This past May (2024) after 3 years of delays, my wife and I finally took our 35th anniversary trip to Alaska. Alaska had always been one of our dream destinations and we were beyond excited looking forward to this trip. Before I go any further, I would like to thank our travel agent for bearing with us through all of those delays and helping us reschedule. And reschedule again. And adjust. Without our friendly agent (yes, David & Jennifer of Dapper Dreams Travel) the logistics of this trip could have been a major ordeal.
We chose Vancouver as our departure point for our cruise, with Princess Cruise Lines, as my wife had never visited Canada or the Pacific Northwest and I thought she would enjoy an extra day there. If we had it to do all over again, we would take a few more days in Vancouver. It was a beautiful city, albeit rainy, and we would love to get the chance to explore more. The aquarium and waterfront there were fantastic. And the cruise ships conveniently dock right downtown.
Once onboard we enjoyed watching the snow-covered mountains go by as the ship sailed out as sea planes flew overhead. This truly was a scenic departure and the scenery only continued to get better and better. I am sure you have seen pictures of the mountains in the Pacific Northwest and Alaska, but nothing can capture how stunning they truly are.
In a ploy to impress my wife, I bid on a chance to upgrade our room on board to a suite. Although my first bid was unsuccessful, my second attempt was, so our room had been upgraded from a standard balcony view to a suite. This was great but be aware that once your bid is accepted it is a done deal. We did not realize that the suite we were getting was handicapped accessible so we spent our anniversary in separate twin beds instead of a single queen. Oh well, we have been married 38 years. Still a nice suite with plenty of room and a huge, if wet, balcony. The Pacific Northwest in Spring is a very damp place.
We cruise the inner passage stopping at Skagway, Juneau, and Ketchikan as well as some days at sea. While the weather was cool, it was never too cold, and for a couple coming from the heat of the Carolina Lowcountry, it was quite a welcome change. I would advise anyone going this same route not to go any earlier than the last week of May, when we did, as the weather would be quite a bit cooler, some attractions and shops would be open yet, and the salmon would not yet be running. The salmon running is key to your trip as it is those salmon that attract the whales, bears, and other wildlife you are probably hoping to see.
When we were in Juneau, the capital of Alaska, we went on a well-run whale-watching excursion that was one of the highlights of the tip. We saw numerous humpback whales as well as dolphins and eagles. We were a bit too early in the season for the orca and beluga although our guides told us that we probably missed them by only a week or so. It was great that the excursions were all booked through the cruise line because they took care of all the details. In addition, when my wife became ill and could not make one of the excursions, the cruise line quickly and without problem refunded our money. This would not have happened if we had booked outside of the cruise. A brief aside to say that the medical personnel onboard were quite helpful and knowledgeable.
Aside from the whale watching and the overall scenery, the other highlight of the trip was the train ride from our last port of call to the Denali National Park. This 9-hour train ride seemed to fly by. Now that could be because I am a railfan, but my wife said the same thing. The seats on board the train were comfortable, the service was great, and the views from the domed cars were amazing. Around every turn of the railroad, there was something new and different to see. From peaks and fields to cabins, moose, and eagles, the views never disappointed. I could have ridden that train forever. (Ready to go David?)
At the end of the train ride, we arrived at the Denali Princess Lodge. This lodge has beautiful views (notice a trend here?) and is quite close to the main entrance to Denali National Park. A short bus ride from the lodge is where we got to see the wonderful Denali Park sled dogs who aid the rangers in the care of the park and where I finally got to do a small bit of Alaskan hiking. Another warning – don’t get too caught up with the hike or taking pictures of friendly squirrels or you may just get frantic calls from your wife urging you to hurry up or you will miss your ride back to the lodge.
After the Denali Princess Lodge, we transferred to the McKinley Lodge. I cannot stress enough the view of Mount Denali that you get from the back deck of this lodge. To call it postcard-perfect would be an understatement. This lodge has a more relaxed atmosphere than the prior one but like that lodge has excellent food and facilities.
Finally, after leaving the McKinley Lodge we made our way by bus to Anchorage where we would catch our plane back home. Our final tip here would be that in contrast to spending a few extra days in Vancouver, we would advise passing on any extra time in Anchorage. It is just not a great town for tourism and besides, by this time you will be tired, overwhelmed, and ready to get home.
To see these and other photos from the Carnells’ travels, check out their photo gallery.
