We had never cruised before. I’d thought about it. I was worried my ridiculous antics and general disdain of rules may mean a confined ship environment was not the best choice. Being as this was a family adventure and not a large group trip it ended up working out really well. I tend to be better behaved when my extended family isn’t joining us.
We got such a great deal with Royal Caribbean. They had a Kids Sail Free promo (which they run pretty often) where you just pay the tax and port fee. I also had a 10% off code that saved Matt and I a few hundred. We booked early and in the shoulder season of May. Summer months are considerably higher. We lucked out and left during a heat wave so the weather was perfect during our voyage. Apparently May and September are often frigid and rainy so be prepared if you’re a gambler like me. Our ship, the Brilliance of the Seas, departed and returned from Vancouver. It’s an older and smaller girl with less amenities which also heIped with the cost. On a port heavy itinerary like Alaska we didn’t find this an issue at all. I don’t think I would choose to cruise again if we had to combine it with flights on both ends.
First stop, Sitka, Alaska. After sailing past the dormant volcano Mount Edgecumbe, the ship docked at the small inside passage town. We wandered around checking out the boardwalk and tourist shops. It’s a pretty village with a rich history of the Tlingit Aboriginal people. It was the Capitol of Russian America dating back to the early 1800s. Obviously I needed to lurk through the Sitka forest and find the old abandoned headstones and overgrown Russian Orthodox crosses in the decaying graveyard which was a quick 10 minute trek from civilization.
The next day we cruised through the Tracy Arm Fjord. I had my hopes up for ice bergs but they were small and underwhelming due to our chicken captain not being able to get far up the narrow body of water due to a glacier or some stupid excuse. We ordered room service for breakfast and sat on the balcony to soak up the gorgeous scenery.
The food and amenities on the ship were good. It’s like an all inclusive without the booze. There’s a buffet, formal main dining room, snack bar and coffee shop. You can add an alcohol or pop package. Juice, water, non specialty coffees and tea are included. There was 2 pools, one inside and one out. A couple of hot tubs. The kids loved the mini golf, sports court and climbing wall. I figured I would kill that damn wall but I only made it 3/4 of the way before losing my grip and falling like a fool. We only utilized the kids club once as the children weren’t super impressed. There is a small movie theatre that fills up quickly and plays new releases. We watched a great ventriloquist in the auditorium one night. Because of our early schedule with the moppets we didn’t explore the pubs, casino or late night entertainment much. The unseasonably warm weather made the outdoor viewing enjoyable. There was a day with an artic chill and the hellish winds were ghastly.
Haines looked like a postcard. Not a ton to do unless you booked a tour. We got off and sat on the beach for a few hours.
Juneau we booked a tour. Matt made a secret dash to the Alaskan dispensary and then we rambled off to see the gold mine at AJ Gastineau Mill. My family’s ancestry has a storied past embedded deep in the gold rush days of British Columbia. I wanted to see what successful gold miners looked like. Donning hard hats, the family journeyed through the underground tunnels as our guides told fun stories about mining techniques and the olden days. The very educated young gentleman at the gold panning section was exceptional and made sure both of my littles found some treasure to take home and put it in a small glass vile. Afterwards the tour dropped us back at the port and we went tacky t-shirt shopping.
Ketchikan was the last port and by far my favourite. This picturesque Alaskan town is a network of waterways nestled in the temperate rain forest. The Creek Street boardwalk has a captivating past as it was once lined with dozens of brothels and home to some shady characters. Most of the quaint buildings are built on wooden pilings. The views in every direction are striking.
We indulged on the Bering Sea Crab Fisherman’s Tour and it was worth every penny. You will recognize the old Alaskan king crab boat from the Discovery reality show Deadliest Catch. My family’s more recent ancestry has a storied past embedded deep in crabbing the pacific waters of Washington State (see that post here). Surprisingly, we are very successful crabbers, so we were thrilled to see some sober people pull it off this time. The Captain and his fishing helpers put on a great show full of all sort of sea creatures. They pulled up some staged traps which elated the offspring. The real highlight was the eagles (check out that amazing video here because WordPress wants to charge me $8 a month to post mp4’s and I’m cheap). It was mind blowing and a once in a lifetime experience.
Alaska was ravishing. I’m not sure we would have enjoyed it as much if the weather had sucked. Cruising was an easy way to see several areas without the headache of planning transportation. I would definitely consider doing it again if it was out of our home port in Vancouver. As far as Alaska goes, there are so many different itineraries and different cruise lines. Royal is a mid range class and suited us just fine. The rooms are cozy with 4 people sharing, so fork out the extra dough for the balcony. It may save you from murdering your family if you get stuck onboard for an extended period like those poor bastards during Covid. But that probably won’t happen again, right?!
KIDS AGES: 6 and 8
MAY 2023
paRty of 4 