Alaska’s Vast Splendor and Some Worthwhile Off-Ship Excursions

By Cathie Arquilla
Senior Writer

I reached an ‘Aha moment’ recently on an Alaskan cruise. I realized the beauty of planet Earth both formidable and welcoming.

The sky melted into water dotted with tree-capped islands that looked like a collection of bottle brushes in silhouette poking out of the sea. 

Aboard Holland America’s Eurodam ship navigating through Stephen’s Passage on its way to Juneau, you see postcard views of Alaska.

Savage Majesty

This territory has captivated adventures for hundreds of years. Author Jack London said, “The wild still lies in the world, and it is in Alaska that it stands naked, in its full savage majesty.” 

Admittedly, cruising in Alaska isn’t conquering uncharted lands. Less explorer and more observer, I aimed to see whales, bears, sea lions, bald eagles, icy waters, and calving glaciers. Holland got me there, and I checked off my list, except for the bears. No vacation delivers everything.  

Excursion One – Juneau, Alaska’s Capital 

A small group excursion is the way to go if you can swing it. It’s nice to set foot on land, experience where you are, and be with less humanity. 

We chose Whales & Mendenhall Glacier Photo Safari, an excursion for which we were initially waitlisted. (Book in advance!)

The experience started with a slow half-hour hike through the forest to Mendenhall Glacier. Clair, our guide from Gastineau Guiding, the outfit that ran the Holland (HAL) tour, did a fabulous job explaining what we saw during our walk and throughout the day. 

She was super upbeat and excited, which was excellent since this was toward the end of the season, and she had probably run countless tours. More importantly, this was billed as a Photo Safari, and she helped us with our cameras (both iPhone and traditional), with photo composition, angles, and exposures, as well as any other photography goals or questions we might have. 

This was a temperate rainforest, a term that came up several times throughout our trip. The ground was wet and mossy, gifting plenty of interesting mushrooms and leafy shrubs to photograph. 

Approaching Mendenhall Glacier, I felt surprised and sobered. I had pictured pristine, white cliffs jutting from the sea; it was more like a ski slope dirty from traffic and not enough snow.

Yet, it was still a glacier, the first I’d ever seen and much less impressive than the ones we would see the next day in Glacier Bay. Helicopters, kayakers, and crowds at the visitor centers also contributed to my fantasy highjack. 

From Mendenhall Glacier, we went to Auke Bay Harbor to board our whale-watching boat with Captain Michelle. The boat was outfitted with big windows that swung open and up. The bow and aft were also open for optimal picture taking. 

Claire and Michelle said we had an extraordinary day of whale watching. And we did! The main event was seeing orcas.

This is a rarity which only happens during about 5% of whale-watching experiences.

Why? Because orcas travel so fast and so far, you often don’t get to see them up close. We saw two adults and one baby orca surfacing and diving like something out of a water ballet.

It was emotional–I was amazed by their graphic beauty and grace. My chest swelled, and my eyes teared. 

Excursion Two: A Kayaking Adventure Departing from Sitka

Considering it rains in Sitka, Alaska, about 250 days per year, it wasn’t surprising that it rained during our Wilderness Sea Kayaking Adventure excursion. Frankly, it should have rained during most of our cruise–temperate rainforest and all that–but happily, we mostly had lovely weather. 

First, we geared up. We looked like lobstermen in oversized, bright orange waterproof overalls and coats. Next, we took a sports pontoon to a floating raft dock, where we cast off in our kayaks. 

Paddling into the bay surrounded by islands and mountains beyond, we saw bald eagles (several!) and water birds in large communities swooping, flying, and floating in tandem.

Misty skies changed the landscape and colors on all sides. At times, it felt glorifying, and at times, it seemed eerie. The land was covered with densely populated trees so close together that light barely peeked through. This is where I was hoping to see a bear, but no. 

We did learn some fun facts about salmon. No matter how far they travel during their lifetime, they always return to their birthplace to lay eggs and die. The bay was full of skeletal salmon resting in peace below the water. 

Excursion Three: Ketchikan – Catch a Ride 

On this 7-day cruise, the timing of our port visits was somewhat challenging. In Ketchikan, for instance, we docked at 6:30 a.m., and “All Aboard” was at 12:15 p.m. Still, we fit in the fun, but occasionally challenging, Rain Forest Trail E-Bike & Nature Walk excursion. 

Once we received our orientation of the e-bike, we were off to… what felt like a race! I made the mistake of getting directly behind our guide, so I needed to keep up to not hold up or collide with the riders behind me.

While the path was cleared, it was not paved. At times, it was somewhat bumpy, and at other times, it was a jaw-jarring, teeth-chattering ride. Mountain bike riding should have been part of the excursion name. All the same, it was fun.

We rode through the forest to a beautiful lake. While our guide encouraged us to see the woods and streams around us, I prudently focused mainly on the road. 

Parking the bikes off the trail, we crossed a bridge and entered a woody, mossy, marshy area outfitted with planks to see what is known as a muskeg. Our guide, a native of Scotland who was familiar with this wet climate, explained the different plant life and the dangers of being stuck in a muskeg. It sounded a bit like a western movie when the bad guy gets sucked into quicksand, only much wetter and muckier. 

The little hike culminated in a lean-to outdoor structure with a welcoming fire crackling.

A dude, reminiscent of Bill and Ted’s excellent adventure, served us his coffee-hot-chocolate, a specialty of “the house” and some smores. 

The why of a cruise to Alaska, Glacier Bay National Park

Holland America’s excursions are vetted, perfectly on time (no worries about missing all-aboard), and extraordinary.

But, If you spend the whole cruise on the boat (perhaps you have mobility issues), your Alaskan cruise will still be complete and wondrous once you see Glacier Bay. 

With over 3 million acres of forest, mountain peaks rising over 15,000 feet, and the glaciers themselves, it’s difficult to fathom the sheer colossal size of Glacier Bay National Park. 

Cruising into the bay, past Lamplugh Glacier and John Hopkins Glacier, there are photo ops in every direction. Everyone hopes to see a calving–a big chunk of ice breaking off the glacier and splashing into the sea. We were rewarded with that and beautiful blue skies the day we were there. 

You hear the groaning, crunching, thundering sound of the calving before actually seeing the ice break off. Then, there are some residual chunks plopping into the sea. It’s ever-changing depending on so many factors, but even seeing a relatively small calving is awe-inspiring. 

Park Rangers board the boat via a lunch and rope ladder early in the morning. 

I met Park Ranger Hailey Burley on the upper deck, who explained the glacier’s nature, mass, movement, and size.

Her favorite part of her job is being with people as they experience Glacier Bay. She explained, “We’re out here together, and people get to see it, and I can answer questions as they’re coming up in real time.” 

Two cruise ships per day are allowed to visit Glacier Bay, and the National Park Service limits other vessels entering the bay during the summer months.

Unfortunately, decades of data show that Alaska has warmed more than twice as fast as the rest of the earth.

There are 100,000 glaciers in the state; 95% are thinning, stagnating, or retreating, and Glacier Bay’s glaciers follow this trend—another reason to experience them now. 

Personalize your Holland Experience to find Adventure Onboard 

I’ve highlighted ways to enjoy Alaska off the boat, but HAL offers tons of experiences onboard. Suppose you’re into floor shows, song and dance, comedy, etc. The World Stage has something to see each night. If you’re a foodie, there are so many dining experiences to dig into–Dutch Tea to Nami Sushi to Alaska Sea Boil.

Maybe you want a little competition, learn pickleball, or enter a ping-pong tournament. Experience art classes, flower arranging, cooking classes, wine tasting, Tai Chi, and more. 

Enjoy the spa, gym, casino, and specialty dining experiences. Get your groove on with Holland’s extraordinary signature live music. 

Most importantly, Learn about Alaska! Take advantage of the “We Love Alaska” offerings featured daily throughout the cruise.

These generally take place on the World Stage, and in under an hour, you learn something about Alaska, its heritage, history, food, wildlife, ports, and native people. Taking advantage of “We Love Alaska” breathes depth into your trip and gives you a sense of place beyond the ship. 

With 150 years of sailing, Holland offers cruisers a customizable journey–a cruise to make their own. As you pass by extraordinary views of Alaska, you can sit quietly on your favorite viewing deck or balcony stateroom to soak it in. Or you can learn to dance the hustle!