Fresh Alaskan salmon bake onboard was a fantastic final lunch for this voyage! Yummmmm-my! Served buffet style with a nice assortment of salads, sides, and a delicious apple pie.
Saturday, August 13, 2016
Thursday, August 11, 2016
Catching Salmon in Ketchikan - Such a Thrill!
Alaska has been fabulous, and I cannot wait to be able to experience more of this beautiful state in the future. Tonight we set sail back southward with no more port days. We'll be in the classroom again tomorrow morning, and enjoying more of this lovely ship during the rest of this voyage.
Ketchikan - The Salmon Capital of the World
Good morning from Ketchikan, the salmon capital of the world! As we pull into port, I enjoyed breakfast in bed with a fantastic view of the channel and watched a great video on the fishing industry here, which correlates to my adventure today. Today in honor of my grandfather, dad, great-grandfather, and assorted uncles, I'm off for some salmon fishing. Hopefully, I catch something! It's 61 and overcast, but the air is so crisp and clean. Looking forward to a great day!
Wednesday, August 10, 2016
Glacier Bay National Park
Yukon Ho!
Tuesday, August 9, 2016
Glaciers & Whale Watching
Today we arrived in Juneau. Whales were spotted off the sides of the ship this morning long before we arrived, and it was spectacular to watch one fully breach. Breaching is a typical part of the mating ritual, per the naturalist on board, and not commonly seen in Alaska (usually in Hawaii where the humpbacks migrate to each October). It may have been a calf learning what he needs to do once he starts his own mating rituals soon. Calves are born about 12 feet long weighing in at about 2,000 lbs and zero body fat, but then start to add upwards of 100lbs per day throughout their first year.
Sunday, August 7, 2016
Greetings from the Inside Passage
Greetings from the Inside Passage. Just a few quick images before I go to the first class of this trip. We set sail yesterday from Vancouver and are working our way north. Tomorrow is Tracy Arm and Juneau. Today is cloudy (at least this morning), but the forecast is calling for great weather for most of the rest of this trip. The stars last night were fantastic, and we're supposed to have fantastic visibility of the meteor showers this week. More to come later.
Happy Sunday all!
Friday, August 5, 2016
Setting Out for the Last Frontier. Thinking of my Grandfather.
Tuesday, February 9, 2016
An Alaskan Cruise. Is Alaska on Your Bucket List?
When it comes to cruises, an Alaskan cruise is in a league of its own and provides an experience of a lifetime. The voyage itself is certainly different from a typical cruise headed to the warm and sunny beach destinations of the Caribbean. An Alaskan cruise brings forth another type of awe-inspiring beauty altogether. and provides passengers the opportunity to see pristine landscapes and wildlife in a way that they might never have experienced before. A Bucket List destination for many, Alaska is a top cruise destination. |
Here are just a few reasons why an Alaskan Cruise should be at the top of your travel list.
Cruise Lines Cater to All Ages
Once upon a time, it seemed that the vast majority of passengers on Alaskan cruises were elderly. However that has changed, and most major cruise lines, which cater to all ages, now travel to Alaska. Disney Cruise Line, known for being family-oriented, cruises to this destination on the Disney Wonder, which has been specially retrofitted to enhance the Alaskan experience for her guests. Oceangoing cruise lines that serve the Alaska market include Princess Cruises, Holland America Line, Regent Seven Seas Cruises, Royal Caribbean International, Norwegian Cruise Lines, Carnival Cruise Line, Celebrity Cruise Line, Oceania Cruises, Silversea, and Crystal Cruises. Additionally, smaller river cruise ships that serve the Alaska market include American Cruise Lines, Tauck, and UnCruise Adventures.
Port Adventures
Regardless of age, there's something for everyone at the assorted port destinations. Examples include: children can pan for gold and watch dog sledding, adults can sample local brews and visit spectacular fjords and glaciers, and people of all ages can enjoy whale watching. For the more adventurous types, white water rafting, ziplining, or exploring glacier tops via helicopter ride can be great fun. Other more passive adventures include rides on the Alaskan railroad, shopping, and mild nature walks.
See Glaciers
While glaciers are the most sought-after tourist attraction in Alaska, they are also endangered and are decreasing at an alarming rate. See them from the cruise ship, get closer to them via kayak, take a hiking tour, or see them from a flightseeing tour. You don't want to miss seeing this magnificent sight!
The Wildlife
Alaska is known for magnificent wildlife, which you may first glimpse from the deck of your ship. Just imagine seeing humpback whales, orca whales, beluga whales, and dolphins, as you enjoy a meal or relax. You will also have the opportunity to take port excursions, enabling you to get close to native wildlife, which may include bears, elk, bald eagles, moose, and much more. It is a bird-lovers paradise, with hundreds of different varieties just waiting to be spotted. Be sure to bring along binoculars!
Cruise Season
The Alaskan cruise season is much shorter than in other areas of the world. The cruise ships first arrive in mid to late April, and all depart by mid-September.
Itinerary Options
There are numerous itinerary options and ways to experience Alaska, which allows you to find the best fit for you. There are four basic ways to cruise Alaska:
- Round-trip, sailing from either Vancouver, Seattle, and sometimes San Francisco, which will head north, typically through the Inside Passage, stopping in a handful of ports, and then return back to the originating port.
- Northbound one-way, which sails from Vancouver or Seattle heading north, again typically through the Inside Passage with multiple stops along the way, and then ending in the Anchorage area to either Whittier or Seward. Guests then disembark the ship and board the Alaskan railroad for the 2+ hour train trip to Anchorage, where they would then fly home.
- Southbound one-way, which is the opposite of the northbound, as guests would fly into Anchorage, and then ride the Alaskan railroad south to Seward or Whittier to board their ship. The ship would then sail through the assorted ports of call, down through the Inside Passage, and then on to Vancouver or Seattle, where guests would disembark and fly home.
- CruiseTour, which is a combination of a pre or post-cruise land experience coupled with the cruise itself. Guests can choose between 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, or even 7-day land experiences that include visits to Denali National Park and other exciting destinations throughout southern and central Alaska or Vancouver. Typically a pre-cruise tour will find guests flying into Fairbanks and beginning their land experiences and ending in Anchorage for the journey south on the Alaskan railroad to board their ship for a southbound cruise; though there are land experiences that begin in the Vancouver area with guests touring Whistler and the surrounding areas of Canada. Post-cruise tours are similar, just taking place after the cruise.
On Sale soon
The 2017 Alaskan itineraries are going to be released by the cruise lines very soon. Typically they release their coming year's schedule in late February or very early March, though Celebrity's 2017 sailings are already on sale. For more information and to learn more about Alaskan cruises, call Christopher today at 855.776.1733, or complete this link!
Monday, February 6, 2012
Destination Today: Places to See Before You Leave This Life: Denali National Park
Prior to the creation of Neverland Adventures Travel, I used to pride myself on having been to 44 states within the U.S.; to Canada & Mexico; and having traveled a lot for both of the companies that I worked for over the past 19 years. But I always lamented over not having yet taken trips to Europe, South America, Asia or Africa. I've dreamed of those places many times, but always figured I'd get to them... someday. Fast forward to today, and here I am selling those destinations and so many others. Time to take a crash course in destinations, as well start sampling them for myself - thus I've entered the world of FAM (familiarization) travel available to the professionals within the Travel Industry. But FAM trips take time and effort on the individual professional's part to accomplish, time that isn't always a resource in plentiful supply when clients want to know about a possible destination they're interested in visiting themselves.
Over the past few months I have gone through various training courses with the various cruise lines that I market and sell, as well the land providers and other destinations, and I've learned a lot about the geography of the world that I never learned in school. Not physical geography of the land - but rather PORTS OF CALL, and the numerous attractions to be found in and around those port cities. Which has led to me do additional research on various "must see" attractions, in cities and destinations around the world. While researching some of those attractions at my local Barnes & Noble store, I found this interesting little book standing on the shelf. "1,000 Places to See Before You Die - A Traveler's Life List", by Patricia Schultz. I was intrigued, and so I picked it up. After thumbing through for just a few moments, I realized I must have this book. And over the course of the past few hours, realized that I would incorporate a new feature into stopher's stuff, using this book as a guide - inspiration, if you will, for me, but also for you. Places that Cruise Planners~Neverland Adventures Travel can help you get to, either by land, air or sea. But even if you just plan it yourself, destinations of some historic, geographic, or visual significance that will enrich your life for having visited.
So welcome to the first installment of DESTINATION TODAY: PLACES TO SEE BEFORE YOU LEAVE THIS LIFE. I'll be sharing destination information in the vein of the aforementioned book, without using or abusing the source material, all the while going in no particular order. The book breaks down the world in the following chapters:
- Europe
- Africa
- The Middle East
- Asia
- Australia, New Zealand & The Pacific Islands
- The United States of America & Canada
- Latin America
- The Caribbean, The Bahamas & Bermuda
Today we'll take a look at Denali National Park in Alaska.
Mount McKinley, 20,230' is the tallest peak in North America, is the primary attraction in Denali National Park. The mountain is named after the 25th US President, but is also referred to locally by indigenous Athabascans of central Alaska as Denali.
The park is located about 125 miles south of Fairbanks is accessible by car during the months of May-September. The Alaska Railroad operates from June - early September. The best times to visit are June for the wildflowers, or August & September for the fall foliage.
This 6 million acre park is filled with grizzlies, moose and golden eagles, and contains vast tundras of subarctic splendor. The glaciers, massive peaks of the Alaska Mountain Range, as well as McKinley itself keep visitors returning year after year. Throughout the summer you can enjoy 16-20 hours of daylight each day to take in the dazzling scenery as you cam or enjoy North Face Lodge. Numerous plane and helicopter sightseeing excursions are available to get up in to the back country, not accessible by car or rail. You might also enjoy the 365 mile rail journey aboard the Denali Star, which takes you from Anchorage to Fairbanks, traveling through frontier towns of Wasilla & Takleetna, along with numerous "middle-of-nowhere" stops along the way.
This is a national park not to be missed, and can be added as a land or cruise tour to many Alaskan cruise itineraries.
Thursday, January 19, 2012
Tips on Thursday - Riding the Wave
- Special Pricing
- Extra Value Offers
- On-Board Credits
- Cabin Upgrades (usually within the same category)
- Reduced Deposits
- On-Board Coupon Booklets