UNIQUE ALASKA CRUISE OPPORTUNITY

The picture taken on an Alaskan Cruise.
By Carol Watts, Alaska Expert

Perhaps you’ve had the pleasure of cruising to Alaska before. But I’ll bet there are still some ports of call that you haven’t experienced. I’m thinking of the ports of Kodiak, Homer, Anchorage, and Sitka. Holland America is now the only cruise line visiting these ports on a 14 day round trip sailing from Seattle. That means no long air flights to Anchorage, and less expensive flights, especially if you fly Southwest.

Of course this cruise also visit’s the main Inside Passage ports of call, Ketchikan and Juneau, as well as cruising in Tracy Arm Fjord and Hubbard Glacier. There is a full day stop in Victoria as well.

Sailings start on May 13, 2011 and continue through Sept. 2, 2011. Cruise Port Travel has arranged a group sailing on June 10 - June 24, 2011. Not only can you expect a reduced group rate on cabin fares (up to $360 on an ocean view cabin), but you will also benefit from the following group amenities: $100 on board credit and a dinner in Holland’s specialty restaurant, the Pinnacle Grill. A category E ocean view cabin fare is $2299.00 per person based on double occupancy. (Cabin fares for 3rd and 4th passengers in a room are substantially less, however the amenities apply only to the 1st and 2nd passenger in a room.) Additional charges are $157.27 government taxes and fees and $56.00 airport to pier transfers. Deposit is $600 per person. Not included in the above prices are air transportation to Seattle, gratuities, shore excursions, alcoholic and carbonated beverages, and travel insurance.

Now that all the boring stuff is out of the way, lets look at the fun stuff, i.e. what can you see and do in these unique ports of call. Alaska offers opportunities for adventure, nature, cultural, historical, and wildlife excursions in every port of call. Kodiak Island shore excursions range from deep sea to river fishing, marine wildlife cruises, nature hikes, historical and city tours. Kodiak Island was the site of a Russian settlement in the late 1700‘s, and a city tour offers visits to the Baranov Museum, with its Russian exhibits, the Alutiiq Museum with its Native American exhibits, Fort Abercrombie State Park, a World War II historical site, and a cultural performance of the Kodiak Island Drummers. The Kodiak National Wildlife Refuge offers a protected habitat for Kodiak brown bears, and can be easily reached by boat. Kodiak’s Russian Orthodox Church is the oldest Alaska parish.

Sitka, once called New Archangel, was the Russian capital of Alaska from 1808 - 1867. The waters surrounding Sitka teem with sea birds, and wildlife viewing opportunities for humpback whales, sea otters, eagles, harbor seals, and sea lions abound. Shore excursions offer salmon and halibut fishing, rainforest hikes, Russian history and native cultural tours. Sitka is the site of two wildlife rescue centers. The Alaska Raptor Center is a rehab facility for bald eagles and other raptors. Fortress of the Bear rescue facility is a created habitat for bears caught in conflict with humans, and it offers up-close bear viewing. If you crave adventure, you can explore a volcano by 4x4 and ocean raft, or go ocean kayaking. Russian history abounds, with St. Michael’s Cathedral, the first Russian church built in America; the Russian Bishop’s House, once the residence of the Bishop with refurbished living quarters and Chapel of the Annunciation with its lavish icons; and Castle Hill, where the Russian flag was lowered and the American flag raised in 1867. The Sheldon Jackson Museum is the largest collection of Native artifacts in the state. The New Archangel Dancers, an all-female troupe, perform throughout the summer.

Homer is known as the halibut fishing capital of the world, and is a unique combination of location, commerce, natural resources and wilderness. Located on Kachemak Bay on the southwestern tip of the Kenai Peninsula, Homer’s most notable landmark is the Homer Spit, a 4.5 mile long gravel bar that can be seen from space. The natural beauty of the area has inspired many artists to make Homer an arts center for painters, potters, jewelers, weavers and woodcarvers. A must see attraction is the Pratt Museum with its varied exhibits and artwork. One exhibit called “Darkened Waters’’ is a pictorial of the 1989 Exxon Valdez oil spill and its effects on the environment. Native artifacts as well as those from 1930’s and 40’s homesteaders are on display. Many species of Alaskan birds and mammals, including several full skeletons, are on display. Visitors can stroll through the botanical garden featuring over 150 native plants. The museum also houses one of the finest quilt collections in Alaska. A little ways from town is the Norman Lowell Gallery with its impressive collection of paintings done over the artist’s 50 years of Alaska residence. The Islands and Oceans Visitors Center offers the Alaska Maritime Wildlife Refuge exhibit.

Ketchikan and Juneau have already been discussed in this column, and those articles can be found in “the blog spot” on our website, www.travelpayson.com. Attractions in Anchorage will be featured in a future article. It’s not too early to plan your Alaskan vacation, whether it be a cruise, combination cruise and land tour, or independent travel. Brochures are arriving daily at Cruise Port Travel, 900 W. Driftwood Dr. in Payson. Contact us at 472-7878 to set up a consultation. We are your certified Alaska experts.

Holland America Cruise Line

By Carol Watts, Alaska Expert.

We recently returned from our first Holland America cruise. Celebrity had always been our favorite cruise line, but Holland is threatening to take over first place. We have many clients who won’t sail anything but Holland. So we decided to see for ourselves what they were all about.

Holland America, like Celebrity, is a premium cruise line. What does that mean? Sometimes it’s the little things that make the difference. For example, Holland still had china dishes in the buffet area. (Even our beloved Celebrity has switched to plastic.) There is plenty of room between tables in the buffet area. One Princess cruise ship I was on barely left enough room between tables for you to push your chair back to leave the table. In the evening, the buffet tables have table cloths, candles, and fresh flowers. Even the staff uniforms are nicer, slacks and a tunic, rather than the shorts and tropical shirts you find on Royal and Princess. The food was excellent, with a definite leaning toward gourmet dining. Sometimes we found the food a little too rich.

There was one thing Holland offers that we appreciated, since we do not bring formal clothes to wear in the dining room on formal nights. The buffet dinner menu had several dishes that were the same as those served in the dining room. You could have the same meal in the buffet that formal diners were enjoying in the dining room, you just had to bring it to the table yourself, a concession we were glad to make. There was another dining option for those of us who want to avoid dressing up, and that was the Canaletto restaurant on the lido deck. We enjoyed their Italian fare twice on this last cruise. This is the training ground for waiters aspiring to positions in the main dining room. Celebrity used to do the same thing with their “casual dining”, but alas they have discontinued this dining option. So we had excellent service from waiters eager to please the ever present maitre d’ and excellent cuisine, while still in our comfortable “day” clothes.

The ship’s décor can be classified as ‘understated elegance” as opposed to the glitz and glamour of 10 story atriums. I chuckled while listening to one fellow traveler commenting on the ride to the airport after the cruise. She was telling someone that she liked Royal Caribbean better because they had this big street of shops and lounges, obviously referring to the Mariner, whereas Holland only had a few shops. And there wasn’t as much to do. No rock climbing walls, no miniature golf, no water slides, no ice skating rink and show, etc. I thought to myself, she obviously booked her own cruise online, because if she had spoken with a reputable travel agent, they would have advised her of the difference between Royal Caribbean and Holland. Young families might not enjoy a Holland cruise, but for those of us over 55, we don’t participate in many of those other activities anyway.

Not that there was a lack of things to do. The enrichment program on Holland is outstanding. The daily activity sheet had the many offerings of their 4 different enrichment programs prominently displayed. The travel expert gave presentations on the ports of call, Mexican history and culture, available shore excursions, and even a few courses in basic Spanish. The technology expert had 6 - 7 daily hands-on presentations on computers, digital cameras, uploading and sharing photography, Windows 7, and more. The health and wellness experts had many daily activities from tai chi, yoga, water aerobics, back pain management, sleep seminars, make-up tips, dance lessons, as well as trivia. But by far my favorite were the food and entertainment presentations, held in the culinary arts center. There we observed the master chef from the specialty restaurant prepare several dishes for us to sample. Other offerings were bar mixology, wine tasting, edible bouquets, kitchen tours, and even the daily high tea featured teas and baked goods from different world regions. Much more interesting than the same old scones and finger sandwiches offered on other cruise lines.

Our ocean view stateroom had a bath tub, and therefore the largest shower we have seen at sea. Larger than normal bath towels and robes were thoroughly enjoyed. The room service menu had many more items than the usual salads and sandwiches we have seen on other lines. Every stateroom had a DVD player, and there was a vast DVD library where you could request movies that were delivered to your room. I thought that this would be very nice if one were confined to their stateroom because of a norovirus. It must be noted that in an effort to prevent a norovirus outbreak, the first 2 days you are served everything in the buffet, thus eliminating cross contamination of serving utensils.

On this particular Mexican itinerary, there were over 2,000 guests on board, over 1,100 of whom were repeat cruisers with Holland. I now understand why Holland enjoys the largest number of repeat cruisers in the cruise industry. While onboard, we took advantage of the future cruise deposit program. A reduced deposit of $100 per person can be used on any future cruise and will get us a $100 per cabin onboard credit for an ocean view cabin, more for a balcony. This can be combined with any group reduced rates and group amenities. What a great way to get extra benefits on a cruise that we were planning to take anyway, namely the 14 day Alaska round trip Seattle cruise that includes ports of call in Homer, Kodiak, and Sitka.

Cruise counseling is available at Cruise Port Travel at no extra charge. Bring us your best online price, and we will try to match it. Many times we can do better, by taking advantage of the many group benefits available to us through our affiliation with Americas Vacation Center, or by looking at a different sail date. We will gladly share our first hand knowledge of cruise lines, different ships, and itineraries.

Ride a Harley in Ketchikan

By Carol Watts, Alaska Expert

Ketchikan is Alaska’s 4th largest city, and depending on whether your cruise is going north or south, it may be either your last or first Alaskan port of call. Hence, one of its many names is “The Gateway City” or “The First City”. Its less dubious claim to fame is the country’s second wettest city, with over 13 feet of precipitation yearly. (The wettest spot in the US is on the island of Kauai.) Ketchikan is located on the southwest coast of Revillagigedo Island, west of British Columbia, in the middle of our largest national forest, the Tongass National Forest. At 17 million acres, the Tongass encompasses most of the Inside Passage. Naturally lumber was a major industry until recent logging restrictions, and now Ketchikan’s main industries are commercial fishing and tourism, which includes sport fishing, whether from shore, wilderness lodges, or charter boats.

Also known as the Salmon capital of the world, Ketchikan is known for huge trophy salmon that flood the streams every summer to spawn. The first salmon cannery opened in 1886, and the canning industry reached its peak in 1936 with seven canneries putting out over 1.5 million cases of salmon for worldwide distribution. But like the logging industry’s mills, the salmon canneries have grown silent over the years.

Just because it lies in the middle of a rain forest doesn’t mean that it always rains in Ketchikan. Although it probably rains a little every day, there are some glorious sunny summer afternoons to be enjoyed. The last time we visited, the morning started out sunny but progressed to a steady rain by afternoon. So throw on your rain poncho, and enjoy all that Ketchikan has to offer.

For the adventurous at heart, you can enjoy a 3 ½ hour tour on Harley XL883 Sportsers or Softails on the 55 miles of paved roads surrounding Ketchikan. Like most towns in Southeast Alaska, Ketchikan can be reached only by air or water. But there are many local roads that offer views of eagles and bears, totems and wilderness rain forests.

Since Ketchikan is built on a Tlingit native village site, many totems are still preserved, mainly in Saxman Native Village and Totem bight State Historical Park. At Saxman you can see native singers and dancers perform in the Beaver Clan House and watch a native carver pass his skill on to appretice carvers at the Village Carving Center.

Creek Street is the historical and former red light district. You can tour an actual house of ill repute at Dolly’s House Museum. Of course you can see salmon swimming upstream in unbelievable numbers. The Lumberjack Show offers pole climbing, sawing, axe throwing, and chopping competitions. The show goes on rain or shine, but spectators are protected in covered and heated grandstands. There are duck tours of the small ship harbor and horse carriage tours of town.

Ketchikan is the starting point for Misty Fjords National Monument tours whether by boat or plane. Misty Fjords is 2.3 million acres of coastal rainforests and glacial fjords, 3,000 ft tall cliffs and 1,000 ft tall waterfalls. Of course Ketchikan also has sea kayak adventures, sport fishing tours, a zip line, float plane trips, snorkeling, jet boat adventures, backcountry hummer and jeep excursions, a Bering Sea crab fisherman’s tour reminiscent of Deadliest Catch, and tours of the fish hatchery and cannery. You can even take a float plane excursion in a classic De Havilland Beaver or Otter.

Wildlife viewing opportunities exist for black bear, mountain goats, timber wolves, seals, sea lions, humpback and killer whales eagles, shore birds, and of course salmon. Shopping opportunities abound. Native crafted drums, masks, totems, hand carved ivory and whalebone figures are available as well as jewelry stores, art galleries, and of course a very nice quilt shop.

Sailing Celebrity's Solstice

By Kelly Watts A.C.C.

I don't often write much myself on this BLOG, I just for some reason got out of the habit, but recenly I had the pleasure of sailing on Celebrity Cruise Lines Solstice. I have been a fan of Celebrity's Millennium Class ships since my first cruise on The Summit in 2006. My last Celebrity cruise was on The Constellation (High Conde' Nast Ratings) in 2007, so the Solstice had a LOT to live up to. The Solstice, the first of this class, is a great ship, well designed sort of like the Millennium Class on steroids!

Before I talk about the cruise let me throw a few barbs at US Airways, one of my favorite targets. As usual US Air managed to jamb even a red eye flight to the brim, the Airbus 321 is not the most comfortable of aircraft, the flight crew was however nice, but not overly so. Being packed in to US Air's incredible shrinking seats is NEVER a good experience but when one hope to grab a few winks it is even worse. My route through Charlotte, was not my first choice as it adds about 1-1/2 hours to the trip. After this trip, if I NEVER go through Charlotte it will be too soon. The distance between gates was quite extensive and the moving walkway was OUT OF SERVICE! Had I known I would have asked for assistance as I have knee problems.

The cruise was a 7 night Eastern Caribbean, well it is not exactly my favorite itinerary, even though I had only done a part of it before, but as they say “a bad day at sea is better than a good day at work.” Departure from Ft Lauderdale was quick being on the ship within 20 minutes of arrival at the pier. The one fluke in boarding is that cabin's would not be ready until about 1:30 PM meaning that I had to slug my luggage around with me at the buffet area. I have been spoiled by Princess who will let you take your luggage to your cabin even if it isn't ready. Well anyway, there was an attendant in the buffet are that did help me by carrying my plate. Oh yes, did I mention that Celebrity no longer has trays in the buffet? As a replacement they have various size square plates meaning that if you want more than a main entrée, such as a salad you need to make multiple trips. I did meet some very nice people in the buffet and we took turns watching luggage and holding the table as we each in turn went for additional items. I would hope that Celebrity might figure out how to accommodate passengers with carry ons either letting them drop them off at the room OR having a secure area.

After lunch the cabins still were not available so I went to my deck and hung out in the Internet Cafe until the announcement was made that the cabins were ready. The cabin was as nice as the Millennium Class ships, but with a bigger bathroom, however the extra bathroom space comes with a price. Celebrity has shrunken the closet space and moved it to the stateroom end of the bathroom with the closet doors facing the room. Since I was traveling along this trip, I had plenty of space using the closet and the extra drawer space. I learned that there is also some additional storage space over the bed, but I did not use it and I really don't think it was all that handy. The layout of the bathroom has given a much larger shower with sliding doors, very nice, my one fault is that it had a fixed shower head, I like the hand showers much better. The commode was wedged in between the shower and the vanity area, not all that roomy. The sink is a raised design with a long faucet, I did hear a couple of people complaining that it got in the road. The bathroom has a decent amount of shelf space and a couple of drawers as well. My cabin on deck 6 was directly above the Solstice Theater, and there were times I could hear music but it was not a major problem.

On to the cruise: The first two days out of Ft Lauderdale were rough, not as bad as some days I have spent, but with all the tropical storms and hurricanes around it made things a bit choppy.

The ports of call for this cruise were San Juan, Charlotte Amalie, St Thomas, and Philipsburg, St Maarten, I can't tell you anything about these ports as I stayed on the ship in all port days. For me it was just too hot and humid to consider a shore excursion. I went out on my balcony to take some pictures and had to wait several minutes for my camera lens to unfog.

To me, the ship is always the HIGH point of the trip, the cabin stewards were exceptional and the food in both the dining room and the Oceanview Cafe was very good. I did note that there are certain times when the Oceanview does completely close unlike a lot of other lines that have 24 hour buffet's.

All my evening meals, except one, were eaten in the Grand Epernay Restaurant, there I had a fantastic Waiter and Asst. Waiter and an Asst Maitre' De who were friendly and very efficient. Celebrity 's menu is pretty diverse however if the main menu doesn't suit you, the left side of the menu has a good variety of items available at every meal.

On board there are three specialty restaurants available at an extra cost, the Tuscan Grille, Silk Harvest, & Murano. I did dine at Tuscan one night and had the Veal Parmiggiana, it was fabulous! A large portion served over Linguine actually more than I could eat, especially after consuming some of the fantastic breads before dinner.

Entertainment on board was good with the Solstice Orchestra one of the best and the Great Ideas Party band, the West Side Strings, Kelly Broadway Quartet, and individual artists all very good. The activities staff, headed by Maria, (who was finishing her contract) all seemed very capable and a good sense of humor. One of the most fun times I have had on a cruise ship was the 60's night held in the Grand Foyer! This venue, right next to the Passport Lounge is a great place and Maria and crew had the ship rockin' with lots of great music, I was tired and hoarse after the party! Celebrity is putting the Grand Foyer to good use with musicians appearing especially during the cocktail hours and after dinner a definite thumbs up for this!

The Solstice is easy to navigate, good signage and an adequate number of elevators most going to every deck unlike some other ships. Other high points on the Solstice are the Adults Only Solarium with Pool Butlers, the Lawn Club, and of course the Hot Glass Show from Corning Glass. I also attended the Cooking Challenge hosted by Chef Panagiotis, who has a great sense of humor and was very accessible on the ship as I saw him most every day.

Other nice things on the Solstice were “On Demand” free movies on your stateroom TV, the Movie Theater at Celebrity Central on Deck 4, The Solstice Theater, (beautiful with a great sound system) and Captain Dimitrios daily announcements with a great touch of humor!

In all this was a great cruise, Celebrity has done a good job with the Solstice class ships.

Departure was smooth and seamless, one glitch I could not locate may bag, but I received instant help and was soon on my way. My return was on Southwest Airlines through Tampa WHAT A DIFFERENCE! Great planes and exceptional crews and not a killer walking distance between gates! Well done Southwest!

Juneau - Alaska’s Capitol City

By Carol Watts Alaska Expert

Juneau is Alaska’s largest city, in area, not in population. The over 3,200 square mile area of Juneau is larger than either Rhode Island or Delaware, and almost as large as both these states combined, The population is just over 31,000, most of whom work for the government. Tourism is the second largest industry in Juneau, followed by fishing and mining. Juneau has been the capitol of Alaska since 1906 when the territorial government was moved there from Sitka. It is the only state capitol that can not be reached by car. It is located on the Gastineau Channel at the base of steep Mounts Roberts and Juneau. Atop these mountains is the Juneau ice field, which is the starting point of 30 glaciers. The town was named after gold prospector Joe Juneau, who was guided by local Tlingit Indians to the head of Gold Creek where he found gold nuggets the size of peas. Juneau marked a town site in 1880, which soon became a bustling mining camp. And the rest is history.

North of downtown is the Mendenhall Valley, where the airport and ferry terminal are located. Juneau is known for its 16 foot tides, weather caused cancelled flights, torrential rains in summer and avalanche hazards in winter. Twelve miles from downtown is the retreating Mendenhall Glacier, one of the state’s most visited attractions. The face of the 200-300 foot tall and 1.5 mile wide glacier is visible across Mendenhall Lake. A Forest Service Visitor Center, built on the bedrock of the retreating glacier, is accessible by ramp or elevator. The glacier itself is the site of many tourist attractions, from helicopter guided hikes to dog sled rides.

Mount Roberts Tramway is another top tourist attraction. Located across from the cruise ship docks, the tram takes only 6 minutes to transport you over 1700 feet to the mountain top. The view from there is breathtaking. Your cruise ship looks like a bath tub toy. Alaska Native owners have established a center which shows a film on the Tlingit culture, a shop where you can see native artisans at work, and a bald eagle enclosure. (She was injured while hunting and has lost the use of one eye, so she can not be released back into the wild.)

The Alaska State Museum’s large art and historical artifacts collection is displayed in its functional setting. There is an Alaska Native clan house, the Lincoln totem pole, whose native carver used a picture of Lincoln to represent his clan’s contact with the white man, and a 2 story high eagle nesting tree. The museum gift shop carries quality Alaska art and books.

A great place for inexpensive souvenirs is the Alaska Shirt Factory, across from the cruise ship docks. Here you will find Alaska logo shirts and outerwear, as well as books, DVDs, postcards, smoked salmon in tins.
The Alaska Brewing Company offers free guided beer tasting, as well as unique Alaska apparel and souvenirs.

Juneau is closely situated to both Tracy Arm Fjord and Glacier Bay National Park. If your cruise ship does not sail to these spectacular natural wonders, a side excursion would be worth while. Tracy Arm Fjord is within the Tongass National Forest, off the Stephens Passage south of Juneau. Steep Granite walls rise from the waters surface. The arm is full of calving glaciers, icebergs, and wildlife. Glacier Bay is a larger marine park. The number of daily cruise ship visits are limited to preserve the ecosystems, and most spend the whole day cruising the bay. The scenery and sunsets are fabulous. A Park Ranger will board your cruise ship for an educational presentation and to offer hands on displays including the fur of many of Alaska’s native animals, from sea otter, to seal, to bear.

Juneau is a great place to go whale watching in the calm waters of the Channel. There are also opportunities for jet boat tours, sea kayaking, hiking, ziplines, mining and salmon hatchery tours. The Pack Creek Bear Viewing area on nearby Admiralty Island has a platform for viewing bear as they feast on salmon in July and August. Of course, there are numerous jewelry and art shops lining Franklin St, as well as the Red Dog Saloon with its frontier atmosphere and unique décor. Farther up the street in the historic Senate Building there is a wonderful quilt shop. History, culture, adventure, and wildlife are all available from Alaska’s capitol city.

The often bypassed Seward, Alaska

by Carol Watts, Certified Alaska Expert

Many who have cruised to Alaska are familiar with Seward as either the embarkation or disembarkation point for most 7 night Alaska cruises that sail to or from Vancouver. If you fly in or out of Alaska, you board a bus for transfer to Seward from the Anchorage airport. Sadly, many tourists pass through Seward, without stopping. If you are taking an Alaska cruise, I urge you to spend a day in Seward either before or after your cruise. If you don’t stop to see what this city has to offer, you are really missing the boat!

Seward is located on the shores of Resurrection Bay, on the east coast of the Kenai Peninsula, approximately 125 miles south of Anchorage, at the foot of 3,000+ foot tall Mount Marathon. It offers many recreational opportunities and the bay teams with sea life. It is also the gateway to Kenai Fjords National Park. Resurrection Bay got it’s name from Alexander Baranof who found shelter there from a storm on the Russian Sunday of the Resurrection in 1791. Seward, of course, was named for William Seward who helped arrange the purchase of the Alaska Territory from Russia in 1867.

Seward was officially founded in 1903 by surveyors for the Alaska railroad, which needed an ice-free port to serve as an ocean terminus. The Alaska Railroad facilitated travel between Seward and Fairbanks in the 1920’s. You can walk past Millionaires row to see houses built around 1905 by bankers and railroad officials. Before then, prospectors passed through in the late 1880’s on the way to find gold in Hope Alaska. The Iditarod Trail was used by sled dog teams to transport goods and supplies to towns in the interior and as far as the gold rush town of Nome. Seward was not spared by the Good Friday Earthquake in 1964 which caused tidal waves and fires, destroying much of the town. The Resurrection Bay Historical Museum features photos of the earthquake, as well as artifacts from the Russian era, and Seward’s role in the Iditarod Trail.

Today the Seward Highway between Anchorage and Seward and the corresponding railroad route, are considered to be some of the most scenic routes in the state. Some of the activities in and around Seward are: birding, charter fishing, full or half day whale watching cruises on Resurrection Bay, flight seeing, hiking, kayaking, river rafting, sled dog kennel tours and rides.

One of the main attractions is the Alaska Sea Life Center, where you can see marine wildlife at a leisurely pace. The Center is the only facility in the world dedicated to the study of northern marine wildlife. It’s construction was funded in part by the Exxon Valdez oil spill settlement. Many programs cover public education, rehabilitation, and conservation for marine life and sea birds. The center is open 7 days a week summer and winter, and has several “touch tanks” for getting up close and personal with marine wildlife.

Kenai Fjords National Park covers approximately 1700 square miles, and includes the Harding Ice Field. At 300 sq. miles, it is one of the largest ice fields in the US. Harding ice field is the source of 38 glaciers, of which is Bear Glacier is the largest. The national park includes mountain fjords, tidewater glaciers, and of course wildlife. Bears and sheep can be seen on land, and the rocky coast provides haul outs for Stellar sea lions. Rookeries for sea birds abound, including puffins, bald eagles, gulls, murres, kittiwakes, oystercatchers and cormorants. The waters team with sea otters, porpoise, Orcas, humpbacks, salmon and halibut. Cruises in the national park range from 5 to 10 hours, and some are accompanied by Park Rangers.

One part of the Kenai Fjords National Park can be reached by road. Exit Glacier is 8 miles north of Seward, and is a retreating glacier that you can actually hike to the face of. Signs along the way testify to the reach that the glacier once had. There are several trails to choose from, a ½ mile, a 1 mile, and a challenging 7.7 mile with steep elevation. This is bear country. The trails are thick with salmonberry bushes, a favorite with bears. Kenai Fjords is home to both black and brown bears, although the black bears are much more common. And supposedly more timid. Both species will avoid human contact, unless they are protecting their cubs or a “kill.” Take precautions, and above all do not feed the bears. They will lose their fear of humans as they seek more food handouts. Eventually they will be shot by people who are protecting themselves or their property. As the park service says, “A fed bear is a dead bear.”

Is there any safe place?

By Carol Watts Alaska, Group Travel, & Small Ship Expert,

That seems to be a question that is implied, if not asked outright lately. With volcanoes stranding people in Europe, social unrest in certain European cities, and robberies, kidnappings, and worse in Mexico and the Caribbean, it’s no wonder that people are concerned about their safety while traveling.

Two of our favorite destinations are Hawaii and Alaska, but anywhere in the US is not only safe but more affordable than overseas travel. We have seen an increase of bookings for Disneyland this year. Canada is safe also, now that the G20 summit in Toronto is over.

Following are some interesting destinations and unique vacations here “at home” and in our northern neighbor: Mackinac Island, San Antonio’s Riverwalk, New Orleans Chrsitmas, Churchill’s polar bears.

A lovely 7 day excursion to Mackinac Island and the Grand Hotel can be enjoyed in September and October. Leaving from Chicago, you will stop at Traverse City to see the sand dunes along Lake Michigan, as well as the Soo Locks, built in 1791 to connect Lake Superior with the other Great Lakes. You can step back in time on Mackinac Island, since transport is by horse drawn carriage, since no cars are allowed . Fort Mackinac was originally built during the Revolutionary War when the island was a fur-trading outpost. Of course, the highlight is a 2 night stay at the Grand Hotel, known for its 600 foot front porch and beautiful gardens. Take afternoon Tea at the Grand, or just relax in a rocking chair. Frankenmuth is known as Michigan’s Little Bavaria, where you can stroll over a 239 foot long authentic 19th century replica of a covered bridge. Charming shops line the streets, the most famous of which is Bronner’s Christmas Wonderland.

San Antonio’s Riverwalk, once described by Ernie Pyle as “America’s Venice”, is beautiful any time of the year, but especially so when it’s all lit up for Christmas. From late November on, you can be serenaded by carolers while enjoying a dinner cruise on the river. Visit the historic Mission San Jose, or shop in the authenticate Mexican Marketplace. Remember the Alamo? The chapel and the Long Barracks are all that’s left of this famous place where Davy Crockett fought the Mexican army and died for Texas liberty. Tour the museum and watch the IMAX movie, Alamo - the Price of Freedom. You can also visit the LBJ Library and Museum in Austin, and the “Texas White House” at the LBJ Ranch. Don’t forget the German village of Fredericksburg.

Christmas New Orleans style can be experienced in late November or early December. Oaks Alley Plantation, located along the Mississippi and featuring a quarter-mile long canopy of 300 year old oaks, will be all decorated for the holidays. You can have a hands on cooking class at the New Orleans School of Cooking , located in an old molasses warehouse in the French Quarter. Also worth a visit is the National WWII Museum, with interactive displays and artifacts. But the main attraction has to be the Celebration in the Oaks, with its choirs, dance performances, seasonal displays, millions of lights, and real snow, set in the ancient oak groves of City Park.

If you want something a little more on the wild side, don’t pass up a trip to see the polar bears of Churchill, Manitoba in October. You can fly to and from Churchill from Winnipeg, once a 1920’s boomtown. Safely and comfortable view the polar bears, and possibly also Arctic foxes, ptarmigan, caribou, and ringed seals from the Tundra Bus. The large over inflated tires do not harm the Tundra ecosystem. The buses are well heated, have washroom facilities, and an outdoor viewing platform for that up close photo op. Polar bears can stand 10 feet tall and weigh over 1300 pounds. They return to the seal feeding grounds along the Hudson Bay every October in anticipation of the winter freeze. Enjoy true Northern ambiance and cuisine at Churchill’s newest accommodation, the Lazy Bear Lodge. You can also have an opportunity to witness the spectacular light show of the Aurora Borealis.