A P R O D U C T I O N O F T H E I N T E N T I O N A L T R A V E L E R I N T E N D 2 T R A V E L . C O M

V o l . 1 , N o . 4 T h e I n t e n t i o n a l T r a v e l e r N e w s l e t t e r

If you are looking for incredible scenery, you can’t select a better cruise than Alaska. Cruise by snow capped mountains for days, discover fantastic glaciers and virgin forests. You’ll find that whales are a common sight as are eagles. We are not trying to favor any cruise line over another but rather want to inspire you to find an Alaskan

Cruise that fits your needs. You won’t regret it!

Norwegian cruise ship docked in Juneau Alaska

Vestibulum imperdiet nonummy sem dolorThe Intentional Traveler

Welcome AboardWe are The Intentional Traveler and we’re glad you’re visiting. We love to travel and we also enjoy sharing our experiences with others. The centerpiece of much of our travels has been cruising, so much of our focus is on the cruising life, itineraries and ports of call. You will discover that from the Caribbean to Alaska to the Mediterranean there are a number of similarities between cruise line itineraries and ports of call. Our desire is to provide you with information that will help you plan and then get the most from your trip. To that end we combine our cruise impressions with specific port of call information. We hope you'll find this a useful tool for planning your next cruise. Download a copy to take with you.

This e-newsletter is a compilation from our travel website and makes use of hyperlinks. If you a reading this pdf file on your computer, either on your web browser or downloaded, clicking on a hyperlink will open related web pages with information on our website and other websites.

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CRUISINGN e w s l e t t e r

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ALASKA

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Choose Your CruiseThere’s a wide selection of cruise lines offering Alaska cruises. Disney, Princess, Royal Caribbean, Holland America, Carnival, just to name a few. The most popular itineraries are 7 day round trips, usually out of Seattle or Vancouver. There are also 7 day one-way with Seward being the usual start or finish allowing for land tours to Denali National Park. You can also expect to see some longer cruises offered, usually between 10 and 14 days. It’s easy to find a cruise that fits your particular needs.

CRUISINGN e w s l e t t e r

CRUISING ALASKAAs we write this, we are just finishing our fourth Alaska cruise. Having done

this a number of times before, we recognize that there are a lot of similarities

but also some significant differences in these cruises. Because it is so vast, the

49th state is a destination that is perfect to be explored by cruise ship. Cruising

gives you an opportunity to view some of the towns, cities, glaciers and

wildlife up close and personal. After a first trip, it is then possible to decide if

you want to spend time further exploring by train, ferry, car or a combination.

There are also land tours that can be booked before or after a cruise which

should include Denali along with Anchorage and Fairbanks.

A lot of ships begin the cruise in Seattle or Vancouver, two wonderful cities to

spend a few extra days before or after a cruise. They are easily accessible and

offer an abundance of hotels, restaurants and things to do in a wide range of

prices. (Hotels in Seattle, however, are rapidly getting more expensive.) A lot

of cruises are seven nights and depart and return from the same port. A

common itinerary is sailing up the inside passage. Normal port stops are

Skagway, Ketchikan, Juneau and Icy Strait Point with

visits to the Misty Fjords and Hubbard Glacier.

Some cruises also visit Victoria, Canada on

Vancouver Island.

A typical seven night cruise will include four

or five of these places with lots of

opportunities for tours arranged through the

The Intentional Traveler • Intend2Travel.com

A P R O D U C T I O N O F T H E I N T E N T I O N A L T R A V E L E R I N T E N D 2 T R A V E L . C O M

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CRUISING ALASKAcruise ship or setting out on your

own for independent exploration.

If you spend a little time on the

internet investigating your ports of

call, chances are you can locate an

independent tour operator who

will take you to a glacier, panning

for gold or fishing... at a

significant savings over the cruise

ship tour prices.

One sure highlight of an Alaska

cruise is a visit to a glacier. There

are three which are easily

accessible and each has a different

character. Mendenhall Glacier is a

National Park and the easiest to get

to since it is only a few minutes

bus ride outside of Juneau. Ships

offer a number of tours to

Mendenhall but we would

recommend the public bus service

that departs from a stop near the

cruise ship docks with a round trip

fare of $30 per person.

Hubbard Glacier is spectacular and

is a destination that a limited

number of ships can visit. Hubbard

would be high on our list of

itineraries when selecting a cruise.

The ships maneuver up near the

face of this massive glacier as it

calves giant chunks of ice into the

sea providing spectacular photo

opportunities.

Dawes Glacier is way up inside the

Misty Fjords and calves chunks of

turquoise ice that float down the

fjord. In booking, be warned that a

visit to the fjord does not guarantee

your cruise getting up to the Dawes

glacier as it is condition dependent. Ragtime Hattie" played the piano in

white gloves and a silver dollar halter top. Later, in territorial days, the owners would often meet the tour boats at the docks with a mule that wore a sign saying, "follow my ass to

the Red Dog Saloon." Wyatt Earp is said to have lost his pistol in a poker game there. The saloon also hosted an episode of The Ed Sullivan Show just after Alaska became a state.

Near the cruise docks there is a cable car up to a mountaintop that offers a panoramic view of the area. Juneau is also home to the Mendenhaul glacier

Victoria & Vancouver Island, CanadaAnother frequent port of call on Alaska itineraries is the city of

Victoria. Located on Vancouver Island that’s only a ferry ride from the city of Vancouver. This area is developing a growing reputation for producing good wine and is home

to the beautiful Butchart Gardens.

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CRUISING ALASKA

and during one cruise we visited the local fish hatchery. It is a remarkable

operation that scoops up and processes tons of fresh “wild” salmon and is a good alternative to the controversial salmon farming which has become popular in recent years.

Ketchikan is another popular port where you can, depending on the season, book a fishing trip to bring back your own salmon or, if really lucky, a haddock. There are

operations where your charter captain can have your catch smoked or flash frozen and express shipped home

(expensive but worth great for bragging rights). Again there are

jewelry stores and gift shops everywhere and also one of the better

opportunities to buy canned or smoked salmon to take home to family and

friends. It does seem that each time we come back to Alaska, the price of salmon jumps in price, probably driven by of the growing popularity of Alaska cruising, so shop carefully.

Icy Straight Point is another popular stop with the big draw being whale watching tours. There are also some nice Alaska rain forest hiking trails and a new zipline. On one recent trip when

we were anchored out we returned to the ship early and a large humpback whale spent almost an hour near the ship. We have been told that that was not that unusual an event here.

 

A P R O D U C T I O N O F T H E I N T E N T I O N A L T R A V E L E R I N T E N D 2 T R A V E L . C O M

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The old cannery buildings now turned into a visitor center

ICY STRAIGHT POINT, ALASKAAs we write this, we are just finishing our fourth Alaska cruise. Having done this a number of times before, we recognize that there are a lot of similarities but also some

significant differences in these cruises. Because it is so vast, the 49th state is a destination that is perfect to be explored by cruise ship. Cruising gives you an opportunity to view some of the towns, cities, glaciers and wildlife up close and personal. After a first trip, it is then possible to decide if you want to spend time further exploring by train, ferry, car or a combination. There are also land tours that can be booked before or after a cruise which should include Denali along with Anchorage and

Fairbanks. A lot of ships begin the cruise in Seattle or Vancouver, two wonderful cities to spend a few extra days before or after a cruise. They are easily accessible and offer an abundance of hotels, restaurants and things to do in a wide range of prices. (Hotels in Seattle, however, are rapidly getting more expensive.) A lot of cruises are seven nights and depart and return from the same port. A common itinerary is sailing up the inside passage. Normal port stops are Skagway, Ketchikan, Juneau and Icy Strait Point with visits to the Misty Fjords and Hubbard Glacier. Some cruises also visit Victoria, Canada on Vancouver Island. A typical seven night cruise will include four or five of these places with lots of opportunities for tours arranged through the cruise ship or setting out on your own for independent exploration. If you spend a little time on the internet investigating your ports of call, chances are you can locate an independent tour operator who will take you to a

glacier, panning for gold or fishing... at a significant savings over the cruise ship tour prices. One sure highlight of an Alaska cruise is a visit to a glacier. There are three which are easily accessible and each has a different character. Mendenhall Glacier is a National Park and the easiest to get to since it is only a few minutes bus ride outside of Juneau. Ships offer a number of tours to Mendenhall but we would recommend the public bus service that departs from a stop near the cruise ship docks with a round trip fare of $30 per person. Hubbard Glacier is spectacular and is a destination that a limited number of ships can visit. Hubbard would be high on our list of itineraries when selecting a cruise. The ships maneuver up near the face of this massive glacier as it calves giant chunks of ice into the sea providing spectacular photo opportunities.

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CRUISING ALASKA

Skagway is a very popular port of call for Alaska cruises. With a population that fluctuates between 700 and 2,000 from winter to summer it is easy to see what the economy is based on. While Skagway is small and isolated, that doesn’t mean there isn’t anything to do. Historically, Skagway has its' beginnings in the Yukon gold rush established as the port of entry for the Chilkoot trail leading up to the gold fields. Today it is a tourist destination with a lot of options for just spending a day

off a cruise ship or even longer wilderness adventures.

Where your docked - There are a set of modern docks right near town with specific docks designated for different cruise lines. While there are no facilities right on the docks it is a short walk to the foot

of State Street that runs up through town. Transportation - Taxis are available but the town itself can be walked in a short period. There are locations to visit on the outskirts of town like the gold mine where a taxi would be yCurrency - Alaska is a U.S. state and the U.S. Dollar is the preferred currency with most major credit cards accepted. Attractions - If you are looking for a scenic ride The White Pass and Yukon Railroad offers excursion trains up through the mountains and back. The station is right in town. There is also a gold mining attraction nearby and whale watching tours are normally available. One of our favorites was the helicopter tour up to a glacier. State Street also has the usual lineup of tourist retail stores with an emphasis on jewelry. Look

for local crafts and collectable items as well. If you are looking to book a tour our suggestion is to book on your own instead of through the ship. You will have a whole day in Skagway with plenty of time to set something up. We called the helicopter tour service the day before we docked in Skagway and saved almost fifty percent on the booking.

The National Park Service

also has a Skagway facility with good exhibits about the time of the Yukon gold rush.

Tip: Most U.S. and Canadian cell services do not have any surcharge for using you phones in Alaska. Just make sure you have a land based signal and are not on the ships Cellular At Sea service.

SKAGWAY, ALASKA

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CRUISING ALASKA

Mendenhall Glacier National Park only a short bus ride out of Juneau.

no cruise terminal or public facilities readily available at the dock. Restrooms are at the public library just a block from the Red Dog Saloon and in a number of stores and restaurants. There is also a shuttle service provided from the docks down the channel but it is not free (currently about $2 each way). Transportation - Besides the official dock shuttle there are taxis available at reasonable rates. To get to Mendenhall Glacier we would recommend the public bus service that departs from a stop near the docks. Current round trip fare to Mendenhall NPS Visitor Center is $30 per person. Outside of the historic district, Juneau is actually a very large city geographically. If you really want to see the wider area there are rental car agencies near town. Money - The U.S. Dollar and most credit cards are welcome.Attractions - Wander the streets of Juneau's historic district, shop or visit the infamous Red Dog Saloon where Wyatt Earp lost his guns in a

poker game. Within just a few square miles, browse multiple museums and an arts centers celebrating Alaska's Native heritage. See multiple totems, the

Ancon Mural, the fascinating DIPAC Macaulay Salmon Hatchery and be sure and go out to Mendenhall

Glacier. Stop by one of Travel Juneau's visitor information sites for a Downtown Walking Tour Map and be your own guide! Take a cable car up to a mountain top high above the city or take a helicopter up to the Juneau ice field and walk on a glacier. Go salmon fishing or whale watching. There's more to do than will fit in a day.

Find more information here on the Mendenhall Glacier &  Salmon Hatchery.

Juneau is the most isolated state capital in the United States and one of two that you cannot drive to (Hawaii). It is one of the most frequented cities on Alaska cruise itineraries. Besides being isolated and the state's capital it also has a lot to offer. Where you're docked - Docking facilities stretch from the waterfront right at the foot of the historic district for a mile southeast along the Gastineau channel. If you are lucky and your ship docks near town you are only steps from shops and restaurants. There is, however,

Juneau Alaska

A P R O D U C T I O N O F T H E I N T E N T I O N A L T R A V E L E R I N T E N D 2 T R A V E L . C O M

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CRUISING ALASKASeeing Glaciers

In AlaskaAlaska is one of the most popular cruises and it doesn’t seem like interest will

taper off any time soon. All the major cruise lines offer itineraries. We often get asked what cruise we would recommend and we do have some very specific

ideas on what to look for. Alaska has a lot to see and almost any cruise will be a memorable experience but there are differences. First, some information on the general environment. Coastal Alaska has a limited number of ports and locations so there are a lot of cruise similarities. The major cruise ports are Skagway, Juneau, and Ketchikan and each has a lot to offer. Hanes and Icy Strait Point are two of the less visited stops with opportunities to take nature tours rather than as an actual destination. There are also a couple of “cruise only” areas. The first is the Misty Fiords which is usually a half day of cruising up through the narrow fiord.

The other is Hubbard Glacier where the ships cruise up near the face of the glacier. Finely, there is the port of Seward and it is the farthest

north on itineraries. Most one-way cruises make it up to Seward as this is a jumping off point for trips to Denali with Alaska Rail Tours.

Our opinion is that the most spectacular sights are the glaciers and they should be a prime consideration in selecting a cruise line and its' itinerary. Because the number of ships allowed to go up to Hubbard Glacier are very limited, we recommend that your first priority is selecting a cruise that includes it. Hubbard is a huge glacier that terminates at a bay and it is “calving” huge chunks into the water constantly. In addition, the bay is filled with icebergs and flowing chunks of ice with seals being a common sight. Mendenhall Glacier is another popular destination and usually all you need is a bus ticket from Juneau. The glacier is a National Park with a nice visitor center and great hiking trails and it really is only a half hour bus ride from town. Almost all Alaska cruise passengers have an opportunity to visit this glacier. A third glacier of particular note is Dawes Glacier located at the end of Tracy Arm Fjord. It also terminates into water with calving a

frequent event. Unfortunately it is not on many ship itineraries probably because there is a limit on ships allowed all the way up the fjord. Tracy Arm Fjord is a branch off of the Misty Fjord and while cruise often include Misty Fjord, few make it up to Dawes Glacier. Helicopter tours Skagway. A fourth frequent glacier opportunity is a helicopter tour up on the Juneau Ice Field. These tours are available from Juneau as well as Skagway. One tip that can save you some money is to book the tour on your own rather than through the ship. You can call using U.S. cell service at most points near the popular towns and often book at the last minute. The tours only take a couple of hours so it is easy to fit into a port day as well. Regardless of which cruise line you prefer, pay attention to the available itineraries and try to get a cruise that includes Dawes or Hubbard. Most cruise swill list Hubbard on the cruise itinerary but you will probably have to make some inquiries regarding

Bon Voyage!

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Tasting Alaska Ashore

We don't think there is any better eating than fresh caught, cold-water seafood and no better place to enjoy it than coastal Alaska. Below are some very popular selections.JuneauThe Salmon Spot - Salmon CakesTracy’s King Crab Shack - Just crabDeckhand Dave's Fish Tacos - best fish tacos in AlaskaKetchikanAlava's Fish-n-Chowder- great chowderThe Alaska Fish House- Dungeness crab Skagway Skagway Fish Company-light fare tacosSkagway Brewing Company - brewery with good fish & chipsAlaskan Salmon Bake Tour in JuneauThis is a common part of a number of ship excursions. This outdoor venue features an all-you-can-eat salmon bake. Enjoy fire grilled wild salmon, baked beans, macaroni salad and blueberry cake, pan for gold, and watch a Tlingit Master Carver at work on totem poles. Finish with a marshmallow roast by the campfire.

and timber and attracted Americans to the area. In 1885, Mike Martin bought 160 acres from Chief Kyan to found he township. The first cannery was built in 1886 near the mouth of Ketchikan Creek and by 1912 four more were opened.

By 1936 there were seven canneries in operation, producing almost two million cases of salmon a season. The need for lumber fostered the Ketchikan Spruce Mills built in 1903, which operated for over 70 years. The lumber industry collapsed when the Clinton administration moved to reduce timber cutting in Alaska by having the U.S. Forest service cancel contracts for timber in March 1997.

Where Your Ship DocksGetting from your ship into town is convenient as there are several piers near downtown for berthing cruise ships.

TransportationKetchikan is a small town with the central district encompassing only a few dozen blocks. Most trips out of town involve specific nature tours by bus, car, boat or plane.

The town is located on one of Alaska's large coastal islands with most of it covered in large tracts of undeveloped forest.

CurrencyKetchikan is an American town and uses the U.S. Dollar. Credit cards are widely accepted and so are ATM machines.

Attractions Ketchikan is home to

Tongass Historical Museum along with a waterfront cannery exhibit and the Great Alaskan Lumberjack Show. Salmon fishing charters are readily available and you can have your catch flash frozen or smoked and couriered home (a bit pricey but worth the bragging rights). Additional tours include wilderness expeditions, trips to the Misty Fjords and whale watching.

Shopping offers a number of opportunities with the smoked and canned salmon being high on everyone's list being a reasonably priced prize.

The Port Of KetchikanThe town gets its name from the Tongass and Tlingit Indians who named their fish camp kitschk-hin, meaning stream with "thundering wings of eagles." While Skagway attracted gold prospectors, Ketchikan was a treasure trove of abundant fish