Off The Grid: The Best Alaskan Cruise And Shore Excursions
Top photo courtesy of Celebrity Cruises
Carribean cruises are sometimes criticized for being overly passive, inauthentic, and borderline-boring for more outgoing travelers. Enter the famous Alaskan cruise, which promises passengers a front-row seat to some of the wildest maritime encounters, shore excursions, and natural mystic available to seafarers.
So is the reputation deserved? After traveling last month aboard Celebrity Solstice highest-rated 7-day Alaskan ship (according to Cruise Critic), my answer is a resounding “yes.” Whereas the Carribean focuses on relaxation and European cruises on culture, the Alaskan cruise accentuates not only big adventure, but unique opportunities within six degrees of the Arctic Circle.
All Aboard
Although christened nine years ago, Celebrity Solstice looks practically new. Big glass windows and “widescreen” balconies are everywhere. The cruiseline likes to describe itself as “modern luxury.” I think the moniker is fitting for this 1,000 foot and mostly middle-class passenger ship, which is neither gaudy, overly ornate, or chincy. Just beautiful and a pleasure to move about. That and the captain did donuts in the fjord so everyone could get a good look at the glacier—really!
On this particular cruise, we sailed the popular Inside Passage, which stretches from the Puget Sound into British Columbia and the Alaska Panhandle. Doing so lets sailors avoid some of the bad weather associated with the open seas—although it was noticeably bumpier than the Caribbean—and it puts the many isolated communities and wildlife within reach.
While aboard I enjoyed the spacious showers, Silent Disco, lawn deck, and better than expected food, especially from the health cafe. I also appreciated the resident naturalist (if not Alaska “hype man”) that drew attention to special events over the intercom. My only qualms were the abnormally long safety drill, extremely expensive wifi, and underwhelming performing arts (with exception to an uncanny Beatles cover band).
The views, however, were undoubtedly the highlight. At nearly every turn I witnessed something spectacular, be it a silver sunset at sea or a uncommon occurrence at port.
Frontier Adventure
On an Alaskan cruise, you don’t have to work hard to see “The Last Frontier.” Right from the ship, I observed breaching humpback, calving glaciers, misty fjords, iceberg-sized ice cubes, and wilderness that hasn’t been touched since dejected golddiggers last left it in the 1800s.
Photo courtesy of White Pass Railroad