June 2005 - Alaska Cruise

We took a 7 day inside passage cruise to Alaska aboard the Princess Sapphire.  On the right is a map of our itinerary.  Everyone had a truly fantastic time.  Read about our various ports of call below. Our itinerary Alaska Cruise Schedule Ketchikan port of call Day Destination Arrival Departure 1 - June 19th Seattle 4:00 PM 2 - June 20th At Sea 3 - June 21st Ketchikan 6:30 AM 3:00 PM 4 - June 22nd Tracy Arm, Alaska (Scenic Cruising) 7:00 AM 9:00 AM Juneau 2:00 PM 9:30 PM 5 - June 23th Skagway 6:00 AM 4:30 PM 6 - June 24th At Sea 7 - June 25th Victoria 5:00 PM 11:00 PM 8 - June 26h Seattle 7:00 AM Our first port of call was Ketchikan which is known as Alaska's "First City" because it's the first major community travelers come as they journey north.  Ketchikan is located on an island and began as an Indian fishing camp.  The name Ketchikan comes from a Tlingit Indian phrase meaning "eagle with spread-out wings" and refers to a waterfall near town. In the early 1900's, when gold was Alaska's claim to fame, fishing and timber industries were established in Ketchikan and have developed with the state.  The growth of these industries has helped this Inside Passage port town become Alaska's fourth-largest city. During this port of call we took a tour to Totem Bight State Park. At the Totem Bight State Park we walked along a winding trail through a forest of mighty hemlock before coming to an old Indian campsite filled with colorful totem poles each representing a fascinating tale. The tour guide provided an overview of the  Native Alaskan culture at the park's Ceremonial House. Afterwards we enjoyed a salmon snack at the Alaska Totem Company before returning to the ship. Photo Slideshow - Ketchikan Photo slideshow of our stop in Ketchikan (see photo album here). Photo Slideshow - Ketchikan postcards Photo slideshow of Ketchikan postcards (see photo album here). Tracy Arm glacier In recent geological times (within the last 400 years) a glacier sat at the mouth of Tracy Arm depositing large amounts of gravel and rock producing a recessional moraine bar which can be seen at low tides.  The ebb flood of water into Tracy Arm has carved a narrow opening through which the ship navigated.  Once inside the bar, the water depths increase rapidly to over 1000 feet.  The tremendous steep fjord walls, hanging valleys, waterfalls, glacially polished rocks all contribute to the great natural beauty of this site. Unfortunately we had a late night the day before our arrival at Tracy Arm so we overslept and missed seeing the sights.  However we have photos from the cruise ship disc we purchased so all was not lost. Tracy Arm glacier - follow link to see more photos Juneau port of call Our second port of call was Juneau.  In 1880, for Joe Juneau and Richard Harris, the going was slow and frustrating as they searched for gold with the help of Indian guides.  Finally, after climbing mountains, forging streams and facing countless difficulties, they found nuggets "as large as beans". Out of their discovery came three of the largest gold mines in the world.  By the end of World War II, more than $150 million in gold had been mined.  Eventually the mines closed, but the town Joe Juneau founded became the capital of Alaska and the business of gold was replaced by the business of government. Some 30,000 people live in Juneau and its total area makes it one of the biggest towns, in size, in the world.  Only Kiruna (Sweden) and Sitka (Alaska) exceed Juneau's 3,248 square miles.  Today Juneau is not only famous for gold and government, but also for its breathtaking beautiful glaciers and stunning views of both water and mountains. The highlight of this stop was our excursion to Norris Glacier where we experienced traditional dog sledding on the glacier.  Our trip started with a 30 minute helicopter ride to the glacier which allowed us to take in breathtaking vistas.  Once landing on the glacier we were greeted by our dog sledding guide who took us on a 10km ride.  On the return helicopter ride we flew low over forests looking for wildlife.  A truly memorable experience.  Read an account from one of the first persons to take this tour. Click on link below to view photos from our Juneau stop or click here to see an assortment of Juneau postcards. Family photos at dog sled camp on glacier, follow link for more photos Skagway port of call Our third port of call Skagway was known to thousands of hopeful gold rushers as the gateway to the gold fields.  Although it boasted the shortest route to the Klondike, it was far from the easiest.  Over a hundred years ago, the White Pass route through the Coast Mountains and the shorter, but steeper, Chilkoot Trail were used by countless stampeders.  The treacherous Chilkoot Trail, combined with the area's cruel elements, left scores dead. The gold rush was a boom to Skagway - by 1898 it was Alaska's largest town with a population of 20,000. The town's hotels, saloons, dance halls and gambling houses prospered, drawing Skagway residents as well as the 10,000 people living in the tent city of nearby Dyea.  But when the gold yield dwindled in 1900, so did the population of Skagway as the miners quickly shifted to new finds in Nome.  Today Skagway has less than 1,000 residents, but it retains the flavor of the gold rush era, especially Broadway, with its false-front buildings, and in the Trail of '98 Museum, with its outstanding collection of memorabilia. Our shore exclusion for this stop included a 4 hour train ride aboard the White Pass Scenic Railway.  Against all odds, the iron trail was carved through some of the North's most rugged terrain in 1898.  This engineering wonder climbs nearly 3,000 feet over 20 miles of steep grades and cliff-hanging turns.  This was a truly memorable train ride. Click on link below to view photos from our Skagway stop or click here to see an assortment of Skagway postcards. White Pass & Yukon Route Railroad, follow link for more photos Victoria BC port of call Our final port of call was Victoria B.C..  Victoria exudes old-world charm and fragrant, colorful flowers are everywhere.  Founded in 1843 by James Douglas of the Hudson's Bay Company, the city was first known as Fort Victoria.  By 1848, Vancouver Island was a British colony and Victoria was its capital. We didn't leave the ship in Victoria but we were able to see some of the old-world architecture from the ship.  We do have photos from the disc we purchased from the cruise ship (see link below for photos from ship photo disc). Victoria horse and carriage, follow link for more Victoria photos More Photos Bill/Kimberly on ship, see more photos here Follow this link to see cruise ship photos Follow link for Alaska wildlife/scenery photos Concluding Comments Everyone had a fantastic time on this trip.  The scenery and vistas were phenomenal and we would recommend that if you haven't yet been to Alaska that you try to go sometime soon.