Alaska
The Last Frontier
Welcome to Alaska: Where the Mountains Touch the Sky, the Sun Forgets to Set, and the Moose Have the Right of Way.
Our Cruise Itinerary
We took the Royal Caribbean cruise up to Alaska and The Brilliance of the Sea was the cruise ship we were on. Here are the stops in our itinerary:
Stop 1
Sitka
Stop 2
Juneau
Stop 3
Hoonah
Stop 4
Ketchikan
Stop One: Sitka
Apparently the largest city by land area in the US, Sitka was our first stop to exploring this state
The Sitka National Historical Park was where we headed to after we docked. Super cool museum full of historical artifacts from the Indigenous population who lived in Alaska. There is also a lot of history on when Russian traders first made contact with these Indigenous populations as well.
There was also a lot of trails to hike and to explore. The ocean is beautiful and the nature is breathtaking. I accidentally set my camera to have an ISO of really high (this was before I took a photography class) so my pictures came out a little noisy. Nonetheless, the views were stunning.
Stop Two: Juneau
City of Juneau
The capital of Alaska, we arrived on the third day after we went through Icy Point Strait.
We did not do much around Juneau, just traveled through the city and checked out the sites. Cute quaint city with a little rain when we checked it out.
There were lots of souvenir shops you can go to once the ship docks. Lots of shopping to do!
King Crab
I recently started loving cooked seafood, and everyone raved about the cooked crab, especially at Tracy’s Crab Shack. We got their combo with king crab, bisque, and rolls. It was so worth it for the price, and Alaska’s seafood is absolutely delicious. It tastes fresh!
Stop Three: Tongass National Park
Gondola Up with “S’more” beautiful views
The Sky Peak Gondola took us over 1500 feet to the top the overlook the Glacier Bay. Absolutely breathtaking top, with some vendors that sold s’mores at the peak!
Be careful of the bears and wildlife though, make a lot of noise the scare them away.
Hidden Lake
But the gem of the peak is a small hike to the hidden lake. With a small hike that is around 2 miles, you do not want to miss this hidden wonder. But again make sure to make some noise to make your presence known to bears.
At the end of the hike, we met with a Tlingit person giving us insight into their way of life. He told us he lives not too far from the peak and he showed us photos of bears up close as well as his family. He also showed us some instruments his people played. It was a super educational experience as well!
Stop Four: Ketchikan
Shop till you drop
Being the first city in Alaska, Ketchikan has a lot of shops that sell Alaskan souvenirs including wood carvings, jewelry, and golden tokens. They also have more modern souvenirs like maps, globes, books, and more!
Fish and Chips!
By far the best thing about Alaska is its fresh seafood. We were told Ketchikan’s fish and chips were to die for and they were not kidding around. The tartar sauce added a nice tang and the fish was crispy, yet juicy.
Cruising Speed on the Waters
Views, Views, Views
The cruise provided the best views of the inside passage in Alaska. It was quite early in the morning when we passed by it, but waking up for it was absolutely worth it.
Fine Dining – with more Seafood
With a wide menu variety, any chance they served seafood I would jump at the chance to try it. Lobster and fish galore, even the cruise offered amazing seafood to fit the Alaskan theme. The servers were also super friendly, and we loved talking to them about their travel experience.
And here was the cruise that did it all! The Brilliance of the Seas had the best staff, servers, custodial, everyone to make our 7 days an absolute dream vacation. Here is the link to our itinerary.