Ken McIlduff: Alaskan Cruise

I’m kind of the cruise guy at the agency, but I’d never been to Alaska before, so I was really excited to visit aboard Royal Caribbean’s Radiance of the Seas. Also, I got to take one of my best friends, who I’ve known for fifty years. He’s a Diamond Plus member and a big Royal Caribbean cruiser. He alpha-dogged all the planning since he’d been to Alaska before, and I was happy to take a backseat.

Alaska exceeded my expectations. It’s just so stunning, and I was overwhelmed by the natural
beauty and sheer scale and size. It was amazing.

Day 1—Anchorage (Seward)

I stayed in Anchorage, Alaska, the night before we set sail and had a delicious breakfast with reindeer sausage. It was a great way to start off the adventure. Anchorage is a relatively small city, but it’s charming. It’s about two hours from the docks at Seward, but the journey is glorious and scenic. I took the bus and sat on the right-hand side, which is definitely the one you want for the best views. The water was on my right the whole way down, and we saw white beluga whales just swimming next to us. It was incredible. This bus ride began my love affair with Alaska. I knew I was in for something truly special.

Day 2—Hubbard Glacier

On our first full day on board we went to Hubbard Glacier, and I had the benefit of traveling with my friend who’d been there before. He had some opinions on the best way to see it, and we were blessed with excellent weather, so we stayed on the ship and got a close peek as it rotated around the glacier itself. You have the option of popping into a Zodiac, or a small inflatable boat, to get right up to the glacier, but I felt I got the whole experience just staying on the ship.

Day 3- Juneau

The following day we went to Juneau, where we decided to do some whale watching. On the way to our excursion in Auke Bay, the bus driver kept talking about how he was certain we were going to see whales, which I found pretty interesting. I didn’t quite understand why he was so confident, but he was right. We sailed just forty-five minutes off the coast of Juneau and were surrounded by humpback whales. It was the first time in my life that I’ve ever seen whales in the wild. There was a whole family of them, and it was simply amazing.

Day 4- Skagway

Skagway was next. It’s a lovely little tourist town with some historical elements that talk about its past as an Alaskan Gold Rush destination. You could easily spend a few hours wandering through Skagway, but we decided to take the White Pass Scenic Railway train through the countryside. It was very convenient, just thirty paces or so from where the ship docked, and once we got rolling, the views were majestic. Everywhere you turned your head were snow-capped mountains and waterfalls, the air was crisp, and we glimpsed soaring eagles in the skies.

Day 5—Icy Strait Point

Our next stop was Icy Strait Point. It’s a more remote destination with a small pier. You couldn’t even see the town from the dock. That day, we were going on a forest trek to see some wild bears, and I have to say that, honestly, the Icy Strait Point excursion was the highlight of the whole cruise. Our guide, who lives in Icy Strait Point year-round, prepared us for the adventure and talked about living in such proximity to bears. When we got to the forest, he asked us to walk in a single-file line and stay quiet. After about twenty-five minutes we reached a river with several observation platforms. The salmon were spawning, and there they were: brown bears. We were only about 100 yards from them, and while most of them stayed in the river, some did come near us in the forest. The guides know these bears, and they had rifles with them just in case.

Seeing the bears was my favorite part, because what more could you want? It’s peak Alaska. You’re in the middle of the forest, by a small river, and you just see these animals right in front of you. I was standing there, looking at these bears, and two bald eagles flew overhead. It was just surreal and phenomenal.

Day 6—Ketchikan

On the sixth day we went to see a protected area on the water in Tongass National Forest. Misty Fiords National Monument. It was about two hours from the ship, and it was breathtaking. Misty Fiords is in a section of water surrounded by rock, and everywhere you look is so impressive:

Eagles flying around, waterfalls. Alaska sets the bar high to begin with, but this spot was in a league of its own. Our excursion boat just lingered there for forty-five minutes. We didn’t sail around, and we didn’t have to. Being there was like being one with nature. It was quiet, tranquil, and pristine. I’m so glad I got to see it. Also, I had some delicious salmon when I was in Ketchikan. The salmon spawn right there, so the fish doesn’t get any fresher.

Day 7—At Sea

The last day at sea, we were following the forest all the way down the coastline through the inside passage. Alaska is ginormous, so the forest just goes on and on. As for the ship itself, there were some nice amenities like an indoor pool, and the dining service was excellent. Alaskan cruising, even during the summer, is all about the layers. You’ll experience all the seasons on your trip, and Alaska notoriously has big temperature swings. Plus, the regular cruising tips apply: get to production shows half an hour early for the best seat, don’t be shy about asking for extra towels, and don’t go to the Guest Services Desk on the first or last day if you can help it. Everyone and their dog will be there.

I’d absolutely go back to Alaska to explore more of the interior of the state, like Denali National Park. It’s astonishing and grand in every sense of the word, and you have to see it to believe it.

Cruise Down the Majestic Alaskan Coast