume, they can create many more groups.

Now for some current specials:

Princess Cruises is offering “Sun Drenched Deals” on specific itineraries and fall sailings for 7 night eastern Caribbean, 10 day Panama Canal round trip Ft. Lauderdale sailings, and their 14 night Hawaii round trip Los Angeles.

Apple is offering great deals on Mexico resorts for summer travel.

Did you know that there is only one all inclusive resort in the US, West Palm Beach specifically, and it is through Club Med. If you are hesitant to travel to Mexico or the Caribbean because of reported violence, this might just be the all inclusive for you.

Trafalgar is offering savings of up to $600 per couple on their 2012 USA, Canada, Mexico and Costa Rica vacations if booked by August 31.

Several of the river cruise providers are offering 2 for 1 savings or huge discounts for early bookings for 2012 cruises and last minute fall 2011 river cruises.

Also important if you are a smoker. Holland America and Princess Cruises have just changed their smoking policy effective Jan 15, 2012. Don’t expect an OTA to advise you of that little inconvenience.

We actively cruise, and can advise you not only on the differences between the various cruise lines and their itineraries, but also what to see in various ports of call. Is it better to book shore excursions through the cruise line or wait and get a better deal on the dock from a local tour company. That depends, and we can tell you why. Do you really need trip insurance? Not if you can afford to lose the cost of your trip if you can’t go for some reason. Did you know that when on any cruise, Medicare does not cover you for sickness or accidents? The one exception of NCL’s Pride of America, which is registered in the USA. Medicare considers you to be in a foreign country, even if the ship you are on is docked in an American port of call!

The Denali Road Lottery

Picture Courtesy of the National Park Service

By Carol Watts Alaska Expert

Every year 1600 lucky people 努inthe Denali Road lottery sponsored by the National Park Service, allowing them to drive their private vehicles into the park. During the regular park season, private vehicles are forbidden after mile 15, and only Park Service buses go further into the park. The length of their route varies depending on which tour is purchased. Applications for the Denali Road Lottery are accepted from June 1 30. For four days after the close of the regular park season, September 16 19 this year, four hundred vehicles per day have the opportunity to drive all the way to Wonder Lake, or 82 miles, weather permitting. That last phrase is important in Alaska. On some years early snows have closed the road after only 30 miles. Considering that parts of the road are only 1 and 1/2 lanes wide and have a steep drop off without guard rails, closing the road in inclement weather seems like a good thing.

Entries are limited to one per person and cost $10. There is an additional $25 road permit fee and a $20 vehicle pass unless you already have a National Park pass. Last year the park service received 9,720 applications. So why would almost ten thousand people spend $35 to $55 for this privilege at odds of one in six? The answer is a chance to see the parks wildlife at their own pace. In mid September the moose are in rut, and you might see bulls charging each other. The Dall sheep are descending from the hills to the low country. And the bears are foraging in earnest, trying to fatten up as much as possible in the shorter daylight hours.

Lottery winners usually spend the night before their drive in lodges or motels in Glitter Gulch, as the highway between Cantwell and Healy near the park entrance is known. . Some hardier types chose to camp in the park, but be forewarned that temperatures at night are below freezing. The park road runs in a general east-west direction, and crosses 4 mountain passes with elevations just under 4,000 feet. Climbing from the park entrance, fur trees give way to willows, a moose's favorite food. Moose can be seen anywhere from mile 3 to Tolkat River. Foxes can also be seen in this section of roadway. In winter the park is closed to vehicles after this point; only dog sled mushers and cross country skiers are allowed past mile 3. If the weather permits, you can catch a glimpse of Mt. McKinley at mile 9, seventy five miles away. Savage River campground is located at mile 12.8, and this is where the lottery winners line up at the permit checkpoint. Savage River is at mile 14, and this is as far as you can drive your car during the normal park season. This is also as far as the road is paved. Beyond here dust is everywhere in a dry autumn. Along a 3 mile long hiking loop here you may spot Dall sheep, marmots, or ptarmigan. The next 5 miles might provide you with a second look at Mt. McKinley.

There is a campground at mile 29, Teklanika, but for the last 3 years tents have not been allowed here because of wolf conflicts. Teklanika Bridge at mile 31 marks the entrance to Igloo Forest. Be on the lookout for lynx and of course moose. Igloo Canyon, at mile 33, is where wildlife viewing begins in earnest. Trees are gone, and bears can be seen anywhere from the road to stream beds. Igloo Campground, mile 34, remains closed due to its proximity to a wolf den. From mile 37 to 43 the road climbs to Sable Pass, prime grizzly country. No hiking is allowed in the tundra here. And if you look at the wooden Sable Pass sign, you can see where bears have chewed on it. Berries at both sides of the road attract bears at different times of the year. Mt. McKinley might be visible again, 55 miles away.

Mile 43 to 46 marks Polychrome Pass. It is a two and one half hour bus ride to this point. To the south of the road you have a 5 mile wide view of the Plains of Murie, stretching to the Alaska Range on the horizon. Mt. McKinley might make another appearance here. This pass is where the road narrows to 1 and ｽ lanes. The pass itself is carved out of the side of the mountain, and no place for those afraid of heights. Mile 53 is the Tolkat River and Tolkat Bridge. Tolkat River is a braided river, whose channels constantly change depending on the amount of glacial melt water that runs down to it. The river never fills from bank to bank. Bears, caribou and wolves often wander the river bed. At mile 66 is the Eielson Visitors Center. On lottery weekend the parking lot is crowded with tailgate parties. This is the turn around point for the faint hearted. Beyond Eielson the road narrows to one lane in spots as it clings to the side of the mountain with no guardrails and blind curves. Mt. McKinley is only 33 miles away, and is visible all the way to Wonder Lake at mile 82. This is one of the few places you can see beaver.

Wonder Lake has a campsite for tents only. Swarms of mosquitoes in mid summer make this inhospitable without a mosquito head net and lots of bug spray. Spring and late summer are more tolerable. This is where the iconic postcard photos of Mt. McKinley with Wonder Lake in the foreground are taken. This is also the turn around point for the lottery winners. The visitors center at Eielson and the campgrounds mentioned can all be reached during the summer by the park shuttle buses.

Because of the unpredictable weather and chance of early snows closing the road, most road lottery entrants are Alaska residents. The weather also dictates whether Mt. McKinley is visible or not. Roughly 25 to 30 percent of visitors to Denali get to see the 敵reat One But if the weather is favorable, the view is heart stopping.

It costs nothing to use the services of a certified travel agent. We can help you save hours of frustration searching online. Our personal visits to Alaska provide you with experienced help in choosing the perfect vacation and best value for your budget.

Cruising to Alaska

Moose grazing as seen on the National Park Tour in Denali.

By Carol watts Alaska Specialist.

I had decided to write this article a while ago, but then got a call about Alaska cruises, and decided some basic travel opportunity education was in order. There are more ways to see Alaska than there are days in a year. You have your basic cruise to Southeast Alaska, also known as the Inside Passage. You have longer cruises that go to ports of call not on the Inside Passage itineraries. You have 6 mainstream cruise lines that sail to Alaska, in addition to small ship and expedition cruises, and a few luxury cruise lines. You have “cruise tours” which are land tours to the interior of Alaska that can be added before or after the 7 day north/south cruise. You have escorted bus tours that cover the interior, to which a cruise can be added. And lastly, you have independent travel. How do you know which is the best for you? This is where the help of a certified travel agent can save you money, time, and frustration.

Take for example just one cruise line, Holland America. They offer 5 different seven day cruises and one extended 14 day cruise. Some are round trip from either Seattle or Vancouver, and some are one way north or south. These one way cruises are the ones to which a “cruisetour” can be added. Cruisetours can vary from 4 to 13 nights, depending on which areas of the interior you wish to see, and how long you want to stay at places like Denali National Park. Holland America cruises offers 31 different cruisetours. Now multiply that by the 5 other mainstream cruises lines, and you get an idea of the variety of cruises and cruisetours that are available.

Let's look at some of the options available for cruises with Holland America. The 7 day Inside Passage sails round trip from Vancouver and passes through the Inside Passage at the beginning and end of the trip in addition to scenic cruising in Glacier Bay National Park and Tracy Arm Fjord. Posts of call are Juneau, Ketchikan, and Skagway. There are 2 different 7 day round trip Seattle itineraries, depending on whether you want to see Hubbard Glacier or Glacier Bay National Park. Neither of these cruises pass through the Inside Passage, but sail to the west of Vancouver Island both coming and going from Seattle. Ports of Call are Juneau, Sitka, Ketchikan, and Victoria. The 7 day one way north or south cruises both sail through the Inside Passage either coming or going to Vancouver and both spend a day cruising Glacier Bay National Park. The northbound cruise stops at Ketchikan, Juneau, and Skagway, while the southbound cruise substitutes Haines for Skagway. The 14 day round trip Seattle cruise visits the major southeast ports of call in addition to Kodiak, Anchorage, and Homer. So if you know, for example, that you really want to see Victoria, or Sitka, or the Inside Passage, or Hubbard Glacier, some of the above itineraries can be eliminated. Of course, itineraries with Celebrity, Royal Caribbean, Princess, NCL or Carnival can be completely different. You can spend hours on the internet cruise sites researching this info yourself, or you can visit a certified travel agent at no additional cost. (Booking with a local agent keeps part of the commission in Payson, whereas booking directly with the cruise line gives them 100% of the commission.)

Cruisetours are even more differentiated, depending on which cities they visit, and how long they stay. The shortest cruisetours usually start at either Fairbanks or Anchorage. That means after flying all day to get to Alaska, you spend the night in either of these cities before starting your tour. If you actually want to see something in Anchorage or Fairbanks, you need to schedule a tour that spends at least a day there. Most all go to Denali National Park and Mt. McKinley. Additions to the basic cruisetour include additional days at Denali or Fairbanks, Alyeska, Dawson City, Cooper Landing, Whitehorse, Coldfoot and even Prudhoe Bay. Keep in mind that cruisetours that transport you to Denali via the Alaska Railroad are limited to approximately 160 passengers, because that is the maximum that 2 dome observation railroad cars can carry. For this reason the various cruisetours sell out quickly. There are no cruisetours available for this summer as of this date. There are still a few cabins available for 7 day cruises, however.

All the major escorted land tour companies, Mayflower, Trafalger, Globus, Collette, etc. have at least one tour in Alaska. You can add a cruise to some of these tours to extend your vacation experience. We represent several companies like the Alaska Railroad, Gray Line of Alaska, Knightly Tours, and Alaska Denali Tours that offer tours that are not escorted, and even some self drive tours. Or we can construct a completely independent tour to suit your particular needs. Keep in mind, that if you travel independently, you will not be able to take advantage of the reduced hotel group rates that an escorted tour offers.

Many people think they want to sail to Alaska using the state ferry system, then either rent a motor home or bring their own to drive around the state. One of the most common misconceptions about Alaska is its size. People are often surprised to learn how long it takes to drive from one city or area to another. Also, the state ferry is not cheap. The ferry timetable, like a train timetable, often has you arriving or departing a city in the middle of the night. Cabins to sleep in are at an additional charge on the ferry. Some enterprising travelers have been known to pitch a tent on deck to save some money. A cafeteria is available for food service. Remember that it is not possible to drive to Ketchikan, Juneau, or Sitka, Glacier Bay or Hubbard Glacier. A cruise is the best way to visit these areas.

Remember that anything is possible in the travel business. It all depends on how much you are willing to spend. And as I mentioned, it does not cost you any more to book with an agent than to book with the cruise line directly online. We may even be able to get you a better price and extra amenities by booking you into an existing promotional group.

DISNEY CRUISE LINES

The Disney Magic

By Carol Watts, Travel Planner


It seems as if I can't pick up a trade publication without seeing an article on the new Disney cruise ship, the Dream. This ship's inaugural voyage was in Jan. 2011. It joins 11 and 12 year old Disney Wonder and Disney Magic, sailing the Caribbean, Alaska Mexico and Europe. Unlike most other cruise lines, Disney ships were designed and built as family cruise lines; they do not have casinos or libraries. Cabins are larger, able to accommodate families of 4 – 5. Cabins feature a split bath with tub for children.

Unique features of all Disney ships are fireworks at sea and the ships horns; the Wonder and Magic play the opening 7 note theme song “When you wish upon a star” whenever they pass another ship at sea. All Disney ships were built to resemble ocean liners from the 20's, with elongated hulls, twin red funnels, and elaborate gold insignias. The ships' ambiance is casually elegant. Disney dining features a unique rotation through several dining venues, keeping the same waiter and table mates.

Disney ships feature adults only areas, including a coffee bar, pool, piano bar, sports pub, dance club, and boutique restaurant. But by far the main attraction is the childrens program, with daily Disney character visits. There is a toddler pool and a kids pool. The nursery for children under 3 years has shorter hours, but older childrens facilities are open from 9 am to 1 am. Oceaneer Club for children 3 – 7 is a supervised program split into 2 age groups. Oceaneer Lab for 8 – 12 year olds offers high-tech interactive programs ship wide with treasure hunts and hands-on science experiments. Teens have their own area in one of the funnels, complete with video games, MP3 stations, board games, and a soda and smoothies bar. Of course there is the Walt Disney theater offering nightly shows, Disney films, and Studio Sea, which offers G rated floor shows.

While most cruisers are families or multi-generational reunions, some honeymooners and couples without children sail because of the oversized staterooms and adults-only areas.

So you're probably wondering what itineraries are available. Currently the Wonder does 3 and 4 day Bahamas sailings which include a day at Castaway Cay, Disney's private island. Here there are both family and adults only beaches. These short cruises can be combined with a Disneyworld vacation. In the late spring the Wonder will sail through the Panama Canal and remain on the west coast alternating sailings to Alaska in summer and the Mexican Riviera in winter. The newest ship, Disney Dream, will take over the short Bahamian cruises. The Disney Magic will do 7 day Caribbean sailings alternating east and west, before heading to the Mediterranean for the summer. Another new ship, Disney Fantasy, is due to set sail in 2012.

While both the Wonder and Magic offer a 200 ft. Mickey water slide, the new Disney Dream goes above and beyond, literally, with the Aquaduck “watercoaster”. An industry first, part roller coaster, part water slide, the Aquaduck consists of a clear acrylic tube that totals 2 and ½ football fields in length. But it's not straight; it winds around the top deck, up and down, through a stretch of river rapids and even extends over the side of the ship, 150 ft. above the water. A two person raft is pushed forward at 20 feet per second by water pressure. The ride is free, and if children do not meet the 48 inch tall requirement, there's always the tamer kids-only water slide.

New stage shows are featured on the Dream, as well as a “Pirates IN the Caribbean” costume party and expanded fireworks set to music. The Dream's horn plays the second line, “makes no difference who you are.” So now if two Disney ships pass each other at sea, the Dream answers the first line of “When you wish upon a star.”

Disney's rotational dining continues with three newly designed dining rooms, Animator's Palate, Royal Palace, and Enchanted Garden. The Garden's paintings and flowers magically transform day into night. This restaurant is also the site of the nightly grand chocolate buffet. In addition to the adults-only restaurant Palo, the Dream also features a specialty French adults-only restaurant named Remy, after the little chef in “Ratatouille.” Of course there's the lido buffet, Cabanas, and a pool side snack option for burgers, pizza, wraps, and salads.

Public spaces feature “Enchanted Art”, where framed screens have guest-activated animation; for example a butterfly flying across a scene from “Bambi.” Another industry first is available for interior cabins only. Virtual portholes show actual footage from cameras fore and aft on the ship onto flat screen “portholes”. The seascapes can be turned off is you wish, but you might miss Mickey in a pirate ship or the starfish from Finding Nemo swim by.

In addition to the many childrens programs, the Dream offers a spa for teens ages 13 – 17. Adults have their own play area on deck 4 with bars and clubs, including a “Sky Bar” whose faux windows (actually seven 65 inch LCD screens) feature cityscapes from London to Tokyo. The locales change every day, and feature real time day to night transitioning. Of course, the main spa remains an adults-only area.

Alaska's Good Friday earthquake, March 27, 1964

Portage Alaska Ghost City

By Carol Watts Alaska Expert


The strongest earthquake in North America's history, recalculated at 9.2, occurred in Alaska in 1964. Alaska and it's Alleutian Islands sit on the edge of the circum-Pacific seismic belt. More earthquakes occur in Alaska than in the rest of the 49 states combined, as many as 4,000 quakes per year. On March 28th of this year, 48 earthquakes were recorded in Alaska. The epicenter of the Good Friday earthquake was in Prince William Sound. The area of major destruction covered more than 100,000 square miles, while the quake was felt in an area of over 500,000 square miles. The shock wave lasted about 3 minutes in downtown Anchorage and the adjacent residential area of Turnigan Arm. This is where the most severe structural damage occurred, 75 miles northwest of the epicenter. Over 30 blocks of commercial buildings and residences were destroyed, leaving over 2,000 homeless in the Anchorage area. Two hundred miles southwest of Anchorage, some areas on Kodiak Island were raised by 30 feet, while southeast of Anchorage, near Portage and Girdwood, the land dropped as much as 8 feet in elevation. Seward highway which runs between Seward and Anchorage required not only reconstruction but fill to raise it above the new high tide levels.

In his extremely readable history book, Alaska, Saga of a Bold Land, Walter Borneman puts faces to the earthquake story. He writes of Anchorage taxi driver Joe Kramer who thought the other drivers had gone berserk when their vehicles fishtailed towards him like amusement park bumper cars. 的t was when they started bouncing two feet off the ground that I knew it was more than just the drivers.Anchorage resembled a was zone. As darkness fell, residents spent the night without electricity, heat, and running water as temperatures dropped into the teens. Of the 55,000 Anchorage population, only 9 deaths were recorded. Fortunately, because of the timing of the quake, 5:36 p.m. on a holiday, schools and most of the office buildings were empty.

For towns along the coastline of Prince William Sound the death tolls were much higher. Underwater landslides caused water displacement and waves traveling at 500 miles per hour. A 70 foot tall wave roared into the little village of Chenega killing 23 of its 68 residents. The nearby port of Valdez just about disappeared when the tsunami swept over the harbor docks and tidal flats, killing 30 people. Fuel tanks ruptured and soon the harbor area was aflame.

Similarly in Seward, the bulk storage tanks of Standard Oil fell from sight, only to be replaced with a huge fireball. Waves lifted the wall of fire 8 blocks inland and set many homes and shops on fire. Flames lit the sky all night long. Pilings from the exploded docks burned like candles in Resurrection Bay, their waterlogged ends submerged while the other oil soaked ends flamed above water. The Alaska Railroad lines north of Seward were a twisted mess.

Kodiak is located further away from the epicenter. Here successive waves displaced boats from the harbor 2 to 3 blocks inland. Kodiak itself fell about 5 feet. The islands famous bears were awakened from their hibernation, and rather than wandering around as usual, their tracks showed a direct flight towards the mountains.

Damage from the quake and tsunami was estimated between $380 - $500 million; that's 1964 dollars. As federal relief poured into the state, the resulting building boom turned the earthquake into an economic benefit for many Alaskans. The state of Alaska recovered, mostly, as salmon beds that had been covered with silt returned to prolific breeding grounds. Where forests had been leveled, new growth developed. And wetlands that had been covered with salt water soon returned to nesting grounds for both native and migratory birds. But at the eastern edge of Turnigan Arm, along the highway from Anchorage to Seward, there stands a forest of dead trees. This was once the town of Portage, where the Alaska Railroad splits, with one line running south to Seward, and the other tunneling through the mountain to Whittier. The name Portage is now mainly associated with the tourist attraction Portage Glacier. The town itself sank 6 feet during the earthquake, making it below sea level. There remains in Portage only a few ruined buildings and a forest of skeleton trees that died after the water table of their roots was covered with salt water. Unlike Valdez, Seward, and Kodiak, the town of Portage was never rebuilt.

Our first hand cruise experience means valuable inside information on Alaska cruises and cruisetours.


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Coastal Cruises

Alcatraz, visit but don't stay.

By Carol Watts Travel Planner

What do cruise ships do when, because of weather, the season in Alaska has ended but the season in Mexico has not yet begun? The cruise lines can’t just have a ship sitting in the water and not generating income.

The answer is a coastal cruise. On Holland America these consist of 1 - 5 day long cruises that leave Vancouver and sail to San Diego, or sail around Puget Sound for 3 or 5days, round trip Vancouver. There’s even a 1 day cruise from Vancouver to Seattle. If you have never sailed before, these short coastal cruises are a great way to see what cruising is all about. But the air fare to Vancouver can be expensive, and there’s no indication that air prices will not continue to rise in the future.

I think Princess Cruises has a good solution with their two 7 day coastal cruises that are round trip Los Angeles. Air fare to LAX is not cost prohibitive, or you can drive. The dates for this fall’s coastal cruises are Sept 24th and Oct 11th. You can think of them as wine cruises, since winery tours are available in every port of call: Santa Barbara, San Francisco, San Diego, and Ensenada, Mexico. Unfortunately, because of the Jones Act, foreign flagged ships sailing to and from an American city must make a port of call in a foreign country, hence Mexico or Canada. Therefore passports are require. If the threat of violence in Mexico scares you, then just stay on the ship that day. (We’ve done that frequently on Mexican Riviera cruises, since they are the least expensive cruise, and we just go to relax and enjoy the ship, not for the destination.) Prices for these coastal cruises are just slightly higher than the 7 day Mexican Riviera cruises.

And, you guessed it, we have group space reserved on both dates, that gives you a reduced cabin rate and on board credit. Now I realize that a great portion of Payson residents moved here from California, and therefore a cruise that visits mainly California ports may not be a big draw. But even if wineries are not your thing, there’s still plenty to see in each of the ports of call. And this cruise is a great way to visit several California cities without having to drive, since you wake up every day in a different port after sailing overnight. Ahhh, there’s nothing like the motion of the ocean to rock you to sleep.

In addition to several winery tours, the shore excursions available for Santa Barbara include whale watching for grays, blues, or humpbacks, a city tour by trolley, or a tour of the Danish town of Solvang.

San Francisco offers numerous shore excursions: winery tours in Napa Valley, Sonoma County, a visit to Alcatraz, free time to explore Muir Woods and the Coastal Redwoods, Sausalito and Fisherman’s Wharf, and a city tour that includes the Golden Gate Bridge with numerous photo opportunities.

San Diego, you could spend a week here. In addition to the zoo, there’s Sea World, Wild Animal Park, a city tour that includes Old Town, Coronado Island, and La Jolla, a harbor cruise, the Maritime Museum, a visit to the 100 year old Bernardo vineyard, and Balboa Park, the jewel in San Diego’s crown. Here you will see not only horticulture and Spanish architecture, but have your choice of 13 museums to visit, offering displays of art, model trains, dinosaur fossils, mummies, folk art, photography, sports memorabilia, rare aircraft, vintage automobiles, science and space exhibits, and an IMAX theater. Travel to Balboa Park includes a trolley tour of the Gaslamp District and Seaport Village.

Ensenada, Mexico shore excursions include a city tour and drive along the Baja countryside to Punta Banda and its famous blowhole, and two different winery tours, combined with a city tour.

Of course, you can easily step off the ship and schedule an independent tour or shopping excursion. In these California ports of call there’s no language barrier, no foreign money, and no threat of drug cartel violence. With growing global unrest and hatred of Americans, you’ve got to admit that cruises to US cities, whether Alaska, Hawaii, or California are becoming more appealing.

Warm Weather Cruises

Diamondhead at Sunrise

By Carol Watts Travel Planner


This latest cold snap has gotten me thinking about a cruise to a warm and sunny location. Most people think of the Caribbean, and there is no shortage of cruise itineraries going there. You have a choice of leaving from Ft. Lauderdale, Miami, Galveston, New Orleans, Charleston, Baltimore, New York, or San Juan. The downside is the long air flight to get to the port of embarkation. Often times that requires flying a day early and staying overnight. But with the sales and deals, a Caribbean cruise is a cost effective vacation when compared with a resort on one Caribbean island. Being stuck in one location, no matter how beautiful, can not compare in my book with visiting several different ports of call on a ship where meals and entertainment are included at no additional cost.

Cruises go to the Eastern, the Western, or the Southern Caribbean. Or you can book a back to back cruise that visits both the Eastern and Western. If you have “been there, done” that, there is a 7 day cruise that visit’s the two southern islands of Curacao and Aruba, as well as the cruise line’s private island in the Bahamas. Because of the distance traveled, there are 3 sea days to relax and enjoy all that the cruise ship has to offer on this itinerary. We have group space reserved on the December 3rd sailing that provides you with a discounted cabin rate and on-board credit.

Likewise the choice of cruise lines and ships that visit the Caribbean is almost endless. From the mega ships from Royal Caribbean that have over 5,400 passengers to smaller ships that have less than 1,400 guests, we can find a cruise ship that suits your preferences.

Another warm weather itinerary is the Panama Canal. Here you have the choice of a 10 day itinerary round trip from Ft. Lauderdale that goes through one set of locks on the Caribbean side before returning to Florida. Or you can do the full canal transit that takes 14 to 15 days departing from either Los Angeles or San Diego to Florida, or vice versa. If you take the east bound itinerary, you have only one long flight from Florida back to Arizona, and there is no overnight motel stay required, because the time change is working in your favor.

Of course you knew I was going to mention Hawaii as a favorite warm weather cruise destination. There’s no threat of violence in our 50th state, like there has been on some of the Caribbean islands. The 14 day round trip from either Los Angeles or San Diego is the least expensive way to cruise to Hawaii. We have several group sailings reserved, again offering reduced cabin rates and on-board credit. There is one additional tropical cruise that I would dearly love to go on, and that is the 28 day round trip sailing from Los Angeles that visits Hawaii, Samoa, and Tahiti. If you want to see Tahiti without the long air flight, this is definitely the way to go. And yes, we have group space reserved with the benefit of discounted rates and amenities for the October sailing. If only I could take a month off from work.

In the February issue of “Conde Nast Traveler,” there is the Reader’s Poll of the top cruise ships. This is a rating of cruise ships by their passengers, not agents or travel writers. Looking at the large and mega ship categories together, we see that many major cruise lines have a large percentage of their ships listed: Holland America has 8, Royal Caribbean has 8, Princess has 9, Celebrity has 4, Disney is 2 for 2, and the luxury lines of Crystal, Regent, Oceania, and Cunard have 2-3 each. This is no surprise to us because of the feedback we get from our customers and our own personal experience. Noteworthy is the complete absence from the list of several domestic and foreign cruise lines.

Just because cruising is our preferred way to travel, don’t think that we do not do land and resort vacations to tropical climates. The Caribbean Islands, Costa Rico, Belize, Guatemala, Panama, and of course Mexico are available from many different providers; some have trips of up to ten days from $995 per person, including meals. Air fare is additional.

Remember that it does not cost more to use the services of an accredited travel agency. Our commission is paid by the cruise line or resort, not by you. Bring us an internet rate, and we will do our best to match it. Sometimes we have found that moving a trip by one or two weeks can results in significant savings. We’re here to help you get the best value for your vacation dollar. Depending on your preferences, that just may not be the enticing internet lead-in price you are seeing.

Hubbard Glacier - not to be missed

Holland American Lines Oosterdam at Hubbard Glacier

By Carol Watts Alaska Expert

We were privileged to see Hubbard Glacier, the largest tidewater glacier in North America, on our first cruise to Alaska. Since not all cruise itineraries include Hubbard, pick your cruise carefully is you want to see it. And this summer may be your last chance. More on that later.

Hubbard Glacier is an advancing tidewater glacier, just one of several in Alaska. Its sheer size boggles the mind. Its source is Mt. Logan in the Yukon Territory, the highest mountain in Canada. From there it travels 76 miles to Disenchantment Bay. The snout or face of the glacier is 7.5 miles wide, and over 400 ft. from water level to the top. That’s as tall as a 40 story building. Beneath the water level there extends another 300 feet of ice. That makes Hubbard Glacier a total of 1,350 square miles of ice!

The blue color of the face indicates that it is an actively calving glacier. This breaking off of icebergs the size of a 10 story building was called “white thunder” by the native Tlingit people. It’s hard to comprehend the size of Hubbard, since cruise ships must stay a few miles away because of safety reasons. By the way, it takes 400 years for the ice at the source of the glacier to reach the water. That means the ice you may see calving off its face is 400 years old!

Nicknamed the “galloping glacier”, Hubbard is advancing at a rate of approximately 7 feet per day. But in the past it has been known to advance as much as 100 feet per day. Even at the lower rate of travel, Hubbard may close off the entrance to Russell Fjord from Disenchantment Bay soon, turning the fjord into a glacial lake. It did so in August 2002 and before that in May 1986. When the ice dam finally gave way in August, 1986, 1.3 cubic miles of water rushed through the gap into the bay. This second largest glacial lake outburst flood in history was the equivalent flow of 35 Niagra Falls. Needless to say, no cruise ship could withstand that force of water.

But there is another threat to viewing Hubbard Glacier, and that is because of the ALLEGED effect cruise ships have on the seal population in the bay. Scientists from the National Marine Mammal Laboratory, a part of NOAA, are seeking to severely restrict or even ban cruise ships from visiting Hubbard Glacier. They theorize that cruise ships “flush” seals from the icebergs in the bay. Pups born in late spring are nursing from May through August. If a seal pup is scared from it’s mother and dives into the cold water, it will not be able to store up enough fat to survive the coming winter. Calories are burned evading cruise ships, as opposed to calories being stored as fat in the baby seals. (Cruise ships are not allowed to approach seals on icebergs closer than 500 feet.) Since seals are an important source of food for the native subsistence hunters of Yakutat, population 833, the death of this years pups over the winter would limit their food resources next year.

As of Jan 24, 2011, officials at NOAA have not drafted recommendations to close the bay to cruise ships, but they stress that it is a “high priority.” So between the government involvement and the advancing face of Hubbard Glacier, this summer may be the last chance to see this magnificent sight.

Hubbard Glacier is one stop on the 14 day Holland America cruise itinerary that sails round trip from Seattle. In addition to the usual inside Passage ports of call of Ketchikan and Juneau, this itinerary has some unique ports of call not available on any other cruise. Anchorage, Kodiak, and Homer are visited in addition to Sitka and Victoria, B.C. Cruise Port Travel has blocked space on the June 10 - 24, 2011 sailing. This group space means a reduction in cabin price of up to $360 per person off the regular ocean view cabin rate. In addition, there are amenities of $100 per cabin on-board credit and a specialty restaurant dining experience. We had our first meal in Holland’s Pinnacle Grill in October, and it truly is an culinary experience not to be missed.

Golden Princess to Hawaii

Golden Princess Movies Under The Stars

By Carol Watts Travel Planner

We recently completed our 4th sailing from the west coast round trip to Hawaii, this time on the Golden Princess. We had been on the Golden 2 years ago, and were anxious to see all the enhancements that Princess made to the ship.

You might think that 4 sailings to Hawaii is a bit excessive, but for us it’s a win-win. You get to see a beautiful destination and you get a total of 8 sea days to totally relax and unwind. It’s hard for us to decide which aspect of the cruise we like best, the Islands or the sea days.

Maybe you are thinking that you couldn’t find enough to do for 8 sea days. Well, with Princess, and any cruise line for that matter, the lack of something to do is never a consideration. On this last cruise, we often had to choose between 2 or 3 activities that overlapped on the daily schedule.

Every cruise line has an enrichment series, culinary demonstrations, wine tastings, dance classes, and cultural programs and port talks on the destination. On this cruise Princess offered even more with guest lectures and performers.

The naturalist onboard gave a presentation on each sea day on such topics as Hawaiian ecology, flora and fauna, marine biology, and volcano creation. Additionally there was an enrichment lecturer who gave a presentation each sea day on the history of Pearl Harbor, Midway, the Pacific fleet in WWII, Route 66,and the migration to California. There was also bridge director who taught and organized games. On this cruise there was a wonderful husband and wife duo; she is a native Hawaiian and he is an accomplished steel guitar musician. In addition to performing in the atrium, they gave hula, ukulele, lei making, sarong tying, and Hawaiian language lessons.

Additionally, in each port of call, princess brought local entertainment onto the ship. In Hilo there was a presentation by a ukulele master. In Lahaina a native from Maui shared his teachings and thoughts on the native Hawaiian culture and value system. In Nawiliwili, Kauai lei makers from island of Ni’ihau gave a shell making demonstration and shared stories of the “forbidden Isle” where they live. And in Honolulu we were treated to the wonderful Halau Hula Oiana Show with music and hula performed by award winning troop of children from 6 - 13 years old. I took several videos that I need to upload to You Tube. These kids were just amazing.

Of course there are the usual activities that you can find on any cruise, such as scavenger hunts, boat building, ice and vegetable carving, line and ballroom dancing, trivia games several times a day, art auctions, golf instruction, bingo, casino tournaments, salon and spa treatments, yoga and aerobics classes, and of course movies. Or maybe you just want to get a book from the library and curl up in the sun.

This brings me to the enhancements to the Golden. Like many other ships in the Princess line, the Golden now has “movies under the stars”, or MUTS. From early morning til late at night, you can enjoy many different movies around the pool, with free soft ice cream and popcorn. Blankets are issued on chillier evenings. Enhancements to the atrium include a wine and tapas bar, a chocolate bar and shop, with occasional free samples, and the International Café, where you could get fabulous deserts, soup, salads and sandwiches (the name can not convey the delicious concoctions served) throughout the day. So you have another alternative to the buffet, formal dining rooms, pizza and hot dog/hamburger stations, and 2 specialty restaurants. Three times on this cruise an English pub lunch was offered, with traditional English dishes. You can never go hungry with Princess.

Holland America is the only other cruise line with regular round trip sailings from the west coast to Hawaii. They sail from October through March from San Diego. Princess sails October through April from Los Angeles. In addition both lines have longer sailings round trip from the west coast that go to Hawaii, Tahiti and Polynesia.

Next to Alaska, Hawaii is out favorite destination. There is so much to see, both scenic and cultural attractions, there is no language barrier, no foreign currency to decipher, no gangs and drug violence to worry about. Having been to Hawaii many times, we can help you decide which shore excursions would match your interests. Having been on Holland’s Oosterdam and the Golden Princess, we can guide you with cabin choices and ship amenities. All this information is free from an accredited travel agent. Bring us your online price, and we will try to match it.