this could be your trip of a lifetime

The Alaskan Inside Passage that been on my bucket list for some years and I finally got to cross it off! The scenery was fantastic and although I saw no bears or sea otters I did see bald eagles by the score, a goodly number of whales, harbour seals and sea lions.

The Tracy Arm Fjord was not available due to ice but we went to Endicott Arm and the Dawes Glacier calved while we were there. This was a marvellous experience and the thunderous noise of it was thrilling. The creaking and groaning of the glacier was something I had not expected to hear and so for me this was the highlight of the trip.

Visiting Ketchican, Juneau and Skagway was an experience not to be missed and the atmosphere in these towns was reminiscent of a modern gold rush except the valuable currency was tourism. It was worth going the extra mile to find genuine native American artefacts though as the shops mostly sold copies of carvings done in Indonesia which was very disappointing. 

The Emerald Princess is a beautifully equipped ship and there was an abundance of places to go for food and drink. I did not venture to the nightclub or the casino so I cannot comment on them. The Art Gallery carried some beautiful pieces and several auctions were held which were really entertaining. The Lotus Spa offers a wide range of treatments and the staff  I encountered there were excellent and truly friendly. Indeed the staff throughout the ship from the cabin stewards to the Dining Room hosts were fabulous, how they remembered my name amongst the 3000 odd other people I have no idea. In many ways they made this cruise one of the best I have taken.

The size of the passenger complement was something that I anticipated but did not enjoy. On the last two days which were essentially sea days  the various venues around the ship were very crowded as, presumably, both parents and children had tired of the pools which were very popular during the first sea day!

That is really my only complaint about the trip! Otherwise it was a terrific experience made all the better by the crew and the wonderful scenery and wildlife of Alaska.