Our Alaska trip began with a one-week 1600-mile cruise, aboard the Sea Princess. We headed North from Vancouver on a scenic route known as the Inside Passage, traveling through a chain of islands making up the Alaskan Panhandle. As our ship docked during the day, we had the opportunity to nature hike, view wildlife, and explore the towns of Ketchikan, Juneau, and Skagway. Then we left civilization behind as we entered the land of tidewater glaciers. After several exciting days at sea, we completed this leg of our Alaska trip, disembarking in Seward, Alaska, to begin our land journey.
The Sea Princess is 857 feet long, 77,000 gross tons, and can accommodate 2270 passengers, with a crew of 880. It has 14 decks, 10 of with are accessible by passengers. This modern luxury cruise ship is approximately twice the size of the Titanic.
On board, you eat, sleep, eat, watch theater shows, eat, walk, eat, listen to interesting lectures, eat, and relax on deck. It's like a small floating city, with more things to do than there is time. There’s multiple restaurants, swimming pools & Jacuzzis, two theatres, fitness center, salon, shops, bars & lounges, casino, library, game room, tennis court, etc. We had an excellent naturalist, Michael Moran, who explained the wildlife, glaciers, and history all along our voyage. I knew we'd be pampered, but I didn't know I'd learn something in the process. If only school had been that much fun.
