Duration: 9 days, 7 night cruise

Ports: Seattle, Juneau, Skagway, Glacier Bay, Ketchikan, Victoria BC

Ship: Norwegian Bliss

Airline: Alaska Airlines

Hotel: Raddison Hotel Seattle Airport

Alaska is far from ordinary, a frontier you can visit, a place where God’s creation goes beyond what you can imagine. A place where eagles sore and whales dance, where mountains rise and rivers flow. The glaciers will captivate you in a way you have never known.

This was our 3rd cruise in the last 5 months and as well as since the cruise restart following the COVID-19 Pandemic.  This cruise was offered to us by Norwegian Cruise Lines as a seminar at sea.  We spent time on most days training with 200+ travel advisors.  We were able to enjoy the ports as well as the ammenities of the ship we were sailing on, the Norwegian Bliss.  We had been on her sister ship the Norwegian Encore just 4 months earler in the Caribbean and truly enjoyed that ship.  My last sailing was on the Norwegian Breakaway in 2019.  This woould be our first Alaskan Cruise and the first cruise for Liane in many years.  Join us as we share our first Alaskan Cruise and first saling on the Norwegian Bliss.

Seattle airport was very backed up from the presidents visit earlier in the day.  I have never seen so many planes sitting on the tarmac, and they just kept landing…….

Watching Mt. Ranier disappear into the distance as we sail away from Seattle.

Day at Sea 1, Rough Seas

This was our first of two sea days. Yes, it was a sea day that’s for sure, a bit rough. Our stateroom is aft, the 2nd stateroom from the rear and it was a bit squirrely let’s call it. A strong side to side motion, no stomach issues from it but it did mess with your head a bit after a while. We headed up front and as anticipated, mid-ship was not bad at all. In the forward portion of the ship, you could feel the rise and drop of the ship with the swells in the ocean. I have experienced rougher seas, so this wasn’t too bad from my perspective but again it was kind of a different feeling in the rear of the ship. There must have been several guests who did not fare so well with the seas as they had emesis bags hanging near the stairwells. 

We tried some bingo in the theater, a little time in the casino, as little as possible for me as it was not productive at all. For dinner, we ate in the Savour dining room. Again, a good menu selection, good food and service. After dinner, we enjoyed a show in the main theater. It was the Company Men, four guys, kind of a mature boy band with a twist where they mashed songs together and created a great melody. I believe they said this was their first show performed on an NCL ship. Not a flashy show, just great music and awesome vocals. The night ended with a few drinks, mostly mojitos for me. Love the pineapple coconut mojito at the Sugarcane Mojito Bar on board Norwegian ships.

Ahoy Juneau, Our First Port Stop

We were so excited to be in Alaska!  First a little information about the city.

Juneau is the state capital of Alaska and is the second largest city in the United States by area. Downtown Juneau is nestled at the base of Mount Juneau and across the channel from Douglas Island. As of the 2020 census, the City and Borough had a population of 32,255, making it the third-most populous city in Alaska after Anchorage and Fairbanks. Juneau experiences a daily influx of roughly 6,000+ people from visiting cruise ships between the months of May and September.

The city is named after a gold prospector from Quebec, Joe Juneau. Juneau is unique in that there are no roads connecting the city to the rest of the state or North America. The absence of a road network is due to the extremely rugged terrain surrounding the city. All goods coming in and out must go by plane or boat. Downtown Juneau sits at sea level below steep mountains about 3,500 to 4,000 feet. Atop these mountains is the Juneau Icefield, a large ice mass from which about 30 glaciers flow; two of these, the Mendenhall Glacier and the Lemon Creek Glacier, are visible from the local road system.

Long before European settlement in the Americas, the Gastineau Channel was a fishing ground for the Auke and Taku tribes, who had inhabited the surrounding area for thousands of years. They annually harvested herring during the spawning season. Since the late 20th century, the A’akw Kwáan, together with the Sealaska Heritage Institute, have resisted European-American development of Indian Point, including proposals by the National Park Service and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). They consider it sacred territory, both because of the burying ground and the importance of the point in their traditions of gathering sustenance from the sea. They continue to gather clams, gumboot chitons, grass and sea urchins there, as well as tree bark for medicinal uses.

After the California gold rush, miners migrated up the Pacific Coast and explored the West, seeking other gold deposits. On October 18, 1880, the two men marked a 160-acre town site where soon a mining camp sprang up. Within a year, so many miners had arrived that the camp became a village, albeit made up mostly of tents and shacks rather than substantial buildings. It was the first European American settlement founded in this territory after the United States purchased Alaska.  On December 14, 1881, a miners’ meeting decided to name the settlement Juneau, after prospector Joe Juneau.

Wikipedia contributors. “Juneau, Alaska.” Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, 30 Aug. 2022. Web. 31 Aug. 2022.

Juneau Gold Belt Tram

Once back on the bus, we headed to town. The driver did offer to drop us off in town as we had tickets for the Juneau Tramway. There is a free shuttle bus service from the dock to the center of town where the tram is. That is what we used to get back to the ship that day.
Next stop that day was the Juneau Gold Belt Tram. We had pre-purchased our tickets as an excursion through the cruise line. The tickets are good for the day and for as many trips as you want. My suggestion would be to just buy your tickets at the tram and save some money.

On to the tram we go! When I first saw the images of the tram, I was liking the views, but the size of the tram and the height was freaking me out a bit! Yes, I admit I am not a fan of heights, even less of a fan of not being in control of my situation LOL. Earlier that day, we were on the ship having breakfast in the Garden Café watching the tram go up and down the mountain. I was saying why did I talk myself into riding that thing up the mountain? It looked like a toy hanging from thin wires from our viewpoint. It seemed to take forever to go up and down the mountain. There are two trams than run simultaneously; while one is going up, the other is coming down and they meet in the middle. It was a cold, rainy foggy day and when the tram neared the top of the mountain, it disappeared into the clouds. As a retired firefighter, of course my mind went to let’s see, if this gets stuck, how do they get you down? Ha-ha. I left my nervousness at the breakfast table that morning, and I am glad I did.

After our gold panning adventure, we were dropped off in the parking lot of the tram. It was a huge lot that was shared with the shuttle buses that brought passengers to town and back. If you are wondering if you can walk from the port to town, it’s a bit over a mile if I recall, and you go through an industrial area of the port, so there really is not much to see. I recommend taking the shuttle busses. They run often and are free.
There are public bathrooms at the tram building and a counter to purchase your tram tickets. You can ride all day on the ticket if you choose. They provide a physical ticket and stamp your hand. The tram was large, not sure on the capacity, 40+ would be my guess with plenty of room. There was a crew of three on the tram; I think two is normal and the third was in training. Again, we were the first ship of the season, so there seemed to be many trainees in shops throughout the town.

Back to the tram…up it went and at no point did it really seem to be high above the ground. It skimmed along the treetops traveling up some 1800ft. on its way up to the top. It was a very comfortable, quick ride, not scary at all and wonderful views even with the clouds and fog that day, I can only image the views on a sunny, clear day! Once at the top, there is a bar and restaurant, shopping, and a nature center. It sounds like the nature center is no longer in use and will be used for another purpose. When we arrived at the top, it started snowing, and when we went outside at the top, the walkways were freshly cleared of snow. The snow along the pathways was at least 5ft deep.

The tram, Goldbelt Tram Alaska, and the facilities is an urban Alaska Native, not-for‐profit corporation headquartered in Juneau, Alaska. Opened in 1996, it seeks to honor and preserve the Tlingit culture – its history, art, dance, legends, and the traditions of its Alaska Native shareholders. The facilities have displays about the native culture, as well as a short film you can watch to learn more about their cultural heritage.
There were many options in the gift shop, great selection and prices and I love supporting local, especially native culture. We highly recommend a trip on the tram and a visit to the gift shop and outside area. It provides an awesome vantage point for some great photos.
If you are looking for a hike, there are trails through the woods, even a trail all the way down to the outskirts of the city. Just remember, it is bear country!
Following our tram adventure, we walked through the city of Juneau, did some shopping, and ended up at the world-famous Red Dog Saloon. Shopping was your typical port shops, Diamond International, etc. We always look for locally owned shops when we travel. It seemed that many of the shops had signs that said locally owned. My best comment is to enjoy the beauty of Alaska, look for the places that enrich your mind with information on your destination, do minimal shopping, and take many photos to remind you of your adventure!

Red Dog Saloon, home of the world famous Duck Fart

Now on to the Red Dog Saloon! After hearing all about it, how could we pass this tradition up. We were lucky being the first of the season and the only ship in port. We were able to walk right in and get a table.
The saloon had a cozy atmosphere and plenty of decorations to make it authentic Alaska. There was a gentleman on a platform playing the guitar and singing, as well as telling some good and bad jokes. He was very enjoyable to watch and listen to. The waitresses were dressed to replicate the dress from back in the day when this was more than just a saloon. I could see how this place could be packed with tourists later in the season. I am so glad we were able to experience the Red Dog Saloon early in the season.

The Red Dog Saloon was a nice stop to warm up on a cool, rainy day and enjoy a little entertainment, some good food and a nice local atmosphere, even though it was a bit touristy. The signs that say exit in the saloon take you into their gift shop. The shop had several “Red Dog Saloon” items as well as a mix of t-shirts and other items.
We continued our walk-through Juneau and headed back to meet the shuttle bus, stopping at a few more shops on the way. The shuttle bus pickup area is in the parking lot at the tram. By the way, the building with the tram has public restrooms on the exterior, if needed. We loaded up on the bus for the 5-minute drive back to the ship. We enjoyed our time in Juneau, learned a bit about the city and its history, the native people, and would love to go back again, as I am sure there is so much more to see and do. Hopefully, on a day with better weather.

You can lean more about Juneau by visiting https://www.traveljuneau.com/

Onto Skagway and a rainy morning!

First some information on Skagway. The Municipality and Borough of Skagway is a first-class borough in Alaska on the Alaska Panhandle. As of the 2020 census, the population was 1,240. The population doubles in the summer tourist season in order to deal with more than 1,000,000 visitors each year. The name Skagway is derived from sha-ka-ԍéi, a Tlingit idiom which figuratively refers to rough seas in the Taiya Inlet, which are caused by strong north winds. Skagway is located in a narrow glaciated valley at the head of the Taiya Inlet, the north end of the Lynn Canal, which is the most northern fjord on the Inside Passage on the south coast of Alaska. It is in the Alaska panhandle 90 miles northwest of Juneau, Alaska’s capital city.
The port of Skagway is a popular stop for cruise ships, and the tourist trade is a big part of the business of Skagway. The White Pass and Yukon Route narrow gauge railroad, part of the area’s mining past, is now in operation purely for the tourist trade and runs throughout the summer months. Skagway is one of three Southeast Alaskan communities that are connected to the road system; Skagway’s connection is via the Klondike Highway, completed in 1978. This allows access to the lower 48, Whitehorse, Yukon, northern British Columbia, and the Alaska Highway. This also makes Skagway an important port-of-call for the Alaska Marine Highway — Alaska’s ferry system — and serves as the northern terminus of the important and heavily used Lynn Canal corridor.
The White Pass and Yukon Route is a railway that formerly linked Whitehorse, Yukon in Canada to Skagway, the railway’s southernmost terminus. Today, trains travel several times a week from May through September from Skagway to the small community of Carcross, approximately 45 miles south/southwest of Whitehorse. There, passengers (mostly tourists) can make connections via bus to Whitehorse.
One prominent resident of early Skagway was William “Billy” Moore, a former steamboat captain. As a member of an 1887 boundary survey expedition, he had made the first recorded investigation of the pass over the Coast Mountains, which later became known as White Pass. He believed that gold lay in the Klondike because it had been found in similar mountain ranges in South America, Mexico, California, and British Columbia. In 1887, he and his son, J. Bernard “Ben” Moore, claimed a 160-acre homestead at the mouth of the Skagway River in Alaska. Moore settled in this area because he believed it provided the most direct route to the potential goldfields. They built a log cabin, a sawmill, and a wharf in anticipation of future gold prospectors passing through.
The Klondike gold rush changed everything. In 1896, gold was found in the Klondike region of Canada’s Yukon Territory. On July 29, 1897, the steamer Queen docked at Moore’s wharf with the first boat load of prospectors. More ships brought thousands of hopeful miners into the new town and prepared for the 500-mile journey to the gold fields in Canada. The population of the general area increased enormously and reached 30,000, composed largely of American prospectors. Some realized how difficult the trek ahead would be en route to the gold fields and chose to stay behind to supply goods and services to miners. Within weeks, stores, saloons, and offices lined the muddy streets of Skagway. The population was estimated at 8,000 residents during the spring of 1898 with approximately 1,000 prospective miners passing through town each week. By June 1898, with a population between 8,000 and 10,000, Skagway was the largest city in Alaska. Between 1897 and 1898, Skagway was a lawless town, described by one member of the North-West Mounted Police as “little better than a hell on earth.” Fights, prostitutes and liquor were ever-present on Skagway’s streets, and con man “Soapy” Smith, who had risen to considerable power, did little to stop it. Smith was a sophisticated swindler who liked to think of himself as a kind and generous benefactor to the needy. He was gracious to some, giving money to widows and halting lynchings, while simultaneously operating a ring of thieves who swindled prospectors with cards, dice, and the shell game. His telegraph office charged five dollars to send a message anywhere in the world. Consequently, unknowing prospectors sent news to their families back home without realizing there was no telegraph service to or from Skagway until 1901. Smith was shot and killed by Frank Reid and Jesse Murphy on July 8, 1898, in the famed Shootout on Juneau Wharf. Smith managed to return fire — some accounts claim the two men fired their weapons simultaneously — and Frank Reid died from his wounds twelve days later. Smith and Reid are now interred at the Klondike Gold Rush Cemetery, also known as “Skagway’s Boot Hill.
The prospectors’ journey began for many when they climbed the mountains over the White Pass above Skagway and onward across the Canada–US border to Bennett Lake, or one of its neighboring lakes, where they built barges and floated down the Yukon River to the gold fields around Dawson City. Others disembarked at nearby Dyea, northwest of Skagway, and crossed northward on the Chilkoot Pass, an existing Tlingit trade route to reach the lakes. The Dyea route fell out of favor when larger ships began to arrive, as its harbor was too shallow for them except at high tide. Officials in Canada began requiring that each prospector entering Canada on the north side of the White Pass bring with him one ton of supplies, to ensure that he did not starve during the winter. This placed a large burden on the prospectors and the pack animals climbing the steep pass.
In 1898, a 14-mile, steam-operated aerial tramway was constructed up the Skagway side of the White Pass, easing the burden of those prospectors who could afford the fee to use it. In 1896, before the Klondike gold rush had begun, a group of investors saw an opportunity for a railroad over that route. It was not until May 1898 that the White Pass and Yukon Route began laying narrow gauge railroad tracks in Skagway. The railroad depot was constructed between September and December 1898. By 1899, the stream of gold-seekers had diminished, and Skagway’s economy began to collapse. By 1900, when the railroad was completed, the gold rush was nearly over.
Wikipedia contributors. “Skagway, Alaska.” Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, 11 Aug. 2022. Web. 31 Aug. 2022.

White Pass & Yukon Route Railroad

We had booked a trip into Canada on the White Pass & Yukon Route Railroad with part of the excursion being a return via motorcoach with a stop at a suspension bridge and more. Well, before we even left for the cruise, we received an email stating that excursion was being cancelled. From all we have heard, Canada was not letting the excursion in because of Covid-19. We rebooked a shorter White Pass Railway excursion to replace it. Yes, it was a rainy morning in Skagway. We headed to the train, and it seemed like it took forever to board the train. They made us walk up toward the front and as it turned out, those cars were full so towards the back we headed. It was a bit frustrating, especially with the rain. I do have to give them a little leeway as it was the first cruise in port for the season. There were new employees in training and as it turns out, this trip was the largest number of cars they had done in recent history. I am assuming that because of the other trips being cancelled, they had consolidated more passengers onto this trip. I have to say,

I thoroughly enjoyed the trip, rain, frustration with boarding and all. The scenery was beautiful. I can’t imagine how awesome it would have been with clear blue skies and being able to see what was behind the clouds and fog. Being a cold and rainy day, the windows on the train did fog up making it hard to take photos and videos. I ended up outside on the platform so I could get as much video as possible for our YouTube channel. Being wet and cold made it one chilly ride. They had heaters in the train cars and mentioned they could get hot so be careful not to get burnt. Funny thing is, they weren’t even warm and the fuel tank next to them was empty; so keep that in mind when traveling on a chilly day. I am not sure if they just forgot to fill them or what, being the first trip of the season. As we headed up the mountain, the rain changed to snow and the snow cover on the ground grew increasingly deeper. You can tell they had heavy equipment up there recently clearing the snow. You could see where the snow had been pushed off in areas, and there were trees broken over from it. At one point, there was an obvious 4 to 5 feet of snow along the tracks. The snow just made the scenery that much better. It was a fresh white snow and with the pine trees, it made for some great scenery. The train trip was shortened we were told because of track maintenance. Back in town, we heard from a shop owner that there was a small avalanche that had blocked the tracks. It was interesting from the standpoint that when we reached the furthest, we could go, they actually disconnected the locomotive from the train and passed us by on a side track and hooked it back up to the train to be on the front going back down the hill. This trip, even with the views blocked by the clouds, was awesome! I can’t wait to edit the video I took for our YouTube channel just to experience it again.

Once back in Skagway, we headed into town. Our first stop was the Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park Visitors Center. It had some neat displays, the Park Rangers staffing it were very nice and informative and had bathrooms. Looking back, I wish we had spent a bit more time there with the exhibits. I also had a chat with a park ranger about photography and she suggested I try some reflection photography, so here is the result, a photo of Liane with a hill in the background take from a puddle on the street.

Photo of a reflection in a puddle.

We did some shopping and exploring in Skagway and ended up finding a small museum on a back street. It was Skagway Museum with no entry fee but asked for a donation. It had several interesting exhibits about the history of the area. Not sure why, guess we were hungry, but we ended up in the Skagway Brewing Company having lunch.

Lunch at Skagway Brewing Company

It was good, service was a bit slow, but where isn’t it now with staffing shortages. I say not sure why we were there, as I stated earlier with a ship full of food, I normally don’t each much in ports, but it was a good walk back to the ship and our stomachs were growling. Besides, why not stop there? It was a local brewery! After lunch, we continued our walk around town as they hadn’t rolled up the wood sidewalks yet. I think we went into most of the stores that were open on the main street. As with Juneau, there were quite a few shops not open and looked abandoned because of the past few years during the pandemic. We also stopped into the Red Onion Saloon, one of the famous tourists stops of the Alaska Cruise ports. Formerly a brothel, and who knows what, but it was an interesting place. We ended up just sitting at the bar and having a hot drink to warm us up a bit. The rain had ended before the train ride was over, but it was still a bit chilly. They did offer a tour of what was formerly the brothel upstairs from the bar, but it didn’t interest us enough to pay for the tour. Walking back to the ship, we ended up walking over towards the ferry terminal in Skagway. It looked like a good place to get some photos of our ship as well as the marina. Heading back to the ship, there were several shops and restaurants all closed. I’m assuming it was too early in the season for them, only one ship, as well as it being a ship only half full of passengers.

We also walked past a small campground, someday I hope to be there with our RV. Walking along the pier there were rocks painted all along the hill with names and logos of cruise ships that had visited. I am guessing that is a thing of the past as there were several signs stating that it was illegal to do so. We enjoyed our day in Skagway. Prior to arriving back from our train ride the rain had stopped and it had warmed up later in the afternoon. To be honest, we did not do enough planning for this trip. We were unsure what the schedule was for the seminars we attended on-board, and we looked at excursions more than anything in our planning. My suggestion is to watch videos posted on YouTube by travel vloggers such as our channel, check with the local tourist office and look at good old Google maps. Looking at Google maps today, I see there were a few other parts of town I would have liked to visit. You can learn more about Skagway by visiting https://www.skagway.com/

So long Skagway, see you next time!

Glacier Bay National Park, WOW!

Waking up and opening the curtains to our balcony was our view as we were entering Glacier Bay National Park.

Like I said WOW!

Opening the door, you could tell it was a colder day, there was a good chill in the air and there was a heavy overcast sky. Early that day, the ship was met by a boat carrying park rangers from the park. They had boarded the ship to be able to give us a tour of Glacier Bay doing so over the ship’s intercom, on the ship tv channel as well as by providing presentations in the ship’s theatre. We sat in on one of the park ranger presentations in the theatre.  It was very educational and hearing the passion the ranger had for the park and his job was truly inspiring.  We spent a good part of the day in the park, slowly traveling through on what seemed like a sea of glass.  It was the calmest water I had ever experienced on a cruise ship.  The views we had were stunning.  The glaciers were amazing; when huge parts of the glaciers fell into the sea, there was a type of thunder to be heard.  From the distance away we were, the thunderous sound had a slight delay.  I couldn’t image what it was like to be up close to these glaciers as they fell into the sea.  By the way, it’s called calving when chunks of the glacier fall off. I later saw a photo of a smaller boat closer to a glacier and was amazed at the size of the glacier as it towered over what was not a small boat.  The Norwegian Bliss, and its sister ship, the Encore, both have these wonderful lounges designed specifically for viewing the glaciers.  Named the Observation Lounge, they have all these wonderful, comfortable seating areas with floor to ceiling windows.  You can sail through Glacier Bay and enjoy the views while enjoying the comforts of the Observation Lounge.  The lounge by the way was about one third of the length of the ship. The lounge included all the comfortable seating areas, couches, tables, chairs and loungers. Just like the comforts of home.  There was also a full-service bar and three mini buffets that had a variety of foods depending on the time of day.  The Observation Lounge was obviously the most used the day we were in Glacier Bay.  With the ship being at half capacity, there was plenty of spaces to enjoy the views.  We ended up back in our room for a portion of the day as it was better to shoot video from our balcony. The glass in the Observation Lounge had a lot of reflection from lights, people, and the furniture. Our balcony was comfortable, it blocked the wind and the drizzle of the day, and it also allowed something else that we could not enjoy from the observation lounge, you could hear the thunder of the chunks of glacier hitting the water as the glacier calved. The ship did open the front deck for viewing. They had set up tents for protection from the rain.  We headed out there later in the afternoon. It was windy and there was a good mist in the air. We were the only ones out there at that point. It was neat to be in an area of the ship that is not normally open to passengers. The wind had picked up to the point where they took the tents down, so there was no protection from the mist and drizzle.  It was awesome to experience Glacier Bay. Unfortunately, with the weather, the views were limited to the ceiling of the clouds. I can only image how beautiful it would have been to experience the park on a blue-sky day…I guess we will have to return.  You can learn more about Glacier Bay by visiting https://www.nps.gov/glba/index.htm

The following photos do not do the park justice, be sure to subscribe to our YouTube channel and ring the notification bell so you will be notified when we publish our Alsakan Cruise vlog. Better yet, book a cruise and see the beauty that God has created first hand!

On the evening of our Glacier Bay Day, we took in the Beatles Abbey Road show by the on- board tribute band. It was an okay show; they seemed to have some glitches, possibly a new member recently joined the show.  In comparison to the group they had on the Norwegian Encore performing, this group needed quite a bit more rehearsals. I was not impressed.  The other show we took in on board the Bliss was The Jersey Boys.  The show was good, the music very enjoyable and brought back memories from back in the day. Again, I do have to say in comparison to the shows we saw onboard the Encore a few months back, Kinky Boots and Choir of Man, The Jersey Boys on the Bliss just needed a little more power and polish.

Tonight we ended the night with a nightcap and bit of dessert from The Local Bar and Grill.

Ketchikan Alaska, “The Salmon Capital of the World.”

Opening the door, you could tell it was a colder day, there was a good chill in the air and there was a heavy overcast sky. Early that day, the ship was met by a boat carrying park rangers from the park. They had boarded the ship to be able to give us a tour of Glacier Bay doing so over the ship’s intercom, on the ship tv channel as well as by providing presentations in the ship’s theatre. We sat in on one of the park ranger presentations in the theatre.  It was very educational and hearing the passion the ranger had for the park and his job was truly inspiring.  We spent a good part of the day in the park, slowly traveling through on what seemed like a sea of glass.  It was the calmest water I had ever experienced on a cruise ship.  The views we had were stunning.  The glaciers were amazing; when huge parts of the glaciers fell into the sea, there was a type of thunder to be heard.  From the distance away we were, the thunderous sound had a slight delay.  I couldn’t image what it was like to be up close to these glaciers as they fell into the sea.  By the way, it’s called calving when chunks of the glacier fall off. I later saw a photo of a smaller boat closer to a glacier and was amazed at the size of the glacier as it towered over what was not a small boat.  The Norwegian Bliss, and its sister ship, the Encore, both have these wonderful lounges designed specifically for viewing the glaciers.  Named the Observation Lounge, they have all these wonderful, comfortable seating areas with floor to ceiling windows.  You can sail through Glacier Bay and enjoy the views while enjoying the comforts of the Observation Lounge.  The lounge by the way was about one third of the length of the ship. The lounge included all the comfortable seating areas, couches, tables, chairs and loungers. Just like the comforts of home.  There was also a full-service bar and three mini buffets that had a variety of foods depending on the time of day.  The Observation Lounge was obviously the most used the day we were in Glacier Bay.  With the ship being at half capacity, there was plenty of spaces to enjoy the views.  We ended up back in our room for a portion of the day as it was better to shoot video from our balcony. The glass in the Observation Lounge had a lot of reflection from lights, people, and the furniture. Our balcony was comfortable, it blocked the wind and the drizzle of the day, and it also allowed something else that we could not enjoy from the observation lounge, you could hear the thunder of the chunks of glacier hitting the water as the glacier calved. The ship did open the front deck for viewing. They had set up tents for protection from the rain.  We headed out there later in the afternoon. It was windy and there was a good mist in the air. We were the only ones out there at that point. It was neat to be in an area of the ship that is not normally open to passengers. The wind had picked up to the point where they took the tents down, so there was no protection from the mist and drizzle.  It was awesome to experience Glacier Bay. Unfortunately, with the weather, the views were limited to the ceiling of the clouds. I can only image how beautiful it would have been to experience the park on a blue-sky day…I guess we will have to return.  You can learn more about Glacier Bay by visiting https://www.nps.gov/glba/index.htm

The following photos do not do the park justice, be sure to subscribe to our YouTube channel and ring the notification bell so you will be notified when we publish our Alsakan Cruise vlog. Better yet, book a cruise and see the beauty that God has created first hand!

Ketchikan is set at the southernmost entrance to Alaska’s famed Inside Passage. Ketchikan is best known for three things: feisty salmon, idyllic scenery, and an incredibly rich Alaska Native culture. A small town with photographic beauty in almost every direction.
Ketchikan is the state’s southeasternmost major settlement. Downtown Ketchikan is a National Historic District. With a population at the 2020 census of 8,192 it is the sixth-most populous city in the state. Incorporated on August 25, 1900, Ketchikan is the earliest extant incorporated city in Alaska. The city is located in southernmost Southeast Alaska on Revillagigedo Island, 700 miles northwest of Seattle, Washington, 235 miles southeast of Juneau, Alaska, and 88 miles northwest of Prince Rupert, British Columbia, Canada. It is surrounded by the Tongass National Forest, which is managed by the United States Forest Service from its headquarters in the Ketchikan Federal Building downtown, and to the south by the Tongass Narrows, a narrow east-west saltwater channel, which is part of the Inside Passage.
Ketchikan is named after Ketchikan Creek, which flows through the town, emptying into the Tongass Narrows a short distance southeast of its downtown. Ketchikan Creek served as a summer fish camp for Tlingit natives for untold years before the town was established by Mike Martin in 1885. He was sent to the area by an Oregon canning company to assess prospects. He established the saltery Clark & Martin and a general store with Nova Scotia native George Clark, who had been foreman at a cannery that burned down. Ketchikan became known as “Alaska’s first city” due to its strategic position at the southern tip of the Inside Passage, connecting the Gulf of Alaska to Puget Sound.
Ketchikan has the world’s largest collection of standing totem poles, found throughout the city and at four major locations: Saxman Totem Park, Totem Bight State Park, Potlatch Park, and the Totem Heritage Center. Most of the totems at Saxman Totem Park and Totem Bight State Park are recarvings of older poles, a practice that began during the Roosevelt Administration through the Civilian Conservation Corps. The Totem Heritage Center displays preserved 19th-century poles rescued from abandoned village sites near Ketchikan. The Chief Kyan pole in Whale Park in the city center is one of the featured background images in most US passports.
The half-mile wide channel called the Tongass Narrows separates Ketchikan from Gravina Island, where Ketchikan International Airport is located. A major and first port of entry into Alaska, Ketchikan’s economy has been based on fishing industries, canneries in particular, tourism, government, and forestry. Average annual civilian employment in 2017 was 4,070, with a substantial seasonal work force peaking in July.
The area near the mouth of Ketchikan Creek earned Ketchikan a measure of infamy during the first half of the 20th century for a red-light district known as Creek Street, with brothels aligned on either side of the creek. Ketchikan’s economy is currently based upon government services, tourism and commercial fishing. Civic boosters have dubbed the community the “Salmon Capital of the World.” Ketchikan also receives a large number of tourists, both by air and sea, due to its popularity as a cruise ship stop. In 2018, Ketchikan Harbour saw 40 different cruise ships making more than 500 stops in the harbour and bringing more than 1,073,000 visitors to Ketchikan.
Wikipedia contributors. “Ketchikan, Alaska.” Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, 22 Aug. 2022. Web. 31 Aug. 2022.

Day at Sea and Vancouver British Columbia

Food Republic on the Norwegian Bliss

Vancouver British Columbia

Our last port was in Victoria, British Columbia. Victoria is the capital city of the Canadian province of British Columbia, on the southern tip of Vancouver Island off Canada’s Pacific coast. The city has a population of 91,867, and the Greater Victoria area has a population of 397,237. Victoria is the southernmost major city in Western Canada and is about 62 mi southwest from British Columbia’s largest city of Vancouver on the mainland. The city is about 62 mi from Seattle by airplane, seaplane, ferry, or the Victoria Clipper passenger-only ferry, and 25 mi from Port Angeles, Washington, by ferry Coho across the Strait of Juan de Fuca.
Named for Queen Victoria, the city is one of the oldest in the Pacific Northwest, with British settlement beginning in 1843. The city has retained a large number of its historic buildings, in particular its two most famous landmarks, the Parliament Buildings (finished in 1897 and home of the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia) and the Empress hotel (opened in 1908). The city’s Chinatown is the second oldest in North America, after San Francisco’s.
Known as “the Garden City”, Victoria is an attractive city and a popular tourism destination. Victoria is in the top twenty of world cities for quality-of-life,according to Numbeo.  Erected in 1843 as a Hudson’s Bay Company trading post on a site originally called Camosack meaning “rush of water”.Known briefly as “Fort Albert”, the settlement was renamed Fort Victoria in November 1843, in honour of Queen Victoria.
When news of the discovery of gold on the British Columbia mainland reached San Francisco in 1858, Victoria became the port, supply base, and outfitting centre for miners on their way to the Fraser Canyon gold fields, mushrooming from a population of 300 to over 5000 within a few days.
In the latter half of the 19th century, the Port of Victoria became one of North America’s largest importers of opium, serving the opium trade from Hong Kong and distribution into North America. Opium trade was legal and unregulated until 1865, when the legislature issued licences and levied duties on its import and sale. The opium trade was banned in 1908.
Victoria is a major tourism destination with over 3.5 million overnight visitors per year who add more than a billion dollars to the local economy. As well, over 500,000 daytime visitors arrive via cruise ships which dock at Ogden Point near the city’s Inner Harbour. Many whale watching tour companies operate from this harbour due to the whales often present near its coast.
Downtown Victoria also serves as Greater Victoria’s regional downtown, where many night clubs, theatres, restaurants and pubs are clustered, and where many regional public events occur. Canada Day fireworks displays, Symphony Splash, and many other music festivals and cultural events draw tens of thousands of Greater Victorians and visitors to the downtown core. The Rifflandia and Electronic Music Festival are other music events that draw crowds to the downtown core. In the heart of downtown are the British Columbia Parliament Buildings, The Empress Hotel, Victoria Police Department Station Museum, the gothic Christ Church Cathedral, and the Royal British Columbia Museum/IMAX National Geographic Theatre, with large exhibits on local Aboriginal peoples, natural history, and modern history, along with travelling international exhibits. In addition, the heart of downtown also has the Maritime Museum of British Columbia, Emily Carr House, Victoria Bug Zoo, and Market Square. The oldest (and most intact) Chinatown in Canada is within downtown. The Art Gallery of Greater Victoria is close to downtown in the Rockland neighbourhood several city blocks from Craigdarroch Castle built by industrialist Robert Dunsmuir and Government House, the official residence of the Lieutenant-Governor of British Columbia.
Beacon Hill Park is the central city’s main urban green space. Its area of 190 acres adjacent to Victoria’s southern shore includes numerous playing fields, manicured gardens, exotic species of plants and animals such as wild peacocks, a petting zoo, and views of the Strait of Juan de Fuca and the Olympic Mountains in Washington across it. The sport of cricket has been played in Beacon Hill Park since the mid-19th century. The extensive system of parks in Victoria also includes a few areas of natural Garry oak meadow habitat, an increasingly scarce ecosystem that once dominated the region. Private gardens that are open to the public with sometimes limited opening hours are located throughout the city and offer access at low or no cost to visitors, they include the rose garden next to the Empress hotel, the gardens on the grounds of the Lieutenant Governor of British Columbia’s house, and Abkahazi Garden. Just north of the city limits is Butchart Gardens, a botanical garden and National Historic Site.
Wikipedia contributors. “Victoria, British Columbia.” Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, 29 Aug. 2022. Web. 31 Aug. 2022.

Victoria was a very short stop, made even shorter by some head winds that delayed our arrival. Getting the ship docked in Victoria was an amazing feat by the ship’s crew and the port. It seemed to be a relatively small docking area with a jetty and walkway out to a lighthouse. It was a windy evening and took the assistance of tugboats to get us docked. We had no excursions booked in Victoria, just planned on playing it by ear and seeing what we could of the city. With all the reminders to complete our enter Canada forms, they were never asked for. We pretty much walked off the ship, down the dock, through a building and were in Canada no questions asked. Just outside of the building, there were shuttle busses offering rides to a downtown location. I believe roundtrip was about $15 each for the shuttle. The ride was quick, and we were dropped off in the shopping/bar area. Unfortunately, all of the preferred shops, the nice chocolate shops and clothing stores, were closed as it was later in the evening around 8:00 pm that we arrived downtown Victoria. There were a couple of tourist shops open which seemed to have everything you could ever want from a tourist shop. There were a few restaurants open and, of course, quite a few bars. We decided to walk down the way to view the marina and the sights around including the legislative assembly building. Across from the marina was the Hotel Fairmont Empress, a beautiful building. The hotel gardens along the walkways were very nice and full considering the early time of the year we were visiting. The hotel itself was stunning with the nighttime lighting. We strolled through the original lobby enjoying the architecture and décor. A light drizzle was in the air, and it was time to head back to the ship. We found our shuttle pickup location, boarded the bus and off to the port we went. Arriving at the port, it seemed everyone was going through the very small shop for their last-minute gifts and souvenirs. This shop was making a killing and the line was long to check out. So, a big hint for you is to do your shopping at the tourist shops in downtown Victoria. Getting back on the ship was as simple as showing you ship card, again surprising with all the early cruise emphasis on completing your Enter Canada form.
Once back onboard, we made a quick stop in our stateroom to finishing packing our luggage and put them out in the hallway for the 11pm pickup. Onto our last walk about the ship and a night cap. Tomorrow was going to come early and be a long travel day.
You can learn more about Victoria by visiting https://www.tourismvictoria.com/

City Tour of Seattle Washington

We woke up back in Seattle and just like that our cruise was over. It seems like the days just fly by when you are on a trip. Wouldn’t be able to push the pause button during a trip and just enjoy your current situation for as long as you want? Maybe someday technology will allow that. For now, we need to just enjoy every day we are blessed with and all the moments that life affords us.

Seattle is a seaport city on the West Coast of the United States. With a 2020 population of 737,015 it is the largest city in both the state of Washington and the Pacific Northwest region of North America. The Seattle metropolitan area’s population is 4.02 million, making it the 15th-largest in the United States.
Seattle is situated on an isthmus between Puget Sound (an inlet of the Pacific Ocean) and Lake Washington. It is located about 100 miles south of the Canadian border. A major gateway for trade with East Asia, Seattle is the fourth-largest port in North America in terms of container handling as of 2021. The city’s chief harbor, Elliott Bay, is part of Puget Sound, which makes the city an oceanic port. To the west, beyond Puget Sound, are the Kitsap Peninsula and Olympic Mountains on the Olympic Peninsula; to the east, beyond Lake Washington and the Eastside suburbs, are Lake Sammamish and the Cascade Range. Lake Washington’s waters flow to Puget Sound through the Lake Washington Ship Canal.
The city itself is hilly, and is said to lie on seven hills. Due to its location in the Pacific Ring of Fire, Seattle is in a major earthquake zone. On February 28, 2001, the magnitude 6.8 Nisqually earthquake did significant architectural damage, especially in the Pioneer Square area.
The Seattle area was inhabited by Native Americans for at least 4,000 years before the first permanent European settlers. Denny and his group of travelers, subsequently known as the Denny Party, arrived from Illinois via Portland, Oregon, on the schooner Exact at Alki Point on November 13, 1851. The settlement was moved to the eastern shore of Elliott Bay and named “Seattle” in 1852, in honor of Chief Si’ahl of the local Duwamish and Suquamish tribes.
Logging was Seattle’s first major industry, but by the late 19th century, the city had become a commercial and shipbuilding center as a gateway to Alaska during the Klondike Gold Rush. Growth after World War II was partially due to the local Boeing company, which established Seattle as a center for aircraft manufacturing. The Seattle area developed into a technology center from the 1980s onwards with companies like Microsoft becoming established in the region. Internet retailer Amazon was founded in Seattle in 1994, and major airline Alaska Airlines is based in SeaTac, Washington, serving Seattle’s international airport, Seattle–Tacoma International Airport. The stream of new software, biotechnology, and Internet companies led to an economic revival, which increased the city’s population by almost 50,000 between 1990 and 2000.
Seattle has a history of boom-and-bust cycles, like many other cities near areas of extensive natural and mineral resources. Seattle has risen several times economically, then gone into precipitous decline, but it has typically used those periods to rebuild solid infrastructure. The first such boom, covering the early years of the city, rode on the lumber industry. During this period the road now known as Yesler Way won the nickname “Skid Road,” supposedly after the timber skidding down the hill to Henry Yesler’s sawmill.
The second and most dramatic boom resulted from the Klondike Gold Rush, which ended the depression that had begun with the Panic of 1893. In a short time, Seattle became a major transportation center. On July 14, 1897, the S.S. Portland docked with its famed “ton of gold,” and Seattle became the main transport and supply point for the miners in Alaska and the Yukon. The boom lasted well into the early part of the 20th century, and funded many new Seattle companies and products. In 1907, 19-year-old James E. Casey borrowed $100 from a friend and founded the American Messenger Company (later UPS). Other Seattle companies founded during this period include Nordstrom and Eddie Bauer. S
War work again brought local prosperity during World War II, this time centered on Boeing aircraft. The war dispersed the city’s numerous Japanese-American businessmen due to the Japanese American internment. After the war, the local economy dipped. It rose again with Boeing’s growing dominance in the commercial airliner market. Seattle celebrated its restored prosperity and made a bid for world recognition with the Century 21 Exposition, the 1962 World’s Fair, for which the iconic Space Needle was built.
Beginning with Microsoft’s 1979 move from Albuquerque, New Mexico, to nearby Bellevue, Washington, Seattle and its suburbs became home to a number of technology companies including Amazon, F5 Networks, RealNetworks, Nintendo of America, and T-Mobile. This success brought an influx of new residents with a population increase within city limits of almost 50,000 between 1990 and 2000, and saw Seattle’s real estate become some of the most expensive in the country.
Large companies continue to dominate the business landscape. Seven companies on Fortune 500’s 2022 list of the United States’ largest companies are headquartered in Seattle: Internet retailer Amazon, coffee chain Starbucks, freight forwarder Expeditors International of Washington, department store Nordstrom, forest products company Weyerhaeuser, online travel company Expedia Group, and real-estate tech company Zillow. Before moving its headquarters to Chicago and then ultimately Arlington, Virginia, aerospace manufacturer Boeing was the largest company based in Seattle. Its largest division, Boeing Commercial Airplanes, is still headquartered within the Puget Sound region. The company also has large aircraft manufacturing plants in Everett and Renton.

Seattle was being Seattle on this day, rainy. For our transportation to the airport, we purchased an excursion like we do on many cruises that includes a tour of the port city and a ride to the airport. When sailing on NCL, be sure to remember that your embarkation port is considered another port day. With that in mind, when NCL offers $50 per port for excursions as one of the perks on your cruise that includes the disembarkation port. Our post trip excursion included a city tour, a stop at the Space Needle, including a ticket to the top, and a stop at the Seattle waterfront Pike Place Market. For the most part, Seattle’s northwest weather cooperated for us; on embarkation day it was warm and sunny and the pools on the ship were open, on our last day it was rainy early on but warmed up throughout the day. Our tour guide on the bus did a great job telling us about the city. It is amazing how many large hi-tech employers there are in Seattle. Our tour took us around downtown, then we stopped at the Space Needle. We were dropped off and given tickets and a meeting time to be back on the bus. I don’t recall how long we had; guess I need to take better notes. There will be quite a bit more of the tour once I get our vlog from the cruise published on our YouTube channel. We had to walk around the base of the needle on a ramp to get through the small security checkpoint and to the elevators. There was a stop where you could have your photo taken and then download it for free. We headed up to the observation platform on the elevator and once at the top, we had a little rain, but it was an awesome view. You could see the port and the NCL Bliss. There were some concession stands up there, restrooms and plenty of room to enjoy the view, either from inside behind the windows or out on the platform. The platform had tall glass partitions that make taking photos and videos a bit tough but there was room between the glass partitions where you could try and get better shots. The biggest issue was the rain on the glass. Either way, it was an awesome part of the tour. Definitely should be on your bucket list when in Seattle. The base of the Space Needle had a comprehensive gift shop. Boarded the bus and on for a bit more city touring, then a stop at the famous Seattle Pike Place Market. We were dropped off a block or so from the market and walked over. The market and the sights, sounds and smells around it were amazing! Plenty of places to get a bite to eat or a drink. We bought some awesome pastries to take on the plane with us. We, of course, visited the famous fish market where they toss a large fish through the air. The most amazing thing in the market was the variety of colorful cut flowers. It was like walking along fields of the most beautiful flowers on earth. I wasn’t sure if we could take any on the plane, and we had so much luggage to manage already, it would have been a task I did not want to try. The market is for sure a must do when in Seattle. I think the next time we cruise out of Seattle, we may come two days ahead of the cruise and enjoy the city a bit more. We had a bit of time to stop in the Target store where we were to meet the bus. The store was quite unique in that it had three floors and shopping cart escalators, something we don’t see in Wisconsin LOL. Back on the bus, we enjoyed hearing and seeing about a few more sites on our ride to the airport. Seattle is a very interesting city…I could see it being a great place to vacation with what all it has to offer–the city sites, the coastline, a trip into British Columbia, and, of course, the mountains. Mt. Rainier was quite the site on our embarkation day. On this day, as it is often, it is obstructed by cloud cover. I guess for the locals, it’s a topic of conversation when Mt Rainier is visible from Seattle.
Not a lot to say about SEA-TAC airport…it was a nice airport, had several food options, was clean, the folks were very friendly and helpful. The hardest part was finding an outlet to charge a phone or plug in a laptop, normal for many airports.

We are coming away from our first Alaskan cruise with a desire to return. Yes, it was the first cruise of the season in Alaska, the weather wasn’t the greatest, and many of the sites/shops were not open, but it was still an awesome trip. Again, with the unknowing schedule for our NCL training, we did not book as many excursions as we would have liked; so, I guess this means we will go back. I know I want to get up close to a glacier, see more waterfalls, and wildlife and spend more time in Juneau and Ketchikan. Those don’t even account for Denali and all the beauty there is to see in outside of the Inside Passage of Alaska. We are blessed to have been able to take this cruise, and we hope to go back and would love for you to join us when we put a group cruise together. Be sure to visit our YouTube channel and watch our vlog on Alaska and other destinations.