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Conference abbott::cruise_travel

Title:CRUISE TRAVEL
Moderator:XANADU::FAMULARO
Created:Thu Aug 04 1988
Last Modified:Thu Dec 12 1996
Last Successful Update:Wed Jan 01 1997
Number of topics:562
Total number of notes:2834

453.0. "Trip Report/Alaska" by TUXEDO::MOREY () Mon Jun 21 1993 15:29

    I, too, just returned from a Cruise to Alaska!....Holland America
    Lines...USS Noordam!
    
    	Weather was great, food was superb, scenery was mindboggling,
    	glaciers and glacier bay was awesome, ship was very classy and
    	by that I mean, everything was first class....entertainment was
    	excellent and the crew/waiters/cabin boys all A1!
    
    	Helicopter ride over and landing on the Glacier was spectacular!
    
    	Not too often I like to return to a place I've already visited,
    	but I would like to return to Alaska....it is unsurpassed beauty. 
    
    	Mary
    
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453.1Alaska on Sky Princess - What an Experience!PLATO2::METCALFThu Jul 29 1993 16:0449
I have been back to the grind for two weeks after a FANTASTIC trip on the Sky
Princess to Alaska.  Wish I was back in Alaska rather than enduring the Hottest
July on record in Raleigh, North Carolina.

Words and pictures can't describe the magnificence and beauty of Alaska.  But I
took TONS of photos anyway.

I was on Princess Voyage of the Glacier Tour 1A.  This is a seven day cruise
(mine was Northbound) followed by a 4 night land package.  The itinerary was as
follows:

Saturday	Sail from Vancouver
Sunday		Inside Passage Cruising
Monday		Ketchikan		(visit Poker Creek Gold on Creek St)
Tuesday		Juneau			(TAKE THE PILOT'S CHOICE GLACIER TRIP!)
Wednesday	Skagway
Thursday	Glacier Bay Cruising
Friday		College Fjord Cruising (in Prince William Sound)
Saturday	Arrive Seward, Bus to Anchorage, chartered flight to Fairbanks
Sunday		Fairbanks to Denali (train)
Monday		Denali to Anchorage (train)
Tuesday		Anchorage
Wednesday	flight home

Scenery is breathtaking.  Sitting in front of glaciers calving was mesmerizing!
Flying over and walking on glaciers was incredible.  Weather was excellent
and food was good.  Entertainment was very good, but things weren't too lively
late at night like in the Caribbean (an older crowd).

Princess did a really first rate job with the entire trip, particularly the
land portion.  They have everything lined up, transportation, tours, hotels,
etc.  Food on the land portion is extra.  All the hotels we stayed in were very
nice (Princess owned the one in Fairbanks (just opened this summer) and
Denali).  All of the Princess staff were very courteous.  

I can't wait to go back!  If funds are available, I may try to go on an outdoor
photography trip in November to the Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve near Haines,
Alaska (Haines is 15 miles from Skagway by boat or air, 350 miles by road). 
Alaska is DEFINITELY a place I will plan to visit again.

If you have ever remotely thought of cruising to Alaska, DO IT!!!  I had
originally planned to take the land portion first, then have the cruise
southbound to "relax".  But now that I've gone, I recommend the northbound
cruise followed by the land package.  My logic is the beauty gets better EVERY
DAY, culminating in the two days glaicer cruising.  Also I think the day at sea
in Glacier Bay National Park is a better option than some of the cruises that
have another port of call at Sitka.  

Bruce
453.2Alaska on ms Ryndam, August 1996, www reportEVMS::HALLYBFish have no concept of fireThu Aug 22 1996 16:436
    http://bulova.zko.dec.com/people/HALLYB-ALASKA.HTML
    
    I'll post this on the global Internet soon, after any feedback from
    interested readers.
    
      John