Alaska 2026, The Cruise

This is the cruise portion of our recent trip to Alaska. As we mentioned in our last post, this is our online journal to help us remember the experience and to provide some details for those who might be might be interested in cruising the Alaskan Inside Passage.

Day 1

During our bus transfer from the Juneau Airport to the pier, we had a glimpse of Alaska’s capital city. Interestingly, Juneau is the third-largest city in Alaska, with a population of about 32,000. It is accessible only by air or water.

Once we reached the pier, we transferred to the ship by tender.

Along with 19 other Traveling Aggies and alumni from various universities, we were ready to begin our cruise and explore the history and culture of this vast and beautiful area of our country.

Day 2

Our first full day on the water took us through the stunning Endicott Arm, a glacier-formed inlet. Some folks took Zodiac and kayak excursions, which allowed them to get closer views of the glaciers and marine life.

Dawes Glacier

Because this was a cruise for university alumni, there were enrichment presentations throughout the day. Captain attended The Nature of Arctic Nature with Matt Ayres, while ABN visited the spa. Each evening before dinner, the cruise director gave a port talk about the following day’s activities.

For dinner, we chose the outdoor venue, The Star.

The filet mignon was outstanding! So much so that we dined there two more times.

The evening entertainment was surprisingly good, and we enjoyed watching the other passengers dance to Movie Melodies. (Captain's high school friends will be relieved to know that we did not dance!)

Day 3

We woke to dense early-morning fog that quickly cleared.

Following a presentation from a local resident, we boarded tenders and set out to explore the tiny, roadless community of Elfin Cove, on the northern shore of Chichagof Island. The population fluctuates between 15–30 and swells to 200–300 during the fishing season. There are no roads in Elfin Cove; it is accessible only by floatplanes or boats.

Downtown

Main Street

Parking Lot

Power Plant aka large generator

Back on board, we cruised the waters around Point Adolphus, watching for humpback whales and other sea life.

Day 4

Perhaps our favorite day of the trip was the one we spent in Sitka, a historic city where Tlingit Indigenous and Russian history blends with 21st-century small-town charm. Accessible only by air and water, and with a population of about 8,500, it serves as a regional health-care center, is home to the regional elementary and secondary boarding school, and, with high-speed internet, has all the amenities of a modern city.

At the Alaskan Odyssey Dome, we attended an enlightening presentation on Bald Eagles and met one of the 30,000 to 50,000 bald eagles in Alaska, which has the largest population of bald eagles in the United States.

The highlight of our time in Sitka was exploring Sitka National Historical Park with its totem-lined trails.

Totem poles tell the visual record of a community’s history, family lineage, and social status, and they are still in use and actively carved today.

We were also fortunate to be in Alaska during the amazing salmon run, an annual event in which adult salmon migrate from the ocean upstream into freshwater rivers and streams to spawn, often returning to the streams where they were born.

We ended the evening with a nightcap in the lounge as we listened to a performance of Movie Songbooks.

Day 5

On our stop in Wrangell, we chose the Rain Forest Walk.

It was basically a walk in the woods with little interesting flora.

In retrospect, we wish we had chosen the Wrangell excursion, which was a walk through the small historic town.

Day 6

Our last port before disembarking was Prince Rupert, Canada, the “Halibut Capital of the World.”

After leaving the ship,

we boarded a vintage trolley for a tour of the city. Before returning to the ship, we visited Seal Cove Salt Marsh, and the lovely Sunken Gardens near the cruise terminal. We were amazed at how fresh the flowers looked in August.

As we continued down the Grenville Channel toward Vancouver,

we shared a pleasant dinner with our new friends from Plano, Texas, Karen and Earl.

Day 7

Our final day was spent cruising toward Vancouver. Once the fog lifted, it became a beautiful scenic day at sea. A great deal of time was spent on the deck looking for orcas and humpback whales.

And, of course, there was packing for disembarkation the following morning.

That evening, we enjoyed our last dinner together and said goodbye to the Traveling Aggies.

Our journey from Juneau to Vancouver

Our journey from Juneau, Alaska to Vancouver, British Columbia

For those who have expressed interest in the Windstar Seeker and the Gohagan Travel Company, we will share our opinions and experiences in another post.