What are you looking forward to the most?

[dinomac]

The Alaska Cruise season is almost here... for those of you that have gone once or maybe many times, what are you looking forward to the most? What are some of the highlights from past cruises/landtours? What are some "don't miss" excursions? My wife and I are looking forward to 2011 when we will head up to Alaska for the first time. Can't wait!!!

[CowPrincess]

The Alaska Cruise season is almost here... for those of you that have gone once or maybe many times, what are you looking forward to the most? What are some of the highlights from past cruises/landtours? What are some "don't miss" excursions? My wife and I are looking forward to 2011 when we will head up to Alaska for the first time. Can't wait!!!

 

I am most looking forward to going back to Sitka. Haven't been there since 2000. And am looking forward to the sense of being "connected with the universe" that I always have when in Alaska. Alaska stirs my soul, touches my heart..

[FurryPetMom]

I have been planning our first cruise to Alaska since summer of last year. I'm looking forward to all of it and I can't wait! It's just 6 weeks away!

I'll post again after our cruise to tell you what I can't wait to do the next time we go to Alaska!;)

[dinomac]

We've only cruised in the Caribbean, so Alaska will definitely be a whole difference experience. I wish it was this year and not 2011. Who else out there is looking forward to returning to Alaska and why?

[zelker]

Why do we keep going back?

 

Waking up at 4:30 in the morning and stepping out onto our balcony in that almost surreal light to watch as the ship almost soundlessly picks its way through the small islands approaching Glacier Bay or

 

seeing all the magnificent bald eagles take flight on the wind and hearing their very distinctive call or

 

hearing the big crack that happens right before a piece of a glacier breaks off and then hearing the large thunder when it does or

 

watching the otters floating on their backs with the babies snuggled up on their tummies or

 

getting to see for ourselves that bears really DO "do it in the woods" ;) or

 

meeting some pretty cool locals or

 

learning about the special people that have lived in such a vast place in such a harsh climate for hundreds and hundreds of years or

 

finding out that you really can NOT see Russia from Sarah Palin's :rolleyes: :D

[ellbon]

flying over and landing on a glacier. fresh fresh fish

 

Alaskan Beer

 

early mornings on the balcony drinking hot tea

 

seeing land every day but watching it change as we head towards vancouver

[dinomac]

Zelker... you make it sound magical!

Ellbon... I bet that is different to see land every day on a cruise... so used to the big ocean view... I'm sure it's more interesting and gorgeous scenery!

[Yukon]

Hubbard Glacier, another boat tour at Sitka, and sitting in the piano bar with my beloved and a glass of good Scotch, watching the world go by. Ahhhhhhhhhhhh...........

[tutuwahineLV]

I'm with Zelker....I was blown away by the time spent on the balcony very early in the morning and the absolute quiet...especially the morning we slipped into ketchikan....it was foggy and the light was magical and the sound was the ships horn every now and then with the slighest hiss as we moved through the water. Have never experienced anything like before or since....not even in my dreams :cool:

[zelker]

I'm with Zelker....I was blown away by the time spent on the balcony very early in the morning and the absolute quiet...especially the morning we slipped into ketchikan....it was foggy and the light was magical and the sound was the ships horn every now and then with the slighest hiss as we moved through the water. Have never experienced anything like before or since....not even in my dreams :cool:

 

Aloha, "LV Grandma" ;) -- I got chicken-skin reading your description, too. You are so right - I love hearing the ship's horn as it disappears behind us ... into the fog, into the night.....

 

Gosh, now I am SO getting excited and we still have 3 months to go!

[oldmama]

What did I enjoy the most? The ride into Denali, stopping at an overlook, feeling the wind, seeing all the wildlife upclose, then going flightseeing, landing on a glacier, breathing in the crisp, clean air, & the exhilaration of being on top of the world, seeing Mt McKinley change colors as the sun came up, rafting the Kenai, seeing a moose & a bear in the river, taking the train in Skagway, smelling the fir trees, reminding of Christmas, whalewatching in Juneau, & the double rainbow as we sailed out of port. In other words, I loved it all & will add to these memories next month when I return. Am already thinking about an inland tour for 2011. Once Alaska gets under your skin, you can not get enough.

[adkkev]

This is our first cruise (Alaska or otherwise), and we're looking forward to seeing this part of Alaska. We have visited much of the rest of the state on our own over the past ten years, winter and summer. We've been hesitant about cruising ... we've typically been in control of our time in Alaska in the past, and now we're in the hands of others. But it's another new experience, and it's Alaska, so it should be awesome!

[zelker]

You're lucky to have visited so much of it by land - it's on our bucket list. But be assured that viewing it from the sea is simply breathtaking.

[luvlake]

What did I enjoy the most on our B2B this last summer?

 

Absolutely everything! The snow capped mountains, the endless beautiful majestic scenery, the beautiful sun sets. The whales, the dolphins, the eagles, the moose, the bears, the seals. The glorious glaciers, the waterfalls.

 

The excursions are unbelievable. My favorite was Adventure Bound out of Juneau. But I must confess that we enjoyed everyone of my excursions.

 

I enjoyed the 21 people that cruised with us. Had a fabulous steward and the crew on the Sapphire was tremendous.

 

My friends are probably all thinking could it really be that great! Well the answer is it really can't be put into words. It is an experience that I will never forget!:)

[TahitianVirgin]

Bears, Fishing, Whales and beautiful landscape!

[Cheryl H]

flying over and landing on a glacier. fresh fresh fish

 

Alaskan Beer

 

early mornings on the balcony drinking hot tea

 

seeing land every day but watching it change as we head towards vancouver

 

You could see land every day? So you were southbound? Was there land on both sides? We're port side (north bound). Will we see land every day also?

[Kilgore32]

9 uninterrupted days with my husband...everything else is just bonus!

[alpal1993]

I am most excited about going to Port Anchorage! Planning on being on deck quit early as we cruise up Cook Inlet.Looking for Beluga whales.If we do spot one it will be amazing as I have heard there are only 300 left in the Inlet.Finally being able to book my tour there and visiting Native Heritage Center,Alyeska and Portage Glacier.Visiting Kodiak and Homer as well as our 4 hour eco tour with Captain Davey in Sitka.In our other ports of Ketchikan,Juneau and Skagway we plan on seeing things that we were unable to see the first time.Dh loves the show Deadliest Catch so we will be doing that one.Dog Carting in Skagway as our Dogsledding was cancelled first time.This is a great sacrifice,but at least I will get to see the dogs and use my imagination.Juneau Mendehall Glacier/Roberts Tramway.Victoria we are going to Butchart Gardens.I have heard they are beautiful and well worth visiting.

 

My most wonderful memory from our land/cruise tour was our flightseeing and Glacier Landing out of Talkeetna.Standing in glistening snow with the most awsome picturesque Denali in the background.Priceless.Seeing the Black Wolf walk right up the side of the bus in Denali.I almost fell out the window.I can still see the wolf's eyes in my mind.

[Budget Queen]

For me, it is just the return. Alaska is ALL good for me. A place that calls me over and over. It's too bad I have to fit in all my other touring during the year. Otherwise, I would be up there for months. :)

[lorilea]

Our Highlights from July 2009

 

Seeing a lynx in front of our bus in Denali ! Saw lots of grizzlies, foxes, moose, a wolf, Dall sheep, caribou etc. too!

 

Watching a moose cross in front of our raft when we went white water rafting on the Nenana River.

 

Dinner at the Glacier Brewhouse in Anchorage - best meal of our 17 day trip!

 

Prince William Sound Glacier cruise - waiting and watching for calving glaciers.

 

Watching Tufted Puffins with Captain Davey in Sitka.

 

Watching my 14 year old son's face as he came out of Michelle of Island Wings plane in Ketchikan. She let him fly the plane! He smiled for days afterwards!

 

Watching 15 - 16 Humpback Whales bubble net feeding with Captain Larry of Orca Adventures in Juneau for about 2 hours straight. We didn't even care that it was raining the whole time!

 

Lunch at Tracey's King Crab shack in Juneau! Yum!

 

Last minute decision to go gold panning in Juneau! Corny but fun!

 

Trip to the Yukon! Gorgeous!

 

Victoria B.C. - what a beautiful city! We stayed here for 3 nights after our cruise!

 

 

Amazing - can't wait to go back some day!

[dinomac]

For those of you that have been to Alaska, what month did you go and why? I'm so confused on which month to choose. End of May may be the driest, but not too warm; June is good for whales; Bears come out in July, but rainy; anyway... lots of decisions to make for us and I need your help figuring out when I want to go too!

[ZeusOS]

The Alaska Cruise season is almost here... for those of you that have gone once or maybe many times, what are you looking forward to the most? What are some of the highlights from past cruises/landtours? What are some "don't miss" excursions? My wife and I are looking forward to 2011 when we will head up to Alaska for the first time. Can't wait!!!

 

 

I'm a first timer. All I want is some killer eagle shots. Then everything else.

[zelker]

For those of you that have been to Alaska, what month did you go and why? I'm so confused on which month to choose. End of May may be the driest, but not too warm; June is good for whales; Bears come out in July, but rainy; anyway... lots of decisions to make for us and I need your help figuring out when I want to go too!

 

Decide what is the most important criteria to you for the trip and then book (and remember, weather is weather no matter where you go and there are no guarantees; same with wildlife ;))

[CowPrincess]

Decide what is the most important criteria to you for the trip and then book (and remember, weather is weather no matter where you go and there are no guarantees; same with wildlife ;))

 

If you are prepared with good clothing, and a good attitude, the weather won't be a HUGE factor. I've been in May, June, July and had good weather except for June. I have no expectations of good weather for my Sept trip this year. But I'll have good layers, a waterproof hooded jacket and a good attitude :) (I hope!)

[grrl2grrl]

Thank you for this thread! I go SOON, and I am soaking up every bit of info available on these boards! Your posts have painted a wonderful picture, thank you! I am so looking forward to my cruise!