Alaskan Cruise 2012

About a year and a half ago, we were discussing traveling with Richard’s best friend, Wesley, and his wife, Ashley. We told them about our plan to hit all 50 states and that Alaska was on our list for 2012! We found out that Alaska was on their “must-see” list too! Thus, the planning began. We have anxiously been counting down the months until our Alaskan cruise in Sept 2012. Since the trip was a day after our 4 year anniversary – we continued the celebration by arriving a night early in one of our favorite places – Seattle (you can never celebrate too much, right?)! The trip was a blast and beyond gorgeous. Our favorite part of the trip was accomplishing rock climbing in Skagway. Most. Difficult. Thing.…ever! So fun! We also loved chatting with the tour guides in each city along the way and hearing their crazy stories on how they ended up living/working in Alaska. One guy left Seattle after to college to backpack through Alaska with a buddy. He was in for a surprise.  His crazy adventures included: a whale overturning his canoe, a wave slamming him into the rocks and splitting his canoe in half, falling into the water (42 degrees) and having to swim to shore, his friend getting extremely sick…. and the list goes on. Also, Alaskans are required to purchase life flight insurance ($126/year) in case they have to be taken to the hospital in Seattle. One life flight is $86,000 and the Alaska hospitals are only level one (very minor things). Your life flight insurance is only good for one flight a year. Ekk!

Alaska!

Seattle, Washington

All Aboard! Leaving Seattle on our cruise ship!

Gorgeous view at dinner!

Elliott's

Yum!

Our cruise ship!

Highlights: The Alexis Hotel, Elliott’s Oyster House, The Bookstore Bar, Pike Place Market, Café Campagne; Richard also enjoyed a great 8 mile jog through Seattle in the early morning.

All Aboard! NCL Cruise Lines

Highlights: Rockwall Climbing Wall (on top of the ship), Basketball, Casino at Sea, Wine Lovers – The Musical, Whiskey Tasting, Ping Pong, Dominos, Bowling, Encore! (Broadway shows), The Not-so-Newlyweds Game, Liars Club Game, Second City, Food, Food and More Food

We are on a boat!

All this fresh sushi was a total of $24 for 4 people...insane! 

Cupcake decorating on the ship
(I totally didn't realize it was a little kids activity before dragging everyone along)!

Rock wall climbing on top of the cruise ship.

Random: We were super excited to see the Second City traveling comedy troop twice on our ship! We originally saw Second City in Chicago and loved it! All the big comedians come from Second City (i.e., Steve Carell, Tina Fey, John Belushi, Chris Farley, and the list goes on and on).

Juneau, Alaska

Highlights: Mendenhall Glacier, Salmon Hatchery, Salmon Bake, Red Dog Saloon

Random: Salmon swim around the world only to come back to the exact same water they were born to spawn (weeks before they die). Where can I get a GPS like that? J Also, the Mendenhall Glacier is the most accessible glacier in the world and recedes at a rate of 150 feet a year. Did you know that “Juneau” that gets an average of 100 inches of rain a year?!

The cute cub...we didn't see. Ashley and Wes got to see it...
but we missed it b/c I had to go to the bathroom. Figures! 

On the bus after the Salmon Bake!

Salmon Bake...yum!!!!!!

Waterfalls during dinner!

Our Alaskan beers - brewed in Alaska!

Super windy haha

Loved our animals on the cruise ship.

Mendenhall Glacier...bears, oh my!

Skagway, Alaska

Highlights: Rock Climbing and Rappelling (on a mountain!), The Bonanza Bar

Random: Our tour guide looked just like Joseph Gordon Levitt! We learned that several of the tour guide companies offer internships and summer jobs for college credit (recruiting all over the US). Several of the tour guides were gaining degrees in recreation or parks – some were there just for an adventure!

Richard was such a fast climber!

I am actually begging the guide to let me down here...he kept telling me no.
LOL I made it to the top, not by choice. 

So scary!

Isn't this funny? They had a ton of Texas jokes during the trip.

Lunch in town - seafood was awesome!

Richard was beyond happy to watch the Dallas Cowboys games on the trip.
He only had to beg the staff for 2 days to play it...it worked! Check out the screen!

Glacier Bay, Alaska

Highlights: Massages, Glacier Bay, Brazilian Steakhouse, Wine - The Musical 

Random: Huge chunks of ice randomly fall off of the glacier (which can only be viewed from the cruise ship) – it’s called calving. When the ice falls in the water, it sounds like a huge thunderstorm or a wave of machine-gun fire (however, it is delayed so it is hard to see the ice falling before the sound).

Couple's Massage - great way to start the morning.

Glacier Bay

Glacier Bay + Us!

Hot chocolate and Glacier Bay 

Celebrating Wesley's 27th birthday on the ship at a Brazilian Steakhouse!

Wine - The Musical
Wine Tasting + A Musical = So Fun!

Ketchikan, Alaksa

Highlights: Duck Boat Tour, Crab Cracker Seafood Bar

Random: There is a street called Married Man’s Trail. In the early 1900’s, all roads led to the downtown area, known for its brothels. If you were a married man just trying to get into town for other business – you would not want rumor to spread since it was assumed that all men traveling these roads were headed to the brothels. Thus, Married Man’s Trail was created.

Quack!

Ketchikan was gorgeous! 

Hanging out in our stateroom on the ship.

Bowling on the ship!

Victoria, B.C. – Eh?

Highlights: Downtown Victoria, B.C., Wharfside Seafood Grill

Mini-Donuts! SO yummy!

Random: People rave about the mini donuts in Canada! They were very good! We also saw Darth Vader playing a violin on the street…definitely a new one. Richard purchased sour candy (the kind you fill up in a bag) at the 711 and you have to count how many pieces of candy before you purchase (i.e. 10 pieces X 5 cents = 50 cents). It was a very charming place! 

We only have 7 more states to visit!