Readers and fellow travelers, welcome to my Alaskan Cruise Adventures Part II. This is the second of a 3-part series on our 7-day Alaskan cruise. In this blog post, I shared the first 2 days of our cruise. The weather was rocky those first day but my Relief Band served me well and I only had to take bonine a couple of times the whole trip. I don’t get terribly motion sick but have had a few episodes of seasickness on small boats in recent years. I might not have really needed the Relief Band but I didn’t want to find out a little too late. The battery powered band emits little controlled pulses of electricity that send a message from your brain to your stomach to settle things…or perhaps distract the wearer from their symptoms?? Whatever the case, it worked for me.
In addition to writing about the first days of our cruise, for this month’s edition of Where Blogger’s Live prompt ‘what’s in our bag’, I chose to write about what I packed for our cruise. You can find that article, here. This was our first cruise and our first trip to Alaska. I watched a number of YouTube videos on what to wear in Alaska in May in order to pack the right things. Aside from wishing I had one more pair of clean undies (TMI?) and another pair of fleece leggings, I did well in the packing department!!
Alaskan Cruise Adventures Part II
The cruise days I am sharing in this post included 2 excursions off the ship and a day at sea where we cruised into Endicott Arm and alongside Dawes Glacier. Writing these posts has been a delightful way to remember and relive the whole vacation.
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Tuesday, 04.29.2025
We survived the first evening of forecasted gale force winds and rough seas and lived to write about it. Truly, it wasn’t bad at all. Just the lullaby of the wind and water and the swaying of the ship. We would wake up, acknowledge the movement the roll over and go back to sleep. Getting up to use the bathroom was a bit of an adventure, though. First I had to wake up enough to realize where I was – not at home. Then had to slip out of bed, stand for a second or two to get my bearings and then wobble to the bathroom and back. But I did it!!
Tuesday Morning
Caught a glimpse of the sun over the snow-covered mountain tops this morning, couldn’t wait to get out on the verandah (in my pjs) to check out the beautiful scenery despite the nippy 42* weather.
Today was our first of 4 excursions, and one of the best. After breakfast in the Lido buffet, we pulled into the Juneau port and disembarked for our whale-watching and glacier-viewing outing.
Only had a few minutes to look around before embarking for a 2-hour jaunt on the Zephyr.
Our tour guide-naturalist Dennis was so knowledgeable about the animals and the terrain, and passed around artifacts to illustrate some of what he was discussing. Including the whale baleen that I tried on for size.
The boat was well designed with windows that opened up so we could get clear photos of the wildlife and scenery. We were also invited to step out on the aft deck to take photos. Dennis was also very helpful in assisting us in taking the best photos and suggested settings and techniques for improving our photos.
These 2 reminded me of Lucia and Cami.
The second leg of the journey was a bus ride to Mendenhall Glacier and the Tongass National Forest – such a lush, green park.
Shortly into our hike, one of the other participants from our cruise ship dropped his phone from a bridge we were crossing into the rapidly-moving stream below. Dennis, our guide, waded into the water and retrieved the phone, despite the very chilly air and water temps.
We continued walking through the forest to a spot where we could view the glacier more closely, it was breath-taking; the immensity, the colors and shapes and textures of the ice and the mountains surrounding it. Wow!!
Tuesday Evening
The bus ride back to the ship was pleasant. We enjoyed dinner in the dining room, to include salmon and a mouth-watering crab cake with red velvet cake and cream cheese icing for dessert. Thank goodness for stretchy pants.
We were tired by bedtime. Crawled under the covers to work on bill paying and some blog writing before calling it a day. This was the scene outside our verandah before we shoved off for our next port; 10,255 steps. 04.29.2025 OGT: the incredible, rugged beauty of this wilderness.
Wednesday, 04.30.2025
I might have been more excited about today’s scenery than anything else on the cruise. It did not disappoint. This was our second glacier sighting. But this time from the comfort of our ship, with the best views from our veranda.
Wednesday Morning
It was gray and drizzly when we woke up. I ran to the veranda window to check out the view as became my habit every morning.
Shortly after we got dressed, we began to see little icebergs floating by the ship. I wore a second plaid wool shacket this day with a black turtleneck underneath and a baselayer top and bottom under that. We broke out our monoculars to get a better look at the passing landscape in search of a bear or other wildlife.
Then the cruise event coordinator came on the PA system and announced that the crew was opening the bow of the ship so passengers could venture out for a closer look at the approaching Dawes Glacier. We bundled up in our rain pants and rain coats to head out.
Hot chocolate and an assortment of other warm adult beverages were available for purchase. Santa and Mrs. Claus both partook. We were saving room for breakfast.
When I was in Panama and Ft. Hood, Texas, I had Siberian Huskies. When I saw this sled dog on the deck, I ran to him without even thinking, like I was running into the arms of a long lost friend.
The nearer we got to the glacier, the more ice we began to see in the water. When I told Lucia and Cami that we were going to see icebergs, Lucia became concerned that we might meet with the same fate as the passengers and crew of the Titanic.
More magnificent ice. Isn’t that color spectacular?
The ship began turning around so that we could manuever out of Endicott Arm and back toward the ocean. PC determined that once it got turned around we would have a fabulous view of the glacier from our very own veranda. I suggested we run up to eat breakfast before the other 1,900 passengers came in from the aft of the ship to get warm and do the same thing.
PC was right on the money about the view from our veranda.
This snow and ice lovin’ girl was in pig heaven.
Check out this family of sea lions ‘sunbathing’ on an iceberg. Wish we could have seen them a little more closely.
The rain slowed down to next to nothing but goodness, it was chilly out on our deck.
Just incredible scenery. I could watch it all day long.
Wednesday Evening
Late that afternoon, we went to the library again to write and just relax. It was such an inviting space. But I seem to find most libraries to be that way. Do you?
I noticed that a number of books I have read with my book club, Come Read with Me, were on the cruise ship’s shelves. Took a picture of some of them to share with my group. The library books were available to cruisers to borrow on the honor system to read and return at the end of their cruise.
We took a walk around the deck in order to get some exercise and steps. Then stopped by the shops where they were giving away the ‘charm of the day’. It was the first day we had been aware of the daily charms, so I picked up Wednesday’s charm along with the charms given since the beginning of the cruise and a bracelet to hang them from. The shops were also selling a number of fun orange accessories that passengers could purchase for the Orange Party later that evening.
My PC had purchased an orange University of Texas El Paso sweatshirt for the occasion. I had packed an orange and navy striped, boatneck tee.
We stopped in at the fitness center for a stretching class before dinner. It felt good to workout a bit before dinner. We ate in the dining room. Enjoyed ‘fashionistas’ with our meal. PC had a pork cordon bleu and I had a Indonesian noodle and shrimp dish. Loved my bowl of French onion soup. You know what a fan of soup I am.
After dinner, we played 90s music trivia in the Billboard on Board lounge – so much fun!! And trivia night always drew huge, standing room only crowds. The young man in orange and black standing to the left of the column in the center of this photo was the DJ and MC and did a great job hosting the game.
Next stop was the World Stage to hear Australian singer Angie Narayan. She put on a first class show singing the hits of some of the most reknowned soul sistas. That girl can sing!!
From there we went to the Rolling Stone Lounge for Orange Night trivia followed by a band that played a number of 80s and 90s pop hits. It was such fun. I might have even danced a little. Loved watching all the grandmas and grandpas swaying, singing and even sashaying on the dance floor.
At one point during the Orange Night trivia, the answer to one of the musical questions was “Let it Be” by the Beatles. On cue, all of the audience put their cell phones on flashlight mode and began waving them above their heads to the beat of the music. It was such fun to see 50-60-70-year-olds reliving their younger years.
We climbed into bed happily exhausted from a delightful day at sea; 12,758 steps. OGT: seeing retirees having such fun; a trip down Memory Lane
Thursday, 05.01.2025
After a late night, we were dragging a little this morning, but had to get up early for our second excursion off-ship in Sitka, Alaska.
Thursday Morning
We ate breakfast at the Lido Buffet. So. Many. Delicious. Choices!! Pastries, fruit, eggs any style, breakfast meats, oatmeal, yogurt, crepes, cheeses, deli meats, coffee and juice and breakfast cocktails. I had yogurt and fresh fruit. Even though I was dressed in layers for our outing, it was a dreary, drippy morning so we sat away from the windows that overlooked the ocean.
We returned to our stateroom after breakfast waiting to be notified that it was time to disembark for the day’s adventures, a Sea Otter and Wildlife Quest.
Meeting up with the tour guides for each excursion was a simple process. As we disembarked from the ship, we were met by guides holding signs with the name of various excursions. The guide directed passengers where to stand for their particular day trip. We waited in the drizzle for about 15 minutes but were able to duck into some of the gift shops along the dock to escape the weather.
When our excursion boat arrived at the dock, we were invited to board the St. George. It was a double-decker vessel. PC and I chose to sit on the second level inside the cabin area where we would be able to move outside for pictures more easily.
The scenery was breathtaking but it was frigid when we stepped out onto the deck to look for whales and otters. The rain became heavier and felt more like sleet. I was torn between being on the deck in hopes of seeing some of the wildlife promised by this quest and trying to get warm inside the cabin of the boat.
We did see an eagle perched on the naked branches of a tree on the shoreline, and a number of otters at a distance, and maybe one whale spouting off on the horizon. Oh, and some bright orange starfish!! But it was soooo cold and wet that I was glad when our excursion concluded.
Back at the port, our wildlife hunting efforts were well-rewarded and we were warmed from the inside with a bowl of the most delicious clam chowder at Halibut Point Crab and Chowder. Oh, I wish I could have another bowl right now. So good. Anyone else here love Panera soup and bread bowls?
After lunch, we returned to the ship and warmed up. Might have even indulged in a nap.
Thursday Evening
After ‘partying’ – ha!! – the night before, we decided to make Thursday evening very low-key. So low-key that I didn’t take pictures of what we ate for dinner and I don’t remember where we dined. Probably the buffet. And we attended Trivia Night again at the Billboard on Board lounge.
As the ship began moving back toward the Pacific Ocean from Sitka, the seas became much rougher again. I was thankful for my Relief Band. Just had to crank it up a bit to keep my stomach from rolling. It really worked.
Our vacation was winding down and I think while we were looking forward to Friday’s excursion, we were also beginning to look forward to being on land again, in our own house and own bed; 8,691 steps. OGT: adjusting well to the motion of the ship; clam chowder
Your Turn
Have you been on a cruise before or maybe taking a cruise is on your bucket list? Did you experience rough waters when you were at sea? Even with 3 nights of gale warnings that kept our ship swaying most of the evening, I loved every minute of our cruise. Hope you will come back for my third and final installment about the last days of our Alaskan cruise. Our Friday excursion was my favorite. Come back to read all about it.
Thank you for visiting today. Make this weekend a good one. We are just home from Creede, Colorado yesterday and have gone from chilly days there to triple digits here at home. Going to get in the pool for sure!!
Hugs and kisses,
Ready to go again?
YES, YES, YES…with YOU!!
I love reading about your cruise. I’m anxious to do an Alaskan cruise even more now.
Thank you for sharing your amazing experiences – wow! It looks like you had a fantastic time and made so many special memories.
I haven’t been on a cruise so it was great to hear all about your time on board.
Wow what a journey. While I am not a fan of cruises Alaska is on the bucket list..
Brave of the fellow to try and retrieve the phone and I am amazed that he found it.
Hi Leslie, it’s so interesting to read about your cruise and to experience a little of it through your words and pictures! Did the phone that was dropped survive the water, what a generous thing the guide did to retrieve it!
Thanks for sharing with us, I’ve not done a cruise and while I won’t say never it’s not on my list of things to do just yet. I would have loved the orange night though 🙂
Great post!
Oh, Debbie, please keep a cruise in mind for sometime down the road. It was soooo nice. So restful – even with the gale winds and rocking ship. And the scenery was just beautiful – something we wouldn’t see in the desert we call home. Of course, the food was fabulous and NO DISHES TO WASH!! We really had a bang-up time, as my mom would have said. I hope it isn’t my only cruise.
The school colors for my alma mater, the University of Tennessee, are orange and white. So I had a number of orange items in my wardrobe for orange night. I know you really embrace color in your wardrobe and life, and I think maybe orange is your favorite color. Green is mine but orange runs a close second.
Thank you so much for coming by.
The food looks incredible! I have always wanted to take an Alaskan cruise but I wonder if I could handle the cold…and I’m from Wisconsin! How did you do it when you’re use to being warm all the time?