A
Crystal Clear Alaska Cruise
"Glacier Discovery" Diary
Ketchikan,
Alaska
Known as the "Salmon
Capital" of the world, my first priority was the catch of the
day. I didn't join the fishing excursion, though... I headed for
Salmon Etc. to have smoked salmon shipped home. Nearly everything is
within walking distance in Ketchikan and I picked up a walking map
before leaving Crystal Harmony. It's been nine years since I visited
Alaska and in the interim, Ketchikan seems to have grown with more
shops and attractions than I remembered. The main ones are still Creek
Street where you can tour the infamous Dolly House (of dubious repute)
and the Totem Heritage Center, a collection of totem poles gathered
from remote villages and displayed on the site. For a taste of the
cultural and natural history of the region, I stopped at the Southeast
Alaska Discovery Center to browse through the exhibits before
returning to Crystal Harmony and lunch of (what else!) a salmon
burger. (More... Sights
to see & things to do in Ketchikan)
Juneau,
Alaska
Unlike my last visit to
Juneau when tendering ashore was necessary, Crystal Harmony docked
right downtown. After petting the bronze statue of Patsy Ann, a bull
terrier nicknamed “the official boat greeter of Juneau” in the
1930s because of her habit of meeting all arrivals, I made my way to
the bus that was to take us to Mendenhall Glacier and a salmon bake.
The park and ranger station at Mendenhall are vastly improved since
1996 with expanded exhibits and informative park rangers on hand eager
to share their knowledge and love for the area. We had enough time for
a bit of exploration (and to work up an appetite) before heading for
the salmon bake. Actually, the salmon was based with a thick mixture
of butter, brown sugar, and lemon juice and grilled. Absolutely
delicious and seconds were in order! (More...
Sights to see &
things to do in Juneau)
Glacier
Bay
I was particularly excited
about our day in Glacier Bay. It promised to begin early as Crystal
Harmony was scheduled to enter Glacier Bay at 6am. Determined not to
miss a moment, before retiring I turned the television on to the
channel with a view from the Bridge Cam (and turned down the sound) so
I would have a birds-eye view with my wake up call. My plan didn't
include low clouds or fog. Unfortunately, that was the view I awoke
to. Plus, there was precipitation on the Bridge Cam. Rain. Oh well,
nothing could spoil my day. By the time I hurriedly dressed and
finished my room service coffee it was light out and time to head for
the Vista Lounge and a spot at the rail. Unfortunately, it was really
raining by the time I arrived in the lounge and we were advised that
the outside deck was slick.
|
|
Margerie
Glacier treats Crystal Harmony guests to one of many BIG
splashes |
It's a long way from the
entrance to Glacier Bay and the face of Margerie Glacier, so I settled
in with fellow passengers to listen as the park rangers provided
commentary and pointed out that we would be seeing if the fog lifted.
Rain continued to pour until we began spotting ice floes in the
water--lots of ice. The rain let up and I headed for the Promenade
Deck for a clear view. Spectacular! This is what we were all
anticipating. Margerie Glacier met our arrival with a roar and
near-continuous calving as Crystal Harmony settled in for an hour or
so. Mid-May is early in the Alaska season, but we got lucky and were
able to get very close to the glacier as it calved and calved and
calved. My theory is that Mother Nature put on a special show to greet
Crystal Harmony, realizing that this is her last season of Alaska
cruises.
Even with the rain it
was an extraordinary day and one of the most memorable I've spent at
sea. (More about... the Sights
to see in Glacier Bay)
College
Fjord
Crystal Harmony advanced
slowly through College Fjord most of the day. It would be hours before
we sighted the glaciers named for Ivy-League schools, but it wasn't
time wasted. The day was beautiful and crisp--just perfect for sitting
outside with binoculars to watch for wildlife ashore. I didn't see any
bears or moose, but did manage to spot a whale, which made my trip
complete. After the splendor of Glacier Bay, I thought College Fjord
might be a let-down. However, the scenery was magnificent and Mother
Nature once again smiled on us as the sun came out to reveal the
colors of Harvard Glacier just as we arrived.
Sweet
Dreams
One of the special touches on
a Crystal cruise that I appreciated the most is the bedding--silky Egyptian cotton sheets, huge
down pillows, and feather bed toppers. But they go a step further and
extend a "Pillow Menu" with a choice of hypo-allergenic
pillows, round neck pillows, firm pillows, and therapeutic
sleep-sensitive pillows. No need to pack your own favorite--any of
these make you feel like a pampered guest.
Pure
Crystal Touches
-
No need to pack any
bath and body goodies either. An ample supply of Aveda products
are waiting in the bathrooms.
-
Refrigerators in all
accommodations are kept stocked with bottled water and soft
drinks.
-
Naturally everyone
wants clean hands, but a lot of us popped into the public
bathrooms for another reason--the Elemis hand lotion in a wall
dispenser was irresistible.
-
Chilly? Toss the
mohair throw over your lap (it's on the closet shelf).
While Crystal Harmony
would soon be turning southward for an additional six days of
cruising, it was time for me to depart in Whittier. After her final
Alaska season and a series of Mexican Riviera cruises, she will depart
the Crystal fleet for her new home with parent company Nippon Yusen
Kaisha (NYK), where she will replace its cruise ship, Asuka and
will be renamed Asuka II. A new ship is in the planning stages for
Crystal Cruises, which aspires to remain a three-ship fleet.
Back to Part One --
> Crystal
Harmony Cruise Diary
Cruise Line
Profile: Crystal
Cruises
Crystal
Cruises - Cruise Reviews
Crystal
Cruises Web Site
Sights
to See & Things to Do in Alaska Ports of Call
Cool
Cruising - Get ready to go north to Alaska & other cold
climates.
Alaska
Packing Suggestions - Special requirements for Alaska
cruises.
Photographs
Copyright
© Crystal Cruises & Linda Coffman
