 Is Alaska on your travel bucket list? If not, you really might want to consider adding it, maybe even moving it right near the top of your list! My husband was not an outdoorsman. His style preferences ran to “anything but RUSTIC”… and he absolutely hated to be cold. When I was accompanying a group on our first Alaska cruise-tour, he was definitely not the most enthusiastic of participants – so no one was more surprised than he himself at how he quickly fell in love with the Alaska experience! Alaska just tends to have that effect on travelers. The incredible scenery with soaring mountains, the wildlife and wide-open spaces of Denali, the majesty of ancient glaciers, rustic charm of the coastal villages …. all of this pulls travelers into the magic of Awesome Alaska. I made my third visit to Alaska this year, once again with Holland America. We had a group of 22 travelers and did their ‘D5L” tour, the trip I most frequently recommend to my clients … beginning in Fairbanks, with two nights in Denali National Park, the unforgettable rail journey taking you from Denali into Anchorage with overnight in the city, then on to Whittier by rail to board your vessel for the classic 7-night cruise. The cruise portion includes Hubbard Glacier, a full day sightseeing in Glacier Bay, Skagway, Juneau, and Ketchikan before disembarkation in Vancouver. One word I would use to describe this year’s journey? SPECTACULAR!  We booked all our guests with one extra night in Fairbanks pre-tour … I think most of us appreciated having the extra free day to relax and do our own thing after a long and exhausting day of travel. Several of us opted to visit the Museum of the North at the University of Alaska campus. It was an easy Uber ride from our hotel and the exhibits featuring Alaska history and wildlife were fascinating. We indulged in tickets for the beautiful Northern Lights show in their planetarium. Finally, the views from the hilltop museum were impressive and the view alone was almost worth the cost of the Uber ride! A gal has to eat – right? We planned for a lunch stop at the Cookie Jar Restaurant that a local had recommended. The menu was varied and portions huge … their cookies are infamous, so save a bit of room. You don’t want to miss these luscious cooies … and likely will want to take a few to have on hand for later ‘hunger emergencies.” Denali did not disappoint. Holland’s tour package includes the Tundra Wilderness Tour that takes you deep into the Park to view the spectacular scenery and abundant wildlife. The tour runs about five hours and we were blessed to see caribou, a moose with two calves, Dahl sheep, and a grizzly bear … well worth getting up at the excrutiatingly early hour that our tour was scheduled. The rail journey from Denali to Anchorage is always unforgettable. You travel through the wilderness via comfortable glass-domed rail cars complete with bar service. Gourmet quality dining is available on the lower level of each car, serving a variety of breakfast and lunch options. Arriving into Anchorage in the late afternoon, guests have the option to explore local shops and attractions before transferring via the Cruise Train to board your ship in Whittier the next morning. Again, you will take in expansive views from your comfortable rail car with lunch options available during the journey. The highlight for me was passing by Turnagain Arm, the inlet where Beluga Whales can occasionally be viewed frolicking during high tide. We sailed on Holland’s Westerdam, one of their older vessels. The ship definitely shows signs of its age … it definitely lacks the more modern touches of their newer vessels. None of this in any way impacted our cruise experience. The ship was in excellent condition and I loved the more intimate atmosphere found on these “vintage” vessels. Service was exceptional throughout, from our stateroom attendant to bar service to dining room staff. The crew members were absolutely delightful. Food was very good and beautifully presented. Our room was comfortable and provided more-than-adequate space for our needs. Entertainment onboard was absolutely stellar … the entertainers and shows were exceptional across the board. Holland America Cruise Line is my “go to” for the majority of our clients. Their somewhat upscale, traditional experience has broad appeal to our mature clientele. Don’t expect climbing walls or skating rinks on their vessels … what you can expect is great service, fine dining, a variety of live music options to cater to all tastes, and stellar entertainment. I highly encourage our guests to book excursions in their destinations as frequently these are the “memory makers” of your trip. I heeded my own advice and we enjoyed a variety of activities during our trip. In Denali, we opted for the Dog Gone It Sled Dog Kennel Tour … it was a fascinating learning experience, highlighted by the opportunity to hold some young puppies and a film about the famous Iditarod race. In Skagway, don’t even talk to me about doing anything other than my favorite White Pass Rail experience. The scenery is spectacular and you learn so much about the history and hardships endured by the explorers during the Gold Rush. Several of our group opted for this excursion (the most popular excursion in Alaska) – one couple rode up and took a fun downhill bicycle ride on the return, which is an option for the more adventurous traveler.  Juneau is for Whale Watching and it did not disappoint! We must have seen at least 20 Humpback Whales during our tour … my son did a kayaking tour at this stop. After our tours, four of us marched over to a little hole-in-the-wall restaurant, Tracy’s Crab Shack, where we maxed out on the most delicious king crab I have ever eaten. I never paid so much for a single meal in my life …. but worth every penny and then some. I’d do it again in a heartbeat! Our final stop on the journey was Ketchikan, where some of us had booked the inlet crabbing tour and dungeness crab feast. This was the second time I’d done this one and it does not disappoint!
Now, finally: why I particularly loved late May for our tour departure. First, May is the time when most of the wildlife is giving birth. Spring is definitely in the air and foliage is beginning to leaf out …. but not completely. The more sparse foliage made it easier to spot the wildlife on our tours … we likely would have missed seeing the moose and caribou calves … and possibly would have completely missed out on spotting the grizzly. The famous midnight sun is in full force, with roughly 20 hours of full daylight during our trip. Also, while May is beginning to warm up, the snow is still on the mountains and we experienced incredible sightseeing with those snowcapped mountaintops. Finally, May tends to be just a bit dryer than some other months … and we only experienced one day when there was significant drizzle occurring on and off throughout the day. I really could not have asked for a more perfect trip, and this time of year was definitely the best out of my three Alaska trips. There you have it – a complete overview of our fabulous spring cruise-tour with Holland America. Ready to book your Alaska cruise? Feel free to reach out to the experience Dancing Moon Travel agents with questions or to reserve your space. For a limited time, Holland America is including a great dining package for the land portion of your 2027 Alaska cruise-tour, truly one of the best ever promotions I have seen through the years.
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