Call of the wild
Voyage through the untamed beauty of Alaska, sampling some of the world’s finest seafood along the way, with Princess Cruises
Rich with majestic fjords, ancient crystalcut glaciers and sprawling national parks, adventure isn’t just a possibility in Alaska, it’s a promise. And, when you travel with Princess Cruises, you don’t just get to visit The Last Frontier, you get to really experience it.
Indeed, extraordinary stories lie around every corner here, but on the 14-day Voyage of the Glaciers Grand Adventure, you can craft your very own tales of life on land and sea, all while connecting with your loved ones – and what better way to bond than over delicious food? Thanks to its 34,000 miles of pristine coastline and 3,000 rivers, Alaska is primed to produce some of the most incredible seafood on the planet, from tantalising Alaskan salmon and halibut, to succulent king crab.
The plentiful seafood doesn’t end when you’re back on board the Majestic Princess, one of the Princess fleet’s newest members. As well as offering the best locally inspired dishes at the top-deck grill, including moreish crab cakes served in the style of Tracy’s King Crab Shack (now a world-famous Alaskan pit stop) and fish tacos from Ketchikan’s Alaska Fish House, Princess also offers fabulous Cook My Catch excursions.
A true sea-to-ship experience exclusive to Princess Cruises, Cook My Catch allows you to reel in your own salmon or halibut (with the help of a local expert, of course), before one of Princess’s talented chefs cooks your haul for your dinner – they’ll even prepare it to your liking, so you can really enjoy your authentic Alaskan seafood.
On this cruise of a lifetime, you’ll start and end your journey amongst the cosmopolitan exuberance of Vancouver, and stop by historic port cities such as Ketchikan, Juneau and Skagway along the way. Whatever your itinerary, you’ll get to take in three glacier-viewing experiences on your travels, including Glacier Bay National Park, Hubbard Glacier and College Fjord.
Here are just some of the incredible experiences that await you on this unforgettable trip...
Ketchikan
Set at the southernmost entrance to Alaska’s illustrious Inside Passage (a network of waterways that meander through some of the world’s most breathtaking wilderness), Ketchikan possesses idyllic scenery that is a sight to behold, and is, unsurprisingly, a seafood-lover’s paradise thanks to its thriving, century-old commercial fishery.
Now dubbed ‘The Salmon Capital of the World’, Ketchikan is steeped in fishing culture and is passionate about not only serving up some of the most delicious seafood on the globe, but also providing ample opportunities for visitors to catch their own. Shellfish enthusiasts will relish the Wilderness Exploration Cruise & Crab Feast excursion. A truly unique experience, you’ll cruise the George Inlet waterway on a seven-mile journey that explores the region’s history and natural beauty, before crossing the fjord to a remote crab estuary, which overlooks the resplendent Tongrass National Forest, the largest in the US at 16.7 million acres. After exploring an isolated cove replete with hundreds of Dungeness crabs, you’ll return to the George Inlet Lodge for an unmissable meal. As you soak up the rustic charm of the lodge, an early 1900s cannery bunkhouse, you’ll learn the art of crab cracking before tucking into this succulent Alaskan delicacy, served with a fresh Oriental salad and a cheesecake brimming with local blueberries.
Juneau
A trip to Alaska wouldn’t be complete without a visit to its state capital, which is also one of its most beautiful cities. Downtown Juneau is a maze of narrow streets that snake around old storefronts, new structures and quaint houses featuring early-19th-century architecture left over from the town’s early gold mining days. Venture a little further out and you’ll discover towering peaks, vibrant wildflowers, surging streams and sprawling, otherworldly icefields.
On Princess’s Mendenhall Glacier, Salmon Hatchery & Salmon Bake excursion, you’ll get to witness the magnitude of the natural wonder that is Mendenhall Glacier – a meandering river of compressed blue ice ranks that runs half a mile wide and hundreds of feet deep. Next, you’ll travel to the Macaulay Salmon Hatchery where you’ll see an operational hatchery in action before sitting down to an all-you-can-eat feast. Savour the taste of Alaskan salmon, parmesan chicken and lots more from inside a see-through, heated dome that will shield you from the elements without obstructing the awe-inspiring views. After your meal, you’re free to stroll through the majestic woods or roast marshmallows over the campfire. Bliss!
Skagway
With a small population of just over 1,100, Skagway may seem like a sleepy Alaskan town, but in reality it’s anything but. Nestled in the northernmost reaches of the Inside Passage, its historical district could easily be mistaken for a Hollywood film set, with 100 buildings from the Gold Rush era lined neatly against a beckoning mountainscape. Its culinary scene, meanwhile, ranges from the informal to the elegant, and is nothing short of exceptional.
On the Taste of Skagway: Crafted Beverages & Local Bites excursion, you’ll get to quench your thirst in style as a trio of local beverage makers invite you to discover their production techniques and colourful history. At the Skagway Spirits distillery, you’ll sip a handcrafted spirit (gin or vodka) in one of the moreish craft cocktails on offer, while the Klondike Brewery has a variety of tempting handcrafted beers for you to try. By the time you reach the Skagway Brewing Company, you’ll have hopefully worked up a bit of an appetite, as you’ll settle into an exclusive tasting room with unparalleled views of Skagway and enjoy a hearty meal of local wild smoked salmon, house-grown greens, beer cheese soup or beer chilli and hand-cut French fries, all served with a refreshing craft beer, of course.