By: Jason Hogan, Travel Consultant
Seattle, WA -July 18 – July 20, 2024
My family decided to spend two nights in Seattle before the cruise. Doing so allowed us to take our time experiencing a new city and to be first in line on embarkation day. We explored the downtown area, including Pike Place Market, The Gum Wall, The Space Needle, and the world-renowned Taiwanese Restaurant Din Tai Fung. The food there is outstanding, and it should be a must-try for anyone who enjoys Taiwanese Cuisine.
Day 1 – July 20, 2024 – Seattle, WA – Embarkation
We arrived at Smith Cove Cruise Terminal at 9:15 AM, and embarkation was a breeze. Princess uses the patented Medallion Technology, which allows quick verification and seamless access to your stateroom and other services onboard. The doors opened at 10 AM, and we were on the ship by 10:30 AM. After checking in at our muster station, we explored to get our bearings before grabbing a quick bite for lunch. We were fortunate to have an extended, forward-facing balcony on this cruise. The balcony was large, giving us plenty of space to spread out and enjoy the fresh air.
Day 2 – July 21, 2024 – Sea Day
The Discovery Princess is a beautiful ship with ample amenities to accommodate anyone’s needs. After breakfast, we checked out the arcade, the casino, and the shops onboard. We also had pizza from Slice, hot dogs from Salty Dog, and ice cream from Swirls, all located by the pool on the Lido Deck. Since our room was also on the Lido Deck, these became frequent stops throughout our cruise. The food was delicious, and the service was top-notch everywhere onboard. Princess does an exceptional job at making everyone feel special.
Day 3 – July 22, 2024 – Juneau, AK
Juneau, the capital of Alaska, is well known for being the birthplace of the Alaskan Gold Rush in the late 1800s. It is only about 20 minutes by motor vehicle to Mendenhall Glacier, one of the most visited glaciers in Alaska. Since our itinerary included Glacier Bay, we decided to try our luck at shoreside catch-and-release salmon fishing instead.
We visited Macaulay Salmon Hatchery and learned about salmon and the abundant sea life in Alaska’s Southeast panhandle. The hatchery is a spawning point for all types of salmon, including King Salmon. We were there at the peak of Chum Salmon season. Chum Salmon are widely used in canned or smoked salmon products you see on the shelves at the grocery store. Thousands of Chum were swimming up the shoreline and eventually up the ladder to spawn. We got to fish shoreside and caught at least a dozen salmon between the four of us. It was a truly memorable experience that we will never forget.
Day 4 – July 23, 2024 – Skagway (Haines), AK
Skagway is home to the White Pass Scenic Railway. This train takes you through some beautiful scenery up to White Pass Summit. It is one of the most popular attractions for visitors to Skagway. However, since this was the longest port day on our journey, we decided to take the passenger ferry to Haines, Alaska, to take in some of the authentic Alaska Experience. Haines is known as the Valley of the Eagles because of the thousands of Eagles that visit there every November.
The ferry took us through the Lynn Canal, where we saw amazing waterfalls and wildlife, including seals and eagles perched on the treetops. Haines is home to the American Bald Eagle Foundation and Natural History Museum, which was our first stop. They are committed to conserving the American Bald Eagle and its habitat. We got to view the bird enclosures and the exhibits in the Natural History Museum, which were very informative.
Next, we trekked to town and had lunch at the Rusty Compass Coffee House. It felt good to refuel after walking in the rain for so long. Haines is also home to the Hammer Museum, which houses over 2500 unique hammers. Who knew there were so many different types of hammers? We toured the town a bit more before boarding the ferry for our ride back to Skagway.
Once back in Skagway, we had to try a Klondike Doughboy, so we walked to Alaskan Fry Bread & Gifts in town. The Klondike Doughboy is similar to an Indian Frybread, but it is covered in Cinnamon and Sugar and is one of those must-try items when visiting Skagway. Service was quick, and every single bite was delicious!
Day 5 – July 24, 2024 – Glacier Bay National Park, AK
At over 3 million acres, Glacier Bay National Park & Preserve is a flagship destination that should be on everyone’s bucket list when visiting Alaska’s Inside Passage. The glaciers here are so majestic that one can’t help but feel small when in their presence. They remind you of just how precious and unique Planet Earth truly is. We had the privilege of viewing two of the more prominent glaciers, with some of the best weather possible in Glacier Bay. The captain’s view from our balcony made this even more special as we had a front-row, private seat for this once-in-a-lifetime experience.
Margerie Glacier was the first glacier we visited. It spans 21 miles from the foot of Mount Root to the Tarr Inlet in Glacier Bay. Upon arriving here, we could hear the ice breaks echoing through the valley ahead. We were fortunate enough to witness several calving events of ice breaking off and crashing into the waters at the glacier’s base. Some of these pieces of ice were larger than the average home! This was truly awe-inspiring, and we could not stop staring at the glacier in anticipation of the next calving. The next stop was Lamplugh Glacier. This 8-mile-long glacier is located in Johns Hopkins Inlet just to the south/southwest of Tarr Inlet. This glacier has become prone to significant ice loss as temperatures have risen over the past 100 years. It sustained a massive landslide in 2016 when 1200 meters of the adjoining mountainside collapsed on top of it. We did not witness any calving events here. However, it was still very striking, and we enjoyed our front-row seats with eyes wide open.
Day 6 – July 25, 2024 – Ketchikan, AK
Ketchikan is known as the salmon capital of the world due to the robust runs of five species of salmon they have each year. Logging is also an important industry for Ketchikan. The Great American Lumberjack show can be seen here offering insight into the rich logging history in southeast Alaska. Since our day here was short, we explored the city on foot, visiting Creek Street on the east side of town.
Along the way, we stopped at Jellyfish Donuts, well known for its savory Salmon Donut. I wasn’t brave enough to try it but everyone else said it was delicious. The Maple Bacon and Fruity Pebble Donuts were top-notch and there were no leftovers when we were through.
Creek Street was Ketchikan’s red-light district in the early 1900s until brothels were banned in 1954. The entire street is a boardwalk of sorts, built on stilts on and around Ketchikan Creek. This creek is part of Ketchikan’s Salmon Walk where the salmon can be seen swimming upstream during their spawning season. There are a multitude of shops and eateries along the way that make this a wonderful experience when in Ketchikan.
Day 7 – July 26, 2024 – Victoria, B.C., Canada
We were only in Victoria for two hours because our time was cut short due to congestion in the port. More time is usually on the menu here, allowing the opportunity to explore downtown, or perhaps Butchart Gardens. When in Victoria, high tea is something I would recommend as Victoria has a great reputation for providing authentic service. The Fairmont Empress Hotel downtown or Butchart Gardens both offer traditional high tea. We spent about an hour exploring the port area and getting some souvenirs at the gift shops nearby. Even though time was short, we still enjoyed our visit to Victoria.
Day 8 – July 27, 2024 – Disembarkation – Oregon Coast – Portland, OR
Today, we planned a trip down the Pacific coast of Oregon to visit Astoria and Cannon Beach. We made sure to get in the first walk-off group at 7:25 AM and were in our Uber on our way to the rental car by 7:35 AM. It was one of the most seamless disembarkation days we have ever experienced.
One of our family’s favorite movies is The Goonies, filmed mainly in Astoria, Oregon. The drive from Seattle was very scenic, and upon arriving in Astoria, it reminded us of the movie in many ways. We saw The Goonies House and a few other sites from the movie. We then navigated to Cannon Beach, where the infamous Haystack Rock is located. It was an integral part of the movie as it helped The Goonies to interpret the map on their way to finding the treasure.
After our nostalgic visit along the Oregon coast, we headed to Portland, OR, for our flight home. Before the flight, we made another stop at the Portland Din Tai Fung location for another round of tasty Taiwanese cuisine. We don’t have any locations near where we live, and we wanted to try more of their delectable dishes while we had the chance. It again did not disappoint. If you ever get to dine here, be sure to finish your meal with a round or two of their Chocolate & Mochi Xiao Long Bao. It was amazing!
