In early August, my dad and I took a cruise to Alaska. This trip was an idea that had been in the works for a while and was a great way to celebrate my dad’s retirement. The cruise started in Seattle and ended up continuing north until it reached its last destination Skagway, Alaska. Once there, the ship turned around and headed back to Seattle, but not before making one last stop in Victoria, Canada. We were able to see a incredible amount of wildlife and gorgeous scenery. This trip was by far one of my most favored trips I had ever been on and having my dad there to experience it with me made it all the more enjoyable.

An adventure into the land and sea unknown.

 A New Journey Unfolds

This trip began when my dad and I flew from Sacramento to the Sea-Tac airport in Seattle. From there we took a shuttle to the port where all the huge cruise ships were waiting for their passengers. Once on board, we headed to our room and prepared for the disembarkation. After about an hour or two, the ship finally left port and was then headed to our first destination on the cruise; Ketchikan, Alaska. The ship wouldn’t be in port again until the next morning so my dad and I checked out the entertainment on the ship, ate at the buffet, visited the casino, and eventually went back to our room to get some rest for the next day.

Sunsets are always a nice way to end a day at sea.

As morning arrived, my dad and readied ourselves for the day, hit the breakfast buffet, and then headed out to explore the wonderful city of Ketchikan. From the docks, we walked into downtown and casually looked through the many different types of shops the city had to offer. After reaching the end of town we decided to turn back and follow one of the trails that looped into more a “naturey” area. We saw seals and the large salmon they were chasing. In addition, we saw at least seven to eight bald eagles in the two to three hours we spent walking around the city. Ketchikan was a very cool and unique city, unlike any I’ve ever visited previously. I am definitely looking forward to visiting this place again in the future.

New Adventures In Juneau

When my dad and I woke up the next morning after the ship had left Ketchikan, we were greeted by amazing scenery and cool wet weather. The ship captain had announced the ship’s arrival in a very wide canal that had a glacier near the end. After passing some very majestic fjords, we finally reached the glacier and it was as cool as I had envisioned it.

  • Foggy fjords
  • The lonely iceberg
This was as close as we could get to the glacier.

The ship eventually turned around and headed for its next stop, Juneau. Once we arrived in Juneau, we packed our things for the day and walked from the dock into the heart of the city. The weather was a little more of what I expected it to be like in Alaska, cold and rainy, but that didn’t stop my dad and I from checking out the shops and other attractions in town. We even road a tram to the top of the nearby mountain to go on a quick hike and see their bald eagle center. Even though we weren’t able to join an official whale watching tour, we were still able to see plenty of whales from the ship, and they were incredible.

  • Interpretive signage
  • Horseshoe tree
  • Apparently we were in bear country.

Last Stop Skagway

As my dad and I returned to the ship for dinner, we decided to stay on board until it departed from Juneau to its final stop. The ship departed later in the evening and wasn’t going to reach Skagway until morning. We decided to check out some of the entertainment the cruise had on board for the guests and participated in some trivia. The trivia games were very fun and challenging for us. After some trivia we went to the casino and watched others play entertaining games of craps and blackjack. We eventually headed back to our rooms and went to bed to be well rested for the adventures to be experienced in Skagway.

The old town of Skagway was very quiet and pleasant to walk around.
The snow covered mountains behind the ship at the port in Skagway were very majestic.

Once in Skagway, my dad and I decided to walk around the town and check out the small shops that were open. Unfortunately it began to rain and we had to cut our walk a little shorter than expected, but it was a rather nice experience and we both agreed we would come back to thoroughly explore the area in the future. After leaving Skagway, the ship headed for one more stop before landing in Seattle. My dad had a surprise waiting for me in Victoria, Canada and I was very excited to see what it was.

We made it to Canada!

Victoria, Canada and the Butchart Gardens

As we arrived in Victoria, I could only think of the surprise waiting for me that my dad had mentioned to me throughout the trip. Once we walked through the checkpoint into Canada, I was handed a brochure of the Butchart Gardens and immediately knew I was in for a treat. In addition to the gardens, my dad had also planned a quick trip to the butterfly gardens along the way. I felt overjoyed and was excited when I saw everything that both the butterfly garden and Butchart gardens had to offer. From huge butterflies to fantastic fireworks, my last day of the cruise definitely ended with a bang.

  • Butterfly house processes.
  • Owl eye butterfly.
  • The main garden.
The Butchart gardens were amazing. Its a must go place if you happen to be visiting Victoria.

    I was very thankful my dad had planned and invited me on this amazing adventure. I will for sure do this kind of trip again and of course, visit both of the gardens. Thanks again to my dad for letting me be a part of the this wonderful excursion.