Alaska Cruise (x 3) ~ Only on NCL

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Did the absolutely fantastic Alaska cruise in September of 2009 and cannot wait to do it again!   Sailed on Norwegian Star ( Such a beautiful ship, and I’ve been on 17 cruises, so I know them all, and there’s just nothing like Norwegian ) for JBs birthday!   I’m a beach girl so this was such a departure for me to go to a cold region, but I wouldn’t trade it for anything in the world. This particular cruise sails up into Sawyer Glacier as well, stops at the base of the glacier, and then does a 360 so that no matter where you are, you get the beautiful view.   This is just a fantastic time to have!  

SEATTLE, WASHINGTON

Seattle is the birthplace of rock legend Jimi Hendrix and the rock music style known as “grunge,”^[14] which was made famous by local groups Nirvana, Soundgarden, Alice in Chains, and Pearl Jam.

 

 

 

KETCHIKAN, ALASKA  (Salmon spawning, the first brothels) 
Ketchikan’s economy is based upon tourism and fishing, and the city is known as the “Salmon Capital of the World.” The Misty Fjords National Monument is one of the area’s major attractions. Ketchikan is named after Ketchikan Creek, which flows through the town. Ketchikan comes from the Tlingit name for the creek, Kitschk-hin, the meaning of which is unclear. It may mean “the river belonging to Kitschk”; other accounts claim it means “Thundering Wings of an Eagle.”

JUNEAU, ALASKA (Whale Watching, Mendenhall Glacier, then sailing up into Sawyer Glacier)
Juneau is named after gold prospector Joe Juneau, though the place was for a time called Rockwell and then Harrisburg (after Juneau’s co-prospector, Richard Harris). The Tlingit name of the town is Dzántik’i Héeni (“river where the flounders gather“), and Auke Bay just north of Juneau proper is called Aak’w (“little lake“) in Tlingit. The Taku River, just south of Juneau, was named after the cold t’aakh wind, which occasionally blows down from the mountains.  Downtown Juneau sits at sea level, with tides averaging 16 feet (5 m), below steep mountains about 3,500 feet (1,100 m) to 4,000 feet (1,200 m) high. 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; the Mendenhall glacier has been generally retreating; its front face is declining both in width and height.

SKAGWAY, ALASKA and the WHITE PASS TRAIN RIDE THRU THE YUKON

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 also part of the setting for Jack London‘s book The Call of the Wild.  Skagway (originally spelled Skaguay) is from the Tlingit name for the area, “Skagua” or “Shgagwèi” meaning “a windy place with white caps on the water.”

Our conductor for the White Pass Yukon Train Ride, from Skagway all the way up to Canada, past so many beautiful and historic sights.  

PRINCE RUPERT, British Columbia    Unfortunately it was pouring rain when we arrived and all tours were canceled so we just took a bus tour around the city, and walked around a little bit.

Prince Rupert, named after Prince Rupert of the Rhine, was founded by Charles Melville Hays, the general manager of the Grand Trunk Pacific Railway (GTP) and was incorporated on March 10, 1910. Prior to the opening of the GTP, the business centre on the North Coast was Port Essington on the Skeena River. After the founding of Prince Rupert at the western terminus for the Grand Trunk Pacific Railway, Port Essington returned to being a fishing community and is now a ghost town