One of the first cruises I ever took was to Alaska and for the 22 years since that departure, I have thought of Alaska as my favorite cruise destination and going a second time did not disappoint. There is something about the scenery and atmosphere that soothes the soul and makes your spirit soar!
There were several reasons I decided to go on Holland America this time. The first is that it was on a smaller ship. There are 2100 passengers compared to the 2500+ on the other cruise lines, so I never felt crowded on this ship. And the crew was very helpful and always willing to go out of their way to help you; I never felt like "just another passenger."
Of note, America’s Test Kitchen has a program on board. I love this show and was excited to see these presentations and Laurie did not disappoint. She was totally entertaining while teaching some new ideas about cooking. I definitely was looking forward to trying the salmon recipes once I got home.
Plus, another entertaining feature was a program at night called Billboard Onboard. There were 2 piano players and they sang different songs every night. One night it was the British invasion, another night it was the 70’s and so on. I even got to sing along! It doesn’t get much better than that.
Our first stop was Juneau. We went to the Red Dog Saloon. It is rumored to be the place where Juneau got its name. After this we used Juneau Pedicab for a tour of the city. James was fun and knowledgeable about his town. We saw monuments, art and historical places all while stopping for smoked salmon and fudge samples. I would recommend this company without hesitation. It is a great way to get a feel of the real Juneau.
Our next stop was Sitka. This was another reason we chose Holland America. They are one of the few cruise lines to visit there. Sitka is a charming small town. They do not have the regular cruise stop stores. It was the capital of Alaska when it was owned by Russia and it still shows. There is a Russian cathedral. I was awed by the art and beauty in an otherwise simple building. There are also little local owned stores where you can pick up local items and Russian nesting dolls.
On our way back to Seattle, we sat on our balcony and watched whale spouts and occasionally in the distance we could see a whale tail. As much as I would have liked to see one breach, it was still thrilling to see this.
All I can say is, do not hesitate to call your Morris Murdock Travel Advisor and ask about our current cruise offers, especially the ones to Alaska. You won’t be sorry you did!
-Carole Fisher
Morris Murdock Travel
Accounting Department